With the Watchmen about to air its first season finale on HBO, let's rank the 10 greatest superpowers Doctor Manhattan holds in the DC Universe. Are Doctor Manhattan's powers the same in DC Comics, in the movie adaptation by filmmaker Zack Snyder, and in the television series from The Leftovers showrunner Damon Lindelof? Or are there slight differences for the cosmic god-like figure in between? Let's find out what makes Dr. Manhattan stand out from all the other superheroes and super-villains. What is one major power that really makes him a hero to his friends and a threat to his enemies?
Created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, before Dr. Manhattan came to be, Jonathan Osterman was the beloved son of a watchmaker. After making a professional career out of studying nuclear physics, Jon was working at a secret research base with his true love, Jenny. Just when he was about to retrieve Jenny's watch, the door to the test chamber suddenly closed and locked him inside. When the generator turned on, Jon's body was torn to shreds by nuclear power and became something more powerful and terrifying.
10 10. Flight
When Jon had resurrected from the dead, he was seen by the entire research team, including his true love Jenny, floating in the air. They were witnessing a blue-skinned man flying above them as a psychic disturbance shook the entire room. Dr. Manhattan uses his gift of flight for more meditative purposes. In order to calm himself and seek inner peace, Dr. Manhattan levitates above the sands of Mars and meditates, sensing every major event taking place in the timeline. Levitation means that his spiritual energy and psychic powers are in perfect sync.
9 9. Construction
Because he was planning the squid attack on New York, Ozymandias, also known as Adrian Veidt, had set up an elaborate plan to remove Doctor Manhattan from the playing field. Ozymandias had figured out how to stop a god-like figure from preventing the apocalypse. After being framed for causing cancer, Dr. Manhattan decided to abandon humanity and live the rest of eternity on Mars. Using his powers, Dr. Manhattan had constructed an entire architecture of a castle from the sands of Mars. He created his own home on Mars to live in.
8 8. Strength
In an alternate reality of Watchmen, because President Richard Nixon knew his reelection campaign depended on a win in Vietnam, he sent in Doctor Manhattan to the war. Within three months of the Vietnam War, the entire military knew to fight Dr. Manhattan was pointless and surrendered. Though he may have won the Vietnam War for the United States, Dr. Manhattan faced a different battle when he fought against the entire Justice League in Doomsday Clock. For the first time, Dr. Manhattan had to confront superheroes who dealt with magic and spells.
7 7. Resurrection
After Jon died from the failed science experiment, there were strange events taking place at the research base. Though the other scientists claimed a ghost was walking the hallways, it was actually Jon trying to rebuild his body. Learning how to manifest his powers, Jon originally appeared as a floating brain and eyes. When Jon finally came back from the dead, his body had turned entirely blue. His hair was completely gone and left just a bald head. Later on in Watchmen, Ozymandias had built a device to hurt Jon but Dr. Manhattan easily rebuilt himself.
6 6. Space Travel
Dr. Manhattan teleported himself and Laurie, Silk Spectre, to his home on Mars. Because his body does not need air to breathe in outer space. Dr. Manhattan actually forgot that Laurie is the opposite. When Laurie arrived on Mars, she about to lose consciousness from the lack of oxygen and close to dying. Dr. Manhattan had to change the atmosphere on Mars in order for Laurie to breathe again. It is believed in the HBO show that Dr. Manhattan has been living alone on Mars ever since the aftermath of the New York squid attack.
5 5. Teleportation
With just a single thought, Doctor Manhattan can teleport himself from one location to another. Teleportation is limitless because Dr. Manhattan traveled from Earth to Mars within seconds. Dr. Manhattan can also bring someone else with him during teleportation, just like he did with Laurie on Mars. He can go anywhere across time and space, whenever he wants to. In Doomsday Clock, Dr. Manhattan messed with the timeline of Watchmen and teleported The Comedian, aka Edward Blake, to the DC Universe in order to save him from Ozymandias' vengeful wrath.
4 4. Growth
Doctor Manhattan can grow his body to enormous sizes. During the Vietnam War, Dr. Manhattan had grown into a colossal giant as the military abandoned their posts and ran away. Supposedly, when the military saw this, the generals surrendered and the United States declared victory. Dr. Manhattan also has the ability to extend certain inmate male parts. This is the major reason why Laurie and Jenny enjoyed having sex with him. It is also why Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl, felt jealous and impotent with Laurie in bed during their time together.
3 3. Replication
Doctor Manhattan can replicate himself as many times as he desires. This means Dr. Manhattan can be in as many places as he wants to be. During their lovemaking, Laurie thought she was in bed with Dr. Manhattan but she knew his mind was elsewhere. Dr. Manhattan can multiply himself as they were intimate in order to please her. The reason why he was distracted was that the real Dr. Manhattan was actually in the lab, continuing his research. Laurie just wanted him to focus all of his attention on her.
2 2. Disintegration
When Ozymandias' evil master plan finally came to fruition, a giant squid suddenly appeared at the heart of Manhattan, killing thousands of innocent lives. Because Ozymandias actually prevented nuclear war, Dr. Manhattan believed the truth must be kept a secret when opposing nations rallied together to stop an incoming alien invasion. Walter Kovacs, aka Rorschach, was unwilling to keep himself tight-lipped and promised to tell the whole truth. During their confrontation, Dr. Manhattan waved his hand and disintegrated Rorschach on the very spot, leaving a bloody mess on the white snow.
1 1. Time Travel
Like Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five, Dr. Manhattan is unstuck in time. This means Dr. Manhattan can pop in and out of the timeline, knowing what events are supposed to happen. Dr. Manhattan believes everything is preordained and events cannot be changed, such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Because Dr. Manhattan knows what the outcome is, he follows the rules of time travel and does not become involved. Supposedly, when Dr. Manhattan immersed himself into the DC Universe, he wiped out the entire Justice Society of America from existence.