Doctor Strange. However, as valid as Sanderson’s opinion is, there is at least one other Marvel character whose teleportation powers far exceed that of Doctor Strange’s.
In June 2024, Brandon Sanderson teamed up with Corridor Crew’s Wren Weichman to release a video on the author’s YouTube channel, “Brandon Sanderson and Wren’s Weichman Five Favorite Superpowers!” In the video, Sanderson proudly proclaims that his favorite superpower is the power to create portals.
Among the plethora of characters in the Marvel Universe who have this power, Sanderson its that Doctor Strange is his favorite. However, while Strange’s powers are impressive, the mutant hero Manifold by far possesses Marvel’s most indomitable teleportation abilities, easily dominating any version of the superpower that Doctor Strange possesses.
Marvel’s Best Teleporting Hero Is The X-Men’s Manifold
Manifold Reshapes The Universe Itself
When Manifold debuted in Secret Warriors #4 (2009) - by Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman, and Stefano Caselli - he was introduced as an apprentice to another teleporting mutant, Gateway. Manifold, also known as Eden Fesi, was chosen by Nick Fury and Quake to the Secret Warriors and was later drafted to the Avengers’ fight against the X-Men during the Avengers vs. X-Men event. Following the second Secret Wars event, Fesi ed Wakanda’s forces before finally settling in Arakko. In Krakoa’s final war against Orchis, he became an integral force in the conflict after summoning Apocalypse’s forces from Arakko Prime.
63 Years Later, Marvel Must Face It: The X-Men Are Better Without Professor X
Professor X is one of the founding of the X-Men, but after 63 years, it's clear that he's the one holding them back from their full potential.
While Manifold’s powers are often labeled as “teleportation,” technically this ability is a product of his true mutant power. Instead of directly summoning portals like Doctor Strange or Magik, Fesi is a Universal Shaper with the power to directly speak with the universe. To create his portals, Manifold requests the universe fold itself, thus creating a wormhole that warps space and time around anything and anyone he desires. Likewise, Fesi’s intimate connection with the universe can further bolster other teleporters’ powers, unlocking the ultimate authority to travel outside the confines of the Multiverse.
Brandon Sanderson Believes “Soft” Powers Like Teleportation Are Stronger Than You Think
“Sanderson’s Laws of Magic” Best Defines Why The Power Is Great
Based on Issac Asmov’s “Three Laws of Robotics,” Brandon Sanderson came up with “Sanderson’s Laws of Magic” which he uses as a fundamental building block for his novels’ magic systems. Sanderson’s Second Law, which reads “Weaknesses are more important than powers,” is often applied to magic and superpowers that don’t seem flashy at first glance but offer near-limitless creative potential as a writer. Characters like Manifold perfectly embody this guiding principle. The X-Man’s powers aren’t explosive or all that showy at first, but the true spectacle of his abilities is what happens as a result of his powers.
These world-building elements define what characters like Manifold are capable of; they’re limitless.
Sanderson further breaks down the distinction between “hard” and “soft” powers. Hard power systems must follow specific rules and thus are limited by, at the very least, basic foundational elements like space and time. However, soft power has no inherent limitations, only to be held back for the sake of the story. These powers are used to create a sense of awe within the reader, thus leading to Sanderson’s “zeroeth law”: “Always ‘err’ on the side of what’s awesome.” These world-building elements define what characters like Manifold are capable of; they’re limitless.
Manifold Perfectly Exemplifies Sanderson’s Laws of Magic
Universal Shapers Have No Upper Limits
Eden Fesi’s powers aren’t bound by anything concrete or specific. Other Universal Shapers, like the Arakkii Omega-level mutant Lactuca the Knower, are considered children of the universe and the Enigma Force. While some mutants possess better control over their “mother’s” powers, Universal Shapers have no upper limits so long as their universe exists. ittedly, the only rule that binds Manifold is that his powers only operate so long as he is within his own universe. Even so, within Earth-616, Manifold and the other Universal Shapers are ranked among the universe’s most powerful entities, just because of their familial relationship alone.
Rogue’s Most Risqué Costume Is a Lot to Handle, But It's Tame Compared to 1 Marvel Suit
The X-Men’s most scandalous design was Rogue in her Savage Land costume, but one returning hero makes Rogue’s skimpy costume look tame by comparison.
Most Marvel teleporters operate under the point-to-point rules of travel. Nightcrawler can only BAMF short distances through an alternate dimension. Similarly, Magik must use Limbo as a bridge between her two points of travel. However, Manifold’s powers don’t just move him or others from point to point, it, once again, fully reshapes the universe, forever altering the shape of space-time and the relationships between celestial bodies. For example, in S.W.O.R.D. #4 (2021) Manifold and SWORD face a losing battle against Knull, the King in Black, until the hero warps space to bring the center of the sun into the fight.
Manifold Quietly Saves The Universe, Time And Time Again
Doctor Strange Doesn't Exemplify Sanderson's Criteria As Well
Throughout Manifold’s varied superheroic career, he’s never been much of a front-line fighter nor does he steal the show when surrounded by other Avengers or X-Men. That said, the true range of Manifold’s powers is nothing to scoff at. During the Infinity crisis against Ex Nihilo, Manifold effortlessly teleported hundreds of people in an instant, while teleporting across the universe to aid in the war. Later, in Secret Wars #1 (2015), Manifold becomes the foundation from which the Illuminati’s Life Raft could teleport and collect as many lives throughout the Multiverse as possible.
While Sanderson’s personal choice of favorite teleporter is valid, Strange’s powers are simply too limited by the “hard” rules of his magic. In Doctor Strange #6 (2016), Strange used all of Earth’s magic to unsuccessfully fend off the Empirikul, leaving himself deprived of his powers. However, Manifold has no such limitations within Earth-616. His powers are instant, effortless, and so powerful that the universe itself bends to his whim. Other teleporters like John Wraith come close to Manifold’s power, and others like Magik can teleport outside Earth-616, but the fundamental nature of Manifold’s abilities is what makes him stand out.
Throughout major storylines like Infinity, Time Runs Out, and S.W.O.R.D., the X-Man’s control over space reshaped the battles to save the universe more times than most realize.
Manifold’s unique power to manipulate space-time is an incredibly rare feat in Marvel comics. More than a teleporter, Manifold’s powers are subtle and undefined, perfectly echoing Brandon Sanderson’s philosophy surrounding “soft” power. Throughout major storylines like Infinity, Time Runs Out, and S.W.O.R.D., the X-Man’s control over space reshaped the battles to save the universe more times than most realize. Manifold ultimately proves Brandon Sanderson’s point: the best superpowers aren’t always about flashy acts of strength, but instead about control, strategy, and versatility in storytelling.
Source: Brandon Sanderson
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
