Theory:Enhanced strength

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The following fan theories are about Enhanced strength.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
No one has enhanced strength without a side effect.	None	+ Niki/Jessica have a multiple personality disorder, not just enhanced strength. + Knox was only able to obtain enhanced strength when someone nearby was afraid. + Michael Fitzgerald had enhanced strength only when accompanied by glowing tattoos/eyes. • This may simply be a creative choice on the artist's part. In the graphic novels, many abilities seem to be accompanied by some sort of glow that is not present when used on the show. - Also, glowing eyes and tattoos are not on par with Niki's MPD as far as side effects are concerned. • Scott displayed no side effects, but he was shortly killed, no giving possible side effects enough time to take place. - Niki learned to use the ability outside Jessica's control. - Knox's ability might not even be enhanced strength, and Michael's tattoos always seemed to glow. A special's psychological and physical problems aren't always related to their ability. • Saying Michael's tattoos always seem to glow is subjective at best. While it can appear to always glow for some, it can appear not to always glow for others. - By that logic, one could argue that the simple statement "Michael's tattoos glowed when he used his ability" is subjective. If that evidence is removed from the table, then the only side effect remaining are his glowing eyes. - Peter got this ability without any side effects. - Enhanced strength isn't all that dangerous. Much more dangerous abilities, like induced radioactivity and gravitational manipulation, have no known side effects.
Knox doesn't have enhanced strength but "fear induced strength".	None	+ Just because a ability makes you stronger doesn't mean you have enhanced strength. - Knox's ability has been explicitly named in his AT profile. + Knox's ability is almost totally different from enhanced strength. - It makes him stronger, ergo it enhances his strength. • That's like saying that spontaneous combustion and pyrokinesis are the same because they can both cause explosions. Enhanced strength is a constant, passive ability; Knox is completely normal unless someone near him gets scared.
Enhanced strength works by accessing the body's full muscular potential.	None	+ Human beings' muscles are capable of incredible feats of strength. However, the human brain unconsciously 'limits' them; otherwise, the tendons and muscles would tear themselves apart from the strain of producing such force. An ability which works by simply strengthening a person's body to the point where it can handle that extra strength would make perfect evolutionary sense. + This might explain how Mohinder was able to resist the DHS' tasers in Cold Wars.
Enhanced strength, at least in some people, is a manifestation of a psychokinetic ability, and the users only have partially evolved muscles. The user utilizes a form of psychokinesis in order to create either a psychokinetic field around the user to gain strength, or enhance/charge muscles with the ability.	None	+ This ability can be disabled, and people with it but don't know how to use it properly can't access it. If it were just modified muscles, the user wouldn't have to know how to use it, it would be a passive ability. So far, this ability appears to be active. - The muscles could differ from normal human muscles, but in order to activate the ability, a brain command could be necessary. Disabling the ability prevents the users from using the extra strength the ability imparts. • Nullifying the ability may involve simply re-installing the limiters a normal person's brain places on muscular exertion. + Knox's body was normal unless someone near him became frightened. Perhaps he somehow converted their fear into psychokinetic force.