CHAPTER 11: You’ve Got to Learn to Be More Flexible: The Mechanics of Marvellous
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Published:01 Aug 2017
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Special Collection: RSC Popular Science eBook CollectionProduct Type: Popular Science
D. Jesson, in The Secret Science of Superheroes, ed. M. Lorch and A. Miah, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017, pp. 149-166.
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Elastigirl – also known as Mrs (Helen) Incredible – is the superhero identity of Helen Parr (neè Truax) with the powers of superflexibility and shapechanging. Elastigirl also has some degree of invulnerability and superhuman strength (although nowhere near the super strength of Mr Incredible). She also happens to be an excellent pilot, tactician and homemaker. Whilst this chapter is much more about the mechanics of her superpowers (and of course the chemistry that underpins these), it is also worth noting some of the psychological aspects that underpin her character, as this tells us about the relationship between any given superpower and what it takes to use it well.