Hela (comics) - Powers and Abilities

Powers and Abilities

Hela possesses attributes of a member of the race of superhumans known as Asgardians. She possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility and durability. When wearing her cloak, she is far stronger than the vast majority of her race. Hela, like all Asgardians, ages much more slowly than human beings and is immune to all terrestrial diseases and poisons. Like all Asgardians she has some resistance to magic.

Hela has vast mystical powers which she can use for various effects like limitless astral projection while retaining many of her powers and abilities, firing deadly bolts of energy from her hands which can kill even Asgardians, levitation and the creation of illusions. Her most powerful ability is her Hand of Glory, a technique that uses mystical energy to enhance the strength of her punch to kill even an Asgardian.

As a Death Goddess, Hela has a pact with Death, allowing her to claim the souls of any worshipper of the Asgardians and the Asgardians themselves and take them to Hel or Niffleheim, as well as able to travel nearly anywhere within the Nine Worlds in an instant. While Hela's touch is fatal to mortals as well and she is capable of stealing their souls into Hel, she generally did not claim the souls of mortal heroes, leaving that task to the Valkyries who took the souls of heroes to Valhalla. Hela is usually willing to wait until a person has died before claiming the soul, but she can kill a healthy human or even Asgardian with a single touch, her "touch of death." Hela is also willing to use her illusions to kill living Asgardians. Hela also has the ability to restore a dead Asgardian to life provided their spirits have not passed on to the afterlife, but she rarely used these abilities.

Hela always wears her magical cloak which enhances her strength and keeps her young and healthy. Without the cloak, Hela reverts to her true form: in this form half of her body is healthy and beautiful, while the other half is decaying. Without the cloak Hela is very weak and can barely move. Hela doesn't need to wear the cloak; simply touching it is enough to restore her to her stronger form. Without her cloak, Hela's powers are greatly reduced; she is unable to levitate or even stand, and cannot project mystical bolts. The left side of her body appears dead and decayed, though it appears alive and beautifully healthy while she wears her cloak.

Hela is often armed with her "Nightsword," and is a proficient swordswoman.

Hela can command all of the dead who dwell in Hel and Niffleheim, but she had no power over the dead in Valhalla.