Professor X vs Hector Hammond

[Vigil]

I just finished reading the very fine GL #6 and it got me to thinking about how sneaky and effective and powerful of a telepath Hecotr Hammond really is. But, is heas sneaky and efferctive as powerful as Professor X?

 

Let the battle of the telepaths commence!

 

The setting: the ever dshifting mindscape of the astral plane.

 

The combatants: the world's two mightiest telepaths, Hector Hammiond and Professor X!

 

Who will be the greatest telepath in two realities?!

[massey]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Is this Professor X who can walk, or wheelchair-bound Professor X?

 

Cuz, you know, if he can walk, he'll just stroll over to Hammond and kick him in the head. Hammond's head has to have like a -3 DCV.

[Vigil]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I was thinking of the classic wheelchair bound Prof. X. The walking Prof X is just too lame for words.

[massey]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I don't know. I was thinking of him shouting out "Take THAT, cripple!" and I laughed out loud. Ah, good times.

 

 

But actually, I don't know enough about Hammond's power level to compare the two.

[Vigil]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

That would be funny, but as it is, Prof X could still run him over.

[Radar]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I always thought Hammond's opposite number was Modok, but Prof would screw up Hammond in a heartbeat. He's already got a lot fo mental flaws to exploit.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I was thinking more along the lines of The Leader then Modok...

 

Bah! Them big brains all look the same to me...

[Superskrull]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Y'know, I really wanna weigh in on this one but despite knbowing what Hammond's powers are, I find I can't be certain he actually has any of them.

 

For example, he's supposed to have a degree of indestructibility gained when he upped his power level at the cost of his mobility. Does he still have it? He's telekinetic, telepathic and able to manipulate minds but does he always have his TK or is it as off and on as the Martian Manhunter's Martian Vision.

 

After all, his astral form was once whupped by Dr Martin Stein in astral combat in the JLA comic but Stein is no psionic powerhouse. Dr. Stein is, just in case you guys don't know, a former part of the Ronnie Raymond-era Firestorm. He played 'floating head who nags and gives tech support' for the high school student with nuclear powers. He's currently the Fire Elemental of Earth and has just reappeared in Infinite Crisis #3 where he's been in deep space exploring.

 

Since Hammond's appeared so seldom compared to Professor X, he's got far less consistency in his displays of power.

 

I do think he's still a potent telepath with a range that's at least interplanetary but anything else may be up for grabs, power-wise.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

From my recolection, he's supposed to be roughly on par with Gorilla Grod, but with telekinesis.

 

Grod, of course, is kinda all over the map himself. Sometimes he uses his powers quite sparingly, barely managing to disable the Flash with them. Othertimes he owns Martain Manhunter in psychic duels...

[McCoy]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Once again, it comes down to who does the writer/editor want to win?

 

But I'd have to give the edge to Charles, he's had the powers longer.

[Superskrull]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Once again, it comes down to who does the writer/editor want to win?

 

But I'd have to give the edge to Charles, he's had the powers longer.

 

True, Marvel telepaths have a lot more skill in mental combat, as there's considerably more of them to butt "heads" with. Cabeza-a-cabeza combat, if you will. (admittedly, my Spanish is way rusty)

[Twilight]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Can Hector Hammand unite all the minds on Earth with just the power of his mind [as Charles did to thwart an invasion by, I think, the N'grai]?

 

If the answer is no, then he can't take Charles in brain to brain combat.

[MCMaenza]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I have no doubt that Xavier would win in the end, but Hammond would do some nasty exploitation of Prof's emotions first. Xavier has morales where Hammond has none.

[McCoy]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Can Hector Hammand unite all the minds on Earth with just the power of his mind [as Charles did to thwart an invasion by' date= I think, the N'grai]?

 

If the answer is no, then he can't take Charles in brain to brain combat.

The Z'nox, and remember he took a couple years extra time and a bulky immobile focus to pull that off. Not to mention an insane level of concentration.

[Twilight]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

The Z'nox' date=' and remember he took a couple years extra time and a bulky immobile focus to pull that off. Not to mention an insane level of concentration.[/quote']

 

Ok I'll give you the extra time, though I don't recall the focus. However my point was that he had the sheer telepathic power to pull it off.

 

So yeah he might not have the focus or the extra time when fighting Hammond, but he still has that insane level of concentration. If Charles decides that Hammonds astral self needs to be whupped, Hammond's astral self WILL BE WHUPPED. After all, only the most powerful telepathic types have managed to hold off Charles.

[McCoy]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Ok I'll give you the extra time' date=' though I don't recall the focus. [/quote']

The Z'nox chanber, the "most telepathically shielded room on Earth."

 

So yeah he might not have the focus or the extra time when fighting Hammond' date=' but he still has that insane level of concentration. If Charles decides that Hammonds astral self needs to be whupped, Hammond's astral self WILL BE WHUPPED. [/quote']

Agreed!

[Superskrull]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

The Z'nox chanber' date=' the "most telepathically shielded room on Earth."[/quote']

 

Y'know, that whole concept hurts my head. How is it a room that blocks telepathy was used in forging a mindlink with anyone? Regardless, the description and the feat both stand. Maybe there's some subtle use for it I don't get offhand. It's been over two decades since I read about the Z'nox chamber. The details do get fuzzy over time.

 

...I especially don't want to think of how detaching part of the Z'nox Chamber and magnetically floating it overhead would shield you from Rogue's powers. Nevertheless, that's what Joseph, the Magneto clone guy did. There may have also been a magnetically levitated horse & carriage ride in that issue but that's grist for an entirely different mill.

[Twilight]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Actually SuperSkrull, I don't think the Z'nox chamber was needed to forge the link itself. That was all Professor X. The Z'nox chamber was needed so the Z'nox couldn't suss out what he was doing and interfere. At least, that's my best understanding of the situation.

[Superskrull]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Actually SuperSkrull' date=' I don't think the Z'nox chamber was needed to forge the link itself. That was all Professor X. The Z'nox chamber was needed so the Z'nox couldn't suss out what he was doing and interfere. At least, that's my best understanding of the situation.[/quote']

 

Ah, I see... Huh? you mean Professor Xavier's telepathy can punch through shielding like that? My god, nobody's safe from him!

[Twilight]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

Ah' date=' I see... Huh? you mean Professor Xavier's telepathy can punch through shielding like that? My god, nobody's safe from him![/quote']

 

Well presumably the shielding was meant to keep people from finding him telepathically, or blasting him from afar via telepathy. It would've been counter productive to have the shielding keep him from scanning out, given what he built the Z'nox room for.

[Vigil]

Re: Professor X vs Hector Hammond

 

I hadn't thought about the whole Z'Nox episode myself when considering this match up. Truth to tell given the structure of the whole thing I think I'd put it into the "artistic license" category and outside the standar realm of Professor X's power just as I would those rare instances when he demonstrates TK or illusion casting, etc.

 

As for Hector Hammond, I think he's being a bit underrated here. Remember this is the guy who matches wills with, and frequently beats, Hal Jordan who is supposed to have the strongest will on Earth.

 

I think if there's one thing that may swing the balance in Chuck X's favor it's the fact that Hammond is a cuckoo as a coconut. That kind of massive mental insatbility can't be great for focussing but it may give him bizarre tactical advantages and some good "surprise" manuevers.