Top 10 Superheroes That Can Time Travel (Marvel and DC)

Wouldn’t it be nice to be one of the many superheroes that can time travel? I mean, wouldn’t it be amazing to move forward and backward through time at your leisure? You know, to set up or change history how you see fit. Although in our world this isn’t possible, in the world of comic books, it’s very possible. There are a select few superheroes that can time travel as they see fit.

They can prevent catastrophes from happening, stop massacres before they are even a thought, and change the course of history without so much as blinking an eye. But who are they? In the world of comics, who are the “time travel” superheroes?

10. Bill and Ted

Depending on your definition of a superhero, Bill and Ted might just fit this list. The movie sees the duo meet future versions of themselves. If this sounds confusing, let me explain. Bill and Ted are the founders of the metal band Wyld Stallyns and as the founders are responsible for creating a utopian future built around the band. Sadly, Ted’s father doesn’t see merit in their pursuit of music and threatens to send him to military school should he flunk history.

Fearful over losing their utopian future, the character Rufus is sent back through time to aid the two in school. Unwilling to believe Rufus is from the future, Bill and Ted from the future also travel back to the past as proof. Look, I know it’s a stretch to think of Bill and Ted as superheroes, but you know what? Without them and their music, the future wouldn’t be what it is. Therefore, traveling back to ensure its survival makes Bill and Ted a lock for this superheroes that can time travel list.

9. Doctor Strange

The Dr. Strange reference is a little different than the other references you’ll see on this list. And how? Simple. Most other characters will reference the comics. Dr. Strange will reference the movies. Inside the MCU, Dr. Strange possesses the Time Stone. The Time Stone, of course, allows the user to manipulate time.

In the first Dr. Strange movie, Strange uses the Stone to undo the mess that Kaecilius had created. Basically, he used it to rewind time and bring the world back to how it was before Kaecilius called upon Dormammu. The scene I refer to is both impressive looking and impressive thinking. 

8. Deathlok

Like almost every other time-traveling character on this list, Deathlok is from a post-apocalyptic future that nobody would ever send a postcard from. Unlike most other characters on this list, Deathlok was created in the mid-1970s. This means that he is one of the original time–traveling heroes who come back to change their own future.

The first version of Deathlok was an American soldier who was fatally injured and then reanimated as a participant in the Deathlok project. What makes Deathlok so interesting as compared to so many others is that his battle is not only with those responsible for his future. In addition to fighting those responsible for his future, as a cyborg, he also struggles to maintain a portion of his own humanity. 

7. Waverider

Created by Dan Jurgens and Archie Goodwin, Waverider is a DC time traveler who first appeared in 1991. As a time traveler, Waverider is capable of traveling time at will and predicting with accuracy a person‘s future by simply touching them.

Waverider hails from a future not worth talking about. When he received his power to travel time, he left his world and landed in the present day. Once in the present day, he successfully prevented his terrible future from happening. Sadly, as a by-product of doing this, he inadvertently set off a series of events that led to the Zero Hour event a few years later.

6. Bishop

Next to Cable, in the massive history of X-Men superheroes that can time travel, none are as known as Bishop. In fact, he’s so well-known that he was included in the 2014s Days of Future Past movie.

Bishop comes from a terrible future where mutants are hunted for being, well, mutants. As a mutant from the future, Bishop wants nothing more than to prevent his future from happening. To do this, he travels back to the present day. Once in the present day, he takes to the side of Charles Xavier as a bodyguard. On the side of Xavier, he becomes a literal reminder of what the future holds should the X-Men fail.

5. Green Lantern

If you didn’t know that the Green Lanterns actually possess the ability to travel through time, you’re probably not alone. Although all Green Lanterns can do it, most choose not to because of the sheer amount of willpower it takes to do so. Alas, they can and that’s precisely why they’re on this superheroes that can time travel list.

Take Hal Jordan for example. In a story that saw him take the name Pol Manning, Hal is brought through time to the future to help bring down a government. Even though he didn’t immediately remember traveling through time, Hal Jordan did do it and therefore his inclusion on this list took very little thought.

4. Iron Lad

Iron Lad is a newer character in the comic book world. First appearing in Young Avengers #1 back in 2005, Iron Lad looked to be an integral part o this version of the Avengers. Unfortunately, as it was later revealed, Iron Lad turned out to be a young version of Kang The Conqueror. 

As Iron Lad, Kang looked to set his own future up perfectly. This meant that he sought to create perfect alignment for everything that he was to do later in life. It became complicated for Kang after Iron Lad realized that he didn’t want to become the villainous version of himself that the future holds. 

3. The Flash 

As one of the fastest and most powerful characters in all of comics, it comes as no surprise that The Flash makes this list. 

The Flash is able to travel through time with the help of his aptly named Cosmic Treadmill. This means that he is able to help or hinder any moment in time as quickly as he can get to Mach Speed. And he has. 

The Cosmic Treadmill has helped him in altering the timeline in both Flashpoint and Crisis on Infinite Earths. These events, as you well know, changed the course of DC’s history forever. 

2. Booster Gold

If you don’t know who Booster Gold is, allow me a moment to explain. Booster Gold is literally a hero from the future who travels back in time (with the knowledge of what’s about to happen) to prevent crimes that are about to happen. And he does this so he can reap the glory and accolades that come with it. If it sounds underhanded, shady, and slightly amusing, it’s because it kind of is.

Booster Gold possesses no inherent powers. Instead, he uses retired superhero equipment from days gone by to fight his battles. Of them, the most notable is Rip Hunter’s Time Sphere, a Legion Flight Ring, Brainiac 5’s Force Field Belt, and a Power Suit. Shady tactics aside, Booster Gold is one of the most famous superheroes that can time travel. 

1. Cable 

Speaking of famous superheroes that can time travel….Of the many mutants who fall under the X-Men umbrella, Cable is one of the most popular and important. Cable is the offspring of Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor. When he was born, he was immediately sent to the future by his parents.

And why? They feared that if he stayed Apocalypse would hunt him down and kill him. And why? Apocalypse feared that Cable was the mutant responsible for bringing him down. 

Because Cable is from the future, he knows exactly how and why things have happened. As such, it’s his mission to return to present-day in an effort to stop all that causes his dystopian future. 

Images © DC/Marvel/Boom!

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