Intangibility

Lore & Background

Villains sometimes exploit this concept to bypass security systems or escape containment cells designed for physical restraint. However, the ability often comes with significant drawbacks regarding stability and perception. Users must maintain intense concentration to remain phased; losing focus can result in being trapped inside solid objects or suffering severe injury from sudden re-solidification during an attack.

In Their Own Story

The shadows lengthened as the containment cell door remained locked. Raven closed her eyes, chanting softly under her breath. Her form shimmered, edges blurring into violet mist. She stepped forward, not breaking the steel bars but passing through them like smoke through a grate. On the other side, she solidified instantly, breathing out the tension of confinement as she vanished back into the darkness.

Reader's Guide

Intangibility functions by altering the user's molecular density or shifting their physical presence to an alternate plane. This allows them to walk through walls, floors, and barriers without resistance. However, this state is not absolute immunity. Energy attacks, such as Starfire's heat blasts or Cyborg's sonic cannons, often penetrate phased forms because they do not rely on mass collision. Additionally, users cannot usually breathe while fully intangible if their lungs phase out of sync with the air. Notable demonstrations include ghosts haunting the Titans Tower and Raven escaping magical prisons. Counters involve trapping the user in a vacuum or using area-of-effect energy blasts that ignore physical density.

Did You Know?

• Raven utilizes shadow phasing to escape confinement rather than permanent intangibility.
• Ghosts in the series are naturally immune to physical weapons due to this state.
• Technology exists that can mimic this effect, though it is less stable than magic.