3/7

3/7 Tower makes the space around him part of the fight. He can change his size, growing into a much larger and stronger opponent or shrinking down. That range gives him options beyond the obvious image of a giant trying to flatten somebody. An enemy has to keep reassessing his reach, his position and how much room there is to move. By the time the Alliance appears as a group, Tower has already crossed paths with X-Factor. He joins Frenzy as familiar muscle, while Stinger and Timeshadow add less straightforward threats around them. Michael Nowlan's power offers him an even greater advantage, but the opening story also shows the trouble with pushing a mutation beyond its usual control. More size is only useful while Tower can manage what is happening to him. His part in taking Suzy prisoner is much less spectacular than a giant-sized brawl. She tries to escape, and Tower is waiting at the exit. With Frenzy already threatening her, he closes off the obvious way out. The Alliance knows how to use several people against one frightened target before its powers are amplified at all. The size-changing also distinguishes him from Frenzy, even though both can fill the role of the strong opponent. She is consistently hard to hurt. Tower changes the physical problem by changing himself. The question for the heroes is not just whether they can overpower him, but what size he will be when they try. He helps make the Alliance imposing in a very immediate way. There is a large difference between knowing that four opponents are coming and looking up to realize that one of them can occupy most of the room.