In his original depictions, Maxwell Lord had no abilities, but later became a metahuman as a result of the Dominators' invasion of Earth. Lord's powers allow him to telepathically influence people's minds, typically in the form of pushing a subconscious suggestion to others. Using his power causes Max's nose to bleed, and requires great mental strain. Over time, Lord's powers grew to the point where he could take full control of other beings, even Superman, although it required a great deal of time and patience for him to establish the necessary level of control over the Man of Steel. His powers made him such a threat to global security that Wonder Woman was forced to kill him after questioning him under the Lasso of Truth confirmed that his death was the only way to free Superman.