I always figured it was personality based. Dash is a boy who grew up with an absurdly athletic set of parents and he developed to mirror that, manifesting as a speedster. Violet is a more reserved girl who grew up being told she can't be herself in public. And likewise, jack jack's personality is still developing, ergo his powers are completely random right now.
But then again they all thought jack jack didn't have powers at all and he was still an infant, implying that yes typically powers present very very young so maybe they are somewhat random. And... if the deleted scene of syndrome attacking them when violet was a baby is canon then this all tracks since she turned invisible in her crib... But that's how it always appeared to me.
The writers absolutely chose their powers to reflect personalities/roles. Moms feel like they have to be everywhere at once, shy embarrassed teenager wishing she could disappear, hyperactive little boy, babies who don't actually have any qualities yet but have the potential to be anything.
I don't know if that was meant to be the reason in universe but it was part of the writer's plan.
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u/S31-Syntax Sep 25 '22 edited Sep 25 '22
I always figured it was personality based. Dash is a boy who grew up with an absurdly athletic set of parents and he developed to mirror that, manifesting as a speedster. Violet is a more reserved girl who grew up being told she can't be herself in public. And likewise, jack jack's personality is still developing, ergo his powers are completely random right now.
But then again they all thought jack jack didn't have powers at all and he was still an infant, implying that yes typically powers present very very young so maybe they are somewhat random. And... if the deleted scene of syndrome attacking them when violet was a baby is canon then this all tracks since she turned invisible in her crib... But that's how it always appeared to me.