How did Mutants get Their Power?

[Midnyte_Sun]

I was wikipedia'ing it and it mentions the Celestials as the source of their superhuman abilities.

If thats the case, than the mutants technically have cosmic powers? Can somebody clear this up for me.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Mutants are the response of an extra gene at birth.

 

[Artistsean]

I once heard Stan Lee claim he "Took the Lazy way out"
and just didn't make up how they got their powers.

So they got their powers out of laziness.

 

[Nathan]

Powers through laziness. I'd be Superman.

 

[GyLocke]

I've always liked the mystery in the core of the X-titles. What are mutants. Next stage of human evolution? Radioactive freaks? Alien experiments? Man kind's immune system for the extranormal age? Why are there so many of them suddenly? Are they to inherit the earth, or they will have to defend it?

i wish they never tried to give an explanation.

 

[Galact-Gal]

As I understand it, when the Celestials experimented on the ancestors of Earth's humans they gave them the potential for super abilities. Most people's power never activates. Some people have a gene that will activate their power naturally; sometimes at birth, but usually at puberty. These are mutants. Some people have a gene that causes their power to activate after being exposed to radiation, or certain chemicals, etc. These are superhumans like the FF and Spider-Man. If their abilities hadn't been triggered by an outside source they'd be normal humans. (Okay, Reed would still be a genius.)

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Mutants get their powers through evolution. That's the core of the X-Men's concept. Humanity hates them because they represent humanity's obsolescence. You can look at the Celestial thing as simply the catalyst for that evolution; it's not as if the Celestials just randomly decided, "hey, you guys are gonna be born with powers in a few millennia!" They came to Earth in the distant past, experimented on humanity's ancestors, and then left. The unique evolutionary track that gave Marvel's Earth mutants is basically the fallout of their experiments. Also, if I recall correctly, the potential for everyone else to randomly develop superhuman powers (i.e. Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk instead of getting blown up and/or dying of radiation poisoning) is also fallout from their experiments.

 

[Hush]

See that is just cool, where can I read the book that explains that?!

 

[sdc10]

Mutants get their powers through evolution. That's the core of the X-Men's concept. Humanity hates them because they represent humanity's obsolescence. You can look at the Celestial thing as simply the catalyst for that evolution; it's not as if the Celestials just randomly decided, "hey, you guys are gonna be born with powers in a few millennia!" They came to Earth in the distant past, experimented on humanity's ancestors, and then left. The unique evolutionary track that gave Marvel's Earth mutants is basically the fallout of their experiments. Also, if I recall correctly, the potential for everyone else to randomly develop superhuman powers (i.e. Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk instead of getting blown up and/or dying of radiation poisoning) is also fallout from their experiments.

Ya the celestials placed the gene into humanity at some point in the past yet did not know when it would reveal itself. Which is great seeing as it ties in with humanity dealing with a bunch of people who are all of a sudden developing super powers.

 

[lokiofmidgaard]

See that is just cool, where can I read the book that explains that?!

What If? #23 (original What If? series) in a back-up story. Reprinted in What If? Classics #4.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

So how does having "an extra gene" allow someone to, say, control the earth's magnetic flow, or weather patterns....?

I can see being telekinetic, or having an extended healing factor from an extra gene, but that other stuff just makes no sense (not even in a "comic book" setting).

 

[javi1024]

i guess it just does, like how chameleons have the gene that allows them to change the color of their skin to blend with its surroundings, or the evolution of a water-breathing tadpole to an air-breathing frog.

 

[javi1024]

didnt i read somewhere that Mr. Sinister was responsible for mutants?

 

[Anubis]

Couldn't be. He got his powers from a mutant. Chicken or the Egg and all that.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

So how does having "an extra gene" allow someone to, say, control the earth's magnetic flow, or weather patterns....?

I can see being telekinetic, or having an extended healing factor from an extra gene, but that other stuff just makes no sense (not even in a "comic book" setting).

I figure it's more complicated than that. Keep in mind, though, that the gene explanation was given long before we started mapping the human genome and learning what genes actually do beyond the vague sense that "they control the variables for our appearance and stuff." Someone with an inclination toward hard sci fi will probably come along in 15 or 20 years when we know the ins and outs of genes better and retcon a more complex explanation that'll then be disproved by science in another 10 years and so on. Best to just not think about it too hard and enjoy the comics.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Mutants get their powers through evolution. That's the core of the X-Men's concept. Humanity hates them because they represent humanity's obsolescence. You can look at the Celestial thing as simply the catalyst for that evolution; it's not as if the Celestials just randomly decided, "hey, you guys are gonna be born with powers in a few millennia!" They came to Earth in the distant past, experimented on humanity's ancestors, and then left. The unique evolutionary track that gave Marvel's Earth mutants is basically the fallout of their experiments. Also, if I recall correctly, the potential for everyone else to randomly develop superhuman powers (i.e. Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk instead of getting blown up and/or dying of radiation poisoning) is also fallout from their experiments.

So the Celestials are the source? What would you call the ability of Wolverine to regenerate after being incinerated to his bones and somehow retaining all his memories?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Stupid.

 

[javi1024]

So the Celestials are the source? What would you call the ability of Wolverine to regenerate after being incinerated to his bones and somehow retaining all his memories?

well you can probably argue his brain was still protected by his skull. but still like corp said- stupid.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

i guess it just does, like how chameleons have the gene that allows them to change the color of their skin to blend with its surroundings, or the evolution of a water-breathing tadpole to an air-breathing frog.

Yes, but those are all physical abilities reacting to said genes. Controling the weather, which has to do with the sun, the axis of the earth, the jet stream, etc., should require a bit more than an extra gene.

Not to be a tight-ass, or whatever, but even as a kid growing up with Spidey and Hulk comics, i found that explaination for certain mutants to be a bit much.

Magneto and Storm have God-like abilities.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, Magneto's not so ridiculous as Storm. The human body has its own magnetic field, so if he's able to manipulate that field through an extra gene or combination of genes, he could ostensibly use it to manipulate magnetic fields around him, which would be incredibly potent.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Yes, but those are all physical abilities reacting to said genes. Controling the weather, which has to do with the sun, the axis of the earth, the jet stream, etc., should require a bit more than an extra gene.

Not to be a tight-ass, or whatever, but even as a kid growing up with Spidey and Hulk comics, i found that explaination for certain mutants to be a bit much.

Magneto and Storm have God-like abilities.

I know, it would seem their powers have more in common with Gods than with just a mutated gene.

 

[Manic]

Storm's powers always bothered me. One could explain it as a psychokinetic ability to manipulate air molecules, thus altering air density and creating effects such as fog, rain, storm clouds, and snow-- but that still doesn't explain why the b**** can control solar winds.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Claremont. Chris Claremont.

 

[Gilpesh]

how chameleons have the gene that allows them to change the color of their skin to blend with its surroundings.

That's not at all right.

Storm's powers always bothered me. One could explain it as a psychokinetic ability to manipulate air molecules, thus altering air density and creating effects such as fog, rain, storm clouds, and snow-- but that still doesn't explain why the b**** can control solar winds.

Stupid writers who think Storm actually should be a goddess.

 

[Manic]

Storm's ability to control solar winds is one of those bull**** abilities that don't make sense. Like when Cyclops' beams bounce off of mirrors instead of just shattering them, or Psylocke's psychic knife being used as an actual torch despite its appearance being a telepathic illusion.