World Rogue's powers

[ToriL90]

Okay, so I know that mutant powers can almost never be scientifically explained; however, I've been trying to come up with the most plausible possible theory regarding Rogue's powers.

Of course, I'm working all the science from memory, and science wasn't exactly my favorite subject in high school. But, here goes:

PHYSIOLOGY: Each atom consists of protons, electrons, and neutrons. Protons are positively charged, electrons negatively charged, and neutrons are worthless. As I recall, electricity is determined by the flow of electrons. So, if a positively-charged object (one that has more protons than electrons) touched a neutral object (such as the a human body), electrons would flow from the neutral object into the positively-charged objects, thus creating an electrical current. My theory is that Rogue, unlike the normal human being, has an atomic imbalance: she has more protons than electrons. This causes a flow of electrons from the body of the person she touches into her own. Her body is relatively immune to the electric shock, but this is what causes the physical damage to the person she touches. Evidence of an electric current can be seen in the first X-Men movie, when she touches Logan to take his healing ability after he accidentally stabs her (watch his face closely when her hand comes in contact with his face). The electrons carry microscopic pieces of DNA from the person she touches, causing a chemical reaction in her body that temporarily modifies both her X-factor gene to take on the other person's mutant abilites, and her brain chemistry to take on the other person's thoughts, memories, and personality traits.

ADDITIONAL EFFECTS: Though these have never, to my knowledge, been addressed in the comics, this explanation of Rogue's mutant abilities would create a few additional effects: 1) She would be immune to lower-level electrical shocks; 2) She would be unable to be an organ donor, because her organs would electricute any body they were put into; and 3) She would be unable to receive an organ, because her body would electricute any new organ and effectively "kill" it.

I know that the theory isn't perfect, but it's the best I could do with her. I also know that I could be forgetting something that makes the whole theory ridiculous. What do you think? Do you have any alternate theories? Is this one good?

 

[ComicChick]

that actually sounds pretty good to me

better than anything i could ever come up with

 

[flavio_lebeau]

electrons carrying pieces of DNA is...impossible. It's like an ant carrying ten elephants on one arm...

To me, it's just impossible to explain Rogue's powers. Skin to skin contact would never do that...

Only if she had totally new and mutated kinds of...I dunno, cytokines, enzymes and RNAs that would actually "write" a new DNA using one person's DNA as a mold and incorporate itself into Rogue's cells.

Kinda like the HIV.
Ok, so let's assume the x-gene produces its very own proteins, and the differences on those are what make the powers of each mutant different. The skin contact would transport (No idea how, chemotaxis? Maybe Rogue has incredible cytokines that approach this specific RNA) a certain RNA (derived from the x-gene) from the person to Rogue's cells. Rogue would have to have an incredibly fast inverse transcriptasis to turn this RNA into DNA, and then this DNA would join her natural DNA temporiarily, thus being able to transcript the proteins necessary to express the power from the person she absorbed. The short range could be because of the action of exonucleasis that would cut the DNA out of Rogue's DNA, passing the effect.
But this process would takes hours to happen in ten cells, just imagine her whole body. Her cells would have to be from The Flash.

But maybe if only the RNA was transported, it didn't have to involve transcription of DNA nor inverse transcriptasis, and would also explain the temporal nature of her powers. Since the RNA is quickly destroyed, only some proteins would be produced, so she would able to express the power for a limited time. Yep, this sounds better.

BUT, this wouldn't explain how she absorbs memories. Heck, the very process of understanding how memory works isn't still figured out completely, it's crazy to try and explain how someone can get memories from skin contact. My RNA theory would never explain it.

The pain could be caused by all the RNA being quickly extracted from the person, as well the loss of energy, causing the "life force" to go away.

Ok, I can go to an asylum now.

 

[ToriL90]

electrons carrying pieces of DNA is...impossible. It's like an ant carrying ten elephants on one arm...

Depends on the size of the DNA... Nah, probably wouldn't work. It was the most plausible thing I could think of.

[quote[To me, it's just impossible to explain Rogue's powers. Skin to skin contact would never do that...

Only if she had totally new and mutated kinds of...I dunno, cytokines, enzymes and RNAs that would actually "write" a new DNA using one person's DNA as a mold and incorporate itself into Rogue's cells.

Kinda like the HIV.
Ok, so let's assume the x-gene produces its very own proteins, and the differences on those are what make the powers of each mutant different. The skin contact would transport (No idea how, chemotaxis? Maybe Rogue has incredible cytokines that approach this specific RNA) a certain RNA (derived from the x-gene) from the person to Rogue's cells. Rogue would have to have an incredibly fast inverse transcriptasis to turn this RNA into DNA, and then this DNA would join her natural DNA temporiarily, thus being able to transcript the proteins necessary to express the power from the person she absorbed. The short range could be because of the action of exonucleasis that would cut the DNA out of Rogue's DNA, passing the effect.
But this process would takes hours to happen in ten cells, just imagine her whole body. Her cells would have to be from The Flash.

But maybe if only the RNA was transported, it didn't have to involve transcription of DNA nor inverse transcriptasis, and would also explain the temporal nature of her powers. Since the RNA is quickly destroyed, only some proteins would be produced, so she would able to express the power for a limited time. Yep, this sounds better.

BUT, this wouldn't explain how she absorbs memories. Heck, the very process of understanding how memory works isn't still figured out completely, it's crazy to try and explain how someone can get memories from skin contact. My RNA theory would never explain it.

The pain could be caused by all the RNA being quickly extracted from the person, as well the loss of energy, causing the "life force" to go away.

Ok, I can go to an asylum now.[/quote]
Chemotaxis? Transcriptasis? I'm so lost! lol Sounds like a good description of how she takes on the powers, but I don't see anything that explains why this happens on contact (of course, I could have missed something, lol). I liked your description of the difference between DNA and RNA - that was something I forgot about.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

The "transport" of powers would be made through her incredibly strong and fast cytokines, that would promote the transport of RNA from the person to her cells. Inside her cells, the kidnapped RNA would produce the proteins responsible for the expression of the power...

Once again it would be kinda impossible, since the RNA would have to pass two cell membranes in such a short span of time...not even super cytokines could do that I think...

 

[ToriL90]

The "transport" of powers would be made through her incredibly strong and fast cytokines, that would promote the transport of RNA from the person to her cells. Inside her cells, the kidnapped RNA would produce the proteins responsible for the expression of the power...

Once again it would be kinda impossible, since the RNA would have to pass two cell membranes in such a short span of time...not even super cytokines could do that I think...

I just checked out cytokines on Wikipedia, and I don't think that even super cytokines could pull anything out of another body - they appear to be more of an immune system hormone-like secretion. Of course, we both agree that there are no truly possible theories to explain Rogue's powers - we're just taking our best guesses here. And thanks for the input - I'm really enjoying this discussion.

PS: Cool avatar

 

[flavio_lebeau]

I just checked out cytokines on Wikipedia, and I don't think that even super cytokines could pull anything out of another body - they appear to be more of an immune system hormone-like secretion. Of course, we both agree that there are no truly possible theories to explain Rogue's powers - we're just taking our best guesses here. And thanks for the input - I'm really enjoying this discussion.

PS: Cool avatar

well, there are cytokines that are considered chemokines. Chemokines are usually linked to the inflamatory process, they are responsible for calling the inflamatory cells to the site of injury. Basically, they "call" cells, and molecules. So, Rogue might have mutated, and extremely powerful chemokines, that would be specific to the RNA produced by the x-gene. When Rogue touched a person, these chemokines, which woud have to be extremely fast, would "call" the RNA from the person she touched to Rogue's cells.

And that's where your theory might have some influence. When the RNA is quickly tranported from the person's cells to Rogue's cells, a strong electric charge would possible be created, due to the charges from the RNA itself. This could cause the pain and loss of energy.

 

[ToriL90]

well, there are cytokines that are considered chemokines. Chemokines are usually linked to the inflamatory process, they are responsible for calling the inflamatory cells to the site of injury. Basically, they "call" cells, and molecules. So, Rogue might have mutated, and extremely powerful chemokines, that would be specific to the RNA produced by the x-gene. When Rogue touched a person, these chemokines, which woud have to be extremely fast, would "call" the RNA from the person she touched to Rogue's cells.

And that's where your theory might have some influence. When the RNA is quickly tranported from the person's cells to Rogue's cells, a strong electric charge would possible be created, due to the charges from the RNA itself. This could cause the pain and loss of energy.

Wow! I get it now. That's a great theory! t:

 

[flavio_lebeau]

Thanks Medicine did serve a purpose after all

 

[ToriL90]

Thanks Medicine did serve a purpose after all

So, you're a doctor, or med school, or what? I've been wondering since your first post.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

So, you're a doctor, or med school, or what? I've been wondering since your first post.

Med school

 

[Heatwave]

Okay, so I know that mutant powers can almost never be scientifically explained; however, I've been trying to come up with the most plausible possible theory regarding Rogue's powers.

Of course, I'm working all the science from memory, and science wasn't exactly my favorite subject in high school. But, here goes:

PHYSIOLOGY: Each atom consists of protons, electrons, and neutrons. Protons are positively charged, electrons negatively charged, and neutrons are worthless. As I recall, electricity is determined by the flow of electrons. So, if a positively-charged object (one that has more protons than electrons) touched a neutral object (such as the a human body), electrons would flow from the neutral object into the positively-charged objects, thus creating an electrical current. My theory is that Rogue, unlike the normal human being, has an atomic imbalance: she has more protons than electrons. This causes a flow of electrons from the body of the person she touches into her own. Her body is relatively immune to the electric shock, but this is what causes the physical damage to the person she touches. Evidence of an electric current can be seen in the first X-Men movie, when she touches Logan to take his healing ability after he accidentally stabs her (watch his face closely when her hand comes in contact with his face). The electrons carry microscopic pieces of DNA from the person she touches, causing a chemical reaction in her body that temporarily modifies both her X-factor gene to take on the other person's mutant abilites, and her brain chemistry to take on the other person's thoughts, memories, and personality traits.

ADDITIONAL EFFECTS: Though these have never, to my knowledge, been addressed in the comics, this explanation of Rogue's mutant abilities would create a few additional effects: 1) She would be immune to lower-level electrical shocks; 2) She would be unable to be an organ donor, because her organs would electricute any body they were put into; and 3) She would be unable to receive an organ, because her body would electricute any new organ and effectively "kill" it.

I know that the theory isn't perfect, but it's the best I could do with her. I also know that I could be forgetting something that makes the whole theory ridiculous. What do you think? Do you have any alternate theories? Is this one good?

Erm - wow. LOL That's actually a much more detailed one than my own: Her body's DNA and RNA are actually one and the same, but they've been merged with her X-Gene - thus creating a completely protean 'supercell'. This means that her cells have no true form, though they do have her own DNA structure as one of many. When she touches someone, the 'supercells' of her body biochemically react with the ordinary RNA (essentially a copy of the DNA) of the person she's touching and copy the person's DNA. Because the X-Gene is the strongest part of the DNA strand, it overrides everything else and does not enable Rogue to change her form, but rather it enables her to temporarily 'acquire' their mutant powers, life force, personality, and memories.

This is actually almost the exact same theory I used to explain Morph's and Mystique's powers, except that for them their 'supercells' utilized every part of the person's DNA instead of just the X-Gene and a minor part of the rest of the DNA. The biggest difference, of course, was that they didn't have to touch people. Their 'supercells' were like microcomputers that analyzed all possible manner of DNA combinations based on what the visual information being fed to them from the eyes (via the electrical impulses of the brain) and thus enabled Morph and Mystique (and Mimic, who I think has the same powers as the two of them) to convert their bodies into the physical manifestation of the people they've seen.

Kinda interesting, actually.

Yes, I'm a bit of a science freak.

 

[ToriL90]

Erm - wow. LOL That's actually a much more detailed one than my own: Her body's DNA and RNA are actually one and the same, but they've been merged with her X-Gene - thus creating a completely protean 'supercell'. This means that her cells have no true form, though they do have her own DNA structure as one of many. When she touches someone, the 'supercells' of her body biochemically react with the ordinary RNA (essentially a copy of the DNA) of the person she's touching and copy the person's DNA. Because the X-Gene is the strongest part of the DNA strand, it overrides everything else and does not enable Rogue to change her form, but rather it enables her to temporarily 'acquire' their mutant powers, life force, personality, and memories.

This is actually almost the exact same theory I used to explain Morph's and Mystique's powers, except that for them their 'supercells' utilized every part of the person's DNA instead of just the X-Gene and a minor part of the rest of the DNA. The biggest difference, of course, was that they didn't have to touch people. Their 'supercells' were like microcomputers that analyzed all possible manner of DNA combinations based on what the visual information being fed to them from the eyes (via the electrical impulses of the brain) and thus enabled Morph and Mystique (and Mimic, who I think has the same powers as the two of them) to convert their bodies into the physical manifestation of the people they've seen.

Kinda interesting, actually.

Yes, I'm a bit of a science freak.

Interesting. So basically, she doesn't really have her own DNA and RNA? She instead has potential DNA and RNA that mold themselves after the DNA and RNA of the people she touches?

How exactly does her touch hurt people?