Mutant
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Metahuman, Superhuman, Homo sapiens superior, Mutant aliens |
| Related tropes/genres | Superheroes, Supervillains |
| See also | Marvel Comics, X-Men |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Mutants are a common trope in comic books and science fiction, but the concept has also expanded into fanfiction as an alternate universe. It's usually the easiest way to allow characters to exhibit superhuman abilities or qualities, for example telepathy.
The term "mutant" originated in science fiction and has been around at least since 1938. See Science Fiction Citations. "Mutie" is a slur against mutants. The modern concept of mutants can be credited to Stan Lee (in the early 1960s), who created them for The X-Men so he didn't have to find unique origin stories for different superheroes and supervillains. DC Comics uses the term Metahuman for the same concept.
In The X-Men
In The X-Men, a mutant is a human who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities (for example Jean Grey and her telepathy), unlike "mutates", which are humans mutated by an event (such as Spider-Man, Hulk, and Fantastic Four).
A mutant is often considered to be the next stage in human evolution. Mutants are born with the genetic potential to possess their powers, although the powers typically manifest at puberty. (However there are cases where it presents itself much earlier if triggered by a traumatic event or at birth.) Some mutants have shown the ability to develop a secondary mutation, such as Emma Frost and her diamond form.
In Fanworks
In fanfic, it's usually considered an X-Men fusion [1], due to all the canon knowledge that is attached to it.
Example Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
- Gwen Stacy vs The X-Men (Sort Of) by amathela, gen, Gwen Stacy wakes up one day with metal-bending mutant powers. Who better to train her than the Master of Magnetism? (Answer: A lot of people, probably? But that would be a completely different story.) (Gwen & Erik, Different Powers AU)
List of Fandoms with Canon Mutants
Resources
- Mutants and Alternate Universe - Mutants tagged works at AO3
- Mutants at TV Tropes
- Homo Superior at the Marvel wiki
- Wikipedia:Mutant (fictional)
- Wikipedia:Mutant (Marvel Comics)