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| {{Heresy}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Mutant]] |
| : ''"Beware the [[xenos|alien]], the [[heretic]], and the [[mutant]]."''
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| :-- Thought for the Day.
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| A '''mutant''' is a creature with a genetic ''mutation'' that makes it differ noticeably from the majority of the species.
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| When [[Earth]]-creatures reproduce, their cells reproduce and have to copy their DNA. Reproduction is imperfect, so there are many error-detecting and error-correcting mechanisms to increase reliability. Of course, those mechanisms are themselves imperfect, so in any given copy operation, something like one in every hundred-million base-pairs is copied incorrectly; additionally, environmental conditions, like exposure to radiation, certain chemicals (called ''mutagens''), or certain viruses, can introduce errors into a cell's chromosome. These changes are mutations.
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| In the real world, mutations are usually of limited effect. At best, a single mutation might improve the efficiency of some metabolic pathway; most will have no or minimal effect; and at worst, a mutation can cause [[cancer]] or other genetic diseases. Over many generations, a species can change quite dramatically, depending on what selective pressures they face in their environment, and what effect mutations have on their bearers' ability to reproduce; this is the process of evolution. That said, the effects are usually not perceptible on the human time-scale.
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| In fiction, mutations have much more extreme effects, like granting superpowers. This is especially the case in the world of [[/co/|comics and cartoons]], as exemplified by groups such as the X-Men: an unknown-to-modern-science "X-gene" (or similar in-universe term) is somehow activated (usually during puberty, but sometimes during a suitably traumatic origin event, or from birth) and grants the bearer superhuman abilities, and occasionally a dramatically changed (but never hideous, at least not to the reader) appearance. Marvel Comics specifically designates mutants as people who bear their mutation from birth (though, as mentioned, it may not express itself until later), distinguished from "mutates," who are genetically altered later.
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| On the other hand, in [[grimdark]] works, mutants are generally depicted as beast-like, malformed, monstrous, and otherwise sub-human creatures. They are often enemies to be destroyed without feeling guilty, or occasionally wretches to be pitied, especially if they started out "normal."
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| == Warhammer 40,000 ==
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| The [[Imperium of Man]]'s thoughts on mutants can be summarized by the page quote: "Beware the alien, the heretic, and the mutant." After all, mutation of the body from the Holy Human Form is a sure sign of [[Chaos]] taint, and for that matter reflects poorly on the parents of the mutant in question, for surely the child would not be mutated if the parents were truly faithful to the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor]]?
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| That said, some mutants are tolerated in the Imperium, because they are necessary and/or relatively stable. This includes [[Navigator]]s, who are necessary for [[Warp]] travel, [[psyker]]s, who are important for astropathic communication, powering the [[Astronomican]], and feeding the Emperor, and the various strains of [[abhuman]]s, who are stable and useful.
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| On the opposite end of the spectrum, followers of Chaos treat mutants very highly, as they are considered favored by the [[Chaos Gods]]. [[Tzeentch]] in particular doles out mutations like there's no tomorrow (and knowing 40k, there legitimately may not be), giving his follows extra eyes, arms, legs, and even heads.
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| == Fallout ==
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| In [[Fallout]], when going anywhere outside of civilization (heck, even when staying inside), you would most likely have a 95% chance of finding Mutants such as Ghouls, Ghost People and Super-Mutants. They are often classified (with the exception of some Super-Mutants) as sub-humans, and worthy of genocide, especially in places under the control of Caesar's Legion...what a [[Eldrad|Dick.]]
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| == Judge Dredd ==
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| In [[Judge Dredd]], mutants are generally treated as subhumans. They are banned from Mega-City One (though Dredd is working on changing that -- in fact, he happens to have mutant relatives, all of whom have a lantern jaw as big or bigger than his) and forced to live in the radioactive Cursed Earth.
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| [[Category:Warhammer 40,000]]
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