Mutant (Marvel) facts for kids

A mutant is a special kind of fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. In this world, mutants can be either heroes or villains. A mutant is someone who has different DNA than their parents. These mutations often give them superpowers. They may also cause physical changes like wings, blue skin, or a tail.

Mutants first appeared in the Marvel Universe in the 1960s. They were introduced in the comic book The X-Men. This was a way for Marvel to tell stories about important topics like racism. The hatred and fear of mutants are a big part of their history. Two main teams of mutants have been around since the 1960s: The X-Men (heroes) and the Brotherhood of Mutants (villains).

How Mutants Are Born

Sometimes a human is born with a special genetic change. This X-GENE can be passed down to their children. This genetic change might not cause any noticeable difference right away. It could even pass for generations without anyone knowing about it.

Mutants can be born to human or mutant parents. It is much more likely for mutant parents to have mutant children. It is rare, but possible, for mutant parents to have human children. These human children are called "baseline" by characters in the Marvel Universe.

Mutant children born to mutant parents will not always have the same power(s) as their parents. They also might not have the same powers as their mutant siblings. However, it is not uncommon for children to have similar powers to their family members.

Sometimes, mutants may not be able to have children easily. For example, the Hayes family, who were telepathic mutant doctors, were unsure if they could have a child. It took them several years to finally have their daughter, Molly Hayes.

Mutant Power Levels

Marvel's mutants are grouped by how powerful their abilities are.

• OMEGA: Omega mutants are the most powerful. They have the highest level of mutant abilities.
• ALPHA: Alpha mutants have very strong and useful powers. They do not have any physical changes that make them look different. They are often the most feared mutants.
• BETA: Betas are as powerful as Alphas. However, they have some physical changes as a drawback.
• GAMMA: Gammas are also powerful mutants. But they suffer from large physical changes. These changes make their lives very hard. They also make it very easy to tell that they are a mutant.
• DELTA: Delta mutants have lower power levels than Alphas. Like Alphas, they do not have any physical changes. Most Deltas do not even know they are mutants.
• EPSILON: Epsilons have minor superhuman powers. They also have major physical flaws. They are easily recognized just by looking at them.

Note: Only Alpha and Omega have actually been used as classifications in the comics. The other ranks were created by fans.

Mutants as a Symbol for Real-World Issues

The X-Men were created in the 1960s. This was a time of civil unrest in the United States. The characters allowed the writers to create stories that showed racism and bigotry. They could do this without focusing on one specific minority group.

By classifying Mutants as they did, they also showed different sides of racism.

In the Marvel Universe, normal people often hate and fear mutants. This is because they worry mutants might make normal humans extinct. They fear what they do not understand. They are also jealous of mutants having superpowers. Bigotry and xenophobia (fear of strangers) are also reasons for hating mutants.

In the Marvel universe, anti-mutant feelings have led to mutants being separated from society. It has also led to mob violence. The government has even tried to fight mutants.

The X-Men comics are typical superhero stories. They have epic adventures and battles with super villains. But the idea of mutants as a metaphor for real-world minorities who face oppression is always present. Here are some examples:

• Magneto is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. He once lived in Israel. He has tried to create a "mutant home state" like Israel. He became ruler of Genosha. This was a fictional island recognized by the United Nations as a mutant state.
• A 1981 story called Days of Futures' Past showed a future where mutants faced a terrible event. Mutants were forced into concentration camps and killed.
• Senator Robert Kelly suggested a Mutant Registration Act. This law would force mutants to list their powers and identities with the government. This is similar to McCarthyism in the United States.
• The anti-mutant hate group Friends of Humanity was inspired by real-world hate groups.
• Most mutant powers appear around puberty. Many young mutants are rejected by their families. This is similar to how some young people are rejected by their families for being different. This was shown clearly in the second X-Men movie. A character asks, "Have you ever tried not being a mutant?"
• The Legacy Virus storyline in the 1990s was seen as a symbol for the AIDS epidemic.

See also

In Spanish: Mutante (Marvel Comics) para niños