Fictional Mutagens
While real-world mutagens produce genetic alterations, or mutations, fictional substances often produce sudden, visible changes in the morphology of organisms. The list below therefore includes fictional substances that produce such effects, as well as more plausible mutagens.
| Name | Source | Uses and effects |
|---|---|---|
| ADAM | BioShock | A stem cell-based biological modifier harvested by Little Sisters and processed into useful forms like Plasmids or EVE. Excessive usage of ADAM tends to result in addiction, severe cosmetic and/or mental damage. |
| 2,4,5 Trioxin | Return of the Living Dead series | Gas that brings the dead back to life as zombies. Originally created by the military as a herbicide to use on cannabis plants. |
| Batch 5 | V for Vendetta | A toxic mutagen that causes random disfigurements and mutations over a period of months, before driving the victim mad and killing them. - see Agent Orange |
| "Buzzz Cola" | Surf II: The End of the Trilogy | An addictive mystery chemical agent treated with petroleum waste created by deranged chemist Menlo Schwartzer, who distributes it under the guise of "Buzzz Cola" as part of a plot to rid the beaches of surfers. Its effect changes human physiology, turning the drinker into a bumbling zombie capable of ingesting anything from garbage to hydrochloric acid. |
| Cardamine | Freelancer | A natural product of the ecosystem on the planet Malta, it is found in trace amounts in nearly everything on the planet, including the atmosphere and water. A very addictive mutagenic narcotic, its withdrawal symptoms are extremely violent and invariably fatal. Exposure over generations is known to cause unnatural longevity as well as greatly decreased fertility and a genetically-encoded dependence on the drug. |
| Chemical X | The Powerpuff Girls | A mysterious chemical created by Professor Utonium. When he accidentally mixed it with sugar, spice, and everything nice, it created The Powerpuff Girls. Its effect on humans is variable: it can either grant super powers or cause monstrous mutations.
|
| Colour out of space | H. P. Lovecraft's horror tale "The Colour Out of Space" | Toxic and mutagenic element, possibly sentient. The substance is of indescribable colour and unknown spectrum, and is released from a meteorite that lands in a field. |
| Compound X07 | Marvel Comics | Experimental compound developed by A.I.M. Granted Madcap his fantastic regeneration and recovery. |
| Corrodium | Ben 10 | A purple crystal that can be a great power source for alien technologies, and can also mutate living organisms that are nearby. |
| DC-2 | Planet Terror | A green gas of unknown chemicals and origin. Once exposed, one requires constant exposure to the gas or he/she will mutate into a zombie. Any human bitten by a DC-2 zombie will become one when the infected flesh reaches the brain area. DC-2 can also reanimate corpses of those killed by a zombie. |
| Energized Protodermis | Bionicle | A living, liquid form of Protodermis with the power to either transform or destroy any living creature it comes into contact with. |
| Empathy | Code 46 | A virus forbidden by law that allows an infected individual to read other people's thoughts. The virus only works if the target is currently telling the infected individual something emotional about itself. |
| Energy X | Freedom Force | A mysterious substance of extraterrestrial origin. When humans come in contact with it, they develop super powers based on their personality. |
| Ephemerol | Scanners | Tranquilizer, used as a morning sickness remedy; a mutagen, it induces telekinetic and telepathic abilities. Ephemerol also suppresses those abilities in adults so affected. |
| EXP Radiation | Adventurers! online comic | A beneficent radiation released by killing RPG monsters. Once a threshold has been reached, the character's stats upgrade. It is used as a hand-wave to explain why monsters disintegrate into red balls and upgrade player characters upon death. |
| Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) | Fallout (Video Game) | A virus created by the government and stored in the Mariposa military base and Vault 87, it causes victims to mutate losing sexual differences, and causing them to grow bigger and physically stronger, but lose mental capacity with age. The results are enlarged versions of animals and insects, a combination of several creatures called Centaurs, and humanoid Super Mutants, derived from FEV-exposed humans. |
| G-23 paxilon hydrochlorate ("Pax") | Serenity (2005) | Tranquilizer introduced into the atmosphere of the terraformed planet Miranda that produced total apathy and loss of will to live in most of the population. However, it had a paradoxical effect on 0.1% of those exposed, creating a murderous group (Reavers) that wiped out the remaining planetary population and continued to terrorize the local planets. |
| GC-161 | The Secret World of Alex Mack | A mutagenic chemical responsible for giving Alex Mack her unique powers. A recurring plot device. |
| Gene Seed | Warhammer 40,000 | Gene Seed is responsible for creation of Space Marines. There are about 19 separate gene seeds. All gene seeds are produced in a pair of glands in the Astartes's chest cavity and throat. For further reading, see Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000). |
| Heiarchy Radiation | Universe at War: Earth Assault | A mutagenic radiation similar to nuclear radiation in that it is composed partially of gamma rays and contaminates the surrounding area. Unlike atomic radiation, it is fluorescent green or orange, glow-in-the-dark, and turns people who die of it into Zombies. |
| Hellfire | Warhammer 40,000 | A type mutagenic bio-acid developed originally by the Imperium of Man to combat the Tyranid threat. The toxin rapidly destroys the flesh of the struck target, making it nearly impossible for an average human-sized creature to survive, and dealing severe damage to larger creatures. The bio-acid is delivered via Hellfire ammunition, which are modified boltgun rounds that replace the explosive charge of the round with a chamber of the bio-acid that is pumped into the target on impact. The larger-caliber Heavy Bolter can fire a version known as Hellfire Shells, which showers an area with the acid upon impact |
| Katalyst | SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron | In this series, there are Katalysts according to number. In the series, there is Katalyst 99, Katalyst 100, and even Katalyst X-63. All these used by Dr. Viper to make the city either Megaswamp City or Mutation City. |
| Kryptonite | Superman | A radioactive crystalline compound created by the explosion of the planet Krypton's core. Most commonly found in its green form, it is deadly to all things native to the planet Krypton. It also causes mutation in humans, plants, and animals when exposed to it. Often it acts through a catalyst, imbuing beings with various powers, usually with some negative side effect. Some varieties, including red kryptonite, gold kryptonite, and blue kryptonite, have varying effects. |
| Liquid Tiberium | Command & Conquer 3 | Liquid tiberium is a derivative of crystal tiberium used by Nod and Reaper-17. Instead of random mutations leading to a Visceroid, it augments muscle mass, and subsequently speed, permanently. Using too much liquid tiberium, beyond initial infusion, eventually leads to insanity. Users exhale tiberium gas, and can walk through a tiberium crystal field undamaged, although the player still gets an exposure warning. It is also highly explosive. |
| Lot Six | Firestarter | Lot Six, an experimental drug that supposedly had been proven to alter the subject's chromosomes and pituitary gland, was administered to a group of college students who volunteered to take it through injections. Only certain people got the drug, and some people just got tap water. Only two people came out fine after being injected with the drug: Andrew McGee and Vicky Tomlinson, who later married each other. The mutagenic effect of the drug resulted in the pyrokinetic abilities of their daughter Charlie. |
| Magestone | Mage Knight | A crystalline substance coveted by the Atlantean Empire for technomagical experiments. Causes mutations with prolonged exposure; mutants are known as Mage Spawn. |
| Mako | Final Fantasy VII | A thick, blue-green liquid that is produced by the "Lifestream," a river of souls that circles the planet Gaia. Identified as a type of bio-plasma, and considered to be the planets "blood". It can be burned in a reactor to produce electrical energy. Creatures exposed for an extremely short amount of time (for example, stepping in a puddle of it) develop magical abilities (in the case of humans, the ability to use materia crystals to cast magic). Middling term (a few hours or days in an immersion vat) causes this to become permanent, causes the creature to develop vibrantly blue eyes, and become faster and stronger. For this reason, it was used in a super soldier project, known simply as "SOLDIER". Long term exposure causes grotesque mutations, resulting in a monster known as a "Makinoid". Stagnant Mako, which is fluorescent green, is much more potent than fresh Mako, and was used in Shinra's next-generation super soldier project known as "Deepground". |
| Melange | Dune series | The spice Melange causes the whites and irises of the eyes to turn blue after prolonged exposure, as with natives of the planet Arrakis, where the spice is everywhere. Melange's beneficial effects include prolonging of life and the granting of various abilities to humans such as the Bene Gesserit. Extreme doses can cause heavy mutation, as evidenced by the Spacing Guild's navigators, who use Melange to gain the limited precognitive ability required to navigate a ship safely through folded space between planets. Eventually, the high-level navigators mutate to the point they must live the rest of their lives in tanks filled with spice gas, their minds and bodies wholly dependent on the drug. Humans addicted to lesser levels of the spice suffer severe withdrawal symptoms and death if denied access to it. |
| Mustakozene 80 | Doctor Who, Timelash | |
| Mutagenic Compound (The Ooze) | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | A highly toxic and radioactive green sludge that mutates organisms into humanoid/animal crossbreeds. |
| Philosopher's stone | Fullmetal Alchemist (manga version) | A small red pebble, the ultimate transmutation amplifier. It consists of the transmuted souls of thousands of people. When injected directly into the body, it repeatedly destroys and reforms the organism. This ultimately kills the organism, or else the organism metabolizes it and becomes invincible. The only outward sign is a welt shaped like the alchemical symbol Ouroboros, the signature of a Homunculus. |
| Phazon | Metroid Prime 1, 2 and 3 | A highly toxic and radioactive glowing blue living substance. Extremely mutagenic, it is used by the Space Pirates to alter their own stock and that of other creatures, such as Metroids, and in attempts to xenoform both their own homeworld and strategically important Federation worlds. The Chozo recognize it as the "Great Poison," as it ultimately leads to madness and death in most life which comes in contact with it for extended periods. It also comes in an orange version that is much more mutagenic and dangerous, and even organisms resistant to normal blue phazon can be affected by the orange variety. |
| Polymorphine | Warhammer 40,000 | A shape-altering drug used by the Callidus Temple Assassins Witch Hunters army to infiltrate enemy organisations by mimicking key figures and taking their place. Polymorphine weakens the molecular binds and combined with high levels of training in physical control and cybernetic implants, Callidus Assassins can use the drug to mimic any humanoid race. |
| Promicin Inhibitor | The 4400 | A compound which blocks the neurotransmitter Promicin, from which members of the 4400 gain their powers. The compound tends to build up in the body after long-term inoculation, causing pox-like rashes and eventual death. |
| Re-Agent | Re-Animator | A serum developed by Miskatonic University student Herbert West which reanimates cadavers. The cadaver must be extremely fresh, or brain damage will occur due to the buildup of free radicals in brain tissue. |
| Substance X | Operation Neptune | A mysterious and highly reactive substance found beneath the surface of Asteroid Argos. It has the ability to mutate harmless sea creatures, such as Pufferfish, into monsters. |
| Rune | Rogue Galaxy | An orange gel that apparently speeds evolution. Powerful monsters have a reservoir on their foreheads; this makes a weak spot. It also has the unique property of rearranging the molecular structure of inanimate objects, but only high-level/expensive objects. |
| Human Performance Enhancer | Spider-Man | A green mist that causes the user to permanently develop stronger muscles, and better coordination and reflexes, but at the price of their sanity. If in any way the user is angered, a more aggressive and murderous personality takes over long enough to kill the source of frustration. An upgraded version, created simply by allowing the chemical to age for three years, allows the user to keep their sanity, or focus their rage more effectively. |
| T-Energy | Sacred 2: Fallen Angel | A volatile and glowing blue liquid. Contact with any organic lifeform causes various mutations, including monstrous growth. T-Energy mutated creatures have glowing blue streaks all over their bodies. |
| Terrazine | StarCraft: Ghost | Terrazine is a mysterious gaseous substance, which is responsible for the evolution of the Terran Spectre troop, an offshoot of the Ghost spy. It may also be responsible for the development of some of the mutations and evolution of the Zerg troops in the game (all zerg must be at least weakly psionic to receive instructions and transmit data). It is poisonous to non-psychics. Not much is known, as Ghost has been "put on hiatus," i.e., cancelled. |
| Terrigen Mists | Marvel Comics | Mutagenic catalyst discovered by the Inhuman geneticist Randac sometime between 21,00 and 15,000 years ago. It can grant most any Inhuman or Human being superpowers, but leaves approximately 75% of Inhuman subjects with radical physical deformities as well; it also occasionally induces amnesia in both Inhuman and Human subjects. |
| Tiberium | Command & Conquer | A highly valuable crystal in the Command & Conquer series used as a resource. Tiberium extracts all mineral deposits out of the ground and can be harvested, for easy extraction. Extremely toxic and mutagenic to terrestrial life-forms, Tiberium is an extraterrestrial terraforming agent by an alien race known as the Scrin. It was also used in Lady Gaga's "Cook 'N Kill" recipe in her music video "Telephone". |
| The Stuff | The Stuff | Tasty white substance mined from the earth which turns out to be a sapient creature who mutates its consumers into zombies and eats them from within, leaving empty human shells behind. |
| U4 | SiN | Dangerously addictive narcotic developed by biochemist Elexis Sinclaire. A deliberate effect of the drug is genetic alteration, causing horrible mutations in the user. The drug was developed and distributed for the purpose of building a bio-engineered army for world conquest. |
| Vespene gas | StarCraft | Vespene is a fluorescent green gas that issues from geysers. All three races (Zerg, Terran, and Protoss) harvest the gas. In its processed form, it is an effective fuel. In its raw form, it is used by the Zerg as food and an evolutionary catalyst, mutating the swarm into bigger, stronger forms. The best example is the Tarrasque, bred from normal Ultralisks, then repeatedly exposed to vespene gas. |
| Viper Mutagen 368 | SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron | A mutagen created by Dr. N. Zyme and Dr. Elrod Purvis in Megakat Biochemical labs. This mutagen was able to rebuild any limbs of plants. However, this chemical also mutates people into half-cat, half-snake creatures when the chemical spills on them. The only victim affected by the mutagen was Dr. Purvis himself who mutates into Dr. Viper. |
| Warpstone or Wyrdstone | Warhammer, also Warhammer 40,000 1st and 2nd editions | A greenish-black crystal apparently of solidified magic that holds tremendous transmutatory powers. Among other things, it can be used as fuel, or even to turn base metal into gold. Highly prized by the Skaven, who use it to make bullets and poisons, as well as generate energy and Vampire Counts, as it is integral to creating many of their undead minions. |
| Zygrot 24 | Freaked | A fertilizer manufactured by the Everything Except Shoes Corporation that possesses potent mutagenic properties, not the least of which is its ability to turn a wrench into a hammer. It is used by Elijah H. Skuggs to create a troop of freaks who perform in his sideshow attraction. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Fictional Toxins
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