History Main / MetaOrigin

* Similarly, ''TheSpectacularSpiderMan'': Many of the previously unconnected villains now related back to Oscorp: Dr. Octopus worked as a scientist there, Toomes became the Vulture because Oscorp stole his technology, Sandman and Rhino get their powers from Oscorp experiments, Shocker gets his suit as the result of Norman Osborn's machinations and so on. Interestingly, one of the few major villains in the series whose origin ''was'' related to Oscorp in the comics universe, Tombstone, has a criminal-working relationship with the company, and nothing more.

** {{Fanon}} suggests that the morphing powers tap into the grid to access the uniform and weapons, it is sort of a canon HyperspaceArsenal. The Grid doesn't necessarily supply the power to the morphers but it instead channels that power into what they need. That's why the different teams with wildly different power sources can all use the morphing grid, you just need to figure out how to channel the grid abilities. There are other characters within the franchise that can "Morph" without being called Rangers, such as MaskedRider and (debatably) the [[Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy Magna Defender]].

** AlanMoore's run on ''SwampThing'' established that all characters with plant powers ([[Franchise/{{Batman}} Poison Ivy]], [[TheAtom Floronic Man]], etc.) were connected to "the Green". NeilGaiman later added BlackOrchid, and revealed most of them were at university together. During GrantMorrison's run on ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'' parallels it by establishing that Animal Man and all animal-based characters ([[Comicbook/TeenTitans Beast Boy]], [[Comicbook/DemonKnights Horsewoman]], ComicBook/{{Vixen}} etc.) are connected to "the Red". TheNew52 keeps this.

* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', both Comicbook/{{Venom}} and Carnage are genetically-engineered from samples of Spider-Man's blood. There are a few other examples, like the Awesome Android being a [[{{SHIELD}} S.H.I.E.L.D.]] project created by Curt Connors, and {{Deadpool}} being a former S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee and protege of NickFury. And the Rhino and the Lizard both got their powers from Dr Octopus's experimental animal serums (there's also a scorpion serum and a vulture serum...)

* Season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' introduced the concept of the Metagene into animation, with the explanation that a small percentage of the human race possessed the genetic potential to develop superpowers in times of duress. Comicbook/{{Static}}, Neutron, and [[CaptainErsatz Captain Ersatzes]] of the four CanonForeigner SuperFriends all got their powers from Metagenes, as opposed to the comics, where they all had separate and wildly different origins.

Back when SuperHero comics started in TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks, there were no "universes" at first. Each character's adventures took place in their own little bubble. This came to an end with the first team-ups, such as the JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, or the "war" between the original Human Torch and Sub-Mariner. Slowly, individual characters became part of a greater whole.

* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', both Comicbook/{{Venom}} and Carnage are genetically-engineered from samples of Spider-Man's blood. There are a few other examples, like the Awesome Android being a [[{{SHIELD}} S.H.I.E.L.D.]] project created by Curt Connors, and {{Deadpool}} being a former S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee and protege of NickFury.

* In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, both Banner / the Hulk and Emil Blonsky / the Abomination gained their powers through attempts to replicate Captain America's SuperSerum. Banner thought he was researching ways to resist radiation and had no idea what his superiors were really after. Emil Blonsky's version of the serum seemed to work just fine, but when the Hulk still curb-stomped him he got greedy and demanded they inject him with even more dangerous crap.

* In the ''{{Wildstorm}}'' universe, the main sources of powers were either [[HalfHumanHybrid alien ancestry]] (like the [[{{Wild Cats}} Wild C.A.T.S.]], who were all part or full Kherubim) or the [[{{Gen 13}} Gen-Factor]], a SuperSerum whose results were [[SuperPowerfulGenetics inheritable]]. The Century Babies also often had mysterious abilities, but their origin is unclear.

** ''Comicbook/{{Infinity}}'' and the followup, ''Inhumanity'', reveal that numerous humans across the globe possess dormant [[TheIhumans Inhuman genes]], which can activate when they are exposed to the Terrigen Mists.

** ''Comicbook/{{Infinity}}'' and the followup, ''Inhumanity'', reveal that numerous humans across the globe possess dormant [[TheIhumans Inhuman genes]], which can activate when they are exposed to the Terrigen Mists.

** Another, minor example was Bumblebee. In the show, she was the sidekick of TheAtom and got her {{Sizeshifter}} powers from the same white dwarf star matter that her mentor used. In the comics, she was shrunken by a cosmic accident she got caught up in during ''InfiniteCrisis''.

Contrast with FantasyKitchenSink, AllMythsAreTrue. See MassSuperEmpoweringEvent for non-{{Ret Con}}ned starting events providing everyone's superpowers and thus linking everyone together. See RandomlyGifted for a similar setting-wide explanation for the random appearance of powers.

* Season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' introduced the concept of the Metagene into animation, with the explanation that a small percentage of the human race possessed the genetic potential to develop superpowers in times of duress. Comicbook/{{Static}}, Neutron, and [[CaptainErsatz Captain Ersatzes]] of the [[CanonForeigner]] SuperFriends all got their powers from Metagenes, as opposed to the comics, where they all had separate and wildly different origins.

* SuperRobotWars, starting in [[SuperRobotWarsAlpha Alpha]], handles this surprisingly well, especially with how many series the games have to balance. Most of them involve HumanAliens, AncientAstronauts, and so on. A few games even mix the different varieties of [[AppliedPhlebotinum Phlebotinum]] as manifestations of some greater, overarching power in the universe.
** In ''SuperRobotWars Alpha 3'' MassiveMultiplayerCrossover of many HumongousMecha anime reveals, that game's BigBad, Kaiser Ephes [[spoiler: was TheManBehindTheMan of game's original villains]] and made all anime's Big Bads, that appeared in game, choose path that led them against our heroes.

** A few of the origins are questionable. Eve may or may not get her power from Pan, for instance. Another ''may'' be getting it from a Wiccan goddess, the origin video is actually ambiguous on that point but she thinks so.

** AlanMoore's run on ''SwampThing'' established that all characters with plant powers ([[{{Batman}} Poison Ivy]], [[TheAtom Floronic Man]], etc.) were connected to "the Green". NeilGaiman later added BlackOrchid, and revealed most of them were at university together. During GrantMorrison's run on ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'' parallels it by establishing that Animal Man and all animal-based characters ([[Comicbook/TeenTitans Beast Boy]], [[Comicbook/DemonKnights Horsewoman]], ComicBook/{{Vixen}} etc.) are connected to "the Red". TheNew52 keeps this.

** In ''{{Planetary}}'' it was revealed that all Century Babies are [[spoiler: part of Universe's immunity system, created to stop attacks from [[AlternateUniverse Alternate Earth's]].]]

* In {{Naruto}} everything remotely powerful can be traced back to the Sage of the Six Paths. Ninjutsu? Created by the Sage. The powerful Uchiha and Senju clans? [[spoiler: Descendants of the Sage]]. The Tailed Beasts? [[spoiler: Was originally the Ten Tails but split by the Sage]]. Rinnegan? [[spoiler: Eyes of the Sage]]. The Uzumaki clan? Related to Senju.

** AlanMoore's run on ''SwampThing'' established that all characters with plant powers ([[{{Batman}} Poison Ivy]], [[TheAtom Floronic Man]], etc.) were connected to "the Green". NeilGaiman later added BlackOrchid, and revealed most of them were at university together. TheNew52 keeps this, and parallels it by establishing all animal-based characters (ComicBook/AnimalMan, [[Comicbook/TeenTitans Beast Boy]], [[Comicbook/DemonKnights Horsewoman]] etc.) are connected to "the Red".

* In the ''Literature/GrimnoirChronicles'' books by Larry Correia, all powers come from a vast cosmic entity known as ... well, The Power.

* SupremePower links all of the powered heroes' origins to Hyperion's arrival on earth.

* In ''{{The 4400}}'', everyone's powers are due to everyone getting a fifth neural transmitter, promicin, when they were kidnapped by the future.