Line #45 Series/MutantX


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6	[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mutant_x_2984.jpg]]
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8	A television series created by Creator/MarvelStudios (a division of Creator/MarvelComics) and Canada's Creator/GlobalTelevisionNetwork (airing in syndication in the US), ''Mutant X'' centers around the eponymous team of "New Mutants" who [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke possess extraordinary powers as a result of genetic engineering]]. Like hundreds of other unsuspecting people, the members of Mutant X were used as test subjects in a series of covert government experiments by [[MegaCorp Genomex]], which now wants to control these New Mutants for its own purposes. The mission of Mutant X is to seek out their fellow New Mutants, help them come to terms with their abilities, and protect them from those who want only to exploit their powers.
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10	The main characters include:
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12	* Adam Kane (Creator/JohnShea), a non-mutant scientist who created the New Mutants and leader of Mutant X.
13	* Emma [=DeLauro=] (Creator/LaurenLeeSmith), a young [[TheEmpath Telempath]] who joins Mutant X after she's hunted down by the Genetic Security Agency.
14	* Shalimar Fox (Creator/VictoriaPratt), a [[CatGirl "Feral Feline"]] member of Mutant X.
15	* Brennan Mulwray (Creator/VictorWebster), a mutant forced by the GSA to hunt his own until he joined Mutant X.
16	* Jesse Kilmartin (Creator/ForbesMarch), the technology and computer expert of Mutant X who can alter his density.
17	* Lexa Pierce (Creator/KarenCliche), an operative of the shady organization known as The Dominion who takes over the role of interim Mutant X leader in Season 3.
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19	Despite being a Marvel-owned property, ''Mutant X'' is unrelated to the [[ComicBook/MutantX comic book series of the same name]] that ran from 1998 to 2001, or [[ComicBook/XMen anything else involving mutants and X-es]] from the standard Marvel Comics universe. However, according to Volume 5 of the ''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z'' hardcovers, the ''Mutant X'' TV series takes place on Earth-704509, making it an AlternateUniverse in the Marvel [[TheMultiverse multiverse]].
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21	Even though the series had high ratings and was renewed for a fourth season, it was abruptly canceled in 2004 due to the show's main production company, Fireworks Entertainment, being sold to brand new owners.
22	----
23	!!Tropes:
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25	* ActionGirl: Shalimar kicks plenty of ass.
26	* AllYourPowersCombined: Gabriel Ashlocke, the BigBad of Season 2, is the [[SuperPrototype first]] [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual New Mutant]] ever created, and also has several powers from each of the four power categories recognized by the show, as opposed to all other mutants, who only get a single power from a single category (although for some reason, after the first few episodes, he mostly limited himself to throwing {{energy ball}}s). Too bad for him, a side effect of all that power is he's eventually going to [[SuperPowerMeltdown explode into bits]].
27	* AmazonianBeauty: Shalimar (played by fitness model Creator/VictoriaPratt) has a very toned body and serves as the team muscle, but is still very attractive.
28	* AnywhereButTheirLips: Adam keeps kissing Emma's head.
29	* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler:Emma in the beginning of Season 3.]]
30	* BadassNormal: Adam is the leader of Mutant X despite not having any superhuman powers himself.
31	* BothSidesHaveAPoint: During the fourth episode, “Fool For Love”, [[Creator/YannickBisson Dr. Richard Saunders]] develops a “serum to help reverse genetic mutation”, despite being a new mutant himself. When discussing this in bed with Shalimar, they both bring up good points in a scene similar to ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'':
32	->'''Richard:''' Shal, I’ve never felt comfortable in my own skin. That’s what drove me to get my doctorate, take the position at Genomex. I'm using their technology to come up with a cure.
33	->'''Shalimar:''' A cure? Richard, it's not an illness. It's a state of being.
34	->'''Richard:''' A state of being that sets us apart.
35	* BroughtDownToNormal: One episode has a New Mutant with a HealingFactor (which makes his DeathSeeker personality a little ironic) working for the GSA when an epidemic threatens to wipe out all New Mutants. He is forced by his boss to work with Adam (although ordered to shoot him as soon as he has the cure). When Adam extracts his DNA to use his HealingFactor to cure the disease, he inadvertently removes this ability. The guy is happy to be able to die.
36	* CapeBusters: The main enemy in Season 1 was the GSA (Genetic Security Agency), Genomex's [[PrivateMilitaryContractors Private Military Contractor]] tasked with recapturing all the escaped New Mutants. Their ranks mostly comprised of [[RedShirt non-powered stormtroopers]], although they semi-regularly fielded one or two SuperpoweredMooks (who were typically [[HumanPopsicle flash-frozen]] at the end of each episode by [[BadBoss Mason Eckhart]] for [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him for the last time]]).
37	* CatGirl: Shalimar, being a Feral New Mutant, has feline DNA! No ears or tail, though.
38	* CaptureAndReplicate: In the episode 'Dream Lover', this is what happens to Shalimar and Lexa.
39	* CircusOfFear: An episode dealt with a traveling circus led by a man with the power to trap people inside funhouse mirrors.
40	* CityInABottle: In one episode, some of the group [[LightningCanDoAnything accidentally enter a pocket dimension]] that had been set up to be an agrarian utopia. All references to the outside world had been erased in the belief that human nature could be changed with a clean break from human history and all its violence.
41	* CoolShip: Mutant X uses the Helix.
42	* CorporateConspiracy: The titular mutants were created through covert genetic engineering experiments that the company Genomex did on hundreds of unsuspecting people for the government — when a group of Mutants escape, Genomex sends out some PrivateMilitaryContractors called the [[CapeBusters Genetic Security Agency]] to recapture them.
43	* DifferentlyPoweredIndividual: The series uses the slightly strange term "New Mutants". No mention is ever made of "Old Mutants". Maybe it's to distinguish their differences from ''[[{{Mutants}} actual mutations]]''.
44	* DirtyMindReading: Emma has to ask her teammates to stop thinking such thoughts about her on (oddly only a few) occasions.
45	* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: In the episode "Deadly Desire", Lorna Templeton, an evil New Mutant with scorpion-like powers, puts Brennan under her [[{{Pheromones}} pheromonal]] control and then has sex with him. No one treats this as rape. A bad thing that he's working with her, but not rape. In fact, they criticize him for "acting like a jerk" after he's cured. Before that, Lorna had put another way less attractive man under her control, leaving him jealous when Brennan shows in the picture; she kills the former (like a spider would kill her mate after the male impregnates the female, and right after she "has sex with" -- i.e., rapes -- Brennan right in front of him) when he proves too annoying (again repeating the same double standard, but in a worse form) and she no longer needs him as much.
46	* [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Dropped A Bridge On Her]]: [[spoiler:Emma, who is killed at the beginning of season 3 to write her out of the show]].
47	* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Mutant X has a fairly spacious and comfy facility inside a mountain with a hologram covering the entrance. It looks more like a loft than a secret base.
48	* TheEmpath: Emma's powers allow her to sense, project, and manipulate the emotions of those around her.
49	%%* EvilTwin: "Double Vision"
50	* FaintingSeer: Happens a few times in with Emma who, although she isn't a seer, is said to have constant headaches because of it. It's pretty much how the Season 2 episode "Reawakening" starts.
51	* FakeGuestStar: Tom [=McCamus=] as the villainous Mason Eckhart. Despite appearing in every single episode (not to mention the show's title sequence montage) of the first season, he was billed as a guest star.
52	* FlyingBrick: Gabriel Ashlock AKA Patient Zero, one of the only two New Mutants (the other being the Child) who combines all four categories of mutants in this setting: Elemental (fires energy balls), Feral (catlike speed and enhanced strength), Molecular (regeneration), and Psionic (empath). This turns out to be a case of [[spoiler:BlessedWithSuck]], as he eventually [[spoiler:explodes from the sheer energy of these combined powers]].
53	* ForgotAboutTheMindReader: The show had an episode where Emma had to fully open her mind, Jesse's thoughts are never shown explicitly but we're shown imaginary-Emma had also stripped off her shirt, leaving just the tank top underneath.
54	* GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke: All the New Mutants are specifically powered because of genetic experiments
55	* GirlsBehindBars: In "The Taking of Crows," Lexa and Shalimar go undercover in a women's prison.
56	* GroundhogDayLoop: In the episode "Possibilities", a mutant with the power to [[TimeTravel travel back a short period of time]] is trying to stop a bomb from being detonated. When Brennan is caught in the explosion with her, he is sent back as well.
57	* HellBentForLeather: Lots of right leather outfits on the show.
58	* HowDoIShotWeb:
59	** One episode has a young boy kidnapped for ransom. It turns out that the boy is an Elemental New Mutant capable of throwing fireballs. However, he is young, so he's not sure how to control his ability. The first time it manifests is during the kidnapping, when he accidentally burns a hole in a kidnapper's hand. At the end of the episode, he finally learns to produce fireballs on demand by copying Brennan's PstandardPsychicPstance when he's charging his electric powers.
60	** There's also a bit of this when the team receives an upgrade. Brennan learns he can create a continuous blast akin to an ion engine with his hands, enabling brief flight. Shalimar becomes even stronger and can hear someone sneaking up on her while working out with loud music in her earbuds. Emma's PsychicPowers are boosted up to eleven. Jesse learns to make other things intangible.
61	* IntangibleMan: Jesse. Unlike most examples of this trope, he could also reverse the process to the point where he was MadeOfDiamond. He later learns how to make other objects (or parts of them) intangible. This becomes incredibly useful to getting his teammates into locked areas.
62	%%* ImNotHungry: Aldous Berkeley
63	%%* LaResistance
64	%%* LawOfInversePaternity: "Whiter Shade of Pale"
65	* LEGOGenetics / UnstableGeneticCode: Manipulated genetics are the basis of all the powers
66	* LightEmUp: Lexa manipulates light to blind her foes, generate lasers, and even become invisible.
67	* LightningCanDoAnything: Brennan, whose powers are lightning-based, can do nearly anything he wants with them--disable car alarms, start the car, unlock purely mechanical locks, and anything else that needed to be done. All the showrunners needed to do was have him walk on water with the low-budget lightning effect going on around his feet, and he could have been Electrical Jesus. Those are all things you could do with complete control over electromagnetism (see [[ComicBook/XMen Magneto and Polaris]]); maybe the lightning was just his way of focusing his control.
68	%%* LiteralCliffhanger: At the end of Season 2.
69	* LiteralSplitPersonality: Happens with Emma in "Double Vision." She's split into her aggressive side and her passive side. They can't live without each other.
70	* LivingAphrodisiac: Lorna (Creator/KristaAllen), the Villain of the Week in "Deadly Desire", [[LegoGenetics had her DNA spliced with]] [[ScorpionPeople that of a scorpion]] before she was born by Genomex. As a result, she can sprout deadly stingers from her wrists and release a pink {{pheromone\|s}} gas from neck pores which cause men to become obsessed with her.
71	* LogicalWeakness: When dealing with Caleb- a New Mutant with ResurrectiveImmortality who sustains himself by draining other New Mutants- Adam observes that Caleb always needs to drain another New Mutant after he comes back to life, and correctly concludes that Caleb can be killed for good if he is killed ''before'' he can drain another New Mutant of their energy after that resurrection.
72	* MagicGenetics: All powers come from genetic experiments conducted by Genomex and [[spoiler:the Dominion]]. These powers include generating electricity, density manipulation, throwing energy balls, time travel, etc.
73	* MakeWayForTheNewVillains: In the final episode of Season 1, new BigBad Gabriel Ashlocke imprisons original BigBad Mason Eckhart and takes over his mutant-hunting facility for his own ends.
74	* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: Emma is an empath but later "evolves" to a more powerful version. One of her new abilities is full-blown telepathy, although she tends to block out people's thoughts unless necessary. In one episode, she is forced to use all her abilities to keep their CoolPlane hidden from an army looking for them. She warns Jesse that she will be unable to block out other people's thoughts, as all her concentration is required for the "psychic cloak" and asks him to think happy thoughts. Then he accidentally glances at her low-cut cleavage, and she frowns at the unavoidable thought in his head.
75	* MrFanservice: Brennan
76	* MsFanservice: Shalimar and Emma
77	* MurderInc: Blue Bolt from the episode "Under The Cloak of War" is a group of BadassNormal Assassins with high-tech weapons.
78	* {{Mutants}}: The series despite the name, is mostly about people modified ''after'' birth. There is one who was modified either before or immediately after his birth... he didn't grow up so well. Some mutants also have children, who naturally fit the first part.
79	* MysteriousPast: In practically every other episode, someone from one of the main characters' mysterious past would turn up. How many ex-lovers does the typical young mutant-on-the-go ''have'', anyway? Or never-before-mentioned siblings or parents?
80	* MythArc: There's a different villain each season.
81	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Mason Eckhart is pretty transparently an ''eeeevil'' Creator/AndyWarhol.
82	* NoodleIncident: In the episode "The Shock of the New," a character states that Eckhart blames Adam for having caused the loss of his immune system in an incident that is never explained throughout the series.
83	* NotHerself: Lexa and Shalimar both get cloned in the episode 'Dream Lover' and their clones are used to trick Brennan and Jesse. Both men fall for it at first, until the women both get violent. Interesting case here is Lexa's clone. As Lexa gets cloned off-screen, her clone does not only trick Jesse, but also, for a short while, the viewer.
84	* NotQuiteFlight: Brennan's [[ShockAndAwe electricity-throwing power]] turns into an ion engine coming out of his hands after the MidSeasonUpgrade.
85	* OnePersonOnePower: Everyone except Ashlocke.
86	* OpeningNarration: Later seasons had Adam explaining the basic premise of the show, replacing the first season's "random words superimposed over the credits" approach.
87	* PowerDegeneration: Gabriel Ashlocke is the first of the so-called "[[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual New Mutants]]". Unlike the others, he has ComboPlatterPowers from all four of the categories (elemental, feral, molecular, psionic) and is insane to boot. However, as revealed by Adam, his body is slowly breaking apart due to all these powers together. Ashlocke's first attempt to save himself involves awakening an ancient sorceress, then he tries to MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight, then he tries to bully Adam into helping... Ultimately, he explodes, taking half the team's base with him.
88	* PowerMisidentification: When there is a PowerIncontinence plague spreading throughout the mutant population, one of the mutants introduced has what is described as invulnerability. Adam has an EurekaMoment upon learning the ability is actually a HealingFactor so fast it's hard to notice there was a wound in the first place. Sampling his blood provides the opportunity to cure the plague.
89	* PowerNullifier: Tags (called Subdermal Governors) bolted into the back of the neck were used to nullify mutant powers, though it seems more to torture them when they try to use them than to truly nullify the powers.
90	%%* PsychicPowers
91	%%* RagtagBunchOfMisfits
92	%%* RestrainingBolt
93	* ResurrectiveImmorality: Caleb possesses the power to come back from the dead if he is killed, but his power requires him to drain the life energy of other New Mutants to sustain himself.
94	* ScorpionPeople: Lorna Templeton (Creator/KristaAllen), an evil New Mutant who has LivingAphrodisiac {{Pheromones}} and deadly stingers as a result of being [[LegoGenetics genetically spliced]] with a scorpion.
95	* ShamefulStrip: In "The Taking of Crows," Lexa and Shalimar are forced to go through a strip search when infiltrating a women's prison.
96	* ShockAndAwe: Brennan can generate electricity by running one hand over the other. The longer he does this, the more powerful the charge. Depending on the charge, a hit can go from a stun and a mild burn to deadly. As expected, it's inadvisable for him to try to use his powers while he's wet, although grounding helps. Later, his powers evolve to him being able to [[NotQuiteFlight sort-of fly]] with his hands working like ion engines.
97	%%* SinisterSubway
98	* SuperheroSpeciation: There were several broad categories of mutant power, and the team never consisted of more than one member in each category.
99	** Lexa and Brennan, both elementals, were briefly on the team at the same time, but most of the time, the trope held true. Their powers were also different enough to maintain the trope in spirit.
100	** One of the {{Big Bad}}s was a SuperPrototype with powers from all four categories (feral, elemental, molecular, [[PsychicPowers psionic]]).
101	* SuperPowerMeltdown: Gabriel Ashlocke (AKA Patient Zero). The first person to be experimented on by Adam Kane and the first known [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual New Mutant]]. Unlike all other new mutants, which are separated into categories (Elementals, Ferals, Moleculars, and [[PsychicPowers Psionics]]), Ashcroft has powers from all four categories (although not all possible powers). He's also a murderous psychopath. However, so many powers cause his cells to slowly destabilize. After three plans to cure him were thwarted by the titular team, his body exploded, taking out half their base.
102	* SuperSenses: Ferals have animal-level senses, especially Shalimar, once she "evolves". Said "evolution" results in her hearing Jesse sneak up on her while listening to loud music on her [=MP3=] player.
103	* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Averted when Lexa replaced Emma at the start of the final season after [[spoiler:Emma's death in the previous finale]]. Rather than the new character being designed to fill [[SuperheroSpeciation the superpowered gap in the team]] the old one had left, telempathic Emma was replaced with light-manipulating Lexa, whose personality, loyalties, and storyline were radically different to Emma's.
104	* SwissCheeseSecurity: Seemingly every time Mutant X wanted to get into Genomex, they waltzed right in with basically nothing to stop them. Unless the plot called for one of them to get captured, of course. It's partially justified since one of their members does have the ability to phase through walls and the SixthRanger who joins in the third season has invisibility as her main power.
105	* TheTeam: Mutant X.
106	** TheLeader: Adam is the leader of Mutant X.
107	** TheLancer: Brennan.
108	** TheSmartGuy: Jesse is the group's technical expert.
109	** TheBigGuy: Shalimar is the group's muscle.
110	** TheHeart: Emma uses her telempath powers as support.
111	** SixthRanger: Lexa joins in Season 3.
112	* {{Technopath}}: Emma's friend in the episode "Interface." She further gets enhanced by GSA to become a WetwareCPU but is restored at the end of the episode. According to Emma, she is the only New Mutant who managed to counteract the effects of the [[PowerNullifier subdermal governor]], permanently disabling (off-screen) it as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Many years before, both of them used to use their powers to cheat bartenders out of free drinks with Emma's [[TheEmpath empathy]] and, when the bartender eventually caught on, use her friend's power to shut off the lights and run away.
113	* TeamDad: Adam is the moral center of Mutant X.
114	* TerritorialSmurfette: As Ferals are notoriously territorial, Shalimar did not take kindly to another Feral joining the team. Per the trope, the new girl was a joy bringer everyone else liked. Worse, Shalimar was ordered to stay at Home Base due to an injury but was normally the ICanStillFight type without two layers of jealousy for extra motivation. [[spoiler:It turned out the new Feral was even more territorial. She staged the accident that injured Shalimar then joined the team to finish her off.]]
115	* TomatoInTheMirror: At the end of the third season, it turns out [[spoiler:Adam is a clone of the AncientConspiracy's leader]].
116	* TooPowerfulToLive: Gabriel Ashlocke is introduced at the end of the first season, then starts the second season attempting to prevent his own SuperpowerMeltdown, then fails five episodes in.
117	* ToplessnessFromTheBack: Shalimar and Lexa when forced to strip search in "The Taking of Crows".
118	%%* TrueCompanions
119	* VirtualCelebrity: During the first season, the virtual newscaster Proxy Blue. She even looked a little bit like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananova Ananova]], but with longer hair, and, like her, reported on unusual news, in her case specifically focusing on mutants.
120	* WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway: The show has a guy who can shoot [[ShockAndAwe lightning from his hands]], a girl who is [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing crazy cat-like]], a dude who can either [[{{Intangibility}} ghost himself]] or make himself [[TakenForGranite as hard as a statue]] and a girl who... has weak [[TheEmpath telepath powers.]] The last is often kept back at base. In later seasons they all get upgrades, and the telepath gains a weird "mental missile" attack that does manage to take out whoever it hit (but having no effect on the surrounding area); she still gets left behind, though. Emma's powers eventually grows to the point where she can erase memories with a thought and can keep an army from discovering a weird-looking jet in a jungle clearing. As she explains to Jesse, to do this she has to remove all safeguards from her mind, meaning she won't be blocking anybody's thoughts. While she's saying that, she's wearing an outfit with lots of cleavage, which Jesse just happens to look at. Her reaction to his thoughts shows that she's not pleased.
121	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Shalimar is afraid of fire.
122	%%* WillTheyOrWontThey: Shalimar and Brennan.
123	* WrestlerInAllOfUs: In the Season 3 episode "Divided Loyalties", Brennan vertical suplexes a man into the hood of a car, just before finishing him with a spinning back kick.

Context Series / MutantX