Everything You've Ever Wondered About Mutant X but Didn't Ask for Fear of Podding
Please nitpick this fact sheet as it grows; every correction helps! Note: The following contains spoilers and many links. Want more details? Check out The Mutant X Warehouse.
THE SHOW
The History
Mutant X is a science fiction television series about a team of four mutant humans led by geneticist Adam Kane. The show's three seasons, filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, originally aired in the U.S. from October 6 2001 to May 17 2004.
Tribune Entertainment and Marvel Comics teamed up during the summer of 2000 to plan a live action show called Genome X (coincidentally, the first X-Men film had just been released by 20th Century Fox Studios that July). The title would later be changed to Mutant X. Though production began shortly after the cancellation of Howard Mackie's popular "Mutant X" Marvel comic book series in 2001, the show's characters are completely unrelated to those of the comic books. Executive producer Rick Ungar stated in an early interview that the Marvel producers 'kinda forgot' that a Mutant X comic book series already existed when they were developing the show's title. Mackie's 32 comic books depict an alternate X-Men universe, where Havok is transported to a parallel dimension in which Scott Summers's family was captured by the evil Shi'Ar, and many 616 heroes were villains. More about the "Mutant X" comic books can be learned here.
The "X" in the show's title may either be a remnant of the original name "Genome X," or taken directly from the "Mutant X" comic books, which in turn had an "X" because they were related to X-Men. The "X" in X-Men originally stood for the mutants' X-tra special abilities, and later for the "X factor" in their DNA that gave them their powers.
In early April of 2001, while the show was still in production, Fox Studios sued Marvel Comics for copyright violation, claiming that the premise and characters of Mutant X were nearly identical to those of the X-Men film to which they held the rights. They accused Tribune and Marvel of riding on the coattails of X-Men's success. 13 minutes later, Marvel counter-sued, protesting that the show's characters were separate, and that the Fox suit had been brought solely to block the show's release. The judge allowed Tribune to continue production, but ordered some eliminations, such as Adam Xero's surname (too close to Professor X), the appearance of the X logo (resembled that of X-Men), and the code names for the Mutant X team. As a result, Adam was surname-less for the first season, finally acquiring "Kane" in the second season. The character code names (Shalimar Fox=Shadowfox, Brennan Mulwray=Fuse, Emma deLauro=Rapport, and Jesse Kilmartin=Synergy) were also cut.
Even with these compromises, the legal battle between Fox and Marvel continued until March of 2003, when the two companies settled privately. Not long before the settlement, ADV Films was awarded the rights to sell Mutant X DVDs, which it released in June. Seven months later, shortly after Tribune also settled with Fox, Tribune sued Marvel for 100 million in damages, blaming Marvel for all the drama.
Despite its rocky start, Mutant X's first episode earned high ratings, which would continue throughout the first and second seasons. In early 2002, Marvel released three one-shot comic books based upon the show: "Dangerous Decisions" about Shalimar's teenage years, "Origin" about Adam Kane and Mason Eckhart's past, and Future Shock," about a team mission. More about these comics is here.
In April 2004, Mutant X fans, who had been happy when Tribune announced that Mutant X and its sister show Andromeda had been renewed for a fourth season, became confused when actress Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce) posted on her official website that the show was cancelled. As Cliche had forewarned, owner CanWest Global Communications soon folded Fireworks Entertainment for financial reasons. Tribune Entertainment consequently backed away from continuing with Mutant X. Despite various fandom grassroots efforts, Mutant X was not picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel, and the proposed new season was never produced. Instead, from September 27 2004 to September 19 2005, Tribune aired "The Best of Mutant X", a collection of 52 selected reruns from the first three seasons, calling this "Season 4." At the same time, they floated the possibility of a two-hour television movie that would give a true ending to the third season's cliffhanger. This project never materialized, and Mutant X quietly ended when the final re-run of "The Assault" aired on September 19.
The cast and crew of Mutant X have been nominated for several awards with two wins: the 2002 Gemini Award for Best Sound in a Dramatic Series for "Shock of the New," and the 2003 Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award to Nikos Evdemon for "Nothing to Fear." A full list of awards is here.
The Episodes
Some of the episode titles don't fit their episodes' contents. Tribune's creative producer Seth Howard has been quoted as stating that the episode titles were chosen "because they sounded cool."
Another generally confusing point is that the season one finale, "A Breed Apart," (ep. 121) was actually filmed after the penultimate episode, "Dancing on the Razor" (ep. 122). Thus fans watching the episodes in numerical order will see Mason, who was placed in a pod "for all eternity" in episode 121, pop back up unharmed in 122, only to mysteriously become podded again in episode 201.
Find Mutant X screencaps here. Quotes from the show are here. The Nitpicker's Guide to Mutant X is here.
Season One
Overview: Geneticist Adam once worked at Genomex, a government research facility, where he attempted to save ill children through DNA manipulation. His research did help some, but many of the children developed abnormal abilities as a consequence of the experiments. Guilt-ridden about his role in their creation, Adam stole the database of new mutants and fled Genomex to create his own secret homebase facility, Sanctuary. After the death of the project's creator, Paul Breedlove, the former head of Genomex security, Mason Eckhart, formed The Genetic Security Agency, with the goal of capturing potentially dangerous new mutants. Adam pulls together a Mutant X team of four powerful new mutants, Shalimar Fox, Jesse Kilmartin, Emma deLauro, and Brennan Mulwray, to help him rescue their fellow new mutants from GSA capture.
S1 episode titles: Shock of the New (101), I Scream the Body Electric (102), Russian Roulette (103), Fool for Love (104), Kilohertz (105), The Meaning of Death (106), Lit Fuse (107), In the Presence of Mine Enemies (108), Crime of the New Century (109), Dark Star Rising (110), Whiter Shade of Pale (111), Double Vision (112), Blood Ties (113), Altered Ego (114), Lazarus Syndrome (115), Interface (116), Presumed Guilty (117), Ex Marks the Spot (118), Nothing to Fear (119), Deadly Desire (120), Dancing on the Razor (122), A Breed Apart (121)
S1 episode synopses from the official site: 101-114 ~ 115-122.
Season Two
Overview: When the podding of Mason Eckhart renders the GSA obsolete, Mutant X focuses on shielding the world from the threat of dangerous new mutants like Gabriel Ashlocke, and saving new mutants from government organizations and corrupt individuals out for personal gain.
Episode titles: Past As Prologue (201), Power Play (202), Time Squared (203), Whose Woods These Are (204), The Future Revealed (205), No Man Left Behind (206), Crossroads of the Soul (207), Sign from Above (208), Body and Soul (209), Understudy (210), The Grift (211), At Destiny's End (212), Within These Walls (213), Hard Time (214), Under the Cloak of War (215), Once Around (216), Final Judgement (217), Inferno (218), One Step Closer (219), Reality Check (220), Reawakening (221), Lest He Become (222)
Episode synopses from the official site: 201-210 are 201-210 ~ 211-221 ~ 222.
Season Three
Overview: With the disappearance of Adam and the deaths of Emma and Mason Eckhart at the beginning of season 3, Lexa Pierce, an operative for the powerful and shady organization The Dominion, takes over the role of interim Mutant X leader.
Episode titles: Into the Moonless Night (301), Wages of Sin (302), The Breed (303), Where Evil Dwells (304), The Taking of Crows (305), Shadows of Darkness (306), The Hand of God (307), Wasteland (308), No Exit (309), Brother's Keeper (310), Possibilities (311), Conspiracy Theory (312), The Art of Attraction (313), A Normal Life (314), Divided Loyalties (315), The Age of Innocence (316), She's Come Undone (317), In Between (318), Dream Lover (319), The Prophecy (320), Cirque des Merveilles (321), The Assault (322)
Episode synopses from the official site: 301-308 ~ 309-316, 317-322.
Season Four: The Best of Mutant X
Episodes: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 112-115, 117, 119-204, 206, 207, 210-301, 303-310, 312-317, 319-322
THE CHARACTERS
The New Mutants *click on a character's name for a picture
There are four types of new mutants: ferals, moleculars, psionics, and elementals. New mutants' DNA is in a constant state of evolution. The same genetic alterations which give them their abilities also make them vulnerable to periods of active mutation during which their powers run rampant, "growth spurts" where they can develop additional related abilities, and cellular breakdown. The last gives each new mutant an "expiration date," the date by which, if his or her DNA is not stabilized, he or she will die. The more powerful the new mutant, the sooner the expiration date. Thus Gabriel Ashlocke, the first and most powerful new mutant created, was the first to succumb to this cellular breakdown.
Ferals have animal DNA spliced into their own, giving each feral some of that animal's characteristics. Genomex.net's feral subtypes: feline (cat, lion, etc.), ursine (bear), canine (dog, wolf, etc.), porcine (boar, hog, etc.), cervine (deer), reptus (lizard, snake, etc.), amphibian (frog, etc.), piscis (fish).
On the Mutant X team, Shalimar Fox is a feline feral with glowing cat's eyes. She has enhanced senses of smell, sight, and touch; because of her enhanced hearing, loud sounds can cause her to have migraines. Her heightened strength and reflexes allow her to make magnificent leaps and powerful combat moves. Like all feline ferals, Shalimar is very territorial and has an intense fear of fire. More about Shalimar Fox is here.
Other ferals who have appeared in the series: Piscis Tina, feline Dr. Richard Saunders, feline Donna Morse, feline Lt. Beau Longstreet, feline Angel Dorn, feline Clark, "The General", canine Aldous Berkley, amphibian Lena Blake, scorpion Lorna Templeton, canine Nathaniel Block, ursine Michael Ward, feline Amanda Terry, feline Nikki Rogers, reptus (lizard) Eckhart's accomplice, lupine Terra, feline Gia DuChamps, arachnid The Guardian, canine Kara Whitely
Moleculars can affect the molecules of their own bodies or those of their environment. Genomex.net's molecular subtypes: intangibility (able to move through solids), imperviousness (withstands physical penetration), invisibility, propulsion (accelerated motion or speed), gravitative (able to alter weight in self, others or objects), chromatic (affects color, light, etc.), stasis-suspension (affects time), replication (self-cloning, etc.), elasticity (able to alter size or shape - extremely rare).
On the Mutant X team, both Jesse Kilmartin and Lexa Pierce are moleculars.
Jesse Kilmartin ("The Nerd Wonder"), as an intangible/impervious molecular, can alter the density of his body's molecular structure to be either intangible enough to walk through walls (called "phasing"), or so dense that neither bullets nor cars can penetrate him ("massing"). By the end of the third season, Jesse can also phase and mass other objects and people by touch. Jesse can only remain massed for as long as he can hold his breath, and if he remains phased for more than 30 seconds, he may not be able to reform. More about Jesse Kilmartin is here.
Lexa Pierce is either an elemental or a chromatic molecular (see elemental or molecular?). Lexa ("Complexa") is able to bend light to make herself and those she is touching invisible, shoot penetrating lasers from her fingertips, and create blinding light flashes with her hands. There is a time limit on Lexa's invisibility, and while invisible her heat outline can still be seen with infra-red goggles or feral vision. More about Lexa Pierce is here.
Other moleculars who have appeared in the series: Propulsive Vince, stasis-suspension Nick Renfield, gravitative Wendy Stone, super-strength Kendra MacEvoy, chromatic/X-ray vision Jerri Wiley, propulsive Todd Wiley, invisibile/stealth Danielle Hartman, regenerative Charles Marlowe, regenerative Caleb Mathias, external intangible Zack Lockhart, astral projection Cyrus Payton, regenerative Kristoff, elastic/multiple Leo Pierce, stasis-suspension Samantha Bennett, chromatic (dark matter) Randall Blake, intangible Nathan Reynolds, invisible The Clown, regenerative Tony LaPorta, stasis-suspension/alternative dimensions Diane Taylor
Psionics have enhanced mental abilities. Genomex.net's psionic subtypes: telepathic (mind readers), telekinetic (able to move objects with the mind), telempathic (able to read and adjust emotions), precog (able to see future events), illusionist (projects unreal visuals or attitudes).
On the Mutant X team, Emma deLauro began as a telempathic psionic and diversified as the series progressed. As a telempath, Emma was able to read the emotions of others and project images/emotions into their minds. Emma would later demonstrate other psionic abilities as well: broadband telempathy, telepathy, memory enhancement and erasure, psionic blasts that rendered the recipient unconscious, and mind control. More about Emma deLauro is here.
Other psionics who have appeared in the series: Telekinetic Frank Thorne, telepath/ESPer Ruby Bishop, telekinetic Allison, telekinetics Daniel and Stephen Benedict, telekinetic Toni Quintana, telepath Lisa Valentine, mutant detector Maria, telecyber Michelle Bigelow, memory erasure Mark Griffin, illusionist/dreams Henry Voight, combustion (microwaves) Harvey Lanchester, telekinetic Morgan Fortier, illusionist Levak Ivanov, telepath Tyler, telepath Sam Raymond, telekinetic Eckhart's accomplice, telepath Andrea Marshall, tele-illusionist Johnny Cummings, explosive Hector Friemark, telecyber William Dennett, telepath Riley Morgan, telempath Dr. Robinson, precog John Bishop
Elementals control the energy of the elements and the environment. Genomex.net's elemental subtypes: electrical, thermal (heat or cold related), sonic, chemical, botanical (plant related), geological (earth related - extremely rare).
On the Mutant X team, Brennan Mulwray is an electrical elemental. Brennan ("Sparky") can throw tesla coils from his fingers, allowing him to jump-start cars and cardiac arrests, open electronic locks, and electrocute enemies. Brennan needs a period of rest between voltage uses, and cannot use his abilities when he gets wet, lest he short out or electrocute himself. Wrapping his arms in chains grounds him. More about Brennan Mulwray is here.
Other elementals who have appeared in the series: Electrical cybernetic Barry Sterling (a.k.a. Kilohertz), thermal Alice Robins, electrical absorber Ashley Elliott, thermal Josh Valentine, botanical Skeet Vossberg, eletrical Matty Conlan, sonic Calvin Porter, air absorber Lynch, thermal/heat and cold Pamela Fries, thermal Kelly Rice, thermal Josh, electrical Patricia, thermal Billy Larkin, thermal Harvey Lanchester, thermal Nick Maddox, energy/pain Silva, electrical Candace Rockwell
Uncategorized:
Gabriel Ashlocke. Psychopath Gabriel Ashlocke, aka Patient Zero, was the first new mutant Adam created. He has traits of all four mutant types: a feline feral's strength and reflexes, a psionic's telepathy, illusionist and mind control abilities, and an elemental's ability to throw destructive balls of light. Adam and Mason podded young Gabriel after killed his parents; he escaped 25 years later to pod Mason Eckhart and form an army of new mutants called The Strand. More about Gabriel Ashlocke is here.
Charlotte Cooke. Charlotte can secrete a toxin from her fingers which changes a person's moral polarity, from good to bad or from bad to good. On new mutants, this effect lasts a minute; on non-new mutants, it lasts forever until Charlotte returns them to normal with a second touch.
Neil. Neil is a non-sleeping mutant who needs only one half an hour of sleep a night.
Diana Moller. Diana is a psionic/molecular mix who can create a vortex through which to send herself and other people back in time.
The Child. Gabriel Ashlocke created "Ashlocke's Second Coming," The Child, from the DNA of four new mutants: elemental Brennan Mulwray, psionic Riley Morgan, molecular Nathan Reynolds, and feral Kara Whitely. As a result, The Child has the abilities of all four new mutant types.
Chester. Chester was Brennan's short-lived genetically engineered pet locust.
Learn more about the new mutants of Mutant X here.
The Normal--excuse me--The Non-New Mutants
Adam Kane. Adam Kane is the clone of The Creator, an ancient geneticist who needed an heir to carry on his lifetime goal of manipulating human evolution's course. The Creator surreptitiously guided Adam's progress as he began college at the age of 12, won honors for genetics research at Stanford, obtained his medical degree, and became a head researcher at Genomex under Dr. Paul Breedlove's mentorship in October 1978. Failing to impart a conscience upon the first new mutant, Gabriel Ashlocke, the young Adam focused instead on curing childhood disease through DNA manipulation. Once Adam discovered that several children had developed superhuman abilities as a result of these experiments, he continued to work on selected mutations in secret before finally ceasing his work altogether. A former lover, Christina, connected Adam with the powerful financial backers who enabled Adam to flee Genomex to build Sanctuary and the mutant underground network. Using the mutant database he had stolen from Dr. Breedlove, Adam recruited the Mutant X team members to aid new mutants in evading Genomex capture. More about Adam Kane is here. A more detailed background on Paul Breedlove and the Genomex project is here.
Adam's colleagues: Paul Breedlove, Dr. Hollis, Anthony Cooke, Dr. Vincent Arrigo, Dr. Marcus, Dr. Sara Stanton, Dr. Denise Willette
Mason Eckhart. Mason Eckhart was the head of security at Genomex. As a result of a horrific accident for which he blames Adam, Mason's immune system was destroyed, causing him to have to wear a white wig, synthetic skin, and gloves to prevent infection. When Paul Breedlove threatened to go public with information about the new mutant research at Genomex, Mason had him killed and began The Genetic Security Agency (GSA) to protect the non-mutant world from genetic terrorism. More about Mason Eckhart is here.
On the GSA's payroll: Russian independents Sonya and Yuri, accountant Karen Bell, bounty hunter Frank Cross, GS agent James Henshaw, Dr. Kenneth Harrison, Nexxogen head Nicole Carter, GS agent Artie Hill, GS agent Carl Ames, GS agent Vance Halloran
The Creator. The Creator began his research into human DNA manipulation many decades before Adam's birth. He founded the organization The Dominion in order to further his work. He keeps himself alive by means of injections, and created a clone, Adam Kane, to carry on his legacy.
Dominion Employees: Lexa's Dominion Contact "The Voice", Dominique, Dr. Sara Bellows, Keith Burstyn, The Council Head, Council member Anthony Gervais, operative Michael Hayes, The Assassins, Dr. Remy Arnot, Dr. John Gonsalves, Dr. Robinson
Mutant X family members
Emma deLauro: Emma's parents were "flakes" who left her in a foster home when she was 10.
Shalimar Fox: Naxcon CEO Nicholas Fox is Shalimar's estranged father.
Jesse Kilmartin: Covert operative Noah Kilmartin is Jesse's father; the decorated navy pilot William Kilmartin is Jesse's grandfather.
Brennan Mulwray: Brennan's biological father was a Vietnam fighter pilot shot down before he was born. Brennan's past criminal associates include Tony Reese, Cole, Michael Azzarello, and Brad Carter.
Lexa Pierce: Lexa's parents were military intelligence operatives.
Others: Learn about more non-new mutants here.
Romance Mutant X-style (canon)
The "romances" of Mutant X tend to be either based upon false pretences or tragically brief.
Adam and Christina
Adam and Danielle Hartman. Adam and Danielle fell in love at Genomex when she came to him for the treatments that created her stealth abilities, progressively damaging her DNA. She left him, preferring her freedom to constant experimentation.
Brennan and Ashley Elliot
Brennan and Kristen
Brennan and Lorna Templeton
Brennan and Miranda
Brennan and Riley Morgan
Brennan and Samantha Bennett
Brennan and Shalimar. Shalimar labels Brennan a teammate and "more like a brother" in the first season, which ends with an almost-kiss between the two. In Season 2, subtle hints of jealousy crop up as Shalimar and Brennan have other romances; sporadic flirtations in Season 3 culminate in sex in the last episode. Morea about this ship is here; an anti-shipper essay is here.
Brennan and The Girl Of The Week
Emma and Caleb Mathias
Emma and Tyler
Jesse and Alisha Keary
Jesse and Amanda Terry
Jesse and Lexa. Though it is clear that Jesse has feelings for Lexa by the third episode, in which he risks his life for hers, it isn't clear why. He trusts her long before he has reason to, asks her out just before she blows him off for Randall Blake, and repeatedly attempts to get close to her despite her dismissive attitude. Though Lexa begins to relax around Jesse by the end of the third season, she continues to block his sentimental expressions to the very end.
Jesse and Toni Quintana
Lexa and Charles Carter
Lexa and Randall Blake
Mason and Danielle Hartman
Shalimar and Keith Burstyn
Shalimar and Noel
Shalimar and Dr. Richard Saunders. Feral Richard Saunders was a research associate at Genomex who used Genomex's resources to develop a de-mutantizing serum. Shalimar agreed to leave Mutant X and take the serum with him so that they could spend their lives together, but a flaw in the serum's design caused Richard's premature death.
Shalimar and Zack Lockhart
More information about popular Mutant X 'ships, canon and non-canon, is here.
THE SETTING
An early article about Mutant X stated that the show's place and time were never defined, in order to make the action applicable to anytime in the near future. This, of course, has not stopped fans from trying to determine when and where Mutant X occurs. Establishing a solid Mutant X timeline tricky, since there are some discrepancies between the events of the first season and the two seasons that follow (the efforts of two fans to clarify the timeline based upon different sources are here and here). Since the show is filmed in Canada and most of the actors are Canadian, some fans postulated that Mutant X takes place in Canada. In the first episode, however, Adam specifies that Genomex is a branch of U.S. intelligence, and many believe that Stormking Mountain is somewhere in the mountains of the United States east coast. Read more about the search for Sanctuary and a suitable Mutant X timeline here.
Season 1's sets were designed by Rocco Matteo. An interview is here. A behind-the-scenes look at S2's "The Grift" and "At Destiny's End" is here. John Blackie designed the sets for seasons 2 and 3. Design schematics of the S2 sets are here.
Sanctuary
Sanctuary is Mutant X's secret headquarters, which Adam built inside Stormking Mountain. It is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems designed by Adam and reinforced by Jesse's girlfriend, the expert computer hacker Toni. Adam's view of Stormking Mountain from the former Mutant X Lives site is here.
Virtual tour
External: Stormking Mountain, the hangar's landing bay.
Internal: Front entrance, The dojo, Adam's lab, main computer, dining table, tanning bed, Emma's room, Brennan's room, Lexa's room
Techno toys
The Double Helix. This VTOL (virtual take off and landing) aircraft had a cloaking device/stealth shields, an autopilot mode, voice activated comlink system connected to Sanctuary, an ionizing filter and a microwave blaster.
The biobed. In Adam's words, the most frequent use of the biobed is "to diagnostically calibrate your genetic enhancement and identify any adjustments that may be required since your new mutant DNA is in a constant state of evolution." It can also be used to stabilize an ill new mutant's body functions, extract DNA gene sequences from a new mutant, to scan for bodily injuries, and to re-integrate two personality halves that have been split.
Comlink rings. These rings, worn by the members of Mutant X, are keyed to the wearer's personal DNA strand. The rings have mini cameras, audio/video links to other team members and are apparently activated whenever the wearer wants them to be, or by speaking into them.
Others: Find out about more of Mutant X's drugs and techno toys here.
Genomex
Genomex is the government research facility which is actually a branch of U.S. intelligence. The Canadian water plant building used to film Genomex headquarters is also used as The Center in the television series "The Pretender," and in some episodes of the television show "Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal."
Virtual tour
External: Arial view, closer up, the roof
Mason Eckhart's office, the back office, the interrogation room, Richard's lab, Harrison's lab, the catwalk, Section 9
Techno toys
Stasis pods. Pods were created by Adam Kane as a means of controlling dangerous new mutants. When a GS agent did not perform his or her duty, or a potentially lethal new mutant was captured, they were placed in a pod and kept in a coma-like state in Section 9 for "future study." Individuals shown in pods/presumably podded during the series: Barry Sterling, Karen Bell, Calvin Porter, Jesse Kilmartin, Brianna Voight, Gabriel Ashlocke, Mason Eckhart, Laura Brooks. More about stasis pods is here.
Subdermal governors. Subdermal governors, like stasis pods, were created by Adam to control dangerous new mutants. They connect to a new mutant's DNA, so that when he uses his abilities without the controller's permission, he experiences debilitating pain. The controller also has the option of giving a painful jolt when he chooses. Governors may be deactivated by remote control, short electrical blasts, computer viruses, or Adam Kane. New mutants shown with governors during the series: Frank Thorne, Brennan Mulwray, Ruby Bishop, Emma deLauro, Jesse Kilmartin, Josh Valentine, Charlotte Cooke, Lexa Pierce. More about subdermal governors is here.
Electric sterilization unit. In Mason Eckhart's private office is a round electronic device which sterilizes the immediate environment while Mason seals his synthetic skin and gloves. More about Mason's faux skin is here.
The Pushka. The Pushka H5B7 was developed by Sonya's Russian father in 1980 to detect and neutralize new mutants. After deactivating their mutant abilities, the particle beam caused disintegration of their organs. It also had the ability to reverse the neutralization process when the proper code was keyed in.
The Dominion
Virtual tour: Holding cells, Council room, The Creator's back laboratory
Techno toys: Torture device, operative cellphones, compact decoding device
THE CAST AND CREW
The Cast
Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Michael Easton (Gabriel Ashlocke): Bio, interviews & links
Forbes March (Jesse Kilmartin): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Tom McCamus (Mason Eckhart): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Victoria Pratt (Shalimar Fox): Bio, interviews, updates & links
John Shea (Adam Kane): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Lauren Lee Smith (Emma deLauro): Bio, interviews, updates & links
*Notes: Emma deLauro was killed in an explosion at the end of S2. Tribune never offered an official explanation for Lauren Lee Smith's departure, but fandom conjecture ranges from the notion that she decided to leave to free up time for upcoming projects, to speculation that she didn't leave by choice, noting the surprised tone of her post on her official website. Recently, actress Karen Cliche has reportedly said that the producers let Smith go to "mix things up" for S3, and that they approached Cliche to play Lexa Pierce before warning Smith of Emma's fate. In the end, the true details are known only by Lauren Lee Smith and the producers of Mutant X.
Victor Webster (Brennan Mulwray): Bio, interviews, update & links
Other Actors
A list of the guest stars and their websites is here. Notable news: Guylaine St. Onge's death, Eddie McGee wins Big Brother
The Crew
A full list of the Mutant X production crew is here.
Producers
Pictures of some of the producers are here
Avi Arad
Adam Haight
Jay Firestone
Rick Ungar: Interview on X-Pider Man
Jonathan Hackett
Seth Howard: Interview on Comics Continuum
The Writers
Howard Chaykin. The head writer for the first season, the famous comic book artist Howard Chaykin, left the show as the first episode of the second season was in production, due to "creative differences". Chaykin's creative ideas on Mutant X
can be read on Sci-Fi Weekly, Comics Continuum, Comic Book Galaxy, and Sci-fi Wire.
Peter Mohan. Executive producer Peter Mohan took over as the head writer for the second and third seasons. Interviews with him are on The Official Site, Starburst, and the S2 DVD extras.
Freddie Prinze Jr.. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. wrote the screenplay for the S2 episode "One Step Closer." He talks about it on his official site and Comics Continuum 4/03.
Production Crew
Nikos Evdemon (cinematography). Info about Evdemon's award for Mutant X is here.
Havoc Stunt Services. Some pictures of Havoc stuntmen in Mutant X are here. An interview with stuntman David Stinson is here.
Doug MacRae (storyboards). MacRae's Skye Productions website is here; an interview about Mutant X is here.
Rocco Matteo (set design). Rocco Matteo created the sets for the first season of Mutant X. He talks about the look of Mutant X here and here.
Lou Natale and Donald Quan (musical score). Lou Natale created the Mutant X theme song. His website is here. Donald Quan scored 44 episodes of Mutant X. His Q Music site is here.
You can find out about the rest of the production crew here.
THE FANDOM
Mutant X Around the World
With the cancellation of Mutant X in the United States, the size of the U.S. fandom has diminished since its heyday. Fortunately, thanks to the widespread distribution of Tribune and ADV Films, Mutant X has a lively international fandom base, with fans around the world at different stages in their viewing. The United Kingdom and Ireland's Sky Three is presently showing Mutant X re-runs, Australia is in the midst of Season 2, and AXN, which runs in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, approved syndication for Mutant X in Italy in 2005.
A database of over 1,000 international Mutant X fansites is here.
Mutant X in different countries:
Argentinian: Mutant X
Armenian: Mutant X
Australian: Mutant X
Austrian: Mutant X
Belgian: Mutant X
Brazilian: Mutant X
Bulgarian: Мутант Х
Canadian: Mutant X
Chinese: 异种战士
Czech: Mutant X
Croatian: Mutant X
Danish: Mutant X
Dutch: Mutant X
Finnish: Mutant X
French: Mutant X
German: Mutant X
Greek: Mutant X
Hungarian: X-csapat
Icelandic: Mutant X
Indonesian: Mutant X
Israeli: Project X
Japanese: ミュータントX
Korean: Mutant X
Polish: Pokolenie mutantów
Spanish: Mutante X
Romanian: Mutant X
Russian: Мутанты Икс
South African: Mutant X
Swedish: Mutant X
Taiwanese: 有關小廚師演的
Turkish: Mutant X
The United Kingdom: Mutant X
DVD sales
Box sets: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3
Individual DVDs: S1 Disc 1, S1 Disc 2, S1 Disc 3, S1 Disc 4, S1 Disk 5, S1 disc 6, S2 Discs 1-2, S2 Discs 3-4, S2 Discs 5-6, S2 Discs 7-8, S2 Discs 9-10
Fandom terminology
Brenna: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's first name, or the female version of Brennan. The less said about her the better, but if you must know, look here.
Brennan Mulwary: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's last name, or a deliberate sporking of the character. A website devoted to Mulwary is here.
Complexa: Brennan came up with this nickname for Lexa in "She's Come Undone," frustrated with her secretive nature.
Laura Varady: Though she never actually appeared in the show, Laura Varady was the name of Genomex's chief psychologist on Tribune Entertainment's faux website, Genomex.net.
Marcus Eckhart: Mason Eckhart's first name was originally supposed to be Marcus. Though the name was officially changed to Mason before the start of the series, hints of the original name do pop up. If you listen carefully to the episode "Russian Roulette," you'll notice that Sonya mistakenly calls herself "an associate of Marcus Eckhart." And in Mason's biography on the faux website Genomex.net, it is stated that Mason once had a twin brother, Marcus, who drowned in an accident when the two were boys.
Mohan, Mohanized, Mohanization: Peter Mohan was the head writer for the second and third seasons. Since some fans feel that the quality of the show declined during this time, "Mohanization" can refer to plot discontinuities, character misrepresentations, or un-science.
Mutant Lex: A term coined by Shalimar, who, annoyed with Lexa's disregard for her teammates in "Brother's Keeper," says: "It's time we remind her that this is Mutant X, not Mutant Lex."
S1, S2, S3, S4: Abbreviations for season one, season two, season three, and season four.
Santa: Otherwise known as "Evil Santa," a nickname for Lexa Pierce's unnamed Dominion contact.
'Ship, 'shipper, 'shipping: A general fandom term for the romantic relationships in fiction. Wikipedia's definition is here.
'Ship abbreviations: Bremma (Brennan/Emma), Brenimar (Brennan/Shalimar), Jemma (Jesse/Emma), Jexa (Jesse/Lexa), Shalnan (Shalimar/Brennan), Shalash (Shalimar/Gabriel Ashlocke).
Sparky: The nickname for Brennan Mulwray used frequently on the show.
Special thanks to tptigger, princessbryn, tribeofroses, and katana137uk for their input. Invaluable information resources: The Official Site, Child of Genomex, Comics Continuum, The Feral Sisterhood, Forbesilicious, Genomex.net, The Great Mutant X Fansite Directory, Ground Control, Gryphon's Lair, IMDb, LLS Forums, Masonesque, ME Corner, Mutant X French, MXL:OS, Mutant X PhoeniX, Mutant X-treme, Mutant X Warehouse, PureMX-on-Masonesque, Pink Hearts, Proxy Blue, Proxy Green, TV.com.
THE SHOW
The History
Mutant X is a science fiction television series about a team of four mutant humans led by geneticist Adam Kane. The show's three seasons, filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, originally aired in the U.S. from October 6 2001 to May 17 2004.
Tribune Entertainment and Marvel Comics teamed up during the summer of 2000 to plan a live action show called Genome X (coincidentally, the first X-Men film had just been released by 20th Century Fox Studios that July). The title would later be changed to Mutant X. Though production began shortly after the cancellation of Howard Mackie's popular "Mutant X" Marvel comic book series in 2001, the show's characters are completely unrelated to those of the comic books. Executive producer Rick Ungar stated in an early interview that the Marvel producers 'kinda forgot' that a Mutant X comic book series already existed when they were developing the show's title. Mackie's 32 comic books depict an alternate X-Men universe, where Havok is transported to a parallel dimension in which Scott Summers's family was captured by the evil Shi'Ar, and many 616 heroes were villains. More about the "Mutant X" comic books can be learned here.
The "X" in the show's title may either be a remnant of the original name "Genome X," or taken directly from the "Mutant X" comic books, which in turn had an "X" because they were related to X-Men. The "X" in X-Men originally stood for the mutants' X-tra special abilities, and later for the "X factor" in their DNA that gave them their powers.
In early April of 2001, while the show was still in production, Fox Studios sued Marvel Comics for copyright violation, claiming that the premise and characters of Mutant X were nearly identical to those of the X-Men film to which they held the rights. They accused Tribune and Marvel of riding on the coattails of X-Men's success. 13 minutes later, Marvel counter-sued, protesting that the show's characters were separate, and that the Fox suit had been brought solely to block the show's release. The judge allowed Tribune to continue production, but ordered some eliminations, such as Adam Xero's surname (too close to Professor X), the appearance of the X logo (resembled that of X-Men), and the code names for the Mutant X team. As a result, Adam was surname-less for the first season, finally acquiring "Kane" in the second season. The character code names (Shalimar Fox=Shadowfox, Brennan Mulwray=Fuse, Emma deLauro=Rapport, and Jesse Kilmartin=Synergy) were also cut.
Even with these compromises, the legal battle between Fox and Marvel continued until March of 2003, when the two companies settled privately. Not long before the settlement, ADV Films was awarded the rights to sell Mutant X DVDs, which it released in June. Seven months later, shortly after Tribune also settled with Fox, Tribune sued Marvel for 100 million in damages, blaming Marvel for all the drama.
Despite its rocky start, Mutant X's first episode earned high ratings, which would continue throughout the first and second seasons. In early 2002, Marvel released three one-shot comic books based upon the show: "Dangerous Decisions" about Shalimar's teenage years, "Origin" about Adam Kane and Mason Eckhart's past, and Future Shock," about a team mission. More about these comics is here.
In April 2004, Mutant X fans, who had been happy when Tribune announced that Mutant X and its sister show Andromeda had been renewed for a fourth season, became confused when actress Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce) posted on her official website that the show was cancelled. As Cliche had forewarned, owner CanWest Global Communications soon folded Fireworks Entertainment for financial reasons. Tribune Entertainment consequently backed away from continuing with Mutant X. Despite various fandom grassroots efforts, Mutant X was not picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel, and the proposed new season was never produced. Instead, from September 27 2004 to September 19 2005, Tribune aired "The Best of Mutant X", a collection of 52 selected reruns from the first three seasons, calling this "Season 4." At the same time, they floated the possibility of a two-hour television movie that would give a true ending to the third season's cliffhanger. This project never materialized, and Mutant X quietly ended when the final re-run of "The Assault" aired on September 19.
The cast and crew of Mutant X have been nominated for several awards with two wins: the 2002 Gemini Award for Best Sound in a Dramatic Series for "Shock of the New," and the 2003 Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award to Nikos Evdemon for "Nothing to Fear." A full list of awards is here.
The Episodes
Some of the episode titles don't fit their episodes' contents. Tribune's creative producer Seth Howard has been quoted as stating that the episode titles were chosen "because they sounded cool."
Another generally confusing point is that the season one finale, "A Breed Apart," (ep. 121) was actually filmed after the penultimate episode, "Dancing on the Razor" (ep. 122). Thus fans watching the episodes in numerical order will see Mason, who was placed in a pod "for all eternity" in episode 121, pop back up unharmed in 122, only to mysteriously become podded again in episode 201.
Find Mutant X screencaps here. Quotes from the show are here. The Nitpicker's Guide to Mutant X is here.
Season One
Overview: Geneticist Adam once worked at Genomex, a government research facility, where he attempted to save ill children through DNA manipulation. His research did help some, but many of the children developed abnormal abilities as a consequence of the experiments. Guilt-ridden about his role in their creation, Adam stole the database of new mutants and fled Genomex to create his own secret homebase facility, Sanctuary. After the death of the project's creator, Paul Breedlove, the former head of Genomex security, Mason Eckhart, formed The Genetic Security Agency, with the goal of capturing potentially dangerous new mutants. Adam pulls together a Mutant X team of four powerful new mutants, Shalimar Fox, Jesse Kilmartin, Emma deLauro, and Brennan Mulwray, to help him rescue their fellow new mutants from GSA capture.
S1 episode titles: Shock of the New (101), I Scream the Body Electric (102), Russian Roulette (103), Fool for Love (104), Kilohertz (105), The Meaning of Death (106), Lit Fuse (107), In the Presence of Mine Enemies (108), Crime of the New Century (109), Dark Star Rising (110), Whiter Shade of Pale (111), Double Vision (112), Blood Ties (113), Altered Ego (114), Lazarus Syndrome (115), Interface (116), Presumed Guilty (117), Ex Marks the Spot (118), Nothing to Fear (119), Deadly Desire (120), Dancing on the Razor (122), A Breed Apart (121)
S1 episode synopses from the official site: 101-114 ~ 115-122.
Season Two
Overview: When the podding of Mason Eckhart renders the GSA obsolete, Mutant X focuses on shielding the world from the threat of dangerous new mutants like Gabriel Ashlocke, and saving new mutants from government organizations and corrupt individuals out for personal gain.
Episode titles: Past As Prologue (201), Power Play (202), Time Squared (203), Whose Woods These Are (204), The Future Revealed (205), No Man Left Behind (206), Crossroads of the Soul (207), Sign from Above (208), Body and Soul (209), Understudy (210), The Grift (211), At Destiny's End (212), Within These Walls (213), Hard Time (214), Under the Cloak of War (215), Once Around (216), Final Judgement (217), Inferno (218), One Step Closer (219), Reality Check (220), Reawakening (221), Lest He Become (222)
Episode synopses from the official site: 201-210 are 201-210 ~ 211-221 ~ 222.
Season Three
Overview: With the disappearance of Adam and the deaths of Emma and Mason Eckhart at the beginning of season 3, Lexa Pierce, an operative for the powerful and shady organization The Dominion, takes over the role of interim Mutant X leader.
Episode titles: Into the Moonless Night (301), Wages of Sin (302), The Breed (303), Where Evil Dwells (304), The Taking of Crows (305), Shadows of Darkness (306), The Hand of God (307), Wasteland (308), No Exit (309), Brother's Keeper (310), Possibilities (311), Conspiracy Theory (312), The Art of Attraction (313), A Normal Life (314), Divided Loyalties (315), The Age of Innocence (316), She's Come Undone (317), In Between (318), Dream Lover (319), The Prophecy (320), Cirque des Merveilles (321), The Assault (322)
Episode synopses from the official site: 301-308 ~ 309-316, 317-322.
Season Four: The Best of Mutant X
Episodes: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 112-115, 117, 119-204, 206, 207, 210-301, 303-310, 312-317, 319-322
THE CHARACTERS
The New Mutants *click on a character's name for a picture
There are four types of new mutants: ferals, moleculars, psionics, and elementals. New mutants' DNA is in a constant state of evolution. The same genetic alterations which give them their abilities also make them vulnerable to periods of active mutation during which their powers run rampant, "growth spurts" where they can develop additional related abilities, and cellular breakdown. The last gives each new mutant an "expiration date," the date by which, if his or her DNA is not stabilized, he or she will die. The more powerful the new mutant, the sooner the expiration date. Thus Gabriel Ashlocke, the first and most powerful new mutant created, was the first to succumb to this cellular breakdown.
Ferals have animal DNA spliced into their own, giving each feral some of that animal's characteristics. Genomex.net's feral subtypes: feline (cat, lion, etc.), ursine (bear), canine (dog, wolf, etc.), porcine (boar, hog, etc.), cervine (deer), reptus (lizard, snake, etc.), amphibian (frog, etc.), piscis (fish).
On the Mutant X team, Shalimar Fox is a feline feral with glowing cat's eyes. She has enhanced senses of smell, sight, and touch; because of her enhanced hearing, loud sounds can cause her to have migraines. Her heightened strength and reflexes allow her to make magnificent leaps and powerful combat moves. Like all feline ferals, Shalimar is very territorial and has an intense fear of fire. More about Shalimar Fox is here.
Other ferals who have appeared in the series: Piscis Tina, feline Dr. Richard Saunders, feline Donna Morse, feline Lt. Beau Longstreet, feline Angel Dorn, feline Clark, "The General", canine Aldous Berkley, amphibian Lena Blake, scorpion Lorna Templeton, canine Nathaniel Block, ursine Michael Ward, feline Amanda Terry, feline Nikki Rogers, reptus (lizard) Eckhart's accomplice, lupine Terra, feline Gia DuChamps, arachnid The Guardian, canine Kara Whitely
Moleculars can affect the molecules of their own bodies or those of their environment. Genomex.net's molecular subtypes: intangibility (able to move through solids), imperviousness (withstands physical penetration), invisibility, propulsion (accelerated motion or speed), gravitative (able to alter weight in self, others or objects), chromatic (affects color, light, etc.), stasis-suspension (affects time), replication (self-cloning, etc.), elasticity (able to alter size or shape - extremely rare).
On the Mutant X team, both Jesse Kilmartin and Lexa Pierce are moleculars.
Jesse Kilmartin ("The Nerd Wonder"), as an intangible/impervious molecular, can alter the density of his body's molecular structure to be either intangible enough to walk through walls (called "phasing"), or so dense that neither bullets nor cars can penetrate him ("massing"). By the end of the third season, Jesse can also phase and mass other objects and people by touch. Jesse can only remain massed for as long as he can hold his breath, and if he remains phased for more than 30 seconds, he may not be able to reform. More about Jesse Kilmartin is here.
Lexa Pierce is either an elemental or a chromatic molecular (see elemental or molecular?). Lexa ("Complexa") is able to bend light to make herself and those she is touching invisible, shoot penetrating lasers from her fingertips, and create blinding light flashes with her hands. There is a time limit on Lexa's invisibility, and while invisible her heat outline can still be seen with infra-red goggles or feral vision. More about Lexa Pierce is here.
Other moleculars who have appeared in the series: Propulsive Vince, stasis-suspension Nick Renfield, gravitative Wendy Stone, super-strength Kendra MacEvoy, chromatic/X-ray vision Jerri Wiley, propulsive Todd Wiley, invisibile/stealth Danielle Hartman, regenerative Charles Marlowe, regenerative Caleb Mathias, external intangible Zack Lockhart, astral projection Cyrus Payton, regenerative Kristoff, elastic/multiple Leo Pierce, stasis-suspension Samantha Bennett, chromatic (dark matter) Randall Blake, intangible Nathan Reynolds, invisible The Clown, regenerative Tony LaPorta, stasis-suspension/alternative dimensions Diane Taylor
Psionics have enhanced mental abilities. Genomex.net's psionic subtypes: telepathic (mind readers), telekinetic (able to move objects with the mind), telempathic (able to read and adjust emotions), precog (able to see future events), illusionist (projects unreal visuals or attitudes).
On the Mutant X team, Emma deLauro began as a telempathic psionic and diversified as the series progressed. As a telempath, Emma was able to read the emotions of others and project images/emotions into their minds. Emma would later demonstrate other psionic abilities as well: broadband telempathy, telepathy, memory enhancement and erasure, psionic blasts that rendered the recipient unconscious, and mind control. More about Emma deLauro is here.
Other psionics who have appeared in the series: Telekinetic Frank Thorne, telepath/ESPer Ruby Bishop, telekinetic Allison, telekinetics Daniel and Stephen Benedict, telekinetic Toni Quintana, telepath Lisa Valentine, mutant detector Maria, telecyber Michelle Bigelow, memory erasure Mark Griffin, illusionist/dreams Henry Voight, combustion (microwaves) Harvey Lanchester, telekinetic Morgan Fortier, illusionist Levak Ivanov, telepath Tyler, telepath Sam Raymond, telekinetic Eckhart's accomplice, telepath Andrea Marshall, tele-illusionist Johnny Cummings, explosive Hector Friemark, telecyber William Dennett, telepath Riley Morgan, telempath Dr. Robinson, precog John Bishop
Elementals control the energy of the elements and the environment. Genomex.net's elemental subtypes: electrical, thermal (heat or cold related), sonic, chemical, botanical (plant related), geological (earth related - extremely rare).
On the Mutant X team, Brennan Mulwray is an electrical elemental. Brennan ("Sparky") can throw tesla coils from his fingers, allowing him to jump-start cars and cardiac arrests, open electronic locks, and electrocute enemies. Brennan needs a period of rest between voltage uses, and cannot use his abilities when he gets wet, lest he short out or electrocute himself. Wrapping his arms in chains grounds him. More about Brennan Mulwray is here.
Other elementals who have appeared in the series: Electrical cybernetic Barry Sterling (a.k.a. Kilohertz), thermal Alice Robins, electrical absorber Ashley Elliott, thermal Josh Valentine, botanical Skeet Vossberg, eletrical Matty Conlan, sonic Calvin Porter, air absorber Lynch, thermal/heat and cold Pamela Fries, thermal Kelly Rice, thermal Josh, electrical Patricia, thermal Billy Larkin, thermal Harvey Lanchester, thermal Nick Maddox, energy/pain Silva, electrical Candace Rockwell
Uncategorized:
Gabriel Ashlocke. Psychopath Gabriel Ashlocke, aka Patient Zero, was the first new mutant Adam created. He has traits of all four mutant types: a feline feral's strength and reflexes, a psionic's telepathy, illusionist and mind control abilities, and an elemental's ability to throw destructive balls of light. Adam and Mason podded young Gabriel after killed his parents; he escaped 25 years later to pod Mason Eckhart and form an army of new mutants called The Strand. More about Gabriel Ashlocke is here.
Charlotte Cooke. Charlotte can secrete a toxin from her fingers which changes a person's moral polarity, from good to bad or from bad to good. On new mutants, this effect lasts a minute; on non-new mutants, it lasts forever until Charlotte returns them to normal with a second touch.
Neil. Neil is a non-sleeping mutant who needs only one half an hour of sleep a night.
Diana Moller. Diana is a psionic/molecular mix who can create a vortex through which to send herself and other people back in time.
The Child. Gabriel Ashlocke created "Ashlocke's Second Coming," The Child, from the DNA of four new mutants: elemental Brennan Mulwray, psionic Riley Morgan, molecular Nathan Reynolds, and feral Kara Whitely. As a result, The Child has the abilities of all four new mutant types.
Chester. Chester was Brennan's short-lived genetically engineered pet locust.
Learn more about the new mutants of Mutant X here.
The Normal--excuse me--The Non-New Mutants
Adam Kane. Adam Kane is the clone of The Creator, an ancient geneticist who needed an heir to carry on his lifetime goal of manipulating human evolution's course. The Creator surreptitiously guided Adam's progress as he began college at the age of 12, won honors for genetics research at Stanford, obtained his medical degree, and became a head researcher at Genomex under Dr. Paul Breedlove's mentorship in October 1978. Failing to impart a conscience upon the first new mutant, Gabriel Ashlocke, the young Adam focused instead on curing childhood disease through DNA manipulation. Once Adam discovered that several children had developed superhuman abilities as a result of these experiments, he continued to work on selected mutations in secret before finally ceasing his work altogether. A former lover, Christina, connected Adam with the powerful financial backers who enabled Adam to flee Genomex to build Sanctuary and the mutant underground network. Using the mutant database he had stolen from Dr. Breedlove, Adam recruited the Mutant X team members to aid new mutants in evading Genomex capture. More about Adam Kane is here. A more detailed background on Paul Breedlove and the Genomex project is here.
Adam's colleagues: Paul Breedlove, Dr. Hollis, Anthony Cooke, Dr. Vincent Arrigo, Dr. Marcus, Dr. Sara Stanton, Dr. Denise Willette
Mason Eckhart. Mason Eckhart was the head of security at Genomex. As a result of a horrific accident for which he blames Adam, Mason's immune system was destroyed, causing him to have to wear a white wig, synthetic skin, and gloves to prevent infection. When Paul Breedlove threatened to go public with information about the new mutant research at Genomex, Mason had him killed and began The Genetic Security Agency (GSA) to protect the non-mutant world from genetic terrorism. More about Mason Eckhart is here.
On the GSA's payroll: Russian independents Sonya and Yuri, accountant Karen Bell, bounty hunter Frank Cross, GS agent James Henshaw, Dr. Kenneth Harrison, Nexxogen head Nicole Carter, GS agent Artie Hill, GS agent Carl Ames, GS agent Vance Halloran
The Creator. The Creator began his research into human DNA manipulation many decades before Adam's birth. He founded the organization The Dominion in order to further his work. He keeps himself alive by means of injections, and created a clone, Adam Kane, to carry on his legacy.
Dominion Employees: Lexa's Dominion Contact "The Voice", Dominique, Dr. Sara Bellows, Keith Burstyn, The Council Head, Council member Anthony Gervais, operative Michael Hayes, The Assassins, Dr. Remy Arnot, Dr. John Gonsalves, Dr. Robinson
Mutant X family members
Emma deLauro: Emma's parents were "flakes" who left her in a foster home when she was 10.
Shalimar Fox: Naxcon CEO Nicholas Fox is Shalimar's estranged father.
Jesse Kilmartin: Covert operative Noah Kilmartin is Jesse's father; the decorated navy pilot William Kilmartin is Jesse's grandfather.
Brennan Mulwray: Brennan's biological father was a Vietnam fighter pilot shot down before he was born. Brennan's past criminal associates include Tony Reese, Cole, Michael Azzarello, and Brad Carter.
Lexa Pierce: Lexa's parents were military intelligence operatives.
Others: Learn about more non-new mutants here.
Romance Mutant X-style (canon)
The "romances" of Mutant X tend to be either based upon false pretences or tragically brief.
Adam and Christina
Adam and Danielle Hartman. Adam and Danielle fell in love at Genomex when she came to him for the treatments that created her stealth abilities, progressively damaging her DNA. She left him, preferring her freedom to constant experimentation.
Brennan and Ashley Elliot
Brennan and Kristen
Brennan and Lorna Templeton
Brennan and Miranda
Brennan and Riley Morgan
Brennan and Samantha Bennett
Brennan and Shalimar. Shalimar labels Brennan a teammate and "more like a brother" in the first season, which ends with an almost-kiss between the two. In Season 2, subtle hints of jealousy crop up as Shalimar and Brennan have other romances; sporadic flirtations in Season 3 culminate in sex in the last episode. Morea about this ship is here; an anti-shipper essay is here.
Brennan and The Girl Of The Week
Emma and Caleb Mathias
Emma and Tyler
Jesse and Alisha Keary
Jesse and Amanda Terry
Jesse and Lexa. Though it is clear that Jesse has feelings for Lexa by the third episode, in which he risks his life for hers, it isn't clear why. He trusts her long before he has reason to, asks her out just before she blows him off for Randall Blake, and repeatedly attempts to get close to her despite her dismissive attitude. Though Lexa begins to relax around Jesse by the end of the third season, she continues to block his sentimental expressions to the very end.
Jesse and Toni Quintana
Lexa and Charles Carter
Lexa and Randall Blake
Mason and Danielle Hartman
Shalimar and Keith Burstyn
Shalimar and Noel
Shalimar and Dr. Richard Saunders. Feral Richard Saunders was a research associate at Genomex who used Genomex's resources to develop a de-mutantizing serum. Shalimar agreed to leave Mutant X and take the serum with him so that they could spend their lives together, but a flaw in the serum's design caused Richard's premature death.
Shalimar and Zack Lockhart
More information about popular Mutant X 'ships, canon and non-canon, is here.
THE SETTING
An early article about Mutant X stated that the show's place and time were never defined, in order to make the action applicable to anytime in the near future. This, of course, has not stopped fans from trying to determine when and where Mutant X occurs. Establishing a solid Mutant X timeline tricky, since there are some discrepancies between the events of the first season and the two seasons that follow (the efforts of two fans to clarify the timeline based upon different sources are here and here). Since the show is filmed in Canada and most of the actors are Canadian, some fans postulated that Mutant X takes place in Canada. In the first episode, however, Adam specifies that Genomex is a branch of U.S. intelligence, and many believe that Stormking Mountain is somewhere in the mountains of the United States east coast. Read more about the search for Sanctuary and a suitable Mutant X timeline here.
Season 1's sets were designed by Rocco Matteo. An interview is here. A behind-the-scenes look at S2's "The Grift" and "At Destiny's End" is here. John Blackie designed the sets for seasons 2 and 3. Design schematics of the S2 sets are here.
Sanctuary
Sanctuary is Mutant X's secret headquarters, which Adam built inside Stormking Mountain. It is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems designed by Adam and reinforced by Jesse's girlfriend, the expert computer hacker Toni. Adam's view of Stormking Mountain from the former Mutant X Lives site is here.
Virtual tour
External: Stormking Mountain, the hangar's landing bay.
Internal: Front entrance, The dojo, Adam's lab, main computer, dining table, tanning bed, Emma's room, Brennan's room, Lexa's room
Techno toys
The Double Helix. This VTOL (virtual take off and landing) aircraft had a cloaking device/stealth shields, an autopilot mode, voice activated comlink system connected to Sanctuary, an ionizing filter and a microwave blaster.
The biobed. In Adam's words, the most frequent use of the biobed is "to diagnostically calibrate your genetic enhancement and identify any adjustments that may be required since your new mutant DNA is in a constant state of evolution." It can also be used to stabilize an ill new mutant's body functions, extract DNA gene sequences from a new mutant, to scan for bodily injuries, and to re-integrate two personality halves that have been split.
Comlink rings. These rings, worn by the members of Mutant X, are keyed to the wearer's personal DNA strand. The rings have mini cameras, audio/video links to other team members and are apparently activated whenever the wearer wants them to be, or by speaking into them.
Others: Find out about more of Mutant X's drugs and techno toys here.
Genomex
Genomex is the government research facility which is actually a branch of U.S. intelligence. The Canadian water plant building used to film Genomex headquarters is also used as The Center in the television series "The Pretender," and in some episodes of the television show "Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal."
Virtual tour
External: Arial view, closer up, the roof
Mason Eckhart's office, the back office, the interrogation room, Richard's lab, Harrison's lab, the catwalk, Section 9
Techno toys
Stasis pods. Pods were created by Adam Kane as a means of controlling dangerous new mutants. When a GS agent did not perform his or her duty, or a potentially lethal new mutant was captured, they were placed in a pod and kept in a coma-like state in Section 9 for "future study." Individuals shown in pods/presumably podded during the series: Barry Sterling, Karen Bell, Calvin Porter, Jesse Kilmartin, Brianna Voight, Gabriel Ashlocke, Mason Eckhart, Laura Brooks. More about stasis pods is here.
Subdermal governors. Subdermal governors, like stasis pods, were created by Adam to control dangerous new mutants. They connect to a new mutant's DNA, so that when he uses his abilities without the controller's permission, he experiences debilitating pain. The controller also has the option of giving a painful jolt when he chooses. Governors may be deactivated by remote control, short electrical blasts, computer viruses, or Adam Kane. New mutants shown with governors during the series: Frank Thorne, Brennan Mulwray, Ruby Bishop, Emma deLauro, Jesse Kilmartin, Josh Valentine, Charlotte Cooke, Lexa Pierce. More about subdermal governors is here.
Electric sterilization unit. In Mason Eckhart's private office is a round electronic device which sterilizes the immediate environment while Mason seals his synthetic skin and gloves. More about Mason's faux skin is here.
The Pushka. The Pushka H5B7 was developed by Sonya's Russian father in 1980 to detect and neutralize new mutants. After deactivating their mutant abilities, the particle beam caused disintegration of their organs. It also had the ability to reverse the neutralization process when the proper code was keyed in.
The Dominion
Virtual tour: Holding cells, Council room, The Creator's back laboratory
Techno toys: Torture device, operative cellphones, compact decoding device
THE CAST AND CREW
The Cast
Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Michael Easton (Gabriel Ashlocke): Bio, interviews & links
Forbes March (Jesse Kilmartin): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Tom McCamus (Mason Eckhart): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Victoria Pratt (Shalimar Fox): Bio, interviews, updates & links
John Shea (Adam Kane): Bio, interviews, updates & links
Lauren Lee Smith (Emma deLauro): Bio, interviews, updates & links
*Notes: Emma deLauro was killed in an explosion at the end of S2. Tribune never offered an official explanation for Lauren Lee Smith's departure, but fandom conjecture ranges from the notion that she decided to leave to free up time for upcoming projects, to speculation that she didn't leave by choice, noting the surprised tone of her post on her official website. Recently, actress Karen Cliche has reportedly said that the producers let Smith go to "mix things up" for S3, and that they approached Cliche to play Lexa Pierce before warning Smith of Emma's fate. In the end, the true details are known only by Lauren Lee Smith and the producers of Mutant X.
Victor Webster (Brennan Mulwray): Bio, interviews, update & links
Other Actors
A list of the guest stars and their websites is here. Notable news: Guylaine St. Onge's death, Eddie McGee wins Big Brother
The Crew
A full list of the Mutant X production crew is here.
Producers
Pictures of some of the producers are here
Avi Arad
Adam Haight
Jay Firestone
Rick Ungar: Interview on X-Pider Man
Jonathan Hackett
Seth Howard: Interview on Comics Continuum
The Writers
Howard Chaykin. The head writer for the first season, the famous comic book artist Howard Chaykin, left the show as the first episode of the second season was in production, due to "creative differences". Chaykin's creative ideas on Mutant X
can be read on Sci-Fi Weekly, Comics Continuum, Comic Book Galaxy, and Sci-fi Wire.
Peter Mohan. Executive producer Peter Mohan took over as the head writer for the second and third seasons. Interviews with him are on The Official Site, Starburst, and the S2 DVD extras.
Freddie Prinze Jr.. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. wrote the screenplay for the S2 episode "One Step Closer." He talks about it on his official site and Comics Continuum 4/03.
Production Crew
Nikos Evdemon (cinematography). Info about Evdemon's award for Mutant X is here.
Havoc Stunt Services. Some pictures of Havoc stuntmen in Mutant X are here. An interview with stuntman David Stinson is here.
Doug MacRae (storyboards). MacRae's Skye Productions website is here; an interview about Mutant X is here.
Rocco Matteo (set design). Rocco Matteo created the sets for the first season of Mutant X. He talks about the look of Mutant X here and here.
Lou Natale and Donald Quan (musical score). Lou Natale created the Mutant X theme song. His website is here. Donald Quan scored 44 episodes of Mutant X. His Q Music site is here.
You can find out about the rest of the production crew here.
THE FANDOM
Mutant X Around the World
With the cancellation of Mutant X in the United States, the size of the U.S. fandom has diminished since its heyday. Fortunately, thanks to the widespread distribution of Tribune and ADV Films, Mutant X has a lively international fandom base, with fans around the world at different stages in their viewing. The United Kingdom and Ireland's Sky Three is presently showing Mutant X re-runs, Australia is in the midst of Season 2, and AXN, which runs in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, approved syndication for Mutant X in Italy in 2005.
A database of over 1,000 international Mutant X fansites is here.
Mutant X in different countries:
Argentinian: Mutant X
Armenian: Mutant X
Australian: Mutant X
Austrian: Mutant X
Belgian: Mutant X
Brazilian: Mutant X
Bulgarian: Мутант Х
Canadian: Mutant X
Chinese: 异种战士
Czech: Mutant X
Croatian: Mutant X
Danish: Mutant X
Dutch: Mutant X
Finnish: Mutant X
French: Mutant X
German: Mutant X
Greek: Mutant X
Hungarian: X-csapat
Icelandic: Mutant X
Indonesian: Mutant X
Israeli: Project X
Japanese: ミュータントX
Korean: Mutant X
Polish: Pokolenie mutantów
Spanish: Mutante X
Romanian: Mutant X
Russian: Мутанты Икс
South African: Mutant X
Swedish: Mutant X
Taiwanese: 有關小廚師演的
Turkish: Mutant X
The United Kingdom: Mutant X
DVD sales
Box sets: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3
Individual DVDs: S1 Disc 1, S1 Disc 2, S1 Disc 3, S1 Disc 4, S1 Disk 5, S1 disc 6, S2 Discs 1-2, S2 Discs 3-4, S2 Discs 5-6, S2 Discs 7-8, S2 Discs 9-10
Fandom terminology
Brenna: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's first name, or the female version of Brennan. The less said about her the better, but if you must know, look here.
Brennan Mulwary: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's last name, or a deliberate sporking of the character. A website devoted to Mulwary is here.
Complexa: Brennan came up with this nickname for Lexa in "She's Come Undone," frustrated with her secretive nature.
Laura Varady: Though she never actually appeared in the show, Laura Varady was the name of Genomex's chief psychologist on Tribune Entertainment's faux website, Genomex.net.
Marcus Eckhart: Mason Eckhart's first name was originally supposed to be Marcus. Though the name was officially changed to Mason before the start of the series, hints of the original name do pop up. If you listen carefully to the episode "Russian Roulette," you'll notice that Sonya mistakenly calls herself "an associate of Marcus Eckhart." And in Mason's biography on the faux website Genomex.net, it is stated that Mason once had a twin brother, Marcus, who drowned in an accident when the two were boys.
Mohan, Mohanized, Mohanization: Peter Mohan was the head writer for the second and third seasons. Since some fans feel that the quality of the show declined during this time, "Mohanization" can refer to plot discontinuities, character misrepresentations, or un-science.
Mutant Lex: A term coined by Shalimar, who, annoyed with Lexa's disregard for her teammates in "Brother's Keeper," says: "It's time we remind her that this is Mutant X, not Mutant Lex."
S1, S2, S3, S4: Abbreviations for season one, season two, season three, and season four.
Santa: Otherwise known as "Evil Santa," a nickname for Lexa Pierce's unnamed Dominion contact.
'Ship, 'shipper, 'shipping: A general fandom term for the romantic relationships in fiction. Wikipedia's definition is here.
'Ship abbreviations: Bremma (Brennan/Emma), Brenimar (Brennan/Shalimar), Jemma (Jesse/Emma), Jexa (Jesse/Lexa), Shalnan (Shalimar/Brennan), Shalash (Shalimar/Gabriel Ashlocke).
Sparky: The nickname for Brennan Mulwray used frequently on the show.
Special thanks to tptigger, princessbryn, tribeofroses, and katana137uk for their input. Invaluable information resources: The Official Site, Child of Genomex, Comics Continuum, The Feral Sisterhood, Forbesilicious, Genomex.net, The Great Mutant X Fansite Directory, Ground Control, Gryphon's Lair, IMDb, LLS Forums, Masonesque, ME Corner, Mutant X French, MXL:OS, Mutant X PhoeniX, Mutant X-treme, Mutant X Warehouse, PureMX-on-Masonesque, Pink Hearts, Proxy Blue, Proxy Green, TV.com.