Thread:Undoniel/@comment-12714-20140131052230/@comment-3406131-20140212172656

There was some text here and there who stated that even the mutates were in fact the realization of a potential triggered by an external factor (I read somewhere in the wikia about a "Gama Gene", explaining why Banner was still alive after his irradiation). But even if that's true, that seems likely be 9997 material, not 616.

But given the definition Savage Land mutates, they are named mutates because they were mutated. As are the mutants. So my point isn't irrelevant, in the strict field of that simple definition, and possibly backed up with a recent reference. As I already said, my edit isn't related to the strict definition allowing a difference between mutants (with X-Gene) and mutates.

Because if you think about it:
 * Peter Parker is a human. He hasn't any genetic potential (or does he, but I will stand on nope until a relevant 616 reference (but I'm still interested in alternate explanation)
 * He was bitten by a radioactive spider: External factor
 * His DNA was mutated: He is a mutate.
 * An Inhuman is a genetic successor of the Homo neanderthalensis with genetic Kree enhancements (and also including, I've read on the wikia it but without reference, the Celestials' Eternals genetic enhancements): He has a potential.
 * He go through the Mists: External factor who both is mutagenic AND activate the potential. They are sometimes consider as mutates (by fans, I don't recall for now a reference with them stated to be mutates, only mutated), as well as the terrigenesis depowered mutants.
 * A mutant is an human with the X-Gene:
 * The X-Gene is activated "naturally" by puberty, trauma, stress or artificially by devices, radiations or powers: External factor
 * The X-Gene produce a protein who mutated the other genes: He is an active mutant

If the rule is to have a potential, an external factor or not, the definition is currently possibly wrong itself, regarding to that potential potential present within the humans, activated by the external factors. If that ref is in 616, so all three categories have a potential activated by external factors. Both the definition of mutants and mutates, but what really define the mutants is that potential is the X-Gene: Mutants are humans with X-Gene. Was the X-Gene a thing at that time ? Or were the X-Men still the "Children of the Atom", thought to be mutated bu radiations ?

Funny, the Changelings were already mentioned (not as Changelings) in that definition.