The Great Hippo wrote:Why's that weird? If you wanted to prevent mutants, you would have to genetically modify everybody. Or, at least, you'd need a vector that can access everyone's DNA and ensure that the relevant genes are always deactivated.
If you google around "what was poisoning wolverine" you'll get a bunch of stuff about how it's actually quite unclear, and maybe related to different timelines being rewritten. I know 'adamantium poisoned Wolverine' is part of the comics, but 'Wolverine as an effective Immortal' is a far more common storyarc than 'Wolverine is dying and can't heal anymore'.
Accordingly, when the movie kind of handwaved around some potential explanations for why his healing power was being diminished, it seems odd that they would be deliberately vague about it.
So, yes - if in this point in the worlds history, CRISPR is being used to deactivate or delete the X-gene in the worlds populace, it seems a likely and probable route for clearing out all the worlds mutants, existing or potential.
The Great Hippo wrote:Also, I'm not a biologist, but I'm pretty sure if I turn off all the genes in you that make you tall, you won't become short... but your children might. Similarly, if I turn off the x-gene that gave me my powers, I probably won't lose my powers... but my children certainly won't inherit them.
As a biologist, and more importantly and relevantly, a comic book fan, I believe within the Marvel canon that the deactivation of the X-gene can eliminate mutant powers in adult, functional mutants, and conversely, activation of the X-gene in non-mutant adults can cause mutant powers to manifest. This is also part of the plot of at least two of the X-men films iirc.
The Great Hippo wrote:But the simplest explanation here is that Zander Rice engineered a vector that modified people's DNA by turning off the x-gene -- preventing the expression of any new powers outside of tightly controlled circumstances.
Agreed - and I think one of those circumstances includes the administration of that green medicine that enhanced/turned on mutant powers.
rmsgrey wrote:I think it's 25 years since the last (public) new mutant - meaning the youngest mutants would be in their mid 30s - not necessarily the idealistic late-teens/early-20s of the classic XMen, but still in their prime and capable of exerting their will upon the world if they still have their full power...
I found this part kind of weird - the movie is set in the future, and 'things have changed!', but it's not really THAT far into the future. A lot can happen in 7 years, sure, but it seemed like the biggest change was that automated trucks are on the high way.
I adore the notion of an aging, ailing Professor X being cared for by Logan, but I'd almost have preferred they hamstring together something to make it REALLY in the future. 100 years in the future, when the history of mutants is obfuscated by time, and multiple generations of genetically modified humans have somewhat moved past the events of Genosha and Sentinel purges and such. Maybe Wolverine has been wandering again, and Professor X has been cryogenically frozen, or isolated himself in a mind chrysalis, whatever, insaner things have happened - the point is, 7 years later wasn't really that dramatic a spin on things for me.
... with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.