Super mutant

Super mutant is a general term referring to humanoid mutants created by exposing a regular human to a variety of the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). The resulting hulking mutants typically possess exceptional strength, endurance, resistance or immunity to disease and radiation, as well as modified intelligence. A common trait of all super mutants is that they are completely sterile and cannot reproduce (one variety is even explicitly asexual, i.e. devoid of primary sexual characteristics). The mutation generally cannot be reversed, as once introduced to the subject, FEV automatically corrects any changes to DNA. A theoretical cure would have to both reintroduce the original DNA and prevent the FEV from overwriting it.
Originally introduced in Fallout as an unique mutant menace led by the Master, super mutants have appeared in every game since, in several varieties and playing a variety of roles.
==Variants==
Several different groups of super mutants, also known as strainsAlthough these super mutants share the same qualities, the groups formed from the three strains haven't mixed, and there is little evidence they have met one another.(Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, p. 53), exist with physiological differences resulting from the use of different varieties of the Forced Evolutionary Virus in different part of the former United States of America.Each lab had been designing their own strain of the FEV, and so there are several different varieties of Super Mutants spread across the Wasteland.(Fallout: Wasteland Warfare Roleplaying Game, p. 13) While some super mutants have traveled far from their place of origin, there is little evidence of any contact between these populations.
===Mariposa Military Base===
Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, and Fallout: New Vegas feature super mutants derived from FEV-II at Mariposa Military Base, who appear as friends, foes, and companions. They are predominantly intelligent, social, and their position in traditional human society is a major question in each of these titles. 
In Fallout, they are the creations of the Master, who believes that the differences that led to the Great War could be overcome through the forced evolution of humanity. The Master's army of super mutants (Unity) plans to conquer the wasteland and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity by mutating those worthy of joining and sterilizing those who refuse (unaware of their own sterility). Although ultimately defeated in 2162 by the Vault Dweller, who destroys Mariposa Military Base and eliminates the Master, the super mutants aren't all hostile and represent a variety of attitudes, especially towards the Master and his grand plan.
In Fallout Tactics, which begins in 2197, super mutants are the primary opponents in the third chapter, where the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel wars with them across Missouri and Kansas. Organized into Gammorin's Army and led by a rogue paladin, they are remnants of the Unity who fled over the Rockies, and inadvertently woke up the Calculator. They become allies and recruits after Gammorin's defeat.Fallout Tactics
In Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, super mutants serve as enemies in chapters two and three. By 2208, a super mutant named Attis hoped to use the research and FEV samples remaining to cure his own sterility and allow super mutants to breed and become the new dominant species on the planet, following in his Master's footsteps. In order to find the samples, Attis and his army broke into the Secret Vault. Attis and his super mutants were defeated by the cooperation of Patty and the Initiate who blew up the city of Los, concluding the Brotherhood-Attis War with Rhombus being a key figure in their defeat as well.Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
In Fallout 2, by 2241 the remnants of the Unity react in different ways to the Master's defeat; some refuse to lay down arms and become raiders, others join the NCR Rangers or found new communities where humans and mutants coexist, such as Broken Hills. The super mutant companion, Marcus, is the sheriff of this town. Also introduced is a new, second generation of super mutants, originating once again in Mariposa: The Enclave excavated the base between 2236 and 2237, using captured Redding miners as slaves. Without protective equipment, exposure to the FEV still sealed within the base resulted in uncontrolled mutation. These second generation mutants tend to be, on average, far less intelligent than their peers. 
In Fallout: New Vegas, by 2281 super mutants are rare, but represent another attempt to normalize relations with humans, efforts made possible by the actions of the returning Marcus. The nightkin are greatly expanded upon in the game, representing the long term legacy of the Master's work: Near-perfect super mutants twisted by years of exposure to stealth radiation, suffering from various psychological ailments. Dealing with the nightkin and finding a cure for them is a major element of the super mutant story in the game, at Black Mountain, REPCONN test site, and Jacobstown.
By the late 2280s, some Mariposa super mutants have migrated to East Coast areas such as the Capital Wasteland or the Commonwealth. Their subsequent relationship, if any, with super mutants of other strains in those locations is currently unknown.These Super Mutants are more common on the West Coast, though many clusters have migrated to the Capital Wasteland and Commonwealth. (Fallout: Wasteland Warfare Roleplaying Game, p. 15)
===Vault 87 super mutant===
Fallout 3 features super mutants derived from the Evolutionary Experimentation Program (EEP), an FEV derivative used at Vault 87. These mutants are almost invariably hostile, borderline feral, and completely asexual. They act as hostile creatures barely capable of speech or coherent social organization, but are considered a major threat by the Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel, which has engaged them in a war of attrition for nearly two decades by the time the game starts. 
Only two non-hostile super mutants appear in the game, Fawkes, a late game companion who also prefers to be called a meta-human rather a super mutant, and Uncle Leo, a randomly encountered traveler. These represent the only non-hostile interactions with them in the entire game. Uniquely, these super mutants never seem to stop growing and ancient, gigantic mutants called behemoths can be encountered. Centaurs are common companions of the super mutants, another hideous effect of EEP mutation.
These mutants also appear in Fallout Shelter.Possible wasteland monologue: "Explorer's journal. New entry. Super Mutants are asexual. Before transformation, some were women."
===Institute super mutant===
Fallout 4 features super mutants created by the Institute using an FEV sample acquired through clandestine means. These mutants are the byproduct of its research into generation 3 synths, dumped into the Commonwealth. They are somewhat intelligent, forming unique tribes and representing a variety of mostly hostile attitudes.
A super mutant companion, Strong, appears, alongside a handful of peaceful super mutants, providing insight into the communal society of the mutants. Interestingly, the Institute's creations consider themselves both to be superior to humans and their victims, seeing violence as a form of retribution. They are commonly accompanied by other FEV creations, such as mutant hounds and unstable early experiments, the behemoths.
While a cure for the effects of FEV was speculated by ZAX 1.2, this is the only strain that can be cured. The Institute scientist, Brian Virgil, is the first to successfully create a serum that recreated his original human DNA while overwriting the FEV present in his system.The Sole Survivor: "How are you going to test it?"Brian Virgil: " "(Brian Virgil's dialogue)Brian Virgil: ""The Sole Survivor: "This is a "qualified success"?"Brian Virgil: " "(Brian Virgil's dialogue)
===Huntersville super mutant===
Fallout 76 features super mutants derived from FEV experiments at the West Tek research center in Appalachia, including mass exposure of the denizens of Huntersville and infection of survivors by the Enclave under orders from President Thomas Eckhart, in a desperate bid to increase the DEFCON rating and gain access to the region's missile weapons. Widespread, violent, and hostile, these super mutants have a major presence in the region and are a common enemy for factions that inhabited Appalachia in the past (Responders and Taggerdy's Brotherhood) and those who have returned to it after the Scorched Plague - most importantly the Brotherhood First Expeditionary Force under Paladin Leila Rahmani. 
Like before, they are accompanied by similarly mutated hounds and floaters. Behemoths also make a return.
==Named super mutants==
Super mutant characters	Super mutant characters	Super mutant characters
Fallout 	Fallout 	Fallout
Harry 	Lieutenant 	The Master
Vincent 	Viscious 	
Fallout 2 	Fallout 2 	Fallout 2
Elmo 	Francis 	Frank Horrigan
Gond 	Grundel 	Lenny
Marcus 	Melchior 	Zaius
Fallout 3 	Fallout 3 	Fallout 3
Uncle Leo 	Fawkes 	
Fallout: New Vegas 	Fallout: New Vegas 	Fallout: New Vegas
Davison 	Dog and God 	Keene
Lily Bowen 	Marcus 	Mean Sonofabitch
Neil 	Tabitha 	
Fallout 4 	Fallout 4 	Fallout 4
Big Mack 	Dr. Brian Virgil 	Dead Eye
Fist 	Hammer 	Strong
Swan 	Erickson 	Grun
Rage 	Crag 	Scratch
Fallout 76 	Fallout 76 	Fallout 76
Grahm 	Harrison Malone 	Gail
Doctor Blackburn 	Maul 	
==Appearances==
Super mutants appear in all Fallout games to date.
==Behind the scenes==
* The name of the super mutants has had numerous variations at different points. Despite the fact that "super mutant" is the most characteristic and most widely used, other variations exist including super mutants, super-mutant, supermutant and mutants. Some mutants encountered near Mariposa in Fallout 2 are called "super duper mutants."
===Appearance===
===Sterility===
* Marcus, a super mutant in Fallout 2, jokes about making prostitutes pregnant if he takes a trip to the Cat's Paw brothel, and remarks that "it only takes a few years to get the juices flowing again" when asked about sterility. Chris Avellone, the author of his dialogue, confirmed it was merely a joke.
* Francis is a famously sexually active super mutant, allegedly capable of staining gimps.Broken Hills citizen: "{187}{}{Francis sure seems happy lately.}
{188}{}{Francis has quite a glow. Did he get laid?}"
"{189}{}{Hey there, gimp!}"'"{190}{}{Still walking straight?}"'"{191}{}{Did Francis hurt you?}"'"{192}{}{You got a little stain, there.}"'"{193}{}{How could you be stupid enough to wrestle Francis for those odds?}"'"{194}{}{I hope you enjoyed it as much as Francis did.}"(Female and male Broken Hills citizens' dialogue)
* They are sterile due to their quad-helix DNA structure, which is incapable of proper meiosis; gametes produced by FEV mutants are therefore not equipped to couple properly, so fertilization never occurs. 
===Miscellaneous===
* The Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel Manual describes the mutants as, "While Ghouls are the product of evolutionary transformation, mutants are man-made. Big, massively muscled, and savage, they are far stronger than any human and are able to handle heavy weapons with ease. Originally created by some 'brilliant' scientists, who thought it would be a neat idea to dip ordinary folks into a toxic goo swimming with a 'Forced Evolutionary Virus', the mutant menace has since caused the wasteland more than its fair share of problems. The process of creating mutants also seems to have some kind of random factor - as some mutants are highly intelligent, while others are as dumb as a post."
==Gallery==
;Fallout and Fallout 2
Marcus.jpg|Marcus
Harry.jpg|Harry, mutant guard
FO01 NPC Lieutenant B.png|The Lieutenant, also known as Lou or Lou Tenant
FO02 NPC Frank Horrigan.png|Frank Horrigan, a super mutant and Enclave special agent
Mutant1.gif
Super mutant.gif
Lieutenant2.gif
Super mutant2.gif
Rake.jpg|Concept art for Rake, the cut leader of the Necropolis super mutants
;Fallout 3
FO3 super mutant.png|Super mutant
FO3 super mutant brute.png|Super mutant brute
FO3 super mutant master.png|Super mutant master
Super mutant overlord.png|Super mutant overlord
FO3 super mutant behemoth.png|Super mutant behemoth
Uncle Leo.jpg|Uncle Leo, a pacifist super mutant who wanders the Capital Wasteland
Fawkes.jpg|Fawkes a friendly super mutant from Vault 87
Art of Fallout 3 super mutants CA1.jpg|Concept art
Art of Fallout 3 super mutants CA2.jpg|Concept art
;Fallout: New Vegas
Marcus highres.jpg|Marcus as he appears in Fallout: New Vegas
Neil.jpg|Neil, a friendly super mutant who lives on the outskirts of Black Mountain
Mean Sonofabitch.jpg|Mean Sonofabitch a super mutant sentry in Westside
Tabitha.jpg|Tabitha, an insane nightkin
FNVSuper mutant.png|A super mutant
Nightkin jailer.png|A nightkin
Art-super mutant rush.jpg|Concept art for some attacking super mutants
;Fallout 4
Super mutant3.png|Super mutant
Behemoth.png|Super mutant behemoth
Big Mack.jpg|Big Mack, a super mutant leader at the Wilson Atomatoys factory
Brian Virgil.jpg|Dr. Brian Virgil, a friendly super mutant in the Glowing Sea
Dead Eye.jpg|Dead Eye, a blind super mutant
Fist FO4.jpg|Fist, a super mutant leader at Trinity Tower
Hammer supermutant.png|Hammer, a super mutant leader at the West Everett Estates
Strong.png|Strong, a super mutant companion
Fo4swan.jpg|Swan, a unique super mutant behemoth living in a pond of water
Grun.png|Grun, a unique super mutant behemoth in the Vim! Pop factory
FO4FH Erickson.png|Erickson, a super mutant merchant who sells guard dogs
Rage-NukaWorld.jpg|Rage, a super mutant in Nuka-World
Fo4-supermutants-concept.png|Concept art
Art of Fo4 super mutant behemoth concept art.jpg|Concept art
Fo4 clay super mutant concept art.png|A high poly brush model of a mutant
;Fallout 76
FO76 Super mutant.png|Super mutant
Grahm.png|Grahm, a traveling super mutant merchant and cook
FO76 Harrison Malone.png|Harrison Malone, an escaped convict turned super mutant at the Grafton Dam
FO76WL Gail.png|Gail, a friendly female super mutant with Meg Groberg's raiders
Score s6 camp ally supermutant maul c1.webp|Maul, a super mutant ally
FO76SR Super Mutant Behemoth Blackburn.png|Doctor Edgar Blackburn after being turned into a super mutant behemoth at West Tek research center
;Fallout Tactics
Tariqmutant1.jpg
Tariqmutant3.jpg
Tariqmutant2.jpg
Super mutant 1.jpg
Super mutant (with armor).jpg
Super mutant.jpg
Super mutant (concept).jpg
super mutant opponent.jpg
FOT mutant.jpg
FOT mutant 2.jpg
FoT mutant 2.png
FoT super mutant.png
Mutant.gif
FOT Mutant.gif
FOT Toccomatta.gif
;Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
Super mutantFOBOS.png
Super mutant2FOBOS.png
Attis.png|Attis
Rhombus FOBOS.jpg|Rhombus killing a super mutant
Attis2.png
NightkinFOBOS.png|A group of nightkin
;Van Buren
VB mutant.jpg|The super mutant from Van Buren
;Fallout d20
Fallout d20 super mutant by Tensen01.jpg|Interior illustration
D20 mutant.jpg|First version of the cover
D20 mutie.jpg|Second version of the cover
D20 mutie final.jpg|Final version of the cover
D20 muties.jpg|Second version of the cover
D20 muties final.jpg|Final version of the cover
Mutant commando.jpg|Nightkin commando interior illustration
Mutant berserker.jpg|Mutant berserker interior illustration
;Project V13
Project V13 screenshot1.jpg| A seemingly neutral super mutant
===Magic: The Gathering===
Fallout magic Grave Titan PipBoy.png|Grave Titan
Fallout magic Nuka-Nuke Launcher.png|Nuka-Nuke Launcher
Fallout magic Nuka-Nuke Launcher Extended Art.png|Nuka-Nuke Launcher (Extended Art)
Fallout Magic Biomass Mutation.png|Biomass Mutation
Fallout Magic Biomass Mutation Extended Art.png|Biomass Mutation (Extended Art)
Fallout Magic Break Down.png|Break Down
Fallout Magic Cultivate.png|Cultivate
==References==
;Non-canon
;RPG:
 
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