25 Why doesn't Forge invent something that would neutralize powers so mutants like Cyclops and Rogue can live normal lives? And how can Rogue cut her hair, if she's invulnerable?
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This article is from the X-Men Comic Books FAQ, by Kate the Short (racmx@yahoo.com) with numerous contributions by others.
25 Why doesn't Forge invent something that would neutralize powers so mutants like Cyclops and Rogue can live normal lives? And how can Rogue cut her hair, if she's invulnerable?
Okay, we all know the real reason this can never come true: if writers
start giving our heroes solutions to their power-based problems and
suddenly have to start worrying about writing real people, not just
costumes with code names, all that keen, cheap angst is thrown out the
windows. Still, we can think of a few Marvel Universe reasons why things
haven't changed for the better in mutant home remedies.
The best reason I've seen offered yet (and if you don't like it, go
think up your own, Marvel Science is not exactly an exacting art) is
that mutant powers are very strongly linked with genetic expression.
That is, while Spider-Man was never intended to cling to walls, say, the
whole point of Colossus' genotype is that he is designed to turn into
living metal.
Thus, any power nullifier that would allow mutants like Rogue or Cyclops
to live their lives without the pressure of their powers would, by
suppressing their power, cause large-scale cellular damage to their
bodies that, while useful for short-term durations like cutting hair or
an eye examination, would eventually end up depowering or killing the
mutant in question using such a nullifier for a long time. Cellular
disintegration doesn't seem like a fair price to pay for being able to
take off your glasses, so this helps explain why Scott hasn't gone to
Forge begging for a nullifier in a watch design.
The long-term removal of Storm's powers after being shot by Forge's
neuralizer circa Uncanny X-Men #189 might contradict this theory, since
her powers were gone for weeks in our world and several months while on
a parallel Earth (during the "Fall of the Mutants" crossover). However,
Claremont was deliberate in highlighting that Storm did still possess
her powers during that time, but that she was unable to consciously
access them. Her powers weren't removed, and so she slips through a
loophole.
Now, the above hasn't been actually said in any Marvel comic, so, like I
said, feel free to interpret it any way you want, although the above has
the advantages of being logical, consistent, and doesn't contradict
anything given in any Marvel comic, something tough to do with Marvel
Science Theories.
Now, considering the above theory as true, the mutants probably do have
access to power nullifiers on demand, but very rarely use them, for the
above reason. However, they'd be just what you needed if you wanted to
style or cut your hair, like Rogue, assuming she has even had a haircut
since absorbing Carol (in Avengers Annual #10).
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