# Space Marines Are Mutants!



## * Luke T * (Feb 13, 2009)

Space Marines are taught to kill mutants & hunt heretics. But arn't they mutants themselfs? Space Marines have two hearts, three lungs, reinforced bones! Look at what a normal human goes through to become a Space Marine...

Implantation

Nineteen organs are implanted in a Neophyte to further bolster his combat and survival ability should he live to become a Brother-Marine. Each implant has a high margin of catastrophic failure and so only a small number of Neophytes live to become Initiates. Many chapters have lost the knowledge needed to create some of these implants, and therefore, simply don't have them. The exceptions to this are the Black Carapace and the Progenoid Glands, without which, a chapter would die out fairly quickly.

Secondary Heart - This is the first and least difficult implant to install. The Secondary Heart increases blood supply and pumping capacity and is capable of taking over entirely should the primary heart fail. 

Ossmudula - This implant strengthens the skeleton of a Space Marine by inducing the bones to absorb a ceramic-based substance administered in a Marine's diet. Within two years after the surgery, the Marine's skeleton will be larger and exponentially stronger; and the rib cage will be fused into a solid bone plate.

Biscopea - Implanted into the chest cavity, this implant massively bolsters muscle development and density throughout the Marine's body. This is commonly implanted at the same time as the Ossmodula. 

Haemastamen - Implanted into a main blood vessel, the Haemastamen alters the Marine's blood composition to carry oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.

Larraman's Organ - This organ manufactures Larraman Cells. These serve the purpose of platelets, but act faster and more effectively. When a Marine is wounded, Larraman Cells are released, attached to leukocytes. At the site of the injury, they form scar tissue in a matter of seconds, effectively preventing massive blood loss and infection.

Catalepsean Node - Implanted into the back of the brain, this implant allows a marine to not sleep, instead entering a four-hour, almost comatose trance where they "recharge". It also allows the resting of half the brain while the other remains alert, thus removing the need for total sleep. The longest known record of any space marine going without rest while on active combat duty is 319 hours by a member of the Crimson Fists.

Preomnor - The Preomnor is a decontamination chamber inside the chest cavity. It chemically analyzes ingested materials and neutralizes toxins. The Preomnor enables the Marine to eat normally inedible substances and resist poisons.

Omophagea - Implanted into the spinal cord, this organ is designed to absorb information and DNA related to experience or memory. This enables the Marine to gain information, in a survival or tactical sense, simply by eating an animal indigenous to an alien world.

Multi-lung - The multi-lung is a third lung, able to absorb oxygen from environments poor in oxygen. Breathing is accomplished through a sphincter in the trachea, allowing all three lungs to be used at full capacity. In toxic environments, a similar muscle closes off the normal lungs, thus oxygen is absorbed exclusively by the multi-lung which filters out poisonous elements. 

Occulobe - Essentially, this organ enhances a Marine's eyesight, granting him exceptional vision and the ability to see normally in low-light environment.

Lyman's Ear - This implant renders a Marine immune to dizziness and nausea(see Cochlea), and enables a Marine to consciously filter out "white noise". 
Sus-an Membrane - This implant allows a Marine to enter a catatonic or "suspended animation" state. It can allow a mortally wounded Space Marine to survive his injuries, and bring the metabolism to a standstill. The longest recorded period of this state was with Brother Silas Err of the Dark Angels for 567 years. 

Melanochrome - Linked to pigment cells in skin, this allows the Marine's skin to shield him from dangerous levels of radiation. 

Oolitic Kidney - This organ works in conjunction with the Preomnor, filtering blood to remove toxins. 

Neuroglottis - This organ allows a Marine to assess a wide variety of things simply by taste. From poisons to chemicals to animals, a Marine can even track his quarry by taste alone. 

Mucranoid - Altering sweat glands, this organ causes the secretion an oily substance that coats the skin when neccessary, protecting it from extreme temperatures and to some extent, vacuum environments. 

Betcher's Gland - Implanted into multiple locations inside a Marine's mouth, these glands transform a Marine's saliva into corrosive, blinding acid when triggered.

Progenoid Glands - Implanted into both the neck and chest cavity, these serve to collect and cultivate the gene-seed from a Space Marine's body, and to safeguard it for the continuity of a Chapter. The neck gland is removed upon 5 years, and the chest gland upon 10 years; both are then used to create new Space Marines.

The Black Carapace - The last and possibly most important of all implants, this neuroreactive material is implanted directly under the skin in the chest area. Invasive fiber bundles then grow inward and interlink with the Marine's own nervous system. Points pre-cut into the Carapace are effectively connection points, allowing a Marine to directly interface with his Power Armor. 

Now that sounds like a very hard mutant to me! This information was taken from the Warhammer wiki.

----- UPDATE -----

It turns out that space Marines are ... not Mutants!

This is from the the Oxford Dictionary, you don't get any more English then this!
It may be stated different in American Dictionarys but Oxford is the original!

Mutant: a form or being resulting from mutation.

Mutation: change, alteration or genetic change which when transmitted to offspring gives rise to heritable variation.

So it turns out that Space Marines are basically enhanced humans and not mutants. As they are born as normal natural humans and are not born with any special abilitys or extra organs... etc

I'd still rather take a career as a Guardsmen then a Space Marine. Guardsmen may not be as combat effective as Space Marines but at least they can get laid! ... Can Marines even take thier armour off? but yeah ... Space Marines are not Mutants.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Indeed they are mutants. In the Space Wolf saga, book 4 (Wolf Blade), Ragnar is attacked by members of a Cult who while Pro-Imperial, "remember" the Heresy, and what the Space Marines did. However, like Navigators, Ogryns, Ratlings, and GM Guardsmen (such as Afriel Strain troopers), hey are considered a necessity, so while Officially are tolerated, it means that some aren't too happy over it.


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## scrotrot (Jan 14, 2009)

Hmm maybe its classed as engineered and not mutated.


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## maddermax (May 12, 2008)

Ah, no thats not a _mutant_, that is a genetically and surgically enhanced human - they're gene's have not mutated at all. 

Though as dissimilar as they are to normal humans, you'd probably think it if you met one, the fact is that they're enhancements are not because of flawed genes - its basically as if they were cyborgs, but with living tissue instead of mechanical implants. So they are "pure" in that way... well, except for the black dragons they're mutated as all hell....


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## DeathJester921 (Feb 15, 2009)

maddermax said:


> Ah, no thats not a _mutant_, that is a genetically and surgically enhanced human - they're gene's have not mutated at all.
> 
> Though as dissimilar as they are to normal humans, you'd probably think it if you met one, the fact is that they're enhancements are not because of flawed genes - its basically as if they were cyborgs, but with living tissue instead of mechanical implants. So they are "pure" in that way... well, except for the black dragons they're mutated as all hell....


I agree

space marines we're never mutants in the first place.
they were just engineered to ecome the perfect killing machines.


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## Unforgiven302 (Oct 20, 2008)

maddermax said:


> Ah, no thats not a _mutant_, that is a genetically and surgically enhanced human - they're gene's have not mutated at all.


Blood Angels and Space Wolves and there successors... all have "mutated" from the original/planned construct of the geneseed. 

Fangs, scratching like a dog, flea's and bad hair for the wolves and desires and practices of cannibalism and vampiring for the "angels" is most defiantly mutations.

That's why I like my Chaos, no hiding our "dark" secrets. We came out of the closet a long time ago! :biggrin:


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## flankman (Jan 26, 2009)

Heretic!!!!


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## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

Unforgiven302 said:


> Blood Angels and Space Wolves and there successors... all have "mutated" from the original/planned construct of the geneseed.
> 
> Fangs, scratching like a dog, flea's and bad hair for the wolves and desires and practices of cannibalism and vampiring for the "angels" is most defiantly mutations.
> 
> That's why I like my Chaos, no hiding our "dark" secrets. We came out of the closet a long time ago! :biggrin:


But that's the geneseed mutating- not the Space Marines themselves.

Also:

Heretic!!


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

The label 'Mutant' when applied to the Astartes pretty much ties in with their religious beliefs (or lack thereof), people might mutter and condemn them for such things but on the flip side they're the Emperor's Angels and have some of his 'divinity' flowing through their veins.

Most Imperial Citizens (or at least the ones that know that the Astartes exist and aren't a myth) don't realise the Space Marines started out as lowly humans, they're simply semi-divine beings to your average drudge.


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## selig (Feb 16, 2009)

Ya true but their faces are freaking ugly. I doubt they get any women friends rofl.

S


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## chromedog (Oct 31, 2007)

They don't have TIME for women friends. Then again, since a couple of english blokes came up with the SM idea for this game, perhaps that's for the best.
In the couple of hours of personal time per day that they have, they barely have time to do their cermonial ablutions, let alone engage in rumpty.


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## selig (Feb 16, 2009)

*lol*

I feel for them lol.


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## Unforgiven302 (Oct 20, 2008)

thomas2 said:


> But that's the geneseed mutating- not the Space Marines themselves.
> 
> Also:
> 
> Heretic!!


The truth hurts... 

Loyalist nutjobs are a bunch of hyprocritical tossers! "Burn the Heretic," "Purge the Unclean," "Purity in Mind and Body" and the list goes on. Hell, pyschic power is a mutation and they embrace those loony's too!

Last I checked, mutation, _*not evoloution*_, is caused by a source, be it radiation or the implantation of non-original organs... The body is mutating beyond what it was originally designed to do by the tweaking of the DNA. Those thingy's they screw, glue and tattoo into and onto a marine is changing him at a cellular level by changing the DNA, mutants, the whole lot of them.


Not mutants... yeah right, and I'm Mickey Mouse! :biggrin:

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!!


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Evolution is the gradually accumulation of Mutations.

Mutation could be from a faulty gene, or the body changing to interact with a new implanted gene - typically the implantation of Organs. The Nerve Impulses and stimuli in the body mutate to interact with the stimuli and Endings on the implanted organ.


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## Wachaza (Mar 20, 2008)

Unforgiven302 said:


> Not mutants... yeah right, and I'm Mickey Mouse! :biggrin:


Hi Mickey.

Mutants have altered DNA and are born with it. The marines are altered and changed by the implantation of geneseed. Someone with a transplanted kidney or a pig heart isn't a mutant. Neither are the marines.

If the marines ahd sex their offspring would be normal humans. The changes from the geneseed wouldn't be passed across as they don't affect the marines genetics. If the geneseed were passed on via conception you can bet that the Emperor's Children wouldn't need Fabious Bile to amintain their numbers.


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## * Luke T * (Feb 13, 2009)

It turns out that space Marines are ... not Mutants!

This is from the the Oxford Dictionary, you don't get any more English then this!
It may be stated different in American Dictionarys but Oxford is the original!

Mutant: a form or being resulting from mutation.

Mutation: change, alteration or genetic change which when transmitted to offspring gives rise to heritable variation.

So it turns out that Space Marines are basically enhanced humans and not mutants. As they are born as normal natural humans and are not born with any special abilitys or extra organs... etc

I'd still rather take a career as a Guardsmen then a Space Marine. Guardsmen may not be as combat effective as Space Marines but at least they can get laid! ... Can Marines even take thier armour off? but yeah ... Space Marines are not Mutants.


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## Unforgiven302 (Oct 20, 2008)

Explain psychic powers then in the human race in 40k. 

It is known that in the 40k universe that some humans have psychic powers. Some of these are marines. Mutation, not implanted... so, I am *not* mickey mouse... :so_happy:


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## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

* Luke T * said:


> I'd still rather take a career as a Guardsmen then a Space Marine. Guardsmen may not be as combat effective as Space Marines but at least they can get laid! ...


The average Guardsmen probably doesn't get laid too often anyway. If they aren't training, they're fighting and if they're not fighting, they're dying, that doesn't leave much time for a social life of any kind.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

What blasphemy is this? 

The Astartes are most certainly not mutants. They are born mortal men, and through the gift of the implantation of organs vat-grown using the genetic code of their Primarch, who was of the Emperor's own flesh, become something far greater. 

It is not the stable mutations of the Navigator or the Ogryn that the Imperium shuns-- it is those which are wildly uncontrollable and unique, and aren't a function of evolutionary process as much as they are exposure to the Immaterium that the Imperium tries to seek out and destroy. So even by the logic that implantation of artificially grown organs is mutation, it's a stable one sanctioned by (and more importantly, created by) the Emperor, so it's most certainly acceptable.


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## Arcane (Feb 17, 2009)

Unforgiven302 said:


> Explain psychic powers then in the human race in 40k.
> 
> It is known that in the 40k universe that some humans have psychic powers. Some of these are marines. Mutation, not implanted... so, I am *not* mickey mouse... :so_happy:


Though Mankind is at the brink of this great apotheosis, you must be ever vigilant for the stillborn harbingers of this change. Where you seek the pure and strong, there too will you find the impure and weak. Where you find but one worthy of life, you will also find a million twisted, deformed monstrosities for whom death by your hand is a mercy. Therefore, look first for the mutant, for he may never hide his sin from you, and in his midst there will be revealed to you that which you seek. _But be ever vigilant, for even should you find one with the gift, only one in a thousand psykers will be strong enough to resist the perils of the Empyrean and be allowed to live. _


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## marcch (Apr 1, 2008)

They are not mutants... they're plastic toy soldiers.


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## * Luke T * (Feb 13, 2009)

marcch said:


> They are not mutants... they're plastic toy soldiers.


Thier plastic toy soldiers ... really?
And all this time I thought they were real.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the truth.
I can't thank you enough for adding such a constructive comment.

We're taking about the background of the Space Marines you kill joy!

OH MY GOD! Does this mean that we're not living in the year 40,000! ! !


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## Hopwood6360 (Feb 16, 2009)

can space marines remove ther power armor and hang out? take r&r


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## revenant13 (Feb 15, 2008)

they can take off their armour. they typically dont wear it when they are practice fighting with each other and stuff.


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## marcch (Apr 1, 2008)

* Luke T * said:


> Thier plastic toy soldiers ... really?
> And all this time I thought they were real.
> Thank you for opening my eyes to the truth.
> I can't thank you enough for adding such a constructive comment.
> ...


I guess not...but that would depend on your point of reference.


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## Apoctis (Feb 14, 2008)

Well everything in the Warhammer universe is a mutan, biochemicaly enhanced soilder, alien, heritic,or robot. Only the imperial gaurd stand as the true soilders of humanity. It's why I play them.


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## Fugital357 (Jan 19, 2009)

Apoctis said:


> Well everything in the Warhammer universe is a mutan, biochemicaly enhanced soilder, alien, heritic,or robot. Only the imperial gaurd stand as the true soilders of humanity. It's why I play them.


Except for Catachans. I do believe they are abhumans.


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## marcch (Apr 1, 2008)

Okay, in the spirit of this thread I will say that Space Marines are mutants. Everyone is in the 40K universe, even the Tau with their quick evolution while being shrouded by warpstorms and such.


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## Necrosis (Nov 1, 2008)

Apoctis said:


> Well everything in the Warhammer universe is a mutan, biochemicaly enhanced soilder, alien, heritic,or robot. Only the imperial gaurd stand as the true soilders of humanity. It's why I play them.


What about the sisters of battle?


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## * Luke T * (Feb 13, 2009)

Space Marines are NOT Mutants ... see the update on page 1 of the thread.

Sisters Of Battle are also not Mutants as they are born as normal as a Guardsmen.


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## b.anthracis (Nov 18, 2008)

Ok,
a mutation is a change in a gene which was passed from one generation of cells to the next. And a mutant is a biological beeing, which has a least one change in his genes, leading to a change in funtion. In this sence, every human beeing is a mutand, since 6 to 7 genes are different of the genes of the parents. But the effects in functionality are small. But it is not necessary, that the changes in genes are there from birth. If the genes in some cells in a body are changed by radition, than this a mutation as well. So if I take a handfull of bacteria and put them in x-rays, their DNA will undergo changes and are therefore be called mutans. 

That means, if some of the implants change the DNA of the SM, than they are mutans. 

b.anthracis


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## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

b.anthracis said:


> That means, if some of the implants change the DNA of the SM, than they are mutans.
> 
> b.anthracis


So because none of the implants change DNA they aren't mutants.


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## JerryDaMouse (Feb 28, 2009)

I don't really see how this matters, I mean I'd like to see the Imperium last two days without the Space Marines defending it. Not to mention they were supposedly "made in the Emperor's likeness" so i guess that partially means that the Emperor had all those extra organs.:biggrin:


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## Oodles (Feb 24, 2009)

Ok, Not mutants. They have implants and their body adapts to these implants. Just as a persons body does with a kidney transplant or any transplant. Mutant refers to the actual genetic structure being altered and inturn, altering the being. The changes and "gifts" that the marines are given are transplants and metals and so on, like a metal plate in your brain or a screw in your leg(yes i know that it is on a smaller scale). Take a prosthetic heart valve, it doesnt cause any genetic alteration but acts as a better performing part of the body that wasnt there at the start.
These are enhancements, not mutations. Mutations are not caused by transplants.


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## bon_jovi (Nov 16, 2008)

selig said:


> Ya true but their faces are freaking ugly. I doubt they get any women friends rofl.
> 
> S


Unless the rest of them gets enhanced too.........


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