View source for Theory:Enhanced strength and senses

{{theoryheader|sort=Mohinder's ability}}
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| Mohinder has adapted senses from spider. || None ||{{plus}} He can walk on walls.<br />
{{plus}} He can jump from great heights.<br />
{{plus}} When his skin changed, there were weblike secretions around it.<br />
{{note}} It sounds really unprofessional to steal ideas from Spider-Man <br />
:{{plus}} They have already stolen Claire's ability from Wolverine and Claire, Niki, and Matt's ability appear to be in part stolen from Bruce Willis' character in Unbreakable.<br />
::{{note}} There are many comic book characters that have those abilities. They are very general. The abilities of Spider-Man are quite unique.<br />
::{{note}} It's not "stealing". Regeneration was done before X-Men, and telepathy has been studied outside of fiction, and done before inside of it.<br />
{{plus}} He can create webs, or something quite similar.<br />
{{minus}} Mohinder's scales don't resemble the body of a spider.<br />
:{{plus}} The theory is that Mohinder has adapted the ''senses'' of a spider, which does not include physical attributes like scales.<br />
{{plus}} That's why they added "scales" on his back so they don't say they took his ability from Spiderman.<br />
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| Mohinder's formula didn't make him evolve, but the opposite. Something like an "involution" is going on on him. He has lost his much of his humanity and it's becoming something like a reptile or an insect. That's why he says "I got the formula so wrong". || None || {{minus}} Mohinder says cockroaches are the pinnacles of evolution. If he is indeed turning into a cockroach, which seems to be the most likely theory, he is actually evolving, not devolving.<br />
{{minus}} That's not how evolution works. If he was devolving, he couldn't turn into an insect; he would still be a mammal.<br />
:{{note}} Since this is about powers and DNA manipulation here, standard evolution theories don't apply.<br/>
{{plus}} With evolution, all that matters is survival. Emotions, kindness, empathy - none are technically necessary for one species to be 'more evolved' than another. In fact, from a cold-blooded, objective viewpoint, a being without the power to regret its actions or connect with others is more likely to survive than a kind, moral being. The latter is likely to be killed helping others, while the former will survive and thrive, no matter how many others must suffer and die.<br />
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| Mohinder's hormones and pheromones have been heightened, giving him enhanced strength. Just like having steroids. || None || {{plus}} He might possess pheromone-type attraction, demonstrated when Maya came near to him and she quickly became attracted.<br />
{{plus}} His strength increased.<br />
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| Mohinder has gained the powers of a lizard. || None || {{plus}} He has a [[Mohinder the lizard|pet lizard]].<br />
:{{minus}} Claire has a pet dog, Matt has a turtle, possession of pets do not appear to affect abilities.<br />
{{plus}} He can crawl on walls much like a lizard.<br />
{{plus}} His skin is changing and peeling similarly to the skin of reptiles.<br />
{{minus}} Lizards do not spin cocoons.<br />
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| Mohinder is gaining a reptilian physiology or a form similar to some animal. || Above-average stats, improved everything, ability to climb up walls, scaly-looking protrusions from his back, improved sex drive (possibly pheromonal shift). || {{plus}} No ability or transformation is impossible.<br />
{{minus}} Could be ugly when the transformation is over.<br />
{{plus}} He could turn into an anthro-lizard (and match his pet Mohinder).<br />
{{plus}} Perhaps the pet Mohinder is really future Mohinder sent back to protect the flash drive that Eden found in his cage.<br />
{{plus}} It could be a reference to the remake of The Fly.<br />
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| Mohinder is gaining cockroach powers. || None || {{plus}} The writer and producer specifically said that Mohinder's transformation was inspired by "The Fly".<br />
{{plus}} He spoke about the cockroach being the most evolved species and there is a big theme around them in the show.<br />
{{plus}} He is called "bug-like" by producers of the show.<br />
{{plus}} He has scales all over his back.<br />
{{plus}} He moves very quickly, and secretes some sort of slime.<br />
{{plus}} He is bothered by bright light.<br />
{{minus}} Cockroaches cannot create webs or web-like substances.<br />
:{{plus}} Probably not webs, but when cockroaches lay eggs, they leave a "web-like" stuff around.<br />
:{{plus}} It's obviously not web, as it seems like just a thick, sticky substance. It only looks like web when he is pulling his hand from the table, like cheese whenever you pick up a slice of pizza.<br />
{{plus}} The show has used cockroaches heavily in Mis en Scene, even one in Mohinder's lab in the scene where he is approached by Peter in the future.<br />
{{plus}} When Peter visits Mohinder's lab in the future, Mohinder makes a "skittering" noise when he moves, almost identical to the one a cockroach makes.<br />
{{plus}} He has a sudden urge for sugar, in the form of chocolate milk.<br />
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| Mohinder is developing insect abilities. || None || {{plus}} He can walk on walls.<br />
{{plus}} He can jump from great heights.<br />
{{plus}} When his skin changed, there were weblike secretions around it.<br />
{{plus}} He can create webs, or something quite similar.<br />
{{plus}} Mohinder posses enhanced strength like ants.<br />
{{plus}} He can create cocoons and keep the victims fresh and alive, like spiders.<br />
:{{minus}} Spiders are not insects.<br />
:{{note}} Then he may have been developing arachnoid traits.<br />
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| The negative side effects of Mohinder's ability are due to his lack of a "special" lineage. || None || {{plus}} Angela states that she thought Nathan could handle the formula because of his lineage. This suggests that only those descended from evolved humans would be able to able to handle the formula without any adverse side effects.<br />
{{minus}} In the [[Exposed future]], no side effects on people who got synthetic abilities were mentioned, Mohinder also implied he got side effects because he got the formula wrong.<br />
:{{plus}} We don't know anything about the synthetic evolved humans. We don't know that there were no side effects.<br />
::{{minus}} We know Mohinder's side effects took hold after a couple days. The people in the exposed future seem pretty at-ease with their powers, which were derived from Mohinder's formula, no less.<br />
:::{{plus}} At face value, Mohinder would appear to be exactly the same as those synthetic evolved humans. His private battles were exactly as their name suggests: private. He is still able to function properly, and most likely would be able to until his transformation is complete, as we saw in ''[[I Am Become Death]]''.<br />
:::{{plus}} Who knows, maybe all of the synthetic evolved humans we saw did indeed have a "special" lineage.<br />
:::{{plus}} It is possible that the current formula is safe only for people with special lineage while a future, improved formula is safe for everyone.<br />
:::{{plus}} It is possible that Mohinder improved his formula after he injected himself, but was unable to reverse the effects on himself.<br />
:::{{plus}} He could have gotten the formula wrong in that he didn't take into account his lack of a special lineage.<br />
{{plus}} Peter has been exposed to Mohinder's ability and has not experienced any side effects as of yet. Since Peter is descended from evolved humans, he could have the "perfect" version of Mohinder's ability, minus the side effects.<br>
{{minus}} Mohinder's sister, [[Shanti]], may have had an ability, implying the presence of a "special" lineage in their family.<br />
:{{plus}} Shanti was never confirmed to have an ability.<br />
{{note}} Mohinder lacks (lacked?) the genetic marker which other evolved humans have (the one Chandra was able to identify them by).<br />
:{{note}} Other synthetic humans (Nathan, for example) had the marker.<br />
::{{note}} This could be inherited from their parents and give them the capacity for a power, but not necessarily the power itself.<br />
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| The serum Mohinder injected himself with is causing him to devolve into a state of instinct. || None || {{plus}} He seems to regret when [[Maya]] called him a monster, maybe acting on his instinct to protect himself.<br />
{{minus}} This would not explain the webbing of his victims, or his molting flesh.<br />
:{{note}} It doesn't really have to...<br />
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| Mohinder's original flawed formula granted a raw combination of alternate species' primary abilities (spider web/cocoon spinning, enhanced strength, and enhanced pheromone secretion), with side-effects of scaled skin, slime secretion, and increased rage. The catalyzed formula nullified the negative, dehumanizing effects (scales, slime, rage, etc). || When immersed in catalyzed formula, the scales disappeared and he appears to be more philanthropic. || {{note}} The scales vanished, his faculties appeared to be more clearly-focused, and his apparent need for bodily harm/capturing of other humans and/or mutants seems to have disappeared.<br />
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| Mohinder's formula wasn't imperfect; it was, in fact, too perfect. It caused him to mutate more then normal evolved human would, instead of acquiring a special ability, he actually started to become part of another superior species. || None || {{plus}} Mohinder has mentioned how he believes that cockroaches are the pinnacle of evolution. When he injected himself with the "imperfect" formula, he gained several abilities as well as a drastically altered appearance. All of the traits he inherited are comparable to cockroaches. Also, no other evolved human has made such radical changes.<br />
{{plus}} Although we have since seen others injected with imperfect formula mutate, one major difference remains: with all others, the mutations set in almost instantly. After injecting himself, Mohinder only began to suffer the side-effects after a good deal of time had passed.<br />
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