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A comment on one of my answers mentioned that:

Even if they lost their powers they still possess the mutant X-gene. I would say they are still technically mutants

This refers to (at least in part) the two mutants (Magneto and Polaris) in that list that had their powers removed by:

Wanda Maximoff during the House of M shenanigans

But I was thinking, what about all the mutants who lost their powers. Were their powers simply stripped, leaving the X-Gene, or was the X-gene reverted to a less advanced state?

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AncientSwordRage
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1 Answers1

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According to the Wikipedia article on the Decimation event, they lost their X-gene.

In X-Men Legacy" #259, Polaris tests positive of the X-gene, meaning that Apocalypse recreated both her mutant abilities and X-genes with his nano technology.

Feral (Deceased) and Thornn were not actually repowered, they merely had their physical mutations restored, but not their X-gene, as shown in Wolverine #55.

As a side effect, no new mutants are born. This leads into the "Endangered Species" storyline, and later, the "Messiah Complex", that deals with the birth of Hope Summers, the only new mutant born since the Decimation, Messiah War and the "Second Coming" storyline, in which Cerebra detects the activation of the X-Gene in five as-yet unknown individuals, leading into the upcoming "The Five Lights" storyline in Uncanny X-Men.

It has been revealed in the "Endgangered Species" storyline that latent mutants, such as Charlotte Jones, have also lost their X-gene after M-Day.

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Bill the Lizard
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  • So in general all mutants who lost powers on M-Day did so due to losing their x-gene. Those who regained them may or may not have them back. Right? – AncientSwordRage Apr 12 '12 at 21:37
  • @Pureferret Yes, that's correct. Wanda magically removed the X-gene from all mutants affected on M-day, but some have since regained their powers through a variety of methods. – Bill the Lizard Apr 12 '12 at 22:42