Theory:Genetic modification formula

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The following fan theories are about Genetic modification formula.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
The formula will split the world in two.	Twice in The Butterfly Effect, we have seen an image of the world splitting in half: Once on a rock in Africa (Parkman) and once on a wall near the docks (Suresh).	+ Kaito's message suggests that the formula holds the potential to destroy the world. + Hiro sees future Tokyo destroyed by some physical disaster. + Symbolism: Season 3 deals with the two sides of each character (heroic and villainous). Having the earth crack in half would be a fitting obstacle for them to overcome. + Or it could be symbolic of the rift between heroes and vilains, and not just the two sides of one person. - In the past, precognitive paintings have always been literal depictions of future events. NOT merely symbols. Something is going to happen involving the actual physical cracking apart of the planet--perhaps a super-super-ability, like a scaled-up version of Ted's nuclear explosion? + It doesn't seem like this particular painting can be realized as literally as it is painted. - The formula has been destroyed. - In the future, we see that Hiro possesses only one half of the formula, suggesting that the two may have not been put together. + Ando has an ability in that future, suggesting the formula was put together. - In I Am Become Death, Angela informs Hiro and Ando that the formula will grant people abilities. • The world splitting in half could be metaphorical for being divided between two factions, either the natural-abilities and the artificial-abilities, or the powered-ones and the non-powered fundamentalists. The formula certainly seems to have split the opinions of many. + When asked about the earth's destruction, the writers said "Two words: Earthquake guy. But in all seriousness – the two words are… Red Lightning." Ando gained his "red lightning" ability from the formula. • In I Am Become Death Gabriel Paints the future. His version of the Earth splitting is different to the others. In Gabriel's version, the world is splitting into many pieces.
In the exposed future, the Company's version of the genetic modification formula was successfully kept out of evil hands. However, Mohinder somehow managed to perfect his formula, but was not able to reverse the changes upon himself, and his version of the formula was what caused the rapid growth of the evolved human population.	None	+ Future Peter says to Peter: "Someone from your time is working on a formula." (I Am Become Death) The Company has already perfected the formula; the only person working on it is Mohinder. This implies that his version of the formula was the one that caused the exposed future. - Mohinder is currently working, for Arthur to perfect the Company's formula. • Mohinder could be working with Pinehearst as a result of Peter's meddling with time. - According to Future Peter, the Company's formula gets out and destroys everything. - Daphne had already stolen both halves of the formula for Pinehearst when Peter returned from the exposed future in I Am Become Death.
Mohinder's formula works just fine, its just that his power (When the formula interacts with "his individual biochemistry") has the 'drawback' of making him a monster, similar to the drawbacks we have seen for other powers (Sylar, Claire, Elle).	None	+ As mentioned, there are a variety of characters in the show that have powers that come with drawbacks. Mohinder's power could simply have side effect such as a "hunger" (analogous to Sylar) and unfortunate physical changes. - As far was we know, the incomplete formula has only been used twice. These are the two known cases of animal-like mutations. - The complete formula seems to have cured Mohinder. + Maybe the complete formula just replaced the monster ability for a normal one.
The formula used on Scott is more developed than the one used on Nathan, Niki, Tracy and Barbara.	The effects of the formula in these characters.	+ It took years for Nathan, Niki and Tracy to develop their abilities, Scott developed his moments after being injected with the formula. - Nathan, Niki and Tracy were children when not babies when the formula was used on them. Maybe they always had their abilities but it took them years to realise. Scott immediatelly realised that something happened to him. + Mohinder stated that abilities are linked to adrenaline, it's impossible that the three of them were never in a stressful situation before they manifested their abilities. + Mohinder added his own research to the formula; it may have accelerated the development of abilities.
The formula introduces a random, chaotic factor into the development of abilities. Natural evolved humans have a higher probability of developing similar powers as their parents, but those given powers by the formula and their descendants tend to develop more different powers.	None	+ Peter and Arthur had similar powers. Matt and Maury have the same power, as do Sylar and Samson Gray, Meredith and Flint, Santiago and Edward, Emma and Chris, and Jennie Bowman and her parents. Maya and Alejandro, Ted and his mother also had related powers. + Nathan's power is different from those of his parents. + Claire, the daughter of a synthetic, has a completely different power than either of her parents. + Micah, the son of a synthetic, has a completely different power than either of his parents. + Niki and Tracy, both synthetics, have different powers despite being identical triplets and thus sharing the same DNA. + After taking the formula, Peter got a different power than his old one. + Tommy Clark, the grandson of a synthetic, has a similar power as Arthur, while his sister has a random power. This may suggest that the random factor is reduced with each generation, lowering the probability of developing a random power and raising the probability of developing a similar power as a natural evolved ancestor. - Elle had electric manipulation, and Bob had alchemy. + Which could be somewhat similar in that one manipulates electrons while the other manipulates protons. • It is unknown what power Elle's mother had, if she had one. - Lack of any evidence implies Elle's mother had no powers. • Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. • Elle might actually be a synthetic, given Bob's involvement with the Company. - Every character who was granted an ability prior to Mohinder's contributions to the formula in Volume 3 only manifested in adulthood, Elle manifested as a child. - Ishi had healing, and Hiro had space-time manipulation. • Kaito's power is still technically unknown. That probability prediction power he had in the deleted scene might be related to space-time manipulation, as it involves looking through time. • He said he had never done that before (Cautionary Tales). • Hiro might actually be a synthetic, given Kaito's involvement with the Company and the development of the formula. - Unlike Bob, who allowed the Company to experiment on her daugther, Kaito, harsh as he might have been, would never experiment on Hiro. - Matt Parkman's son can activate and deactivate things. • Which, like telepathy, involves manipulation of complex systems. - Angela has precognitive dreaming, Alice has weather control, and their father could emit shockwaves. • It is unknown what power their mother had, if she had one. - BTE said Mrs. Shaw had no powers. - Molly has clairvoyance, and her father had freezing. • It is unknown what power her mother had, if she had one. - Lack of any evidence implies Molly's mother had no powers. • Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. - James Walker's mother could see spirits. • It said "higher probability", not "absolute guarantee". - Paulette Hawkins had ability supercharging, and D.L. had phasing. • It is unknown what power D.L.'s father had, if he had one. - Shanti had a power, while her other relatives didn't. • She was only implied to have a power. - Leona Mills can transfer age, and her daughter teleports. • It is unknown what power Rachel's father had, if he had one.
All humans have the potential to be evolved humans, the Genetic Modification Formula activates the dormant gene that activates abilities in people without them, it doesn't give new abilities to people.	None	+ All humans had to come from one source, so technically, all humans are related, the single source that all humans came from could have passed on the evolved human genes to all humans. - If that were true, all humans would have abilities. + Traits can become dormant through centuries of evolution (for instance, humans have tailbones, which are left over from monkeys, a bird's wingbones resemble hands) and can become reactivated through genetic abnormalities or scientific experimentation (for instance, hypertrychosis, which is abnormal amounts of hair growth, is a result of atavistic genes from apes or cavemen), evolved human abilities could come from a gene that all humans possess, but is dormant in some people and active in others. + People without abilities can be born from a family of evolved humans (Nathan Petrelli had no natural abilities even though everyone in his family for three generations had abilities), and people with abilities can be born into families that have never had evolved humans. + It's called the genetic modification formula, not the human evolution formula. It alters existing genes, it doesn't give new genes.
Synthetic powers are weaker than natural powers.	None	+ Both Peter and Draph have ability replication, but Draph's version is natural and can retain multiple powers while Peter's version is synthetic and can only retain one power at a time.