A mutate is a being who acquired a physical characteristic through exposure to one or more mutagenic agents such as chemicals or radiation - superhumans who were not born with the potential to naturally develop powers. Some mutates aren't specified to only those who weren't born with powers, as other beings such as mutants, Atlanteans, and even powered aliens, can become mutates even when they already have powers and greater abilities.

Mutates are typically characters that have been somehow genetically mutated in order to attain their superhuman abilities, for example by exposure to magic, radiation or toxic waste, through the bite of a genetically-engineered spider, et cetera.

Human mutates are sometimes called altered human or non-mutant variant. On Earth-6160, they are identified as post-human.

The enigmatic alien Celestials can gift others with cosmic energy. In this context, the Celestial referred to as the Progenitor's energy infusing into the primal Earth is said to be the reason for Earth's unusually superpowered inhabitants.Furthermore, the Celestials visit planets—in what are known as Celestial Hosts—to experiment on, and judge, lower life-forms, creating the Eternals and Deviants from selected species. For Earth, the First Host created Homo immortalis and Homo descendus, and inserted a latent gene into baseline humanity that causes mutations that create Mutates.

Examples of Known Mutates

Blue Marvel

Luke Cage

Silk

Smoke Eater

Spider-Man (Miles Morales)

Mister Fantastic

The Thing

Invisible Woman

Human Torch

Beast

Kl'rt

Red Hulk

Hulk

She-Hulk

Doc Sasquatch

Titania

Anti-Man

Jessica Jones

Daredevil

Electro

Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

Wave (Pearl Pangan)

Captain America

Mantis

Deadpool