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Mutant Day: For Better or Worse?


by draconis_minoris

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QUICK REF - Mutants. Even today, a few Neopian Times readers will shudder at the prank TNT (The Neopets Team) pulled.

What are Mutants? Mutants are Neopets that don't look quite right. Most say that Sloth is behind this, with the Transmogrification potions. Some Mutants have extra heads, or eyes, or simple discoloration. Most Mutants are hated in the world of Neopia, and even feared.

For those of you who missed the event on the 26th (25th news-wise), Ill do a quick recap.

Mutant Day was added to the calendar. A few Petpets were given mutant forms (Firs, Onas, Snowickles, and Weewoos shudder-), as did the Ruki. A few Mutant shopkeepers, fun images, and backgrounds were added to the site. A few fruits were mutated (but I don't know their names), a Mutant caption contest went live, and a Haunted Graveyard of Doom avatar was made available. Some spooky furniture was released. Pretty standard fare, huh? It seems that the same things are added on most others themed days. But that isn't true.

The Neoboards are abuzz! Shocked Neopians everywhere! Unfortunately, even disowned pets. What happened to make Neopia so upset? How could so much chaos be caused so easily? Well, it's not easy. Every pet was mutated.

OK, that's a lie. Pets that didn't have mutant forms were not mutated. Those pets are the Yurble, Nimmo, Kyrii, Tuskaninny, Chomby, Eyrie, Zafara, Flotsam, Kau, Bruce, Koi, Mynci, Peophin, Poogle, Pteri, Quiggle, Tonu, Uni, Acara, Wocky, and the Gelert.

Most people were horrified and confused. Why were their beloved pets Mutants? Some were disgusted and groaned every time they saw a picture of their pet. Of course, a few read the news and discovered that TNT was behind this. Also, in the Quick Ref, your pets color still said Blue or Faerie or Maraquan, or whatever.

Did anyone think about how terrible his or her reaction must seem? TNT pulled this prank as a way to broaden everyone's look on Mutants. Did it make you think higher of Mutants? Did you still think they were disgusting after seeing your own looking like that? Or did you just wait for the next day when your pet went back to normal?

I interviewed several people on their thoughts about Mutant Day. All names used with permission. My comments show up last (draconis_minoris being me).

1. How did you react when you first saw your pet(s)?

tdyans: Well, I was already aware of the joke from seeing other peoples reactions, so I wasn't surprised.

xxpunk_luverxx: I was concerned, because I thought maybe someone got in my account.

kath90102: I was like OMG! What happened to my pet? It's so cool! Is it a glitch? Will she stay that way? I had no idea that it was Mutant Day lol.

topcat1990: I was shocked when I first saw my pets, as I hadn't gone to the news page and didn't realize it was Mutant Day.

whimsycallie: I thought, Oh my goodness! What on Neopia is happening now? I began to worry about how much a morphing potion was going to cost me. I ran to the news to see what was happening.

zerozeroni_hector: I screamed then freaked out. Then screamed again.

draconis_minoris: I was a bit startled at their appearances. But my only painted pet (a Halloween Nimmo) was un-mutated, and I kind of like the Mutant Kougras and Aishas.* I wasn't too put off by what TNT did.

2. Did you like your Neopet(s) new look(s)? Would you have kept them that way if you had a choice?

tdyans: While I love mutants, I think my Neopets are perfect as they are, so it was fun to have them that way for a day, but I wouldn't keep them that way (except for Rooruon, who's always a mutant, of course).

xxpunk_luverxx: I liked my Lupes look. She looked spiffy, but my poor baby Blumaroo; he looked like a deflated balloon.

kath90102: Yeah! Definitely because, well, it was better than just plain red. I really like it. Of course I would have kept her like that if I could! She looked so ... special although it was mutant.

topcat1990: I didn't mind my pets new looks, and after asking on the help board, I realized they would be going back to normal. However I saw a LOT of pets in the pound on Mutant Day, it's a shame really as quite a few lost their pets because of it.

whimsycallie: When my Kiko was young she was transformed in the invasion of Dr. Sloth. She hated it! It took us weeks to save for a morphing potion. She definitely does not want to be a mutant Kiko. Brittabubbles is happy being a fairy Kiko. On the other hand my Cybunny loved being a mutant for a day. I don't think he would want to stay that way, but he took advantage of the day to relax his regular dignity. He romped around like a regular little mutant.

zerozeroni_hector: No, I have a mutant pet already and the only reason I didn't morph one of the others to a mutant form when I had my transmogrification potion was because I hated the mutant looks for those species. I wouldn't have kept them that way because I'm already planning to paint them different colors as it is.

draconis_minoris: I actually think the Mutant Kougras aren't bad. I like the Mutant Aisha, but given a choice, I would have changed her back.

3. Are you worried about this happening next year?

tdyans: No, I thought it was a funny joke and Id love to see it become a yearly tradition.

xxpunk_luverxx: Not really, I'm just worried about the n00bs next year. I mean, the n00bs this year didn't react very good.

kath90102: No. I'm definitely looking forward to it. ^^ It's fun to see your pets in different colors.

topcat1990: I am not worried about this next year, but I will remember to mark the date on my calendar so I'm not as shocked!

whimsycallie: Not at all. As long as it is just for a day. Although, my Kiko has vowed to hide inside all day. My Cybunny wants us to plan to go to the beach for that day. He thinks the tail would be great for swimming. Maybe we will compromise and check into Royal Neopian. Then they can each have their way.

zerozeroni_hector: I'm a little worried. I know it wont be exactly pleasant but if it does happen again next year I wont spaz out again.

draconis_minoris: Nope. I actually think interesting to see my pets in Mutant form. I also like to think of the release of more Mutants, whose forms are not the regular template with colors put on.

4. Random Mutant Question: What's your favorite Mutant Neopet? Petpet?

tdyans: I like so many mutant pets, but since I own one, I have to go with it's the mutant Cybunny-- they won me over the moment I saw them. Mutant Petpets are another tough choice, but I think I'd go with the mutant Gruslen.

xxpunk_luverxx: The mutant Usul is always my favorite. And for Petpets, I think the Babaa's cute.

kath90102: I don't know I don't have one.

topcat1990: My favorite mutant pet is the Chia, but I know hardly any Petpets, and am not that interested in them, so I have no favourite mutant Petpet.

whimsycallie: My favorite would be the Chia. It is such a different personality then the regular Chia. Petpet? Oh my, so many sharp teeth, but I think the new mutant Bearog is hilarious!

zerozeroni_hector: I like the mutant forms of 4 pets. I cant really choose between the four which is my favorite, I like the mutant Cybunny, Draik, Scorchio, and Moehog. My favorite mutant Petpet is the mutant Gruslen.

draconis_minoris: I like the Mutant Cybunny, Draik, and Ruki. As far as Petpets go, I like the Mutant Ona (aw, how evil) and the Mutant Bearog (XD).

5. What are your thoughts on Mutants in general?

tdyans: I love mutants! They tend to have so much character to their appearances that regular pets often don't (not that I don't like regular pets as well).

xxpunk_luverxx: I think of mutants, as I think of painted pets,They're lucky their owners can afford it.

kath90102: Well, they aren't that cute, I admit, but at least they are different. You know. I would like to have something other than regular red, blue, green, yellow

topcat1990: Mutants in General: Well I think that some pets look totally gross and weird as mutants, however some don't look like mutants at all. I think it's a shame when people abandon their pets because they are mutant though, as pets are not about looks, although a lot of people seem to think they are.

whimsycallie: I think they are a fascinating (kind of like a bug under a microscope type of fascinating) addition to Neopia. Plus the mutant Grundos are kind of useful for furniture moving and such.

zerozeroni_hector: I like mutants but some of the Neopets and Petpets look miserable in that form so I wouldn't paint them that way.

draconis_minoris: I think they're under-appreciated for the wrong reasons. I think they also offer Neopets that aren't cute or colors on templates. Of course, some still manage to look cute anyway (Mutant Cybunny).

6. Any more thoughts on Mutant Day?

tdyans: Well, I've thought for a long time that mutants should have their own day, in addition to the regular species days, since mutant pets are so different from any other members of their species. So, I'm glad they finally got their day, though now that we'll actually be expecting it next year, I hope we'll have a lot more things ready to celebrate it with.

xxpunk_luverxx: Lovely holiday, I really liked the avatars.

kath90102: Mutant Day was cool and I hope we have more days like it. Maybe something like Maraquan Day and all your pets turn Maraquan? That would be so awesome! I wish that if we wanted our pets to stay mutant, they could have. That would have been so cool. ^^

topcat1990: My thoughts on Mutant Day: Well I think it is a great day in general. I just have to remember it so I am not freaked out, a lot of people don't like mutant pets, but I have no favourite pets, or pets I hate most, as I like them all equally.

whimsycallie: Now that we are over the shock of the surprise, it should be a fun addition to the Neopian year.

draconis_minoris: Mutant Day should be celebrated not despised! XD *is happy that you read this far*

There you have a few opinions on the out-of-the-ordinary phenomenon that is Mutant Day. From my brief wander onto the chat boards I had thought the general public disliked Mutants. After interviewing these Neopians, I see that it's not always the case. Now how bout we get TNT to have a Faerie Day or Robot Day? ^_^

*My Aisha isn't an Aisha anymore.

Author's Note: If this is published, it'll be my first article. Many thanks to those who offered themselves up to be sacrif-err, interviewed: tdyans, zerozeroni_hector, xxpunk_luverxx, kath90102, topcat1990, and whimsycallie. :) Also, thanks to the NTAG, Ayumi, and Kyoko.

 
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