What did Deathclaws mutate from?

Deathclaws appear to have mutated from Jackson‘s chameleons. As an avid Fallout player and fan, I am fascinated by the lore behind one of the franchise‘s most fearsome and iconic creatures. In this article, I provide an in-depth explainer on the genetic origins of deathclaws and their transition into apex predators through government engineering and Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) exposure.

Background on Jackson‘s Chameleons

Jackson‘s chameleons are a distinctive species of chameleon native to East Africa. Before the Great War, they were popular household pets due to their small size, unique appearance and long lifespan.

Some key traits of Jackson‘s chameleons include:

• Size: Up to 7 inches long
• Lifespan: 5-10 years in captivity
• Color changing skin for camouflage
• Grasping hands and feet to grip branches
• Large eyes with special stereoscopic vision
• Long tongue to capture prey
• Spiny protrusions and horned scales

As we‘ll explore, some of these traits – the scales, grasping limbs, eyesight and tongue – were retained and expanded on in the mutated deathclaw.

Engineering Deathclaws for Military Use

According to captured pre-war records, deathclaws were originally engineered by the government to replace humans during close combat search and destroy ops in hostile conditions.

The key goal was to create cheap, expendable super-soldiers by taking the Jackson‘s chameleon template and enhancing traits like strength, speed and resilience through genetic tinkering. DNA from various other animal stock was mixed in to push the capabilities beyond any one single species.

While the full origin details have been lost, speculation is that genes from creatures like bulls, alligators, big cats may have been spliced with the core chameleon DNA. This allowed the rapid development of a terrifying reptilian predator tailor-made for military deployment into Red China during the Sino-American War.

Exposure to FEV and the Master‘s Mutations

After the nuclear apocalypse, initial batches of escaped test deathclaws began propagating across the wastelands. But it was exposure to the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) that took deathclaws to an even higher level.

The FEV, an experimental pre-war virus meant to create super soldiers, induced rapid widespread mutation in deathclaws – boosting their intelligence and ferocity.

The Master, leader of the Unity and creator of super mutants, subsequently refined FEV-mutated deathclaws using hormones and genetic manipulation. This further increased their size, resilience and problem-solving abilities.

Traits – Jackson‘s Chameleon vs Deathclaw

So how do current deathclaws compare to their Jackson‘s chameleon ancestors in terms of anatomy and abilities?

As we can see, deathclaws take the humble chameleon to terrifying new extremes in physical traits. And that‘s before we consider the intelligence boosts from FEV exposure!

Genetic Mutations and Enhancements

So what specific genetic quirks were induced by the gene-splicing, FEV and hormones to turn Jackson‘s chameleons into intelligent killing machines? Known mutations include:

• Enlarged chameleon eyes → Improved combat vision
• Bulging leg and neck muscles → Lightning bursts of speed
• Elongated forelimbs/spikes → Shredding claws for disemboweling
• Thick alligator-like armored hide → Resistance to small arms fire
• Redesigned jaws/teeth → Crushing bite force

These changes turned once benign lizards into some of the hardest genetically-engineered creatures to arise from a lab. And the future may hold even more deadly mutations as radiation continues to stimulate change.

In closing, Jackson‘s chameleons served as the unlikely genesis point for one of Fallout‘s most iconic creatures. While traces of that ancestry do persist under the layers of extreme mutation, deathclaws have transformed into an almost unrecognizable beast perfectly honed by military science and FEV to thrive in the post-apocalyptic wastelands. I for one can‘t wait to see what new Abominations emerge in future Fallout titles!