FAN THEORY THURSDAY – Megamind’s Anatomy
Yes, yes, I know… You’re probably getting tired of hearing me say it, but here it is anyway: SPOILER WARNING!
It’s not secret that Megamind is physically different from humans. Anyone who has ever seen the film—or merely seen an imagine of the title character—knows that obvious fact. There have, however, been a great many intriguing discussions within the fandom about exactly how different he is, and about possible biological reasons for those differences. Luckily for all of us, this has led to a plethora of interesting theories; so many, in fact, that I will only be able to touch upon a few of the most popular ones here. Even then, this post will likely be long enough that, benevolent soul that I am, I’ll have mercy upon my readers and adopt a slightly different format, including sub-headers for easier perusal. After all, despite its expansiveness, this promises to be a deeply fascinating subject.
A quick note before we dive into this post: I will not be discussing Megamind’s strength as I already wrote about that in another blog article, How Strong is Megamind, nor will I be going much into courtship instincts, and that was covered in Why Kidnap Roxanne. If I may say so, both posts are well worth reading, so please feel free to check them out. Now, without further ado, let’s get started.
Oh, yes, when I said we would “dive in,” I really meant it. A large portion of the Megamind fandom seems to have agreed that our favorite alien is just as comfortable in water as on land. In fact, one very popular theory suggests that he may even have gills, and that his awareness of how different this makes him may be part of the reason he keeps his body covered from the chin down. As odd as that concept may sound to some, it’s not nearly as far fetched as it may appear. There’s actually some evidence to support it.
Firstly, near the beginning of the film, as infant Megamind’s escape pod is leaving his doomed solar system, we see that his planet is blue. Some fans have suggested that this could indicate it is largely covered by water. Secondly, there is the fact that his mother and father chose a fish to be his caretaker. There is some discussion in the fandom about whether Minion hails from a sentient and intelligent species that had a symbiotic relationship with Megamind’s people, or whether he was genetically and biotechnologically modified for his job as surrogate parent. Either way, a fully-aquatic being would seem an illogical choice of babysitter if Megamind’s parents expected them to live largely on land, and we know that, given the spaceship they hurriedly constructed for their son and their offspring’s incredible intellect, they must have been highly intelligent. That makes it seem likely that Megamind’s parents must have expected him to spend significant time in water, which indicates that they must have been accustomed to living that way themselves. After all, we all tend to base our decisions on what we perceive as normal.
Some have also pointed to one of Minion’s lines near the beginning of the film, when he states that he has kept the Lair “cold and damp” for his boss. Of course, this was likely simply a joke drawing on evil stereotypes, but we are the Megamind fandom; we are creative and intelligent enough to turn any small detail into a half-credible theory. In this case, that specific theory involves Megamind’s semi-aquatic nature meaning his skin (or the supposed gills) can hurt or even crack if allowed to become too hot and dry for too long. Hence why he would need a cool, damp environment. Fans have even suggested that the undersuit we see him donning the Black Mamba uniform over may be designed, among other things, to hold moisture close to his skin. This could also explain why Megamind’s Lair is located on an inlet of Lake Michigan, as can be seen in the film. Perhaps he and Minion enjoy an occasional dip in the cold depths.
Finally, Megamind’s body also seems well adapted for water. Indeed, the blue man seems especially well-suited for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The bald heads of both males and females of his species mean there would be no hair to create drag underwater. The former villain’s lithe, slim frame and sleek musculature would likely help him move quickly and agilely beneath the waves. (It is, after all, called a swimmers’ build for a reason.) Some fans have suggested that, while Megamind’s brain is certainly much bigger than a human’s, his large skull may also contain an air sac, similar to that of dolphins and other Cetaceans, which is used, among other things, to control buoyancy. Then there is the blue skin tones of Megamind’s people to consider. It’s a color that naturally stands out on land—hardly an evolutionary advantage—but it might make sense if they spent a lot of time in water. Aquatic animals often tend to have blue, gray, and green colorations.
Megamind’s Skin Tone is More Realistic Than You Think
Megamind’s possible semi-aquatic nature may not be the only reason for the color of his skin. While, in popular culture, we usually think of extraterrestrials as “little green men,” the creators of the film chose to make Megamind blue instead. That’s certainly not something you see every day, but there may actually be good reason for it. In fact, it’s not as strange as many may believe. In fact, there are real people who actually have blue skin—a condition called cyanosis—and one fan theory states that Megamind’s complexion occurs for reasons similar to those of blue skin in humans.
Perhaps the most common (if I may call it that) cause of cyanosis is Methemoglobinemia, which results from hemoglobins in the blood transferring oxygen differently or less effectively. This can be caused by medical conditions, but it can also be the result of genetics, specifically the met-H gene, which itself is the result of an enzyme deficiency paired with lower iron levels in the blood.
The best known example of this among humans is the Fugate family of Troublesome Creek, Kentucky, better known as the Blue Fugates, who came to the medical world’s attention in the mid-twentieth century. Until treatments using an (ironically named) substance called methylene blue became available to the secluded clan, many of their children were born with varying shades of blue skin tones. Thanks in part to the aforementioned medical help, there are no longer any known descendants of the Blue Fugates with cyanosis.
Such cases of Congenital Methemoglobinemia often lack most of the far more negative side effects seen in Acquired Methemoglobinemia, such as dizziness and shortness of breath, so that, even before treatment was available, persons who inherited the met-H gene (and resulting methemoglobinemia) were usually able to lead full and active lives. (Many of the Blue Fugates were reported to be extremely healthy, with some living into their nineties.)
All of this means two things for our favorite blue hero: firstly, given that Megamind was born on another planet, it is quite possible that his people were adapted to a different atmosphere. According to one fan theory, this evolution involved a form of Congenital Methemoglobinemia that, somehow, allowed them to make the best use of the air on their home world as well as making their skin blue. Secondly, Megamind, like the Blue Fugates, would be able to live a full and healthy life on Earth despite differences in the was his blood transferred oxygen.
On an interesting side note, before we move on, some of the first relatives of the Blue Fugates to try methylene blue treatment in the early 1960’s were a couple named Rachel and Patrick Ritchie. I can’t wait to see what fan theories spring up out of that one.
Megamind Has Different Dietary Needs
Alright, yes, I know, this is probably a pretty obvious statement where a character who is literally a space alien is involved, but discussions on the subject have spawned some truly fascinating suppositions. The first and most popular is that Megamind craves a lot of sugar. This is supported by the movie as, aside from his sipping a little champagne, the only foods we see associated with Megamind are sweets: doughnuts and churros. One fan theory has built upon this, saying that this is not only due to the blue man’s high energy levels—think about the way he leaps and dashes around—but also to his large and highly-functioning brain. It makes sense; according to NeuroTray, brains need a certain amount of glucose to fuel them, help produce amino acids, and even maintain neuronal health. So it seems logical that an alien super-genius with a much larger and more active brain might need more sugar.
Further expanding on this idea, fans have theorized that Megamind’s dietary requirements also include other “brain foods” such as: carbohydrate-rich grains, fish, nuts, and eggs. The eggs have developed a special significance thanks to one supposition that began as a sort of joke of the Megamind fan Discord known as The Evil Lair, and is quickly growing into a popular theory. Megamind, according to many fans, not only craves eggs, but raw eggs, which he consumes shell and all. Although this was, as I’ve said, started as a lark, the idea actually has some validity. Raw eggs not only contain a lot of nutrients, including energy-increasing B12, but also aid in breaking down and digesting large amounts of carbohydrates. Egg shells, meanwhile, are an excellent source of many other essential vitamins and minerals.
Art: Midnight Snack by Ejga-Ostja. I absolutely love this image, and had to use it here! Please check out the rest of their amazing Megamind fanart!
Megamind’s Neck is Extremely Sensitive
This will be a short section, I promise. I touched on this particular concept before in the post Why Kidnap Roxanne. Of course, we all know Megamind wears large, high collars, but there may be more reason for this than a desire for a suitably villainous look. When he is incarcerated, the blue man pops up the collar of his prison uniform, and, at the beginning of the movie, we see that his parents also wear high collars. Even Megamind’s briefly-worn white hero uniform in The Button of Doom covers his everything from the head down except for a small opening at the front of his throat. It’s almost as if, for Megamind’s people, showing one’s neck in public is indecent.
A popular fan theory explains this by suggesting that Megamind’s neck is very sensitive; so much so, in fact, that it is an erogenous zone. If merely touching the blue alien there is enough to cause arousal and pleasure, then his species’ apparently universal instinct to keep that part of the body covered makes sense. Showing it would be akin to a woman walking around topless. It’s also quite possible that the neck is also hidden for protection, as extreme sensitivity would mean it could be easily hurt. This casts Megamind’s large collars in an entirely different light: he is wearing clothing that draws the eye both to his large head (and the impressive brain within it) and to a pleasure point on his body. Many fans suppose that this could be a form of “peacocking,” and is part of an instinctual courtship display meant to attract Roxanne. Again, for more about that theory, you can read the aforementioned post.
I could, of course, go on and on. There are numerous other theories concerning Megamind’s anatomy, ranging from reflective eyes for low-light vision to alien vocal cords that allow a wider range of sounds and tone, but I will stop here for now. If you’ve enjoyed this particular post, however, and would like to read another on the same subject, please let me know. In the meantime, I’ll close by saying that the amazing physical attributes already discussed hint, as always, that far more thought and care may have been put into Megamind’s creation than most people realize. It’s no wonder this movie and its protagonist have so many dedicated fans.
