Mutation as Metaphor in Annihilation

Fukuyama posits that the greatest risk associated with contemporary biotechnology lies in its potential to fundamentally alter human nature, ushering in a “post-human” era that will raise new questions concerning human identity. The biotechnological revolution is currently advancing in three primary directions, with a central focus on genetic manipulation that enables the selection and modification of embryos to enhance physical performance and disease resistance. Popular films such as Patient Zero and V-Wars depict the emergence of new, mutated species and the downfall of the old world order. These new entities, while physically superior and more intelligent, are often detached from human values and treat humans as subordinate beings, reflecting and avenging humanity’s own tendencies toward racism and speciesism. In other works, such as the Helix series and The Titan, mutations are portrayed as responses to climate change, where genetic modifications are employed to help humanity adapt to an evolving environment, leading not only to biological transformations but also to significant social and ecological shifts. In Annihilation, mutation triggers an accelerated form of evolution, in which the creation of new species seems to herald the emergence of a new order within ‘natureculture,’ resonating with Haraway’s notion of the ‘Chthulucene.’ Through these biological transformations, the films explore questions of responsibility, (bio)ethics and politics, highlighting the shifting power dynamics in a world where humans are no longer the dominant species.