PX-41 Serum (Movies)

The Minions Infected by the PX-41

The PX-41 is a mutagen engineered in the top-secret PX-Labs, located in the Arctic Circle, and is the primary driving factor for the events of Despicable Me 2.

Involvement

PX-41 is stolen by El Macho at the start of Despicable Me 2. This prompts the AVL to employ Felonius Gru, who is tasked with arresting the culprit and finding the mutagen. Gru and Lucy infiltrated Salsa & Salsa in hopes of retrieving a sample, but it turned out to be simply Salsa. They then make a hasty retreat.

Gru later enters El Macho's lair and finds him with Dr. Nefario (who has left Gru earlier for more lucrative opportunities) and is displayed the results of the mutagen. El Macho demands an alliance with Gru due to the mutagen's potential, although Gru turns it down and leaves, unwilling to co-operate due to his retirement. At an unspecified period after this, Dr. Nefario also leaves El Macho's employ and develops the PX-41 antidote, which Gru would use later to restore the converted minions back to normal.

El Macho, seeing his army decimated, takes the PX-41 serum and transforms into a monstrosity. After multiple attempts, Gru disables him with the lipstick taser. He is subsequently knocked out with Nefario's Fart Gun and presumably incarcerated by AVL.

The PX-41 is no longer seen after the events of the film.

Effects

This mutagen can be activated by drinking or injection.

PX-41 mutates its host into a purple monstrosity, changing their colors as well as skin. It stimulates various growths, most notably physical toughness. Subjects enhanced by this chemical are heavily resistant against attacks such as explosives, blunt force trauma, bullets, and heat - both internally and externally. PX-41 also seems to enhance the digestive system significantly, as subjects are able to consume and dissolve massive objects inside their stomach almost instantly and mutated subjects tend to eat anything including cats and boxes. Subjects appear to also suffer from severe damage to cognitive function with significantly increased aggression (and possibly causes the affected individual to also attempt murder) and loss of higher mental functions, though they can still recognize gibberish even though they can't recognize other languages (other than minionese or banana for the evil minions and El Macho apparently spoke English while mutated). They possess destructive power unmatched any non-mutant counterpart or anything for that matter.

PX-41 subjects also experience hypersensitivity (that is, enhanced sensory abilities), which renders them vulnerable to certain attacks based on these weaknesses.

• Agnes' Scream (Sonic Attack): Although a potential exaggeration, when Agnes screams, Kevin covers his non-existent ears and rolls around in pain, despite the significant distance between them that would have neutralized the effects entirely.
• Fart Gun (Gas Attack): Nefario is able to knock out a mutated El Macho in one hit with its noxious gas, whereas in the first film, it only caused Nefario and Gru to cough.
• Electric Shock: Despite the mutagen's effects, El Macho is just as vulnerable as any normal human to the Lipstick Taser.

Another known aspect of the PX-41 is that it does not have any methods to spread from host to host.

Ironically, there could possibly be a random chance where a subject with PX-41 could change back into its normal self and then back to the mutated version over and over again. (If the PX-41 wasn’t injected properly or if it’s expired like in the Panic In The Mailroom short)

PX-41's effects can be countered with its antidote, which reverses all the given effects. The subjects's skin can still be punctured by syringes to allow the antidote's injection.

Trivia

• The first known subject to this mutagen is a bunny, while the last is El Macho even though he was likely somewhat in control of his actions due to the fact that he already was evil and had evil intentions unlike the other infected individuals as he apparently already seemed to have a desire to murder Gru (as he stated he would kill Gru right before hand) as he would attempt to kill him while mutated. (Or the minions at the end of the movie.)

• The name PX-41 is a reference to the 2001 movie Bubble Boy, which was also written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, who wrote Despicable Me 2. In Bubble Boy, Gil declares that PX-41 is a planet where nonbelievers will "mutate and burn eternally."
• Known transformed subjects include:
  • A bunny
  • El Macho
  • Gru's Minions
  • Three Kittens
• The origins of PX-41 are unknown.

Gallery

Bottled serum

A bunny named Ditto about to be mutated by the PX-41.

Ditto, a second after mutation.

Ditto, displaying high aggression to its surroundings.

Ditto, assaulting and destroying the camera.

El Macho about to drink the Serum.

El Macho after drinking the Serum.