Why did it take so long for Wade Willson’s mutation to trigger?

Question

In the Deadpool film we see Wade endure different tactics to try and trigger his mutation, each more sadistic than the last. Why did it take basically suffocating him for his Mutant genes to activate and cause his mutation? Is it down to his Special Forces training giving a higher than average resilience to "torture"?

Answer 1

The basic concept in this situation is that forcing mutations is violent, chaotic, and deadly. People who have been involved in this program have died, simply because the mutation never triggered, or the person died before it could. No one knows when the mutation will trigger, or if it will at all.

FRANCIS: This is how it's going to work. Adrenaline acts as a catalyst for the serum, so we're going to have to make you suffer. If you're lucky, your mutant genes will activate and manifest in spectacular fashion. If not, well, we'll have to keep hurting you. In new and more painful ways, each more different than the last. Until you finally mutate. Or die.

In Wade's case, I don't believe it was anything exceptional to have to put him through so much for the mutation to trigger; this was to be expected. But rather, the fact that he was able to survive the torture for so long is exceptional, and he was able to do so because of his military training.