Morph (X-Men: The Animated Series)

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Morph
X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men '97 character
Promotional art of Morph from X-Men '97
First appearance
  • "Night of the Sentinels (Part 1)"
  • (October 31, 1992)
Based onChangeling
by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth
Adapted byEric Lewald
Sidney Iwanter
Mark Edens
Voiced byRon Rubin (X-Men: The Animated Series)
J. P. Karliak (X-Men '97)
In-universe information
SpeciesMutant
GenderNon-binary
AffiliationX-Men
Powers and abilitiesShapeshifting

Morph is a fictional superhero appearing in the animated superhero series X-Men: The Animated Series—which aired on Fox Kids from 1992 to 1997—and its revival X-Men '97, which has been streaming on Disney+ since March 2024. Introduced as a member of the X-Men, Morph sacrificed himself[a] to save Wolverine from a Sentinel in the show's premiere. The second-season premiere would reveal that Mister Sinister found Morph's body, resurrecting and experimenting on him, turning him into his minion. By the season's finale, the X-Men help free him from Sinister's control, and take him to Muir Island to recuperate. He briefly rejoins the team in season 4, and although he succeeds in saving his teammates, realizing that he is still suffering from the mental trauma he experiences, Morph decides to leave them once more. Following the conclusion of the original series, Morph rejoined the X-Men on a permanent basis in X-Men '97, becoming part of the show's core cast. X-Men '97 sees the character dealing with the trauma of Sinister's experimentations, and trying to figure out his identity and place on the X-Men, being depicted as non-binary.

Morph was loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Changeling, created by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth; a minor character who had joined the X-Men and sacrificed himself in the 1960s. During development of The Animated Series, the showrunners wanted to have an X-Men member die in the premiere to set the show's serious tone, seeking out a minor X-Men member that had died in the comics. Initially, this position was to be filled by Thunderbird, but upon realizing the racist implications of killing-off their only Native American character, he was omitted early during development. Thunderbird was replaced with Changeling, who was one of the few other X-Men that had died a heroic death in the comics. Due to disputes over the DC Comics character Beast Boy, who also used the codename Changeling, the character's name was changed to Morph for the cartoon.

Initially, Morph's death in The Animated Series' premiere was supposed to be permanent. However, due to the character's popularity with audiences—particularly with focus groups—he was resurrected and brought up in season 2. Morph's storylines in later seasons proved somewhat difficult for the writers to come up with, as his limited appearances in X-Men comics meant there were no storylines involving the character that they could adapt. X-Men '97 depicts Morph as trying to move past his trauma and discover his identity as core aspects of his character arc. The character is also depicted as non-binary, which is a decision that crew members of the original series described as aligning with their vision of the character.

Despite his minimal appearances in The Animated Series, Morph became a fan favorite among viewers; being what led to his resurrection. Many discussions regarding the character have focused on his death in the premiere as unprecedented for a children's program of the time. Critics responded positively to Morph's storylines following his resurrection, particularly his role as a brainwashed thrall of Mister Sinister, and the depiction of his mental trauma from these events. The progression of his character in X-Men '97, particularly his depiction as non-binary, has also achieved praise from critics.

Appearances[edit]

In X-Men: The Animated Series[edit]

Morph was introduced in the premiere as one of the X-Men's members, using his shapeshifting abilities to act as comic relief, and having a close relationship with teammate Wolverine, who described Morph as the only one that could make him laugh.[1] In the second part of the show's premiere,[2] Morph gets killed while the X-Men are on a mission, sacrificing himself to save Wolverine from a Sentinel's laser blast.[1][3]

In the second-season premiere,[2] it was revealed that shortly after his death at the hands of the Sentinels, Morph's body was recovered by Mister Sinister, who revived and brainwashed him by placing mind control implant in his brain.[4] Following his resurrection and due to Sinister's influence,[5] Morph antagonizes the X-Men, blaming them for his death and abandoning him,[1] using his shapeshifting abilities to wreak havoc.[6] At the end of the season, thanks to Professor X's psychic assistance, Morph is able to break free from Sinister's mind control, turning a laser that was meant to kill Cyclops on Sinister instead.[5] Following these events, Morph was taken back to the X-Mansion, where he had the implant removed from his brain. Due to the trauma he had experienced, Morph was taken to Muir Island and get therapy by Moira MacTaggert, which limited his appearances throughout the remained of the series.[1]

Morph briefly rejoined the X-Men in a season 4 episode, having a significant role.[1] Despite Moira's belief he needs more time to recover, Morph goes back to the X-Mansion, where shortly after his arrival, he and Wolverine go to investigate a factory robbery; unbeknownst to them that it manufactures Sentinels.[7] After returning at the mansion, the team is attacked by Sentinels, causing Morph to freeze up and inadvertently let Professor X be captured.[7] Hoping to make up for his mistake, Morph flies to the location of Professor X, helping his teammates, and destroying Master Mold. Despite overcoming his fears, realizing he's not ready to permanently rejoin them, Morph leaves the X-Men once more.[7]

Morph makes a final appearance in the series' finale, impersonating Professor X,[1] who had been attacked and was dying.[8] During these events, Morph permanently rejoins the X-Men.[9]

Development[edit]

Creation and progression in X-Men: The Animated Series[edit]

According to executive story editors Eric and Julia Lewald,[10] during the development of X-Men: The Animated Series, the crew wanted an X-Men member to die in the pilot, in order to show that "there were stakes to their struggle".[11] Series director and producer Larry Houston similarly described how early in the show's development, they wanted to kill off a character to "do something different [and] unique" from other animated programmes of the period, and to show that "there are ramifications for things going on in [X-Men: The Animated Series]".[12] Head writer Mark Edward Edens also stated that the show's writers "really wanted to kill somebody", describing it as "what animation writers always dream of";[10] concerning the decision to kill off a character early on, Edens further clarified that the crew "want[ed] there to be real danger and nothing is more real than that [killing a character off]", which also helps "ramp up the emotions".[10]

Initially, this position was to be filled by John Proudstar / Thunderbird, who had joined the X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men (1975) but died shortly thereafter in Uncanny X-Men #95 (1975).[13] However, before the pilot's second draft,[10] it was decided that killing off their only Native American character would have negative implications, so it was decided to replace him with another character.[11] According to the Lewalds, they specifically looked for a "minor character" that "had actually died helping the X-Men".[11] Searching through the comics for any X-Men members that had died, Eric Lewald describes how there were "only like, three or four" such characters, with Changeling being one of the few.[10] Upon discovering Changeling, they opted to use him as the X-Men member that dies.[11] It has been noted that the show's interpretation of the character was loosely based on his comic book counterpart,[14] with Variety writer Jordan Moreau even describing him as "an original character, based partly on the comic-book hero Changeling".[3]

Changeling first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #35 (1967),[12][15] by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth, as an adversary of the X-Men and member of Factor Three.[15] In Uncanny X-Men #65 (1970) it was revealed that Changeling, suffering from a terminal illness and wanting to make amends for his past actions,[15] had joined the X-Men under the guise of Professor X, in order to allow the latter to prepare for the Z'nox Invasion.[13] This retcon established that Changeling had died in the form of Professor X in 1968,[13] making him the first X-Men member to die in the line of duty,[15] Unlike other character from the X-Men franchise, Changeling has remained dead,[13] only making sporadic appearances as a ghost or zombie.[15]

According to Houston, the character's name was changed from Changeling to Morph due to the DC Comics character Beast Boy, who also has shape-shifting abilities.[12] At the time of the show's development, Beast Boy had been a core member of The New Teen Titans under the codename Changeling, resulting in Marvel lawyers demanding that their character's codename being altered; eventually settling on Morph.[12]

Regarding the use of Changeling / Morph as the X-Man that dies in the premiere of The Animated Series, Comic Book Resources writer Ryan Bradley argued that owing to the character's death more than 30 years prior to the show's premiere, using him as the sacrificial X-Men member ensured that he could be killed off "without upsetting the hardcore fans",[13] while fellow CBR writer Brandon Zachary recognized that his minor role in the comics made him "more or less a blank slate [for the writers] to play with".[15]

Morph's death in the show's premiere was supposed to be permanent, but due to his popularity with audiences, Fox Kids demanded that the character be brought back.[11][16] Specifically, according to a focus group that had viewed the first season, Morph was described as the younger viewers' favorite character, and they lamented that he had been "killed him off early in episode two".[13] Eric and Julia Lewald has stated that due to Morph's death initially being permanent, with his resurrection occurring due to the network's demands, they "may not have been thinking of him as much for stories" in comparison to other X-Men characters.[17] They further stated that due to the character's minor role in the comics, with none of the major story arcs featuring him, it was difficult to find any stories to adapt that featured him.[17]

Evolution in X-Men '97[edit]

J. P. Karliak voices Morph in X-Men '97.

Morph's involvement in the revival series X-Men '97 was revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in July 2022.[18] At the panel, it was revealed by creator Beau DeMayo that Morph would be depicted as non-binary and use they/them pronouns, as well as sporting an altered appearance.[18] Morph now has light gray skin, a bald head, white eyes, and no nose,[5] based on the appearance of his counterpart from the Exiles universe.[4] At SDDC 2023, it was confirmed that Morph would officially rejoin the X-Men and be part of the show's main cast.[4] DeMayo, a fan of The Animated Series, described Morph's death as "really set[ting] the stakes" and acknowledged the character having a "very interesting relationship with the team because of trauma".[5] DeMayo described the show's depiction of Morph as being a "lighter take on the character" compared to the original series, as well as having an "interesting buddy relationship with Wolverine".[19]

For X-Men '97, J. P. Karliak replaces Rubin as Morph's voice actor.[20] Regarding Morph's position among the X-Men and his role at the beginning of the series, Karliak described the character as trying to figure out his relationship to the rest of his teammates, as well as himself, following all the trauma he has endured.[20] Karliak acknowledged that Morph as a character that has experienced much trauma, both physical and psychological,[b] which he tries to mask with humour.[20] Concerning his performance, Karliak stated that he didn't try to sound too familiar to Rubin; knowing during casting that Morph would be non-binary, he opted to use his own voice, in order to ground the character closer to reality.[20]

Although Morph is depicted as non-binary within X-Men '97, he is not identified as such on-screen, due to the series being set in the 1990s when the term "non-binary" wasn't very well known.[21][22] Moreover, Morph continues to use he/him pronouns within the series.[21] Regarding Morph's development in the series as a non-binary individual, director Jake Castorena described this approach to the character as "mak[ing] sense", given his shapeshifting abilities.[14] Castorena also described Morph's altered physical appearance in the series as representing his attempt to move past the trauma he endured at the hands of Mister Sinister, and that his "identity is to have multiple identities".[14] Concerning Morph's depiction as non-binary, both Houston and Eric Lewald have stated that this portrayal aligns with their original intentions for the character.[3]

Reception[edit]

X-Men: The Animated Series[edit]

Morph has often been acknowledged for being a "fan-favorite" character from X-Men: The Animated Series, being described as such by Nick Nafpliotis of AIPT Comics,[23] as well as Variety's Jordan Moreau, who recognized that Morph's popularity with audiences is what led to his resurrection; Moreau also described his death in the premiere as a "shocking twist".[3] James Whitbrook of Gizmodo described Morph's death in the series' premiere as helping him achieve popularity.[24] Screen Rant's Shaurya Thapa notes that despite his brief tenure, Morph "emerged as one the most popular characters of X-Men: The Animated Series", primarily for his sense of humor and shapeshifting abilities, which made him popular with audiences.[16] Writing for SlashFilm, Ethan Anderton, who grew up watching the cartoon, states that Morph was a popular character among fellow viewers of the series.[25] Prior to the premiere of the revival series X-Men '97, Robert Curran of CBR hoped that Morph would return, stating that it would "be a shame if Morph was completely persona non grata".[1] GameRant writer Joshua Kristian McCoy similarly hoped Morph would have a role in X-Men '97, praising his presence as comic relief and friendship with Wolverine.[26]

Thapa also praised Morph role as Mister Sinister's thrall during the show's second season, arguing that his more morally gray personality helped make him a more layered character, in contrast to his earlier humorous demeanor.[16] Nafpliotis similarly recognized that Morph's death and resurrection under Sinister's control was a "dark" storyline.[23] Concerning his storyline with Sinister, Polygon writer Carli Velocci noted that Morph had a "surprisingly complex arc throughout later seasons" following his resurrection, giving particular praise to his role in season 4, which displays the mental trauma he has experienced after his encounter with the Sentinels; Velocci describes it as a "pretty sensitive portrayal of trauma, especially for a 1990s kids' cartoon".[5] CBR's Renaldo Matadeen similarly commended Morph's "mental health arc", especially his dealing with PTSD in season 4, describing it as one that "many fans related to and sympathized with".[27]

X-Men '97[edit]

Polgyon's Velocci described the depiction of Morph as non-binary in X-Men '97 as logical, acknowledging that shapeshifters in fiction often change into various genders.[5] While Gizmodo' Whitbrook was somewhat critical of the decision to make Morph non-binary, the character with "a visible mutation", instead of another more human-presenting character, did praise the inclusion of openly queer character within the cast of the series.[24] Bill Desowitch of IndieWire responded positively to this development, praising the series' "greater celebration of queer diversity".[28]

Morph's status as non-binary caused some controversy prior to X-Men '97's premiere,[6] being decried as "woke"[24] by some comic-centric websites and YouTube channels, alongside posts on social media.[29] Many X-Men fans defended the decision, arguing that the franchise and mutants have often been used as metaphors the Civil rights movement and other social issues.[29] Screen Rant's Kai Young described the criticism aimed at Morph being non-binary as "ridiculous", given that various X-Men characters are openly queer, and the X-Men have been used as allegories for LGBT issues.[30]

Merchandise[edit]

As part of the Marvel Legends imprint "VHS/'90s X-Men Animated Series", Hasbro released an action figure of Morph in 2022. The figure came packaged with two separate heads, to portray both his good and evil counterparts.[23]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Morph uses both he/him and they/them pronouns. This article uses he/him pronouns for consistency.
  2. ^ Karliak has stated that as a queer individual, Morph's trauma helps him identify with the character.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Curran, Robert (November 16, 2021). "Who Was the X-Men Animated Series' 'Original' Mutant - and Will He Return?". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Marston, George (March 27, 2024). "X-Men '97: All the Easter eggs, cameos, and references". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Moreau, Jordan (March 14, 2024). "X-Men '97 and The Animated Series Creators — Then and Now — Talk Revival, Playing With "Disney Money" and Morph's Nonbinary Backlash". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Schedeen, Jesse (July 24, 2023). "X-Men '97: 5 Things We Learned at Comic-Con 2023". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Velocci, Carli (March 20, 2024). "How Morph went from Marvel cannon fodder to X-Men cartoon canon". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Flook, Ray (March 24, 2024). "X-Men '97 Actor JP Karliak: Morph Hate "Didn't Surprise Me at All"". Bleeding Cool. Avatar Press. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Sims, Chris (May 12, 2014). "The X-Men Episode Guide 4x03: "Courage"". ComicsAlliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on July 4, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  8. ^ McMillan, Graeme (March 25, 2024). "X-Men '97: a '90s style FAQ on how Professor X died, who voices Cyclops, how Storm got her powers back, why Morph is alive, and more". PopVerse. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Gladman, Andrew (April 2, 2024). "X-Men '97 Finally Does Justice to the Original's Most Overlooked Relationship". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e Vanhooker, Brian (October 31, 2022). "Night of the Sentinels: The oral history of X-Men: The Animated Series' risky debut". Inverse. Bustle Digital Group. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e Hassan, Chris (November 19, 2018). "X-Men: The Animated Series' Eric & Julia Lewald reflect on the show that created a generation of X-Fans". AIPT Comics. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d Bonomolo, Cameron (August 9, 2020). "Marvel Lawyers Made X-Men: The Animated Series Change a Character's Name Because of DC Comics". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Bradley, Ryan (October 31, 2020). "Why X-Men: The Animated Series Really Resurrected Morph in Season 2". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Whitbrook, James (March 19, 2024). "X-Men '97's Director Talks Mutant Circuits, Morph, and More". Gizmodo. G/O Media. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Brandon, Zachary (September 4, 2022). "How X-Men '92's Breakout Character Was Brought Back - and Forgotten All Over Again". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Thapa, Shaurya (March 15, 2024). "32 Years Ago, A Dead X-Men Hero Broke An Ultimate Unspoken Rule Of TV". Screen Rant. Val. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Katzman, Gregg (October 31, 2022). "X-Men: The Animated Series' Showrunner & Writer Help Celebrate 30 Years". Comic Book Resources. Va. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Poling, Chandler (July 27, 2022). "Top 5 takeaways from the X-Men '97 panel at SDCC 2022". AIPT Comics. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  19. ^ Flook, Ray (February 16, 2024). "X-Men '97 "Fans" Act Like Morph Being Nonbinary Is Personal Attack". Bleeding Cool. Avatar Press. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e Stone, Sam (March 21, 2024). "X-Men '97 Actor J.P. Karliak Puts a New Twist on the Ever-Changing Morph". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Leishman, Rachel (March 28, 2024). "How X-Men '97 Contextualizes Morph's Gender Identity in the '90s". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  22. ^ Tinocco, Armando (March 24, 2024). "'X-Men '97 Morph Voice Actor On Backlash Over Describing Character As Non-Binary: "It Didn't Surprise Me At All"". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  23. ^ a b c Nafpliotis, Nick (May 24, 2022). "Hasbro reveals Marvel Legends Morph figure". AIPT Comics. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  24. ^ a b c Whitbrook, James (February 16, 2024). "X-Men '97's Take on Morph Is Already Making Bigots Mad". Gizmodo. G/O Media. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  25. ^ Anderton, Ethan (March 20, 2024). "All The Mutants Morph Changes Into Throughout X-Men '97". SlashFilm. Static Media. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  26. ^ McCoy, Joshua Kristian (June 1, 2023). "X-Men '97: Who Is Morph?". GameRant. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  27. ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (April 2, 2024). "X-Men '97 Gives One Hero Much Deserved Closure". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  28. ^ Desowitch, Bill (March 22, 2024). "'X-Men '97' Amps Up the Retro 2D Animation to Combat a More Dangerously Divisive World". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Gleeson, Cailey (February 16, 2024). "X-Men Fans Push Back Against Anger Over Non-Binary Character". Forbes. Integrated Whale Media Investments. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  30. ^ Young, Kai (February 16, 2024). "The X-Men "Woke" Controversy Completely Misses The Point Of Marvel's Mutants". Screen Rant. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
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