The X-Men are back and while all of the core characters from X-Men: The Animated Series have returned, a couple of others are getting their time in the spotlight as well. One of those characters is Morph, who was a member of the team at the start of the original series, but had some run-in with Mister Sinister that took him away for extended periods of time. Now, he’s back and we’ve seen him use his mutant ability to transform into other people a number of times throughout the season.
Here is everyone Morph has transformed into in X-Men ‘97 so far.
Charles Xavier
No explanation necessary on this one. While the professor is deceased (at least as far as Earth is concerned) at the start of this series, he makes an early appearance in the first episode. Morph walks into the kitchen to greet Cyclops as the Professor before the team leader tells him to knock it off. Morph transforms back into himself with his memorable high-pitched laugh.
Jean Grey
Another easy one. While they’re on a mission to find Robert in a night club, Morph teases Wolverine by transforming into their teammate, and his longtime love interest, Jean. While she is mostly known for fainting in the original animated series, Jean is a key member of the team and one of them ost powerful mutants in the world when she comes in contact with the Phoenix force.
Angel
In an incredible action sequence late in the first episode, the team falls from the sky after the Black Bird is attacked by a Sentinel. While we see a lot of great teamwork from the X-Men, Morph takes care of himself by transforming into Angel, an original member of the team, and flying himself to safety. He is sporting his look from a time post-Archangel, a monicker he took up while under the control of Apocalypse.
Blob
For the first time in the series, we see Morph take the form of an iconic X-Men villain during the final fight against Master Mold in the first episode. Very briefly, Morph becomes Blob to help launch Wolverine at their enemy. In other words, the unstoppable Morph meets the immovable object.
Lady Deathstrike
During the battle with the X-Cutioner in the second episode, Morph catches a lot of fans off guard when he joins the fight as another iconic villain: Lady Death Strike. This adamantium-infused foe has a long history with Wolverine, but she is not long for this episode as Morphe brilliantly transforms into other characters to better suit his needs in this fight. Which brings us to…
Colossus
From villain to hero. Morph briefly becomes another classic member of the X-Men lineup in the fight against X-Cutioner when he takes the form of Colossus. With his hulking stature and unbreakable metal skin, he’s a helpful form to take in a fight.
Psylocke
Colossus isn’t the last hero Morph takes the form of in this fight though. Psylocke joins the fight as well as Morph becomes the martial arts expert with energy projections. Betsy Braddock is a longtime member of the team in the comics, but didn’t make many appearances in the original animated series. It was nice to see her get some time in this episode.
Sabretooth
While messing with Wolverine in the closing moments of episode two, Morph becomes Logan’s longtime rival Sabretooh. The villain is likely one of the most recognizable characters and doesn’t need much explanation, but I will say he had a large role in the original animated series and it would seem likely the real Sabretooth makes an appearance in the new series as well.
Spiral
In the third episode, Morph becomes the many-armed mutant known as Spiral, really just for a simple gag. He asks the group for a show of hands for those in favor of calling the mysterious Jean Grey clone “Jean Doe,” then raises Spiral’s six hands. Spiral herself actually makes an appearance in the very next episode, working as a minion for Mojo.
Magik
NEW MUTANTS (2019) #25 cover by Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho
Also in that third episode, when attempting to combat Madelyne Pryor, Morph becomes Magik, the sorcerer and younger sister of the aforementioned Colossus. Magik has been a powerful hero in the comics for a long time but she more recently appeared in live action, in The New Mutants, where she was portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy.
Quicksilver
Morph took the form of Quicksilver for about as long as the character lasted in the MCU (too soon?). When taking on Bolivar Trask in his Prime Sentinel form, Morph became the speedster and attempted to attack the villain. It didn’t go so well though and he was “neutralized” rather quickly. Of course, Quicksilver has become one of the more recognizable mutant characters, thanks to appearances both in the X-Men films and in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Juggernaut
Morph really said “I’m the Juggernaut…,” well we don’t need to finish that. When the X-Mansion is attacked by Prime Sentinel Trish Tilby, Morph takes on the form of the massive villain to combat her. Again, it doesn’t work out so well as he is quickly tossed aside. The real Juggernaut is an iconic villain and the half brother of Charles Xavier. He has made live-action appearances in X-Men: The Last Stand (no matter how much you try to forget about that one) and in Deadpool 2.
The Hulk
MORPH SMASH! Not only does the Hulk get name checked earlier in this season, but in the penultimate episode, Morph actually becomes the iconic Avengers to take on some Sentinels. This is one of the rare occasions where his shapeshifting is actually very effective. The Hulk requires no explanation, so I won’t give one.
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister in the ;90s X-Men animated series.
And finally (so far, at least) Morph takes on the form of his longtime foe: Mister Sinister. The brilliant-geneticist-turned-genocidal-villain has obviously had a huge role to play throughout this show. So it makes sense that Morph would eventually try to impersonate him. That must have been difficult for hi though, as Morph was one of Sinister’s most high-profile victims throughout the majority of X-Men: The Animated Series.
X-Men ‘97 is streaming now on Disney+.