As X-Men ’97 Season 2 Approaches, One Character Was Done Dirty In The Comics

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The Uncanny X-Men have long been incredibly popular, consistently ranking among Marvel’s top-selling comics. Building on a high point for the mutant heroes, the franchise expanded with a syndicated television series that premiered in 1992, featuring the most beloved characters from the comics at the time.

The animated series reimagined classic X-Men stories, making some changes to the team roster. Alongside familiar faces like Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey, and Wolverine, they introduced the new character Jubilee. They also brought in a lesser-known X-Man with shape-shifting abilities, a character with a compelling history that’s just as rich as his various comic book versions.

Introducing The Mighty Metamorphic Mutant Morph

I first learned about the Sentinels watching X-Men: The Animated Series, and it was a seriously tense episode. Basically, the show revealed that mutants were becoming public knowledge, and not in a good way. There was a ton of fear and prejudice building up, and the government was about to pass a law forcing anyone with mutant powers – anyone with the X-gene – to register. It was like being put on a list as a potential threat just for being different, and it set the stage for a lot of conflict.

To carry out this unfair law, government agent Henry Gyrich sent armored robots called Sentinels to find and capture mutants. One of their first targets was Jubilee, a teenage girl who ran away from home. A fight at a shopping mall revealed the X-Men were protecting Jubilee, and they quickly took her back to their secret base – a school that appears to be for talented children.

That’s where I finally got to see the rest of the X-Men – Beast, Gambit, and this really cool guy named Morph. Morph can actually become anyone, copying their look and powers! Professor X was worried about this new Registration Act – it would basically take away all mutant freedoms if it passed. So, he sent the X-Men on a super important mission: break into a government base and wipe out any records of mutants. Morph was right there with them, which was awesome!

The X-Men manage to complete their mission, despite facing intense security, but it’s a costly victory. During their escape, Jubilee is captured by Gyrich, and the team is attacked by a Sentinel. With their safety at risk, Cyclops calls for a retreat, tragically leaving Morph behind. The X-Men fear Morph has been killed.

The Many Faces and Facets of The Changeling

The animated series Morph was inspired by a comic book character with the same shape-shifting ability, but a different identity. This character, known as The Changeling, first appeared in X-Men #35 (1963). He was recruited by the villainous Mutant Master into the organization Factor Three and followed orders without question.

Okay, so I gathered this seriously messed up crew – Blob, Unas, Mastermind – to go after the X-Men. My plan was to hold Professor X hostage, and then, this guy, the Mutant Master, just had to spill his whole evil plan. Turns out he wasn’t even a mutant! He was an alien who wanted to wipe out all life, mutants included. Seriously?! That’s when I realized I was on the wrong side. I switched gears, freed Professor X, and helped the X-Men take down this alien threat. It was a whole thing, honestly.

After years of trying to make amends for his past mistakes, the Changeling came back to help Xavier, a powerful mutant with telepathic abilities, when he discovered a serious threat to Earth. Xavier asked the Changeling to pretend to be him – to act as Professor X, the leader and teacher of the X-Men. The Changeling maintained this deception for months, until he was killed during an attack by an underground race, leaving the X-Men deeply saddened by the loss of their mentor.

The full story of Changeling’s sacrifice doesn’t come out until several months later, in X-Men #65. The team is relieved to learn their headmaster survived, and Changeling is honored with a posthumous membership to the X-Men. While not much else is known about him, this wouldn’t be the last time the character—known as both Morph and Changeling—had his backstory altered in the comics.

The Age of Apocalypse and The Exile Called Morph

Marvel has revisited the character of Morph several times, often with changes to his backstory. One instance occurred when they replaced the main X-Men comic book series in 1995. In this alternate timeline, Professor X is killed by his son, Legion, allowing the powerful mutant Apocalypse to take over the world.

As Apocalypse threatens the world, different groups of mutants, including alternate versions of the X-Men, emerge to fight back. Among them is Morph, a shapeshifter who’s revealed to be a funny and quick-witted leader named Kevin Sidney – a name connected to his original self. In this altered reality, Morph typically appears pale, bald, and with few distinct features.

This version of Morph later became a core member of the Exiles, a team assembled from different versions of Earth within the Marvel multiverse. Because many of those alternate realities have since been destroyed – particularly during the Secret Wars event – the Exiles have been constantly traveling to new worlds.

The Exiles are a team committed to protecting different realities throughout the multiverse. They’ve appeared in many forms over time and have crossed paths with Earth-616, the main Marvel Comics universe, on several occasions. During one multiversal journey, the team member known as Morph became separated and his whereabouts were unknown, though it was believed he would eventually return.

Morphing Back Into the Spotlight of The Animated X-Men ’97 and Beyond

The recent Disney+ revival of X-Men ’97 brought Morph back as a core member of the team. Fans who remember the original series will recall Morph being left for dead during a Sentinel attack, but it’s later revealed he was actually captured and will be used as a weapon against the X-Men in the show’s second season.

Morph finally escapes Sinister’s control and begins to heal from the emotional trauma of being held captive. He also explores and embraces his identity as gender-fluid and non-binary, forming a strong bond with Wolverine. After a final showdown, Magneto removes the adamantium from Wolverine’s body, leaving him in a coma. Morph has remained vigilantly by Wolverine’s side ever since.

The character Morph, also known as The Changeling, returned to Marvel comics in a modern storyline. This new version looks like his featureless counterpart from the ‘Age of Apocalypse’ and has a unique problem: he suffers from a split personality, meaning he doesn’t realize he’s both a hero and a villain. He now goes by the name Morph.

Keeping track of Morph, the shape-shifting mutant, has been tricky, but fans can expect to see more of him in a new season arriving on Disney+ in July. Given his ability to take on any form, hopefully, the next time Morph appears, he’ll receive a well-developed and fitting storyline that establishes him as a key member of the team.

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2026-05-29 19:12