Kevin Sidney, better known as Morph, is a major character of Marvel's 1992-97 animated superhero series X-Men: The Animated Series and its 2024 sequel series X-Men '97. They are a mutant who can shapeshift themself into anyone they've seen.
They are a member of the team in the series pilot but are killed by a Sentinel, resurfacing later having been revived and brainwashed by villain Mister Sinister. It takes them a while to fully recover from that experience, but they have rejoined the X-Men by the time X-Men '97 begins.
They are voiced by Ron Rubin in the original series, and by J.P. Karliak in X-Men '97.
History[]
X-Men: The Animated Series[]
Morph was introduced in the premiere as one of the X-Men's members, using their 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. In the second part of the show's premiere, Morph gets killed while the X-Men are on a mission, sacrificing themselves to save Wolverine from a Sentinel's laser blast.
In the second-season premiere, it was revealed that shortly after their death at the hands of the Sentinels, Morph's body was recovered by Mister Sinister, who revived and brainwashed them by placing mind control implant in their brain.Following their resurrection and due to Sinister's influence, Morph antagonizes the X-Men, blaming them for their death and abandoning them, using their shapeshifting abilities to wreak havoc. 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.Following these events, Morph was taken back to the X-Mansion, where they had the implant removed from their brain. Due to the trauma they had experienced, Morph was taken to Muir Island and get therapy by Moira MacTaggert, which limited their appearances throughout the remained of the series.
Morph briefly rejoined the X-Men in a season 4 episode, having a significant role.Despite Moira's belief they needs more time to recover, Morph goes back to the X-Mansion, where shortly after their arrival, they and Wolverine go to investigate a factory robbery; unbeknownst to them that it manufactures Sentinels. After returning at the mansion, the team is attacked by Sentinels, causing Morph to freeze up and inadvertently let Professor X be captured. Hoping to make up for their mistake, Morph flies to the location of Professor X, helping their teammates, and destroying Master Mold. Despite overcoming their fears, realizing he's not ready to permanently rejoin them, Morph leaves the X-Men once more.
Morph makes a final appearance in the series' finale, impersonating Professor X,who had been attacked and was dying. During these events, Morph permanently rejoins the X-Men.
X-Men '97[]
By the start of the series, Morph has permanently rejoined the X-Men. In the premiere's end it is revealed that Professor Xavier left his estate to Magneto, who becomes the X-Men's new leader. Some time after Magneto assumes leadership, it is revealed that Sinister had at some unidentified point switched Jean with a clone; Madelyne Pryor. Under Sinister's influence, Madelyne becomes the Goblin Queen and uses her psychic powers to attack the X-Men, giving Morph visions of Sinister attacking them. Despite still being afraid of him, Morph helps lead the X-Men to Sinister's lab where they fight Madelyne. During the fight, Madelyne hypnotizes Morph, causing them to fight against their teammates, until the team manages to break Sinister's hold over her.
Sometime later, the mutant nation of Genosha is attacked by Sentinels, leading to the death of Gambit and massacre of numerous other mutants. Following these events, Morph and the X-Men find Bolivar Trask about to commit suicide by jumping off a building, who reveals Sinister forced him to participate in the Genosha genocide. After Rogue lets Trask fall to his death, to Morph's shock, he transforms into a Prime Sentinel—a human/Sentinel hybrid—and attacks the team.
Realizing that Bastion was the true mastermind behind the creation of the Prime Sentinels and attack on Genosha, the X-Men split into two teams, with Blue Team going after Magneto on Asteroid M, to force his to reverse the effects of electromagnetic pulse wave he unleashed on Earth that shut down all electronic devices. While on Asteroid M, Magneto used his powers to remove the adamantium from Wolverine's skeleton, severely injuring him in the process.
Simultaneously, Storm leads Morph and the rest of Gold Team to Bastion's compound in an attempt to foil his plans. While Bastion initially gains the upper hand on Gold Team, Jean taps into her Phoenix abilities and overpowers both Bastion and Sinister, severing the former's hold over the Prime Sentinels, while Morph taunts Mr. Sinister of his true appearance. Going to Asteroid M, Bastion is able to overpower Blue Team, but Gold Team arrives and the X-Men manage to defeat him. However, when American missiles strike the asteroid, it starts pummeling towards Earth.
While Jean, Storm, Rogue, and Magneto are using their combined powers to halt Asteroid M's descent, Morph stays by comatose Wolverine's side. Unsure of their fate, Morph takes on Jean's form to confesses their love toward him. The X-Men are able to use their powers and return Asteroid M to space, but it suddenly vanishes along with most of the team. While some of the X-Men are sent to either Ancient Egypt in 3000 BC or 3060 AD, Morph's whereabouts—along with Wolverine and Storm—remain unknown by the first season finale.
Powers & Abilities[]
Morph is a shapeshifter, transforming his body and voice to impersonate anyone he desires, much like Mystique. While he can approximate the powers of people with physical mutations, he is unable to gain the powers of any other mutant he turns into, nor are his naturally-shifted weapons as strong as synthetic materials. For example, if he becomes Wolverine, his claws are more fragile than the latter's adamantium claws.
Personality[]
Morph was shown to be good-humored and could go toe-to-toe with all of his teammates. He was light-hearted, kind, funny, witty, easy to get along with and very loyal towards his friends. He was also shown to be very friendly and welcoming, such as when he was light-heartedly laughing at Jubilee's panic over Gambit and Wolverine getting into a fight, when in fact the two were training. After he was put under Mr. Sinister's control, Morph began struggling with a dissociative identity, going back and forth between the Morph his friends knew and loved and a personality filled with bitterness, hate and anger towards his fellow X-Men.
Trivia[]
- Morph in X-Men 97 is stated by writers to be a non-binary, although the show does still uses male pronouns for him.
- Due to his powers, he is also gender fluid in the greatest sense.
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