The upcoming X-Men ’97 is days away from release, and the series is already subject to controversy. One issue is the departure of show creator Beau DeMayo, and the other is the show’s public embrace of being “woke.” For those who aren’t in the know, the announcement that the X-Men character Morph would be identified as nonbinary in the upcoming series revival has sparked heated debates online. Many fans, especially right-wing critics, are now accusing Disney of pandering to modern sensibilities as another one of its tactics to spill their progressive ideas into their IPs. But is that really so? Have the X-Men gone woke?
As in many cases in life, the truth is somewhere in between. X-Men, just like Star Trek, has always been a franchise fueled by a rather progressive idea of “separate but equal” along gender, social, political, and even sexual lines. The X-Men are mutants, all of whom come from various nationalities, races, and backgrounds, bound by a common thing non-mutants prosecute them for. Furthermore, many of the series stories focus on characters struggling with their mutant identity, which often serves as a metaphor for real-life experiences of coming out and self-acceptance.
The overall theme of the show and comics speaks against issues like racism, sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of discrimination, further emphasizing the importance of tolerance and understanding. This means that those who are expressing their dissatisfaction over Morph’s portrayal have clearly missed the point of the entire X-Men franchise — which was historically used as an allegory for the Civil Rights Movement and often addressed other social issues, as well.
In other words, things aren’t always what they seem like on the surface, and many of the X-Men characters are no different. Mystique can shapeshift into both a man and a woman, while Nightcrawler, who literally looks like the devil, is actually a devout Catholic. So why is Morph’s non-conformity to binary gender identity such an issue when the franchise clearly has other non-binary characters as well? The answer is simple: ignorance.
What many don’t know is that Morph made an appearance in X-Men: TAS and that the character was killed off in the first episode of the series, but he later returned to life to work with Mister Sinister — a major villain in the comics. However, Morph’s self-expression and identity were never extensively explored in the original 1990s series. He was known for his shapeshifting abilities and a jovial demeanor that masked deeper, more complex layers of pain and loss. However, just because some things weren’t explored doesn’t mean that they’re not there.
His shapeshifting abilities also show that Morph could easily turn into both men and women on the show and even in the comic, which allows them to see both genders without any prejudice and adopt their mimicry with greater ease. We would argue that the portrayal of Morph as a non-binary character in the upcoming X-Men ’97 is both a nod to the character’s inherent ability to transcend physical forms and a bold statement about the fluidity of identity. Especially since his ability and the fluidity of identity really go hand in hand with one another.
Critics of Morph’s nonbinary identity argue that Disney’s decisions were driven (at least partially) by a desire to appease certain demographics at the expense of narrative quality. However, what most critics fail to take into account is the franchise’s previously mentioned decades-long commitment to exploring themes of diversity, acceptance, and the fight against prejudice. In fact, we can say with a degree of absolute certainty that the very essence of X-Men has always been pushing for a world where differences aren’t just tolerated but celebrated instead.
Thus, Morph’s nonbinary identity and the associated criticism reflect the complex realities of human existence since we all come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Of course, some believe that such representations are completely unnecessary or even divisive for a Saturday morning cartoon, but if there’s one thing we learned from the pages of history, that’s that media representation in content usually precedes much broader societal acceptance.
Sure, the backlash pointed at the showrunners isn’t’ really a novelty, and it holds the potential to deter some of the series creators from pursuing more diverse representation in the series. However, even the most turbulent of seas has a way of calming, and many similar controversies have faded over time, with the most controversial characters ending up becoming the fandom’s favorites, most often playing a crucial role in establishing a much richer narrative compared to what was initially expected.
It’s also important to acknowledge that positive representation of diverse identities in cartoons, games, movies, and other visual media often encourages the embrace and understanding of diverse cultures and demonstrates that there’s strength in both the similarities and differences that define us all.
X-Men ’97 is scheduled to launch on March 20, 2024, and it’s most certainly going to upset some sensitive viewers with its progressive depictions of otherwise fantastic characters.