X-Men ‘97 has been full of surprises — but the biggest is probably the relationship between Logan and Kevin. But while some fans are reading between the claws and seeing romance between Morph and Wolverine, JP Karliak (the voice of Morph) is tapping the brakes hard.
“The thing that I’ve always joked about is that I want better for Morph. [Laughs]. Wolverine is a great character, but he is a big old pile of damage, and I think Morph needs to have less of that in his life,” Karliak told Fortress of Solitude. And honestly… fair.
Across the first three episodes of the animated X-Men ‘97 revival, Morph’s redesign — a nod to the comic version of Changeling — and non-binary identity (though still referred to with he/him pronouns) have made him one of the show’s most nuanced characters. The dynamic with Logan is complex, but Karliak’s not interested in turning it romantic.
“To me, the real value that comes out of that relationship is the friendship between a queer and cishet character… not a love story,” he explained. “We need to see more of that.”
Fans seem to agree. Reddit users said, “They can be best friends and have platonic love for each other.” Others echoed the sentiment, calling their bond a “bro relationship” and “beautiful to see.”
“I’d like to see Morph get with one of the other canon queer characters in the Marvel Universe, like Northstar, Iceman, Wiccan, or Hulkling,” Karliak suggested, although he does believe that Wolverine will always be important to Morph.
Looking ahead, we’ll get more of Morph and Wolverine’s story when X-Men ‘97 Season 2 drops in 2026. Executive producer Brad Winderbaum teased that two other “X” teams will show up. Could that mean X-Force? Excalibur? Morph finally finding his Marvel soulmate?
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