| Morlocks | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Uncanny X-Men #169 (May 1983) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont Paul Smith |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | Formerly the Alley, New York sewer system Formerly the Hill Dimension Selima Oasis, North Africa |
| Member(s) | Membership |
Morlocks are a group of mutant characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters are usually depicted as being associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, [1] they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine , [2] but unlike in the Wells book, they are not a faceless, threatening mass of villains. They first appeared as a group in The Uncanny X-Men #169 (May 1983). [3] Caliban appeared prior to that, but he was not yet a member of the Morlocks.
The Morlocks were depicted as an underground society (both literally and figuratively) of outcast mutants living as tunnel dwellers in the sewers, abandoned tunnels, and abandoned subway lines beneath New York City. The Morlocks were composed of mutant misfits, especially those mutants who, because of physical mutations or other conspicuous manifestations of their mutant genetics, were unable to pass as human in normal society. [4] Subjected to hate, fear, and disgust from human society due to their "deformed" appearances, dangerous mutations, or otherwise outcast or misfit statuses, most of the Morlocks viewed humans (and even other more mainstream mutants such as the X-Men) with distrust and anger, and they occasionally committed criminal or antisocial acts upon the above-ground human society.
Due to a series of tragedies, the original Morlocks no longer resided in subterranean New York City (except Marrow, who was one of the original Morlocks as a child). However, a violent splinter cell, Gene Nation, and a comparable group, called Those Who Live in Darkness, emerged in their absence. Similar groups, referred to as Morlocks by both readers and the X-Men, have appeared beneath Chicago and London. In the post-Krakoan Age, the Morlocks have returned to New York City, reclaiming their place in the underground tunnels.
According to Callisto, she formed the Morlocks by first recruiting Caliban. She then used his power to track down other mutants who were unable to integrate into normal society. The Morlocks initially squatted in a network of abandoned, interconnected tunnels beneath Manhattan, which had originally been built as Cold War bomb shelters and then forgotten, before expanding into sewers and abandoned subways. The Morlocks occasionally emerged to rob humans in Manhattan and would sometimes kidnap certain mutant children. [5]
The X-Men were alerted to the existence of the Morlocks when their leader Callisto kidnapped Angel and intended to make him her mate. [6] This brought Storm to challenge Callisto to a duel for leadership of the Morlocks. Victorious, Storm orders an end to their attacks on normal humans, [5] [7] but she does not assume leadership of the Morlocks full-time. Against her wishes, several Morlocks later kidnap the child superheroes Power Pack so that they could be raised by the Morlock Annalee, who had lost her own children. When Callisto discovers what was going on, she forces Annalee to let them go. They promise to return in the future to keep her company. [8]
A majority of the Morlocks are killed by Mister Sinister's Marauders in the "Mutant Massacre". Most of the survivors join Gene Nation, having lived in a pocket dimension led by Mikhail Rasputin. Leech instead becomes a ward of Generation X. Other survivors include Erg and Beautiful Dreamer (whose whereabouts were unknown until "Decimation"), Thornn (who would join X-Corporation), and Caliban.
It is later revealed that many of the Morlocks were actually failed experiments of Dark Beast, although he made certain that they did not remember being tampered with, which is why Mister Sinister sought to destroy them.
A new group called the Tunnel Rats which also calls itself "Those Who Live in Darkness" have inhabited the sewer tunnels just below the surface of Mutant Town/District X. District X writer David Hine claims to never have intended this group to have any ties to the original Morlocks. [9]
During the "Decimation" storyline, some of the remaining powered Morlocks seek asylum at the X-Mansion. [10] Some Morlocks remain underground under Marrow's protection. [11]
After Terrigen Mist is released across Earth and threatens the mutant population, many mutants seek refuge underground. In addition to these mutants, Callisto shows sympathy towards humans who sought refuge from the global landscape. This unified society of humans and mutants forms the New Morlocks. [12]
When Krakoa is established as a mutant nation, several of the Morlocks begin living there, including Callisto, [13] Caliban, [14] Cybelle, [15] Erg, [15] a revived Healer, [14] Leech, [16] Masque, [17] Marrow, [17] Mole, [18] a revived Piper, [15] Skids, [19] and a revived Tommy. [15]
During the "Dawn of X" and "Reign of X" storylines, instead of relocating to Krakoa, some Morlocks went to a retirement and golf community in Rio Verde, Arizona (paid for by the Hellfire Trading Company) while others went to Lowtown in Madripoor. [20] [21] [22] At one point in Madripoor, the Morlocks Bliss, a revived Brute, Hump, Masque, and Marrow fought the Reavers. [23]
During the "Fall of X" storyline, following the "global attack on Krakoa" by Orchis, "the X-Men used the Morlock Tunnels as a temporary base". [24]
In the post-Krakoan Age, the Morlocks have returned to New York City and maintain many Krakoan cultural practices while incorporating new practices, such as funerals. During the "From the Ashes" publishing initiative, Caliban attempts to persuade Anole to join the Morlocks. [25] [26] [27] [28]
Debuting along with the rest of the Morlocks [6] (with the exception of Caliban) [29] it was revealed that Masque, Caliban, Callisto and Sunder founded the Morlocks under the streets of Manhattan. [30]
The "Mutant Massacre" was one of Marvel's annual crossover events, centering on the Morlocks. The event resulted in the Marauders killing many of the Morlocks under orders of Mister Sinister. Only a few survived, with the protection of the X-Men, X-Factor, Power Pack, and Thor. Many new Morlocks debuted, although many were killed in their first appearance.
Most of the surviving Morlocks relocated themselves throughout New York City after the massacre. Few, however, returned to the Alley, their original home. There, Masque assumed leadership. Many new surviving Morlocks were introduced when Sabretooth decided to finish his original task. [51] He is stopped by a newly "upgraded" Caliban. [52] Later, a splinter group of the Morlocks is introduced. This group, led by Pixie, attempts to escape Masque. [53]
With Masque presumed killed, an insane Mikhail Rasputin takes over as leader of the Morlocks in The Uncanny X-Men #293. He floods the tunnels, attempting to destroy the remaining Morlocks. It is revealed later that he actually transported the Morlocks to another dimension dubbed the Hill, whose timeline moved faster than the main Marvel Universe. There, he set himself up as their king and forced them to fight for the right to live.
With the Morlocks presumed dead from the floods caused by Mikhail Rasputin, some of the remaining Morlocks were relocated to Selima Oasis in North Africa. When attacked by Humanity's Last Stand, an emotional backlash caused D'Gard to assume control over Storm, who relinquished her leadership role. In X-Men: Prime many of the Hill Morlocks returned to found Gene Nation. As the new group, they attacked the human oppressors of the past Morlocks under the leadership of Marrow. It is unknown whether the remaining Morlocks of Africa stayed there or relocated to New York. A few have been seen there since, as well as a few Morlocks who chose to remain in New York City despite previous attempts on their lives.
After M-Day, Angel Dust, Boost, Callisto, Delphi, Irving, Marrow, Postman, Qwerty, Shatter, Tether, Feral, and Thornn lost their powers. Feral and Thornn later regained their physical mutations, but did not regain their powers. In one of Generation M's "Ex-Mutants' Diaries", Sally Floyd interviews Marrow about the Morlocks. Marrow reports that 80% of the remaining Morlocks lost their powers.
The former Morlocks who retained their powers sought refuge at Xavier's Institute and became known as the 198. They are Beautiful Dreamer, Caliban, Erg, Leech, and Skids.
During Ed Brubaker's "The Extremists" arc, the Morlocks reappear under the leadership of Masque and now consisting of Bliss, Erg, Litterbug, Skids, and a captured Leech. Later in this story, it was revealed Skids only joined the Morlocks to spy on them on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Powered:
Depowered:
Former leaders not involved with group:
There are other groups that are related to the main Morlocks group:
In June 2002, Marvel released a four-part limited series, Morlocks. In it, a small group of mutants living in the sewers of Chicago help each other to fulfill their one last wish on the surface while trying to escape the mutant-hunting Sentinels.
In The Uncanny X-Men #397–398, parts 3 and 4 of the Poptopia story, a group of Morlocks living in the tunnels of London are introduced. They were being pursued by an agent of the Church of Humanity named Mr. Clean, a genetically engineered human who was stalking and killing mutants. This was their only appearance. It is unknown whether or not they survived the persecution of the Church of Humanity.
An alternate universe incarnation of the Morlocks from Earth-295 appear in Age of Apocalypse (2005), consisting of Feral, Leech, Marrow, Skids, Thornn, and Artemis. [85] [86]
An alternate universe incarnation of the Morlocks from Earth-1610 appear in the Ultimate Marvel imprint, consisting of Sunder, Caliban, Callisto, Sparks, Leech, Angel, and Nightcrawler.
The Morlocks serve as loose inspiration for a group called the Omegas , who appear in X-Men: The Last Stand .[ citation needed ] Similarly to the Morlocks, the Omegas are led by Callisto. [91] Additionally, Leech appears as an unaffiliated mutant.
The Morlocks were ranked #14 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters in 2015 by Den of Geek . [93]
Ashley Fields of Screen Rant highlighted that the pre-Krakoan Age Morlocks were outcasts with "strange or grotesque mutations", while the X-Men offered a mutant sanctuary that required combat training. [26] She noted that Krakoa's sanctuary gave mutants a taste of "a different way of life", free from such demands, and in the post-Krakoan Age, it is the Morlocks who "offer a new kind of hope for mutants that the X-Men no longer capture" as it is "impossible" to live normally with the X-Men. [26] She commented that while the Morlocks are still "the most easily identifiable as 'mutant'", the post-Krakoan Age Morlocks have "a sense of peace and pride that even mutants with less identifiable abilities long for. The group is building and carrying on a culture" that started in Krakoa. [26] She opined that the Morlocks choose "to walk in the sun and inspire others like them to do the same" and "offer what the X-Men can't: unconditional acceptance and a life lived on every mutant's terms". [26]
The Morlocks might seem like just another faction of mutants, but in the X-verse, homo superior just doesn't come more Halloweeny than this crew of sewer dwelling monstrosities.