Justice League – Metamorphosis (Pt. 1 & 2)

The Green Lantern’s old friend is accidentally exposed to an experimental ray which transforms him into the evil mutant Metamorpho.

Episode #23 – Metamorphosis, Part 2
Original Airdate -October 4th, 2002

When Green Lantern’s old friend is transformed into an evil mutant,
Green Lantern has to reassess how he must handle this situation.

Media by Bird Boy
Review by redDragon

Voices:
Kevin Conroy as Batman
Maria Canals as Hawkgirl, Train Attendant
Phil LaMarr as Green Lantern
Carl Lumbly as J'onn J'onzz
George Newbern as Superman
Tom Sizemore as Rex Mason/Metamorpho
Danica McKellar as Sapphire Stagg
Earl Boen as Simon Stagg
Richard Moll as Java
Michael Bell as NTSB Inspector
Lisa Long as Secretary
John Rubinow as Brakeman
Dee Baker as Synthoid
Jason Marsden as Snapper Carr

Simon Stagg wants to create Metamorpho, the ultimate worker. His only problem comes from the lack of financial backers. Therefore he seeks a
"volunteer." Rex Mason has just been in a train crash and comes across an old friend, Green Lantern. While Green Lantern and Mason are catching up, Green Lantern learns of how the train crashed and accuses Mason carrying the mutagens that cause it. Seeking answers, Mason goes to
Stagg. The answers Stagg gives are unsatisfactory and cause Mason to accept a job in Chicago. That night, Mason and Sapphire, Stagg’s daughter and Mason’s fiancée, tell Stagg they are leaving for Chicago.
Stagg, not willing to lose his daughter lures Mason into a trap and changes him into Metamorpho. In a confused state, Metamorpho is easily manipulated into attacking the Justice League and gives Stagg the proof to gain financial support.

Mason eventually gets smacked into seeing the truth and accidentally unleashes a giant monster, with part of Stagg’s mind, in attempt to get revenge on Stagg. The Justice League and Mason try to defeat it with not much luck until Batman tells them that a complex polypeptide will solve their problems but it will take a couple days to make. To save the love of his life, Mason volunteers to become it and destroy the monster. Of course Mason doesn’t die despite the doubts of the leaguers.

This whole arc was just filled with parallels and references to other stories. Java reminded me of Kalibak with his girth and rather seemingly small brain, Mason running out after discovering his new appearance was like that of Two-Face’s reaction, the Stagg monster (a.k.a. snot monster) walking around like a Clayface imitation, and who could forget the snot monster pretending to be King Kong? Right down to the clutching a blonde and climbing a skyscraper. Mason even wished for biplanes.

There were quite a few predictable elements in this arc too. Once Batman mentioned that he would need a few days to create the peptide to defeat the monster, I could tell that Mason would jump into action and save the day. After all he has to destroy the monster since he partially created it, he needs to do the Justice League a favor, and his fiancée is involved. The fact that he would live to see another day was moot and
Sapphire’s tear causing him to revive was cliché. Stagg’s mind getting trapped into the mound of snot was also predictable.

Mason. What a mess he was, jumping to the conclusion that his girlfriend and an old friend plotted against him when Stagg showed pictures. Now we know that Green Lantern did him the favor of thinking he was involved with the train crash but really, to not even ask Sapphire what was going in first? At least she slapped some sense into him. Speaking of
Sapphire, her voice was really off. It didn’t fit the role at all. Not to mention she seemed super skinny.

This arc left me with many questions. What happened to Stagg? Did he die? Is he ok? Is he now a human vegetable? Why didn’t Mason tell the
Justice League about subzero temperatures? Was he just trying to save his own skin in case he went rogue again? Does everyone wearing a hospital gown magically wear underwear too? Why did the case with the mutagens open so easily?! You would think that there would be plenty of locks on it. The vials of mutagens were fairly small too. It’s a wonder why such a large case was used.

Metamorpho’s design was an eye sore. I know that is how he was in the comics, but on TV it just looks odd.

A few highlights were J’onn Jonzz becoming a dragon, Superman having more power, Batman showing his scientist skills, and Metamorpho becoming kryptonite.

Overall it was an ok arc. It had its flaws and stupidity but it could have been worse.