X-Men ’97 has been one of the most satisfying Disney+ Marvel series in quite some time. Drenched in nostalgia while boldly forcing our characters into uncharted waters, it’s the perfect balance of fan service and exploring the potential of what might be. In just nine episodes, we’ve experienced incredible loss, heartwarming returns and so many cameos that you need a flow chart to keep track of them all. Hasbro was ready to meet some of the demand for figures, rolling out two separate waves of X-Men ’97 figures, but according to Dan Yun of the Marvel Legends team, it doesn’t sound like we’ll see a third wave until 2025 at the earliest. That being said, let’s take a look at what’s currently available if you want to try and fill out your roster in the meantime.
Morph
Morph has been one of the best parts of the series. Their ability to morph (duh) into anyone puts the entire Marvel Universe at the show runner’s fingertips. While we did receive a retro VHS figure of Morph a while back, I was never a fan of the cell shading on those figures. Additionally, X-Men ’97 has primarily used their “blank” face as opposed to the human face the original series had grown us accustomed to. I’m confident that Hasbro will give us the perfect Morph figure in 2025, but if you absolutely have to have them on your shelf immediately, you can kitbash a pretty serviceable placeholder. Start with the retro VHS figure and grab the comic version of Morph to do a head swap. You’ll have to deal with the cell shading, but it’s still the Morph we’ve come to love.
While the blue and gold spandex and leather coat are perfectly fine, the real magic of Morph happens when they call on the appearance and abilities of other characters. So, theoretically speaking, damn near any Marvel Legend could be a placeholder for Morph on your shelf until Hasbro delivers the goods. Here’s a couple suggestions based on who we’ve already seen cameo via Morph’s morphs.
Colossus (Episode 2)
X-Men ’97 has absolutely crushed it with highlighting how the X-Men combine their powers in combat. What better way to highlight that teamwork than by adding one of the most iconic X-Men team up moves of all time in The Fastball Special? You can do just that with the reissue of a highly sought after two pack of Colossus and Juggernaut. You get the bonus of a second pseudo Morph figure as they turned into Juggernaut in the 8th episode.
Sabretooth (Episode 2)
Morph has always had a kinship to Logan. When Sad Logan wants to be left alone there aren’t enough chips and beer to snap him out of it. Instead, Morph turns themselves into Sabretooth for an impromptu sparring session. The upcoming two pack of Logan and Sabretooth features a long awaited update to Victor Creed. He’s big and bulky and ready for a fight. Everything you could want in Logan’s archenemy.
Cable
Cable rocks some serious shoulder pads for most of the series, but Episode 9’s gear update from Daddy Cyclops brings him into an X-Men uniform. “You were expecting black leather?” While it might be short a few dozen pouches, the Cable from the Zabu Wave captures the look pretty well.
Sentinels
If you’re like me and missed out on theHasLab Sentinel, you’re probably not eager to turn to the secondary market to pay the markup. Fortunately, Hasbro has put out an X-Men ’97 Titan Hero Sentinel. At 14 inches tall, they can act as decent stand-ins for those of us not in a position to sell a kidney for the HasLab. They have minimal articulation, but with an MSRP less than most Legends figures, you take what you can get. If Hasbro wanted to revisit a Legends scale Sentinel, I’m sure they’d get some takers. Myself included.
