Metamorphosis | Episode 22
Aired: October 4th, 2002
Heroes: Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, Hawkgirl, J'onn J'onzz and Metamorpho/Rex Mason
Supporting: Sapphire Stagg
Villains: Simon Stagg and Java
Objects: Power Ring, Utility Belt (Goggles, Swab, Vial, and Analyzer), Justice League Communication Link, Roses, and Nth Metal
Places: Metropolis and Stagg Enterprises
Written By: Len Uhley
Directed By: Dan Riba
Metamorphosis | Episode 23
Aired: October 4th, 2002
Heroes: Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, Hawkgirl, J'onn J'onzz and Metamorpho/Rex Mason
Supporting: Sapphire Stagg
Villains: Simon Stagg and Java
Objects: Power Ring, Kryptonite, Nth Metal, Utility Belt (Bola, Exploding Batarang, and Vial), and Justice League Communication Link
Places: Metropolis and Stagg Enterprises
Beasts: Chemo
Story By: Len Uhley
Teleplay By: Dwayne McDuffie
Directed By: Dan Riba
Summary
Summary written by VortexInfiniteSimon Stagg is a successful businessman with some wildly imaginative ideas. His latest involves the ultimate worker -- one that can adapt to all types of environments and situations. He calls it Metamorpho, a being that can transform into any chemical element in the world. All he needs is the first test subject. However, his superiors wisely decide to let the project die.
Stagg finds this unacceptable.
Enter Rex Mason, the suave and cultured employee for Stagg Enterprises. On his way back from a far-away job, his train is accidentally derailed by Stagg's stooge, Java, who was handling samples of deadly chemicals. Luckily, Green Latnern is on the scene and the train's passengers are saved. Mason and John Stewart go back a long way to the Marine Corps. They are good friends and catch up on each other after the incident.
It turns out that Mason is secretly dating his boss's daughter, Sapphire (who has no insecurities about meeting her boyfriend's friends in nothing but a bath towel). After meeting John, Rex confronts Stagg about the train crash, suspicious of the circumstances. Smelling something fishy, he resigns and (as if he wasn't on thin ice already) tells Stagg that he and Sapphire are an item. Here's the clincher: he wants to take her to his job in Chicago.
That's just asking for trouble.
Simon lures Mason into a trap at Stagg Enterprises. He pumps him full of the Metamorpho chemicals. Rex awakens later, disfigured and distraught. Stagg manipulates him into believing John is responsible for the incident and that he's stealing Sapphire away to top it off. The enraged Metamorpho attacks and nearly defeats the Justice League.
Mason learns the truth and attempts to bring Stagg to justice. Instead, he triggers another accident and Simon's mind is transplanted into a huge, giant booger creature. The monster terrorizes the city and the Justice League is powerless to stop it. In his lab, Batman discovers the one chemical needed to defeat Stagg, but it would take him days to synthesize.
Metamorpho steps up and transforms into the polypetide. He collides with the large green terror and both are seemingly destroyed. The League attempts to console a heartbroken Sapphire, but it turns out there is no need to. Metamorpho is alive and well. And this episode finally (thank goodness) comes to a close.
Review
Review written by VortexInfiniteWithout a doubt this is the worst episode of season one and probably the series. Campy, boring, and disappointing only begin to describe the failure. Firstly, choosing Metamorpho as a guest star was an obvious mistake. In my opinion, his powers and design are too Superfriends to work well with this more grounded Justice League. The personality of Rex Mason went out in the 60's and the rest of the supporting cast only manage to frustrate even more.
Part One plays like a bad soap opera. The love triangle wasn't half as compelling as it could have been. It didn't help that Sapphire acted like a little tramp, obviously flirting with John...in a towel, no less. When she tells Rex that she would never do something like cheat on him with Stewart, you find it hard to believe.
Stagg and Java are definitely the worst villains ever to blemish the Justice League name. Simon isn't in anyway the genius he thinks he is. He's just as much an idiot as Java, who is forgettable. He doesn't have one funny line. These characters aren't compelling or original. You can find them on any street corner in the United States.
If part one plays like a bad soap opera, part two plays like a B-horror movie. It's like the writers gave up when it came to the climax.
"Okay, what can we do to make Metamorpho prove himself as a good superhero?"
*pause*
"I'm burned out. Let's just make a huge, mindless monster that can be destroyed by a deux ex machina plot device. That way we'll get home in time for dinner."
*cheers*
The introduction of giant snot monster sent this spiralling below other episodes. Cliche and unimaginitave, it's enough to make a viewer groan in disgust. Worst may be the way he was defeated. A convinient poly-whatsists that Metamorpho can become. The moment where it seems he sacrifices himself has promise...and then he comes back, robbing any emotional weight to the plot. Not only is it cheap, it leaves the door open for a return. HERA FORBID!
There are obligatory pros. The fight scenes were managed as best as could be. J'onn J'onnz showed off some interesting powers as did Metamorpho, albeit in a distracting way. And this is another opportunity to characterize John Stewart (even though he doesn't need it by now). We learn about possible regrets he has about his choice of lifestyle and Hawkgirl's comforting side comes out, when she lectures John about "the road not traveled."
But, please. Don't ever make something like this again.