Every superhero has a catalog of allies, enemies, and surrounding figures. Fans of a hero like Spider-Man will get to know a substantial handful of characters around the central hero. The X-Men have a beloved cast of heroes and villains before getting into the more obscure lore concepts like the Morloks and their fearless leader Callisto.
The90s Marvel animated serieswere likely one of the most crucial onboarding moments for new fans. Disney still produces plenty of Marvel cartoons, but they aren’t as influential as they used to be. Fans who don’t read the comics will get a lot out of the movies, but they will learn everything they need to know from those classic cartoons and their new revivals.
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Who is Callisto?
Callisto was created by belovedX-Menauthor Chris Claremont and designed by Paul Smith. She was introduced inThe Uncanny X-Men#169 in 1983. Her first appearance established her as a unique force in the X-Men universe and a longtime rival of Storm. Outside the comics, she appeared in the originalX-Men: The Animated Seriesand its spiritual successorX-Men Evolution. A version of the character appeared inX-Men: The Last Stand, though she wasn’t similar to the source material. Much of her backstory remains shrouded in mystery, but she’s a powerful representative of a secretive group of mutants. While Professor X represents peaceful integrationand Magneto represents armed resistance, Callisto and her people take a different approach. They survive by literally and figuratively going underground.
Callisto’s early life is unknown. She was born somewhere in Missouri. A mysterious incident claimed her eye and left her disfigured. Callisto sincerely mourns the immense beauty that she was once known for. The injury showed Callisto that the people she grew up around hadno use for a mutant, especially one that was no longer beautiful. Callisto gave up on the surface world and took up residence in a Cold War-era bomb shelter. Her first new friend was a young boy named Caliban. Caliban, an albino mutant, was rejected by his father due to his unusual appearance. Caliban’s mutation allows him to sense other mutants. With Caliban’s help, Callisto turned the bomb shelter into a home for mutants with nowhere else to turn. Mutants like Sunder and Masque can’t easily blend into human society, so they live among their people in Callisto’s shelter. Callisto rejected the world above and built a kingdom in the world below.
What are Callisto’s Mutant Powers?
Callisto is a mutant, but her gifts are a little vague. She’s not as flashy asmost of the X-Men. Callisto is a natural huntress, fighter, leader, and tactician. Her combat skills seem all-natural, earned over a lifetime of fighting powerful foes. Her mutation appears to be heightened senses. Her eyesight, in particular, is far better than most. She also has a finely tuned kinesthetic sense that allows her to achieve impressive acrobatic feats. Callisto can easily heal from injuries that could be lethal to a lesser victim. Her enhanced perception enables her to predict enemy attacks and develop intricate schemes.
Callisto has honed her body into a weapon. She’s a master of hand-to-hand combat onthe level of Deadpoolor Captain America. She’s always armed to the teeth. Her most iconic weapons are knives, usually a matched pair of classic Stiletto switchblades. She consistently wears body armor to protect herself from traditional attacks. After tangling with Storm, she adopted a bo-staff capable of absorbing and rechanneling electricity. Under normal circumstances, Callisto wouldn’t be able to compete with most of the X-Men, but her tactical genius makes her a tremendous threat.
Who are the Morlocks?
The Morlocks are Callisto’s band of rejected mutants. They borrowed the name from H. G. Wells’ 1895novelThe Time Machine. The Morlocks reside in a series of tunnels underneath New York City. The first to be introduced was Caliban, but he wasn’t initially a Morlock. Morlocks tend to be mutants with obvious physical symptoms that would make it impossible to blend into regular society. Callisto formed the Morlocks with Caliban’s help, but the pressure gradually undermined her sanity. The X-Men first became aware of the Morlocks when Callisto kidnapped Angel to force him into marriage. Storm challenged Callisto to single combat for the fate of the group. Storm won, leading to a long rivalry. However, the X-Men saw the benefits of the Morlocks, and Storm gave the right of leadership back to Callisto. Gradually, the Morlocks became frequentallies of the X-Men.
Callisto is an extremely engaging character who hasn’t gotten her time in the sun. Somewhat appropriately,Marvel has kept her undergroundfor too long. There’s an excellent feature film in her mysterious backstory and ambitious subterranean dreams. Callisto has a hard exterior, but the gothic style and piles of knives hide a heart of gold. Callisto deserves a chance to bring the audience into her world, andX-Men ‘97might give it to her.
