Disney+'s new Secret Invasion series promises to alter the Marvel Cinematic Universe forever as the shapeshifting alien race known as the Skrulls infiltrate Earth. The Skrulls take the form of any human they wish, leaving few allies for Nick Fury to trust. These aliens join a long line of similar shapeshifters on TV.
For decades, different television shows have entertained the idea of how shapeshifters may blend into human society. From Heroes' Skylar to the Changelings in Star Trek and Titans' Beast Boy, TV is full of dangerous and unpredictable shapeshifters.
10 Skrulls (Secret Invasion)
The Skrulls are a race of shapeshifting aliens native to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. First introduced in 2019's Captain Marvel, the Skrulls have recently made their way into the MCU's television projects, including WandaVision and Secret Invasion.
Secret Invasion includes shocking Skrull reveals as the shapeshifting aliens kidnap and replace certain humans with key positions of power. The Skrulls' ability to harness the memories and thoughts of their victims makes them especially dangerous, as it becomes harder for humans to discover the imposters living in their midst.
9 The Zygons (Doctor Who)
The Zygons are an alien species in the long-running British sci-fi series, Doctor Who. The grotesque creatures are able to shapeshift into any individual they please, giving them a huge advantage over their enemies. The Zygons are villains seeking to overtake the Earth by replacing key individuals in secret.
The Zygons originally appeared during the original run of Doctor Who in a 1975 story entitled "Terror of the Zygons." More recently, tensions between the humans and the Zygons reached a breaking point in 2015's "The Zygon Inversion," with their leader taking the form of the 12th Doctor's original companion, Clara Oswald.
8 Sylar (Heroes)
One of the most terrifying shapeshifters in television history comes in the form of Heroes' main antagonist, Sylar. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, Sylar is a superhuman who has the ability to acquire other individuals' superpowers after killing them. Sylar eventually gains the power to shapeshift after killing James Martin, an individual who could adopt the form of anyone he has had physical contact with.
Sylar's new superpower made him especially dangerous, and he used it to take the form of his enemies' trusted confidantes. However, Sylar's shapeshifting also came with a very serious caveat. He became increasingly unable to control his ability, making it difficult for him to remain in his natural form.
7 Beast Boy (Titans)
Titans introduces a new take on one of DC's greatest shapeshifters, Garfield "Gar" Logan, a.k.a. Beast Boy. Gar is one of Titans' main characters who gained his powers as a side effect of contracting a painful primate-related disease. While Gar is initially only able to shapeshift into a massive green tiger, he eventually hones his ability and expands his repertoire.
As Beast Boy, Gar becomes one of the most valuable members of the Titans upon expanding his shapeshifting abilities. Like his comic book counterpart, Beast Boy is able to morph into virtually any animal, gaining their inherent strength, speed, or agility as needed.
6 Mystique (X-Men: The Animated Series)
X-Men: The Animated Series featured countless mutants from Marvel Comics, both good and evil. Among these characters is Mystique, a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Her primary mutation allows her to take the form of anyone in the world, adopting their face, size, and features as necessary.
In X-Men: TAS, Mystique is one of Magneto's most valuable operatives. She can conduct intelligence and recon missions with ease. The character's mutation proved invaluable for furthering the Brotherhood's nefarious purposes, leading her to become one of the show's best villains. Naturally, the character's popularity also led to her receiving a memorable role throughout the X-Men film franchise.
5 Pennywise (It (1990))
While modern audiences may be more familiar with Bill Skarsgård's rendition of Pennywise the Clown, the first live-action portrayal of the iconic horror character came via Tim Curry in 1990's It miniseries. Based on Steven King's book of the same name, It follows Pennywise as he stalks and tortures a group of children over the span of several decades.
Pennywise is a demon who feasts upon human flesh, but only after he sufficiently terrorizes them. To create as much fear as possible, Pennywise often manipulates his physical form into various unsettling shapes, including a giant spider, a clown, and even some of the children he seeks to devour.
4 Odo (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
The Star Trek franchise is full of fantastic alien creatures, which run the gamut of the sci-fi genre. Included among this litany of unusual creatures are the Changelings, who have the ability to shapeshift at will. The most memorable of the Changeling people is Odo, who appears in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes.
Odo is a crew member on Deep Space Nine who works alongside the humans to maintain the security of their outpost. While his natural form is that of a gelatinous liquid, Odo often appears in near-human form. He adopts different personas in order to aid his crew in whatever adventures they may stumble upon.
3 Clayface (Batman: The Animated Series)
Clayface is a dangerous villain from DC Comics who often goes toe-to-toe with Batman. The supervillain makes frequent appearances in Batman: The Animated Series, which depicts Clayface as a former actor whose body becomes horribly disfigured after he uses an experimental cream to retain his youthful beauty.
With a physical form that has become completely malleable, Clayface is able to alter his appearance to assume the identity of anyone or anything he wishes. The villain often attempts to use this power as a means of pulling off major heists, though he usually finds himself foiled by Batman and Robin.
2 Aku (Samurai Jack)
One of Cartoon Network's best shows from the 2000s, Samurai Jack featured a shapeshifter as its primary antagonist. Aku is a monstrous demon that has overtaken the world, leaving Samurai Jack to fight against him, restore the rightful balance of things, and return to his original timeline.
As useful as his shapeshifting abilities are in his eternal struggle against Jack, Aku also possesses a host of other powers like regeneration and dark magic that make him a terrifying enemy. Aku remains one of the most memorable and dangerous villains in any animated series, posing a massive threat to Jack and to the very fabric of reality.
1 Himiko Toga (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia's Himiko Toga is a member of the League of Villains. She has a quirk that allows her to shapeshift into any individual she pleases, albeit with one major qualifier: she must consume the blood of anyone she wishes to impersonate.
As fans might expect, Toga's unusual Transform quirk makes her a dangerous villain to the heroes, especially those in Class 1A. On multiple occasions, Toga has attempted to apprehend Deku in order to consume his blood and gain his form, getting closer and closer to accomplishing her goal each time.