Disney’s Aladdin
One of the most commonly used powers/augmentations in fiction is the physical transformation. It can range from a cybernetic finger to changing into a towering monster that eats planets. Some are natural while others are magical and still more are created by science. The thing they all have in common is that an organism’s physical structure is changed to some extent. With that being said, there is a wide variety of categories, which I’m going to try to cover as best as I can.
Cybernetics
I’m going to get this one out of the way because it’s fairly straightforward. This is the merging of living flesh with machines. It’s entirely different than a robot (all machine with no flesh) and an android (robot designed to look and act human). You can have only part augmented or give the character a full body that holds their brain like in Ghost in the Shell. Power source is always an issue, but you can invent a fake system for your world that will work as long as it’s sensible. For example, they can be powered by the human brain since it produces a lot of energy.
There is a spiritual side to this category too. How much technology can be added to a person before they are no longer human? Do the machines begin to undermine the soul or humanity of the person? If they’re only a brain in a robotic body then can they be sure they truly existed to begin with?
Magical on Purpose
Another broad category, which might be what I stick to here. This is different than the curses that I’ll touch on below. Here is where you would find wizards and magical creatures that cast spells of transformation. They could have an artifact that bestows such power or went through years of training. Many times this takes on an animal or elemental theme. One of the advantages to this category is that it isn’t as restrictive as cybernetics and curses. It can be the most versatile one since the characters can change themselves into anything. There could be a spell for humanoid transformations and another for animal while a third turns them into plants. You can have them be specialists and create a long list of spells that have varying degrees of niche.
Magical by Accident
Mostly curses here, but you also have magical explosions that leave a victim with transformation powers. It doesn’t always have to be bad like werewolves that can’t control themselves. One example here is from ‘One Piece’ where characters who eat the Devil Fruit are cursed with a power, but can never swim again. They find very unique ways to utilize even the strangest of powers and many of them possess a transformation component. This deals much more with the origin and if it was intentional, which you can see it was not.
With this category, you can run the story towards a few different directions. There’s the classic push for a cure or gaining control if they can’t change at will. Other characters might see it as a way to make money. Another path is bitterness and rage, which leads to a villain who seeks to spread his or her own misery. A key component here is to determine how the character handles such an accident.
Natural Shape-Shifter
There is no technology or magic behind these characters. They have been born with the ability to transform like Mystique. Beast Boy might fall into this category too, but he got his powers when he was given a serum to cure a rare diseases and the side-effect was animal transformation. Maybe it’s better to say that the characters here gained their abilities either through birth or a natural, non-magical method. Still, they tend to have the easiest time. There is no casting of spells, relics that they can lose, a curse that they can’t control, or metal parts that require a power source. Instead, they can concentrate on a form and become it within seconds. Unless they are given a specific category restriction, they can change to anything.
A tough part with this character is that they are only as strong as the author’s creativity. I can put limitations on my shape-shifters to help me focus such as humanoid only or perhaps they can only change their arms. Yet, I can also skip that and let them become whatever they need to be. One has to be careful here because you can create such a powerful character that the audience loses their interest. So, you have to use this category (and the others) with caution.
Any other categories that you can think of? Have you ever tried to write a shape-shifter or have a favorite one?
Legends of Windemere 
Great post! Would people who can turn invisible fall under this category? Or someone like Danny Phantom, who is a human-ghost hybrid?
I’ve always liked the human to animal shifts. I like the Animagi in Harry Potter.
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I would say Danny Phantom fits since his body really transforms. Invisibility is a grey area for me. Personally, I would say no because it’s more of a masking of the person than an actual transformation.
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Okay. That makes sense. I’m working on a human to horse transformation in a book.
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Reminds me of Animorphs.
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I’ve done this, but usually without the shifter part. Lisa is an example, as is my Enhanced League baseball pitcher. Jason Fogg kind of fits in, but his transformation is more weather related than animal or machine. I think it’s important not to let such characters get out of hand. An advantage shouldn’t be so overwhelming it ruins the story. Jason has his special talents, but he’s pretty worthless otherwise until he shifts back, that kind of thing.
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Would Lisa count since she’s an android and never had a previous form? Jason Fogg and the Enhanced League definitely fit since their body’s change. It can be weather, which is rarer than animal and machine.
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That was my thought about Lisa, too. She never had a different form. How do you feel about those who can’t go back, like Frankenstein’s monster? From your cyborg ideas it sounds like they fit here.
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Tough one. The Monster might fall into Lisa’s category. He was built instead of altered and could be considered undead too. Cyborgs are humans with additions to their original forms.
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This is a fun topic. You could go down the Jekyll and Hyde path, too. With a stretch of the imagination, possession and split personalities might fit. I think you’re probably wanting more of a physical alteration than the last ones, though. (You’ve got me thinking about Etrigan again, who I loved.)
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Yes. This topic focuses on physical transformations. Etrigan would work though.
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What about his buddy who got turned into a talking throw pillow. You’ve really got me going down memory lane now.
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Talking throw pillow?
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Yeah. It’s hilarious. Haven’t read about them for decades now. You have this way of kicking my Muse some days. I’ll have to see where this leads.
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I was thinking of The Demon from DC comics. Is that the Etrigan you’re thinking of?
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Yes. The pillow was his friend, then magic, etc, and the guy is stuck as a talking pillow.
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That would work.
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I like the magic by accident storyline. Seems to carry some mystery and unknown results.
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It’s a good one. Has a lot of wiggle room too.
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Where do you think characters like Plastic Man or Mr. Fantastic fit in? The accidental origin for Mr. Fantastic, I guess, since he went into space and didn’t realize he might get powers from cosmic rays. I can’t remember Plastic Man’s origin.
I think we see Mr. Fantastic mostly sticking with a humanoid form, but distorting it to serve his needs. Being able to reach across a room or move by gliding, for instance. But Plastic Man gets much crazier and will take on all sorts of forms. A bouncing ball, a spinning top… But he’s always been more of a humorist, and it seems like he’ll take whatever shape will be funny.
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Plastic Man was a chemical accident, I believe. Stretching powers would be transformative. Even though they stay humanoid, it’s a low key change. Kind of like someone who can only change their hair color.
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Another great post, Charles!
In Pearseus, I have one character, a shaman, who exhibits a transformative power. However, even though he “becomes” the animal, his form stays human. It’s only his soul, if you wish, which transforms for a while; long enough for his sense of smell to guide him to a missing boy.
Not sure if this counts 🙂
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I was looking at physical transformations, but that is a curious power. It could work in some situations, I guess. If his spirit becomes that of an animal that is flexible like a snake, can you twist his body?
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No, the body remains unaffected. I think of it as a remote viewing kind of thing rather than a physical one.
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I’d call that physiological and spiritual transformation then.
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Fair enough. I’m looking forward to visiting their school in the future!
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