View source for Metamorphosis (Force power)

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{{Youmay|the Force power|the [[Metamorphosis Trials|Dalnan ritual]]}}
[[File:Crowshapeshift.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[Talisman of the Raven]] at work]]
'''Metamorphosis''' was a form of [[Changeling/Legends|shapeshifting]] based not on [[Species/Legends|species]] biology, but [[The Force/Legends|the Force]]. Through primitive [[magic]] or Force-imbued artifacts, a being could change its shape into that of another person, creature, or entity through the use of [[The Force/Legends|the Force]].

Apart from the [[Mind trick/Legends#Force illusion|masquerade]] technique, metamorphosis was uncommon among Force-using traditions like the [[Jedi/Legends|Jedi]] and the [[Sith/Legends|Sith]], but not among the mysterious [[Witch/Legends|witches]] known as the [[Nightsisters/Legends|Nightsisters]] of [[Dathomir/Legends|Dathomir]], who utilized [[Talisman of Transformation|Talismans of Transformation]] and traditional Dathomiri illusions to metamorphose.

==Artifact-based metamorphosis==
{{Quote|Talismans of Transformation allow the wearer to change shape in the physical realm, to become an animal and tap into the animal's spirit essence, for example.|Talzin|<ref name="Book of Sith">''[[Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side]]''</ref>}}
[[File:Charalshapeshift.png|thumb|left|[[Charal]] metamorphoses to trap [[Cindel Towani]].]]
On the [[Planet/Legends|planet]] [[Dathomir/Legends|Dathomir]], [[Nightsisters/Legends|Nightsister]] [[Shaman of the Nightsisters|shamans]] were known to craft various [[Talisman of Transformation|Talismans of Transformation]], rings or pendants enchanted through [[Allyan Magic]] to allow their wearer to metamorphose. Each of those talismans only allowed to turn into one specific creature by tapping into the energy of its "ur-spirit"&mdash;the single representative spirit for each [[Species/Legends|species]] in the spiritual realm. The arcane powers of such artifact were a mystery to both [[Sith/Legends|Sith]] and [[Jedi Lore Keeper|Jedi scholars]], who tried to explain their effects to no avail.<ref name="Book of Sith" /> The Nightsisters sometimes rode black [[Horse/Legends|stallions]], which were also capable of shape-changing.<ref name="WSWFG">''[[The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide]]''</ref>

[[Charal]], the self-appointed [[Witch-Queen]] of [[Endor/Legends|Endor]], possessed [[Talisman of the Raven|such an enchanted ring]], lost on Dathomir under [[Talzin/Legends|Talzin's]] rule, which gave her the ability to turn into a [[raven]]. Charal was known to use it extensively, as she did during the [[Battle of Endor (Ewok&ndash;Sanyassan conflict)|Ewok&ndash;Sanyassan conflict]] of [[3 ABY/Legends|3 ABY]]. On one such occasion, she transformed into a beautiful [[Prince/Legends|princess]]-like young woman in order to capture [[Cindel Towani]]. In this case, however, it is possible that her ring was not involved, so either she used traditional illusion, her cloak was Force-imbued, or she transformed through some other means.<ref name="TBfE">''[[Ewoks: The Battle for Endor]]''</ref>

==Force-based metamorphosis==
[[The Ones]], a family of extremely powerful and immortal entities who lived on the planet [[Mortis/Legends|Mortis]], wielded the ability to assume the appearance of virtually anyone or anything. One of them, the [[Son/Legends|Son]], would often turn into a winged [[Gargoyle/Legends|gargoyle]], but he once used the features of the late [[Shmi Skywalker Lars/Legends|Shmi Skywalker Lars]] when confronting her son, the [[Jedi Knight/Legends|Jedi Knight]] [[Anakin Skywalker/Legends|Anakin Skywalker]]. Another member of the Ones, the [[Daughter/Legends|Daughter]], would assume the form of a large, luminous griffin.<ref name="Overlords">{{TCW|Overlords}}</ref> Similarly, the Force entity known as [[Abeloth]] was capable of stealing the physical appearances of beings that she had consumed.<ref name="Allies">''[[Fate of the Jedi: Allies]]''</ref>

[[File:Rosa_lai_metamorphosis.png|thumb|Ros Lai's illusion-based transformation.]]
[[Sister (Witches of Dathomir)|Sister]] [[Ros Lai]], the biological daughter of [[Mother (title)/Legends|Clan Mother]] [[Zalem/Legends|Zalem]], was known to use [[Mind trick/Legends#Force illusion|the art of illusion]] to project an image of herself as a deformed hag known as "the [[Rancor/Legends|Rancor]]". She began transforming into the Rancor as a youth in order to avoid suspicion while plotting to avenge [[Ros Lai's father|her dead]] [[Parent/Legends|father]]. When Lai stood away from her sisters' prying [[Eye/Legends|eyes]], she would assume her natural form. Around [[31 BBY/Legends|31 BBY]], [[Jedi Knight/Legends|Jedi Knight]] [[Quinlan Vos/Legends|Quinlan Vos]] arrived on Dathomir on a mission from the [[Jedi High Council/Legends|Jedi Council]] to stop Zalem from using a [[Star Temple]]'s [[Infinity Wave]] against [[Coruscant/Legends|Coruscant]], and witnessed Ros Lai's abilities at metamorphosis firsthand.<ref name="Infinity">''[[Star Wars: Republic: Infinity's End]]''</ref>

{{Unlicensedstart}}
[[Unidentified Nightsister (Shira)|Another Nightsister]] stranded on planet [[Shira (planet)|Shira]] could use metamorphosis to take the shape of any being between 1.5 to 1.9 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]] and 40 to 80 [[Kilogram/Legends|kilograms]]. She could retain this appearance for several hours.<ref name="Elle">"[[Elle (Casus Belli)]]"</ref>
{{Unlicensedend}}

==Appearances==
*{{TCW|Overlords}}
*{{TCW|Altar of Mortis (episode)|Altar of Mortis}}
*{{TCW|Ghosts of Mortis}}
*''[[Star Wars: Republic: Infinity's End]]''
*[[Star Wars (1987 video game)|''Star Wars'' 1987 video game]]
*''[[Star Wars: Ewoks—Shadows of Endor]]''
*''[[Ewoks: The Battle for Endor]]''
*{{CasusBelliCite|109|Elle (Casus Belli)|Elle}}
*''[[Fate of the Jedi: Allies]]''
*[[Fate of the Jedi: Allies (audiobook)|''Fate of the Jedi: Allies'' audiobook]]
*''[[Fate of the Jedi: Vortex]]''

==Sources==
*''[[Monsters and Aliens from George Lucas]]'' {{Nc}}
*''[[The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide]]''
*''[[Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side]]''

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Force powers]]