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The shapeshifters are an unnamed alien species capable of changing their appearance and achieving other feats involving molecular deconstruction and reorganization, hailing from a distant planet unknown to Humans.
Biology[]
In their default appearance, the shapeshifters appear physically indistinguishable from Humans. They are capable of changing their appearance into exact copies of any lifeform within seconds, even able to drastically change size and sprout new limbs. This species is also capable of manipulating the molecular structure of objects, which may explain their own ability to gain or lose mass, but they also appear incapable of manipulating other lifeforms. It is possible that they are only able to manipulate themselves and inanimate objects. A member of this species exhibited super strength, enough to hit a baseball into an altitude impossible for a Human to replicate, but it is unknown if this is the result of their shapeshifting abilities altering their strength or their default strength level. While the lifespan of the shapeshifters is unknown, it is known that they can visibly age, seen by the contrast of Old Ben's true appearance and the visages of his pursuers, although over the course of several thousand years.
Culture and society[]
The shapeshifters are ruled by a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with an organization known as the Council operating as the legislative branch of the government. The Council is known to be able to override the authority of the monarch, and while it appears to be able to run the government without a monarch, the monarch appears to retain some authority, and remains an essential component to the government. In addition, the shapeshifters' government is known to be bogged down with red tape. While a monarchy, the rulers appear to be elected, or otherwise appointed, rather than following a dynasty. According to Old Ben, a monarch must rule for at least 5,000 years. After that time has elapsed, the monarch is to appoint a successor. It is known that members of other species are capable of entering the shapeshifter society, even able to marry into the current royalty, although the red tape present in their government would usually not allow such a thing to happen.
Technology[]
The shapeshifters are known to have some form of space travel, presumably faster-than-light travel given the implied distance between their homeworld and Earth. They are also known to have a handheld device that is capable of replicating their own molecular manipulation abilities, although able to affect other lifeforms, such as Humans. The devices resemble small poles with a cup-like component on its end, with several straight, rigid, rod-like appendages on the rim of the cup. When active, the cup spins, with the rods pointing outwards, with a light coming from its center. While active, the device appears to be able to short out nearby power sources, and while often used at very close range, it is able to affect targets from some distance away. It appears to emit some sort of highly visible and unique signal that other shapeshifters can lock on to. They do not appear to have any technology that can detect members of their own species disguising as another, instead relying on investigations.
History[]
Old Ben playing the role of a Martian, taking on the appearance of an armored alien.
After a thousand years of ruling, the current shapeshifter monarch, discontent with the bureaucracy present in his government and overwhelmed by the responsibility, abandoned his post as king and fled to another planet. He was pursued by agents of the government, intent on getting him back. Despite the fact that he was ultimately unable to handle the responsibility, he remained essential to the government, was one of the best kings the shapeshifters had in a long time, and was a favored by the people. He eventually took refuge on Earth in the 1960s, taking on the appearance of an elderly Human by the name of Old Ben, and living in a small town in the US. He would often use his alien abilities to perform "magic" tricks for Human children, and formed a close bond with a young girl named Jenny, who walks with a leg brace. The children become accustomed to Old Ben's abilities, as he performs feats such as hitting a baseball far out of the park and taking on the appearance of a shelled alien creature for a game of pretend.
Two shapeshifter royal agents disguised as Human authorities
After some time living on Earth, the royal agents caught up with him, stalking his Human disguise and suspecting him. When they see Old Ben make two roller skates de-materialize, they attempt to follow him into the apartment building where Old Ben was staying. Old Ben leaves Jenny with her short-tempered aunt before going into his room. The agents don't see Old Ben, but question Jenny's aunt, who ultimately doesn't know much about Old Ben. Jenny, hearing the agents claim to be police officers, sneaks off to Old Ben's room, telling him about the agents after him. The agents go up to Old Ben's room, but Old Ben shapeshifts into a mouse and hid in Jenny's clothes before the agents can see him. Old Ben, taken back to Jenny's room and kept hidden from the agents, morphs back into his Human disguise, and tells Jenny about his alien origins, although leaves out the fact that he was a monarch. He sadly admits that he will have to leave Earth to evade capture, and uses his device to heal Jenny's leg as a parting gift, saying that he didn't do it before to avoid being detected, a worry that has become irrelevant with the presence of the agents. Old Ben then shapeshifts into a fly and leaves. Jenny attempts to look for him, but is stopped by the agents. When she pushes past them, one of them uses his device to inflict a deadly illness onto Jenny. This lures Old Ben back to her room, where he cures her with his device, although he is immediately confronted by the agents. The agents refer to him as "your majesty," and Old Ben reveals who he was to Jenny. He decides that he has run for too long, and that he must return, supported by the agents. Jenny wished to go with Old Ben, as her aunt was a poor guardian and her parents were dead, but the agents say that the Council would never approve. To combat this, Old Ben has the agents leave the room for one minute, and when they return, they find that Old Ben has morphed himself into an exact copy of Jenny, thus leaving the agents with no choice but to bring them both to the shapeshifter homeworld to avoid choosing the wrong one. After leaving, a note is left for Jenny's aunt, with a picture of Old Ben's true form, which resembled a very handsome young man. Jenny lived among the royal shapeshifter society, and when she became an adult, she became Old Ben's queen.
Appearances[]
- The Twilight Zone, s03e25, "The Fugitive" (1962)