Shapeshifters
Shapeshifters
Shapeshifting , also known as transformation or transmogrification, is a change in the form or shape of a person, especially a change from human form to animal form or a change in appearance form one person to another.
Shapeshifters in "Supernatural"
The shapeshifters in both Skin and Nightshifter can take on a person’s physical appearance, and access the thoughts of the person they are mimicking. When they change from one form to another they literally shed their skin. They can be identified by a retinal flare that shows up when they are photographed. They can be killed by silver – either a bullet Skin or a blade Nightshifter.
1.06 Skin
The shapeshifter in Skin takes on people’s forms and then kills their loved ones. The shapeshifter hints at his own origins: “Maybe this thing was born human but was different. Hideous and hated. Until he learned to become someone else”
When the shapeshifter takes on Dean’s form, and reveals to Sam some of Dean’s feelings:
- Shapeshifter!Dean: See, deep down, I’m just jealous. You got friends. You could have a life. Me? I know I’m a freak. And sooner or later, everybody’s gonna leave me.
See also Transcript of Skin
Dean is blamed by the police for the series of killings carried out by the shapeshifter, and even though he is “killed”, this results in the series crimes which will eventually bring him to the attention of Special Agent Victor Henriksen and the FBI.
2.12 Nightshifter
The shapeshifter in Nightshifter was killing people, and taking on their appearance in order to commit robberies. Bank employee Ronald Resnick, who worked out that something not human was behind the crimes, although he incorrectly identified it as a Mandroid which he thought was part-man, part-machine and could take on people’s form.
The shapeshifter is in the form of Sherri when Dean stabs it with a silver letter opener. The real Sherri survived.
