Morton

Morton was a herrerasaur. He was the self-appointed king of his species, residing in the abandoned roller coaster.

## Biography

### Early Life

Morton was probably hatched on Isla Sorna, and eventually was shipped to Isla Nublar for Jurassic Park. He would originally have been female, as were all the dinosaurs, but at some point in his life he underwent a spontaneous sex change thanks to having the DNA of an African frog species. He was part of a pack that were shipped to Isla Nublar as adolescents to replace *Velociraptors*, as the herrerasaurs were not as intelligent or fast as raptors.

While Morton was a chick, he listened to the scientists around him enough to recognize some of their English terms and phrases, including Henry Wu's name.

### The Isla Nublar Incident

During the incident that doomed Jurassic Park, the power to the holding pen for the herrerasaurs was cut and they were able to get out into the open. Morton was among them. He may have been one of the herrerasaurs which attacked Jess and Gerry Harding and Nima Cruz at the unfinished Bone Shaker roller coaster, where the herrerasaurs would later make their home.

### Freedom on the Island

After the incident the herrerasaurs lived in freedom under and within the unfinished skeleton of the roller coaster, and Morton made himself their king. He appointed Penelope as his second-in-command. In 1995, InGen returned to Isla Nublar under the command of Henry Wu. For the most part, the Bone Shaker and its surrounding area were left alone due to being too far north for InGen to quickly take over. Morton remained wary of scientists coming north to steal juveniles for Volatus Virus research.

### Isla Nublar Theropod Revolution

Ellie Sattler, after being transformed into a *Tyrannosaurus rex* through the Volatus Virus, approached the herrerasaur colony for help finding the Visitors' Center. Morton offered to help her find it, respecting such a large theropod. Penelope went with them as well. Along the way, Ellie accidentally revealed that she was twenty-eight years old, making the herrerasaurs realize that she was a shape-shifting human (as no dinosaur at the time could be older than eleven). Morton and Penelope assumed that she was a spy sent by Wu, and tried to kill her. However, as Penelope argued with Morton about who should kill Ellie, she escaped up a banyan tree. Morton was goaded by Ellie into climbing the tree, with some difficulty. However, as he was about to kill her, she pointed out to him that he did not know how to climb back down again. Morton panicked, but Ellie used the tree's bendable branches to get them safely to the ground once more. After calming down, Morton tried to kill Ellie again, but Penelope pointed out that because she saved Morton's life she probably wasn't a spy, and that it would be dishonorable to kill her. Ellie uses reverse psychology to trick Morton into leading her to the Visitors' Center.

During the travel, Ellie suggested that the herrerasaurs have names, and though Morton was initially opposed to it, Penelope came up with the names that they used from there on. They soon found that they had traveled in the wrong direction, reaching a lake instead of the Visitors' Center. Morton blamed Penelope for the misdirection. However, they were found by Donder, who directed Robin and the others to Ellie's location. Morton and Penelope ensured Ellie's safety until rescue arrived.

## Trivia

* Morton was afraid of heights.
* Morton's name was thought up by Penelope, likely picked up from an InGen employee. Ellie considered naming him based on a herrerasaur pun, an idea which he detested.