Every bioform Acquired by a Morpher has been seemingly Organic[various Terran species, Hork-Bajir, Taxxon, Yeerk, Andalite, Esplin's/Alloran's alien monsters]. I also don't belive it's ever stated if Escafil Devices only work on Carbon-based lifeforms, but seeing as almost every major sapient species in the series can survive on Earth's nutrients and atmosphere, I assume they all share a similar base atomic chain. So what about other life-classes? I'm gonna use Ben 10 species as an example, first thing that came to mind.

Galvan, Tetramand, Vulpimancer: Acquire

Flourana, Methosanian, Ectonurite: Unsure

Pyronite, Petrosapien, Galvanic Mechamorph: Unlikely

Holy shit you guys. It's been probably 15 years since I've read the book, and I don't remember if I even finished it the first time. This time I could not stop reading. What does Toomin in Ketran form look like to you guys? Does anyone else love that he >!named the Andalites hehe!< and that there are some now possibly related to him! My brain feels broken, but in the best way. I kind of want to know Crayak's origin story too. Please share your thoughts! I LOVE this book wow

What species of bird would be the best all-rounder morph based on a variety of factors such as vision, range, toughness, speed, agility, ect.

Loved this series when it first came out. Would anyone else be down for a box set of this/ omnibus?

Here is a picture! Message here or DM me if you can help, thanks! :D

https://preview.redd.it/bni6jugn8b4e1.jpg?width=250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9e989018762b561782475c2b1f807e61f82a929

ANIMORPHS #49: THE DIVERSION art print, signed and numbered by the artist

https://www.etsy.com/listing/900820239/animorphs-49-the-diversion-art-print

You can get my prints here:

davidmattingly.com

AnimorphsArtStore.etsy.com

WizardArtist.etsy.com

davidmattinglyArt.etsy.com

HonorHarringtonArt.etsy.com

MillerAndLeeArt.etsy.com

Really want to read that Cassie RollingStone interview :(

I just downloaded the new graphic novel, and it doesn't have guided view!!! I'm so annoyed!

Does anyone know why the publisher got rid of this feature?

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14416633/

Show it some love! Unless you think it’s cringe which I don’t blame you. It’s my first one ever so 🤷🏼‍♂️

Cassie time!

I think this is the book where the Auxiliary Animorphs are introduced? If so, I'm hyped, I want to learn more about them!

Alrighty, already got Dracon fire.

I love books that start with intense and traumatizing battles.

Okay, this doesn't seem like a battle...

I keep forgetting that the Yeerks know that the Animorphs are human.

Oh no, I can't copy text from my PDF! I guess I'll have to hand-type it.

I couldn't keep the roach within view. Instead, I saw my mother.

Saw the look on her face, when, for the very first time, she watched me morph.

What would her face look like now if she saw me burrowing in a muddy trench full of worms, dung, and rotted vegetation?

Daaaamn.

What is even going on??

Okay we're escaping.

Wait, I can copy the text now. Huh.

Ohhh, it's a drill. Okay.

My name is Cassie.

I know who you are, Cassie. It's book 50.

Ax was included in the Animorphs again. I guess my "Did Jake kick Ax out of the team" joke is dead...

Like we were, once. Because none of us will ever really be kids again.

Now, a hundred or more battles later, I’m not sure exactly what we are. In the eyes of the innocent world, we’re still children. But in our own eyes…

That makes me sad. :(

The truth was, and it hurt me to admit it, Jake just wasn’t Jake anymore.

He's still sad about his family :(

Great, this book is off to a really depressing start. Lovin' it.

Jake’s parents, Jean and Steve, didn’t make it out in time.

NAME REVEAL!!

Tobias is a nothlit. Someone who stayed in morph beyond the two-hour time limit and got trapped in that morph.

None of us are one hundred percent sure it was an accident.

Sometimes we think Tobias is happier as a hawk. That he let himself be trapped, on purpose.

Thinking about Megamorphs #4, we did see what would happen if Tobias hadn't become an Animorph. At least in this timeline, he got to meet his mom and his cool uncle who actually cares. And his dog brother, Champ.

Rachel's angry about something.

Mom's angry about something.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, I was angry. Mad that my mother, a scientist, wouldn’t—or couldn’t—face the awful truth.

That we were at war. That the rules had changed. That we had to do things we’d never choose to do under peacetime circumstances. That we didn’t have that luxury. That every single minute of every single day we had to make sacrifices we’d rather not make.

And I was angry that my mother was forcing me to confront her with this truth.

“That’s right, Mom,” I said, my voice hard. “The Hork-Bajir could die. Every single one of us, human and Hork-Bajir and Andalite, could die. Any day. At any time. I still don’t get your point.”

My mother gasped. It wasn’t a fake gasp, either. She was shocked. “Cassie! How can you say that? We’re talking about lives.”

“I’m being realistic. This is a war, Mom. Do you understand what that means? Some of us are going to die. That’s a fact. From disease or injury or deprivation. It doesn’t much matter how, does it? Nothing we do now can change that fact. Not building a nicer shelter or being all pleasant to each other. Nothing will stop the dying except winning the war. And right now, our chances of winning don’t look real good.”

DAMN, CASSIE.

UH-OH. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. YEERKS ARE ATTACKING. (Imagine if it was a drill though)

IT WAS LOL.

I'm actually laughing this is so funny.

Naomi (Rachel's mom) tried to escape the valley.

Rachel: "Listen, Mom, you can't just run off like that. You worried me."

Naomi: "But--"

Rachel: "NO BUTS! GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

Rachel’s tough-as-nails lawyer mother was realizing how incredibly vulnerable we all were.

This is no longer funny. It's just depressing.

He whirled on me. His eyes were dark and wild. For the first time since I’d known and loved Jake, I was afraid of him. Afraid of what he might become.

WAHHHHHHHHH

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” I called after him. Desperate.

He didn’t stop.

“You’re acting like a coward!”

The moment the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them.

Jake stopped. Turned. His face was a stranger’s. “What did you call me?”

He’d heard me. Too late to take back the words. “A coward,” I repeated, flinching. “Now that it’s the final crisis, you’re turning chicken on us.”

I didn’t expect his weary laugh. “I’m not chicken,” he said. “I’m just trying to give everybody a fighting chance. I’m not going to insist people do what I say when I don’t have the slightest idea what’s right or wrong. What’s smart or stupid. Cassie, it’s my fault we’re on the run. You can’t deny that.”

Jesus, everyone's having a bad time.

What happened to the silly little series about aliens that was only mildly traumatizing?

“No, Jake. Listen. If that’s the truth, you have to take charge. And if you really are a failure and it really is all your fault, then it’s your responsibility to get us out of here. We need you, Jake. Either way, it has to be you.”

It was a cheap shot. Jake’s Achilles’ heel has always been his sense of responsibility. I could see him weakening.

“Marco can be in charge,” he said helplessly. Again he pulled his hand away. This time I let him go. “He’s smarter than I am. Or Tobias. Or Ax. Or you. Rachel. Anyone. Anyone but me. You know why I was in charge in the first place, Cassie? Because once upon a time, a long time ago, Marco said I was.”

“Jake, that’s not the whole truth…”

“Well, now my term of office is over,” he continued bitterly. “So how about for once you guys figure things out and tell me what to do.”

Jeez, Cassie ,I didn't expect you to be this harsh.

I understand why, though. These aren't happy, chill times anymore.

But also, JAKE STOP. CASSIE, STOP. EVERYONE STOP MAKING ME SAAAAAAD!

That afternoon I lied and told everyone that Jake had called a meeting for later that evening.

Then I told Jake about the meeting. Two minutes before it was about to start.

For some reason, this is funny.

Alright, I'm sad again.

Thanks a lot. I'm asking Katherine and Michael to pay my therapy bill.

Naomi looked at Rachel. Her face was tense. “I have three daughters to care for,” she said. “A year from now, I want to still have three daughters. What do I have to do to keep them safe?”

OH GOD THE SPOILERS I KNOW. OH GOD NO.

Heyy, "Morph" by Twenty One Pilots randomly turned on. Of course it did.

If Jake lost it, I’d lose it.

We’d all lose it. We’d all just break down into a sobbing, screaming, guilt-ridden, terrified group.

Kids. Adults. Hork-Bajir. Probably even Ax.

So...Ax and the Hork-Bajir aren't kids nor adults?

In all seriousness, WAHHHHHHHHHH.

“My plans?” Jake shoved his hands down into his pockets. “To keep us alive.”

If this had been a movie, we all would have stood and cheered. Vowed to follow our leader anywhere, even to the grave. To die for the cause. Braveheart. The Patriot. Gladiator. One for all. All for one.

Blah blah blah.

But it wasn’t a movie. It was real.

I watched Jake’s face. I had to admit he didn’t exactly look like an inspirational leader.

He just looked like a sad, harried kid.

And it felt like my fault.

Poor Animorphs.

Morphing cube! Morphing cube!

You're gonna lose in the end, Cassie. It's the Auxiliary Animorphs book. We gotta have the Auxiliary Animorphs.

Okay, I was waiting for Ax to be all Andalite Ableist like: "We CaN't HaVe VeCoLs FoR fIgHtErS!" or something like that, but he actually didn't argue at all. Although there was a little ableism there. But it went better than I thought it would. Phew. Ax is my favorite character, I don't like it when he's awful. :(

Okay, we're off to get some new Animorphs!

Aaaand they already got spotted by Controllers. Of course.

Yeahhh, disguise time!

Marco’s magician’s outfit was seriously cheesy. A shiny polyester jumpsuit that was supposed to look like a tux. It looked more like a Las Vegas showgirl’s outfit, complete with voluminous gold lamé cape.

Gorgeous! Stunning! Beauteous! Darling!

I looked pretty stupid myself, dressed up like a fortune-teller from a classic B- movie.

Tell me, Cassie: Will I be permanently traumatized by the time I finish this book series?

Marco grunted. “How come he’s the only one who doesn’t look like a total fool?”

It was true. The only costume Jake could find that fit him at all decently was modeled on that of a 1950’s Beat poet or something. Black turtleneck, black jeans, black shoes, a black beret. Even a phony goatee.

Well, that fits his mood lately: Emo.

Marco made a few remarks about guys in tights.

What...what kind of remarks, Marco?

Okay, we're in the place.

Sorry it's been taking awhile and I'm not commenting much, my brother's birthday is this week and I've just been very busy. Also, this book is really sad so far, and I just needed some time to recover.

Anyway, back to the story!

“He was supposed to have it an hour ago. He’s in pain.”

I turned toward the sound of the voice. It was young but mature. And angry.

And it belonged to another kid in a wheelchair. I noticed he had nice hair. Kind of gold-brown and wavy.

“How do you know he’s in pain?” a male nurse argued.

“It’s his eyes. If you’d take the time to look, his eyes will tell you a lot.”

This kid's pissed. And rightfully so.

“James, I know you’re Pedro’s roommate, but…”

“I’m not just his roommate,” the kid—James—snapped. “I’m his friend. And since he can’t talk to you, I’m doing it for him. If you guys can’t get the medication here on time, just leave it on his night table. I’ll give it to him.”

Oh my god they were roommates-

But seriously, this guy's a good friend :)

Would be prime Animorph material, heh-heh-heh.

Marco swept his cape in a glittering arc. “We are,” he said quickly.

James and the girl gave him a long, level stare.

“My infamous charm doesn’t seem to work in this place,” Marco said under his breath.

Marco is my savior. In this depressing swamp of a book (and I mean that as a compliment), he's making me laugh. What a guy.

Hiii Collette.

“Let me tell you something,” she said. There was no anger or bitterness in her voice. “A disabled kid is like the kitten who becomes a cat. You’re a kitten, everybody wants to pet you and play with you. You get a little older, you’re just a nuisance. Some of the people here haven’t been home in years.”

Damn, that's such a good quote. Sounds true to me, although I was lucky enough to be able to have my vision be pretty much normal most of the time, and to have a wonderful family who supported me but never made me feel like a nuisance, so I definitely can't speak for everyone or even most disabled people.

She pointed back toward James’s room. “About all he has to look forward to is a nursing home when he’s too old for this place. And he’s been here since he was a little kid. He got hit by a drunk driver when he was four. His mother brought him in to be operated on and never came back to get him.”

Oof. That's rough, buddy.

She patted the sides of her chair. “This is just a temporary thing for me. I’m not usually in a chair. I had a skiing accident and this place has the best pediatric orthopedic staff around. I came in for some surgery on my knees. Any of you guys ski?”

“Once,” Marco answered. “Didn’t like it. Too cold and chicks don’t dig it when you fall, like, every three seconds.”

Collette made a face like Marco was nuts. “Oh man. You’re missing the greatest sport there is. Maybe you’re more into skating? I like skating but it’s a little tame for me. I’m into the extreme, high-risk stuff.”

My type of girl. Rachel's type of girl; too bad she isn't here.

Also, I'm not shocked in the slightest that Marco tried skiing because he wanted to impressive the girls (*cough* and boys *cough*)

“Collette!” At the end of the hall the pale girl beckoned. “You want to play cards or not?”

Collette put her hands on her wheels. “I need to get back. That’s Kelly. She’s got cystic fibrosis. It makes her so weak sometimes, she can barely shuffle the cards. We play a lot when she feels strong. The other guy is Timmy,” she added. “Stop by before you go.” Collette winked at Marco. “I like company.”

“If she’s only recently injured, it’s possible she’s a Controller,” Jake said as Collette rejoined Kelly.

“True,” Marco answered with a grin. “But I don’t know. She’s just too cute. Did you see that? She winked at me!”

Of course you would fall for anyone who gave you the time of day, Marco.

“Don’t get attached,” Jake said tiredly. “Life is probably going to be a lot shorter than you thought it would be.”

Marco’s grin faded. “You know what, Jake? You don’t have to remind me about that.”

For about a split second, Jake looked embarrassed. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s okay, dude. It gets to us all.”

“Come on,” Jake said quickly. “Let’s find James.”

JAKE THIS BOOK IS DEPRESSING AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT (it's okay though, I understand)

James’s expression never changed.

Not once.

Not when Jake told him that aliens called Yeerks had invaded the planet.

Not when Jake told him about finding the crashed spaceship.

Not when Jake told him about Elfangor, the Andalites, and the morphing cube.

Not when jake told him about how Visser One, then Visser Three, had killed Elfangor and eaten him.

Just continued to watch Jake with an unblinking stare. Completely unmoved. Supremely unimpressed.

James: "How come everyone who visits turns out to be insane?"

Finally, James looked away from Jake to Marco. Then to me. Then he sighed heavily, bored and contemptuous.

“I’m sure when you talked about this at school, it seemed like a really good joke. But when you go back, you can give your friends a message from the ‘gang-of-pathetically-grateful-for-attention-kids-at-the-rehab-center.’ ”

“But…” I began.

He cut me off. His voice was more than sarcastic.

“You can tell your idiotic little friends that yeah, we have our problems. But at least we don’t get our kicks by dressing up like refugees from a fifth-rate school play and playing tricks on people in wheelchairs.”

Fair enough. I mean, it isn't a trick, but obviously James wouldn't be able to tell. If someone came up to me and said that aliens were invading our brains and whatnot, I'd probably either think they were kidding or a conspiracy freak.

“You know what?” Jake said, with a bitter laugh. “I don’t need this. I’m telling you the truth. You can believe me or not. It’s your funeral.”

James’s face went red. He started to wheel himself out of the room but Jake grabbed his arm. “Wait!”

Marco and I stepped back. Stunned by Jake’s harsh words.

James wrenched his arm out of Jake’s grasp. “Don’t touch me, man,” he warned. “I may be in a chair but I can kick your butt if I have to.”

Jake reached for James again. With a lightning quick motion, James grabbed Jake’s other arm, angled his chair so that it caught Jake behind the ankle, and flipped him to the ground.

“Umpff!”

Had I used the word helpless in describing kids like James?

James looked down at Jake and cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t even want to know what Kelly can do to you, you make her mad enough.”

First, dammit, Jake.

Second, DAMN, JAMES. I'm impressed, not because you're in a wheelchair, but because Jake is tall and buff. I am impressed with anybody who can kick his ass.

Jake's morphing to tiger.

James is concerned. I would be too. For me.

Collette's here. She's not concerned. What a queen. New favorite character.

“Because the Yeerks are jerks,” I blurted.

Hey, that rhymes!

“Look,” I said. “You started out angry. You thought we were playing with your head, dissing you because you’re in a wheelchair. But don’t you see? That’s exactly what you’re doing to the others. To your friends.”

“What?” James snapped.

“Acting like they’re babies,” I said.

Hardly believing it was me talking.

“Or dumb. Like they’re not capable of giving informed consent. Look, James.” I knelt by his side so that I was looking up at his face. “I know this whole story about the Yeerks is hard to believe, but you have to believe. Your friends’ lives are already at stake. You need to have some means of protecting yourselves if the

Yeerks get any stronger. Look, they might not want to infest you. But they will want to kill you.”

The words came without interruption. But inside, my conscience was rebelling at every syllable. I was trying ton convince James to be a recruit, to recruit others to our cause. Me, the one who’d been against the plan from the beginning.

But being here, talking to James, seeing these kids, I realized in a serious way, maybe for the first time, that they weren’t helpless.

Just like our parents.

“You know what,” I continued. “You don’t really have a choice here. This is duty time. You’ve been tapped. So step up to the plate. Whatever. Fact is, we need you. Your friends need you.”

Marco and Jake looked at me with raised eyebrows.

James was silent.

Sorry for all the quotes (and long ones at that) but DAMN, CASSIE. This hits HARD.

Oh, Collette was lying about the skiing accident thing?

“To ignore the reality,” she said simply. “My mom died two years ago. After that, I lived with my brother and his wife. But they were transferred overseas. They’re in the army. I was just supposed to be here until they got settled and sent for me. But then they wrote and said nothing was barrier free where they were stationed. It would be too hard to have me live with them. So I’m supposed to live here till they get back. It could be years.”

Marco leaned over and squeezed Collette’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “I’ve been known to stretch the truth on occasion.”

Even though I ship Marco X Ax, I'm kind of seeing the possibilities of Marco X Collette. Or...Marcollette? You know what, I might start shipping them just to use that ship name.

PIGEON TIME LET'S GOOOOO!

And thought-speak? For Timmy, this was the biggest miracle.

<Rubber baby buggy bumpers. Rubber baby buggy bumpers. Rubber baby buggy bumpers,> he chanted. <This is fantastically fabulous. Fortuitously felicitous.>

Timmy laughed at his own alliterative excesses. <You want to know what hell on Earth is?> he asked.

<What?>

<Having a large vocabulary, an encyclopedic knowledge of musical theater, and a speech impediment.>

This is so heartwarming I can't-

You know, I recently read the book Out of my Mind which is about a girl with cerebral palsy (which is what I think Timmy has) and she can't talk either. Her attitude is very similar to Timmy's.

<You know,> Marco noted, <if we were real birds of prey, one of us might try to eat one of you.>

Collette laughed wildly and lifted off. <You’re so gross!>

<See?> Marco said. <I told you she likes me.>

Romance at its finest.

James got healed!

The other thing? The thing that really amazed us?

The new guys got control of the morphs almost immediately. I mean, there was no lag time at all. The animals’ instincts kicked in and almost immediately, James and the others got them under control. No rampaging tempers or out-of-control panic.

I thought about that. Finally figured that James and the others had spent years—if not all of their lives—surviving by allowing mind to conquer and replace matter. Their bodies might be weak, but their wills were stronger than ours.

This is so gooooood.

Alright we've recruited more people.

Yay we're feeling better now :)

Gotta have those good vibes.

Even so, I was full of mixed emotions. Wondered if I would have the chance to know these new team members as I’d come to know—and care for—my friends.

Wondered if it mattered.

Already I felt responsible for them. Like their mother. Older sister, at least.

Cassie is mom friend confirmed.

<When most of these new Animorphs demorph, they are physically helpless. Correct?> Ax.

“Yes,” Jake answered, his voice defensive. “Except for James and two others. But at least we know they’re not Controllers.”

<I still must point out that does not mean they will be usefull in a battle,> Ax countered. <They will have to be tested. If these new recruits have no training, no experience with the world of physical sport or combat, then they are of no use to us.>

Please stop, Ax. I don't like it when my favorite character is ableist.

“Look, Ax,” Marco interrupted. “We’ve had this conversation before. This is Earth. All people are valuable in some way or another. Humans value one another. Whether they’re disabled or not.”

Ax blinked. <If these people are valued, then why are they kept apart? Why are they unseen? It is a disturbing inconsistency.>

He's got a point there, Marco. Let's not pretend that humans are the most accepting life form around. Andalites have them beat, but not by a lot.

Ax nodded gravely. <Jake is the leader. He is my prince. I will trust his judgment.>

“Thanks, Ax,” Jake said quietly. “That means a lot.”

Aww.

Also, I must say this: HA, GAYYYY!

Don't get jealous now, Marco. After all, you've been flirting with that Collette girl, and I have been supporting it. You're not the only guy who has chemistry with Ax.

Except that Jake is probably straight but my point still stands.

Dad looked at me for a long time. I can’t bear to describe the expression on his face.

He was looking at me like I was the enemy. Like he suddenly understood that evil existed not just in the world, not just in his own backyard, but in his very own kid. His very own flesh and blood.

God this is depressing.

STOP MAKING ME SAD GUYS.

Jake spoke. “We had no choice.”

“There’s always a choice,” my father said angrily. “Jake, I thought you knew that. Where’s the boy I used to know? The boy who was so clear on right and wrong.”

I wondered the same thing.

Jake wasn’t Jake anymore. His eyes were harder. Maybe his heart, too. And I didn’t like the look that came over his face now.

It was the look that Rachel got when she was determined to win no matter what. It was the look Tobias got when he was closing in on a mouse.

Two things:

1. I remember in #31, Jake and "Tom" had a discussion about good and evil, right and wrong. Walter saying: "The boy who was so clear on right and wrong." reminds me of that.

2. I am crying on the inside. I would cry on the outside too, but my eyes are too dry from staring at my computer screen where this disheartening bullshit resides.

This post so long and I'm not even close to the end yet. Oh boy.

Even Jake’s back looked different. Straighter. More unyielding.

Maybe Jake just had scoliosis before and now he's been cured. As someone with scoliosis, this is my headcanon now.

“Dad,” I said. “I don’t have time to argue ethics with you. I don’t have time to convince you that sometimes you have to do something—uncomfortable—to make things right in the end. This is war. Every minute counts. We’re fighting to save the human race.”

“The human race?” my father repeated. “Okay, answer me this, Cassie. Is what you’re doing with these disabled children humane?”

My father sounded like me.

Like the old me.

But I wasn’t that naïve person anymore.

I had no answer.

I turned and walked away. Started to morph osprey.

“Cassie!” he cried. “Cassie! Wait!”

But I didn’t wait. I finished the morph and flew.

*cries*

Birds don’t cry. So I didn’t. but it was only because I couldn’t.

I would trade with you right now Cassie.

Okay they're in a school for the blind now.

"Am I the only one who’s thinking it might be hard to convince kids who can’t even see us?” Marco whispered.

Just have them touch you while you're morphing. Easy.

Cassie thinks something's up. I trust her opinion.

UH OH THERE'S A CAMERA.

Shit Tom's here to give Jake Trauma, Animorphs Edition. Batteries not included; each sold separately.

When we were in the hallway, Tom closed the door behind us. Then he turned and struck Jake savagely across the face. “My host’s own brother!”

Jake reeled and a Hork-Bajir caught him. Propped him up.

Tom struck him again. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done to me? All that time we were searching for you. Looking for Andalites. And it was you! Right there in my own house. Right down the hall. I could have killed you a million times! Visser One almost starved me to death for my stupidity.”

Jesus Christ "Tom's" out here beating the crap out of a child. His brother, no less.

Tom turned back to Jake. “My host’s parents,” he said coldly, “were given as hosts to relatively low-ranking Controllers. This is so we can kill them without regret if we have to. So if any of you even thinks about making trouble…”

Shit shit shit shit shit shit-

C'mon, Cassie, you and the Auximorphs can do an epic save!

Morphing...this will take a few minutes...

Oooo James chose a lion? Interesting...

EPIC SAAAVVVVVVE!!

Collette snapped her jaws and shot back into the fray.

<Who wants to wrestle this big green baby!> she cried.

Maybe extreme sports really were her thing.

Collette's in crocodile morph by the way.

Also, I just thought this was funny. I bet she and Rachel get along.

Uh oh Visser One's here to ruin the fun.

Slowly the visser’s attention was caught. Maybe I imagined the look of fear that flitted across his enigmatic Andalite face as he surveyed our forces.

Maybe not.

But for the first time since this war had begun, it looked like a fair fight.

Hell yeah.

Teamwork seemed to come easily to the new Animorphs.

This was a good thing.

We gotta have the Magic of Friendship, guys!

Okay, that friendship mayyyyy be a little frayed, BUT IT'S STILL FRIENDSHIP.

<Andalite scum!> Visser One twitched his tail blade over his head, taunting Ax. <You will make a lovely host for some worthy Yeerk. That is, if you survive the next few minutes.>

Fwap!

Ax easily evaded the intended blow.

<You are losing your touch, Visser,> Ax sneered.

HAHAHAHA, You can't get Ax with meaningless threats of infestation!

This passage made me laugh when I read it lol.

Jake turned and joined Ax.

<So! It takes two rebel scum to fight me!>

<Your boasting is foolish,> Ax retorted. <You have brought truckloads of troops to fight only a few of us.>

Oh, ouch, want some ice for that BURN?

This is actually hilarious. Kill Visser One with the power of sassy logic, Ax.

Visser One cursed and whirled.

What kind of curse? Andalite? Yeerkish? Human? Probably would have been something like Dapsen (wasn't that the "impolite word" that was the name of the logging company? Idk I don't feel like looking it up so we're just gonna go with that), but I think it would've been funny if Visser One just said something like "F*** you, Andalites!" or something.

<Is it my imagination,> he said, trying to sound unconcerned, <or are there more of you rebles this time?>

<There are many of us,> Jake lied. <There always have been.>

<Tell me how many and I will let you live,> Visser One coaxed. All four eyes alert.

<Release Tom’s host’s parents and I will let you live,> Jake countered.

<Your arrogance is entertaining. Of course I know the tiger is Tom’s brother. Let me tell you, human, you will regret your arrogance. You will regret it all.>

Your arrogance is more entertaining, Visser.

Uh oh things just got less funny.

Screams, cries, moans.

Blood spraying…

Things just got a LOT less funny.

The Taxxon was still bent over Kelly, foul saliva trickling onto her flesh. Sucking up the bull’s dark blood.

Oh god that's so disgusting and also HORRIBLE.

Tobias is scratching eyeballs out. Nobody is shocked.

Kelly's in a wee bit of trouble. And by that I mean that she will DIE.

Jake's about to get eaten. Stop eating the "good" guys, Visser One.

I'm sorry I'm making so many stupid statements that don't have much feeling. I'm just hollow inside. This book has killed my everything feeling except the feeling of impending doom.

Also, I know there's not many quotes, but it's all just doom and death and horror anyway.

Please, someone do an epic save.

Tobias scratched the visser's eyes, but I don't think it's enough...!

I would go back in. I would fight to the finish. No matter what, I’d fight with Jake.

WAHHHHHH

OH MAN THE VISSER GOT SLICED!

WE'RE STILL ALIVE!

Taxxons, unable to restrain their appetites, converged on Visser One and his hemorrhaging stump.

HAHA! Bro's getting a taste of his own medicine!!

Oh no it's the morphing cube scene.

No matter which way it went between Jake and Tom, I would lose Jake.

Because if Jake had to kill Tom, he’d never be the same. He would cross whatever line it was that separated us from them.

And I was pretty sure there was no crossing back.

And just as I read that, the 1 hour loop of "The Line" by Twenty One Pilots that I've been listening to just ended. Wow.

Soft, irregular thudding. Jake.

Stalking his brother. Prepared to kill him. For what?

For a morphing cube. For…

It wasn’t worth it.

Suddenly, I knew the truth.

I'm actually weak right now from the emotions in this book.

I gotta play some more sad TOP songs. It's my duty.

“I’ll kill you, Jake,” he said, voice ragged. “I will.”

*cries*

That’s when I shot forward and closed my jaws over Jake’s uninjured back leg. Clamped down.

Jake roared. Turned on me. Smacked at my head with his paw. The blow sent me sprawling. Claws raked deep gashes in my side.

But it was worth it. The pain, everything.

I’d done what I had to do.

I’d made the sacrifice.

Tom disappeared into the night.

Jake and I lay there, panting with pain and fatigue.

We had nothing to show for this fight. Except that we were alive to fight another day.

And tomorrow, Jake could face himself in the mirror.

Obviously, that line had to come up just as I was listening to the part of "Redecorate" (you know who it's by) that says:

"Blankets over mirrors she tends to like it,

She's not afraid of her reflection but of what she might see behind it"

Actually, that songs fits really well with Jake.

"I don't wanna go like this,

At least let me clean my room.

I don't wanna leave like this,

'Cause last I want to do is,

Make my people

Make decisions,

Wonderin' what to do, oh,

Should I keep it on display?

Or redecorate?"

Also fits with Cassie. Damn.

Anyway, back to the book.

The blind red-haired girl who had been observed on infrared camera talking to Jake and Rachel had escaped. Before the Yeerks could come back for her, she’d simply walked out of the facility in Rachel morph.

I'd been wondering what happened to her.

I couldn’t explain. Because I didn’t understand it myself. All I knew was that letting Tom take the morphing cube had seemed absolutely the right thing to do.

And something still told me I was right.

Cassie is always right, CHANGE MY MIND.

AND THAT'S THE END, NOOOO!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Kidding, it was good. So depressing, but good.

Really, really depressing.

I'm gonna go start the next book and hope I don't get more depressed. It's a Marco book, that won't be depressing, right?

R-right?

I'm kidding again. I know how these books are...

Bye, I guess. I'll see you in therapy.

There are numerous instances in the books of Visser Three ordering that subordinates be summarily killed in their hosts. On the face of it, this makes no sense: the hosts are not generally responsible for the actions of the Yeerks controlling them, and are valuable assets, both in their own right and because every new host taken on Earth increases the risk of Yeerk activity being exposed.

Further, Visser Three has a straightforward way to avoid having to kill hosts to kill the Yeerks therein, without even having to wait three days: his Vanarx morph. Yet the only time this is even mentioned is in the context of Chapman, who is presumably a just valuable enough host by virtue of his position to justify keeping him alive.

At first glance, this could be explained by Visser Three making decisions motivated by rage and vengefulness rather than reason. But there is evidently no general policy against such killing of hosts, as none of the charges brought against Visser One in the trial relate to killing hosts, and at the very beginning of her defense against the Council's charges, she describes herself killing a host but sparing the Yeerk after the latter says something she considers defeatist. So it appears the practice of killing or otherwise punishing hosts for Yeerk mistakes is common and authorized.

I submit that this in fact serves the rational purposes of aligning incentives between Yeerk and host and, over longer time scales, selecting host species' genetics for those who make good hosts.

Hosts have lots of ways to cause trouble. They can convince their Yeerks to do dumb things by pretending to be on their side. They can fight for control at the most inconvenient moments, as Chapman did. They can try to commit suicide with momentary control, as Marco's mother did. They can just be so annoying as to cause their Yeerks to make irrational decisions, as Berryman did. A plausible explanation of why Controllers never seem to be able to hit the Animorphs with ranged weapons squarely enough to kill them is that hosts are throwing the shots by causing subtle errors in limb positioning (note that the difference between dead-center hit and miss on a man-sized target at 10 meters is only 1.3 degrees of arc).

Further, cooperative hosts can contribute to a Yeerk's decision process. Though a Yeerk of course has access to all host memories, there's a lot of data there, all based in an unfamiliar environment. A host can provide useful context for information, indicate which information is valuable, and come up with ideas to solve a Yeerk's problems through its own cognition.

Hosts who know that they may be killed if their Yeerks make significant errors are strongly incentivized to aid their Yeerks in all of the above ways. This improves the overall effectiveness of Controllers.

The costs of obtaining human hosts under secrecy conditions and the differences between human and Gedd capabilities and behavior may make the trade-offs of this motivation method on Earth unfavorable. However, it seems likely this is an established practice in Yeerk society which is not readily re-evaluated in contexts which are very new to them. As Yeerks and Gedds co-evolved, and the former are more intelligent than the latter, Gedds may actually been selected for a preference to be controlled by a Yeerk because it improved a Gedd's overall evolutionary fitness. The Yeerk policy of killing hosts also co-evolved: Gedds which cause their hosts to make bad decisions are bad hosts to have, and it benefits the Yeerks that they be prevented from propagating their genes. Yeerks are accustomed to docile Gedd hosts who cause harm only accidentally and can be readily culled for doing so, not humans who are willing to sacrifice themselves for their species and can always be bred selectively later if the war is won.

A major problem here is that if a host wants to die rather than live as a Controller, the incentive is severely perverse. Indeed, this may explain some poor decisions made by Yeerks in certain involuntary hosts throughout the books. Yeerk thinking and policy did not adapt to the commonality of this preference among humans in general and Americans in particular, as they lacked prior experience with it. Taxxons are voluntary hosts, and there are few if any references to Hork-Bajir actually committing suicide rather than being Controllers (though they did participate in very high-risk military operations that amounted to almost the same thing, that was at the direction of a "Seer", hence based on a quasi-religious belief system rather than a truly independent decision to prefer death to enslavement). Though the logic of targeting Earth's strongest military and economy first was valid, this (not coincidentally, IMO) is correlated with humans who have a value system that prefers death to slavery much more than the average human/sentient species.

So if you've ever wondered about the logic of this, that's my theory about it.

Loren and Elfangor were on earth for 3 years, or rather Loren and Alan Fangor, until Loren headed off to the doctors and her husband(?) vanished.

Unless she kept her own name - which is super possible, - wouldn't her son be Tobias Fangor?

Anyway, hi fellow anifans, I'm so glad this sub exists and that I'm not the only traumatized millenial (I just read about Marco turning into a human while inside of a bird thus murdering an innocent animal from the inside... Imagine standing around at a music festival watching Nine Inch Nails and having bits of bird rain down on you)

Also, I'm giving a friend sneak peak info into every book I read. He is concerned as to watch constituted as "children 12-15" reading material.

This morning I shared some lovely midmorph images.

Since someone posted about it I had to try this game. It really is the worst. All the buildings are labeled like this. In the mall instead of a door to the pool in the changing room there's monkeys. I don't get it lol

Found this awesome little gem at my local retro game store. Never played but knew I needed it ha.

A friend and I did a little podcast episode/discussion about our love of Animorphs. I hope you enjoy it.

https://www.latterdaysaintgeeks.com/2024/11/podanimorphs.html

Obviously you can get healed from any injury but one fun side effect would be your teeth cavities getting filled or getting back any teeth that needed extraction

What are some fun side effects you can think of?

Who approved this lineup in Unnamed City, California in 1997?

I would definitely want to dog morph and see that. Stop harshing Marco's vibe, Judge Jake!

Side note: im going to see the offspring next year's and I'd like to imagine in another time line, Marco and Jake are there with me

My favorite two characters were always Marco and Rachel when I was growing up and reading the series. As an adult that’s still true but recently I’ve been able to connect to Tobias and Ax in a way I wasn’t able to before. I struggle with long term depression, I’m treated for it, and I can empathize with the parts of their stories that deal with feeling isolated and different. Trying to ignore or hide your inner sadness from your closest friends. Feeling lonely when you aren’t alone. I’m dealing with a “flair up” and I’ll get through it. Listening to the audiobook helps but as an adult going through my stuff I was able to appreciate a new aspect of the books.

I just had a random thought pop in my head while listening to The Threat.

How funny would it be if Ax was trying to understand the slang of today?

"Prince Jake, what is Ohio and why is it skibidi? What is skibidi? Skii-bi-di. Is it tasty like cinnamon buns? Bun-z."

For added cringe on slang, I'm 34.