Animorphs Book Club- The Alien
Sorry I’m a bit late for this one. It’s been a crazy week (I was on five planes within the span of four days) and I haven’t even been online for most of it. But we finally get an Ax book. I remember being so intrigued by him and never having any Ax books of my own. I finally found them at a library. It was not enough time to figure him out. Let’s try again now that I my brain is finished forming.
I love that aliens across media are always stunned at how much water Earth has. In a universe where sentient life has popped up all over, a water planet is still remarkable?
I have mentioned before that I was a parentified eldest child. As such, I really don’t vibe too much with Ax’s viewpoint around Elfangor. But I think this small scene between the brothers is so cute. I can’t help but think about when the Ellimist plucked Elfangor from Earth and, when trying to convince him to return to the war, the Ellimist used Ax’s existence as fodder. Elfangor returned, in part, to be with Ax and protect him. And we were robbed of getting to see the brothers together.
I love the diary entries.
“I would have liked to have Tobias’s DNA, but that was not possible,” Cute.
I love the whole trope of a bunch of kids trying to show an alien their human society, only for it to go horribly wrong. But this is the only example I can think of where we get to see it from the alien’s POV. I love the dramatic irony. But also, Ax is losing his mind over movie theater popcorn and candy. I just know a bowl of gumbo would kill him.
“Rachel is a true warrior,” I know that’s right
Chekhov’s rattle snake.
First instance of Ax calling Tobias his Bestie. I know he thinks being besties would mean having no secrets, but he does not really that All middle school friendships involve secrets and drama.
Jake’s fury at the fact that Ax withheld information for him specifically to manipulate him into destroying the kandrona. Fast forward to endgame when Jake keeps Rachel’s solo mission secret specifically to prevent the others from putting a stop to it. Presently, Jake says “you don’t know a thing about [humans].” So I ask, does Jake eventually lose his humanity? Or is Jake the one who doesn’t humans?
KA Applegate does Who’s On First?
It’s funny thinking about what things Ax describes for us versus what things he assumes we know. He takes the time to explain that the Andalite sky has anywhere from two to four moons. But he never bothers to lay out how he eats (until -for character arc reasons- he is forced to explain to the animorphs later). He mentions that books seem more advanced than computers to the Andantes, but thinks that the program he found in Marco’s house is a children’s game.
Part of what’s fun with these books is figuring out what’s going on when the narrator isn’t around. What’s fascinating here is that we know that Ax is keeping secrets, and the Animorphs now know that he’s actively keeping secrets, not just being mysterious. And now we see Tobias come talk to Ax alone. And then Marco. And then Cassie. And it’s like, they’re really getting together aside and being like, Who is the best one for the job? Who’s gonna get him to open up?”
The Hork Bajir have a bio clock that sets them warring every 62 years? I did not remember this little fact. But I was always interested in the world building aspect of the series (Work-Bajir chronicles was my Favorite book). And now I’m thinking this was definitely a design by the Arn to keep control over the population and distract them in case they ever got brave.
“Cassie has talent. Morphing does not happen to be my talent.” Ax is so funny because he is clearly a good fighter. But he has admitted that he didn’t pay attention during school. He doesn’t remember much about xenobiology, or the more advanced sciences (by Andalite standards), never cared for art, isn’t that good at morph control. He only cared about fighting and being like Elfangor. And because we’re human readers, we click more with the Animorphs and think of Ax as this advanced, alien being who is more advanced than humans, but in reality, they got saddled with the Andalite version of the middle school jock. Omg- Ax is Jake this explains so much.
The communications between Ax and his home planet is just *chef’s kiss*. We get to see him relieved and emotional to just see another Andalite. We get to see him go back to normal operations, giving his report and finding comfort in the familiar. We get to see him admit the uncomfortable, and vehemently defend both Elfangor’s actions and the humans as a whole. Ax being bullied and pressured by an older, well respected Andalite into lying and taking the blame (apparently this call will NOT be recorded for training and quality purposes). And we see the very beginning of Ax getting radicalized.
Also, I get that it’s devastating to lose your eldest son. But you hear from your long lost son, who you didn’t know for certain was alive. He tells you his brother died, and your immediate response is “well you better go get his killer, kid.” Stone cold Pops. I get that it’s tradition, but it’s giving shot gun wedding vibes.
Also love seeing more insight into Yeerk society. They’re parasitic slugs, but they’re capable of love and relationships. Is this their own capabilities? Or a byproduct of their hosts? I seem to remember that their reproductive cycle includes self destruction to create the next generation? So I doubt their biology would evolve to include romantic love or familial feelings. So my hunch is that Yeerks can develop friendships and share bonds with each other, but they only grow to develop romance and family after taking hosts that have that biological urge (Visser 1 being the most prominent).
Once again, Cassie’s the goat. This whole deal with Seerow’s Kindness gets me itchy. My memory is fuzzy but it’s taken what- roughly 70-80 years for the Andalites to go from kind space explorers to traumatized, walled off space cops. When I was younger I thought this was such a good story for children. You start off kind, someone betrays you, and you close yourself off to prevent it from happening again while beefing with your ex. It ruins your next relationship (the Hork-Bajir). And then someone else comes along and finally teaches you how to love again. That love and healing is more powerful than fear and secrets. But now that I’m older, I realize that most adults haven’t grasped this concept either.
I wonder how many would have lived if they had just mercy killed Alloran.
But of course we end with a PSA on unity across species and the pursuit of freedom. Lovely.
Also shout out to @emeraldmew for the comparison “Apparently more than you, you CLOD.”