Current Events > Animorphs were WHACK.

(+) Yeah! (+)

One of my favorite little known facts about Animorphs is that during that big ghostwritten gap, KA Applegate did write one of those books.

It was the completely inconsequential one about Rachel being cut in half as a starfish and unmorphing into two different Rachels.

For some reason, she decided she just had to handle that one herself lol

---

AlCalavicci posted...

Talk more about Animorphs CE

Do you really want me to?

It'll never happen but I'd love to see the franchise revived as an anime

---

How many times do you think Rachael and Tobias banged after Tobias got his human body back?
---

Duncanwii posted...

How many times do you think Rachael and Tobias banged after Tobias got his human body back?

Don't make me write another fanfiction

Yeah like I'm not going to make it weird

---

Duncanwii posted...

How many times do you think Rachael and Tobias banged after Tobias got his human body back?

Well he did often visit her at night and early in the morning which is mentioned in Rachel and Tobias books so take that as you will.

---

Itd cost so much money but to make a Netflix or HBO series would be freaking amazing. Loved those books as a kid.

---

marthsheretoo posted...

For some reason, she decided she just had to handle that one herself lol

It's because the ghostwriter did fucking terrible with it apparently
---

@Murphiroth
That stuff with Sadler was messed up! As a kid I don't think it really hit me, but I read through again recently and I was like DAMN. That is brutal.

---

This thread inspired me to start a reread. Thanks TC

Anyone read KAAs other series? How are they?

---

Foreshadowing in the very first chapter?

<img src="//:0"><img src="//:0">Cassie is quieter than Rachel, more peaceful, like she always understands everything on some different, more mystical level.

---

Is...Elfangors ship shaped like a dildo?

---

I read about a dozen of them in 5th grade but we couldn't afford them and the local library/school library didn't have them. The ones I read were in random orders as well but they were great.

---

EndOfDiscOne posted...

This thread inspired me to start a reread. Thanks TC

Anyone read KAAs other series? How are they?

I remember I read the first book of her next series, Remnants, I think it was called. It must not have left a good impression on me because I never read any after that.

---

EndOfDiscOne posted...

This thread inspired me to start a reread. Thanks TC

Anyone read KAAs other series? How are they?

Her husband Michael Grant wrote the Gone series. Awesome books. Like if Stephen King wrote Lord Of The Flies. The rights to a tv show were bought by Sony a few years ago.

---

Darkninja42 posted...

I remember I read the first book of her next series, Remnants, I think it was called. It must not have left a good impression on me because I never read any after that.

From what I remember of it, Remnants was messed up.

---

uwnim posted...

From what I remember of it, Remnants was messed up.

I'd imagine so considering that Earth was destroyed in the first book.

It probably only went downhill from there.

---

As much as I kinda hate to even consider supporting Audible, I see they have the first 12 books as audiobooks and are adding the next 6 over the next three months... looking at the release dates they added 2 a month from January to May 2020 and are doing so from January to at least April this year, not sure why the long hiatus but I hope they get through the whole series eventually...

---

refmon posted...

Getting trapped as an animal scared the hell out of me

Did Tobias ever revert from his bird form

sLaCkEr408___RJ posted...

Did Tobias ever revert from his bird form

Yes, but he couldn't stay in his human form for more then 2 hours. He basically became a hawk permanently.

---

sLaCkEr408___RJ posted...

Did Tobias ever revert from his bird form

In book 13 he gets the power to morph again, but the hawk is still his primary body. But he gets to go back in time and acquire his human self as a morph.

---

That was an awesome series.
It manages to be incredibly violent while also avoiding glorifying violence. A lot of the fluff they packed in between the David Arc and the end was kind of lame though.
The big books (the one about Elfangor, the Ellimist, the Hork-Bajir War, the trial of the Vissers) were all great.

uwnim posted...

Remnants

THAT'S what it was called! I knew she had another series which was similarly metal, just couldn't remember the name.

---

She also had the Everworld series dealing with gods, mythology, and magic that goes to similarly dark places.

Everworld had more swearing

---

Im about 1/5th of the way through my reread for my podcast Dude, thats fucked up where we analyze the darkest parts of fandom. Goosebumps is on my list as well

---

I'm reading the first book on Kindle and apparently it's the relaunch version. I distinctly remember human Jake being able to thought-speak to cat Tobias. But in the rerelease, Jake tries it and it doesn't work.

---

Imma have to seriously read this whole topic. Gonna do it when I wake back up.

---

EndOfDiscOne posted...

I'm reading the first book on Kindle and apparently it's the relaunch version. I distinctly remember human Jake being able to thought-speak to cat Tobias. But in the rerelease, Jake tries it and it doesn't work.

Oh I didnt know they changed anything in the rerelease. Yeah I remember in the original release that the author retconned their telepathy limitation after the first book.
---

NeonOctopus posted...

idk if this was posted, but here's a 4 hour lecture on the story of Animorphs >_> It's fucking crazy as shit with kids gets disemboweled and alien politics and other stuff! I wish I read it lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrE6m3xOoE

Ah good, someone posted it. This explained a lot i didn't remember, since it was like grade to middle school times.
War crimes! War crimes! War crimes!

---

WilliamPorygon posted...

It'll never happen but I'd love to see the franchise revived as an anime

They did greenlight a movie last year. But upon Googling for recent info, it seems the Applegates have left the project. :/

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Anyone read KAAs other series? How are they?

Remnants was, uh, weird. I never could manage to read the whole series. I don't remember if it even ended, but honestly it was so bizarre I don't know if any ending would even make sense.

Everworld was pretty good, I remember it being a lot more blunt and brutal. At one point the protagonists literally get caught up in an Aztec (or Mayan?) ritualistic sacrifice with blood running down pyramid steps and a literal god eating people's hearts at the top.

---

Everworld was pretty good as well, although if you dislike the ending to Animorphs you'll despise the way that one ends. At least in Animorphs the main plot gets fully wrapped up and the cliffhanger is an encounter with some random shit that came out of nowhere, in Everworld they deal with one of the major antagonists but the one that you'd expect to be the final battle gets a book basically dedicated to forming an unstable alliance to fight it, something that gets you hyped for what sounds like a really cool set up for the conflict...then it just ends instantly with nothing happening.

---

EndOfDiscOne posted...

This thread inspired me to start a reread. Thanks TC

Anyone read KAAs other series? How are they?

No body reads that SHIT!

It's all about the Goosebumps, baby lol

---

Everyone mentioning the David arc, meanwhile Im over here wondering why nobody remembers how fucked the Taylor story was.

---

Panthera posted...

Everworld was pretty good as well, although if you dislike the ending to Animorphs you'll despise the way that one ends. At least in Animorphs the main plot gets fully wrapped up and the cliffhanger is an encounter with some random shit that came out of nowhere, in Everworld they deal with one of the major antagonists but the one that you'd expect to be the final battle gets a book basically dedicated to forming an unstable alliance to fight it, something that gets you hyped for what sounds like a really cool set up for the conflict...then it just ends instantly with nothing happening.

Actually they did in ama and a cliffhanger question clears some stuff up. Some of them probably survived

---

electricbugs2 posted...

Everyone mentioning the David arc, meanwhile Im over here wondering why nobody remembers how fucked the Taylor story was.

That was a good one too Tobias got dat PTSD

---

ShyOx posted...

That was a good one too Tobias got dat PTSD

I liked how they introduced her as somewhat sympathetic with the house fire and stuff, then they were like, nah fam, this girl is psychotic.

---

electricbugs2 posted...

I liked how they introduced her as somewhat sympathetic with the house fire and stuff, then they were like, nah fam, this girl is psychotic.

I'll go ahead and say NOT ENOUGH TOBIAS BOOKS in the series lol. Ax and him ended up having some of the best ones too. I think in the 40s they finally fixed the order to give them more

When does Ax's sense of humor really develop?

---

electricbugs2 posted...

Everyone mentioning the David arc, meanwhile Im over here wondering why nobody remembers how fucked the Taylor story was.

Oh yeah that's a rough one.

Another fun one: Megamorphs #3, where a demoted Visser Four (only demoted because of the Animorphs' actions in a previous book) has to take a new host who happens to have found the Time Matrix, which allows for time travel. His actions lead to a shitty altered future where Cassie is a slave owner, Melissa Chapman replaces Rachel in the group because Rachel was sent to a re-education camp for her violent tendencies, and Jake insists on being called Supreme Leader and is basically a Neo Nazi. The Drode shows up and restores their proper memories and personalities and brings Rachel back, and offers them a deal; they'll be shunted through time to follow Visser Four in an attempt to stop him but it will cost one of their lives. They make the deal, even though Cassie and Marco are reluctant because Crayak hates Jake and if anyone he'll be the one to die.

They immediately jump back to 1415 and the Battle of Agincourt, and can't figure out why or how that would make Earth easier to conquer. The next time period jump is to the Revolutionary War, where Jake takes a musket ball to the dome. Then they jump to 19th Spain, where Rachel is blown in half by a cannonball.

Then shit gets weird. They jump to 1934 Princeton, where Visser Four plans to kill Einstein. But Einstein isn't there, because the previous meddling in the timelines has already changed things. Rachel is back too, and they realize the deal said only ONE of them would die, and the rest are functionally immortal for the rest of the adventure. Some random dude drops the n-bomb on Cassie and she calmly tells him she can be white if he'd like, then morphs polar bear and puts his head in her jaws and roars until he pisses himself.

The next jump is 1944, where plans to warn the Nazis about D-Day. But the Nazi don't exist, and Hitler is just some driver that Tobias accidentally kills. Shenanigans happen and Visser Four's host body gets the lower half crushed, leading to the Yeerk bailing then being thrown into a burning tank by Marco. Cassie asks the host where his parents met, and he obliges, realizing what she's going to do, but not before revealing that the Yeerk took them to 1415 to try to kill Henry V, because his host keeps reciting the play Henry V in his head and it's driving him crazy. Still makes me laugh that this random human annoyed this Yeerk that much.

Then they jump back to when the dude's parents would have met, prevent that, and thus prevent the Time Matrix from being discovered and any of the events from happening, resurrecting Jake. They retain their memories of the adventure, and Crayak is again super salty.

Also want to mention how Marco goes from being the least enthused about what's going on, the one who's the most practical about it going "We're just kids and this is bullshit, we shouldn't have to do this" to 100% into it and the best strategist of the group in book 5 when he discovers his long thought dead mother is the host of Visser One.

Marco's legitimately terrifying. This quote sums it up...

"People don't understand the word ruthless. They think it means 'mean.' It's not about being mean. It's about seeing the bright, clear line that leads from A to B. The line that goes from motive to means. Beginning to end. It's about seeing that bright, clear line and not caring about anything but the beautiful fact that you can see the solution. Not caring about anything else but the perfection of it."

Now he openly says you deviate from the line when needed or when something isn't morally justifiable, but the fact that a 13-16 year old is saying this is fucked.

Marco changing from not really giving a shit to ruthless tactical master is because the yeerks really fucked with his family. His dad is miserable and his mother being a controller still very much alive but a slave made the fight personal as shit. Had they picked any other person to be a controller Marco would never have discovered his talents and remained the who cares just helping my friends guy.

---

Marco is probably in the top 3 for importance to survival and success going into the middle section. Tbh Cassies humanitarian side sort of drags them down until the end sometimes; theyre at war. Rachels impetuousness is dangerous but it also makes her Jakes most trusted soldier, even edging out Ax because of his intertwined loyalties.

Of course theyre all important and Cassie ends up being hugely determinant in the ending, but I think Jake turning up the ruthlessness earlier would have still won the war and maybe even saved Rachel, even if it doomed the souls of the Animorphs.

---

Murphiroth posted...

Also want to mention how Marco goes from being the least enthused about what's going on, the one who's the most practical about it going "We're just kids and this is bullshit, we shouldn't have to do this" to 100% into it and the best strategist of the group in book 5 when he discovers his long thought dead mother is the host of Visser One.

Marco's legitimately terrifying. This quote sums it up...

"People don't understand the word ruthless. They think it means 'mean.' It's not about being mean. It's about seeing the bright, clear line that leads from A to B. The line that goes from motive to means. Beginning to end. It's about seeing that bright, clear line and not caring about anything but the beautiful fact that you can see the solution. Not caring about anything else but the perfection of it."

Now he openly says you deviate from the line when needed or when something isn't morally justifiable, but the fact that a 13-16 year old is saying this is fucked.

too right

---

marthsheretoo posted...

One of my favorite little known facts about Animorphs is that during that big ghostwritten gap, KA Applegate did write one of those books.

It was the completely inconsequential one about Rachel being cut in half as a starfish and unmorphing into two different Rachels.

For some reason, she decided she just had to handle that one herself lol

Don't forget about the one that the ghostwriter used to make some big holier-than-thou vegetarian manifesto.

Then Applegate read it and added a final chapter where everyone pigs the fuck out on barbecue or something.

---

DrizztLink posted...

Don't forget about the one that the ghostwriter used to make some big holier-than-thou vegetarian manifesto.

Was that the one where they morph Cows and Ax ends up almost getting wrecked in the slaughterhouse? I recall (I think in a different book) they infiltrated a lab (obviously Yeerk controlled) that was doing experiments on Chimps. And Ax was like, "You humans capture and experiment on these creatures who are basically you with less brain power? Like wtf is wrong with you all? Why am I even saving this species" and I was like DAMN, you tell 'em Ax-Man!

ShyOx posted...

I'll go ahead and say NOT ENOUGH TOBIAS BOOKS in the series lol.

Tobias was always my favorite! I got into the series with book #13. My mom bought it for me, she figured I would like it since it had a cool looking hawk on the cover.

---

Hell, speaking of Marco...
Book 10 was it? When they discover the Chee, the robots the Pemalites built, and Erik wants them to get some power source/source code the Yeerks are experimenting on so the Chee can reprogram themselves to fight, and Marco straight-up dies in battle and Erik revives him after slaughtering like a dozen Hork-Bajir and a few humans, but is so distraught he tells them the Chee can't fight with them.

Speaking of Ax...
Him ambushing Visser Three as a snake was tense. Of course Visser Three bails, and Ax is left awkwardly chilling with Alloran as he slowly dies from the venom, and he straight-up begs Ax to kill him because the Yeerks will find him before the venom does it, and Ax just...can't do it.
Alloran is a really neat character, really, because he's unambiguously a war criminal, but his crime is *just* grounded enough he doesn't come off as a total monster.

Alloran was an example of typical andalite military, he was a perfect example of how they viewed lesser species and what they dod when the yeerks wanted new hosts.


---

This topic has proved that Animorphs was anything but WHACK.

---

It's been so long since I've read them. Didn't Elfangor and Alloran fight each other, with Elfangor knocking Alloran out which gave the Yeerk which would later become Visser Three the opening it needed to take control of Alloran? Or am I thinking of something else?

---

Strider102 posted...

It's been so long since I've read them. Didn't Elfangor and Alloran fight each other, with Elfangor knocking Alloran out which gave the Yeerk which would later become Visser Three the opening it needed to take control of Alloran? Or am I thinking of something else?

Yes he did, it was something to do with not wanting to kill yeerks who were defenseless I think, been over 10 years since I read the books.

It also was the book that explained why earth was targeted, good ol Chapman even as a child/teen was a shitbag and suggested it to save his own skin.

---

Did that ending had to do something with the author's bitterness of the Vietnam War?