Chapter 44
Elfangor is saved by Loren throwing a dead Morton at the live one. He then barely manages to block the visser's tail-blade. After Loren kills the Mortron tangled in her hair Elfangor decides that humans are far from weak. Though that is the impression he thinks most would get.
Elfangor tells the visser it's time for a one on one tail-blade fight. The visser replies with the threat of what will happen if they are left in this new reality. That they'll be returned to where they had been before using the Time Matrix. Elfangor replies that he'll just be happy that the visser will be dead.
Loren says that she had told Elfangor that the visser was afraid to fight him one on one. Elfangor remarks that he now agrees with her.
The visser makes a threatening remark and then walks away. Loren says that they won't see him again, but Elfangor says that not true. It's been made mentioned of previously in the book, but it seems that Elfangor might believe in superstitions more than he lets on. Just how many times does he talks about superstitions and then adds "I don't believe"?
Loren asks what now as time is really speeding up. Seems that now years are going by in less than a blink of an eye. Elfangor says that there can only be one person directing the Time Matrix this time so the same thing doesn't happen.
Loren asks about going to the Andalite home world. Elfangor disagrees as he has shamed himself and he now knows his people can do horrible things in the name of victory. So what would the Andalites do with the Time Matrix? Loren says that sometimes good people do bad things. Elfangor replies that if the Andalites win the war with the Time Matrix they won't be Andalites any longer.
Elfangor decides to go to Earth and hide the Time Matrix there.
While this is a great discussion on its own it shows that some parts of Elfangor don't change. While his eyes have been opened and he knows that the government isn't to be trusted, he still has an idealized version of what his species should be.
So this all took place in a week?
Loren talks about erasing the timeline and saving Arbron and Alloran. Elfangor points out the two of them would never have met then. Plus they don't know the effects that will happen if they change history. He does point out that it's possible the Yeerks would be able to get a hold of the Time Matrix.
Loren then points out the problem of her being a few years older. Elfangor says just to make every one think her being eighteen is her real age.
It's great the Elfangor admits to not knowing what's going to happen.
Chapter 45
It is now three years later.
Elfangor has run away from the war with the Yeerks. Isn't surprising considering how much guilt and shame he gathered up in previous events. Elfangor acquired multiple humans to form a single human morph. He then became a nothlit.
I would say he's a coward but he's been through so much. He figures that he's caused such a mess of things that the Andalites were better off without him. Elfangor hasn't had a guide unless you count Alloran. And that crazed Andalite was too harsh for what the aristh needed.
It's funny that Elfangor majored physics in college. Add to that the fact that he had to pretend to be dumber than he is since some stuff he has known since childhood.
Elfangor misses his body but remarks that the sense of taste is worth it. Plus there is Loren. And he's now seen what the Time Matrix can do and is even more convinced that it should never be touched again.
Elfangor finished college at an accelerated rate and remarks that no matter what he did he was bored. There is nothing really intellectually challenging once you go to a more primitive society.
Name dropping Bill (aka Bill Gates) and Steve (aka Steve Jobs)? Didn't remember that part.
Loren and Elfangor see Chapman. His memory is erased but it still spooks Elfangor. Chapman should've been sucked into the Black Hole. Oh, you silly Ellimist you. Elfangor doesn't know how Chapman survived and feels like something is watching him.
Elfangor says the most important thing he did as a human was to marry Loren. AW!
Elfangor still wants to be an Andalite as he dreams about being back in his original body. Poor, poor baby. He also denies that he thinks about his own people a lot.
Elfangor took the name Alan Fangor to fit in better.
Elfangor arrives home before Loren one day. Loren was most likely at the hospital. Elfangor remarks that he thinks human doctors are barbaric. He is also surprised at how easy it is for him to walk on two legs.
A man is waiting for the nothlit and Elfangor is shocked. The man says Elfangor's true name and says this isn't his home. Oh, come on, being with Loren is home for Elfangor. In another sense, though, the nothlit's true place is fighting with his people against the Yeerks.
And it turns out this man is an Ellimist. 'One of those you call Ellimists'. I always took this to mean that the Ellimists are a species. And having a species like the Ellimist makes me so happy because it seems so cool...and then we get the Ellimist as a singular character.
Chapter 46
Elfangor doesn't really believe it's an Ellimist. The creature proves it's an Ellimist by knowing things a regular human wouldn't know. It's here that Elfangor learns that Visser Thirty-Two has become Visser Three. The nothlit says that the Yeerk should be dead. The Ellimist says that Elfangor is naive if he thinks he understands time and the way things should be.
The Ellimist also says that Visser Three is a terrible enemy to his people aka Andalites. Elfangor replies that humans are his people now. It's here that Elfangor realizes this Ellimist erased Chapman's memories and brought him back.
Elfangor soon says that he isn't concerned with far off space battles. This Ellimist brings up the point that the Yeerks will come to Earth.
Why didn't Elfangor think of this before? My only thought of how this could be logical is that he's in a huge state of denial. He ran away from the war and the only way to think he's safe is to believe the Yeerks will always stay far away. As we've seen Elfangor is scarred from his first mission that went horribly wrong, so this does fit.
This Ellimist continues that the Yeerks are in orbit right then. Elfangor looks out the window for signs of Loren but then realizes that is stupid. A being that can control space and time wants to talk with him, they won't be interrupted.
Elfangor tells this Ellimist that he would only cause more harm than good if he were to fight the Yeerks. He brings up that he tried being a hero and failed. This Ellimist brings up the fact that he kept the Time Matrix from either side. Elfangor then says that he doomed Arbron to life as a Taxxon and let Alloran become the first Andalite Controller. This Ellimist brings up that Elfangor refused to destroy a defenseless enemy and is proving wise beyond his species' intelligence.
This part of the discussion seems like Elfangor is telling his sob story and expecting pity. But this Ellimist is having none of that bullshit.
Elfangor goes on to say that no one needs him. This Ellimist says this isn't true. The nothlit asks what this Ellimist wants and the being replies nothing. Elfangor says that bullshit. This Ellimist says they don't interfere but they repair.
Elfangor quickly goes WHAT THE FUCK?! SO DO YOU INTERFERE OR DON'T YOU?! MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
This Ellimist brings up that time has been changed because of Elfangor's meddling. Battles that should have been won have been lost. Elfangor brings up the point he has a life here now. This Ellimist brings up the fact that his life on Earth is only possible because of using the Time Matrix. The Ellimist then brings up Ax aka Elfangor's brother.
Wait...Ax doesn't exist in this timeline? What the...excuse me for a few hours as I get over the shock of reading this.
Elfangor is rightfully furious and says that this Ellimist is lying. This Ellimist repeats his offer. After a little more talk the being brings up that Elfangor won't be able to protect Loren when Visser Three comes for her. He breaks down and seems to edge very near to accepting this Ellimist's offer.
This Ellimist promises nothing concrete but says that what can't be done now will be possible if Elfangor agrees. He later states that Loren will not remember Elfangor but he'll still have the memories.
I can't...this is what neither Elfangor or Loren wanted! The lovebirds discussed how they wanted to remember each other multiple times throughout the book! I just can't deal with this pain.
So Elfangor has agreed to what this Ellimist has offered. The nothlit attempts a smile when he says this Ellimist said something about a battle.
Chapter 47
Elfangor now sees how Ellimists see. He remarks that the Time Matrix allowed a little glimpse into an Ellimist's viewpoint. Elfangor describes a new sense but he can barely understand it himself.
Elfangor talks about how the Ellimist looks. He talks about it being one of a species. Talks about this Ellimist not being the only one of its kind. I like this idea of a species of Ellimists. This is what I wanted to see expanded on in the Animorphs series. Also a reason why I remember not being super excited about The Ellimist Chronicles. But I'll get to that one day...
Elfangor sees his brother. He admits to Arbron, at least how he is seeing him now, that the aristh he didn't like has become the hero he always wanted to be. Elfangor sees something he doesn't understand happening to Loren. This Ellimist tells the aristh that he is a father.
At this point Elfangor gets pissed off. I'm sure I know what language this book would've used if it had been for adults.
So Elfangor's son is still his own but Loren won't remember it? Mindfuck that is.
This Ellimist says that Elfangor is now where/when he's supposed to be. I bet this all powerful being just wants to bitch slap this Andalite.
Elfangor watches his son's line connect with his brother's and then to five humans. He remarks that the Ellimist does interfere. He asks if this is all a game for the Ellimists.
This Ellimist uses the term "we" to describe those playing a game against an old dark power. As no one else in the series is shown to be playing with Crayak, it is shown here that the Ellimists are a species.
This book shows my favorite showcasing of the Ellimists. Hands down.
Elfangor is suddenly back in his original body.
Chapter 48
Elfangor is greeted by what he calls 'chaotic thought-speak'. He is now in a battle. He can tell that his species are about to lose this battle. But the Andalites aren't backing down. Well...the Dome ship is going to self-destruct very soon in a last ditch effort to cause damage.
Elfangor sees a Blade ship.
When Elfangor decides to join in he forgets to call himself an aristh. And who would blame him? He's spent a few years away from Andalite society and ran away.
The captain is surprised Elfangor is there and he promises to tell the captain the story later. He then communicates with the Yeerks. Asking to speak with the visser. Elfangor uses the time to harass Visser Three and slam his fighter into the visser's Blade ship.
Soon after Elfangor pulled off that move, reinforcements came and the Yeerks retreated. When Elfangor wakes up in the Dome ship he is called a hero. He then thinks of what he's going to tell the captain. In the end he decides to tell the captain everything but the location of the Time Matrix.
The captain replies that Elfangor's story can never become public because the Andalites need heroes. The captain also says that he doesn't think Elfangor did a horrible thing by disobeying Alloran's orders. He recounts that Alloran used to be a joker but that war changes people either for the better or for the worse. He says that Elfangor was doing what Alloran would've done when he was younger and wasn't so tainted by war.
When the captain asks, Elfangor agrees to fights.
Before I stop talking about this chapter: I want to hug the captain so hard for forgiving Elfangor for running away.
Chapter 49
Elfangor says the war with the Yeerks has come to a standstill. He wonders if it's because the Ellimists and the games they're playing or if there's another reason.
He also says a Zero-space rift had opened up so that it took longer to get to Earth.
Elfangor finally came to Earth because the rest of his species had figured out that the planet had been targeted. The Prince finally got so desperate that he went to get the Time Matrix. But by the time he arrived he was too weak. The weapon was no buried underneath concrete (the location had originally been a forest).
Five children came and saw him. He recognizes his son. Tobias! Elfangor breaks Seerow's Kindness and gives the teenagers the ability to morph.
Father and son have one chat where Elfangor asks what happened to Loren. Tobias said he doesn't know but assumes she's dead. I'm not tearing up...
Elfangor says that his friends are his family now.
As Elfangor dies he knows that Tobias is much stronger than he suspects.
He leaves one word for his people: Hope.
Reading this book after such a long time was a good experience overall. I love seeing how Elfangor evolves and adore his relationship with Loren. This book does not treat its readers like they can't understand things. It goes for a very dark tone and tells a good story. Someone brought up the fact that we don't get to see why Elfangor is a hero to his people. But ramming the Blade ship is a good start.
The next book in the Animorphs series I will be Re-Reading will be
Animorphs Re-Read Table of Contents
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