Animorphs Re-Read: #3 The Encounter (Chapters 21-24)

Chapter 21

Cassie wonders why Visser Three is there and Marco points out that the Visser is there to kick sense into his men. Tobias points out it doesn't matter why the Visser is there, only that he is there. Bird-boy says that one of the Hork-Bajir killed a deer for no reason.

Cassie calls the Yeerks jerks for doing that. I adore Cassie and don't think she deserves as much hate as she gets, but she should realize why the Controllers have been instructed to do so. The Yeerks have the right idea that the Animorphs can turn into any animal, though the Yeerks think them Andalite bandits, and so killing any animal makes sense. Though killing every animal in sight is extreme.

Tobias points out that the plan is impossible now. Marco agrees. Rachel, showing her daring side, says that they should continue the mission because it is worth it. If the mission succeeds they won't be fighting alone anymore. Jake agrees with his cousin.

Tobias thinks Jake is being stupid as the fearless leader doesn't seem to be comprehending what bird-boy is telling them. Cassie suggests a way to modify the plan so that it can be successful. She suggests they morph into trouts in the cave and then Tobias will drop them off in the lake.

I think if Tobias could take a shot of alcohol he would be taking a couple right now.

Marco is sane and repeats Cassie's idea out loud to show how insane it sounds. Cassie seems to be ashamed and just says that it could work. Jake agrees to Cassie's plan. Tobias points out he thinks Jake, Cassie, and Rachel are crazy for thinking of following this idea. Jake replies that this might be the best chance they'll get.

Tobias and Marco try to argue against the revised plan. In the end, Cassie's plan is a go. It's sort of funny that Tobias finds it a little odd that they're morphing something that lives underwater. Later in the series Tobias remarks that he can deal with being high up in the sky but finds being underwater disturbing.

Cassie says that she'll go first since it was her idea, Tobias thinks it's because she's the best morpher of the group. Jake tells her that if she starts encountering problems to demorph. I think this little moment is sweet as Jake takes her hand and Cassie knows he loves her.

Cassie tells him not to worry. Aw!

Cassie starts to morph into the trout and Tobias remarks that this is an odd morph for her as she can't make it look good.

Cassie reassures the others that she's fine and still breathing with lungs. It's at that moment the fish gills choose to appear. She starts to gasp for air and Jake tells her to pull out of it. Cassie, who is brave, says that she's nearly completed the morph. When Cassie is finished, Jake tells Tobias to take her to the lake. Tobias does so quickly.

As Tobias flies her to the lake he tries to check up on her. She is all panicked because she is suffocating. Tobias notices a Hork-Bajir and hopes the Controller won't notice that red-tails don't hunt fish. He then drops her into the lake and then asks how she is.

Cassie takes a little bit to reply which worries Tobias. When she replies she seems to be overtaken by the fact that she's now underwater. Tobias seems to be highly amused by this. Cassie then admits she's imagining being served as dinner. I like how that even though Cassie was the one with the idea and appeared brave, she's still fearful.


Chapter 22

Tobias gets Jake and Marco out of the cave in trout morph with no problems. Except that Tobias nearly runs into a Hork-Bajir while carrying Marco.

When Tobias goes into the cave for Rachel he mutters the infamous 'so far, so good' which always means bad stuff is about to happen. It's like the line in a movie where a character says that it can't get any worse and then it does. This is a line I'm still afraid of to this day.

Tobias asks Rachel if she's nervous and she says yes. She then starts to morph trout. Tobias has to look away because, even though he's seen three of his friends morph trout already, it's still creepy. He muses on whether Andalites find the morphing technology creepy.

When Rachel has nearly completed her morph something happens. You shouldn't have said 'so far, so good'!

A pair of Controllers (one human and the other a Hork-Bajir) start to go into the cave. Rachel asks what's going on and Tobias informs her. Tobias then informs her that they're going to have to make a break for it now.

I'll take this moment to talk about something in this chapter: there is shown to be preferences for certain host bodies among the Yeerks. The ones in Hork-Bajir hosts, if we are to assume from the actions of this Hork-Bajir Controller, are shown to have a sort of attitude that those hosts are in greater demand. In fact you could take the conversation between the two Controllers and make your own opinions about the value of human and Hork-Bajir hosts.

Tobias decides to repeat his move with the helicopter, but this time uses it on the human controller.It works and he drops Rachel into the lake. While he dropped Rachel into the lake the Controllers attempted to shoot him and hit the ship instead.

Tobias wishes the others good luck and flies away as it'd look suspicious if he stayed where he was.

Tobias mentions the limits of thought-speak and decides to go into a risky position so he'll be able to keep in contact with the rest of the Animorphs. Tobias then thought-speaks to the group and Rachel remarks that it's amazing he can thought-speak to them with an entire ship between bird-boy and the rest.

It seems like Tobias would be shuffling his feet right now if he could. He decides not to tell the rest the truth since he knows Jake would not approve. Then again, Jake is now a trout and can't do much about it.

Jake goes up the tube first and remarks how there should be a water slide like it at The Gardens. I like how, in this scene, the Animorphs act like real kids. Yes, they're on a dangerous mission, but they're having fun. Once Jake goes up Rachel wants to go.

Jake tells her to stay while he looks around. He reports that there seems to be an opening at the top but he can't really tell with the fish eyes. Marco asks how they're going to get up there and Jake replies that they'll wait for the ship to fill up.

Marco, the voice of reason now, says how insane the mission is. Rachel repeats the mission and asks if that's what he means. She then agrees with him. Marco then replies that as long as everyone know what they're doing he'll go ahead.

Marco and Rachel do seem to have a little thing. Not romantic, but a friendly rivalry nonetheless.


Chapter 23

Tobias remains in his position as long as he can. When he can't anymore, he says good-bye to the other Animorphs and flies above the ship. And, yes, the word 'thermal' is used again!

The Hork-Bajir that had fired carelessly earlier is about to be punished. Tobias says that they've always thought of that species as invincible. And the Hork-Bajir do look fearsome as though nothing can take them down.

Tobias then goes on to say that one of the horrible things about fighting the Yeerks was that they had to take out innocents too. Not every host is a voluntary one and some hosts don't want Yeerks in their heads. But the Animorphs can't tell the difference and it wouldn't make a difference anyways. Once someone attacks you, you fight back.

This situation reminds me of the demons on the show Supernatural. In order to kill a demon you have to kill its 'meat suit'. It's the same kind of morality fighting demons on that show and fighting the Yeerks.

Tobias doesn't describe what's happening to the Hork-Bajir as it's too horrific and he'll have it be his own nightmare to remember. I like this as it leaves it to your imagination to what happened and that can provide a much better image. And by better I mean horrifying.

When Tobias looks at where the Hork-Bajir he sees the Visser pointing at the sky. Then there is motion as some of the vehicles start to move. Tobias figures out that between some Controllers and the Visser, the truth about Tobias had been figured out. Not that he was human, but that he wasn't really a hawk.

Tobias thinks he should be flattered that the Visser thought he was a real Andalite warrior, but it didn't make any difference at the end of the day. Tobias was no more likely to live of the Visser thought he was an Andalite.

The Yeerks start to search the sky for the 'Andalite bandit'.

The Yeerks start shooting at every bird and Tobias grows concerned for the female hawk. Remember in the beginning of the book that Tobias rescued her. I think it's partially responsibility and partially attraction to her that is making him worried.

Tobias decides that the safest place for him to be at the moment was on top of the Yeerk supply ship. He lands on there and he's safe from anyone firing at him. He thinks of how the Controllers are looking at him like prey.

Chapter 24

Tobias remarks on how eerie his current situation is. Then things got worse when the Blade ship starts coming towards him. Of all the Animorphs ships, the Blade ship is one of my favorites. It has a beauty to it, but it's not one I'd want after me.

Bird-boy prepares himself for death. This is in contrast to how he was attempting suicide earlier in the book. Showing that he has truly found a reason to fight and, therefore live, so he can fear death now.

The ships don't attack and, instead, just hover. Visser Three then talks to Tobias directly which scares the carp out of him. Tobias repeats how scary it is when the Visser speaks directly to you. How there is something evil in his 'voice'.

As Visser Three continues to speak to Tobias, he keeps reminding himself to stay silent. He is afraid that if he speaks the Visser will realize that he isn't an Andalite.

The Visser promises to give Tobias a painless death and what happened to the Hork-Bajir is still fresh in Tobias' mind. I like that we get to imagine what happened to the poor creature, but that makes the death so much worse at the same time. And now Tobias is imagining dying that way.

After the Visser continues to taunt Bird-boy, Rachel asks if he can hear her. Tobias replies that he can. I can imagine that he finds hope in hearing her as he imagines that the others will make it out alive.

And then Rachel basically tells him to find a way to destroy the ship so that the others won't be captured. Rachel talks about all of them not wanting to be taken alive. And...and...Rachel is the one giving Tobias this. Rachel is basically Tobias' closet link to humanity and she's telling him to kill her and the others.

THOSE AREN'T TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY EYES! THERE'S JUST A WHOLE LOT OF DUST IN THEM!

Rachel then says that she's about to demorph and then Tobias is about to say he loves her and then Rachel says that she already knows. Then she says good-bye and I'm going to need a couple pounds of chocolate now!

Tobias imagines Rachel demorphing and hoping that he is able to make their ends swift. Tobias then thinks that the Yeerks had won and that the rest of the human race would shortly fall.

Tobias then looked at the Blade ship and knew Visser Three was a predator and Bird-boy had nothing left to lose. If the others died then Tobias would be left in a world he didn't belong in.

Tobias then sees Taxxons crawling across the ship to get at him. Visser Three jests that Tobias has run out of time. Tobias respects the Visser's move but knows he still has a chance at enacting whatever plan he is intending to enact.

A Taxxon aims a Dracon beam at him and he ends up with the Taxxon's Dracon beam. The Visser yells at the Controllers to get him and Tobias goes on with his plan.

His plan includes killing his friends so he can honor Rachel's last wish.

So many tears in this chapter!

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