Animorphs Re-Read: #4 The Message (Chapters 5-8)

Chapter 5

Marco starts the chapter by both telling us what's going on and showing us his caring side. He points out that if they're down at the beach then Controllers will be there too. I love that he cares about his fellow Animorphs and tries to make sure that they succeed even if he doesn't really want to fight.

Jake reminds him that they're at the beach so that Cassie and Tobias might possibly feel a stronger vision than before. To that Marco replies something that means he doesn't want to be down at the beach. In a very funny way, of course.

Cassie describes the beach as looking different at night than in the daytime. As a Floridian I can say that beaches are as she says during the night. Of course she's in California and their beaches are different than those in Florida. While I have been to California, I haven't been on a beach during the night.

She says she couldn't see under the waves but she can feel something out there. Cassie will be a good Jedi Master one day.

Marco then says he wants to live long enough to get a driver's license. Now I don't know when we first get to see Marco drive (I remember him driving in the first Megamorphs book, but am unsure if he drove before then), but let's just say he and I have very similar driving skills.

Except I haven't run into any mailboxes or trash cans...yet.

Jake asks why Marco would want to drive when he can morph a bird and then fly. Marco doesn't miss a beat and replies 'the babes'. He tells Tobias flying is great, but he wants a car.

Cassie remarks that Marco's co-operative mood hadn't lasted long. But each of them have their odd quirks. The saddest one she talks about is that Tobias is never happy because he thinks something will just happen to make him sad again.

My baby!

Rachel asks if Cassie feels anything and she remarks that she feels embarrassed. Marco, of course, makes a joke.

The question of why Cassie and Tobias are the only ones getting the message is brought up. Jake tries to explain that it's because of the morphing ability. That's why only Andalites would be able to hear it. Which doesn't make sense because it seems like the message should only be received by Andalites. While Andalites are egotistical, I assume they planned for the event of others getting the ability to morph so that their enemies couldn't pick up on their communications.

Plus it just seems like more of a biological thing rather than a technological thing sending the message.

Cassie points out the flaw in Jake's logic but Marco says it makes sense. This is because Tobias is stuck in morph and Cassie is the best morpher of the group.

Tobias tells the group to hide as there are people on the beach and he doesn't know if they're Controllers or not. He says he can't see good at night but he can still hear.

Tobias comes back and reports that it is Controllers. He recognizes Chapman and Tom with people he says are from The Sharing. Cassie then tells the reader what The Sharing is. In other words: another recap.

Through dialogue it's revealed that the ship that crashed was an Andalite ship. It's also revealed that Visser Three has been having visions too.

What comes up next is stupid: because the group figures that Visser Three is having these visions because of his Andalite host they now think that the visions are an Andalite thing. But isn't that what they were saying before about why it was tied into the ability to morph because then only Andalites would get the visions?

Well...fuck it.

The group notices that the Controllers had found something. Their footprints!

As they start heading away Rachel suggests they morph. Marco points out the problem of morphing now will reveal that the group are humans and not Andalites.

Jake says the plan is now to double around, go to the water, and then morph.

The chapter ends with someone shooting at Cassie!


Chapter 6

Cassie remarks that it's strange being shot at with normal guns as she's used to being attacked with Dracon beams. She describes the situation as "nuts" which some people might have problems with, but I don't really mind.

When a bullet nearly hits her she freezes and Jake has to drag her forward so she doesn't stay still for too long.

Tobias tells the others that the Controllers are all in the dunes.

As the group nears the water, Jake says to morph trout. Cassie points out the obvious problem of trout being a freshwater fish.

For those not understanding the problem: different fish are only able to live in certain types of water. True, some are able to live in both fresh and salt water. But trout aren't one of those kind of fish.

Cassie agrees to morph fish since she doesn't have a better idea. As she runs and goes into the water, she starts to morph trout.

As she continues to morph she hears Tom and Chapman discuss them. They wonder if the Animorphs' tracks are just kids or Andalite bandits.

Now here comes a part that is an answer to a question I have had. Many Fanimorphs wonder if the Yeerks thought that the Animorphs were really humans instead of Andalite bandits. Tom says that it seems, from what's happened at the beach, that the Andalite bandits are humans. Chapman replies with a laugh and something meaning, "Hahahahaha! You fucking tell Visser Three and die! LOL!"

So some Yeerks do think the Animorphs are humans as soon as this book, but are too afraid to tell the Visser.

Cassie isn't able to hear more since she has finished her morph.

Jake makes sure that everyone is okay and, of course, they're all experiencing problems with breathing in saltwater. Cassie asks how Marco is doing and he recaps what has happened and says that they should just go home and watch tv now.


Chapter 7

Cassie and the others don't meet for a few days since they are also teenagers and have lives of their own. I love the description of Rachel going to a ceremony means that she has to go on a big shopping spree. Later on in the series David acquires a Golden Eagle, so Cassie helping a Golden Eagle in this book is slightly creepy.

Tobias isn't happy that Cassie is helping a Golden Eagle. It's like he read ahead!

Cassie doesn't like that Jake arrives when she is looking worse than normal. Plus side is that she gets him to help with her work.

Cassie can tell Jake came over to discuss something but she waits for him to start that conversation. They finally get to talking about what Cassie wants to do about the vision she has. When she points out that Tobias has them too, Jake says that Tobias doesn't want to make the decision since he won't really be involved in the actual mission.

Tobias is very much defined by being bullied even when he moves on from it. Some things you learn about in certain experiences shape how you react to events in the future. He is guilty of trapping himself in morph, that's my headcanon that is supported by canon, and doesn't want to send his friends to their deaths when he can't help them. Like what happened in the previous book.

Jake states that Marco and Rachel think that the vision isn't real. Cassie then asks Jake what he thinks. He replies that he trusts Cassie's opinion on the matter.

While their relationship eventually ends with them apart,  the fact that Jake trusts Cassie never seems to change. This amount of trust, especially here when Jake can't confirm what Cassie is saying, makes it that much sadder of where the relationship eventually ends up.

Jake tries to comfort Cassie by saying that everyone in the group respects her. Cassie disagreeing seems to me to be more of a "I don't want to make this decision." instead of a "I really don't have a high opinion of myself."

I know when I'm pushed against a corner I might not always say what I actually think. I do think Cassie knows everyone in the group respects her, but she isn't going to admit that at the current moment.

Cassie asks Jake how she's supposed to know what's real and finally asks if he'll make the decision for her. He says yes. Cassie then says all the reasons why she doesn't want to make the decision but ultimately decides the choice has to be hers.

Cassie then realizes that the noisy barn is where she feels most at home. Cassie tells Jake about how she is scared of the ocean and that might be because she's so used to her farm. The exchange between them brings up that Jake has been to at least one Thanksgiving with Cassie!

Cassie and Jake discuss what they'll morph to rescue the Andalite. Dolphins are brought up as well as an issue that continues on through the series: what shouldn't you morph?

Cassie says they shouldn't morph dolphins because they're highly intelligent creatures. I've never gotten this bit of morality. I morph another human or if I morph a raven I still am changing shapes. I don't control the original, I control a sort of clone. So if I was to control the original like a Yeerk I could get the problem, but morphing doesn't work like that so I don't get the problem.

Jake says the decision is up to her and then he leaves to do homework. He gives her a sort of compliment and then rides away. It's a sweet comment about wanting to shovel manure instead of doing homework.

Cassie feels less at ease when he leaves than when he came.


Chapter 8

After school the next day the group goes to The Gardens. Tobias flies there since red-tailed hawks don't take buses. He doesn't know how close he'll be able to get to the rest of the group.

Cassie can get in for free since her mother works there as the head vet.

Cassie talks about how she thinks Marco's Dad not getting over his wife's death is romantic. I feel this is creepy. On one hand I can see how it could be romantic but people just don't say that shit. However, Cassie isn't really telling anyone. She's talking to herself. Well...she's talking to the reader but I see that set-up as a reason for the series to exist rather than copies of these books existing in the Aniverse.

Luckily Cassie quickly adds that you have to get over someone's death and not grieve forever. So what Marco's Dad is doing might be romantic, but it's not healthy. This is slightly ironic as Cassie loses Rachel and is the only one of the group to really move on after the war. So maybe she took the lesson she says here to heart.

Cassie thinks of how hard it is for Marco since he has to take care of his Dad and not the other way around. On the bus she compliments his new haircut.

Cassie mentions her Walkman and I feel old again.

Luckily there was a special deal on tickets and so Marco was able to pay for his ticket.

Jake looks at a roller coaster and remarks that the ability to morph makes some things feel less cool. Such as a roller coaster is fast to a normal person, but to someone who morphs...there are things that go a lot faster and can do more extreme things.

It's really interesting how much morphing affects people even while they're not morphed.

Marco says he doesn't feel like working out as his Gorilla morph is so strong. Rachel has the opposite feeling as she wants to try and copy that cat confidence while doing gymnastics. Cassie jokes with her about falling off the balance beam but she's quick to reply that she's confident while falling.

They reach the marine area and will be watching one show. Jake remarks that it's not that crowded and Cassie replies that's normal for a weekday afternoon.

Marco basically says that porpoises and dolphins are just big fish. Just be glad you didn't disrespect red-tailed hawks, Marco, since you are currently without a hat.

Once the dolphin appears he totally changes his mind on dolphins. Cassie remarks that dolphins make everything look so effortless. She also says that watching a dolphin makes her very happy and that they own the sea. She also remarks that humans are smart but are clumsy compared to other species on Earth.

I know what bad things dolphins are capable of, but I like the image of them being these pure innocent creatures. So I don't mind even if it isn't a truthful description of the species.

A dolphin trainer comes up to the group and remarks that the dolphin is just showing off to get more fish. This shows intelligence on the dolphin's part and makes him even more adorable to me.

Eileen, the trainer, talks about the dolphins after Cassie lies about failing finding dolphin information online. Oh, god, the dolphins are all named after Friends characters! And of course Joey is the con-artist of the group!

Eileen offers to let them feed the dolphins but warns that Joey is pushy. She then leaves the group alone to feed the dolphins on their own.

Marco is grossed out by the fish and Rachel says that his opinion will change once he morphs dolphin. Marco then counter argues that they were fish similar to the ones they're feeding the dolphins now. Cassie doesn't want to think about what Marco says because it complicates things for her.

And the issue he brings up is a good one: when you morph different animals you will end up turning into an animal that eats one of your other morphs.

The dolphins get excited by the fish and Rachel comments on it. Cue the group talking about how intelligent dolphins are.

Marco remarks on the fact that dolphins always look like they're grinning. Jake remarks on the eye contact and says that it seems like they remember him from somewhere. When he asks the dolphin if he knows them from somewhere one of the dolphin replies.

It appears to the rest of the group like the dolphin said yes. Rachel thinks that isn't possible while Cassie remarks that dolphins are intelligent enough to understand language.

Rachel and Cassie discuss the morality of morphing an intelligent creature. If you're concerned about controlling an animal like a Yeerk why didn't you bring it up when you morphed a horse or a trout? It's the same concept. Same thing happens. You acquire the animal, you morph it, and you control it.

Why are you concerned now? Oh, because it's a dolphin and you don't want to hurt the precious little dolphin.

Either this 'grey area' in morphing exists in all morphs or none at all.

Cassie agrees that the issue should be put on hold as she's running out of fish. She acquires it and mentally asks the dolphin if it's okay. But the dolphin can't answer.

Spoooooooooooooooky I guess?
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