Animorphs Re-Read: #7 The Stranger (Chapters 21-22)

Chapter 21

Rachel is finally able to realize that what she thought were humans were really Hork-Bajir. But she was in a position where she couldn't turn back. Fighting with one Hork-Bajir leads to her getting a second cut and then the battle becomes fuzzy for her.

She remembers some images, but it seems to be seen from a distance as her Grizzly bear vision is terrible. She remembers the battle as something that was just a scram of rage. There was no beauty to it and nothing good to remember it by.

As Rachel fights with a Hork-Bajir she realizes, at the last second, that she had pushed him through a window. Through the break in the window, Tobias flies in and joins the fight. I bet he was out there all that time wishing he could join in as his friends were fighting. That he thought his friends were not in good shape and would die as he watched.

And, for whatever reason, the remaining Hork-Bajir fled as Tobias joined the fight.

Marco makes sure that other Controllers won't quickly break in and Jake tells everyone to demorph. Tobias comments on Rachel's left arm and she realizes her left paw had been cut off during the fight.

As Rachel demorphs, she is able to fully realize the carnage that she caused. She notes that her injuries are healed but she is beyond exhausted.

Through quick searching they are able to find the Kandrona and Jake tells Rachel to morph elephant. She does and finds the work hard and taxing. It's also good to note that the plan wasn't just to wildly throw it out and damn whoever was standing below: they made sure that the falling Kandrona wouldn't hit anyone.

While the other Animorphs are extremely happy that they destroyed the Kandrona, Marco asks if they have really changed the future. When the Ellimist shows up, Rachel groans and he says that a replacement will be coming in three weeks.

What is it with Yeerks and threes? Do they just really love that number?

Marco thinks that means this whole effort was a waste, but Ax tells him that three weeks will be long enough to cause major damage to the Yeerks. In his reply to Marco it seems Ax is starting to accept that Earth is his new, temporary home.

The Ellimist doesn't reply to Jake's question about how much they changed the future. Rachel says that the Ellimist doesn't know and her reply causes the Ellimist to laugh. The effects of the Ellimist's laughter seem strangely similar to when the Animorphs first met Elfangor.

After that the Animorphs morph and fly away before the Yeerks come back.

Chapter 22

Rachel recounts that at first her and her fellow Animorphs didn't know that they had hurt the Yeerks. Somehow the slugs from space were able to stay strong. But she won't say how she found out the Yeerks were hurt as that's another story.

Rachel goes over to her father's to help him pack. Their talk ends with her making a joke, not really a joke but she plays it off as one, about saving the world. He tells her that if anyone can save the world, she can.

After he goes she looks into the sky to see Tobias. He asks her if she's going to fly with him and she says yes.

I think this is the first book where there wasn't some speech about fighting until the Andalites came. I hate my short-term memory.

I am so glad to finally get to the book where Rachel gets her Grizzly bear morph. It was really odd starting off the series without her having that morph.

I like that this book shows that Rachel still has doubts and fears like everyone else. Especially in the end fight scene where her heroic acts were nothing but her not knowing what was really going on.

The Ellimist does become less intimidating as the series progresses. He has already shown that he's able to bend the rules of the game he's playing. He interferes while saying he doesn't do so. I like that Rachel is able to figure out part of his game.

The next book in the Animorphs series I will be Re-Reading will be

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Animorphs Re-Read