Group Re-read 2.0 #30 The Reunion

[RYTX]

Synopsis
Marco must make the ultimate sacrifice....
Macro's mom is alive. And back on Earth. But the Yeerk controlling her has fallen from grace; being hunted by the Yeerk Empire as she tries to win back favor by discrediting Visser Three. She's even willing to take the "Andalite Bandits" help in doing so. But Macro has his own plan. A plan that will get rid of Visser Three. A plan that will get rid of Visser One. A plan that will cost him the life of his mother....

Questions
   1. When all this began Marco and Tobias were strangers. Now that they've spent a length of time together, what do you think of the relation between these two? What do you think about the way their dynamic has changed up to, and continues beyond this point in the series?

   2. As sure footed and humiliation inducing as they get, here Marco utilizes the power of the mountain goat. What did you think of this animal in this book? Do you think the descriptions of it's attitudes and abilities were accurate, undersold or exaggerated? What do you envision the experience of being a mountain goat to be like? What do you think of it's place in Marco's plan?

   3. Visser One returns in this book, and allies with the Animorphs in an attempt to ruin Visser Three. What do you think of Visser One in this book? What are your thoughts on her uncovering the human element of the resistance, and Marco's identity, just before her survival is, again, rendered ambiguous?

   4. What do you think of Marco's character in this book? He describes himself as ruthless and able to see the bright line from beginning to end; do you agree with these assessments? What do you think of his plans to take out the Vissers, particularly him orchestrating his own mothers death?

   5. What would you have done in Marco's place? Would you have been willing to carry out a plan where you personally kill a loved one, in order to kill the Visser?
   6. Would you be willing to let someone else, a friend, do that to themselves. At the last moment, Jake prevents Macro from doing anything. What do you think of him taking this action? When, if at all, would you have intervened?

   7. Approximately when is the last time you read this book? What changes do you expect or would like to see in a re-release?

   8. Anything else?

Answer, ignore and submit your own questions and comments as you please; but remember to vote!

Next week: #31 The Conspiracy

[Ember Nickel]

They are no doubt controlled by a brain-wave interface. So that the Yeerk can maintain control, even outside your mother's body.> <- Huh. Always wondered how they kept Alloran constrained.

Her head jerked. She looked around. She eyed a blind woman's guide dog suspiciously. <- probably a coincidence, would be hilarious if Champ though.

[RYTX]

   1. There came a point where I was surprised that Marco and Ax didn't consider each other better friends than Marco and Tobias did with Jake and Ax, respectively. When Tobias isn't in one of his moods, they have a very good back and forth. This was probably the largest positive progression in a relation, from disinterest and kinda fear from Marco, to very jovial if passive aggressive.

   2. Not at the top of my wish list but this is kinda cool when you think about it. A few online videos will greatly exemplify that despite being much better than a human at climbing, sure-footing doesn't really exist. And I've done some climbing-really wouldn't want to do it without thumbs. Or harnesses. Once over the fear, I think that would be a pretty chill life style though. This was an interesting choice for this book, I can see a host of other animals being able to do the part as well. Think it was an attempt to just use something different, which really, I'm glad they did do. Maybe they've burned through tigers and eagles already, but hey, goats deserve a bit of glory too.

   3. V1. Technically I do think this does make her a traitor to the Yeerks. With a warrant on her head, I'm surprise her strategy is discredit V3-that seems no guarantee of her safety, but hey, Yeerk politics. That the Animorphs didn't have a better response about their identities is shameful, but they've been dealing with V3 so long, think it got them sloppy. Still, that she deduced it, and especially Marco-which was also very sloppy- is a commendable achievement. That they once more felt they should leave her survival up in the air was annoying, but considering she just figured them out, it was fairly dramatic.

   4. In some dark part of my soul, Marco's the guy I wish I could be. I've taken to all these hypothetical dilemmas very ambiguously, but even when he knows something is detestable, he can still do it. And there are times I should be able to do that. While his plan was ambitious, I credit his willingness to do it.  I do think he over estimated himself this time though: had he personally killed off Eva, it would have destroyed him. Despite all his changes, he's a kid looking to save his mom. Still.

   5. Ambiguous! Um, yes. I'm in a bad spot with people right now, so I think that I'd be willing, and that it wouldn't hurt me as much as it should. Hopefully that'll change one day. That dark part of my soul is pragmatic, and in my head the benefits outweigh the cost. Still, a small part of me even now says I couldn't, so while from the outside I think I could, in the heat of things, I can't be sure.

   6. I don't care what I've said about GW's, this is one of the most powerful moments in literature IMO. Jake made the call Marco should have made, that Marco couldn't make. There's a tiger pinning him down, rendering him physically incapable of doing anything, and yet is the only thing that mentally is holding him together. I always think of this as Marco's blackest moment. Jake's trapping him in the darkest, keeping him from falling in. And I can't imagine that was easy on him either, knowing Marco, and Marco's pain like no one else does.
That said, I wouldn't have done  it. At best I've have finished the job for him, but if he was in position I would not have stopped him. And that I say without ambiguity. If someone else has to suffer to alleviate the pain of so many, including me, I, most horribly, would do nothing to change  it.