I am yet to re-read this book for some details. But from what I remember we get a glimpse at Cassie's following her instincts and sort of co-ercing the others, they almost dying on the sea, for the sake of 'dreams' inside her head. But in the end, they added an invaluable ally to their team.
A sort of level one of the 'stupidly-seeming' decisions she makes, like the one on #50: The Ultimate, where she strikes Jake so the Yeerks get a hold of the Morphing Tech. Who would have known it would actually separate factions within the Yeerk Invasion??
A very good key on the character Cassie.
Another thing I get from this book is the early suggestion of her being 'sub-temporarily grounded'. Cassie seems to have some sort of a 'heightened unconscious intuitive'. Where she tapped into the 'Mirro-wave calls' in order to save someone who would become a great friend.
Amazing!
Keeping in mind she's a very young girl, she is by no means a cry-baby, in my books. Anyone who can do what she does is an aspiration to humanity. I always thought she was one of the strongest characters Applegate created.
Terenia, I didn't know the dolphins' names were reference to the show Friends. Never really got into that series. But it's funny to know.
I personally loved the connection with the whale scene. It wasn't hard to be sold to me, because I felt it was in tone with the whole plot of the book.
Onto, Ax, he came off as I would expect an alien to. I half-way knew he was a kid-Andalite before they stated it. Only because his 'voice' wasn't like the adult Elfangor, dunno. I remember feeling it when I first read it. But he did have the certain Andalite arrogance we would later come to know and love, that his brother managed not to have.
I was so happy and glad he joined the Animorphs. And the frolis manuever stunt at the end was pretty spiffy, too!
Interesting choice to introduce him into the Animorphs series in this third book. How long would he have stayed under the ocean? Was it 3 weeks??