Were the yeerks allowed to aquire sentient creatures? and where would they stay?

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Yeerks infesting horses get nuked (metaphorically speaking) by PETA 

I personally thought they should have looked into Yeerk-controlled androids. The Yeerks can interface with computers and even "see" virtually- and that's just back when the war began (HBC). Then again, that might just make them scary and let them stomp us out if they couldn't make enough or if they held grudges (a bunch of Terminator-Controllers running around *shudders*).

I'm really curious as to what they did with the Yeerks after the war, too... it's a very interesting question...

[Myitt]

Okay, this has probably been brought up, but I didn't read the entire thread (sorry). If it's already been mentioned let me know.


The biggest issue I see in becoming a sentient/non-sentient nothlit is the type of genocide that is occurring. If you make the entire Yeerk race become, say human nothlits, then a part of the Yeerk heritage can live on through the human offspring. The children won't be Yeerks...they'll be human...but certain bits of culture and whatnot can be preserved.

However, if the Yeerks are all trapped as, for example, poodles...well, then they will have a bunch of legitimate poodle babies. Poodles may be smart, but they are far from sentient. The Yeerk culture, heritage and history would die out after that one generation....and we all know how long poodles live.

So, I have to imagine that the Yeerks were allowed to morph sentient beings. It's still genocide...but it's somehow slightly less genocidal...

Dave and I were just talking about this last night!  And in Animorphs, the Taxxons who stayed on Earth morphed anacondas and stuff; after one generation, they really would cease to be Taxxons...although granted the Taxxon homeworld probably still has plenty.  We were trying to justify why the rebel Taxxons would want to do something like that, probably they just didn't want to reproduce and wanted to get rid of that endless hunger.  But...it's evolutionarily stagnating for them, not to mention quasi-suicide

EDIT: Just bumping this question, because I think it's so fascinating

[MoppingBear]

Okay, this has probably been brought up, but I didn't read the entire thread (sorry). If it's already been mentioned let me know.


The biggest issue I see in becoming a sentient/non-sentient nothlit is the type of genocide that is occurring. If you make the entire Yeerk race become, say human nothlits, then a part of the Yeerk heritage can live on through the human offspring. The children won't be Yeerks...they'll be human...but certain bits of culture and whatnot can be preserved.

However, if the Yeerks are all trapped as, for example, poodles...well, then they will have a bunch of legitimate poodle babies. Poodles may be smart, but they are far from sentient. The Yeerk culture, heritage and history would die out after that one generation....and we all know how long poodles live.

So, I have to imagine that the Yeerks were allowed to morph sentient beings. It's still genocide...but it's somehow slightly less genocidal...

Dave and I were just talking about this last night!  And in Animorphs, the Taxxons who stayed on Earth morphed anacondas and stuff; after one generation, they really would cease to be Taxxons...although granted the Taxxon homeworld probably still has plenty.  We were trying to justify why the rebel Taxxons would want to do something like that, probably they just didn't want to reproduce and wanted to get rid of that endless hunger.  But...it's evolutionarily stagnating for them, not to mention quasi-suicide

EDIT: Just bumping this question, because I think it's so fascinating

suicide may be a bit harsh.  detrimental to be sure, but tobias maintains certain andalite qualities, so it seems that at least something is passed on.  perhaps a few hundred generations down the line, especially if they avoid reproducing with regular anacondas, they will regain sentience.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Okay, this has probably been brought up, but I didn't read the entire thread (sorry). If it's already been mentioned let me know.


The biggest issue I see in becoming a sentient/non-sentient nothlit is the type of genocide that is occurring. If you make the entire Yeerk race become, say human nothlits, then a part of the Yeerk heritage can live on through the human offspring. The children won't be Yeerks...they'll be human...but certain bits of culture and whatnot can be preserved.

However, if the Yeerks are all trapped as, for example, poodles...well, then they will have a bunch of legitimate poodle babies. Poodles may be smart, but they are far from sentient. The Yeerk culture, heritage and history would die out after that one generation....and we all know how long poodles live.

So, I have to imagine that the Yeerks were allowed to morph sentient beings. It's still genocide...but it's somehow slightly less genocidal...

Dave and I were just talking about this last night!  And in Animorphs, the Taxxons who stayed on Earth morphed anacondas and stuff; after one generation, they really would cease to be Taxxons...although granted the Taxxon homeworld probably still has plenty.  We were trying to justify why the rebel Taxxons would want to do something like that, probably they just didn't want to reproduce and wanted to get rid of that endless hunger.  But...it's evolutionarily stagnating for them, not to mention quasi-suicide

EDIT: Just bumping this question, because I think it's so fascinating

suicide may be a bit harsh.  detrimental to be sure, but tobias maintains certain andalite qualities, so it seems that at least something is passed on.  perhaps a few hundred generations down the line, especially if they avoid reproducing with regular anacondas, they will regain sentience.

Yeah, at about the same time the real anacondas become sentient. Even at that point, there is no memory or evidence of their Taxxon heritage left. Fact is, the snake only have the genetic ability to reproduce as snakes. The Z-space whatever that allows them to keep their Taxxon minds when morphed isn't effective anymore in the following generations.

My thought is that suicide may not be harsh enough. It's effectively voluntary genocide with a one-generation delay. This has got me thinking- what would we do if it came down to it? If all of humanity was required to morph, say, cats, how many people would go along with it? I'm guessing most people would make the choice without considering the long-term implications to the human race. Lack of foresight is a shortcoming that Taxxons and humans apparently share

[Terenia]

Going back to the original question...

I imagine that certain Yeerks were perhaps allowed to morph sentient beings, and I imagine it would often be a collaborative agreement between Yeerk and host. The actual act of forcing all Yeerks to nothlitize would be a huge undertaking, but assuming that the humans and Andalites have control over the Yeerk Pools on Earth, not impossible. Those that did not show up in three days would have three options:

1) Die
2) Be lucky enough to have their own portable Kandrona supply
3) Resort to cannibalism - a short-lived solution at best.

I imagine that upon entering the Yeerk Pool, Yeerks would be required to leave their host permanently and the host would then be interrogated to see if they have any Imperial sympathies. I don't know what would happen to the voluntary hosts, but I imagine that they would be treated and tried as war criminals.

The Yeerks would then remain in the pool indefinitely as the Andalites and humans began the nothlitizing process. This process could take months, as they have to not only convince the Yeerk to accept the morphing power, but also the body that they are being given. I think that some group of conscientious objectors would realize the implied genocide, and as such a small percentage would be allowed to morph human. The rest would be given harmless animals with reasonable life spans, and those that refused to morph would be killed.


One of my roleplay characters is actually loosely based on this concept. I imagine a post-war world where those Yeerks who obtain human bodies permanently are treated as sub-human, and sent to camps not unlike the Japanese internment camps of WWII. Their children, or "grubs", while being fully human and having never known what it was like to be a Yeerk are treated equally poorly and ostracized from mainstream society.

I imagine this would allow for a lot unrest, among both the nothlit population and the human population. Rebel groups would form, fighting for nothlit rights and effectively creating a very volatile situation.


Can't tell I've thought this through, eh? 

[MoppingBear]

Okay, this has probably been brought up, but I didn't read the entire thread (sorry). If it's already been mentioned let me know.


The biggest issue I see in becoming a sentient/non-sentient nothlit is the type of genocide that is occurring. If you make the entire Yeerk race become, say human nothlits, then a part of the Yeerk heritage can live on through the human offspring. The children won't be Yeerks...they'll be human...but certain bits of culture and whatnot can be preserved.

However, if the Yeerks are all trapped as, for example, poodles...well, then they will have a bunch of legitimate poodle babies. Poodles may be smart, but they are far from sentient. The Yeerk culture, heritage and history would die out after that one generation....and we all know how long poodles live.

So, I have to imagine that the Yeerks were allowed to morph sentient beings. It's still genocide...but it's somehow slightly less genocidal...

Dave and I were just talking about this last night!  And in Animorphs, the Taxxons who stayed on Earth morphed anacondas and stuff; after one generation, they really would cease to be Taxxons...although granted the Taxxon homeworld probably still has plenty.  We were trying to justify why the rebel Taxxons would want to do something like that, probably they just didn't want to reproduce and wanted to get rid of that endless hunger.  But...it's evolutionarily stagnating for them, not to mention quasi-suicide

EDIT: Just bumping this question, because I think it's so fascinating

suicide may be a bit harsh.  detrimental to be sure, but tobias maintains certain andalite qualities, so it seems that at least something is passed on.  perhaps a few hundred generations down the line, especially if they avoid reproducing with regular anacondas, they will regain sentience.

Yeah, at about the same time the real anacondas become sentient. Even at that point, there is no memory or evidence of their Taxxon heritage left. Fact is, the snake only have the genetic ability to reproduce as snakes. The Z-space whatever that allows them to keep their Taxxon minds when morphed isn't effective anymore in the following generations.

My thought is that suicide may not be harsh enough. It's effectively voluntary genocide with a one-generation delay. This has got me thinking- what would we do if it came down to it? If all of humanity was required to morph, say, cats, how many people would go along with it? I'm guessing most people would make the choice without considering the long-term implications to the human race. Lack of foresight is a shortcoming that Taxxons and humans apparently share

Again, what of Tobias having the Andalite qualities?  I mean, in the real world you would clearly be right, but in the Animorphs world, its fairly clear that genetics isn't everything.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Going back to the original question...

I imagine that certain Yeerks were perhaps allowed to morph sentient beings, and I imagine it would often be a collaborative agreement between Yeerk and host. The actual act of forcing all Yeerks to nothlitize would be a huge undertaking, but assuming that the humans and Andalites have control over the Yeerk Pools on Earth, not impossible. Those that did not show up in three days would have three options:

1) Die
2) Be lucky enough to have their own portable Kandrona supply
3) Resort to cannibalism - a short-lived solution at best.

I imagine that upon entering the Yeerk Pool, Yeerks would be required to leave their host permanently and the host would then be interrogated to see if they have any Imperial sympathies. I don't know what would happen to the voluntary hosts, but I imagine that they would be treated and tried as war criminals.

The Yeerks would then remain in the pool indefinitely as the Andalites and humans began the nothlitizing process. This process could take months, as they have to not only convince the Yeerk to accept the morphing power, but also the body that they are being given. I think that some group of conscientious objectors would realize the implied genocide, and as such a small percentage would be allowed to morph human. The rest would be given harmless animals with reasonable life spans, and those that refused to morph would be killed.


One of my roleplay characters is actually loosely based on this concept. I imagine a post-war world where those Yeerks who obtain human bodies permanently are treated as sub-human, and sent to camps not unlike the Japanese internment camps of WWII. Their children, or "grubs", while being fully human and having never known what it was like to be a Yeerk are treated equally poorly and ostracized from mainstream society.

I imagine this would allow for a lot unrest, among both the nothlit population and the human population. Rebel groups would form, fighting for nothlit rights and effectively creating a very volatile situation.


Can't tell I've thought this through, eh? 

Whoa. Haha. You have put a lot of thought into that. I'm digging the detailed background on Trey here. That sounds like a very intriguing, very messed up world. Really does not make humanity sound very nice, but as much as I hate to admit it, that'd probably wind up being closer to the truth than anything I've heard so far.

Okay, this has probably been brought up, but I didn't read the entire thread (sorry). If it's already been mentioned let me know.


The biggest issue I see in becoming a sentient/non-sentient nothlit is the type of genocide that is occurring. If you make the entire Yeerk race become, say human nothlits, then a part of the Yeerk heritage can live on through the human offspring. The children won't be Yeerks...they'll be human...but certain bits of culture and whatnot can be preserved.

However, if the Yeerks are all trapped as, for example, poodles...well, then they will have a bunch of legitimate poodle babies. Poodles may be smart, but they are far from sentient. The Yeerk culture, heritage and history would die out after that one generation....and we all know how long poodles live.

So, I have to imagine that the Yeerks were allowed to morph sentient beings. It's still genocide...but it's somehow slightly less genocidal...

Dave and I were just talking about this last night!  And in Animorphs, the Taxxons who stayed on Earth morphed anacondas and stuff; after one generation, they really would cease to be Taxxons...although granted the Taxxon homeworld probably still has plenty.  We were trying to justify why the rebel Taxxons would want to do something like that, probably they just didn't want to reproduce and wanted to get rid of that endless hunger.  But...it's evolutionarily stagnating for them, not to mention quasi-suicide

EDIT: Just bumping this question, because I think it's so fascinating

suicide may be a bit harsh.  detrimental to be sure, but tobias maintains certain andalite qualities, so it seems that at least something is passed on.  perhaps a few hundred generations down the line, especially if they avoid reproducing with regular anacondas, they will regain sentience.

Yeah, at about the same time the real anacondas become sentient. Even at that point, there is no memory or evidence of their Taxxon heritage left. Fact is, the snake only have the genetic ability to reproduce as snakes. The Z-space whatever that allows them to keep their Taxxon minds when morphed isn't effective anymore in the following generations.

My thought is that suicide may not be harsh enough. It's effectively voluntary genocide with a one-generation delay. This has got me thinking- what would we do if it came down to it? If all of humanity was required to morph, say, cats, how many people would go along with it? I'm guessing most people would make the choice without considering the long-term implications to the human race. Lack of foresight is a shortcoming that Taxxons and humans apparently share

Again, what of Tobias having the Andalite qualities?  I mean, in the real world you would clearly be right, but in the Animorphs world, its fairly clear that genetics isn't everything.

Yeaaaahhhhh, true, I guess. I still can't see the Taxxon-snake-nothlit offspring retaining enough Taxxon-esque qualities to be considered a continuation of the race in any sense.

[Dogman15]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this possibility yet! In "The Perspective", by Arin http://www.fanfiction.net/s/224135/1/The_Perspective -
Some of the Yeerks become good friends with their hosts by the end of the war. If a few (friendly and public) Yeerk Pools were kept in operation, Yeerks and humans who wanted to share a body with each other for companionship would be able to do so. It would be a symbiotic, or rather, consensual, relationship between the human and their Yeerk.

The "friendship idea" in question isn't actually seen in the story until somewhere around chapter 18 or so.