Group Re-Read: Week 15, #13 The Change

[Terenia]

Summary
Tobias has pretty much gotten used to his life. He's a red-tailed hawk with the mind of a kid. It was weird when he first got trapped in morph. But now it's almost okay. After all, how many kids actually get the chance to fly?

Now Tobias is about to make a very special choice. A choice that the other Animorphs and Ax know nothing about. And it could mean the difference between being a hawk...and being human...

Questions
1) First and foremost, probably the most important question of this book: Does the Ellimist truly give Tobias what he wants? Does he keep his promise?

2) Do you think that Rachel pities Tobias? She says that she doesn't, but her actions indicate that perhaps she is thinking otherwise.

3) What did you think about our first look at free Hork-Bajir?

4) Why do you think that the Ellimist chose Tobias as his vassel for freeing the Hork-Bajir? He probably could have chosen Jake or Rachel or any of the other Ani's just as easily and the job would've gotten done.

5) What do you think about Tobias' narration? Some people complain that he comes across as whiny. Do you agree? Disagree? Why/why not?

Next week we will be reading #14: The Unknown

[wolfev]

I never thought he was whiny. He just gets angry because he feels he's not in control.

[V2113]

1) Yes and no. Tobias wants to be human for more than 2 hours, he wants to continue fighting in the war, and he wants to be able to be a hawk. He gets to become human, he gets to continue fighting, and he gets to stay a hawk. Frankly, I think the Ellimist cheated. He gave Tobias what he wanted, but not in the way he wanted it.

2) I think she has mixed feelings. She pities him because she loves him. She wishes that they could go out together. She wishes that he was safe from the war. But she knows he wouldn't be happy away from the sky.

3) I think it was interesting. We finally have an explanation for the sharp, deadly blades.

4) Because the Ellimist knew that if he bargained with Tobias he would have a secret weapon for the war. An 'andalite' able to go over the morphing limit, if he's in red-tail morph, that is.

5) Tobias? Whiny? Who said that!!?? If anyone says that then they have some rethinking to do or else they get a knuckle sandwich!!!

[Chad32]

I liked it. I also liked when Jara sliced his head open to prove he was free. Hardcore.

I rarely think that Tobias whines, or wallows in self pity or anything like that.

I don't think the ellemist cheated. I think he just knew that Tobias enjoyed being a hawk more than a Human. He gave Tobais a choice of being one or the other, and the guy chose Hawk in the end.

I'm not sure why the Ellemist chose Tobias over the others. Maybe to give him a higher level of importance. He is the Great Liberator! Or something liek that.

[V2113]

1 I liked it. I also liked when Jara sliced his head open to prove he was free. Hardcore.

2 I rarely think that Tobias whines, or wallows in self pity or anything like that.

3 I don't think the ellemist cheated. I think he just knew that Tobias enjoyed being a hawk more than a Human. He gave Tobais a choice of being one or the other, and the guy chose Hawk in the end.

4 I'm not sure why the Ellemist chose Tobias over the others. Maybe to give him a higher level of importance. He is the Great Liberator! Or something liek that.

1 I forgot about that part! That was very funny.
2 Here's a yellow star! Youre my new favorite RAfian! (quote this people who think the same thing)
3 Well, I guess he didn't cheat but still... He could've at least given Tobias unlimited human time or an extra hour or 2.
4 True. Ellimist new that Tobias had really low self esteem so he thought saving a race might just help to boost it a little.

[Terenia]

I don't think the ellemist cheated. I think he just knew that Tobias enjoyed being a hawk more than a Human. He gave Tobais a choice of being one or the other, and the guy chose Hawk in the end.

Well, the Ellimist never came out and said, "Hawk or human, buddy, you have to make a choice."
Tobias was under the impression he would regain his humanity, but he didn't. In the end, he says he's happy, but I don't think the Ellimist necessarily kept his promise.

[wolfev]

Had he succeeded in becoming a human again, how would that have not blown the animorphs cover? I guess he could say he was at his other relatives house, but for all we know, they could have been controllers too. I think Tobias honestly enjoys his life as a bird more than his life as a human. His current state is a good compromise. I don't think he stayed as a hawk just to fight the war. That was certainly a reason why he stayed, but I'm sure he liked being a bird who could morph himself.

[morfowt]

1) First and foremost, probably the most important question of this book: Does the Ellimist truly give Tobias what he wants? Does he keep his promise?

Yes. the ellimist simply said he'll give Tobias what he truly wanted. I don't think Tobias truly wanted to be a human with the power to morph. Either deep down he wanted to be a hawk, so the Ellimist kept him as a hawk. Or deep down Tobias wanted to be a full human, so he gave him the power to be a full human - by becoming a nothlit.

3) What did you think about our first look at free Hork-Bajir?

well I'd say they were nothing like I imagined, except I read #23 first so I already knew what free Hork-bajir were like before I read this book. However when I read them in #23, they were definitely not like how I thought they'd be.

5) What do you think about Tobias' narration? Some people complain that he comes across as whiny. Do you agree? Disagree? Why/why not?

to be honest, i never noticed or thought of him as whiny. At least not my definition of whiny. Now this kid in my class, he is whiny.

[AniDragon]

Tobias has legitimate problems, so though he may emphasize and talk about them a lot, I think he's fully justified in doing so.

[Gafrash]

I am sorry for the Tobias’ fans, but Tobias’ narrative certainly grinded me in this book. I understand his confusion in being a human boy in hawk form was the main deal here, but he was verging the level of ‘whiny’, to me. Which IS NOT to say that I don't think he isn't a hero. To me Tobias is AS BRAVE AS the other Animorphs! My heart was with him when he came so close to death at the claws of a racoon! A RACOON!!!

I agree with Wolfev, above. Gonna add that I think The Ellimist, being the true unobtrusive-player that he is, didn’t fool Tobias. HE KNEW Tobias’ greatest desires; Tobias was unhappy being a human, plain and simple. We as readers were simply led to believe otherwise at this stage of the series.  I think the Ellimist fulfilled his deal because he gave a means for Tobias to regain his ‘humanity’. Allowing him to CHOOSE to do so. Without forcing any hand.
Tobias was the one who didn’t do so, even after the war was over…

Does that make Tobias wimpy, I don’t know. But I certainly got annoyed by this dose of Tobias here. I can’t help noticing that the Tobias from this stage, a Tobias that cares for Rachel’s feelings and is shown to be keen on her, is somewhat different in this respect towards the end of the series. No reactions of his were shown to the way Rachel was changing for worse; he showed very little support when she became that temporary leader. His caring towards Rachel was ONLY shown right at the end, where in fact Jake had sent her on a virtually kamikaze mission.

As to why the Ellimist would have picked him, I dunno. Maybe Tobias had the most to gain by the Ellimist’s motive to save the Hork-Bajir. I mean, none of the others had lost the power to morph. What saves Tobias for me in this book is how it ends. To me Tobias is no wimp, or coward or weak person, because inspite of everything he's been through, inspite of all the sacrifices, he still told the pre-Elfangor-acquainted Tobias to walk with the others through the Construction site. Therefore, not leaving his friends hanging. And running away from the conflict.

This also brings questions as to whether the Tobias from book 1 was already the Tobias that had been warned by this book’s Tobias to walk with the others through the Construction Site. But then I get the whole Back to The Future thing and forget this whole complexity path.


The insight into the Hork-Bajirs was gold here! The description of what it's like to morph their first sentient alien morphs. And the explanation for the natural use of their blades was great. Their ‘low IQ somewhat childlike’ personas took me by surprise and it was in this book that I really started caring for their species.  The slicing themselves to expose their brains bit was indeed hardcore! INSANE! A Hork-Bajir has enough precision to do that!!!??? It also showed that HBajirs have fast healing abilities. Like how Taxxons can regenerate legs.

[RYTX]

1)I think he does.  Tobias was a conflicted person, maybe he wanted both, but I still think he got what he wanted more
3) Jara rocks, plain and simple. The free Hork Bajir, especially this family are some of the greatest characters in the series
5)This was the book that started it all for me, and I loved everybit of it. Tobias does get disgustingly whiny in some of the later books-33-but this one I always feel he's emotions are controlled and justified, not just endless b*tching

[dolphin4077]

1. Obviously Tobias is conflicted.  There are times he wants to be human more than other times, and I think he wanted that more during this book because of Rachel.   I think the Ellimist did give him what he wanted along with some insight into himself, but the way Ellimist went about it made Tobias (and me) feel more annoyed than appreciative.  The Ellimist needs to work on social skills, but what do you expect from a guy who needs the Crayak.
2. Rachel does pity him.  The problem is that Tobias thinks thats a bad thing. 
3. The Hork-Bajir rock.  I'm with everyone else about loving the head slicing.
4. I disagree the others could have done just as well.  Granted all of the Animorphs were needed to help the Hork-Bajir, but what was needed most was a guide through the woods, and as Rachel pointed out; no one else knew the woods like him.  Also, remember, when Jake was "taking over Tobias' job" he didn't have an easy time of it and needed Tobias' help to pull it off.
5. Personally, I never thought his narration was whiny.  How else do expect him to react?  However, I think the how the narration order went impacted the angst quota.  Since the other Earth born Animorphs had more books, their emotional ranges had more stretch; they got to have funny books: 14, 17, etc...  Ax and Tobias have less books, so they don't have the luxury of a more gradual build up for their character development.  Also, I guess in the split Ax got to have the comical books, which is ironic but makes sense because Ax's situation lends itself more naturally to comedy.   

[Gafrash]

Hey! Valid points there dolphin4077! I agree!
Tobias and Ax had less of a range of books, that's the reason we got less dimensions on the two characters than the others.

I think this book was awesome Hork-Bajir material. And there's this sense of hope that the Animorphs, thanks to the Ellimist, open up. After all, it was no randomness that made him free/save the two who would eventually give birth to this generations' Hork-Bajir seer, Toby.
Beautifully played, if you ask me.

[dolphin4077]

Gafrash, thanks for always responding to my posts.

[Terenia]

dolphin, you have a really good point about narration time. It works the same with Ax as well. Although he does have humorous moments, like you mentioned, his constant 'personality flaw' is his loyalty, and that is called into question book after book after book that he narrates, to the point where some readers may be irritated. But with less opportunity for narration, there is less to work with.

Which is sad, really. I mean, if they had been in the regular cycle that would have been awesome.