what i don't get is how it happened, or more like why. cuz when he got injured, why didn't he just morph into sumthing, anything, and then demorph, and he woulda been healed. instead, he wasted time looking for the time matrix. i mean, i don't buy the whole "he was too injured" thing, cuz the animorphs have been in way worse shape then a burn on their side, and managed to morph. i don't see how if elfangor is morph capable he could have been dying.
Back up there for a second. He did NOT was time looking for the time matrix. In the end he's just one soldier, but the time matrix is the most powerful weapon in the universe, the side which can controls it can easily turn the tide of the war.
As to the morphing question, I don't think any of us know enough about Andalite physiology to comment on the severity of his injuries. Maybe, for whatever reason, he was unable to morph. Plus there wouldn't have been the time to do what you were suggesting. If he had morphed then demorphed then he would have been surrounded by Yeerks and Visser 3, a hopeless situation.
at the end of the AC, it says elfangor was looking for the time matrix for one last desperate hope to save himself (obvious paraphrasing here). so he coulda been morphing on the way down to earth instead.
like with mertil, they ask why he didnt just morph to save his tail, member? so it is possible to morph and demorph to heal injuries, or in 42, when rachel is burned by marco's stomach acid, she morphs grizzly, then demorphs.
i think its a KASU, like with jake thought speaking as a human in book 1. she proly didn't think to use morphing as a way to heal one's self till later. so all ppl who said that, it makes sense
I would like to call into question the severity of his injures; it had to be more than just a burn. I mean, he couldn't be hit directly and his ship was still in good enough shape to touch down. We don't really know how bad he was hurt.
Plus morphing takes energy; after a space fight, seeing his whole fleet ( and assuming that his brother) are blasted to ash, getting banged up and crash landing on Earth; he couldn't even stand up till the last throw down.
Between that and his injuries I think he has a decent excuse to not be able to, or try, a morph
I am going to dare say it's most definitely a K.A.S.U.!
I fail to imagine an injury which would stop concentration for an Andalite to morph. Given the range of morphs our Animorphs heroes demorphed away from, even from the brink of death. Heck, I even recall them demorphing whilst passing out/losing consciousness. They regain from a morph totally 100% human.
Why would this experienced Andalite Prince be any different?! I am sorry, but fatigue doesn't seem to cut it either. Or could the kids be a more strong-minded lot not letting fear, pain, near-death encounters, fatigue get the best out of them?! Elfangor had last remaining strength enough to strike at Visser 3's Antarean Bogg morph before the end.
So nope, sorry, it's a K.A.S.U. for me.
The truth is, there had to be an impact on the new reader, as to how this noble and iconic alien hero had already decided to sacrifice himself for the human race. A lethal unrepairable injury was the plot device.
Could the answer perhaps lie in the possibility of Elfangor NOT HAVING THE MORPHING POWER AT THAT MOMENT?!This is just a theory of mine, but I am thinking MAYBE, after the Andalite Chronicles, the Ellimist and Elfangor with the Time Mattix and all re-winded everything to a point past to the moment he was first given his power to morph and never ended up getting it somehow. We all know doing something different in the past changes somethings that would happen normally in the future.
So maybe Elfangor rejected the technology?!?!?!?
Of course, this would contradict everything as to why he would have carried an Escafil Device in his spacecraft and why he would break Seerow's Kindness to use it on the Earth kids.
Sooo much for me theory...