Author Topic: Thoughts in the End  (Read 4726 times)

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Offline Ash

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Thoughts in the End
« on: March 22, 2009, 09:21:16 AM »
Major Spoilers ahead in the thread

 Okay.. I finished the series today, almost 7 years after holding the first book. No, I'm not a very slow reader, I just didn't have the guts the read the ending - nobody I knew thought it was anywhere near satisfying. And I didn't want to end my favourite series with a sour taste in my mouth. Well, I've got that sour taste now..

 This thread isn't just to discuss the final book, but all the things that lead to the end - the all out war, RACHEL, the things Jake did, how we feel about the Chee at the end..

 Was -anyone- satisfied? I personally was okay with the whole 'Ram the blade ship' ending - I figured I didn't want it to end with the Animorphs installed in some comfy pad with tonnes of cash. But the stuff before it.. nah, not happy.

Your thoughts?
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Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2009, 09:26:58 AM »
Yes some people on this board are very satisfied with the ending. We have other threads about the ending. I'm not satisfied, but people like chimichanga and morfowt are.


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Offline Ash

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2009, 09:30:28 AM »
WHAT happens to Ax?  ???
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Offline Brad the Brit

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2009, 09:34:34 AM »
it depends on how you see it. in some cases realisticaly that was the only way it could finish.
the cliffhangers even give the ending more depth.
it was a story about war and in war their can never truly be a happy ending

Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2009, 09:37:20 AM »
We'll never know. She left it up to fanfic writers to decide. If I actually had the talent to finish a fanfic, I'd rewrite the ending itsself. No One, no assimilation, no death of Rachel or Tom, ect.

People seemed pretty happy after WW2 was over. Hence the baby boom.


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Offline Brad the Brit

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2009, 11:05:00 AM »
thats because it was a world war not an intergalactic one

Offline ThinkAgain

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2009, 11:19:22 AM »
Yeah, people not in the war were happy, and those who came out wanted to be, but some just couldn't be.

Cassie and Jake's relationship was formed during the tension of fighting, and without that, it just fell apart. In real life, relationships based on surviving horrible events hardly ever last, despite what Hollywood tells you.

Tobias had no one. No real family, no real friends. Jake and Tobias respected each other, but were not necessarily friends. Same deal with Marco, but farther apart. Cassie and Tobias were never really close, and Ax isn't human (although still a good friend). Then there was Rachel, the only human he was trusting with and was truly close to, and then she was torn from him. As Jake's initial goal was to free Tom, Tobias' evolved to live peacefully near Rachel, although it wasn't stated outright. When that one person, one dream, was torn from him, he collapsed, and that makes sense.

Jake was just your average kid, but forced to make horrible choices, but as much as he hated them, those choices made him who he was. Without the war, he was nothing, is nothing. Without the fight, he wasn't himself. His persona is based on leading through a war, he grew up that way. Without it, he's just a shell, which lead to how he ended up, but that's also why he was secretly excited for the space mission in the end. In reality, he was just as dependant on fighting as Rachel, just more controlled.

Rachel was thoroughly and fully dependant on war. She needed the fight, it literally was who she was. After seeing that darker side of herself, that bloodlust, she simply would not be capable of returning to normal society. She knew this. Even if Jake hadn't told her to do that mission, she would've done something suicidal on her own. It only makes sense she would die with the war, because without the war, she was nothing.

Marco... he's just cold, utilitarian logic with a funny mask. He always knew what had to be done and knew he had to do it. He knew ending 15 lives to save 50,000 is what needs to be done, despite how wrong it feels. The funny mask aspect, however, is what saw him through. He always claimed to hate the war, but that's not entirely true. He's a master strategist, that simple. He doesn't need the combat and blood, but he knows he breaks down if he has to lead the simple life, after feeling that part of him. That's why he lives successfully after the war, but is immensely bored and empty, and why he agrees to go with Jake and Tobias.

Cassie truly hated every aspect of the war. She wanted no part of it, but only fought to protect what she loved and to try to stop evil. Her main conflict was the feeling of hypocrisy; killing to stop killers, subjecting others to what she wants to escape, etc. After the war, she no longer had to worry about that, and is the only one who is truly happy with the peace. She lives as a vet and communicator with other species, it's exactly what she wanted from the start without lying to herself. That's why Jake doesn't have her go along. He knows, while she's a key member of the team, she is truly happy now, and doesn't want to make her suffer for him. He knows another fight would bring them together, but its not worth it to him to see her sad again.

Ax was lost. He wouldn't die during the fight, there was no real reason for him to do so. He was an enigma, however because he had no people. He was an Andalite by blood, but he became who he was through humans, but he is not human. His actions would have definitely given him prestige amongst his people, but he would feel empty doing so without the Animorphs, which is one reason why he careless risks his life without second thought to board the suspicious ship, and why his final word was "Jake". It's only sensible that the enigma character has an indeterminable fate.

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Offline CDJV

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2009, 11:26:07 AM »
I didn't like Rachels death. I know, it was the only thing she had left do to, but seriously: Think of Tobias. I know wars are terrible, depressing things, but can't that kid catch a break?

Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2009, 11:33:27 AM »
I don't buy all that stuff about Rachel, and the way the ghostwriters portrayed her. There were things like fighting the terrorists that she could have done after the war. Jake was in worse shape than her. That mission didn't even start out as a suicidal one. It just became that way after what Erik did.

Tobias had his mother and Ax to fall back on. If Elfangor could spend two decades on Earth, and still return to his people and have a good time, then Ax certainly could after spending three years.

I just don't buy any of it. Cassie was the only one who wound up truly happy, which just makes things more bitter after betraying and leaving Jake. Because he wasn't "her Jake" anymore.It was a horrible tragic ending that I will never understand.


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Offline Brad the Brit

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2009, 12:31:35 PM »
Rachel was portrayed as a terroist towards the end where as at the start she as portrayed as your average dumb cheerleader. The change could be because of the natural change of the character because of the war, or because of the ghost writer messing up the character. In either case at the end of the book Kate was right to kill her off. Because the book needed an unhappy ending.
Rachel was the right choice for this as she was starting to enjoy war too much. Although it is extremley sad it would have been nise if Tobias had had a happy ending. Throghout the series the bird boy nerver achieved any happiness.

Ax going missing was also a good idea as it opened up so many avenues for fanfiction.

lol but thats just my ideas  ;D

Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2009, 02:09:38 PM »
Rachel didn't enjoy the war. She enjoyed fighting evil and doing her duty as a hero. She wasn't a terrorist. And why would a war story need an unhappy ending? Why would any story need an unhappy ending, unless it was a horror story, or a nonfiction story that happened badly?

It doesn't make sense to me. It never will.


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Offline ThinkAgain

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2009, 02:12:48 PM »
Nothing can make clear perfect sense to everyone, I guess.
In my mind, I see how a horrible war filled with suffering wouldn't end happy, seeing things like Vietnam vets and such.

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Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2009, 02:14:29 PM »
Vietnam is a poor example of a good war. That's why I mentioned WWII.


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Offline Brad the Brit

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2009, 02:16:10 PM »
yer thats what i ment think. at the end it couldent have been a happy ending. thay had done and seen to many things. and you also have to remember they where only around 14-16. could you have done the stuff they did at their age.

Offline Chad32

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Re: Thoughts in the End
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2009, 02:53:46 PM »
In some way I wonder if Marco and Cassie couldn't get together. They were both based off of the married co-authors. Why some stanger named Ron?

Weird question, yes. Probably not worth a whole lot of thought.


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