Group Re-Read: #24 The Suspicion

[Terenia]

Summary:
Cassie, the other Animorphs, and Ax have a few little problems. A few very little problems. Actually, the problems call themselves Helmacrons. They're less than an inch tall, and they're pretty upset at Cassie. They believe she stole their ship. Cassie thought it was just a toy, and gave it to charity. Now the Helmacrons want it back.
So the Animorphs and Ax have a new dilemma. Because the Helmacrons have their own secret weapon: They can shrink other beings down to their size. And, if they don't get their ship back soon, everyone on the planet is in for a little surprise.

Annoyed Comment
Sorry, this is another instance where the back cover drives me crazy, because Scholastic literally changed the entire plot. That isn't what happens!!!! That isn't why the Helmacrons are angry! They want the blue box, not the ship. The two ships hate eachother! Grr.... [/endrant]

Questions
1. In this book we get to see quite a bit of interaction between Marco and Cassie, something we don't see too often. What did you think about how they acted together?

2. The Helmacrons kill their leaders, because a leader is 'bound to make mistakes' otherwise. What do you think about this tactic? As Marco says, it makes sense in a very twisted sort of way.

3. What do you think about the Helmacron's gender dynamic? All of the females were superior whilst the males were subservient wimps.

4. The Helmacrons were able to take the morphing cube and translate its energy into a shrink ray. Any hypotheses on how this is possible?

5. What kind of planet do you think would support the evolution of a species that is only 1/16th of an inch tall, with a massive ego and a fungal brain? Do you think their entire planet is miniaturized?

6. Any other questions I didn't cover?

Next week: #25, The Extreme

[Phoenix004]

1. In this book we get to see quite a bit of interaction between Marco and Cassie, something we don't see too often. What did you think about how they acted together?

They got along quite well together, it's almost a shame we don't see more interaction between these two. They're clearly not a love interest (despite what some idiot fanfic writers might think) but the dynamic between them is interesting. Cassie respects his intelligence even though she is occasionally irritated by his jokes, and Marco respects Cassie's insights and opinions even though he sometimes finds her morality annoying.

2. The Helmacrons kill their leaders, because a leader is 'bound to make mistakes' otherwise. What do you think about this tactic? As Marco says, it makes sense in a very twisted sort of way.

It does make a twisted sort of sense, but as a race they are obviously delusional. Who exactly is making all the decisions if all their leaders are dead?!

3. What do you think about the Helmacron's gender dynamic? All of the females were superior whilst the males were subservient wimps.

Nothing unusual about it really. As humans we might find it odd as in the past men were considered superior, but many animal species have the females as the dominant of the two.

4. The Helmacrons were able to take the morphing cube and translate its energy into a shrink ray. Any hypotheses on how this is possible?

I always assumed they were just using it as a power source for the shrinking ray, but based on what we know of the morphing technology there could easily be more to it. Maybe the shrinking ray reduces the victim's mass in the same way that a morpher's mass is transferred into z-space?

5. What kind of planet do you think would support the evolution of a species that is only 1/16th of an inch tall, with a massive ego and a fungal brain? Do you think their entire planet is miniaturized?

There are plenty of animals on Earth that size and some of them are more intelligent than people give them credit for. Insects such as Ants have their own societies and Bees are so well organised that they communicate through dance! It's a little surprising that creatures with such small bodies (and therefore brains) are sentient, but there's nothing unusual about animals that size evolving alongside larger animals. Life on Earth started out small, so maybe on the Helmacron world they just never had a reason to grow bigger. Or perhaps they were once all human sized but they had an accident with their own shrinking ray? 

[Brad the Brit]

1. In this book we get to see quite a bit of interaction between Marco and Cassie, something we don't see too often. What did you think about how they acted together?
Of all the animorphs Cassie and Marco probably work the best together. mostly because they both dislike the war they are fighting, if for diffrent reasons. Marcos weird form of comic relief takes longer for Cassie to get annoyed at because Cassie is such a calm and patient person.

2. The Helmacrons kill their leaders, because a leader is 'bound to make mistakes' otherwise. What do you think about this tactic? As Marco says, it makes sense in a very twisted sort of way.

I kind of agree with Marco it dose make a kind of sense. but like Phoenix said who makes the decisions once all the leaders are dead. especially on something like a ship where a whole number of things can go wrong for simply random reasons

3. What do you think about the Helmacron's gender dynamic? All of the females were superior whilst the males were subservient wimps.

with all the women on this forum I'm going to tread lightly . this is just the opposite of the human race up until a few years ago... maby the Helmacrons just haven't gotten round to equal rights yet.

4. The Helmacrons were able to take the morphing cube and translate its energy into a shrink ray. Any hypotheses on how this is possible?

i don't know but i bet their is some sort of long maths equation that explains it perfectly. probably ending in 5....

5. What kind of planet do you think would support the evolution of a species that is only 1/16th of an inch tall, with a massive ego and a fungal brain? Do you think their entire planet is miniaturized?
in theory no because planets have to be a cirtun size to sustain life... mabey they just evolved from insects..

[morfowt]

regarding the leaders, how do they choose a leader in the first place? I can't imagine any helmacron wanting to be a leader...

[RYTX]

The way wuss talked, it sounded like being a leader was an honor. People are willing to die for things like that

I don't like Cass for the most part, but she's funny with the right people, and Marco's the right person; it's definitely one of the more joyful books of the series

Their whole gender thing, interesting, but terrifying. From the guy POV anyway

The energy thing, I can't imagine how, but if the Vissers Veleek can find it and feed of energies, doesn't seem to surprising. But, I don't even know how a steam engine works so....

I used to image their planet as tiny, but that doesn't really make since. Who knows though, maybe they evolved on an asteroid or something. Or a robot. Yes I've been watching futurama....

[Terenia]

regarding the leaders, how do they choose a leader in the first place? I can't imagine any helmacron wanting to be a leader...

Yeah, I think it's supposed to be an honor. Besides that, if you're a fungal species you never really die. Your consciousness is tied to everyone else. Like the Borg.

[morfowt]

ok... I change my mind. they don't make sense at all. They're 100% crazy...

[Ash]

And so damn annoying it was hilarious. A bit like a drunk Andalite. A bit 

[Terenia]

Or a drunk Visser Three, with all that arrogance and eagerness to destroy things.

[dolphin4077]

1.  I like the Marco/Cassie dynamic.  And it works in funny and serious situations.  It's funny that people and even the characters say that they don't interact too much with each because I actually think it's the opposite. 

2. That part always makes me laugh.  It does make "twisted sense."

3. Subverting convention is always fun.