Wait a minute...

[Fwahm]

Why the hell didn't Visser One give himself (as in his yeerk body) the morphing power, as soon as he got the cube?  He's a megalomaniacal, power-hungry sociopath, so you'd think he would use it to strengthen himself right away. 

However, for some reason, he didn't seem to do so, even though Tom's yeerk was morph capable.

That would have caused a few problems in confining him, I think.

[RYTX]

Maybe he never saw reason to do so
The Andalite host was his ultimate trophy, and he'd only be able to morph what the Yeerk touched; and Andalite, and a small sample of aliens; humans, Hork-Bajir, Taxxons. He had in Alloran a collection of monsters from decades of hunting and the joy he got for being the only Controller of an Andalite.  I imagine a few yeerks would be able to morph themselves, but he remained the only one to have an Andalite do it for him
But if he did get it, just like toms yeerk, would he ever have motive to use it (Though maybe he would have when in the cookie case. Maybe)

[Terenia]

Visser Three had no reason to give himself the morphing power. His host could morph, and the only time he was out of his host was when he was in his own personal Yeerk Pool. He could have potentially become a nothlit, but that would have eradicated his ability to morph and rendered him powerless. Besides that, I think he just got a bit of a thrill out of controlling Alloran and being a general evil a-hole.

In general I think it was hosts that acquired the morphing ability, not the Yeerks themselves. If the Yeerks got the ability it would cause a serious problem when it came time to demorph. Also, what to do with the hosts in the meantime? It was only when the idea of nothlitism as a "solution" was introduced that Yeerks began to get the power and use it (yay, genocide!).

[Fwahm]

Except that some Yeerks did indeed have the morphing power directly, as Tom stated, and it would be OOC for Visser Three to let them have that power over himself, IMHO. 

[Stephquiem]

It's not really OOC. Visser Three was obsessed with Andalites. This obsession started long before they had the morphing technology. He didn't infest Alloran because he wanted to be able to morph--he infested him because he wanted an Andalite host.

Also, being the only Andalite-controller made him unique and special. He was the only one to do it. When other yeerks got the morphing power (either themselves or jus their hosts) that still didn't detract from the fact that his particular situation was unique.

[Chad32]

I think part of the reason Tom's Yeerk acquired him is to show how much bad he is. He stole Tom's body, and his DNA, and he taunts Jake with it.

All the other Yeerks that did that I assume did it so they could become nothlits and free their hosts. Something Visser Three/One would never care to do.

[Serraph105]

I like to think it's because Visser 1 was very much into the fact that Yeerks were obviously genetically designed to take over and control other species (which I think is mentioned in Visser) and just because some piece of technology comes along that can allow them to disregard that genetic trait doesnt mean anything should change.
Kinda like how humans don't suddenly all switch from being omnivores to being vegetarians just because we can. Sure a few do, but most of us stick with meat and vegetables (myself included) despite the fact we know that it isn't actually necessary and in fact would save lives in other countries if we did.

[goom]

In general I think it was hosts that acquired the morphing ability, not the Yeerks themselves

not if the yeerk touches the cube.

[MoppingBear]

maybe he did acquire it, but kept on using the andalite form.  wasnt he kept in a small box the whole time after getting out?

[Kitulean]

I think it makes sense that he would acquire the morphing tech but also continue using Alloran, because possessing the only infested Andalite was much more of a status symbol than just having the morphing power.

[Green armadillo ette]

Well how could a slug get ahold of a deadly animal? It was difficult enough for the Animorphs. It is more likely that the hosts got the power not the slug. Maybe the yeerks got the morphing abilities and absorbed their hosts DNA, but that's about as much as their gonna get.

[Cloak]

Well how could a slug get ahold of a deadly animal? It was difficult enough for the Animorphs. It is more likely that the hosts got the power not the slug. Maybe the yeerks got the morphing abilities and absorbed their hosts DNA, but that's about as much as their gonna get.

Who said the animal had to be conscious to be acquired?  The Yeerks could have used dracon beams or something at low power to stun the to-be-acquired animals, exit their host (a la Yeerk Pool system of caging involuntary hosts), acquire it, return to the host.

Or I could be completely mistaken.

[powertrash]

Also, considering how powerless Yeerks are in their natural state, I doubt the Visser would have trusted anyone enough to help him to the morphing cube & back in while his trophy (Alloran's body) was available for them and he was powerless. How easy would it be for a power-hungry Yeerk to simply crush the Visser in that state and take the Andalite host? Even if that was only a faint possibility, touching the morphing cube in his natural body would make the Visser extremely vulnerable & I'm sure he would have hated to have to trust someone to help him with the process.

[Chad32]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

[powertrash]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

In the pool, he just slips out of the ear and into the pool. After he gets his fix, he slips back into Alloran's body. So he, himself, isn't really at risk--though Alloran's body is, the whole time. Touching the cube means he's out of his host body and not in the pool but literally in the hands of another Yeerk while he finds the cube and touches it--and then gets help getting back in.

Basically, he's more vulnerable as a yeerk on a table than a yeerk in the pool.

The real question is, then, why didn't some other yeerk-cakes try to steal his host body when he was in the pool and pretend to be the Visser? ESPECIALLY in #8, where Visser Three leaves Alloran's body.

[Stephquiem]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

In the pool, he just slips out of the ear and into the pool. After he gets his fix, he slips back into Alloran's body. So he, himself, isn't really at risk--though Alloran's body is, the whole time. Touching the cube means he's out of his host body and not in the pool but literally in the hands of another Yeerk while he finds the cube and touches it--and then gets help getting back in.

Basically, he's more vulnerable as a yeerk on a table than a yeerk in the pool.

The real question is, then, why didn't some other yeerk-cakes try to steal his host body when he was in the pool and pretend to be the Visser? ESPECIALLY in #8, where Visser Three leaves Alloran's body.

How is Alloran more at risk than the yeerk slug? The Yeerks would be working to keep him alive. Not to mention the fact that he's got his own natural defences. As a yeerk in the pool, Visser Three would be a lot more vulnerable. See the Oatmeal incident -- something happens to the pool, he's screwed.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

... About this here topic; why would the Visser even want to be able to morph as a Yeerk? I don't think he'd see any real advantage, since he's probably too egotistical to see himself ever being without Alloran. As a Yeerk, when he demorphs, he's a helpless slug. At least in his host, when he demorphs, he's still a fast, dangerous Andalite.

[Terenia]

Hindsight being 20/20 and all....it would have been to Esplin's advantage to have the morphing power in the long run, as it may have led to a possible escape route post-war. However, since he did not think to do so....

Anyhow, I don't think Esplin OR Alloran were ever at risk. I imagine he had his own personal Yeerk Pool that was probably in his quarters. He could just lock the door, restrain his host, and feed to his sluggy content. He could probably even set it up so that if anyone tried to enter his room mounted Dracon Beams would immediately fry their sorry butt.

As for in #8, I think that was more of a fear thing. Stupid, mindless underlings not taking advantage of a situation that they could take advantage of.

[powertrash]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

In the pool, he just slips out of the ear and into the pool. After he gets his fix, he slips back into Alloran's body. So he, himself, isn't really at risk--though Alloran's body is, the whole time. Touching the cube means he's out of his host body and not in the pool but literally in the hands of another Yeerk while he finds the cube and touches it--and then gets help getting back in.

Basically, he's more vulnerable as a yeerk on a table than a yeerk in the pool.

The real question is, then, why didn't some other yeerk-cakes try to steal his host body when he was in the pool and pretend to be the Visser? ESPECIALLY in #8, where Visser Three leaves Alloran's body.

How is Alloran more at risk than the yeerk slug? The Yeerks would be working to keep him alive. Not to mention the fact that he's got his own natural defences. As a yeerk in the pool, Visser Three would be a lot more vulnerable. See the Oatmeal incident -- something happens to the pool, he's screwed.

Alloran's body. Another yeerk could easily infest it when the visser is in the pool.

[Stephquiem]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

In the pool, he just slips out of the ear and into the pool. After he gets his fix, he slips back into Alloran's body. So he, himself, isn't really at risk--though Alloran's body is, the whole time. Touching the cube means he's out of his host body and not in the pool but literally in the hands of another Yeerk while he finds the cube and touches it--and then gets help getting back in.

Basically, he's more vulnerable as a yeerk on a table than a yeerk in the pool.

The real question is, then, why didn't some other yeerk-cakes try to steal his host body when he was in the pool and pretend to be the Visser? ESPECIALLY in #8, where Visser Three leaves Alloran's body.

How is Alloran more at risk than the yeerk slug? The Yeerks would be working to keep him alive. Not to mention the fact that he's got his own natural defences. As a yeerk in the pool, Visser Three would be a lot more vulnerable. See the Oatmeal incident -- something happens to the pool, he's screwed.

Alloran's body. Another yeerk could easily infest it when the visser is in the pool.

O.o What? How's is that even remotely likely? ...Or really a danger to his body? Besides, Terenia's probably close to the mark for how it worked when Visser Three was in the pool, based just on what we have to go on.

[Terenia]

Plus if a Yeerk tried to infest Alloran that would mean leaving his own host untethered. That freed host could easily destroy a restrained Alloran while the Yeerk was still struggling to gain full control.

[powertrash]

What's to keep them from doing it anyway? What makes him more vulnerable touching the cube than being in a pool?

In the pool, he just slips out of the ear and into the pool. After he gets his fix, he slips back into Alloran's body. So he, himself, isn't really at risk--though Alloran's body is, the whole time. Touching the cube means he's out of his host body and not in the pool but literally in the hands of another Yeerk while he finds the cube and touches it--and then gets help getting back in.

Basically, he's more vulnerable as a yeerk on a table than a yeerk in the pool.

The real question is, then, why didn't some other yeerk-cakes try to steal his host body when he was in the pool and pretend to be the Visser? ESPECIALLY in #8, where Visser Three leaves Alloran's body.

How is Alloran more at risk than the yeerk slug? The Yeerks would be working to keep him alive. Not to mention the fact that he's got his own natural defences. As a yeerk in the pool, Visser Three would be a lot more vulnerable. See the Oatmeal incident -- something happens to the pool, he's screwed.

Alloran's body. Another yeerk could easily infest it when the visser is in the pool.

O.o What? How's is that even remotely likely? ...Or really a danger to his body? Besides, Terenia's probably close to the mark for how it worked when Visser Three was in the pool, based just on what we have to go on.

Yeah, Terenia's comment makes a lot of sense.

However, considering the prestige of the Andalite body, it seems fairly likely that power-hungry yeerks might have tried to steal it from him. He probably guarded it carefully, but I see other yeerks plotting a way to infest Alloran while the Visser was in the pool a very distinct possibility. The Visser is probably very careful about it, but there are most likely ambitious underlings that would desire to try to steal that host body.

[Stephquiem]

Maybe it's a possibility, but that doesn't mean they would have been given the opportunity.

Considering Alloran was Visser Three's host for nearly 30 years, it doesn't seem like he was ever in that much danger of that.

...And also, why would another yeerk be any more of a threat to him than Visser Three was? His body would have never been in danger.

[powertrash]

Maybe it's a possibility, but that doesn't mean they would have been given the opportunity.

Considering Alloran was Visser Three's host for nearly 30 years, it doesn't seem like he was ever in that much danger of that.

...And also, why would another yeerk be any more of a threat to him than Visser Three was? His body would have never been in danger.

Eh, there might have been random attempted body-coups that we never knew about; I would assume V3 had to go togreat lengths to protect his host. From what we know of yeerk culture, it seems very likely.

When I am discussing Alloran's body, I am talking about him being infested by another yeerk, not a physical danger at all.

When aquiring the cube, V3 would have to be helped to it by another yeerk--yeerks are blind and have little other senses in their natural state. It would make him extremely vulnerable & he wouldn't, imho, be willing to take that risk.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

I really think the Visser could have figured out a way to get himself in contact with the cube if he'd wanted to. He may be a cliche villain by the time the series started, but he's not a complete idiot. I'm sure that's not what was stopping him.

[Gumby]

He'd have to demorph every two hours to a useless body, while demorphing to an andalite still allows some good defence.

[Green armadillo ette]

I'm thinkin' that Visser Three was a) to arrogant to think of a post war plan (you have to admit, near the end things were looking pretty bad), thus, no need for morphing power, b) he was too paranoid to get it, or c) why have the power to morph and have, like no good morphs and worry about being trampled, when you have a 24/7 weapon at your finger tips?

[weathervane]

Green Armadillo has the simplest answer -- no good morphs. Alloran's body already has all the killer, exotic beasties. No way Visser 3 is going to start over. Plus, it'd be a major pain to acquire new morphs in his Yeerk body.

[goom]

Well how could a slug get ahold of a deadly animal? It was difficult enough for the Animorphs. It is more likely that the hosts got the power not the slug. Maybe the yeerks got the morphing abilities and absorbed their hosts DNA, but that's about as much as their gonna get.

a fellow controller could always hold the yeerk against an animal. but most of them probably got it in human form.

anyways, you're completely right. visser 3 gets all the good morphs.