Jake's perception of Tom over time

[KitsuneMarie]

Apologies for all the spoilers, and the fact that, if you don't read them, this post is rendered entirely unintelligible.

I feel like [spoiler]Jake had pretty much written off all hopes of ever freeing Tom by #53. He might have thought there was some vague possibility that things would turn out okay when he sent Rachel after Tom, but he knew the chances were pitifully slim.[/spoiler]

So my question is, [spoiler]at what point do you think Jake gave up on Tom? When did he start realizing that he was a lost cause, that the war was going to be nearly impossible to win as it was, and that no one person was worth saving (unless he knew too much)? As far as I know, Jake never had a plan for what to do with Tom if he was ever rescued; do you think this indicates that he never really expected to rescue him at all?[/spoiler]

Personally, I think the first indication of this is [spoiler]Jake's recurring dream about stalking Tom as a tiger. Even if he wasn't making any decisions, I feel like something was seriously brewing subconsciously.[/spoiler]

[danpfeiffer]

well, [spoiler]Jake did say in #50 that he was taking Tom with him no questions asked...at that point, he had a plan of holding him in the Hork-Bajir valley, but once that failed, Jake clearly lost all hope -- as his change in personality showed.[/spoiler]

[morfowt]

well, [spoiler]Jake did say in #50 that he was taking Tom with him no questions asked...at that point, he had a plan of holding him in the Hork-Bajir valley, but once that failed, Jake clearly lost all hope -- as his change in personality showed.[/spoiler]

you mean #49

[Chad32]

[spoiler]I thin after he lost his parents in 49 he lost all hope of saving any of them. Things started going downhill for him quickly, and when he sent Rachel he basically made the decision that if he can't save Tom, he'd make sure Tom didn't become the next Eva. The saddest part is that he had two good opportunities to rescue Tom: 31 and 50. He didn't even consider it either time to my knowledge.[/spoiler]

[KitsuneMarie]

[spoiler]

The saddest part is that he had two good opportunities to rescue Tom: 31 and 50. He didn't even consider it either time to my knowledge.

I wonder if that is more evidence that, on some level, Jake never thought Tom could be saved. Even though he hadn't made a conscious decision on the matter, the fact that it never occurrs to him suggests that Tom was not at all high on his priority list, no matter what he may say or think he believes.[/spoiler]

[Chad32]

[spoiler]I think you're right. After his failure in book 1, he's too afraid to fail again and end up getting Tom killed. Even though in 31 it wouldn't raise Yeerk suspicion if Tom's Yeerk died and Tom committed suicide to prevent himself from being reinfested. And of course by "commit suicide" I mean fake his death and go live in the Valley or Erek's house.

And of course if Cassie and Jake were both thinking straight in 50, Tom and the cube would have been rescued.[/spoiler]

Why are we doing spoiler tags, by the way?

[morfowt]

I guess all this could be spoilerish to some people...

[KitsuneMarie]

Well, we are talking about stuff that happens at the end of the series, plus my post gives away how Jake deals with Tom. I know that there will probably be some new fans showing up when Animorphs is rereleased, and I don't want anything to be spoiled for them. Suspense ftw!

[RYTX]

You put a spoiler warning in the first post and people have seen that tags, hopefully they get it by now

book 47, which I'll complain about some other time, has one powerful line in it
When Jake is in the basement clearing things, he crosses Tom's name off a box and writes trash while thinking "I didn't have a brother anymore"
this is when I think he acknowledged the dream was dead.
Might have been dead before, but never spoken, just envision, but by this point I think he determined that each of them where too far in for both to make it out in one piece

[anijen21]

I totally agree, that line really felt like it was it to me. I was just coming in here to say that but instead have a hearty I AGREE WITH THIS COMMENT.

[Chad32]

I don't remember that line. I guess as early as 47 he made the conscious decision that he would probably never get his brother back. It's really sad that it all crushed him so much.

[powertrash]

The last real touching Jake/Tom moment is--to me--when Jake calls Tom part-morphed and tells him to never give up. After that, Tom just becomes the Controller. As Jake gets more involved with fighting the Yeerks, he begins to realize that he can't make the decision to save his brother--even though he wants to, he has to wait.

At first, we're waiting for the Andalites to come back. The Animorph's goal isn't to defeat the Yeerks; they just want to hold them off long enough. Jake assumes that doing that is saving Tom. Then, we lose faith in the Andalites. They don't give a ****, Earth isn't a priority, etc. So Jake has to switch tactics, but in doing so, he's no longer saving Tom through them. But he doesn't quite notice that when he shifts, I think. The war becomes more focused on winning--ish--and Tom falls by the side. Jake sees him as more of an ideal and not what he's fighting for.

[Chad32]

Actually I think there's a part where Jake silently vows that he will destroy the Yeerk and bring his family back together. I thought that was touching.

In 31 when he didn't even make any solid plan to rescue Tom, given the chance for his Yeerk to die without the other controllers getting suspicious, is when it's obvious that he isn't just waiting until the perfect time to save his brother. He's more concerned with just defeating the Yeerks than saving his brother, which is his main goal in the beginning. 47 is when he admits to himself that he's given up on Tom completely. Two books later he loses his parents and has a heroic BSOD.

[powertrash]

In 31 when he didn't even make any solid plan to rescue Tom, given the chance for his Yeerk to die without the other controllers getting suspicious, is when it's obvious that he isn't just waiting until the perfect time to save his brother. He's more concerned with just defeating the Yeerks than saving his brother, which is his main goal in the beginning. 47 is when he admits to himself that he's given up on Tom completely. Two books later he loses his parents and has a heroic BSOD.

I think the major shift happens in his perception of why the Animorphs are fighting. In 18--perhaps earlier?--we find out the Andalites aren't the big saviors that the kids think they are; Earth isn't a major priority. So instead of just holding the Yeerks off, Jake and the rest of the Anis realize they're basically on their own, causing a strategy shift. I think this is when Jake really has to forfeit his hopes of rescuing Tom, though we don't see the repercussions of this until later (and I think Jake doesn't really see it either). Instead of trying to just delay the Yeerks, they're now out to defeat them at all costs. Tom is obviously one of those costs, as is the original reason for fighting for each of the Animorphs. At first they see themselves as partially involved; when the Andalites screw them, they really become the resistance.

[Chad32]

I think 18 is the earliest that the Anis realise they can't depend on the Andalites to save them. There won't be any cavalry soming. It makes me think sometimes that they may not have even sent the Domeship Elfangor was on if it wasn't for Elfangor. since he died there wasn't anyone left with a soft spot for Humans to get the others on the ball.