The Unplanned Symbolism of their first morphs.

[NateSean]

I know KA Applegate probably wasn't big on the symbolism. But when you think about it, every Animorph and Ax had a "first morph" of sorts. (I know Ax's was probably a Kaffit bird, but bare with me)

Each morph kind of had a symbolism that she may not have intended, but there it is.

Tobias: Cat
Symbolism: Independant. Takes care of himself, because otherwise he'd be dead. That same independence and indifference to others got him trapped as a hawk, ironically.

Jake: Dog
Symbolism: Jake was just a decent person. Loyal to people and only trying to do the right thing, even though he kicked in the ribs for it many times.

Cassie: Horse
Symbolism: Cassie is a free spirit who enjoys life to the fullest. Her first morph was out of the desire to run like a horse and to be one with the nature she had only walked beside.

Marco: Gorilla
Symbolism: A gorilla is basically a bigger, stronger version of a human being. Marco never tried to be anything other than a better version of himself throughout the series. Like a Gorilla, Marco's antics tend to be a defensive mechanism that others mistake for blundering or randomness.

Rachel: Elephant
Symbolism: A girl who definitely gets the job done. I mean, Rachel gets a hold of a dracon beam and she starts shooting people at random with it. An Elephant is not a subtle morph and neither is she.

Ax: Shark morph
Symbolism: Ax is a person who suffers from culture shock and single mindedness. Like the Shark, he is a dangerous creature to behold, but there's a hidden depth to him.

David: Golden Eagle
Symbolism: Craves power and dominance. Nothing hidden there, especially when he goes and gets himself a lion morph.

Any thoughts?

[Nar Klawip]

Huh, never really thought about that.

You should add Visser Three's Antarean Bogg morph.

I know it wasn't really his first ever morph, but it was his first in the series and it showed his tendency to go all out and brutally kill anyone who got in his way.

[JFalcon]

I'd never considered that. Pretty cool actually, and I agree even the Visser's first (shown) morph follows the same lines.
K.A. might have done it unconciously, or chose morphs for the kids that fit the personalities she wanted for them.

[Josh (J)]

That's interesting, and now that you say it, I just think that she picked it, because personally having so many coincedences is something that doesn't happen often.

[Phoenix004]

Probably coincidental, but still very interesting.

[KitsuneMarie]

I don't know that K.A. was necessarily thinking that the morphs had to be symbols or foreshadowing, but several of them certainly are indicative of their personalities. Their first morphs are their first instinct, when not burdened by the knowledge of what morphing is like or the latest York Pool defense mechanism.

Very insightful, NateSean.

I think it may work better for the human Animorphs than for Ax, though. I guess I always thought of sharks as pretty simple creatures; they're smart, but they're single-minded. I don't think that describes Ax for very long. He's already starting to dismiss and modify his Andalite culture in book 4 by dubbing Jake his Prince. Ax is a deeply conflicted character, and his shark-like ruthlessness is tempered with compassion, nobility, and adolescent worry (like the end of #46).

[Dameg]

I agree with Marie. The shark isn't a good representation for Ax.

[Darth Zakryn]

Very insightful, Sean. What does this make their battle morphs then?

[roguebluejay]

You gotta remember that the Shark wasn't Ax's first morph. We don't find that out in the series (as far as I know.)

[TobiasMasonPark]

     Probably a Kafit bird.

[NateSean]

You gotta remember that the Shark wasn't Ax's first morph.

Which I stated.

Like Gumrod suggests, this pretty much refers to their "on screen" morphs.

Similarly, Aldrea's first "on screen" morph is a Chadoo, which symbolizes her willingness to take part and explore new cultures rather than shun them arrogantly or let her negative experiences dominate her over all world perspective.

I think it may work better for the human Animorphs than for Ax, though. I guess I always thought of sharks as pretty simple creatures; they're smart, but they're single-minded. I don't think that describes Ax for very long.

Ah, but consider Ax's actions. Yes, he declares Jake his Prince in book 4, but he doesn't even trust Jake with his knowledge until book 8. Then in The Decision Ax immediately drops his loyalty to Jake as soon as he's on an Andalite ship. You could argue that was just a minor set back, but it's what Ax did when the cards were on the table. Sharks have a very primitive mindset, which tells them to go with the thing that makes you live longer. Ax's move in that moment wasn't so different.

And while we're on the subject of the Shark's instinct, what happens when you make food available to a shark? Frenzy.

Even fifteen books later (if you count MM1) Ax still acts like an out of control maniac when food is presented to him. He goes wild on cinnamon buns, chilli, and on the food at Jake's house during book six (making Jake's parent's take him to a shrink, if I recall). He can slap a Z space communicator together, but he doesn't learn to control himself very well when food is presented to him. Again, pretty primitive, shark-like behavior, even if he doesn't always act like that.

What does this make their battle morphs then?

Jake, Tiger
Neither a leader or a follower. Tigers are not pack or pride animals by nature. But their cunning and strength make them animals to be respected as well as healthily feared. Jake's tenacity and his ability to focus on the main goal, while always being aware and respectful of his surroundings are indicative of the tiger's nature.

Rachel, Grizzly Bear
Let's face it, the Grizzly Bear is Rachel's true battle morph. The elephant represented a kind of clumsy eagerness whereas the Grizzly represented that same strength, only tempered with experience. It's like the difference between a blunt club made of stone and a sharp sword, folded and tempered over time with skill and patience.

Tobias, Hawk
As a bullied child, Tobias had to become aware of what was in front of him. Like the hawk, which hunts from a safe distance, Tobias never makes a move until he's at least 80% certain of a safe and clean kill.

Cassie, Wolf
The Wolf is a balance of strength and power. It can only do damage with its claws and teeth, but these are enough to make the enemy or target think twice. We know Cassie deliberately chooses the wolf morph so that she can do the least amount of damage in an attack. The wolf is as symblic of her respect for life and nature as the horse is.

Marco, Gorilla
Once again, the Gorilla is simply the best of Marco. Even in battle he never holds back who or what he is.

[DinosaurNothlit]

Personally, I've always wondered why Cassie and Marco picked the battle morphs that they did.  If you think about it, it would make more sense for them to have switched places.  Marco is one of the more ruthless Animorphs, and Cassie is by far the least.  And yet, a wolf can only take down an opponent by killing them with a bite to the throat.  Wolves cannot knock someone out.  Gorillas, however, are perfect for knocking someone out without killing them.

[Nar Klawip]

    Probably a Kafit bird.

Elfangor said in The Andalite Chronicles that the first morph any andalite morphs is a Djbala.

But a lot of Andalite cadets aquire the kafit bird for fun

[NateSean]

Yeah, but Cassie was often the one that got her hands the dirtiest when it came right down to it.
She made decisions that the others can't even claim to hold a candle to. She also knew what words to say to make the situation right, or to diffuse a bad situation.

So she may not have always liked it, but Cassie could and often did do what was necessary and lived with it afterwards.

Marco was ruthless, certainly, but he was also terribly troubled. His emotions did get in the way a few times which lead to a lot of clumsy situations. The whole mixed morphing incident happened to him because of his dad getting married.

[Darth Zakryn]

I agree with all that. It was, after all, Cassie who came up with the solution for David, erased John Berryman from history, viciously scarred several human-Controllers beyond what the Animorphs normally do, AND gave Tom the morphing cube. Say what you want about Marco, Cassie's the worst. It's always the quiet ones you gotta watch out for. I also always thought her battle morph was symbolic in that it doesn't look very powerful up front (compared to the tiger, gorilla, and grizzly team) but then, when you look deeper, you see the cold cunning and ruthlessness which sets it apart.