Animorphobias

[TobiasMasonPark]

     I noticed something as I've been re-reading the series--by that, I mean the few books I can get my hands on. In Animorphs: The Escape, it is hinted--if not openly stated--that Tobias suffers from a fear of water. He says it has something to do with him being a hawk, but I think it's also implied that he's afraid of not being able to breathe once submerged. We see more of this in the Exposed, when Tobias morphs a Sperm Whale.

     We then see that Marco develops a fear of insects--or, at least, morphing insects.

     Ax, being an Andalite, is claustrophobic, but also has some issues when it comes to Elfangor and his parents--but that's a whole new can of worms, isn't it?

     Now, I'm not sure about the others, since I haven't read nearly enough Animorphs books. I can speculate that Jake fears losing those close to him, or putting those he loves in danger.

     Anyone have any ideas?

[Gafrash]

Interesting.
Wasn't Rachel also meant to have a couple of moments where she alluded to claustrophobia?

[FATELUVR95]

Interesting.
Wasn't Rachel also meant to have a couple of moments where she alluded to claustrophobia?

Yeah, in #17 The Underground she states that she is claustrophobic while digging in mole morph.

[Chad32]

Part of the reason Tobias doesn't like water is that his attempt at acquiring a dolphin is the first time the Anis realise animals don't always go into a trance when being aquired. That had to be scary.

I don't know if Rachel always had claustrophobia, or if just the act of tunneling so far down a hole that's only as wide as she is got to her a bit. I think that's the only time it's mentioned she got phobic. Though to be honest Ax's natural claustrophobia doesn't come up much either.

Jake had a really bad experience as a fly, but he got over that.

I'm not sure if Cassie had any phobias.

[Phoenix004]

I suspect Tobias probably feared water because he never learned how to swim, as it's unlikely he was taught while growing up the way he did. This fear was encouraged by being trapped as a hawk and his bad experience with acquiring the dolphin.

[Chad32]

It's true that some people don't just take to water at first. I didn't. My parents took me to the lake like our family did every summer, and I hated it with a vengeance. Eventually I came around, though, and enjoy it to this day. I don't remember why I hated it so much. I was really young, and don't remember.

[warren_bearclaw]

Rachel was also kinda freaked out by going to the bottom of the ocean. She said the immense pressure that would crush her as a human scared her.

[KitsuneMarie]

After seeing the meat-man episode of Mythbusters, I am too.

[DinosaurNothlit]

Well, most of them have had particular morphs that they had a bad experience with.

Marco's was the ant morph (although they never really explain why he liked it any less than the others did), Jake's was the fly incident, Cassie had issues with termites, and Rachel is likely phobic of rats after the whole David thing (although this phobia is only briefly alluded to in #48, and nowhere else).

Ax's main phobia besides his claustrophobia seems to be losing his honor.  In #26, especially, he runs away from one battle and freaks out about it for most of the rest of the book.  And also see #8.

I agree that Tobias's biggest fear is probably of water.  But I'd also like to point out a somewhat more specific (and even more deserved) phobia of his: Taylor.

[Nero's Fury]

Ive always thought the same as pheonix. Why would someone think oh lets see if he knows how to swim? Espesially with how often he bounced around ya no? He probably never had the chance to learn therefore making him think he cant swim, a whole lot of people live their lives this way, for example my fiance.

And on the whole Rachel phobia, Im not quite sure if she would be counted as claustrophobia. It was only in the one book i believe.

Cassie, like again previously stated, was without a doubt the termite. Then again id freak after facin that s**t to! ^.^'

Jake, his phobia my guess was leading his team and the earth to their deaths or infestation. Several SEVERAL times its mentioned with him being worried about the consequenses of his choices. Which also is why i think he kinda seemed stuck on being an animorph later in life, he was the one who killed his cousin in the end and they both knew it. Im sure if he had asked anyone else and they had died he would have been hurt but not as bad as going my god...i
Post Merged: March 01, 2011, 01:07:33 PMAsked her to do that...

Marco's phobia was death mostly i think, and oddly enough? I dont think he was afraid of dieing, more like dieing on his father and leaving him alone.

Ax? Im not sure if he has any other than mentioned lol.

[QIfry]

Well I would think that Rachel's claustrophobia would have to do it accidently turning into an elephant and smashing her house in. >.>

[Nar Klawip]

Well I would think that Rachel's claustrophobia would have to do it accidently turning into an elephant and smashing her house in. >.>

Or the whole mole incident, or having to morph a rat and crawl around in pipes to trap david.

[Blaise Zebrataur]

I think Tobias being scared of the water could most likely be linked to him being a hawk for so long.Even though he did humans things to keep himself sane and such,he was mostly in mind as a hawk and had the same feelings and thoughts as one would.But it still could be he never really liked water...good question though.

[Blazing Angel]

cassie was kid of generally afraid of morphing because she's not exactl a marine.

[TobiasMasonPark]

     I don't really know about that. She had morphing talent; she was an estreen.