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This page is about the book series Animorphs. There was also a television series called Animorphs inspired by the series of books described in this article.

Animorphs is an English language science fiction young adult book series written by K. A. Applegate (Katherine Alice Applegate) and published by Scholastic. The first book of the series was published in 1996. Animorphs is the second-most successful children's book series of all time, after Harry Potter. There was a single-book parody of Animorphs called Vegemorphs.

The series focuses on a group of human teenagers (along with an Andalite) who, with powers of shapeshifting ('morphing') granted upon them by alien technology, attempt to prevent the takeover of Earth by the Yeerks. To gain a new shapeshifting power, they must touch the chosen animal to absorb a length of the animal's DNA, enabling them to morph into that animal. The series is based primarily on Earth, though some books have their primary setting in an alien environment.

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Terminology

Controller

A term used to describe a creature under the control of a Yeerk parasite. Willing hosts are known as Voluntary Controllers, whereas unwilling hosts are called Involuntary Controllers.

Escafil Device

The device invented by Andalites which allows anyone who touches it to absorb the DNA of an animal and morph. Also known as the "blue box" or the "morphing cube".

Estreen

An estreen is someone who is superbly skilled at morphing. After they are imparted with the ability to morph, morphing comes naturally to them. Cassie is one such person; she can "make morphing look good" and also morphs faster than the others, even Ax the Andalite (though it should be mentioned that Ax makes clear that the ability to morph has no bearing on which species the morpher belongs to. Morphing, however, remains for most of the series an exclusively Andalite technology, with the Animorphs being the only exception.) Ax said in #8 The Alien that professional morphers exist on the Andalite world for entertainment.

Hereth Illim

This Andalite phrase translates roughly to "morph burp" and refers to the expulsion of acquired DNA the morpher has an allergy to. This entails the creation of an entirely new animal from the expelled DNA from excess mass in Z-space. The "burp" is a response to the loss of morphing control caused by DNA allergies. It happened to Rachel in #12 The Reaction, with the uncontrolled morphing and the security risks caused forming a primary conflict in the plot, and the expelled animal a crocodile.

Hirac Delest

An Andalite's final statement, recorded that the Andalite's peers and posterity might judge and understand the Andalite's life. The Andalite Chronicles is Prince Elfangor's Hirac Delest.

Nothlit

A nothlit is a person that has stayed in morphed form for longer than the two-hour time limit; therefore, the individual is forced to remain stuck in morphed form forever (barring higher interference, as the Ellimist has reinstated the true form/morphing power of Elfangor and Tobias). Nothlit is an Andalite word. Applegate came up with it by rearranging the letters of Hilton.

Shorm

Shorm is an Andalite word meaning tail blade. However, it has come to mean a friendship so deep, your friend could put their tail blade against your throat and you'd never worry.

Thoughtspeak

Thoughtspeak is the method of communication of the Andalites similar to telepathy. The Andalites use this means of communication as their anatomy makes it imperative (i.e., they do not have mouths). In the books it looks <Like this> with <>s instead of quotation marks. Also, anyone in animal form using Andalite morphing technology can communicate using thoughtspeak. Originally, a person not in animal form was able to thoughtspeak to a person in animal form, but this was quickly dropped in the series.

Vecol

An Andalite with a disability, such as being without a tail blade. They are shunned from their society and often sent into exile, viewed as inferior and useless to society. Ax, particularly, does not like vecols. The term was introduced in #40: The Other, where a vecol is central to the plot of the story.

Characters

Jake Berenson

Jake is an Animorph. Jake's brother is Tom Berenson, a Controller. What often keeps Jake fighting is the hope that someday he will be able to free him. His dad is Steve Berenson, a pediatrician. His mother is Jean, a freelance writer. In The Diversion, his parents are finally made into Controllers. Rachel and her sisters Jordan and Sara are Jake's cousins. Ax calls Jake "Prince Jake" (In the Andalite culture, 'Prince' is a title given to a leader or respected person of authority). He is sometimes jokingly referred to as the Animorphs' fearless leader. Jake has a crush on Cassie, and they become a couple later in the series, but break up in the last book. (There are many fan fictions that involve the two making up.) Jake is interested in video games and basketball. Jake is good friends with Marco.

Jake is the unoffical leader of the Animorphs. He has the most ties to the crew (Cassie is his girlfriend, Rachel is his cousin, Tobias was a kid whom he defended from bullies, Marco is his best friend, and Ax considers Jake to be his prince.) Jake's leadership is a recurring theme in the books he narrates. The position of being the leader of the Animorphs often gets to him, but he knows he must not show fear in order to give out orders.

Near the end of the war, Jake is thrown into depression, which only seems to get worse once the war is over thanks to how things turned out. (With him responsible for Rachel and Tom's deaths, as well as more or less out of Cassie's life.) After Cassie, Jake is debatably the most unpopular character out of the main Animorphs -- not because people don't like him, but they just find him boring. He is the only character whose last name has been revealed. Jake is also Jewish.

Jake's Morphs

Anaconda, Ant, Anteater, Bat, Beaver, Chimpanzee, Cockatiel, Cockroach, Dolphin, Dragonfly, Eel, Flea, Giant Squid, Golden Retriever (his dog, Homer), Great Horned Owl, Green Anole Lizard, Hammerhead Shark, Hork-Bajir, Housefly, Howler, Human (Secret Service agent), Jaguar (in the Megamorphs series), Leeran, Lobster, Medieval Warhorse (in the Megamorphs series), Mole, Mosquito, Orca (a zoo animal named Swoosh), Parrot, Peregrine Falcon, Polar Bear (a zoo animal named Nanook), Racehorse, Rhinoceros, Seagull, Seal, Siberian Tiger, Skunk, Spider Monkey (in the Megamorphs series), Squirrel, Termite, Trout, Tyrannosaurus rex (temporarily in the Megamorphs series), Wolf

Fearless Leader: The Jake Berenson Fanlisting

Rachel

Rachel is an Animorph. Before the war, she was very involved in gymnastics and had a lingering obsession with fashion. Her parents were divorced. Rachel's father is Dan, a news anchor on television. Her mom is Naomi, a lawyer. She has two sisters, Jordan and Sara, both younger than her. Her mother and sisters are later told the truth about the invasion and are relocated to the Hork-Bajir colony during the end of the war, largely against their will (they attempt to escape a few times). Jake and his brother Tom are her cousins. Her fellow Animorphs (Marco in particular) sometimes call her "Xena, Warrior Princess" and "Ms. Fashion". She is best friends with Cassie, though this relationship is often strained throughout the series. Rachel also has feelings for Tobias and the two started dating near the middle of the series. In the beginning, Melissa Chapman (daughter of the Controller Chapman) is one of her best friends, but the relationship decayed and Melissa is only mentioned few times in the series.

Rachel's recklessness develops into disturbing, violent, sometimes sadistic, tendencies during the series. She is frequently described as "addicted" to the "rush" of the war -- the feeling of battle and conquering her enemies -- more or less, an adrenaline junkie. Rachel is brought face-to-face with this part of her personality in The Solution and The Separation and struggled with it through the rest of the series, never quite getting back to becoming a "normal girl". In the last book Rachel is sent to kill Tom, succeeds, and dies. When Jake, Marco, and Tobias set off to go save Ax, they name the cruiser-class ship they board in "The Rachel" in her honor.

Her last name is not known for certain, but many assume that it is Berenson, like Jake's. (Which would make her Jake's cousin on his father's side.) It is stated in Megamorphs #3 that Rachel is half-Jewish on her father's side, as is Jake, and when a mutual cousin appears during the David trilogy (Animorphs #20-22), it is mentioned that they have not been close to Rachel's family since the divorce and her dad moved out. Also, Rachel is not invited to Grandpa G's funeral-- Jake's mother's grandfather-- in Animorphs #31).

Rachel is also a very prominent figure in fan fiction, and quite a few stories involve her death and/or resurrection (often thanks in some manner to the Ellimist).

Rachel's Morphs

African Elephant, Bald Eagle, Shrew, Cat (Fluffer McKitty), Wolf, Trout, Dolphin, Seagull, Ant, Cockroach, Housefly, Great Horned Owl, Grizzly Bear, Rat (Courtney), Termite, Skunk, Spider Monkey (can't use), Jaguar (can't use), Crocodile (can't morph), Hork-Bajir (Jara Hamee), Racehorse, Parrot, Hammerhead Shark, Mole, Mosquito, Deinonychus (can’t morph), Flea, Anteater, Seal, Polar Bear (Nanook), Sperm Whale, Chimpanzee, Eel, Starfish, Squirrel, Cockatiel, Orca (Swoosh), Cheetah, Honeybee, Human (Female Fighter Pilot), Beaver.

Warrior Princess: The Rachel Fanlisting

Marco

Marco is an Animorph, often referred to as the comedian of the group. He coined the name "Animorphs." His methods can be ruthless, but he is good with strategy and security. He is also the "cute" Animorph. He and Jake have been best friends since they were little.

Marco's dad is Peter, who lost interest in life for two years after the supposed death of Marco's mother, Eva. In reality, she was infested by Visser One, and her death in a boating accident was faked as a way to get her off the planet. Throughout most of the series, Marco battles with himself about her fate -- should he kill her or try to set her free? -- and comes very close to killing her in many of the books, until he finally frees her in The Revelation. Marco's father was uninformed until The Revelation, when he is finally told the truth and is thus the first of the Animorphs' relatives to join the war effort.

Like Rachel, Marco has a bit of a dark side, which shows up in his (at times) very cold and ruthless schemes. Marco is often focused on the "big picture" (winning the war), sometimes at the cost of the little things (his mother, for example). He also struggles between the dream of his mother coming back alive and moving on. This conflict is revealed in The Proposal. He isn't entirely comfortable with this aspect of himself, but has embraced it.

At the end of the series, Marco is one of the few Animorphs with a flourishing post-war life -- he becomes a celebrity, starring in TV shows, giving interviews, and becoming the unofficial spokesperson for the Animorphs. He deeply enjoys the playboy lifestyle.

Marco is also the only Animorph in the series without a main love interest, though not for lack of trying. It is hinted that he may have a bit of a crush on Rachel, and the two do date in an alternate reality in Back to Before. Marco is one of the most popular Animorphs, debatably more so than Rachel or Tobias, and is quite possibly the one most written about in fan fiction, particularly slash fiction.

Marco's Morphs

Gorilla (Big Jim), Osprey, Wolf, Trout, Dolphin, Seagull, Lobster, Ant, Cockroach, Housefly, Mouse, Termite, Great Horned Owl, Skunk, Irish Setter, Wolf Spider, Bat, Spider Monkey (can't use), Jaguar, Llama, Racehorse, Parrot, Hammerhead Shark, Mole, Mosquito, Leeran, Tyrannosaurus Rex (can't use), King Cobra (Spawn), Flea, Rhinoceros, Anteater, Seal, Polar Bear (Nanook), Giant Squid, Chimpanzee, Eel, Human (Mr. Grant), Mountain Goat, Hork-Bajir, Squirrel, Cockatiel, Poodle (Euclid), Orca (Swoosh), Cheetah, Honeybee, Hork-Bajir, Beaver, German Shepherd (Champ), Mallard, Human (State Governor).

Cassie

Cassie is an Animorph. She lives on a farm, and her father Walter runs the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic out of their barn. Her mother Michelle is a vet at the Gardens, a local zoo/amusement park. Before the war, she had hopes of becoming a veterinarian. The Animorphs meet primarily in Cassie's barn.

She's the moralist of the group and often worries, much more than some of the others, about the costs of the war. This had led Cassie to many dangerous and sometimes hypocritical actions -- she, along with a Yeerk named Aftran, end up forming a the Yeerk Peace Movement (composed of Yeerks who have a peaceful alliance with their human hosts). But this attitude also leads her to make, quite possibly, the most dangerous choice in the war -- she gives Tom the morphing cube to try and save Jake from having to kill his brother, even though their enemies can develop the ability to morph in the process (This decision, is one of the factors that ended the war with the Yeerks). Cassie also is very good at "reading" people.

She's perceptive and often is aware of other's motives and feelings, sometimes even before they are. This develops into an ability to manipulate her enemies and allies, most notably with the Animorphs' traitor, David. Many of the other Animorphs also come to Cassie for comfort or advice, thanks to her empathetic nature. (Though, often, she gives them her advice whether they like it or not.)

She is also a natural estreen, meaning she is better able to control her morphing. (In Andalite culture, estreens can make a career out of their talent). She is best friends with Rachel, and likes Jake -- and the two become romantically involved during the series, but end up parting ways.

After the war, Cassie probably leads the most successful life after Marco, becoming something of an activist working for the free Hork-Bajir, along with her fiancee Ronnie Chambers. She is the only Animorph who does not go to save Ax -- but only on Jake's insistence that she not do so.

Among the fans, Cassie is the most commonly unpopular Animorph. Many find her annoying and over-moralizing and a bit of a wimp (though canon often contradicts this). Despite this, Cassie is often a prominent figure in fan fiction.

Cassie's Morphs

Horse, Osprey, Wolf, Trout, Squirrel (Megulla), Dolphin (Monica), Seagull, Ant, Cockroach, Housefly, Great Horned Owl, Flea, Humpback Whale, Rat (Courtney), Termite, Skunk, Wolf Spider, Bat, Spider monkey (can't use), Jaguar (can't use), Human (Rachel), Racehorse (Minneapolis Max), Parrot, Hammerhead Shark, Mole, Mosquito, Leeran, Tyrannosaurus Rex (can't use), Caterpillar/Butterfly, African Elephant, Anteater, Seal, Polar Bear (Nanook), Giant Squid, Chimpanzee, Eel, Yeerk (Illium), Hork-Bajir, Cockatiel, Orca (Swoosh), Cheetah, Pit Viper, Cape Buffalo, Honeybee, Hork-Bajir, Kangaroo, Beaver.

Peacemaker: The Cassie Fanlisting

Tobias

Tobias is an Animorph. Tobias was a red-tailed hawk nothlit (a creature trapped in morph because they stayed morphed for longer than two hours) from the end of the first book until the Ellimist restored his power to morph in The Change. His friends sometimes call him "Bird-boy" because of this. Tobias is close friends with Rachel and Ax. He had a crush on Rachel during the early books and they became involved later in the series. He has a pet cat named Dude, which was his first morph and the first morph of the Animorphs. His parents were believed to be dead, but near the end of the series it was revealed that Tobias's mother, Loren, was still alive and blind. Tobias's true father was Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, an Andalite who was the giver of the Animorphs' powers. Because the Ellimist wiped out all evidence of Elfangor's time on Earth, Tobias was unaware of that until Visser Three got his hands on Elfangor's will. Loren and Tobias are reunited, though Loren never quite remembered her son or Elfangor, thanks to a case of amnesia. Before he was a nothlit, he lived with various aunts and uncles on both coasts, who never really cared about the boy -- often not paying attention to him or just using him as free labor -- and they never tried to find him after his "disapperance" (thanks to becoming a nothlit). Before the war, Tobias was a "loser" without any friends, and often a bully magnet. He had some hero-worship towards Jake because Jake stopped some bullies from beating him up. In Back to Before, this lifestyle causes Tobias to join The Sharing and become a Controller. After becoming a nothlit he lived in the forest as a hawk along with Ax.

After the war, Tobias seems to withdraw from the rest of the world, distraught by Rachel's death and angry at Jake. He only joins with the other Animorphs after finding out about Ax's capture by The One.

Tobias is, almost without a doubt, the most popular Animorph. Like all the others except for Jake, Tobias's last name is not exactly known, but many assume it is "Fangor", the last name Elfangor adopted on while on Earth (under the name Alan Fangor, Al Fangor for short). This is a matter of fanon debate, however, since it brings into question why Tobias wouldn't have found out his mother or father's identies sooner, assuming they would all have the same last name.

Tobias's Morphs

Cat (Dude, can't use), Red-tailed Hawk, (nothlit), Raccoon, Hork-Bajir (Ket Halpek), Human (his old body), Racehorse, Dolphin, Hammerhead Shark, Housefly, Mole, Bat, Mosquito, Deinonychus (can't use), Seagull, African Elephant, Flea, Rabbit, Seal, Polar Bear (Nanook), Sperm Whale, Giant Squid, Chimpanzee, Bull, Mountain Goat, Andalite (Ax), Orca (Swoosh), Nartec, Honeybee, Human (Taylor), Taxxon, Human (Navy Sailor), Beaver, German Shepherd (Champ), Mallard.

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill is an Andalite stranded on Earth. He is known to his human friends as Ax. Ax is an Animorph. He first appeared in The Message. Prince Elfangor is Ax's deceased brother. Ax greatly admires his brother, even though he sometimes resents being seen as just "the little brother of Elfangor" and the hero status his brother has on both Earth and the Andalite homeworld. Ax has a bit of an inferiority complex towards his older brother along with a good strong case of hero worship and the two really are rather similar in nature. His father is Noorlin-Sirinial-Cooraf, and his mother is Forlay-Esgarrouth-Maheen, both on the Andalite homeworld. Tobias is a close friend, (he and Ax call each other "shorms", which is roughly the Andalite term for a best friend) as they live in the same forest. This bond is strengthened when the two discover they are family. Sometimes other Animorphs call him "Ax-man".

Through the series, Ax is torn between the Andalites and the humans. In The Alien, it is revealed that he has been keeping secrets from the others because of Andalite law, and in many of his books Ax is forced to question his loyalities -- because while he grew up as an Andalite in the Andalite culture he has found friends and a family away from home on Earth. But despite that, there are still aspects of life on Earth that greatly trouble Ax -- slaughtering other animals for food (Andalites are herbivores) and genocide, for example. However, time and again, Ax ends up siding with his Earth allies. Ax becomes somewhat obsessed with human culture, particularly food and TV. (He is particularly fond of commercials, which he calls "These Messages"). He has an (often comical) problem controlling the various unusual sensations of his human morph, particularly taste and speech since Andalites don't have mouths. He has a strong affinity for cinnamon buns. (He also enjoys chocolate and cigarette butts along with all varieties of junk food.) Ax has once expressed an occasional desire to become a human nothlit, though as far as we know, he never mentioned this to his human friends and never acted on it. Ax's human morph is described as androgynous and unnaturally pretty for a male. While in morph, Ax either goes by the alias "Phillip" -- Jake and Rachel's Canadian cousin (Canadese, as the Ax-man himself once put it), or "No." (Thanks to a mixup with Marco's dad. Marco told him only to answer questions with "yes" or "no". Marco's dad asked what his name was, to which he replied "No.")

Ax is portrayed as a consummate warrior, and places duty and his Andalite ritual very highly. He is absolutely commited to victory, even perhaps at the cost of humanity, although he also values his friends on Earth. Ax is, first and foremost, a good soldier.

Ax's sole love interest is an Andalite girl named Estrid, who shows up in The Arrival. The two had a brief fling while Estrid before was on Earth, but the short-lived romance didn't last as Estrid was in the middle of a scheme to infect the Yeerks with a virus that could kill their human hosts, and she ended up going back to the Andalite homeworld. She is casually mentioned in at least two more books, but it is assumed their romance was never rekindled.

After the war, Ax returned to the Andalite homeworld and came under the command of the Dome Ship Intrepid, which had a very unfortunate run-in with a being known as The One, a Borg-like entity that "assimilates" it's victims, including Ax. What this means for Ax, and his final fate, is uncertain.

Ax is one of the more popular Animorphs, though not as much as Rachel, Tobias or Marco. He has a slight fan following, especially in slash fiction.

Ax's Morphs

Djabala (before Animorphs), Kafit Bird (before Animorphs), Tiger shark, Human (DNA mix of Jake/Rachel/Cassie/Marco), Lobster, Ant, Northern Harrier, Cockroach, Honeybee, Human (Jake), Mouse, Flea, Rattlesnake, Termite, Great Horned Owl, Skunk, Wolf Spider, Bat, Spider Monkey (can't use), Jaguar (can't use), Racehorse, Hammerhead Shark, Mole, Mosquito, Leeran, Dolphin, Tyrannosaurus Rex (can't use), Human (random male controller), African Elephant, Seal, Polar Bear (Nanook), Giant Squid, Chimpanzee, Cow, Bull, Mountain Goat, Hork-Bajir, Squirrel, Cockatiel, Orca, Cheetah, Human (random male), Honeybee, Taxxon, Human (male Fighter Pilot), Human (male Navy Lieutenant), Human (Admiral Carrington), Human (male soldier), Beaver, Mallard, Raccoon.

Aristh: The Ax Fanlisting

Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul

Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul (prononced EL-fang-ore Sir-RIN-ee-ul Sham-TOOL) is the Andalite that gave Jake, Marco, Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias the power to morph. He died, murdered by Visser Three a few minutes later. He narrated The Andalite Chronicles, which took place before the beginning of the series. Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill is his younger brother. Tobias is his son.

Elfangor's Morphs

Taxxon, Human (under the name Al Fangor), Kafit Bird

File:Visser Cover.jpg

Esplin 9466 Primary

Esplin 9466 Primary is a high-ranking Yeerk, normally in the body of a morph-capable Andalite named Alloran-Semitur-Corass. He is the only Yeerk that has managed to capture an Andalite host body and he is especially hated by Andalites for this reason, and Andalites refer to him as "The Abomination". His trips around the galaxy have allowed him to acquire a vast variety of morphs through his host. For most of the series, his rank is Visser Three, Head of Invasion of Earth.

Alloran's Morphs

Antarean Bogg, Vanarx, Mardrut, Human, Anteater, Unknown alien with bladed tentacles, Kafit Bird, Luminar, Bievilerd, Lerdethak, Lebtin Javelin Fish, Dule Fansa.

The Ellimist

The Ellimist is an almost omnipotent, god-like being. By standard values, the Ellimist is good and his foe Crayak is evil. They play a game throughout the universe, with Crayak trying to destroy people and the Ellimist trying to save them. The Ellimist's backstory is detailed in The Ellimist Chronicles. He frequently interferes in the Animorphs' lives, sending them to possible futures and distant planets, so as to help in beating Crayak. The Ellimist also uses the Animorphs' Chee friend, Erek King, in his endeavors.

The Ellimist was originally a Ketran named Toomin. He escaped on an experimental spacecraft with the last of his species. He, with the rest of the remaining Ketrans, crash landed on an ocean planet and was trapped by the ruler of the planet, who ensnare all who come there adding them to his network of floating underwater bodies. The ruler, who called himself Father, was an enormous octopus-like creature with hundreds of tentacles and a body which reached across the entire planet underwater. Toomin was kept alive as entertainment for Father, who played game after new game with him, always beating him. Eventually, Toomin beat Father in a game of music.

After that, Father left him alone for a long time. During that time, he added the minds of the trapped bodies to his brain, eventually defeating the ruler and assuming his own body with the minds of all species on the planet, making him incredibly intelligent. With this knowledge, and all the spare parts from crashed spacecraft lying around from the tricked and trapped aliens, he created a body to house his brain; this body was essentially a large spacecraft. With it, Toomin traveled around the galaxy, helping those in need, becoming a God to many species.

Eventually, Toomin (now the Ellimist) met Crayak, an evil being who wanted to bring Chaos and Death to the world. From then onwards, they played a deadly game with planets and the lives of the beings on those planets. In a final move, Crayak attacked the Ellimist, forcing him into a black hole. instead of dying, the Ellimist become one with the fabric of space and time, transforming from a technological diety to a real one.

The Ellimist created the Time Matrix, according to Andalite mythology, which was essentially a time machine; however, The Ellimist Chronicles does not mention the Matrix at any point in the story. The Matrix was buried (on Earth, no less) by Elfangor.

Crayak

File:Crayak.jpg

The Crayak is a nearly omnipotent, super powerful opponent appearing in the form of an armless cyborg creature with nothing but a bloodred eye for a head. He is the Ellimist's greatest foe. But, while Ellimist loves to create and protect, Crayak prefers destruction, and has destroyed many galaxies by playing games with good godlike creatures throughout the universe. His current foe is Ellimist. The Crayak's history is largely unknown, but the Ellimist says he was expelled from another galaxy thousands of years ago by a greater power than him, and wishes to one day go back and destroy this power once he has become great enough. His apperance and manner may be greatly inspired by LOTR Sauron

Crayak created the Howlers, and has destroyed countless planets and species.

Edriss 562

Edriss 562 is the Yeerk controlling Marco's mother. For most of the series, her rank is Visser One. She is the subject of the book Visser.

Assistant Principal Chapman

Assistant principal Hedrick Chapman is a Controller. His daughter is Melissa Chapman. He became a voluntary host to prevent the infestation of his daughter. He is the local head of the Yeerk front, The Sharing.

Melissa Chapman

Melissa Chapman is the daughter of Principal Chapman, and was once Rachel's best friend. In the book Elfangor's Secret Melissa was the girlfriend of Tobias, not Rachel.

Tom Berenson

Tom Berenson is Jake's older brother. Tom is an involuntary Controller. Tom is very similar looking to Jake, except he is taller and has shorter hair. Tom has been host to two Yeerks, one a high-ranking official killed by Jake, and one a low-level grunt who rose quickly in the ranks by discovering the Animorphs and gaining the Morphing Cube. Jake was in tiger morph when Tom gained the Morphing Cube (known to the Andalites, among other names, as the Escafil Device), and was fully prepared to kill him- he was actually in mid-leap when Cassie, in wolf morph, jumped and blocked Jake, thereby saving Tom's life. Her stated motive for this action was to prevent Jake from living with the guilt and remorse for killing his own brother.

In book #53, The Answer, Jake sends his cousin, Rachel, to kill Tom. Tom envenoms Rachel's bear morph with his cobra morph, but even while her bear form is blinded and dying, she manages to kill Tom (still in snake form) by crushing his body with her teeth.

Tom's Morphs

Jaguar, Cobra.

David

David becomes an Animorph after his parents become Controllers. Later, he turns on the other Animorphs and tries to kill them; as long as they're animals, he doesn't consider it murder. They end up defeating him by trapping him in rat morph and leaving him on an island. Later, David came back from the island with the help of Crayak. He tried to trap Rachel like she trapped him: Becoming a rat nothlit. His plan failed, and his current fate is unknown.

David's Morphs

Golden Eagle (can't use), Cockroach (can't use), Seagull (can't use), Flea (can't use), Lion (can't use), Human (male human Controller, can't use), Human (Marco, can't use), Orca (can't use), Human (Saddler, can't use), Rattlesnake (can't use), Rat (nothlit).

Taylor (Sub-visser 51)

Sub-visser Fifty-One is Visser Three's first lieutenant on Earth. Her host's name is Taylor, who was, at first, a voluntary controller. Taylor was once the homecoming queen, tennis champion and president of the student body, but was horribly burned in a house fire one night. Because she lost her beauty, she lost her popularity among the students. Upon hearing about The Sharing, she joined, after being convinced that she would some day regain her lost prestige. Taylor was granted her wish, at an enormous cost; to relinquish control over her own body and betray Earth and humanity. Thus, she became the host body for Sub-visser Fifty-one. This weak, misguided, power-hungry Yeerk's twisted personality merged with that of Taylor, and developed a Yeerk brand of split-personality disorder. In The Illusion, she tortures Tobias after failing to force him to demorph with the Anti-Morphing Ray (AMR). Taylor tortures the nothlit with a machine that controls the parts of the brain that induce pain and pleasure. He almost went insane and nearly died after receiving heightened, alternating doses of painful and pleasant memories. Following Tobias' rescue by the other Animorphs, she was stripped of her rank, and faced certain death at the hands of Visser Three. Much to the rude shock of Tobias and the other Animorphs, she reappears in The Test. She appears to Tobias, attempting to enlist his help in overthrowing Visser Three and creating a democratic Yeerk society by hijacking the Pool. This was to be achieved by holding the inmates - both Yeerk and host - hostage by threatening to destroy the Pool with a gas explosion. The plan failed, and Taylor was blown away by the pressure of the gas. Her death is probable but not definite.

Species

Major species in bold.

Books

See: List of Animorphs books

Wikiquote has quotations related to Animorphs.
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