Character discussion: Ax

[buffyangellvr23]

I think Ax is my second fave, after Tobias. I love the total difference in human form vs his natural body. He's total warrior in his normal form, but so very funny as a human. He's also interesting because he presents a view of humanity from the outside, a non-human creature observing humans and giving some observations in some books. I really like

Comments

[anijen21]

ugh I have been so bad about doing these comments you guys, but I feel like I should be here for this week and next week (anyone want to get some Carl Orff going to set the mood idk

[anijen21]

Um what else...I LOVED the relationship he and Tobias had, and I always felt like that was one of the..."really? there's not more to this?" kind of things, but the fact that they were both kind of overdignified and proper with each other was, I thought, a nice little detail about their relationship. I feel like Ax never totally allowed himself to be vulnerable around Tobias, and Tobias was still kind of shut off from everyone, so even though they were probably closest to each other than anyone else (except Rachel in Tobias' case), they were still kind of distant. I like how Ax sort of grudgingly tolerates Marco but it feels like he just doesn't get it. idk I always kind of felt like Ax was playacting a little around Marco (ie "Oh so your father designs games for children"). Ax and Jake are kind of adorable, but I never really totally bought that Ax was head-over-heels loyal to Jake, because he really wasn't, even though he professed he was. I like Ax and Cassie b/c Ax is the only one who, in his narration at least, really calls Cassie

[anijen21]

ugh I totally used ie when I meant eg I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT

[blue_rampion]

Ax seriously got jipped in the last book. And you know, if we'd at least seen more of him, and found out what happened to him I'd have been...well, less miffed about it. But as I've said before, everyone kinda got sidelined in favour of Jake's story in the last book, and some suffered more than others. Ax was definitely in the "suffered more" category.

(And I think we are doing second characters as well? And possibly we could do other discussions as well. After a discussion the other day, I kind of want to have a discussion on ANIMORPHS AND RACISM/SPECIESM)

[natural_blue_26]

WHY NO AX / TOBIAS CLOSURE IN THE LAST BOOK WHYYYYY

[anijen21]

ugh ikrite

my denial-canon is that ax brought tobias home to meet his grandparents and they became a big happy family and tobias got over rachel

:(

[natural_blue_26]

...I am def not opposed to Tobias being (God forbid) happy, but Cassie would had to tranq him long enough for Ax to trussel him aboard the space ship, because I doubt he would have gone of his own violation. :(

Alsooooo what if Ax's parents were totally speciest and didn't want a not!Andalite grandson?! Horrors!

[anijen21]

WELL I'M NOT SAYING THERE WOULDN'T BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF ANGST AND CONFLICT I was just skipping to the happily ever after :'(

plus he got on the space ship to save Ax of his own volition, why does the reason have to be bad :(

[natural_blue_26]

My only thing is Tobias is so scarred by the concept of a "happy family" that I think he would need over the Milky Way and through the astroid field to grandmother's house planet "motivation" (aka tranq gun) even (especially?) if it was for his own good.

Saving Ax is a whole different ball game. :)

[anijen21]

eh idk, I don't think Tobias would have gone full-on survival mode with a sliver of hope. I think the endless hope that Tobias had is what made him so much more tragic. He felt sorry for himself, but he never totally gave up.

[natural_blue_26]

I've always read it as Tobias putting himself emotionally on hold for a few years, instead of moving on through the stages of grief. Tobias always had a (dry) sense of humor as a coping mechanism, and I felt like he misplaced that for awhile post-Rachel. (Your Milage May Vary.)

[lisacharly]

Tobias also likes to angst. That's how he deals, by taking long flights through the muse and having introspective conversations with himself about killing rabbits. He's not like Marco, who distracts himself with TV VIDEOGAMES MUSIC HUMOR OH FUCK EXPLOSIVE MELTDOWN MODE, or Cassie who just turns into a big bitch when angsty, or Jake who kind of just...DENIES he's even angsting. And then goes into explosive meltdown mode. But Tobias kind of finds an identity through his angsting; it always struck me as similar to how some people find depression awful but comfortable at the same time. Tobias has been angsty so long that he's not sure who he is when something besides his circumstances define his personality, so he stays angsty

[blue_rampion]

AND THUS TOBIAS WAS FOREVER DUBBED EMO-HAAAAAAAAWK

*ahem* okay, getting a little bit more serious now, I have to say I love your descriptions of how they all deal with angst, and they are so spot on. I hadn't even realised that yes, that is when Cassie's bitchiness comes out BUT NOW I SEE! (Also ffff I love your description of Marco's and okay my character bias is showing again here orz)

But it does make sense that angst is familiar and even strangely comforting to Tobias. He's had it his whole life, so continuing to have it isn't really anything new. Tobias probably wouldn't know what to do with being happy.

[lisacharly]

Dude, Cassie in #52? TOTAL BITCH. "Gee, Ax, I already apologized so I shouldn't have to talk to you". "I'll do whatever you guys do *shifts blame around*" "Why are you being mean to meeeee?" I love Cassie dearly, and I love that she's a raging bitch sometimes, but ye gods.

*fist bumps over Marco bias*

Yeah, like, who is Tobias without the angst? How would he know? He can't do ANOTHER journey of self-discovery!

[natural_blue_26]

Yeah, like, who is Tobias without the angst? How would he know? He can't do ANOTHER journey of self-discovery!

Are you trying to say this plot point has been overdone or something? ;) ;)

[blue_rampion]

She does indeed have her epic bitchy moments, but I hadn't realised the connection to angsting before XD (I actually kinda wish that the bitchiness had been given more prominence, because one of the interesting things about Cassie is the fact that she is the 'sweet mothering type' but with this dark manipulative side to her)

*yaaaaaay fist bump!*

fff Tobias without angst is like. NOT TOBIAS. It would be a robot. Or a clone. Or possible an alien OH WAIT HE ALREADY KINDA SORTA IS THAT IN A WEIRD MAYBE KIND OF WAY