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

[tobiahawk]

I'm another one who never warmed up to Ax, who always felt removed and distant to me as a reader. That said, I did like his relationship with Tobias (I've had a plot bunny in my head about Ax taking Tobias back to the Andalite homeworld in 54 to meet their family), and I think his books generally did a very good of showing the harsh realization that even the "good guys" aren't always so "good." Also, he did have a lot of laugh-out-load moments in the books, which is sort of ironic.

Also, that quote from book 8 about humans achieveing space flight within 50(?) years of achieving flight and Andalites taking three times as long, and thus humans might one day be a great species is one of my favorites in the series. This is in spite of my lukewarm feelings toward Ax.

[tobiahawk]

Do you all consider Ax to be an Animorph? I remember the books often said "the Animorphs and Ax", so I'm curious what you all think. Personally, I considered him an Animorph

[lisacharly]

He's totes an Animorph. It always bugged me that the book covers said otherwise.

[sylverlining]

THANK YOU. :| It's ridiculous that he's not included in this. Oh suuuure, fine, he's not a HUMAN with morphing capability but HE IS TOTALLY AN ANIMORPH. HE IS PART OF THE FAMILY, YES. <3

[agentak]

That always drove me nuts. He was clearly an Animorph and in the books was referred to as such, but on the back covers was always pushed aside.

I got so mad when I got to #48. "The sixth Animorph is back..." HE NEVER LEFT, OR DID YOU MEAN THE SEVENTH ANIMORPH IS BACK?

[iapetusneume]

My favorite part about any of Ax's books would be the observations on human culture. (Books being a fantastic intention, quoting Aerosmith (I think?) and finding him wise, etc.)

I mentioned this with Marco, but Ax is the one who observed that the humans' biggest advantage is their ability to adapt. That, plus the huge population, makes them the turning point in the war. I'm sure they also were (for many of them) unwillingly helping the yeerks by problem solving by reflex. (Aka, the infested you sees a puzzle that you know how to solve, and the yeerk helps themselves to that information like they would your memories.)

So yeah, mostly I loved him for his observations, and I always loved him best in his own books. I think my favorite book of his is the battle for Leera.

I also love it when he doesn't recognize cultural references. it's a weird but fun feeling to get a joke that the person who's telling the story doesn't.

...oh, and Ax is the reason I sought out Cinnabon to try one.

[lisacharly]

A wise man named Rolling Stones!

[agentak]

...oh, and Ax is the reason I sought out Cinnabon to try one.

Same here, especially since we don't really have them in Canada. I freaked when I saw one on a trip to the states. I was like "THEY'RE REAL?!" and bought like two dozen rolls. With extra frosting. It was worth it. I don't even like cinnamon buns! There are a few Cinnabons (like, two) that have opened up since then, though.

[tobiahawk]

That is awesome!!!

[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)

[clayin]

Ax is actually what got me back into Animorphs. I was in my phonology class, basically sitting in my seat going "Puh. Puh puh puh. Puh." and wondered "why does this feel so familiar?" And then, "oh, ka-DUH. Ax! AX! I wonder how that series ever ended anyway?"

Tobias was my favorite character when I was reading the books the first time around as a preteen, with Ax as my second. When I reread them years later, Ax moved up to the number one slot. His books had a wonderful balance of drama and humor, both stemming from the fact that he's literally a kid trapped on an alien world.

Throwing in my two cents on the Ax-gets-repeated-storylines, I really loved that we got to see multiple layers of his humans-verses-Andalites drama. He starts out swearing allegiance only until he gets back to his own people, then swears it until Jake releases him, then tricks the Andalites that come to Earth and chooses to stay with the Animorphs, and then...ohh, he has to let go of the 'humanity' he's gained so that his prince doesn't have to give the order

[lisacharly]

Elise Smith is the ghostwriter that makes me happy in my pants. She's also responsible for #30. That said, #46 is great as long as I ignore the chapters and chapters of tankwank and the fact that we really never see the fallout from Ax's actions. He's all "I'll have to explain what I did to Jake" and then we NEVER SEE THAT SCENE. God, there is so much Ax awesomeness that we never see. And then we spend next of the half book on Civil War wank and it's like aargh.

Cute story about phonology. :)

[clayin]

Haha, I play just-after-#46-Ax over at trans_9, and when Jake joined the game (from a later point in the series) the first thing we did was have them have a talk about that. Of course it goes differently than it would have in the books due to the circumstances; so instead of Jake-and-Ax-are-awkward-but-effective, it resulted in Jake-and-Ax-make-up.

We missed so much Ax awesome it's not even funny. Argh.

[lisacharly]

Ooh, I've just apped over at trans_9 as Eva.

Do you have a link to the log of that interaction?