Rachel (Animorphs)
Encyclopedia
Rachel is a fictional character
from the sci-fi book series Animorphs
. Her full name is never explicitly mentioned in the books, but her relation to her cousin Jake Berenson
through their fathers makes it most likely to be Rachel Berenson, if it was never changed or hyphenated.
and had a lingering obsession with fashion
. She was also a model student and she manages to maintain excellent grades throughout most of the war. Her parents are divorced. Rachel's father is Dan, a news anchor on television; Rachel is Jewish on her father's side. Her mother is Naomi, a lawyer. She has two younger sisters, Jordan and Sara. 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 Naomi's will (she attempts to escape a few times with her two other daughters, angering Rachel—her relationship with Rachel is very strained during the end of the war and she becomes increasingly wary of Rachel's dark side). Jake and his brother Tom are her cousins.
Marco
often sardonically calls her "Xena, Warrior Princess
" or "Ms. Fashion", and Jake has referred to her (in his thoughts) as "the war goddess". She is best friends with Cassie
, though this relationship is often strained throughout the series due to Cassie's more pacifist attitude, contrasting with Rachel's warrior side. Rachel also has feelings for Tobias
and the two start dating near the middle of the series. In the beginning, Melissa Chapman (daughter of the Human-Controller Chapman) is one of her best friends, but their friendship decays over time and Melissa is only mentioned a few times in the series.
Although Marco occasionally jokingly flirts with her, Rachel's main relationship throughout the series is with Tobias
, despite the difficulties involved. On one occasion, Rachel is asked out by another boy at school. Although tempted by the idea of a more normal relationship, she turns him down, recalling the lengths Tobias had gone to in the past to help her and the depth of feelings between them.
Rachel's recklessness develops into disturbing, violent, degenerative, sometimes sadistic (or even sociopath
ic), tendencies during the series. She is frequently described as something of an adrenaline junkie, being "addicted" to the "rush" of the war and the feeling of battle and conquering her enemies. Rachel is brought face-to-face with the dark part of her tortured personality in The Solution
, The Separation
, and in The Return
. She is also shown to be claustrophobic and short-sighted.
Rachel is frequently bothered by her violent nature, and towards the end of the series, tortured and despaired because of it. Her dark side is both criticised and indirectly (sometimes directly) used by the rest of the Animorphs, with the exception of Tobias. Rachel herself acknowledges her role in the group and sacrifices her mental wellbeing to protect the other Animorphs, as seen in The Solution
. Towards the end of the series, along with her sacrifice on the Blade Ship, K.A. Applegate turns Rachel into a martyr
.
In the last book, Rachel unquestioningly accepts a proposal made in secret by Jake (who cannot commit himself given that he is needed to direct the consummation of a parallel objective) to be sent off in a suicide mission to kill his brother, Tom—a mission that, if accomplished in conjunction with the parallel mission, would guarantee victory to the human race. In the Blade Ship that Tom's Yeerk borrowed from Visser One
and whom he consequently betrays, after he morphs into a snake form and bites her while she is in her grizzly bear form, she succeeds by biting down and killing him (both the real Tom and his Yeerk). After Rachel demorphs from her grizzly bear morph, she is killed with a single blow by another Yeerk Human-controller in a polar bear
morph.
Right at the moment before Rachel dies, the Ellimist
—once considered the "puppet master" by Rachel—freezes time and temporarily heals her. From this act the Ellimist wished to maintain a degree of humanity—a trait he feared was disappearing due to the impersonality that was forced upon him by the malevolent and seemingly irrational Crayak. At that moment, the Ellimist was truly sad for Rachel, considering the roles that both he and the Crayak played in the events leading up to Rachel's death, especially the psychological torture she endured at the hands on the Crayak. Although helpless, the Ellimist wished to do something to "soothe" Rachel right before she died, given that souls do not exist in their universe (as implied in The Ellimist Chronicles
).
Whilst in the frozen time, the Ellimist recounts the story of his life (as detailed in The Ellimist Chronicles
), so as to try and explain to a weeping and raging Rachel whether her life, characterized and engulfed by despair and the violating corruption she had to endure, along with her death—had made a difference, and whether it was all worth it. He finishes his story, and Rachel expresses her understanding of his actions and forgives him—the two things which the Ellimist has most desired. He ends by saying that she had not only been brave and strong, but that she was good and that she mattered; however, being shackled, he cannot save her and has to let her die. She was 16 years old at the time of her death.
Rachel's family
Other family
, Rachel favored an aggressive style of fighting. Her battle morphs were the grizzly bear
and African elephant, both massive and strong creatures.
Rachel's transportation morphs were slightly different from the others. Her preferred transportation morph was the bald eagle. Like the others, she also had the flea
, housefly
, seagull, and cockroach
. However, she also acquired a great horned owl
.
She underwent some morphing problems. The first was an allergy to the crocodile
DNA, which caused her to morph uncontrollably and randomly when she experienced heightened emotions. This morph had to be ejected in a procedure known as hereth illint. She also acquired a starfish to retrieve an earring that she had dropped into a tide pool, and when a young kid sliced her starfish morph in half with a shovel, she was divided into the two opposite halves of her personality: "Mean Rachel" and "Nice Rachel". Ax and Erek managed to put her two halves back together by having the two Rachels acquire and morph each other simultaneously; this, along with a massive burst of electric energy supplied by Erek, caused them to re-combine.
In "The Return
", Crayak
grants Rachel two new morphs; a giant, carnivorous, self-regenerating venus flytrap
and a monstrous version of herself (dubbed Super-Rachel) with retractable claws within the fingertips and superhuman strength
, the former of which being a likely reference to the Howlers. It is presumed she lost these morphs after the events of this book.
Specific missions called for some single-purpose morphs. She acquired a sperm whale
to find a squid
to restore the Pemalite ship's programming. During the battle for the Hork-Bajir valley, she acquired a beaver
to build a dam.
Including unusable and unused morphs, Rachel has 44 potential morphs.
The following table contains all of Rachel's morphs:
Rachel also takes part in the narration of:
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the sci-fi book series Animorphs
Animorphs
Animorphs is an English language science fiction series of young adult books written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic. Five humans, Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill , obtain the ability to morph into any animal they touch. They name...
. Her full name is never explicitly mentioned in the books, but her relation to her cousin Jake Berenson
Jake Berenson
Jake Berenson is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Until the penultimate book of the series, his last name was never revealed, and he was known only as Jake...
through their fathers makes it most likely to be Rachel Berenson, if it was never changed or hyphenated.
Biography
Before the war, Rachel was very involved in gymnasticsGymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
and had a lingering obsession with fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
. She was also a model student and she manages to maintain excellent grades throughout most of the war. Her parents are divorced. Rachel's father is Dan, a news anchor on television; Rachel is Jewish on her father's side. Her mother is Naomi, a lawyer. She has two younger sisters, Jordan and Sara. Her mother and sisters are later told the truth about the invasion and are relocated to the Hork-Bajir
Hork-Bajir
The Hork-Bajir are a race of aliens in the Animorphs novels.The Hork-Bajir are fictional aliens that are usually about seven feet tall. They are a dark shade of green and have three-toed theropod feet. Their necks are long and they have a mouth that resembles a falcon's beak with teeth. Their legs...
colony during the end of the war, largely against Naomi's will (she attempts to escape a few times with her two other daughters, angering Rachel—her relationship with Rachel is very strained during the end of the war and she becomes increasingly wary of Rachel's dark side). Jake and his brother Tom are her cousins.
Marco
Marco (Animorphs)
Marco is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series, Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned.-Biography:...
often sardonically calls her "Xena, Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
" or "Ms. Fashion", and Jake has referred to her (in his thoughts) as "the war goddess". She is best friends with Cassie
Cassie (Animorphs)
Cassie is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Her last name is never mentioned, although she referred to it as being "nice" in The Secret.-Biography:...
, though this relationship is often strained throughout the series due to Cassie's more pacifist attitude, contrasting with Rachel's warrior side. Rachel also has feelings for Tobias
Tobias (Animorphs)
Tobias is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs written by K.A. Applegate. His surname is never mentioned, but had the Ellimist not altered time in order to take his father, Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, back to his old life, his full name would have been Tobias Fangor, the...
and the two start dating near the middle of the series. In the beginning, Melissa Chapman (daughter of the Human-Controller Chapman) is one of her best friends, but their friendship decays over time and Melissa is only mentioned a few times in the series.
Although Marco occasionally jokingly flirts with her, Rachel's main relationship throughout the series is with Tobias
Tobias (Animorphs)
Tobias is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs written by K.A. Applegate. His surname is never mentioned, but had the Ellimist not altered time in order to take his father, Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, back to his old life, his full name would have been Tobias Fangor, the...
, despite the difficulties involved. On one occasion, Rachel is asked out by another boy at school. Although tempted by the idea of a more normal relationship, she turns him down, recalling the lengths Tobias had gone to in the past to help her and the depth of feelings between them.
Rachel's recklessness develops into disturbing, violent, degenerative, sometimes sadistic (or even sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
ic), tendencies during the series. She is frequently described as something of an adrenaline junkie, being "addicted" to the "rush" of the war and the feeling of battle and conquering her enemies. Rachel is brought face-to-face with the dark part of her tortured personality in The Solution
The Solution (Animorphs)
The Solution is the twenty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel. It is the last book in the David trilogy.-Plot summary:...
, The Separation
The Separation (Animorphs)
The Separation is the thirty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by the two 'halves' of Rachel.-Plot summary:...
, and in The Return
The Return (Animorphs)
The Return is the forty-eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Kimberly Morris. Due to an editorial oversight, Lisa Harkrader was mistakenly credited with writing the book. It is narrated by Rachel...
. She is also shown to be claustrophobic and short-sighted.
Rachel is frequently bothered by her violent nature, and towards the end of the series, tortured and despaired because of it. Her dark side is both criticised and indirectly (sometimes directly) used by the rest of the Animorphs, with the exception of Tobias. Rachel herself acknowledges her role in the group and sacrifices her mental wellbeing to protect the other Animorphs, as seen in The Solution
The Solution (Animorphs)
The Solution is the twenty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel. It is the last book in the David trilogy.-Plot summary:...
. Towards the end of the series, along with her sacrifice on the Blade Ship, K.A. Applegate turns Rachel into a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.
In the last book, Rachel unquestioningly accepts a proposal made in secret by Jake (who cannot commit himself given that he is needed to direct the consummation of a parallel objective) to be sent off in a suicide mission to kill his brother, Tom—a mission that, if accomplished in conjunction with the parallel mission, would guarantee victory to the human race. In the Blade Ship that Tom's Yeerk borrowed from Visser One
Visser Three
Visser Three, born as Esplin 9466 Primary and later known as Visser One, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K.A. Applegate. He is the leader of the Yeerk forces on Earth, having inherited the planet from Edriss 562, who was Visser One at...
and whom he consequently betrays, after he morphs into a snake form and bites her while she is in her grizzly bear form, she succeeds by biting down and killing him (both the real Tom and his Yeerk). After Rachel demorphs from her grizzly bear morph, she is killed with a single blow by another Yeerk Human-controller in a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
morph.
Right at the moment before Rachel dies, the Ellimist
Ellimist
The Ellimist is a fictional character from the science fiction novel series Animorphs.The Ellimist is an almost god-like being, displaying many reality warping powers, though it is stated several times that while he appears to be, he is not omnipotent. By standard values, the Ellimist is a force of...
—once considered the "puppet master" by Rachel—freezes time and temporarily heals her. From this act the Ellimist wished to maintain a degree of humanity—a trait he feared was disappearing due to the impersonality that was forced upon him by the malevolent and seemingly irrational Crayak. At that moment, the Ellimist was truly sad for Rachel, considering the roles that both he and the Crayak played in the events leading up to Rachel's death, especially the psychological torture she endured at the hands on the Crayak. Although helpless, the Ellimist wished to do something to "soothe" Rachel right before she died, given that souls do not exist in their universe (as implied in The Ellimist Chronicles
The Ellimist Chronicles
The Ellimist Chronicles is a children's science-fiction novel, a companion book to the Animorphs series written by K. A. Applegate. It tells the backstory of the Ellimist, a god-like being from the story...
).
Whilst in the frozen time, the Ellimist recounts the story of his life (as detailed in The Ellimist Chronicles
The Ellimist Chronicles
The Ellimist Chronicles is a children's science-fiction novel, a companion book to the Animorphs series written by K. A. Applegate. It tells the backstory of the Ellimist, a god-like being from the story...
), so as to try and explain to a weeping and raging Rachel whether her life, characterized and engulfed by despair and the violating corruption she had to endure, along with her death—had made a difference, and whether it was all worth it. He finishes his story, and Rachel expresses her understanding of his actions and forgives him—the two things which the Ellimist has most desired. He ends by saying that she had not only been brave and strong, but that she was good and that she mattered; however, being shackled, he cannot save her and has to let her die. She was 16 years old at the time of her death.
Relationships with the other Animorphs
- JakeJake BerensonJake Berenson is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Until the penultimate book of the series, his last name was never revealed, and he was known only as Jake...
: Despite being cousins, Jake and Rachel maintain one of the weakest relationships among the characters (except at the end of the series). Jake often ponders on Rachel's bloodthirsty and degenerative nature, while the darker side of Rachel's mind wonders on what would happen should she ever challenge Jake's leadership - something however that she stops doing towards the end of the series, after she confronts DavidDavid (Animorphs)David is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned. David was introduced in the "David Trilogy", which included the regular-series books #20 The Discovery, #21 The Threat, and #22 The Solution...
and the Crayak, and along with them, her dark nature. When Rachel accepts her final mission that they both knew would be very dangerous, Rachel tells Jake not to be overwrought by his decision, knowing fully well the burden under which Jake is placed. Jake is distraught by having had to send off Rachel to kill his Yeerk-infested brother, and never recovers. - TobiasTobias (Animorphs)Tobias is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs written by K.A. Applegate. His surname is never mentioned, but had the Ellimist not altered time in order to take his father, Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, back to his old life, his full name would have been Tobias Fangor, the...
: Before the start of the series Rachel and Tobias weren't friends, though it is implied that they had some prior knowledge of each other. They quickly develop feelings for each other, and eventually begin a relationship and fall in love. - CassieCassie (Animorphs)Cassie is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Her last name is never mentioned, although she referred to it as being "nice" in The Secret.-Biography:...
: Rachel and Cassie are best friends. However, tension develops between them over the course of the series: Cassie is increasingly wary of Rachel's dark nature, and Rachel in turn becomes impatient with Cassie's morality. Cassie's integrity and coherence are questioned by the reader when she leaves Rachel to hunt down DavidDavid (Animorphs)David is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned. David was introduced in the "David Trilogy", which included the regular-series books #20 The Discovery, #21 The Threat, and #22 The Solution...
by herself, who she then captures and with whom is thus alone, helplessly sobbing while deciding on whether she will have to kill a serene and accepting David or not (his fate is never revealed). Rachel feels she is often used as a tool to protect the innocence of the rest of the Animorphs - her dark nature is fueled by their veiled hypocrisy (except for Tobias - this is debatable, but he has his own psychological problems to deal with even though he loves her), and this is something which she doesn't rebel from, voluntarily sacrificing herself in order to protect their well-being. - MarcoMarco (Animorphs)Marco is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series, Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned.-Biography:...
: Rachel and Marco often argue, though their verbal sparring is good-natured. They are similar in terms of ruthlessness, although Marco is inherently much more calculative and strategic; a side which contrasts with her increasingly reckless nature. He is the least affected by her death, given his philosophy towards life. In Megamorphs #4: Back to BeforeBack to Before (Megamorphs)Megamorphs #4: Back to Before is the fourth and final book in the Megamorphs series, a spinoff of the Animorphs series. With respect to continuity, it takes place between The Other and The Familiar .-Plot summary:...
, a book where an alternate-reality is concocted by the EllimistEllimistThe Ellimist is a fictional character from the science fiction novel series Animorphs.The Ellimist is an almost god-like being, displaying many reality warping powers, though it is stated several times that while he appears to be, he is not omnipotent. By standard values, the Ellimist is a force of...
and the Crayak, she agrees to date him. - Aximili-Esgarrouth-IsthillAximili-Esgarrouth-IsthillAximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs.-Biography:Aximili is a young Andalite who becomes stranded on Earth when the Andalite Dome Ship GalaxyTree is shot down by Yeerk fighters...
: Rachel is initially distrustful of Ax and is in general indifferent towards him. They rarely, if ever, interact one-on-one. Ax is ruthless and calculative like Marco, but unlike him, Ax is more sensitive and becomes evermore apprehensive of Rachel's bloodthirstiness - something that he considers to be unfit for a warrior and akin to a mental illness.
Family
Immediate:- Father Dan is a news anchor. He is divorced and lives by himself. In #7, when he was moving out, he offered Rachel the opportunity to stay with him and fly back every weekend to see her mother and sisters, but Rachel declined.
- Mother Naomi is a lawyer and is extremely headstrong and contentious. When she is forced to hide in the Hork-Bajir valley, she tries to escape a few times. Not popular among the Hork-Bajir, despite helping them draft a constitution and was in the process of teaching them to read and write.
- Sister Jordan is two years younger than Rachel, and was implied on some occasions to have a crush on MarcoMarco (Animorphs)Marco is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series, Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned.-Biography:...
. - Sister Sara is younger than Jordan.
Rachel's family
- Uncle Steve Berenson (brother of Dan) worked as a pediatrician, and became a Controller late in the series.
- Aunt by marriage Jean Berenson worked as an author, and became a Controller late in the series.
- Cousin Jake BerensonJake BerensonJake Berenson is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. Until the penultimate book of the series, his last name was never revealed, and he was known only as Jake...
is the leader of the Animorphs. - Cousin Tom Berenson is a Controller from the beginning of the series.
Other family
- Cousin Saddler (by an unknown sibling of Dan and Steve, either his mother Ellen or his father George). Received life-threatening injuries in Book 21. DavidDavid (Animorphs)David is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned. David was introduced in the "David Trilogy", which included the regular-series books #20 The Discovery, #21 The Threat, and #22 The Solution...
acquired and morphed the wounded Saddler, briefly masquerading as him and allowing his family to believe he'd miraculously recovered. The family would have suffered further grief when David became trapped in a rat morph as a nothlitNothlitIn the fictional Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate, a nothlit is a being trapped in a morph. If one stays in a morph for over two Earth hours, that form becomes permanent. They are unable to use the Escafil device to regain their morphing power...
, causing 'Saddler' to disappear without explanation. The real Saddler has never been seen again and is presumed dead. - Cousins Justin, Brooke, and Forrest are siblings of Saddler.
Rachel's morphs
Like DavidDavid (Animorphs)
David is a fictional character from the sci-fi book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate. His last name is never mentioned. David was introduced in the "David Trilogy", which included the regular-series books #20 The Discovery, #21 The Threat, and #22 The Solution...
, Rachel favored an aggressive style of fighting. Her battle morphs were the grizzly bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
and African elephant, both massive and strong creatures.
Rachel's transportation morphs were slightly different from the others. Her preferred transportation morph was the bald eagle. Like the others, she also had the flea
Flea
Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood...
, housefly
Housefly
The housefly , Musca domestica, is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha...
, seagull, and cockroach
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
. However, she also acquired a great horned owl
Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl, , also known as the Tiger Owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.-Description:...
.
She underwent some morphing problems. The first was an allergy to the crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
DNA, which caused her to morph uncontrollably and randomly when she experienced heightened emotions. This morph had to be ejected in a procedure known as hereth illint. She also acquired a starfish to retrieve an earring that she had dropped into a tide pool, and when a young kid sliced her starfish morph in half with a shovel, she was divided into the two opposite halves of her personality: "Mean Rachel" and "Nice Rachel". Ax and Erek managed to put her two halves back together by having the two Rachels acquire and morph each other simultaneously; this, along with a massive burst of electric energy supplied by Erek, caused them to re-combine.
In "The Return
The Return (Animorphs)
The Return is the forty-eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Kimberly Morris. Due to an editorial oversight, Lisa Harkrader was mistakenly credited with writing the book. It is narrated by Rachel...
", Crayak
Crayak
Crayak is a fictional character and villain from the science-fiction book series Animorphs, written by K. A. Applegate.-Description:Crayak is a nearly omnipotent entity appearing in the form of an armless cyborg with massive limbs and nothing but what would resemble as a blood-red eye for a head...
grants Rachel two new morphs; a giant, carnivorous, self-regenerating venus flytrap
Venus Flytrap
The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces...
and a monstrous version of herself (dubbed Super-Rachel) with retractable claws within the fingertips and superhuman strength
Superhuman strength
Superhuman strength, also called superstrength, super-strength, or super strength, is an ability commonly employed in fiction. It is the ability for a character to be stronger than humanly possible...
, the former of which being a likely reference to the Howlers. It is presumed she lost these morphs after the events of this book.
Specific missions called for some single-purpose morphs. She acquired a sperm whale
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale having the largest brain of any animal. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. The sperm whale is the only living member of genus Physeter...
to find a squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
to restore the Pemalite ship's programming. During the battle for the Hork-Bajir valley, she acquired a beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
to build a dam.
Including unusable and unused morphs, Rachel has 44 potential morphs.
The following table contains all of Rachel's morphs:
| Morph | Book Acquired |
|---|---|
| African elephant | The Invasion The Invasion (Animorphs) The Invasion, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the first book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:... |
| Bald eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... |
The Visitor The Visitor (Animorphs) The Visitor, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the second book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:... |
| Shrew Shrew A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of... |
|
| Cat Cat The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests... (Fluffer McKitty) |
|
| Wolf | The Encounter The Encounter (Animorphs) The Encounter, published in 1996 and written by written by K. A. Applegate, is the third book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Tobias.-Plot summary:... |
| Trout Trout Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water... |
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| Dolphin Dolphin Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating... |
The Message The Message (Animorphs) The Message, published in 1996 and written by K.A. Applegate, is the fourth book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:Cassie and Tobias are having strange dreams about a presence in the ocean... |
| Seagull | |
| Ant Ant Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than... |
The Predator The Predator (Animorphs) The Predator, published in 1996 and written by K.A. Applegate, is the fifth book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:Ax wishes to return to the Andalite home world, and to do so, he needs a ship... |
| Cockroach Cockroach Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations... |
The Capture The Capture (Animorphs) The Capture, published in 1997 and written by K.A. Applegate, is the sixth book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Jake. The Capture is due to be re-releasd by Scholastic in March 2012.-Plot summary:... |
| Housefly Housefly The housefly , Musca domestica, is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha... |
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| Great Horned Owl Great Horned Owl The Great Horned Owl, , also known as the Tiger Owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.-Description:... |
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| Grizzly Bear Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America... |
The Stranger The Stranger (Animorphs) The Stranger is the seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:Rachel's father asks her to move with him to another state. After some reconnaissance work, Marco and Tobias find an entrance to the underground Yeerk Pool, in one of the... |
| Rat Rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus... |
The Secret The Secret (Animorphs) The Secret is the ninth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:Cassie and the Animorphs discover from Ax and Tobias that the Yeerks have set up a dummy logging company, called Dapsen Logging Company, in the woods... |
| Termite Termite Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea... |
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| Skunk Skunk Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora... |
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| Bat Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,... |
The Android The Android (Animorphs) The Android is the tenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:While sneaking into a concert in dog morph, Jake and Marco discover that they are unable to detect a smell from their friend Erek King, something impossible, as all living things... |
| Spider monkey Spider monkey Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil... (unusable: Sario Rip Andalite terminology A compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the... morph) |
The Forgotten The Forgotten (Animorphs) The Forgotten is the eleventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:Jake spends a day having strange flashbacks of himself in a rainforest, which leaves him disturbed.... |
| Jaguar Jaguar The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico... (unusable: Sario Rip Andalite terminology A compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the... morph) |
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| Crocodile Crocodile A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e... (unusable: hereth illint Andalite terminology A compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the... ) |
The Reaction The Reaction (Animorphs) The Reaction is the twelfth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:Rachel and Cassie are on a school field trip to zoo at The Gardens. At the crocodile enclosure, the girls witness a young boy fall in. Rachel bravely jumps into the pit after... |
| Hork-Bajir Hork-Bajir The Hork-Bajir are a race of aliens in the Animorphs novels.The Hork-Bajir are fictional aliens that are usually about seven feet tall. They are a dark shade of green and have three-toed theropod feet. Their necks are long and they have a mouth that resembles a falcon's beak with teeth. Their legs... (Jara Hamee) |
The Change The Change (Animorphs) The Change is the thirteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Tobias.-Plot summary:Tobias takes Rachel on a tour, to show her the Yeerk pool entrance that he had discovered. Soon, though, he finds he is not where he was heading; they suddenly are flying... |
| Horse Horse The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today... |
The Unknown The Unknown (Animorphs) The Unknown is the fourteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.The front cover quote is, "Never underestimate the power of a morph....". All books after The Unknown were dedicated to Applegate's son, Jake, as well as her husband and co-writer, Michael... |
| Parrot Parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae... |
The Escape The Escape (Animorphs) The Escape is the fifteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Marco.The cover quote reads, "The Yeerks are out there...."-Plot summary:... |
| Hammerhead shark Hammerhead shark The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a "cephalofoil". Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna while the... |
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| Mole Mole (animal) Moles are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the... |
The Underground The Underground (Animorphs) The Underground is the seventeenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:... |
| Mosquito Mosquito Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly... |
The Decision The Decision (Animorphs) The Decision is the eighteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Ax.The inside front cover quote is, "Ax is about to bug out...." The front cover quote is, "Change a little. Change a lot... |
| Deinonychus Deinonychus Deinonychus was a genus of carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur. There is one described species, Deinonychus antirrhopus. This 3.4 meter long dinosaur lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million years ago . Fossils have been recovered from the U.S... (unusable: Sario Rip Andalite terminology A compilation of Andalite terminology used throughout the Animorphs series.*Andalite Homeworld: The name of the native planet of the Andalites is not given in the series, and is simply referred to as the Andalite homeworld. It possesses more than one sun, which gives its sky a red-gold hue, and the... morph) |
In the Time of Dinosaurs In the Time of Dinosaurs (Megamorphs) #2: In the Time of Dinosaurs is the second book in the series, a set of companion books to the Animorphs series. With respect to continuity, it takes place between book #18, The Decision and book #19, The Departure... |
| Flea Flea Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood... |
The Threat The Threat (Animorphs) The Threat is the twenty-first book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Jake. It is the second book in the David trilogy.-Plot summary:... |
| Anteater Anteater Anteaters, also known as antbear, are the four mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating ants and termites. Together with the sloths, they compose the order Pilosa... |
The Suspicion The Suspicion (Animorphs) The Suspicion is the twenty-fourth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:... |
| Seal Pinniped Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped... |
The Extreme The Extreme (Animorphs) The Extreme is the twenty-fifth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Jeffrey Zeuhlke. It is narrated by Marco.... |
| Polar bear Polar Bear The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size... (Nanook) |
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| Sperm whale Sperm Whale The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale having the largest brain of any animal. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. The sperm whale is the only living member of genus Physeter... |
The Exposed The Exposed (Animorphs) The Exposed is the twenty-seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Laura Battyanyi-Weiss, although due to an editorial oversight, Battyanyi-Weiss was uncredited for this book. It is narrated by Rachel.The front cover quote is "They... |
| Giant squid Giant squid The giant squid is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species... |
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| Chimpanzee Chimpanzee Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:... |
The Experiment The Experiment (Animorphs) The Experiment is the twenty-eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Amy Garvey. It is narrated by Ax.The front cover quote is "Change is a good thing... |
| Eel Eel Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators... |
The Sickness The Sickness (Animorphs) The Sickness is the twenty-ninth book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Melinda Metz. It is narrated by Cassie.-Plot summary:... |
| Starfish | The Separation The Separation (Animorphs) The Separation is the thirty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by the two 'halves' of Rachel.-Plot summary:... |
| Squirrel Squirrel Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia... |
The Proposal The Proposal (Animorphs) The Proposal is the thirty-fifth book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Jeffrey Zuehlke. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:... |
| Cockatiel Cockatiel The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed... |
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| Killer whale (Swoosh) | The Mutation The Mutation (Animorphs) The Mutation is the thirty-sixth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Erica Bobone. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:... |
| Cheetah Cheetah The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws... |
The Weakness The Weakness (Animorphs) The Weakness is the thirty-seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Elise Smith... |
| Honey bee Honey bee Honey bees are a subset of bees in the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis... |
The Other |
| Human Human Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus... (Michele Leary) |
The Deception The Deception (Animorphs) The Deception is the forty-sixth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Elise Donner. It is narrated by Ax.-Plot summary:... |
| Beaver Beaver The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world... |
The Resistance The Resistance (Animorphs) The Resistance is the forty-seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Ellen Geroux. It is the third book in the ten-book arc that finalized the story of the Animorphs... |
| German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog... (Champ) |
The Diversion |
Books
Books narrated solely by Rachel include:- The VisitorThe Visitor (Animorphs)The Visitor, published in 1996 and written by K. A. Applegate, is the second book in the Animorphs series. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:...
- The StrangerThe Stranger (Animorphs)The Stranger is the seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:Rachel's father asks her to move with him to another state. After some reconnaissance work, Marco and Tobias find an entrance to the underground Yeerk Pool, in one of the...
- The ReactionThe Reaction (Animorphs)The Reaction is the twelfth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:Rachel and Cassie are on a school field trip to zoo at The Gardens. At the crocodile enclosure, the girls witness a young boy fall in. Rachel bravely jumps into the pit after...
- The UndergroundThe Underground (Animorphs)The Underground is the seventeenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel.-Plot summary:...
- The SolutionThe Solution (Animorphs)The Solution is the twenty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Rachel. It is the last book in the David trilogy.-Plot summary:...
- The ExposedThe Exposed (Animorphs)The Exposed is the twenty-seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Laura Battyanyi-Weiss, although due to an editorial oversight, Battyanyi-Weiss was uncredited for this book. It is narrated by Rachel.The front cover quote is "They...
- The SeparationThe Separation (Animorphs)The Separation is the thirty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by the two 'halves' of Rachel.-Plot summary:...
- The WeaknessThe Weakness (Animorphs)The Weakness is the thirty-seventh book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Elise Smith...
- The ReturnThe Return (Animorphs)The Return is the forty-eighth book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Kimberly Morris. Due to an editorial oversight, Lisa Harkrader was mistakenly credited with writing the book. It is narrated by Rachel...
Rachel also takes part in the narration of:
- The Andalite's GiftThe Andalite's Gift (Megamorphs)#1: The Andalite's Gift is the first book in the series, a set of companion books to the Animorphs series. With respect to continuity, it takes place between book #7, The Stranger and book #8, The Alien...
- In the Time of Dinosaurs
- Elfangor's SecretElfangor's Secret (Megamorphs)Megamorphs #3: Elfangor's Secret is the third book in the Megamorphs series, a spinoff of the Animorphs series. With respect to continuity, it takes place between The Sickness and The Reunion .-Plot summary:...
- Back to BeforeBack to Before (Megamorphs)Megamorphs #4: Back to Before is the fourth and final book in the Megamorphs series, a spinoff of the Animorphs series. With respect to continuity, it takes place between The Other and The Familiar .-Plot summary:...
- The JourneyThe Journey (Animorphs)The Journey is the forty-second book in the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Emily Costello. It is co-narrated by Rachel and Marco.-Plot summary:...
- The BeginningThe Beginning (Animorphs)The Beginning is the fifty-fourth and final book in the Animorphs series. Unlike other Animorphs books in the main series, but similar to the Megamorphs, all characters conduct narration instead of just one.-Plot summary:...
Toys
In 1999, two different Transformers toys of Rachel were made. The larger one sold in stores turned into a (male) lion, and the smaller one (part of a Taco Bell children's meal promotion) turned into a fly.External links
- Rachel's official page at Scholastic's website