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For the Tobias from the Amazon Sario Rip, see Tobias
For the Tobias who dated Melissa Chapman, see Tobias
For the Tobias who joined The Sharing, see Tobias
For the Tobias from the simulated dream, see Tobias

"Who am I? What am I? A bird. A boy. Something not quite human. Something more than human. The person Rachel loves. I discovered something amid the pain and terror and confusion. I discovered that the answer to what I am, to who I am, isn't something to be answered in a single word or a single moment. It could take a lifetime to figure out who I am. For now, I'm willing to hang in there, floating on a thermal. Biding my time."
―Tobias[src]

Tobias is a founding member of the Animorphs and the first human in history to morph. He is son of Elfangor and Loren and the nephew of Ax. He served as the "air force" member of the team, keeping an eye up above and performing aerial support and reconnaissance.

Biography

Early Life

Tobias was conceived in 1980 by Elfangor and Loren during the period of time when the Andalite Elfangor had trapped himself in a human morph and lived with his human wife Loren[6] in Southern California.[3] Shortly after, a cosmic figure known as the Ellimist restored Elfangor to his Andalite form and returned him to the Andalite homeworld. Loren, who was currently pregnant with Tobias and had been rapidly aged by three years due to her usage of a time machine known as the Time Matrix, was transported three years into the future to 1983 by the Ellimist in his effort to repair some of the timeline changes she and Elfangor had done.[6] Tobias was then born in 1984,[5] with Loren having married another man, believing Tobias to be the son of this spouse[6][7] as her memories of Elfangor were erased.[6][8] However, this man ran off before Tobias was born.[2] After Tobias' birth, Loren was involved in a car accident that left her disfigured and rendered her amnesiac. Having lost her memories of her child, Loren found herself unable to care for herself, let alone the young son she was told she had.[8] She then arranged for her sister who lived on the East Coast[9] to take custody of Tobias, believing her son would have a happy life and would be taken care of.[8]

Pre-Animorph Life

Troubled Childhood

"The food was better at my aunt's. She didn't pass out in my room. She had her own brand of fun. She'd work me like her own personal slave. That's how I knew what was in the attic: I cleaned it out. And she'd keep me out of school to run errands for her or just to "be there" in case she needed me. At least my uncle let me go to school. He'd have let me go to Australia and not cared. Not a nice feeling knowing that if you were ever kidnapped or whatever, there was no one around to bother and call the cops. But, hey, that's life. [...] My mom probably died, too. And my dad. I don't know. Everyone just says my mom ran off. Everyone says my dad ran off before I was born. Or sometimes they make up stories, like they both died in an accident. Sometimes I make up stories. The truth, if there ever was any truth, was lost a long time ago."
Tobias[src]

However, Loren's sister despised being given responsibility of Tobias[10] and refused to let him go to school and instead kept him at home, treating him as a personal slave.[2] However, her irritation at raising her nephew caused her to occasionally send Tobias to her brother, who lived on the West Coast.[9] While Tobias' uncle let him go to school and allowed him to live without restrictions, he was a drunkard who harassed and emotionally abused his nephew, along with occassionally passing out in Tobias' room.[2] Additionally, Tobias viewed his uncle's house as being more like a shack[8] and that the food he received was worse than what his aunt gave him.[2] For many years, Tobias was constantly shuffled back and forth between the East and West Coast every few months to alternate living with his aunt and uncle,[11] as neither wished to have permanent custody over their nephew.[12]

Tobias had been informed that his mother's name was Loren[10][8] and that she, along with the stepfather whom he believed was his biological father,[7] had died when he was very young.[12] However, Tobias' views on what happened to his parents constantly changed.[12][13][7] On some days, he believed that his parents had both died[12] and other times he believed that they had both abandoned him.[13] Occasionally, Tobias thought that his father might have been the one who left,[13] as he preferred to think that Loren had died, not wanting to accept that his mother did not love him and had chosen to walk out on him.[6] However, Tobias would also sometimes think that Loren was the one who had abandoned him while his father was the one who had died.[7] Tobias found himself unsure regarding the true status of what had happened to both of them, claiming that the truth had become lost to him over the years.[2]

During his childhood, he became a fan of dinosaurs due to spending time alone in his room playing with dinosaur toys.[14] He also liked Star Trek.[15] While living on the East Coast,[9] Tobias stole berries from a hilltop house, although he was caught by an elderly woman called Professor Powers who owned the house. Tobias prepared to run, although he was instead invited by the woman into her kitchen, where she fed him home-cooked food and told him stories.[10]

Moving Back to California

"I am what they call a bully magnet. I don't know why. I just am. Used to be these two other guys who had the job of torturing me. Their thing was swirlies. You know, they'd grab me by the ankles and knees and dip my head in the toilet while they flushed. Used to. This guy named Jake came into the boys' room while they were doing it. He told them to step off. That was it, but he had a way of saying it, I guess. Those two haven't bugged me since."
Tobias[src]

In 1997,[16] when Tobias was thirteen,[17] he was sent back to Southern California[3] to live with his uncle once again.[11] After enrolling in the local middle school, where he was constantly bullied and was physically abused.[2] At school, he developed an attraction to a girl named Rachel and had a teacher who looked out for him known as Mr. Feyroyan. During art class, Tobias sketched something that was accepted into a state art show by a committee. Tobias was informed that there would be a prizewinners' reception and asked his uncle if he would take him, although his uncle refused as there was no prize money. Tobias then went to his room and began crying. Looking out of his window, he saw a mother and daughter exit their car and saw the mother holding her daughter's finger painting carefully. Tobias viewed this as a reminder how his life was not like other kids and how he felt truly alone in life.[10] While living at his uncle's, Tobias acquired a pet cat, which he named Dude. One day at school, Tobias was attacked in the bathroom. As his head was being flushed into a toilet by two bullies, he was saved by Jake, and thus developed a sort of hero worship towards Jake as a result.[11]

Becoming an Animorph

Future Decided

Tobias

Tobias speaks to a hawk, unaware that it his future self

"Tobias. Walk home with Jake. Walk through the construction site."
"What?"
―Future Tobias and Tobias[src]

While sleeping one night, Tobias was woken in the middle of the night by a red-tailed hawk, unaware that it was actually his future self. The telepathic hawk informed Tobias that he should walk home through an abandoned construction site with Jake the following night. As Tobias struggled to go back to sleep, the hawk fluttered on his arm, and Tobias entered a trance and fell back asleep. Tobias then believed the entire interaction was a dream.[13] The next night, which was a Friday, Tobias went to the mall. He ran into Jake with his best friend Marco and asked Jake if he could walk home with them, to which Jake agreed. As the boys reached the exit, they ran into Rachel, who was Jake's cousin, and another girl named Cassie,[11] whom Tobias did not know. The girls decided to walk home with the boys as the five thirteen year olds left the mall and headed towards the construction site. However, unbeknownst to Tobias, due to his status as Elfangor's time-shifted son, the Ellimist had predestined for him, along with Marco and Cassie, to be walking home through the construction site that night.[2]

Meeting Elfangor

Animorphs 1999 Calendar Crop

Tobias meeting Elfangor

"Your mother... tell me about your mother, Tobias. Your family."
"She... disappeared. When I was just little. I don't know what happened. I guess she died. People say she just left because she was messed up. They said she never got over my father. I don't know. But I know she has to be dead because she'd never have just left me. No matter what. But maybe that's just what I told myself. I don't exactly have a family."
"Go to your friends, Tobias. They are your family now."
Elfangor and Tobias[src]

Tobias stared up at the night sky while he walked through the abandoned construction site. Noticing an alien spaceship above them, Tobias stopped walking and pointed his finger upwards, telling them to look. Tobias then began grinning as the teenagers witnessed the spaceship land in front of them. When Rachel suggested that they should communicate with whomever was on board, Tobias stepped forward and urged the alien that it was safe for them to come out and that they wouldn't hurt them. The alien then responded using a voice they could hear in their heads that he knew they would not.

Tobias continued to smile as he witnessed a blue alien exit from the ship, whom he greeted with a gentle voice. The alien explained that he was dying and that he was not the first alien to come to Earth. Tobias asked him if the other aliens were like him, and the alien responded that the other aliens, known as the Yeerks, had come to destroy humans. The alien transmitted an image of a green-gray slug into their minds and explained that the Yeerks were a parasitic species that take over bodies to use as hosts, after which they become known as Controllers. The alien, revealing himself to be a member of a species called an Andalite, added that it would take a year if not more for the Andalite forces to come to Earth, and urged the teenagers to warn humanity of the Yeerk threat. When Marco remarked that no one would believe them, the Andalite suddenly urged one of them to enter his ship and retrieve the blue box that was inside. As they all looked at each other, Tobias declined, citing that he wished to remain next to the Andalite.

The Andalite informed them that he could use the box to grant them the ability to morph — by touching an animal and concentrating, they could acquire that creature's DNA and transform their bodies into that of the animal's. As the Andalite asked if they wished to accept this power, Rachel noticed something in the sky and wondered what it was, to which the Andalite replied that those were the Yeerks. He urged them that there was no time, and Tobias agreed to accept the morphing ability in order to fight the Controllers. Tobias told Jake that they had to accept, to which Jake agreed. All five of them pressed their hands against the box, and Tobias felt a tingle run through him as he received the morphing ability.

The Andalite warned them that they should not stay in morph for more than two hours or else they would be trapped before yelling at them to run as Visser Three, a Controller who could also morph, was coming.[11] While the other four teenagers ran, Tobias continued to stay behind with Elfangor. Elfangor then asked Tobias to tell him about his mother and his family, and Tobias informed him that he did not know her as she either died or disappeared when he was young and that he did not exactly have a family. Elfangor then told Tobias that Jake, Rachel, Cassie and Marco were his family now[6] He then placed his palm onto Tobias' forehead and transferred some of his memories and knowledge to Tobias[11] before telling him to run.[6]

Hiding behind a low wall, Tobias witnessed as the Blade ship and Bug fighters landed. As tall, bladed creatures emerged from the Blade ship, the dying Andalite used his thought-speak to mentally communicate with them, informing them that these were Hork-Bajir-Controllers and that the giant centipede-like creatures that were also emerging were known as Taxxons. The five kids then tried to remain silent as one of the Hork-Bajir-Controllers positioned himself near their hiding spot. They then noticed an Andalite emerging from the Blade ship, which the dying Andalite explained was Visser Three — the only Andalite-Controller to exist.

Tobias watched as Visser Three greeted the Andalite as Prince Elfangor before morphing into a monstrous creature with multiple ringed teeth. Rachel then held Tobias' hand as the Visser lifted Elfangor, but as Jake picked up a pipe to rush into action, Tobias quickly joined Marco in restraining Jake. Tobias then watched as Visser Three dropped Elfangor in his mouth and was forced to hear Elfangor's mental screams as he was being ripped apart. When Elfangor died, Tobias turned away and covered him face with hands. Marco then threw up, prompting the nearby Hork-Bajir-Controller to look in their direction. The five teenagers then bolted and ran their separate ways as the Yeerks began pursuing them. Tobias successfully managed to escape from the construction site and ran back to his uncle's house.[11]

Testing Morphing Powers

Tobias as dude

Tobias morphs into his cat, Dude

"It was so amazing. It didn't hurt or anything. I was petting him, and thinking about the whole thing last night, right? So I thought, why not give it a try? [...] So there I was, just sitting on my bed, thinking about it. Concentrating. Thinking about becoming Dude. I looked down at my hand. What do you think I saw, Jake?"
"I don't know."
"I had fur, Jake. And I was growing claws."
―Tobias and Jake[src]

The next morning, which was a Saturday, Tobias was petting Dude, his pet tabby cat, in his room while thinking about what had transpired the night before. Remembering when the Andalite Prince had said, Tobias focused on Dude and ended up acquiring it. Tobias then concentrated on the mental picture of Dude and to his amazement found fur emerging from his hands as claws formed from his fingers. Dude, who had witnessed this transformation, panicked and sliced Tobias' finger, prompting Tobias to put Dude outside his room. Noting that his uncle was still asleep, Tobias returned his concentration and succesfully morphed into Dude. Demorphing back to his human self, Tobias found himself nude. Getting dressed, Tobias decided to walk to Jake's house.

Arriving at Jake's house, Tobias was greeted by Jake's mother, who escorted him to Jake's bedroom. Tobias then thanked her as he entered Jake's room and informed him that he had successfully morphed. When Jake refused to believe him, Tobias morphed into Dude again to prove his claim. He then demorphed and found himself nude once more, and as he quickly dressed, remarked that perhaps they could learn to morph with clothing later. Tobias assured Jake that they all had the morphing ability which they should use to fight the Yeerks and informed Jake that he was the one who was to be their leader. Tobias observed as Jake acquired and morphed Homer, his pet golden retriever. Jake's brother Tom entered the room and asked Tobias who he was, and Tobias responded that he was Jake's friend. After Jake demorphed, he called the others and asked them to meet them later at Cassie's farm. Tobias then left Jake's house, stating that he would join them later.[11]

Investigating the Yeerks

"Suddenly the wimp is a hero."
"Maybe I just found something worth fighting for, Marco."
"You don't even fight for yourself."
"That was before. Before the Andalite. Before he died trying to save us. I can't let that go. I can't let him die for nothing. So whatever you guys decide, I'm going to fight."
Marco and Tobias[src]

Tobias arrived at Cassie's farm and found Rachel already there. As Marco joined them, they read a newspaper which stated that residents near the abandoned construction site had called the police about seeing spaceships and explosions. However, the police claimed they had investigated the matter and concluded there were no spaceships and that the explosions were just teenagers using fireworks, whom they were now looking for. They then realized that the police and media contained Controllers, and when Jake arrived, they shared the newspaper and their realization with him. As they sat in silence, Marco told them that they should just forget what they've learned and move on with their lives, prompting Tobias to give him a look.

Cassie, who was in horse morph, then galloped towards them and began to demorph, revealing that she had incorporated a skintight outfit. However, before she could turn back into human entirely, Tobias heard the sound of a car pulling up and quickly warned the others that it was the police. He then joined the others in shielding Cassie from view as she finished demorphing. Tobias remained silent as the police officer questioned them about information on kids being at the abandoned construction site the night before. After getting no answers, the police officer suggested that Jake join the The Sharing before driving off.

As Rachel claimed that they needed to inform someone important whom they could trust to handle the Yeerks since they were just kids, Tobias responded that they could not trust anyone since they could be a Controller, which would result in their deaths and humanity being doomed. When Tobias declared that they should fight, Marco retorted that Tobias could not even fight off the bullies at school. Rachel then came to his defense and stated that she would align with his vote of them fighting, much to Tobias' gratitude. The argument came to an end when Cassie and Jake decided that they should take some time to think before deciding, and the group disbanded. Tobias then walked into Cassie's barn and spotted a red-tailed hawk with a broken wing in a cage, whom he felt bad for. Tobias elected to acquire and morph the red-tailed hawk and flew away from the barn.

Tobias demorphing

Tobias demorphing to human

While he was flying, Tobias experienced thermals for the first time and relished as he soared high in the sky. Sorting through the memories and visions that the dying prince Elfangor had given him, Tobias learned that the Yeerks needed to return to a Yeerk pool every three days in order to feed from Kandrona rays. Tobias began looking at bodies of water from the air but was unable to discern which could be Yeerk pools. He then flew to Jake's house and entered through Jake's window. Demorphing, he informed Jake and Marco of the Kandrona and the Yeerk pool. When Marco asked what his next move should he locate one, Tobias confidently replied that they would simply destroy it as a means to fight the Yeerks. Marco then sneered that Tobias had never even fought for himself, Tobias was steadfast in his response that the Andalite had died for them and that he would fight for humanity even if Marco didn't.

Marco informed Tobias that Jake's brother Tom was a Controller and that he also urged them to join The Sharing, much like the policeman they had encountered earlier. Tobias realized that The Sharing might be a front organization for the Yeerks, and Jake decided that they should investigate to find out more. Speaking with Tom, Jake had them invited to a bonfire that The Sharing was hosting at the beach. Jake then contacted Rachel and Cassie to join them before the five departed from Jake's house. En route to the beach, it was decided that Tobias would be more useful spying on The Sharing from above. He then hid behind a dune and morphed into his hawk form while Marco put his clothes in his bag. Tobias then spent over an hour flying above The Sharing, watching the mice scamper through the grass while noticing where the full members of The Sharing held their private meetings.

As the other rallied back together, Tobias was signaled by Jake to descend and inform him of the location of the full members' meeting. Jake then ordered Tobias to demorph, which Tobias reluctantly complied with, citing that he felt imprisoned when returning back to his human form. When Jake returned from spying on the meeting, he notified them that Tom and their assistant principal Chapman were both Controllers. Marco advised them once more that they should forget everything and resume their normal lives, although Jake refused, stating that he would fight the Yeerks as he could not let Tom be a Controller. Tobias then joined Rachel and Cassie in their declaration of joining Jake in his fight, after which the group went their separate ways and returned back home.

On Monday, Tobias met with the others at the mall food court after school and listened as Jake informed them that the janitor's closet at their school held the entrance to the Yeerk pool, where he heard human screams. As Rachel mentioned that they needed to fight the Yeerks and opposed Marco's reluctance due to his familial situation citing that they all family, Tobias solemnly added that he did not have family and that no one cared about him; however, Rachel quickly chimed in that she cared about him. Jake declared that he would go into the Yeerk pool later that night in order to rescue Tom, and Tobias, along with Rachel and Cassie, agreed to go with him, with Marco reluctantly joining the mission for Tom's sake. The newly-formed team then decided to travel to The Gardens, an amusement park-zoo in their city, in order to acquire more dangerous morphs. As they prepared to leave, Marco dubbed the five of them as the Animorphs,[11] a portmanteau for "animal morphers."[18]

Trapped in Morph

"How long since I'd morphed to red-tailed hawk? An hour and fifty minutes? An hour and fifty-five? How long?! The others had escaped already. The other Animorphs, I mean. They'd dodged the visser's fireball gauntlet. They'd slipped out to safety, back through the janitor's closet, back into the school. Rachel, Cassie, Marco, Jake. Had I missed the deadline? Had I been more than two hours in morph? Couldn't have. Can't have. No. I'd be trapped forever. A bird. Independent, free, alone. Forever."
―Tobias[src]

Upon arriving at The Gardens, the five of them began pooling their cash to pay for admission. Tobias remarked that he did not think he should come inside with them since he did not want to morph anything other than the red-tailed hawk, to which Rachel informed him that she thought that would be a mistake since their only method of fighting the Yeerks was to morph and thus they should acquire as many animals as they could. Entering the park, Cassie led them into the employees' hallway, which contained the doors leading to all of the other enclosures. She guided them to the enclosure belonging to Big Jim, a Silverback gorilla, where she assisted Marco in acquiring it. Tobias remarked that the gorilla was strong enough to tear off Marco's arms, which Marco chided him for as it was affecting his concentration.

An employee who recognized Cassie then saw them, prompting them to return back to the hallway. As a security guard spotted them, Tobias followed Rachel and Cassie down one path while Jake and Marco ran down another; since the security guard chose to pursue the two boys instead, they were able to escape without worry. Returning back to the public space, the three stuck together and headed towards the African elephants, with Rachel deciding to acquire one of them. Both Cassie and Tobias elected not to acquire any additional morphs and thus the three returned to the main entrance, where Jake and Marco soon met up with them. The five of them then left The Gardens and took the bus back to their respective homes, planning to meet up at the school later that evening.

A few hours later, Tobias set out towards the school, although he elected to fly there in his hawk morph rather than bike. Meeting up with Rachel and Marco, he flew above the school waiting for Jake and Cassie. As Jake arrived, he expressed anger that Tobias had morphed, since it meant his time limit had already begun. Tobias then descended and landed on Rachel's shoulder where she nuzzled him, much to Jake's surprise. Jake then informed them that Cassie had gone missing. Deciding to continue their mission regardless, the four entered the school through an unlocked window Marco knew of, with Tobias flying in. Jake then peered out of the hallway and noted that there were Controllers entering through the janitor's closet before suddenly asking Tobias to verify something for him. Landing on Jake's shoulder, Tobias looked out into the hallway and confirmed that the policeman from earlier that day was dragging Cassie into the janitor's closet. The four then decided to enter the Yeerk Pool through the closet; since time was even more of an issue now that Cassie was about to be infested, Tobias was not given an opportunity to demorph.

As they descended into the Yeerk pool, they realized that it was a gigantic subterranean cavern that was underneath half the city, along with the fact that the janitor's closet was just one of many entrances and exits. Flying above, Tobias kept an eye on Cassie as they watched the Controllers re-enter the pool on one pier as their screaming hosts were thrown into cages, after which they would be brought to the reinfestation pier. Jake noticed a group of Controllers laughing as they watched television, and Tobias explained that they were voluntary Controllers; Rachel disparaged the humans who had willingly allowed themselves to be infested, to which Tobias responded that certain humans turned to The Sharing and accepted the Yeerks in their heads as they believed becoming something different would be the solution to their personal troubles. When Marco retorted that some other humans turned to hawks in order to do the same, this offended Tobias and prompted him to fly away from them. He took note of Tom fighting in the cages and revealed this to Jake before notifying them that Cassie was on the infestation pier and that they had mere minutes to save her.

Tobias watched from above as Jake, Rachel and Marco morphed into a Siberian tiger, African elephant and Silverback gorilla respectively before they fought off Controllers and freed the prisoners from their cages. Rachel then screamed that Cassie, who was being dragged by two Hork-Bajir-Controllers to the pier's edge, was about to be infested. In order to save her, Tobias plumetted into a power dive and struck the first Hork-Bajir, gouging out both of his eyes and allowing Cassie to escape while Jake took out the second Hork-Bajir.[11] Tobias then flew back up and observed as Visser Three emerged; believing them to be Andalites in animal morphs, the visser morphed into a giant fire-breathing monster with eight heads. As Visser Three shot off a gauntlet of fireballs, Tobias ascended to the rooftop of the caverns and hid while noting as the other four Animorphs escaped. Tobias remained in hiding for a long time while pondering how much time had passed; additionally, he remarked that he would be independent and free, albeit alone, if he was indeed trapped.[19]

Tobias GN1

Tobias speaks with Jake

Eventually, over two hours passed and Tobias found himself definitively stuck as a red-tailed hawk, unable to resume his human form. Tobias was then able to escape from the Yeerk Pool through another exit point and flew to Jake's house, arriving there in the early hours of the morning. Beating his wings on Jake's window to wake him up, Tobias informed Jake of his predicament. As Jake cried and claimed that one day the Andalites would come to save them, Tobias added that they would have to continue fighting the Yeerks until that day came.[11]

Life as a Hawk

Living in Jake's Attic

Tobias then began living in Jake's attic, sleeping in a drawer filled with blankets while eating whatever leftovers Jake brought him, despite the fact that most of it was not digestible by his new hawk body. Tobias also had Jake write and send two letters on his behalf, one each to be sent to his uncle and aunt claiming that he was now living with other permanently.[12]

Early Missions

To be added

Relationship with Rachel

To be added

Suicide Attempt

"I didn't care. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to wake up. I wanted to fall to the ground because my wings had disappeared and been replaced by clumsy legs and flailing arms. I wanted to be me again. I am human! I am human! I am Tobias!"
―Tobias[src]

At first, Tobias attempted to maintain his humanity and repress his hawk instincts, living in Jake's attic and eating leftovers left in Rubbermaid containers. However, after giving in to the hawk's hunger, causing him to kill and eat a rat, Tobias attempted to commit suicide by flying into a mall, trying to slam into glass doors, store walls, and eventually, the mall's glass skylight, although Marco manages to shatter it with a baseball to save him.

He then surrendered himself to the hawk mind, living the next few days in a meadow, creating a nest, feasting on prey and nearly forgetting his human memories, although the sight of Hork-Bajir and a human being chased by the Yeerks brings him back to his senses. After feeling distressed about seeing the death of a female red-tailed hawk, Tobias discusses this with Rachel and begins to accept his newly found balance between being a hawk and a being a human. Tobias began to live in the forest and have a routine similar to a hawk's while also helping the Animorphs like finding entrances to the Yeerk pool.

Meeting Ax

To be added

Aerial Support

To be added

Meeting the Ellimist

Briefly Returned to Human

To be added

Visit to Alternate Future

To be added

Befriending Ax

To be added

Free Hork-Bajir

While flying with Rachel to show her a new entrance to the Yeerk Pool, he soon finds he is not where he was heading and sees two Hork-Bajir being chased by a group of Controllers. As the Animorphs help the two free Hork-Bajir get to a safe valley, more mysterious events keep happening to Tobias, giving him knowledge of places and events while they’re happening.

Frustrated about being used, Tobias stops everyone and demands to find out what is happening. Tobias then finds himself in another plane, and sees himself as a cross between human and hawk. He encounters the Ellimist, who offers to grant Tobias’s innermost wish if Tobias helps save the two free Hork-Bajir.

Regaining the Morphing Ability

Saving Jara and Ket

"Looks like I'm a full member of the team again. I can morph. But I guess ... I mean, it looks like I'll still be a hawk. I'll be keeping my wings."
―Tobias[src]

While trying to find some food, Tobias is injured and about to be eaten by a raccoon. At that moment, the Ellimist restores Tobias's ability to morph, but does not return him to human form. Tobias is enraged, accusing the omniscient being of not keeping his promise, and then quickly acquires the raccoon and flies away.

Acquiring his Human Self

After successfully getting the two Hork-Bajir to the hidden valley, the Ellimist sends Tobias back in time, to the night before he went to the Abandoned Construction Site with Jake and the others. Tobias remembers the Ellimist's statement about Tobias being able to change a timeline, and is given a choice: he could tell his younger self, who has waken up, not to go to the construction site, thereby preventing him from gaining the power to morph or being trapped as a bird, or he could decide to let things pass as they did and use the opportunity to acquire his human self. Tobias chooses the latter, accepting that he wishes to be a hawk with the ability to morph and become human temporarily rather than be human forever. Returning Tobias to the present time, the Ellimist asks Tobias if he has delivered on his promise, and Tobias replies that he has.

Morph-Capable Animorph

Zone 91 Infiltration

To be added

Royan Island Mission

To be added

Supplementary Support

To be added

In the Time of Dinosaurs

Sent Back in Time

To be added

Killing the Dinosaurs

To be added

Debacles

To be added

Hork-Bajir Stories

To be added

Familial Traps

Aria's Ploy

To be added

Discovering his Parentage

"Time stopped. I felt like I'd grabbed hold of a million-volt power line. Every cell in my body was tingling. Elfangor! My father!"
―Tobias[src]

A couple of days before Tobias' first birthday after becoming a hawk, Tobias discovers that a lawyer and a long-lost cousin named Aria have been searching for Tobias. Tobias meets the lawyer, DeGroot, in human morph and learns that his real father’s will is supposed to be read to him on his birthday. Tobias also learns that Aria wants to take care of him. Tobias begins to wonder if he can live as a human again with Aria, but then discovers Aria was just Visser Three in morph.

On the day of his birthday, Tobias goes to the testament-reading and discovers that his father was in fact Elfangor. Tobias gives nothing away, not wanting to let “Aria” and DeGroot know that Tobias knows who Elfangor is.

Only after he returns to his hiding spot does he break down, and decides that he can't give up his morphing powers because he must continue to fight for his people, just like his father did.

Additional Operations

To be added

Killing Hitler

"Adolf Hitler. The most evil man in a long history of evil men. Tobias was up. He moved like lightning. The squat man with the funny mustache was jerked back, yanked around, and pinned against Tobias's Hork-Bajir body. Tobias's wrist blade was at his throat. [...] The captain fired. Point blank at Tobias. Tobias jerked in reflex. His wrist blade cut deep. The driver - Hitler - fell to the ground."
Cassie[src]

To be added

Relationship Hurdles

To be added

Tortured by Taylor

"She hit the red circle again. I screamed. Screamed and screamed. My wings trembled, uncontrollable. My beak jerked wildly. Talons clutched at nothing. My bowels failed and I fouled myself. Indescribable pain. Staggering pain. Pain that ate into me, chewed at my guts, twisted every nerve ending."
―Tobias[src]

In an attempt to trick the Yeerks into thinking that their newest device, the Anti-Morphing Ray, was defective, Tobias intentionally gets captured by Controllers. After the Anti-Morphing Ray having no effect on Tobias, Sub-Visser Fifty-One, who goes by her host name Taylor, is chosen to be the one to torture Tobias into “demorphing”.

Tobias tries resisting the torture but Taylor using both pain and pleasure methods in conjunction, causing Tobias to nearly die and experience Utzum, a genetic memory where he views Elfangor's memories and experiences from the past, which protects him from his agony.

While rescuing Tobias, Rachel attempts to kill Taylor when she discovers Tobias’s torture, but Tobias feels a sense of pity for both the Yeerk and the girl and asks Rachel to spare her life.

Further Missions

"Tobias swooped and plunged, talons first. One Hork-Bajir fell off, clutching his eyes."
Jake[src]

To be added

Reunion with Taylor

Saving Bobby McIntyre

To be added

Taylor's Proposition

To be added

Morphing into a Woman

To be added

Taylor's Treachery

To be added

Continued Campaigns

To be added

Endgame

Meeting his Mother

To be added

Saving Loren

"Even if she's not a Controller, they'll figure it out. They'll be waiting for you. You have to walk away, Tobias. Forget her."
"Like you've forgotten your parents? And Tom? You haven't forgotten your family, Jake, no matter what you say. And I can't forget mine, I'm getting her out."
"How? You said it yourself. She's blind. How can you get a blind person out while the Yeerks are watching?"
"By taking a huge risk. One you probably won't like. By asking you to trust me."
Jake and Tobias[src]

While investigating a blood databank that was looking for potential genetic matches for the Animorphs, Tobias finds a genetic match for his mother, Loren and her location, only a few blocks from the house in which he lived with his uncle. Tobias, eventually, talks to his mother and learns about her history and that she had lost her memory in an accident years before. Tobias then hatches a scheme to help Loren escape, from the Yeerks hunting down family members of the Animorphs, by giving her the morphing power. Although this restores Loren’s vision, her memories were still lost. Still, she moved into the Hork-Bajir valley where Tobias was partly grateful to have someone from his family with him.

Auxiliaries

To be added

Trip to the Capitol

To be added

Destruction of the Yeerk Pool

To be added

Seizing the Pool Ship

To be added

Death of Rachel

To be added During the final battle against the Yeerks, Jake orders Rachel to secretly follow Tom’s Yeerk and kill him when he gives the order. Following him on board the Blade Ship, Rachel attacks the Yeerks in control of the ship and kills Tom, before dying at the hands of a Controller in polar bear morph shortly after. Tobias is enraged at Jake, and as soon as the final battle is over, Tobias flies away.

Post-War

Seclusion

Tobias arrives at Rachel’s memorial to retrieve her ashes and then flies away with them. He is not seen for many years, staying in the woods and only keeping contact with Cassie and Toby.

One Last Mission

Tobias is asked by Jake to go on one last mission, but only concedes when he learns that Ax is in danger. Tobias, along with Jake, Marco, Sergeant Santorelli, Jeanne Gerard, and Menderash-Postill-Fastill, head into space in “The Rachel”. After several months in space, the Animorphs find the Blade Ship, only to discover that Ax has been assimilated into an entity only known as The One. The One threatens to consume the Animorphs, as it had done to Ax. Jake comments on Marco's earlier call to be "crazy, reckless and ruthless," and, with a smile that Marco notes makes him look like Rachel, orders them to ram the Blade ship.

Personality

"It suddenly occurred to me, right then, for the first time, that what I thought was so unique about me – that I was half instinctive predator, and half human being – wasn't so unique after all. Every human – Jake. Rachel. Marco. Cassie, all humans – kind of lives on that edge between savage and saint. And the thing is that sometimes when you get pushed you do have to push back. And other times, you have to turn the other cheek."
―Tobias[src]

Before the war, Tobias was a shy dreamer somewhat detached from the world. He was kind and gentle, and very unpopular at school and a bully magnet. He lived with his uncle, who was not very fond of him and he often got thrown between him and his uncaring aunt on the other coast. The only time he felt happy was when he was with his friend and mother-figure Professor Powers. Not very happy with his life, Tobias found meaning in the war. For the first time he felt like he had something worth fighting for, and he was particularly motivated by Elfangor's death. Tobias also found freedom in the power to morph. He became enraptured with the hawk morph, where he could just fly away from his human problems.The other Animorphs recognized Tobias' attachment to the hawk morph, and Jake warned him of the time limit. However, during their first mission to the Yeerk Pool at the end of The Invasion Tobias stays in hawk morph for over two hours, trapping him permanently. The other Animorphs sometimes speculate if Tobias trapped himself on purpose, as an excuse to escape his terrible life as a human.

Because of Tobias' dual existence as both a hawk and a human, his friends sometimes call him "bird-boy". Tobias' narrations contain many thoughts on his internal conflict between his human and hawk sides. A common issue that arises is his need to hunt and kill to survive. The ruthless nature of the hawk contrasts with the more caring nature of human Tobias. Tobias sometimes wonders if he is losing his humanity because of this.

Relationships with the other Animorphs

Jake

"It felt good to hear Jake say I was indispensable, but with Jake you could never be sure anymore what was sincere. And what was just expedient. He'd been the most open of guys, back in the old days. What you saw with Jake was what you got. But he'd been a leader for a long time now. He'd learned to say what he needed to say. Jake needed me as one of the Animorphs. He liked me, respected me, was happy for me when I was happy. And, when he had to, he used me without regard for anything but winning."
―Tobias[src]

Tobias and Jake were casual acquaintances before the series began, after Jake saved Tobias from a group of bullies. Tobias has a deep respect for Jake and rarely challenges his decisions or leadership during the series, while Jake respects Tobias's own strength; he once even nominated Tobias as the one to make a judgment call when he, Marco and Ax were out on an independent survey mission. However, Tobias was never able to forgive Jake for sacrificing Rachel in the final battle.

Rachel

"Rachel would be beautiful in the middle of mud slides and hailstorms. On a sweet, sunny day, she made my heart ache. She looked at me. Embarrassed for me. Wanting to say something that would make it all right. Not knowing what to say. Hurting for me. Feeling my humiliation."
―Tobias[src]
This section requires expansion

Rachel and Tobias were acquainted before the start of the series, although they didn't really know each other. Despite this, Tobias had a crush on Rachel. Rachel was more affectionate towards Tobias than anyone at the start, and remained as his anchor to the other Animorphs after he became trapped as a bird, with Rachel stating that she felt like she had to take care of him. Tobias often visited Rachel in the late nights or early mornings in her bedroom, and their relationship soon became romantic, with them becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Rachel's death drives Tobias into depression and seclusion.

Ax

"I should have flown away. I knew I should have. But Ax had said I was his shorm. It's an Andalite word for someone who is closer than a friend. During the war we'd both been exiles in the woods, Ax and me. Neither of us had a real home. His family was a billion miles away, mine didn't really exist. Only later did we discover that Ax and I were, because of almost unbelievable circumstances, actually related."
―Tobias[src]
This section requires expansion

Ax and Tobias share a close bond, with Ax regarding Tobias as his shorm (best friend). Their bond is later strengthened when they discover they are uncle and nephew.

Marco

"Marco and I will probably never be very close. He's a typical smart-aleck kind of guy. Always confident. Always has some funny or sarcastic thing to say. He's short, or at least he's not very tall. I guess girls think he's cute because he has this long brown hair and dark eyes."
―Tobias[src]
This section requires expansion

Initially, Marco and Tobias were indifferent to one another. However, shortly after becoming Animorphs, they grew closer through the various battles they shared, and Tobias and Marco became close friends.

Cassie

"You and me, I guess."
"I'm always glad to have you along."
Cassie and Tobias[src]
This section requires expansion

Tobias and Cassie are similar in their kind natures and understanding of animals.

Morphs

Book Morphs

"I'm happy with just my hawk morph. I don't want to be anything else."
―Tobias[src]
Morph Book Acquired
Cat (Dude; unusable due to nothlit status) The Invasion
Red-Tailed Hawk (nothlit)
Raccoon The Change
Hork-Bajir (Ket Halpak)
Human (13 year old self)
Racehorse The Unknown
Bottlenose Dolphin The Escape
Hammerhead Shark
Housefly The Warning
Mole The Underground
Brown Bat
Mosquito The Decision
Deinonychus (unusable; Sario Rip morph) In the Time of Dinosaurs
Seagull The Threat
Flea
African Elephant The Solution
Rabbit The Pretender
Baby Ringed Seal The Extreme
Polar Bear (Nanook)
Sperm Whale The Exposed
Giant Squid
Chimpanzee The Experiment
Bull
Eel The Sickness
Cockroach The Reunion
Mountain Goat (acquired but never used)
Andalite (Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill) The Illusion
Orca (Swoosh) The Mutation
Nartec
Honeybee The Other
Human (Taylor) The Test
Taxxon
Human (male United States Navy catapult-and-arresting-gear officer) The Deception
North American Beaver (acquired but never used) The Resistance
German Shepherd (Champ) The Diversion
Mallard Drake The Absolute
Dragonfly The Answer


Television Show Morphs

Morph Episode Acquired
Red-Tailed Hawk - Nothlit My Name is Jake, Part 2
Human (Tobias) Face Off, Part 1
Skink My Name is Jake (original acquisition)/Not My Problem (as a flashback)
Lion

Books Narrated By Tobias

Trivia

  • Tobias is the first of the human Animorphs to both acquire as well as morph.
  • Out of all of the core six Animorphs, Tobias has the least amount of morphs. This may be due to his preference to avoid morphing whenever possible, a sentiment remarked by some of the Animorphs.
  • Tobias has the distinction of any member to have a cover showing him morphing into another member of the team, as he morphed into Ax in The Illusion.
  • Tobias and Ax get the least amount of books in the series. The reason for this came from Scholastic, rather than K.A. They didn't think that kids would be able to relate as well to an alien character, or to a kid trapped as a hawk. As a result, they both got their books in rotations of every 10 books, rather than the 5 like everyone else. Tobias got all the 3's in the series (#3, 13, 23, etc), while Ax got all the 8's (#8, 18, 28, etc). However, as it turned out, the books for Tobias and Ax were some of the fan's favorites, so both Ax and Tobias were brought into the equal rotation with the rest of the Animorphs near the end of the series.
  • Tobias both new and old cover models on books 23 and 43

    Tobias' cover model comparison

    The Test featured a new Tobias cover model. Ursula Albano, the art director for Animorphs shared this story on the Anibase about the discovery of the new Tobias:
"We couldn't find a kid in time for the shoot, so the photographer asked the agency to send over any old kid to stand in. Our artist, David Mattingly, would alter him digitally to fit the character. Well, a boy shows up kind of out of nowhere, skateboard in hand (he lives in the neighborhood) and a knit hat pulled down practically to his eyes. When he pulled his hat off, we knew we found the perfect Tobias. Tonya (the editor for Animorphs) and I just loved him. He was blonder than the first Tobias, but was perfect. He was Tobias. A happy accident from a desperate situation." 
  • Tobias and Marco are the only two of the Animorphs to morph into a human of the opposite gender. Tobias morphed Taylor in The Test and Marco morphed the state governor in The Absolute.
  •  K.A. on why she chose a red-tailed hawk morph for Tobias to be trapped in:
"Tobias' form was chosen because red-tails are among the most common hawks in the U.S. I liked thinking that kids driving with their folks across Kansas or wherever would daydream that they were seeing Tobias. Probably should have made him a turkey buzzard, they're so ubiquitous. I knew right from the start I would trap Tobias in morph, by the way, never a doubt. Had to be. I knew it would drive some readers crazy, but I also knew they'd want to know more."
  • In 1999, three different transforming toys of Tobias were made. The larger two were transformers sold in stores that transformed from human to hawk. One was deluxe-class and the other Mega-class. The third toy, released in 1999 as part of a Taco Bell children's meal promotion, was a smaller, clear plastic hawk with a yellow human "soul" trapped inside. KFC also released a hawk-shaped glider, and in 1998 Taco Bell released a toy that was a watch clutched by a clawed hand shape that was roughly half human.

Gallery

Elfangor eye closeup andalite chron "Someone took a picture of me? Not cool. Do you see what I'm wearing? I'm Spandex-boy. Totally not cool."

The image gallery for Tobias may be viewed here

References

  1. While Tobias' legal surname is not revealed in the series, it is not "Fangor"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Back to Before
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The Beginning
  4. In #1, Tobias is referred to as having blond hair. However, due to Tobias' cover model contracted for #3 showing up with brown hair, the series referred to Tobias in subsequent books as having "dirty blond" hair to explain the discrepancy. After Tobias got a new cover model in #43 who was blond, the series switched back to describing Tobias as being blond for the last few books.
  5. 5.0 5.1 The Andalite Chronicles reveals Tobias was conceived in 1980. However, that book states that Elfangor met Tobias 21 years later, despite the fact that Tobias is only in middle school at the time. #53 reveals he was 13 when he became an Animorph. His mother Loren, who had been rapidly aged by three years by the Time Matrix, was sent from 1980 to 1983 by the Ellimist in an attempt to repair the timeline. Since she was pregnant at the time, Tobias ended up being born in 1984, thus explaining how he is 13 at the start of the series.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 The Andalite Chronicles
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 The Pretender
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 The Diversion
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tobias' aunt lived on the East Coast. In #1 and #3, it is mentioned that Tobias alternated living with his aunt and uncle across the East and West Coast. Tobias' uncle lives in the same town as the Animorphs, which in #54 is revealed to be in California, which is on the West Coast.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 The Illusion
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 The Invasion
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 The Encounter
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 The Change
  14. In the Time of Dinosaurs
  15. The Proposal
  16. The Andalite Chronicles is said to take place 10 years after the 1966 Yeerk exodus of The Hork-Bajir Chronicles and 21 years before Elfangor met the Animorphs. This places it in 1976, meaning the Animorphs met Elfangor in 1997.
  17. The Answer
  18. The Stranger
  19. The Test
Animorphs
Animorphs Jake | Rachel | Tobias | Cassie | Marco | Ax | David
Auxiliary Animorphs James | Collette | Timmy | Kelly | Craig | Erica | Julio | Liam | Tricia | Jessie | Judy | Ray
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