Visser Three
Encyclopedia
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 the time. Sadistic and cruel, with a penchant for torture
, he mainly inhabits an Andalite
body
during the whole series.
Visser Three has a personal feud with both Visser One and Elfangor. Several stories in the series feature the Animorphs using the Yeerk political situation to their advantage. However, they try to not let Visser Three look overly incompetent, fearing that he would be replaced by the far more dangerous Visser One. This is due to Visser One (before being replaced) favoring a subtle, quiet infiltration of the human population, while Visser Three favored waging open warfare on the humans in order to bring the campaign to a swift end. The Elfangor feud is revealed and ended in the first Animorphs novel, and its backstory is given in The Andalite Chronicles.
who was born as Esplin 9466 Primary. He had a twin named Esplin 9466 Lesser. Esplin was born along with his twin inside an artificially made Yeerk pool inside one of the spaceships that the Yeerks stole from the Andalites. These were the original Andalites stationed on the Yeerk homeworld (under the guidance of Prince Seerow). During his time in the spaceship, he began studying everything that he could find on the Andalite
race, knowing that, as an Andalite expert, he would be so invaluable that he would be promoted and be given one of the limited number of host bodies. During the infestations that were made so as to train the Yeerks without host bodies on how to control their hosts, Esplin in his first infestation fell in love with the sense of sight—not possessed by Yeerks in their natural slug-like, significantly sensory-deprived, and helpless form—and thus desired a host body. Learning all he could about Andalites who he so admired while still without a host body, he fell in love with their body and their agile mind and became obsessed and driven to infest one. His caution and reasoning (which diminished as he became corrupted by power, especially when he became the first and only Visser with an Andalite body) were at that time not appreciated for their value. When the Yeerks first discovered the Hork-Bajir
world, and sent off a squadron of fighters to destroy the place an Andalite family (ironically Prince Seerow's family, Seerow having been chastised for his kindness and naiveté and exiled to the Hork-Bajir homeworld), who were studying the Hork-Bajir
. Esplin 9466, who is in the squadron, urged patience until the fourth Andalite (four Andalites were initially detected by the sensors of the spaceships) came into view, knowing from his studies that the Andalites are an exceptionally claustrophobic species who never stay inside structures unless they have to. His superiors ignore him and destroy the dwelling, leaving the only surviving Andalite, Aldrea
, alive. This mistake would lead to a stubborn and ingrained resistance from Aldrea and her fellow Hork-Bajir allies. During his time in that homeworld, Esplin 9466 became Sub-Visser Seventeen, and was extremely career-minded, cunning and ruthless in relation to the average Yeerk—he aimed as highly as possible and ambitiously sought to infest the surviving Andalite; he had fallen in love with her. However, his attempts to infest her end in failure.
After the Hork-Bajir world, he was sent to the Taxxon
world, where he was put in charge of a major space-port; at the time he had a Hork-Bajir host. Sometime between his time on the Hork-Bajir world and the events depicted in The Andalite Chronicles, Esplin 9466 is promoted to Sub-Visser Seven. During this journey, Elfangor defies his prince, Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
, by refusing to kill roughly ten thousand helpless Yeerks. This sudden rebellion allows Esplin 9466 to infest Alloran
; due to this victory and the information it gives the Yeerk Empire, he is promoted to Visser Thirty-Two. Elfangor, stricken with guilt, is horrified. However, the ship that Elfangor and Esplin 9466 are on has lost all power and is slowly drifting towards a black hole. Both work together to use the Time Matrix
to escape. However, as the two of them (along with Loren) attempt to use the Matrix, it sends them to an invented universe created from their own minds, based on a combination of their memories of Earth, the Andalite homeworld and the Yeerk homeworld, which soon collapses shortly after Elfangor and Loren escape. Elfangor assumes that Esplin 9466 is dead, but the Ellimist later reveals that he is alive.
Later, Elfangor runs away from the Andalite-Yeerk war and settles on Earth via the Time Matrix, marrying Loren after becoming a human nothlit. However, he was eventually approached by the Ellimist
and reluctantly agreed to restore the damaged timeline. Elfangor is transported back into a major battle, surprising the Andalite fleet with his sudden presence. He opens communications with Visser Thirty-Two and bravely rams his fighter into the bridge of the Blade Ship, turning certain defeat for the Andalite fleet into victory. The maneuver gives Andalite reinforcements enough time to rush in and prevents the Yeerks from winning the battle.
Sometime between the Time Matrix battle and the formation of the Animorphs, Esplin 9466, still using Alloran as his host body, is promoted to Visser Three. In the events of #1: The Invasion
, the first Animorphs
book, he confronts an injured Elfangor. He morphs and eats him, but Elfangor has already secretly given the morphing power to five youths: Jake
, Marco
, Tobias
, Rachel
, and Cassie
. Although Elfangor was uncertain of his choice to break Seerow's Kindness, these five would eventually prove to be a major obstacle in Visser Three's attempt to infest Earth. Throughout the entire 54-book series, the five Animorphs repeatedly thwart Visser Three's plans. Visser Three believes that they are "Andalite bandits" who survived the destruction of the original Dome ship, and grows increasingly frustrated as the book series wears on. The Council of Thirteen becomes unhappy with his lack of progress in the war on Earth.
Visser Three also has a fierce political rivalry with Edriss 562
, who is Visser One for the majority of the series; in particular, he flaunts his superiority over her due to his Andalite host body
when compared to her human body, although Visser One feels that her host gave her excellent insight into human culture. In #5: The Predator
, Visser One arranges to have the Animorphs released from Visser Three's captivity so that they could continue to hamper his attempts to conquer Earth. In #30
, Marco (whose mother is Visser One's host body) uses their rivalry in an attempt to kill them both by apparently arranging to hand the free Hork-Bajir colony over to Visser One, but is unsuccessful. During the events of Visser
, Visser One and Three are both on trial in the underground Yeerkpool for crimes that could result in the death of both. During the extensive trial, Visser Three creates a facade and releases some earth-based animals including a starving tiger and some bears into the trial, fights them skillfully to the ecstatic cheers of the Council Members who are enjoying the spectacle, and with Visser One tagging along by grabbing a weapon of a dead guard although extensively hampered by her damaged host body. Once the animals are killed, he tries to convince the Council of Thirteen that the animals were the "Andalite bandits" who apparently wanted to assassinate the two primary Vissers who were on trial on Earth. Visser One realizes that this is a trick and manages to contact the son of her host body, Marco. The Animorphs invade the trial, upsetting Visser Three's cover and uncovering his attempt to deceive the Council of Thirteen. After rescuing her, the animorphs and a tearful Marco then decide to return the unconscious Visser One. Both Vissers are sentenced to death by Kandrona starvation, but the Council of Thirteen suspend both sentences. Instead, they order Visser Three to conquer Earth, and give Visser One the opportunity to conquer another planet.
By #45
, Visser One (Edriss 562) has failed in her mission. The Council of Thirteen orders her execution, and Visser Three is promoted to Visser One. With his new-found power, Visser One decides for an all-out war on Earth, as opposed to the subtle infiltration that had been carried out up until this point. However, this is stopped by the Animorphs, who manage to capture the Pool Ship. Esplin 9466 is forced to abandon Alloran's body, and detained by the Animorphs as a prisoner of war
, and subsequently handed over to the U.S. Government — although a few of the Animorphs wish to execute him extra-judicially. The Andalite military had failed to take the trophy
prisoner from the victorious human guerrillas.
One year after the Yeerks are defeated, Esplin 9466 is put on trial in a special United Nations
court, convicted of numerous counts war crime
s and crimes against humanity and is sentenced to life in a specially constructed prison—as a hostless Yeerk, deprived of the sense of sight (the ultimate punishment for Visser Three).
Due to his dangerous temper and lack of tolerance for what he sees as insolence, Visser Three's subordinates constantly live in fear of his wrath and are careful to avoid questioning his orders or beliefs. Early on, some of his subordinates believed that the "Andalite
bandits" (the Yeerks' term for the Animorphs) may in fact be humans, due to such clues as a pair of jeans floating in the sea after a confrontation by a beach. However, due to their fear of the Visser's intolerance and possible wrath, they choose not to question his beliefs (he believed that the Animorphs could only be Andalites given his belief that the Andalites would never pass on technology, especially the morphing capability, to other life-forms, especially after "Seerow's Kindness" that unleashed the Yeerk Empire), which possibly prolonged the time that the Animorphs were able to pass undetected in plain view as their human selves. Visser One once commented on Visser Three's reputation for killing subordinates, saying that he had killed them "by the poolful."
Visser Three is also a vastly ambitious character. From the very beginning as a Sub-Visser he dreamed of perhaps one day becoming Visser One, or even having a spot on the Council of Thirteen
. He was the only Yeerk
ever to have taken an Andalite host body
, which resulted in his inevitable rise through the ranks as he became best known as Visser Three. His ability to manipulate his superiors and survive any situation gave him the power necessary to achieve his ambitions.
Visser Three can be very aggressive, blindly running into battles, while alternating at times by being passive and thoughtful. During the first part of his life, he studied the Andalites in meticulous detail. When the Yeerk squadron were flying over Seerow's house in the Hork-Bajir homeworld, the then Sub-Visser told them not to fire until the fourth Andalite (Aldrea
) was within the vicinity, knowing from his studies that Andalites never stay inside structures unless they have to. The impatient Yeerks fire, however, leading to Aldrea's resistance that ultimately slows down the Yeerks' invasion of the planet. Esplin becomes obsessed with possessing the last Andalite; he'd fallen in love with her. He takes it upon himself to attain her, culminating in his downfall.
He has been known to work with his enemies when the situation calls for it. However, Visser Three underestimates the humans, often favouring brutal force instead of a careful and studied approach, which ultimately leads to his downfall and the loss of the Earth invasion.
Visser Three is highly arrogant, believing in his own power and constantly using new morphs to somewhat "show them off" when he battles the Animorphs when he already has plenty of other useful morphs for combat. He also has shown some respect for the Animorphs, complimenting Jake
in particular on his tiger morph and enjoying the simultaneous beauty and lethality of the creature. When the Animorphs attack an Inspector reporting on Visser's Three invasion of Earth, Visser Three challenges the Inspector to kill them himself, and watches patiently as they kill the Inspector and makes no attempt to stop them as they escape.
At the end of the book series, Visser Three accepts his defeat with relative grace, deciding to let the Animorphs capture him ("any punishment you inflict would be nothing compared to what the Council of Thirteen would do"). He cooperates with their demands and does not deny their accusations, abandoning his host body
and submitting to a trial by the United Nations
and hostless incarceration in the United States.
s, Visser Three has many brothers and sisters. He is one of the rare few to have a twin, a brother named Esplin 9466 Lesser. The double six indicates they are twins. Since Visser Three is the dominant one, however, his twin gets a low-ranking host, Joe Bob Fenestre. However, Esplin 9466 Lesser uses his Yeerk knowledge to create Web Access America (a parody of America Online) and becomes a multi-billionaire. Enraged, Visser Three cuts off his twin's access to Kandrona rays. However, Esplin 9466 Lesser discovers a way to survive without Kandrona rays; he becomes a cannibal, consuming a fellow Yeerk every three days. Esplin 9466 Lesser is the centerpiece of #16 The Warning
and makes a minor appearance in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles.
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...
, written by K.A. Applegate. He is the leader of the Yeerk
Yeerk
Yeerks are a fictional extraterrestrial species from the book and television series "Animorphs" written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic.-Biology:...
forces on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, having inherited the planet from Edriss 562
Edriss 562
Edriss 562 is a Yeerk that controls Marco's mother Eva. For most of the series, her rank is Visser One. She is the subject of the novel Visser, which describes her rise to and dramatic fall from power...
, who was Visser One at the time. Sadistic and cruel, with a penchant for torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
, he mainly inhabits an Andalite
Andalite
The Andalites are a fictional alien race of grazers in the Scholastic book series Animorphs.-Biology:The Andalites are fictional aliens from the book series and TV series Animorphs....
body
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
during the whole series.
Visser Three has a personal feud with both Visser One and Elfangor. Several stories in the series feature the Animorphs using the Yeerk political situation to their advantage. However, they try to not let Visser Three look overly incompetent, fearing that he would be replaced by the far more dangerous Visser One. This is due to Visser One (before being replaced) favoring a subtle, quiet infiltration of the human population, while Visser Three favored waging open warfare on the humans in order to bring the campaign to a swift end. The Elfangor feud is revealed and ended in the first Animorphs novel, and its backstory is given in The Andalite Chronicles.
History
Visser Three (who was promoted to Visser One status by the end of the series) was a YeerkYeerk
Yeerks are a fictional extraterrestrial species from the book and television series "Animorphs" written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic.-Biology:...
who was born as Esplin 9466 Primary. He had a twin named Esplin 9466 Lesser. Esplin was born along with his twin inside an artificially made Yeerk pool inside one of the spaceships that the Yeerks stole from the Andalites. These were the original Andalites stationed on the Yeerk homeworld (under the guidance of Prince Seerow). During his time in the spaceship, he began studying everything that he could find on the Andalite
Andalite
The Andalites are a fictional alien race of grazers in the Scholastic book series Animorphs.-Biology:The Andalites are fictional aliens from the book series and TV series Animorphs....
race, knowing that, as an Andalite expert, he would be so invaluable that he would be promoted and be given one of the limited number of host bodies. During the infestations that were made so as to train the Yeerks without host bodies on how to control their hosts, Esplin in his first infestation fell in love with the sense of sight—not possessed by Yeerks in their natural slug-like, significantly sensory-deprived, and helpless form—and thus desired a host body. Learning all he could about Andalites who he so admired while still without a host body, he fell in love with their body and their agile mind and became obsessed and driven to infest one. His caution and reasoning (which diminished as he became corrupted by power, especially when he became the first and only Visser with an Andalite body) were at that time not appreciated for their value. When the Yeerks first discovered 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...
world, and sent off a squadron of fighters to destroy the place an Andalite family (ironically Prince Seerow's family, Seerow having been chastised for his kindness and naiveté and exiled to the Hork-Bajir homeworld), who were studying 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...
. Esplin 9466, who is in the squadron, urged patience until the fourth Andalite (four Andalites were initially detected by the sensors of the spaceships) came into view, knowing from his studies that the Andalites are an exceptionally claustrophobic species who never stay inside structures unless they have to. His superiors ignore him and destroy the dwelling, leaving the only surviving Andalite, Aldrea
Aldrea
Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan is a fictional character in the Animorphs series.Aldrea is the daughter of Prince Seerow, a main character in Animorphs 34: The Prophecy and the heroine in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles...
, alive. This mistake would lead to a stubborn and ingrained resistance from Aldrea and her fellow Hork-Bajir allies. During his time in that homeworld, Esplin 9466 became Sub-Visser Seventeen, and was extremely career-minded, cunning and ruthless in relation to the average Yeerk—he aimed as highly as possible and ambitiously sought to infest the surviving Andalite; he had fallen in love with her. However, his attempts to infest her end in failure.
After the Hork-Bajir world, he was sent to the Taxxon
Taxxon
The Taxxons are a fictional sentient race in the Animorphs book series by K.A. Applegate, one of the species conceptually created for the series. They resemble giant, centipedes, with the forward one-third portion of their body held erect. They move on many rows of needle-like legs and the legs...
world, where he was put in charge of a major space-port; at the time he had a Hork-Bajir host. Sometime between his time on the Hork-Bajir world and the events depicted in The Andalite Chronicles, Esplin 9466 is promoted to Sub-Visser Seven. During this journey, Elfangor defies his prince, Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
, by refusing to kill roughly ten thousand helpless Yeerks. This sudden rebellion allows Esplin 9466 to infest Alloran
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
; due to this victory and the information it gives the Yeerk Empire, he is promoted to Visser Thirty-Two. Elfangor, stricken with guilt, is horrified. However, the ship that Elfangor and Esplin 9466 are on has lost all power and is slowly drifting towards a black hole. Both work together to use the Time Matrix
Time Matrix (The Animorphs)
The Time Matrix is a fictional device from the book series, the Animorphs, by K.A. Applegate.It is essentially a time machine, though it can also create a whole new universe if given improper, or mixed, directions....
to escape. However, as the two of them (along with Loren) attempt to use the Matrix, it sends them to an invented universe created from their own minds, based on a combination of their memories of Earth, the Andalite homeworld and the Yeerk homeworld, which soon collapses shortly after Elfangor and Loren escape. Elfangor assumes that Esplin 9466 is dead, but the Ellimist later reveals that he is alive.
Later, Elfangor runs away from the Andalite-Yeerk war and settles on Earth via the Time Matrix, marrying Loren after becoming a human nothlit. However, he was eventually approached by 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...
and reluctantly agreed to restore the damaged timeline. Elfangor is transported back into a major battle, surprising the Andalite fleet with his sudden presence. He opens communications with Visser Thirty-Two and bravely rams his fighter into the bridge of the Blade Ship, turning certain defeat for the Andalite fleet into victory. The maneuver gives Andalite reinforcements enough time to rush in and prevents the Yeerks from winning the battle.
Sometime between the Time Matrix battle and the formation of the Animorphs, Esplin 9466, still using Alloran as his host body, is promoted to Visser Three. In the events of #1: 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:...
, the first 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...
book, he confronts an injured Elfangor. He morphs and eats him, but Elfangor has already secretly given the morphing power to five youths: Jake
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...
, 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:...
, 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...
, Rachel
Rachel (Animorphs)
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.-Biography:Before the...
, and 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:...
. Although Elfangor was uncertain of his choice to break Seerow's Kindness, these five would eventually prove to be a major obstacle in Visser Three's attempt to infest Earth. Throughout the entire 54-book series, the five Animorphs repeatedly thwart Visser Three's plans. Visser Three believes that they are "Andalite bandits" who survived the destruction of the original Dome ship, and grows increasingly frustrated as the book series wears on. The Council of Thirteen becomes unhappy with his lack of progress in the war on Earth.
Visser Three also has a fierce political rivalry with Edriss 562
Edriss 562
Edriss 562 is a Yeerk that controls Marco's mother Eva. For most of the series, her rank is Visser One. She is the subject of the novel Visser, which describes her rise to and dramatic fall from power...
, who is Visser One for the majority of the series; in particular, he flaunts his superiority over her due to his Andalite host body
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
when compared to her human body, although Visser One feels that her host gave her excellent insight into human culture. In #5: 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...
, Visser One arranges to have the Animorphs released from Visser Three's captivity so that they could continue to hamper his attempts to conquer Earth. In #30
The Reunion (Animorphs)
The Reunion is the thirtieth book in the Animorphs series, authored by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Elise Donner. It is narrated by Marco.-Plot summary:...
, Marco (whose mother is Visser One's host body) uses their rivalry in an attempt to kill them both by apparently arranging to hand the free Hork-Bajir colony over to Visser One, but is unsuccessful. During the events of Visser
Visser
Visser may refer to:* Visser, a companion novel from the Animorphs sci-fi series, and also a term used within the continuity of the series to denote a Yeerk of high status or rank in the military of the Yeerk Empire...
, Visser One and Three are both on trial in the underground Yeerkpool for crimes that could result in the death of both. During the extensive trial, Visser Three creates a facade and releases some earth-based animals including a starving tiger and some bears into the trial, fights them skillfully to the ecstatic cheers of the Council Members who are enjoying the spectacle, and with Visser One tagging along by grabbing a weapon of a dead guard although extensively hampered by her damaged host body. Once the animals are killed, he tries to convince the Council of Thirteen that the animals were the "Andalite bandits" who apparently wanted to assassinate the two primary Vissers who were on trial on Earth. Visser One realizes that this is a trick and manages to contact the son of her host body, Marco. The Animorphs invade the trial, upsetting Visser Three's cover and uncovering his attempt to deceive the Council of Thirteen. After rescuing her, the animorphs and a tearful Marco then decide to return the unconscious Visser One. Both Vissers are sentenced to death by Kandrona starvation, but the Council of Thirteen suspend both sentences. Instead, they order Visser Three to conquer Earth, and give Visser One the opportunity to conquer another planet.
By #45
The Revelation (Animorphs)
The Revelation is the forty-fifth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is known to have been ghostwritten by Ellen Geroux. It is the first book in the ten-book arc that finalized the story of the Animorphs...
, Visser One (Edriss 562) has failed in her mission. The Council of Thirteen orders her execution, and Visser Three is promoted to Visser One. With his new-found power, Visser One decides for an all-out war on Earth, as opposed to the subtle infiltration that had been carried out up until this point. However, this is stopped by the Animorphs, who manage to capture the Pool Ship. Esplin 9466 is forced to abandon Alloran's body, and detained by the Animorphs as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, and subsequently handed over to the U.S. Government — although a few of the Animorphs wish to execute him extra-judicially. The Andalite military had failed to take the trophy
Trophy
A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics...
prisoner from the victorious human guerrillas.
One year after the Yeerks are defeated, Esplin 9466 is put on trial in a special United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
court, convicted of numerous counts war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s and crimes against humanity and is sentenced to life in a specially constructed prison—as a hostless Yeerk, deprived of the sense of sight (the ultimate punishment for Visser Three).
Character
Visser Three is a cruel and unforgiving character. He has a short temper, and often shows extreme arrogance. At times, this works as an advantage to his enemies, as they can exploit this weakness in his character by predicting his actions.Due to his dangerous temper and lack of tolerance for what he sees as insolence, Visser Three's subordinates constantly live in fear of his wrath and are careful to avoid questioning his orders or beliefs. Early on, some of his subordinates believed that the "Andalite
Andalite
The Andalites are a fictional alien race of grazers in the Scholastic book series Animorphs.-Biology:The Andalites are fictional aliens from the book series and TV series Animorphs....
bandits" (the Yeerks' term for the Animorphs) may in fact be humans, due to such clues as a pair of jeans floating in the sea after a confrontation by a beach. However, due to their fear of the Visser's intolerance and possible wrath, they choose not to question his beliefs (he believed that the Animorphs could only be Andalites given his belief that the Andalites would never pass on technology, especially the morphing capability, to other life-forms, especially after "Seerow's Kindness" that unleashed the Yeerk Empire), which possibly prolonged the time that the Animorphs were able to pass undetected in plain view as their human selves. Visser One once commented on Visser Three's reputation for killing subordinates, saying that he had killed them "by the poolful."
Visser Three is also a vastly ambitious character. From the very beginning as a Sub-Visser he dreamed of perhaps one day becoming Visser One, or even having a spot on the Council of Thirteen
Council of Thirteen
The Council of Thirteen is the name of the ruling body of two fictional villanous species:*Yeerks, from the children's book series Animorphs*the Skaven, from the miniature wargame Warhammer Fantasy...
. He was the only Yeerk
Yeerk
Yeerks are a fictional extraterrestrial species from the book and television series "Animorphs" written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic.-Biology:...
ever to have taken an Andalite host body
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
, which resulted in his inevitable rise through the ranks as he became best known as Visser Three. His ability to manipulate his superiors and survive any situation gave him the power necessary to achieve his ambitions.
Visser Three can be very aggressive, blindly running into battles, while alternating at times by being passive and thoughtful. During the first part of his life, he studied the Andalites in meticulous detail. When the Yeerk squadron were flying over Seerow's house in the Hork-Bajir homeworld, the then Sub-Visser told them not to fire until the fourth Andalite (Aldrea
Aldrea
Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan is a fictional character in the Animorphs series.Aldrea is the daughter of Prince Seerow, a main character in Animorphs 34: The Prophecy and the heroine in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles...
) was within the vicinity, knowing from his studies that Andalites never stay inside structures unless they have to. The impatient Yeerks fire, however, leading to Aldrea's resistance that ultimately slows down the Yeerks' invasion of the planet. Esplin becomes obsessed with possessing the last Andalite; he'd fallen in love with her. He takes it upon himself to attain her, culminating in his downfall.
He has been known to work with his enemies when the situation calls for it. However, Visser Three underestimates the humans, often favouring brutal force instead of a careful and studied approach, which ultimately leads to his downfall and the loss of the Earth invasion.
Visser Three is highly arrogant, believing in his own power and constantly using new morphs to somewhat "show them off" when he battles the Animorphs when he already has plenty of other useful morphs for combat. He also has shown some respect for the Animorphs, complimenting Jake
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...
in particular on his tiger morph and enjoying the simultaneous beauty and lethality of the creature. When the Animorphs attack an Inspector reporting on Visser's Three invasion of Earth, Visser Three challenges the Inspector to kill them himself, and watches patiently as they kill the Inspector and makes no attempt to stop them as they escape.
At the end of the book series, Visser Three accepts his defeat with relative grace, deciding to let the Animorphs capture him ("any punishment you inflict would be nothing compared to what the Council of Thirteen would do"). He cooperates with their demands and does not deny their accusations, abandoning his host body
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass
Alloran-Semitur-Corrass is a fictional character in the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate. He is the host body of Visser Three, a high-ranking Yeerk and the primary antagonist of the series.-Character history:...
and submitting to a trial by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and hostless incarceration in the United States.
Brother
Like all YeerkYeerk
Yeerks are a fictional extraterrestrial species from the book and television series "Animorphs" written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic.-Biology:...
s, Visser Three has many brothers and sisters. He is one of the rare few to have a twin, a brother named Esplin 9466 Lesser. The double six indicates they are twins. Since Visser Three is the dominant one, however, his twin gets a low-ranking host, Joe Bob Fenestre. However, Esplin 9466 Lesser uses his Yeerk knowledge to create Web Access America (a parody of America Online) and becomes a multi-billionaire. Enraged, Visser Three cuts off his twin's access to Kandrona rays. However, Esplin 9466 Lesser discovers a way to survive without Kandrona rays; he becomes a cannibal, consuming a fellow Yeerk every three days. Esplin 9466 Lesser is the centerpiece of #16 The Warning
The Warning (Animorphs)
The Warning is the sixteenth book in the Animorphs series, written by K.A. Applegate. It is narrated by Jake.-Plot summary:Jake discovers a Yeerk website, but is it what it seems? It looks like a crazy mix of fact and fiction. He's not sure if it's a Yeerk trap, or a place for potential...
and makes a minor appearance in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles.
Esplin 9466/Alloran-Semitur-Corrass's morphs
Visser Three has a predilection for morphing into large and terrible monsters, which he has acquired from many planets.- Antarean Bogg, the giant monster in the first book; it killed Elfangor
- Vanarx, a Yeerkbane from the Yeerk planet; it eats yeerks
- Mardrut, a seamonster from Andalite planet moon
- HumanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
(in the TV show the human morph was specifically named as 'Victor Trent', but it is unspecified whether there was ever an original Victor Trent or if Visser Three simply assumed the alias after combining the DNA of others to allow himself to better blend in. The appearance was never clearly described in the book series) - AnteaterAnteaterAnteaters, 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...
(Acquired along with the Animorphs when shrunk by the insect-like HelmacronHelmacronThe Helmacrons are a fictional race of aliens in the Animorphs universe. They are about a sixteenth of an inch tall with humanoid bodies with another set of legs. Their heads are perfectly flat on top, with large green eyes sitting on them. Their faces come down from the top in an inverted pyramid...
s) - Kafit Bird, a bird from Andalite Planet, maybe the first morph of Alloran
- LuminarLuminarLuminar can be:*An Animorphs species*Luminar Leisure, a UK based company that operates bars and nightclubs....
, a fire-giant-like Humanoid - Bievilerd, described as a living stealth bomber, it can fly without much effort; it doesn't have to flap its wings all the time and the Visser expects its razor sharp teeth to shred just about anything.
- LerdethakLerdethakThe Lerdethak is a fictional creature from the Animorphs book series, specifically Animorphs #11: The Forgotten and The Hork-Bajir Chronicles....
, a bio-engineered monsters of the Hork-Bajir Homeworld; it looks like tree with fangs. - Lebtin Javelin Fish, something of a cross between a pufferfish, a stingray, and a crossbow, the Lebtin Javelin Fish is apparently safe enough of a creature to be put in alien zoos and aquariums.
- Human (Tim, the White House Chief of Protocol; acquired when the Yeerks needed to infiltrate a conference)
- Dule Fansa,
- Human (Aria) (Again, unclear whether Aria was acquired from a specific human or from multiple humans via a Frolis Maneuver combination)
- TaxxonTaxxonThe Taxxons are a fictional sentient race in the Animorphs book series by K.A. Applegate, one of the species conceptually created for the series. They resemble giant, centipedes, with the forward one-third portion of their body held erect. They move on many rows of needle-like legs and the legs...
(Alloran morphs one in The Andalite ChroniclesThe Andalite ChroniclesThe Andalite Chronicles is a science-fiction novel, and is the first companion book to the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. Within the timeline of the series, this book takes place before the first book in the series, The Invasion...
) - Hork-BajirHork-BajirThe 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...
(Alloran also morphs one in The Andalite ChroniclesThe Andalite ChroniclesThe Andalite Chronicles is a science-fiction novel, and is the first companion book to the Animorphs series, written by K. A. Applegate. Within the timeline of the series, this book takes place before the first book in the series, The Invasion...
). - Fire Creature, Visser Three's second alien morph. No name is given, but the Visser kindly states he got it from "the 4th moon of the 2nd planet of a dying star." It has 8 heads, 8 legs, and 8 arms. Each mouth can lauch fireballs.