Yet again the Animorphs prove to be incredible incompetent. I'm a little tired of them screwing up all the time, actually. When I was a kid I didn't question that they always made it out alive, but it's pretty nuts that they manage to survive this one. 
 This was also the episode where they nearly die in ant morph. It is a frequently referenced event throughout the series, and I appreciate as an adult how important it is that they introduce the notion of PTSD to this world. Animorphs deserves credit for not shirking from the horrible parts of war. In reading through the episode I was surprised how quickly the event was over. Since it's brought up again so often later in the series it grew in the lore as an important event. The actual ant battle lasts less than a page. 
 (view spoiler)[The main plot revolves around Ax's incredibly stupid, stupid plan to hijack a bug fighter. Of course it goes tits up immediately and they're all captured. Why Visser Three doesn't turn them all into controllers immediately is convenient, but I do appreciate that the kids are still really naive and inexperienced at this stage in the story. 
 This book is notable for revealing that Marco's mother is Visser One. It's a pretty sweet twist, it totally blew my mind when I was a kid, and I'm happy to say it was satisfying even now. In a book of coincidences, this one is one of the most forgivable, because it's such a dramatic turn. The joker of the group (who has so far been characterized as selfish and obnoxious) now has a personal stake in the game, and what's more, he decides to keep it a secret. It's the kind of juicy plot that makes me want to see this made into a tv series. (hide spoiler)] 
 Marco was always my favorite voice back in grade school, so it's fun to revisit the humor. I'm realized that he, along with Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes, was pretty influential in developing my sense of humor.