Mertil-Iscar-Elmand

Mertil-Iscar-Elmand
Real Name	Mertil-Iscar-Elmand
Species	Andalite
Gender	Male
Hair	Blue and tan fur
Title(s)	Fighter Pilot (formerly)
Affiliation	Andalite military (formerly)
First Appearance	The Other
Last Appearance	The Other The Ultimate (mentioned)
Status	Alive

"I have heard of this Mertil-Iscar-Elmand. The fighter pilot. I have heard of the many honors he received while participating in various battles."

―Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill

Mertil-Iscar Elmand was an Andalite fighter pilot and warrior and one of the four Andalites who survived the battle between the GalaxyTree and the Blade ship and crash landed on Earth, along with Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill and Gafinilan-Estrif-Valad. During the crash, Mertil lost half his tail and became a vecol, unable to fix his injury as he was not morph-capable.

Biography

Famous Fighter Pilot

"Mertil and I were fighter pilots. We came up through the academy together and each earned a reputation for excellence and bravery. However, no one is immune to the vagaries of war. During the battle with the Blade ship, the battle that destroyed the Dome ship, my fighter was hit and the main engine was destroyed. Almost immediately I lost control and slammed into Mertil's already damaged fighter. Our wings somehow locked and, as one, the ships spiraled to the ground."

―Gafinilan to Ax and Marco

Unlike most Andalites, Mertil had an apparent allergy to the morphing technology, which resulted in him being unable to use it. This prevented him from healing himself when he lost half his tail in the crash-landing on Earth.

Living on Earth

"In time, he recovered from his other injuries. But his tail — it was severed. And because of his inability to utilize the morphing technology, there was nothing that could be done. He will never be restored to his normal self."

―Gafinilan to Ax and Marco

Being unable to disguise himself as a human, he lived with his shorm and mate Gafinilan-Estrif-Valad, who had a fatal genetic disease.

Mertil was briefly captured by Visser Three as part of a plan to force Gafinilan to provide him with one of the 'Andalite bandits', as Mertil and Gafinilan's health made them worthless as potential hosts; however, they were able to double-cross Visser Three and save Mertil, who subsequently assured the Animorphs that he would take care of his mate. Marco later offered to visit Mertil and keep him company later on, an offer Mertil accepted.

Trivia

• Though not mentioned directly, Michael Grant later revealed that Gafinilan and Mertil were in fact a couple. 

Appearances

• The Other
• The Deception (indirectly mentioned)
• The Ultimate (mentioned)