Basic Yeerk Analysis

We all know that Yeerks originally were simply slugs in the Yeerk pools of their homeworld. Their first hosts were Gedds, though how they managed to enslave them before developing their system is uncertain. Seerow claimed that Gedds and Yeerks were symbiotes, but then he also said that they were barely concious in their natural state, yet from breif references such as in #6 and Esplin's narratives in the HC, they at least have a name, a mind that handles conceptual thinking and shows signs of being self-aware and some kind of mouth-sound communication system worked out.

Therefore it could have been more of a matter of the Gedds originally trying to drink, swim, bathe, etc. from the Yeerk pools and becoming infested. The Gedd-Controller would return to the pool three days later, and perhaps the Gedd returned for re-infestation because of orders the Yeerk had given it that the primitive mind wouldn't contradict. After a while, they would have enough to set up a system that was the forerunner to the assembly-line process used in their current Yeerk pools. In this way, they set up a society, especially after Seerow gave them space travel and other technologies, and they set out to explore the vast regions of space.

But interacting with themselves and others can't have been limited to their hosts, because they had moderatly brilliant minds when Seerow encountered them, and although Erek the Chee noted that they had very little communication in the Yeerk pool, Esplin 9466 accounted of the Coucil of Thirteen, which had been there as long as anyone could remember, being interrogated by his superiors there, or interfacing with an Andalite computer to learn about them. So they seemed to have a loose society already worked out, even before they invented their Vissers and tightly structured warrior hierarchy.

One important point that must be made about the Yeerks is that, they are somewhat resistant to change. Although they are generally extremely smart and are able to rapidly think their way out of various situations, they generally have little imagination for change and different ways and methods. They also don't have the wild, sometimes illogical drive to keep on living that humans do. In a fight, if they see themselves in a hopeless situation, they will back down, as shown in book #6. The primary reason for this was that for a great deal of their development, they dwelled in the intimate, completly safe environment of the Yeerk pool, and even when they came in contact with other creatures (such as Seerow) they were not forced to change and come up with new things, such as technology and ways of living; instead these things were given to them. Since then there has no account of them inventing anything signifigant without using someone else's invention or idea as a ground basis which they modified to fit their own needs. In fact, this seems to be the way everything about the modern Yeerks came about; gradual modification of things in their society, state of living and way of life. There were no drastic changes or sudden inventions, revolutions or reniasances as there were for humans and probably other races. They are very good at adapting, just not at changing.

The first display of this was when the Yeerks first started reaching out beyond their planet. At that time most Yeerks, at least those in Esplin's sector/pool/clan, didn't have a regular host. They were introduced to the concept of taking over another creature, and using it as their host. Most of them were revolted by the idea and horrified by the experience; they probably experienced a (minor, yet frightening) sensory overload from gaining the new and unimagined sensations of sight, smell and taste, and of being a signifigant corporal entity, even being able to manipulate matter. (Of course, eventually they all became used to taking hosts and soon knew no other way of living). But others, the innovators and revolutionaries such as Akdor and Esplin, were thrilled by it and sensed the potential of what they could do with such a tool.

This spark of creativity that was usually lacking was present in these people, though in the end the way they chose to use that creativity and those tools to evil ends; not only did the power they gained soon corrupt them, but even they either chose to ignore or could not imagine the basic set of morals that are innate to humans and Andalites and most other races; including the basic rights of sentient beings to express themselves and excercise their freedoms, ranging from ruling themselves as a people to commanding their own physical body.

Of course Andalites and humans have ignored these morals too, but the Yeerks, once placed in this position, could not conceive of any alternative except in a small, scattered group of individuals who could not express and follow through with their opinions without being ignored or eliminated before they could band together and create a change.

Their violence, however, seems to be part of their natures. It is a natural reaction for them to eliminate things that interfere with them, and to conquer things: planets, people, bodies, in a primitive, not to mention slightly human, desire to control everything in their world, causing them to hate all that they cannot control and understand. As Aximili once said, the Yeerks fear and thus hate the humans because of their creativity and rapid innovation which could one day rival the Andalites'. Under the proper circumstances, the Yeerks could learn to exist peacefully with the other races, though they will always have their violent natures with them.

This is mainly demonstrated by the example of the Iskoort. By some unknown means, a group of Yeerks was transported to a planet on a far side of the galaxy. Over time their name changed from its original form, and they became to be called the Yoorts. The Yoorts acted just as the Yeerks did; taking over races, enslaving worlds, suggesting that this behavior is inherrent to them. But the Yoort managed to find a solution.

They created hosts for themselves, hosts that would depend on the Yoort for life and most likely not be able to think independantly. To make sure that they and their hosts, called Isk, had true symbiosis, the Yoorts altered themselves so that they also could not live without their hosts. They called their new forms the Iskoort, combining the two creatures' names to symbolize the joining of the two races. Of course, as one of them said, it was done out of the ineficiency of making war with resistant races, but it was still a big step. Interestingly, after the Yoort became Iskoort, they apparently developed a fanatic desire for order and peace of society. They made a guild and order and system for everything, from buying and trading to shopping and gossiping. However, the world they built has a somewhat chaotic appearance, described as looking like something Dr. Seuss invented.

As a race, as a people it would seem that the Yeerks are not purely evil, just living in an evil society and for whatever the reasons they may have, never act otherwise. Just as most all sentient beings, herbivorus or carnivorus, end up killing others to live until they can find a solution, the Yeerks must enslave others in order to be free. In essence, they have no bodies, so they must use those of others. The Yeerks are predicted to meet up with the Iskoort in about three hundred years, discovering a solution to their dillema. However, since not even the Elimist can know the future for certain, maybe they will discover another solution, and hopefully sooner.

Yeerk Information
Animorphs Encyclepedia
The Vortex