Nothlit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the fictional Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate, a nothlit is a being trapped in a morph. If one stays in a morph for over two Earth hours, that form becomes permanent. They are unable to use the Escafil device to regain their morphing power. The word nothlit is synonymous to disabled or crippled.

There are very rare exceptions to this "permanency" - for example, metamorphosis enables nothlits to regain their original form, resetting the morphing clock. In The Depature, Cassie is trapped in the body of a caterpillar, but is able to morph again when she becomes a butterfly. Conversely, there are exceptions to their 'original forms being lost' as in the series, Tobias was able to acquire his original DNA; and hence was able to change into his original self.

In Andalite society, nothlits are largely shunned. Being a proud race which glorifies the strong, nothlits are greatly discriminated against.

Applegate has said that she looked outside a window and saw the hotel name Hilton and rearranged the letters to form nothlit.