Thoughts and rambles on the TADC Finale (and one specific purple rabbit) because I have Big Feelings
SPOILERS BELOW
You have been warned
First off, going to use he/him pronouns for Jax because it feels disrespectful to assign someone else pronouns they did not ask for, even when you think they are 'correct'. I do believe Jax was a closeted trans woman. That said, unrelated to the above-
I absolutely do not understand how anyone can like Jax after that. It boggles my mind. This isn't to say you, the person reading this, are wrong if you like him, I just??? Don't get it????
I thought the story focused too much on his angst before while glossing over the emotional and physical abuse he forced others to endure before. But I kept going with the story because I thought eventually there would be either a redemption, or a consequence. Either he would acknowledge what he was doing was wrong and heal, or he would have to face the fact that people didn't owe him forgiveness and that sadness/coping isn't an excuse for actions, and real life isn't a cartoon where there are no lingering impacts.
But there wasn't. And seeing him mock Ragatha, a survivor of what is implied to be severe abuse, FOR BEING A VICTIM OF ABUSE? And then the show going on to act like he was a tragic figure who just needed a hug? Just really, really made me resent him. I know this wasn't the comparison goose would want, but the whole thing reminded me of an abusive partner using mental health as a way to keep a victim from leaving.
I wish we'd seen more complicated feelings from the crew mourning him, instead of just Gangle, briefly. I wish it had acknowledged more of the consequences of how Jax's treatment affected others instead of brushing past it. I wish it hadn't treated it like dying "cleansed his sins", so to speak, and made his passing a tragedy instead of something messy and painful and complicated.
In summary...I'm bummed about how it ended. Really kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. But I'm glad for all the characters that got happy endings, and I'm still holding on to the fact that the ride itself was a lot of fun, even if I don't think they nailed the landing!
