Usually I don't post things like this because ✨ potential discourse. ✨ But I just want to say something about the most recent Amazing Digital Circus episode.
First of all, I can relate to Jax in this episode. For a long time, I pushed others away as well. It started when I got backstabbed by someone I befriended at my first job. We were friends for two years, and I did a lot for him. Then suddenly, in late 2019, he started behaving erratically and being a dick toward me for no reason. Finally, I cut him off. Then COVID hit shortly after, and I was in quarantine, so I couldn't see my best friend in person (who I'm still friends with to this day) or go to any social groups or whatever, so I could meet new people. I was stuck between staying home and working at the very store where I was backstabbed by that guy, so I couldn't move on.
As a result, I started developing trust and attachment issues. I pushed away anyone who genuinely wanted to be friends with me. Then my family and I moved across town, and I started working at Walmart. But then several coworkers at that place made me cry during my first week there, and one coworker would not respect my boundaries, which only prolonged these trust issues for three more years while I worked at that hellhole (something I regret). It took me leaving that place and working at Joann Fabrics before I could finally open up again. But even then, there are times when I still fall back into that mindset.
So I can sympathize with Jax here. No, that doesn't excuse his behavior, but I know what it's like to push away potential friendships out of fear of being hurt again. What I like most about it is that they showed how much it's hurting Jax himself, as well as others. I don't see a lot of that in fiction. That's some good ass writing right there. It's true, though. I was hurting myself when I pushed genuinely good people away. I imagine people got frustrated and hurt when I continued to push them away.
Also, I really hope that Jax gets a redemption arc or at least becomes the kind of jerk with a heart of gold. Or at the very least, if he does abstract, he gets some sort of moment where he apologizes or has a moment of clarity before abstracting completely.
In my opinion, I think it would be a bit anticlimactic if he ended up abstracting without some sort of closure beforehand. Not to mention how beloved Jax is within the fandom.
Anyway, I'm not trying to start arguments here, and I definitely enjoy hearing about others' theories and predictions. I just wanted to share how I feel.