thoughts and predictions for the amazing digital circus' finale
The most fundamental theme and question explored by The Amazing Digital Circus, is whether there is 'meaning in a stagnant life'. Or indeed, life itself. The Amazing Digital Circus obviously doubles as a allegory for the existential absurdity of existence as such: none of us agreeing to come into being, our names thrust on us by others, etc.; the question of greatest weight being, is not really 'can we escape' (as we are told from the beginning, over and over, there is no exit, no 'out there' out there to which one's consciousness can relocate), but should we continue to exist at all? Abstraction serves as the central metaphor there: suicide.
Jax is currently the most suicidal member of the circus. His character arc will thus be the natural conclusion to the whole theme of the show, and there is I think really only one conclusion compatible with the creators' stated theme of there being meaning in a stagnant life: Jax choosing to continue existing, albeit trapped in the Digital Circus (or whatever remains of it). Of course, already, he came close to abstracting before -- but he was interrupted by others before the process could reach its natural end. It is not a retread therefore to put the question back in his ends. The finale, I think, is in no small part going to be about Jax making the choice to keep existing on his own, for himself. Yes, with all the regret, all the guilt, all the remorse, all the trauma and all the complexity that that continued existence brings.
There is of course, the blue, pink and white elephant in the room: transness; how Jax's unbearable agony and derealization is not just generic or empty form of suffering, but fear of humiliation, fear of being known for what's on the inside, fear of being abandoned and rejected. An increasingly natural interpretation of the various facts and hints in the show is: Jax is a repressor, has been subjected to traumatizing events in the past that drove them much deeper into the closet; this is the wellspring of their lashing out, their insistence that nobody can be anything but their archetypes in the Circus; if he ends up hurting others in the process, it further invites repression and derealization in a vicious cycle. I think it fits the facts and the evidence well (which I shall not personally go over here, others have done it); and I think adds a crucial dimension to his character arc. Admittedly, this theory is in some sense, a particularity filling out and maybe giving substance to the general form that Jax's character arc must take, at least if it is to fit the theme. It gives the why he is apparently facing the most existential risk of the current cast members. It might well be something else; or it might be left relatively open to interpretation.
In any case, if gooseworx is half the writer I think they are, I trust them to bring the story home to a satisfying, if bittersweet, resolution.
There is meaning in a stagnant existence.
Thank you so much for this, this is both extremely concise and clear in my reading. I've talked to all my actual friends about this and we all basically come to the same conclusion, but it's really hard to word this online with enough precision for strangers. Pomni as a character accepted and adapted to the absurdity appropriately and has helped others since. She betters herself. Jax has maladapted and hurt himself and the people around him to push away what he must come to terms with, and has gotten worse. It's why they are the main characters, they are opposites of each other. It's also why last episode has Pomni get bolder and Jax more timid.