My Extensive Thoughts Regarding TADC Episode 9 (Spoilers Ahead)
I saw The Last Act in theaters. After some of the things I heard floating around about the final episode from the leaks a while back, I didn’t have high expectations. I’m happy to say, after seeing the full episode myself in English, that I liked it more than I thought I would. There are a lot of things about the final episode that I genuinely enjoyed, and I am glad I got to see it in theaters. The audience I was watching it with was also really well behaved and respectful the whole time, which I was SO thankful for cause that’s low key kinda rare nowadays lol.
Some of my positives are:
Animation and voice acting was ON POINT
Abstragedy is actually low-key canon fuck yeah. The people in the theater I was in HOLLARED at THAT scene lol.
The whole mindscape stuff was really cool with all the other Jaxs and the different animation and writing styles.
Loved that the show didn’t hold back on discussing how shitty it is to have upsetting intrusive thoughts. They're not often discussed in mainstream media due to stigmatization. Shame the fandom wasn’t normal about these scenes, but I’m honestly not surprised.
Pomni’s moments with Kinger, Ragatha, and Jax were really touching.
I ADORED seeing Kaufmo, Ribbit, and Jax. The way it was framed largely from Jax’s POV was a neat choice.
I knew Jax had parental issues!!
While I don’t think we NEEDED to know everyone’s IRL doings and what they looked like outside of the circus, it was still pretty neat to see. Glad to see Jax thriving after all the shit she went through IRL.
While I don’t like how Jax’s abstraction was handled from a narrative standpoint (something I’ll go much more in depth about a sec), the scene where they all make the fort for her and take care of her was really touching. Though I do wish we also got a scene where they gave her a proper funeral, like with Kaufmo.
Also THANK GOD they didn’t use an actual leash, I got genuinely concerned when I heard that going around a while ago cause people were making it sound like the group was using an animal leash on her… which would’ve had weird implications. Thankfully, it was just Zooble's arms being linked together.
Funnybunny hug and “Isn’t She Lovely” montage DESTROYED ME, I’m not okay.
The mural for the abstracted players was cute.
GIRL DAD KINGER YALL
Alt credits were fun.
I’m not big on Caine’s sudden return and change of heart (also something I’ll talk more about), but his scene with the moon was cute.
Oh most importantly, Transfem Jax is canon LET’S GOOOOOOOO!!!! Most of the fandom won’t understand it cause media analysis is dead, but we won chat!! She’s real!! Can't wait for all the new fan works that will pop up about her.
So yeah, there were a lot of aspects about the finale I really enjoyed. THAT BEING SAID, there are a couple of critiques I have with the finale, mainly to do with the conclusion to Jax’s character, how it conflicts with what was set up prior, and how she was treated by the larger narrative. Please note that this is just my perspective and you are allowed to have your own, so please do not take my words as gospel.
As I stated in my messy ramble a while back, I was NEVER a fan of Jax’s character arc ending with her abstracting, due to it feeling like an easy and obvious way for her character to conclude. Seeing it for myself, the way it happened in the episode felt very odd; it just cuts to her running around the main floor abstracted, really early in the episode. I also find it really weird that in episode 8, Zooble and Pomni made it very clear that they weren’t gonna let Jax wander off and abstract… only for that to be exactly what happens.
Like, in the montage where all the characters are helping patch up the circus, we never see any of them attempt to include Jax or check in on her, despite her obviously NOT being okay. Jax nearly confides in Pomni before backing out, but none of the other characters think to check in on their friend (I know I’m being generous with that term in this scenario) who they all know is at risk of potentially harming herself. Obviously they do NOT need to be Jax’s therapists or anything even remotely like that, but it feels weird how they previously made a big deal of “we’re not gonna stand by and let you hurt yourself” only for the story to not follow through or explore that. Idk that really annoyed me while I was watching.
I think the whole Jax Mindscape hijinxes and flashbacks about her relationship with Ribbit and Kaufmo were genuinely really cool and well done (her almost killing her mom felt odd, but it’s not as dumb as the hit and run theory), and the lamp scene with Pomni was fantastic too. I just wish that the conclusion after all of that wasn’t, oh well it’s too late for Jax to ever change as a person or find meaning in the circus.
I’m also really not a fan of the whole “killing off the traumatized suicidal character who struggles to find a reason to keep going” trope that has been popping up in recent media, but that’s a much more complicated discussion for another day that requires way more thought and analysis.
I understand what the story is trying to say, I REALLY do, don't get me wrong. Not being open with yourself or others will only harm you in the end. It’s better to embrace vulnerability, even if it’s hard. Those are both lessons I wholeheartedly agree with and are important for people to learn, but I think they still could have gotten that message across while still letting Jax live in the end. We as the audience have already seen how Jax pushing others away and not being honest with herself has harmed her and her relationships in the finale and previous episodes. We even had a moment in ep 7 where she almost abstracted after trying to bury her problems. I think letting Jax survive abstraction, find meaning in the circus, learn to open up and confront her problems, and showing her life IMPROVE because of that would’ve worked and dare I say, even strengthen that message of the importance of vulnerability.
In fact, the final montage and and the end credits showing the group starting to enjoy their time at the circus would be the PERFECT opportunity to put that. Show Jax picking up her piano playing again, being able to talk about Ribbit and Kaufmo without falling apart, HAVE HER THROW A TEA PARTY IN HER BEDROOM WITH THE REST OF THE CAST PRESENT!!!! Idk I feel like there was a ton of potential that was left unexplored.
Maybe instead of cutting to a fully abstracted Jax hanging around the circus, Pomni or one of the others finds Jax in the midst of abstracting. The mindscape stuff could be used as a last-ditch effort to reach her and save her life when trying to wake her up doesn’t do anything. You can keep the mindscape and flashback segments pretty much the same, just make it so the final resolution isn’t her dying. It also would make the moment that parallels the scene from ep 2 where the cast grabs Pomni’s hand to not let her fall (which symbolized how the support of others will allow her to navigate this scary situation she’s in), only with Pomni grabbing Jax’s hand this time to not let her fall, even stronger.
Another thing that bothered me, I don’t like that Jax, whose story absolutely could have resulted in a redemption arc based on her growth during episode 8, isn’t given a chance to become a better person and properly take accountability for how she treated everyone, while Caine was, even though his whole character was about how he couldn’t change or understand humans and the tragedy surrounding that due to his existence as a stagnant AI.
DISCLAIMER!! I love Caine as a character. I’m not as attached to him as I am with the others (and maybe that’s part of the reason for my perspective idk), but I enjoy his character. However, I’m gonna be honest… I don’t think he needed to make a return. I'm not saying it was an inherently impossible route to go with, I’m sure it could have worked with the right setup, but the whole final ten-fifteen minutes just felt kinda odd for me and left me raising an eyebrow. He just kind of… comes back without much prior setup or buildup from earlier in the episode. Maybe when the episode releases on YouTube, and I can rewatch certain scenes, it’ll make more sense, but for now idk.
The moment where Caine apologizes to the cast and works to better himself for their sake is really a moment that I think should have belonged to Jax, who felt more built up as a character throughout the series as opposed to Caine and it would’ve felt at least a bit more earned coming from her. It feels like a really odd choice that they chose to do this with Caine, but not Jax. Idk, maybe it’s just me, this might end up becoming an unpopular opinion as more people watch and discuss the episode.
Overall, while I am happy the episode was a lot better than many were initially making it out to be, there are some things I personally think could have gone differently and used some reworking, but hey, that’s what fanfiction and AUs are for! And just to add, I’m glad Goose got to end the show on her terms, even if I don’t agree with every plot or writing choice made. That is something not a lot of showrunners get nowadays and I think it’s important to at least acknowledge and celebrate. I’m planning on making my own little AU where Jax survives abstraction and properly heals and grows, so I’ll have that to keep me content, as well as other fanworks that will most definitely pop up as more people tune in.
I really hope I was able to get my points and criticism across in a constructive, healthy manner, as I do not want to blindly complain about the show out of spite. Trust me, I saw some WILD takes when the leaks came out that made the episode sound a lot more messed up than it was and I do NOT wanna perpetuate that kind of behavior.
Any criticisms I do and will make of TADC are out of genuine love for the show and characters, and because I care about media analysis in general. Again, everything I have discussed here is just my own opinion and perspective, and you are allowed to have your own. Feel free to leave your thoughts, both positive and negative, on the finale in the comments!
ok i need to say it bc im going to rip my hair out seeing ppl be upset that jax was just """killed off""
jax was never meant to survive as the person he was when his brain was scanned into the circus. thats the point. he had to die so that she could live.
jax was scanned in at probably his lowest point in his life. and then went through even More trauma through the loss of a friend and in general living in the circus. it was completely realistic for him to not make it through all of that pain and guilt.
and. she still. continues to live. in the real world. and clearly gets better.
i think its a beautiful metaphor of letting that part of himself die that held onto so much self hatred and loathing. that part of him was never going to make it. and yes thats tragic but thats what makes jax living on to slowly accept herself more and get better so much more beautiful. like you guyssss
like i DO NOT wanna hear anyone talking abt him not having a character arc because literally what do you mean. im convinced some of yall walked out of the theatre halfway thru the movie.
TADC: The Last Act is really good if you actually care about the story instead of whatever headcanons you've decided to base your whole personality around
The way people are speaking about Jax and saying she deserved to abstract, that she ruined everything for everyone and that she was "a grown ass man treating people like that" really speaks volumes to how they would treat someone in their life with a mental illness who makes them unlikeable.
What Jax did was not okay, don't get me wrong, but it seems like a pretty normal self-defence mechanism, however awful it is. Pushing Ribbit away was both self-defense and self-harm, she isolated herself from the only person who truly knew her because she wasn't ready to be known. Ribbit did what she could to bridge that gap, and it failed because Jax wasn't ready, I'm not saying she could've/should've done anything different in that regard, but I don't think it's fair to villainize Jax for reacting like she did.
I mean, home girl literally thought she had killed her mother after coming out, I think her fear was pretty valid, even if unreasonable. Jax is a deeply troubled character who needed a support, both inside and outside the circus, that she didn't get Not forget she was also homeless, which I can't imagine did any good to her mental health.
Mentally ill people should be held accountable for their actions, yes. Your mental illness is not an excuse. But they don't deserve to DIE because their mental illness makes them do (or not do) things they regret. They deserve the opportunity to make up for their mistakes. Jax didn't take that chance and chose to repent by leaving the people she hurt to heal without her, and that makes sense narratively, but it irks me to see the way people jump to hate on her character and say she was an awful person (we don't really see her BEFORE this, and she seemed pretty normal with kaufmo and Ribbit) and she deserved to die.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, tbh
I think the most fucked up thing about intrusive thoughts is it's really difficult to discuss them without discussing their content, because without a discussion of their content it's impossible to get across just how distressing and debilitating they are. "Oh, you have unpleasant thoughts sometimes? Yeah we all have that, I guess."
But if you discuss their content there's this huge risk of people just pulling away in disgust. "Oh god, you have THOSE sorts of thoughts? They should lock freaks like you the fuck up!" As if they think people act on every single thought they have.
Digital circus' biggest problem is that it was written to be a niche show aimed at weird analytical queers with actual media literacy and it accidentally blew tf up and hit the mainstream and a bunch of people who have never had a second thought about anything got into it
The Most IMPORTANT Dynamic in TADC is Zooble and Jax.
Yes, the two rage-baiters who have the most unserious beef are actually really important. No, I’m not kidding. Now hear me out…
Zooble and Jax are very different people that seem completely incompatible. And yet, there are also several moments in the show where they have similar opinions, civil conversations, or even what could be harmless banter. Their relationship is stuck at a crossroads between enemies and friends, this weird limbo that sits in an interesting gray area that I don’t see a lot of in other media. So, when either of them could easily cross a line and destroy any semblance of connection… why don’t they? While it might have to do with keeping an engaging and entertaining dynamic, it could also be telling us something about the overall message of the show.
I’m going to be covering three topics: self-expression, dialogue, and dynamics. It will be completely episode nine leak-free, and I will leave episode numbers for all the moments that I reference since this meta won’t be totally chronological. This will be quite long (as my brainrot has only gotten worse since episode seven) but I hope this meta can give you a new and interesting perspective on my favorite relationship in The Amazing Digital Circus!
OKAY LET'S GO
Self-Expression
As it turns out, the two people who are the most pessimistic about their situation are, of course, the most resentful concerning their humanity. But what does it mean when one is angry about their lack of access to their human nature, while the other is angry about how they can’t escape their human nature?
Personality
Both characters fit the "asshole" archetype in a way, but their inner turmoil contradicts the image they project. Zooble is arguably the sanest person in the cast; not just because they are generally levelheaded but because they are unafraid to speak their mind. This often results in them coming off as a blunt, sometimes cold person who tends to distance themself from the adventures (but ultimately not the people). What is revealed over episodes 3–7 is that Zooble does have some serious insecurities and unrest despite how self-assured they appear. At the same time, this humanity also displays the heart of gold they have at the center of their personality; which allows them to let people in and bond in spite of their turmoil.
Jax both reflects this struggle, but the outward projection is very different. At first glance, Jax appears much more sociable and even likable despite how much of a jerk he is. He also speaks his mind, but in a way that is more agreeable with the adventures and rules of the circus. Meanwhile, the people around him often suffer as a result of his brutal actions. What his internal struggle reveals is how much he does care about having control over his circumstances. The fear and insecurity he has about his human nature does not allow for any vulnerability. As a result, he only pushes people away and gets caught in self-destructive and isolating cycles. The dichotomy here is that while Zooble can separate themselves from the superficial, scripted interactions of the adventures, they still reach out for real human connection. But Jax, no matter how much he pretends to not care, and how often he involves himself in the company of others, still feels the weight of his isolation.
Profanities
Cursing is a natural way for people to express anything from humor to fury. So to see the very different extents as to which both these characters use them says a lot about how they fight or give in to the rules of the circus. Zooble curses whenever they please, being unapologetic about how they really feel at any given moment. Despite the censorship of the circus, they don't care if the word itself isn't heard; it's the human expression of their emotions that gets across (anger, shock, annoyance). At first, this trait does come off as juvenile or unnecessary in a world that doesn’t need profanities. But what is important is that Zooble is able to have serious conversations with both people they respect like Gangle, and those that they don’t like Caine. The cursing is not done in order to “act mature”, but to rebelliously keep a natural part of their personality from before the circus. It has authentic roots, not attention-seeking ones.
Conversely, Jax follows the rules of the circus and integrates non-cursing to the performance of his character. He will gladly follow them as it doesn’t get in the way of his act as an instigator, since much of his “profanities” are displayed through his actions instead of words. But he can’t always keep this facade up, as long-buried emotions will bring up old habits. The one time he does curse is when his control over a situation is lost, like in his argument with Pomni in episode 6, and the mask slips. But even in other moments when he is incredibly angry or distressed (most notably Caine's betrayal in episode seven) Jax's separation from his humanity continues to be reinforced (he was right).
Gender
Their experiences with gender look very different on the surface, but both carry the same kind of internal struggle. What Zooble struggles with is body and gender dysphoria; the image of their identity does not match the physical arrangement of their parts. It is likely that this is something they may have struggled with in real life, making this problem cut even deeper. Yet they still want to confront this struggle head-on instead of ignoring it. There's a desire to find what feels "right" by figuring out which parts could achieve that purpose (episode 3). But it turns out, "right" does not need to be a single expression. It says a lot that they verbally accept this truth for the first time with Jax; “maybe the ability to change is fine” (episode 7). They come to not only accept their "gimmick" but the fact that they don't need to “solve” the struggle in the way that Caine wanted them to. The parts box is now a means of exploration instead of a one-way solution to their dysphoria.
On the other hand, Jax not only projects an “archetype” on himself, but a strict expression of masculinity. In order to assert his "manliness" over the body he was given, his masculinity is just as much a part of the mask as his "cartoon" act. This is most notable from the bedrooms we’ve seen in the circus so far, as they likely materialize as an internal struggle that each player has to confront—Zooble’s room is covered in mirrors, serving as a constant reminder of their dysphoria. So what may truly lie underneath Jax’s performative and toxic masculinity is a disdain for how he desires feminine expression, and in turn, feminine identity, which is completely laid bare in every aspect of his room.
It is a part of himself that he likely feels a lot of shame about, even in a place where he isn’t faced with the judgement of the outside world. But wouldn’t it hurt more to be judged by the only people he has left? As a result, he projects that insecurity towards other feminine things or people (e.g. disdain towards Gangle's shy behavior, Ragatha's gentle nature, and calling Zooble a "damsel" in a directly demeaning sense). There’s clearly a lot buried here that he refuses to address, and that I don’t feel qualified to talk in depth about as a cis person. But I do think that this is one area where Jax might feel envy towards Zooble as someone who can openly express their real gender identity even with the risk of judgement.
Ultimately, while Zooble’s conflict is very internalized like Jax’s, there is little external projection. They don’t feel the need to prove themself to anyone while he needs to push everyone away and play off his behavior as completely detached. Jax has to actively put the mask up in order to deflect his humanity, but Zooble willingly puts their walls down even when it seems pointless.
Dialogue
The amount of dialogue these two share is kind of insane, especially when they talk about or to the same character. I was able to narrow down several examples to three pairs of scenes, and each has a theme or idea that goes deeper into their psyche. However, there are also a ton of little examples that I did not have the time to include (this section is already long enough) that also reflect these ideas as well.
Example #1: Archetypes - EP 3/EP 6
This set of scenes are probably my favorite out of the three, and it’s a really good place to start when we consider how their relationship with humanity can also tell us how much they really know about their fellow circus members. For context, Zooble’s lines are from the therapy scene with Caine in episode three, while Jax’s lines are from the hallway conversation with Pomni during episode six.
Ragatha: "too nice to say anything." / "the cheerful one!"
Both Zooble and Jax perceive her behavior as routinely friendly, but the former really acknowledges Ragatha's people pleasing. She isn't necessarily "cheerful" all the time because she always has an optimistic outlook. Rather, she's too afraid to act otherwise in fear of upsetting others, and being perceived as too harsh. In the context of Caine, even here she is too wary of criticizing the adventures that are literally made to entertain them. It's also important to note that Jax doesn't say "nice" but "cheerful" which highlights his distrust of her.
Gangle: "too shy to speak up." / "the sad one!"
Zooble very clearly does not reduce Gangle to her mask "gimmick" by saying she struggles with being sad all the time. Instead, they state a different and more pressing struggle she has; self-esteem. She has come to believe that her opinions, or even her experiences don’t matter to others because of the mistreatment she's faced by Jax. Meanwhile, he wants to be blind to this harm and reduces it to her "broken" masking.
Each other: "Jax just likes to fuck with everybody." / "Zooble's the grumpy one!"
Yet again, Zooble pinpoints the root of the behavior by bluntly stating Jax's desire for control over others. He only goes along with the adventures because it allows him to disrupt everyone else’s peace. This is something he even acknowledges about himself later on, but without the key element of his disassociation. It is this separation from humanity that allows him to justify his own actions. Meanwhile, his view on Zooble is simplistic and he sees their resistance to the circus as just "grumpiness".
Additionally, one detail I absolutely love about this parallel is that Zooble looks directly at the audience (breaking the fourth wall like he does) and Jax flips off Pomni, mirroring their gesture.
Kinger: "insane." / "the crazy one!"
This is, funnily enough, the only similar description they both have. Despite the fact that Kinger has been present in the circus for a long time and clearly has some knowledge buried underneath his silly facade, they both see him as someone who's lost it. However, when this perception is challenged in episode eight, Zooble accepts this change while Jax continues to panic due to the collapse of his archetypal reality.
Pomni: "looks traumatized everytime she comes back from one." / "and you haven't figured that out yet."
Now here is a bit of a subversion; at first glance, Zooble is the one with a more reductive view of Pomni (though at the time it is accurate) while Jax is giving her the ability to choose as he can’t seem to put a label on her. But it's clear that the overarching motives still remain the same, as the former seeks to sympathize and explain to Caine while the latter looks to diminish everyone's struggles. This includes Pomni's, which in this instance he's attempting to mold her into the kind of archetype he wants (someone to encourage his crimes). Yet at the same time, it strangely gives her a freedom to define herself even if it is for the sake of dehumanizing her, just as he does with everyone else.
Themselves: "I don't like myself. I hate this body, I hate all these stupid removable pieces. I just want to find something that feels... good." / "I add a key dynamic! I see how far I can push things, I screw with people, and I break the fourth wall! ... Cause I'm the funny one!"
Even with an unfeeling AI like Caine, Zooble is still able to be vulnerable about their dysphoria. They aren't afraid to be frustrated with the human struggles they still face, even if he won't understand. Ultimately, they don't care about how others will feel about their expression but about how they personally feel. However, Zooble's end goal is to find one thing that feels good, when one arrangement of parts might not be what actually feels right.
But Jax defines himself based on his relationship to other people—specifically in finding their breaking point. So much of his archetype is about the performance. How can he convince everyone (and in a meta sense, the audience that he refers to when he breaks the fourth wall) that the character is real? While Zooble is focused on self-reflection, he is concerned with how everyone else perceives him as that defines how well he can "remove" his humanity. In the end, it’s all about his dynamic with everyone else, and that’s how he can convince himself that his role is “necessary” even when everyone hates him for it.
Example #2: Humanity/Reality
When it comes to discussions about humanity, I find it really interesting that these two conversations are framed with two different relationships; Zooble/Gangle and Jax/Pomni. Both Zooble and Jax start to form a new friendship starting in episode four and they are more formally established with the teams in EP 6. From here on out, their conversations with that person start to noticeably parallel one another.
Zooble’s scenes are from their conversation with Gangle in episode six and episode seven, and Jax’s lines are again pulled from episode six. While many like to dissect the fight with Pomni as most indicative to the way he thinks about his humanity, I personally think this earlier scene tells us even more about how detached he’s trying to be.
Jax, EP 6: "You know none of this is real, right? ... Why do you care about [not hurting your friends]?"
Here is the line where it is made clear that Jax's motivation to control others stems from the belief that they aren't even human. Even with his later crashout near the end of this episode, this phrase is still the most disturbing to me simply due to his delivery. He is so matter-of-fact about it that he likely genuinely believes it, or at least really wants to. It's a means of justifying his own actions; they aren't human and he isn't human, so any emotions or pain that present themselves aren’t real either.
Zooble, EP 7: "It always was real. Everything we felt. Everything we've done. Everything we are. It'll never leave us."
In direct contrast with the last quote, Zooble believes everything that they have experienced in the circus is real, even if the world itself isn't. The only thing that will change when everyone goes back to the real world is the physical realm they exist in, not the soul. It validates their relationship with Gangle as something that extends beyond the digital confines of their reality. But Jax's reaction to Zooble saying this in the background is panic; he recognizes that once he goes back to the real world, every terrible thing he has done in the circus will still have weight and consequence (which then shifts over to his actions in the real world—he can't go back to that) and so he presses the red button.
Jax, EP 6: "You want to hold onto that part of you that still thinks it's part of that world, but in the end, what does it get you? ... Whether we like it or not, all we are now is a bunch of cartoon characters. So what's the point of pretending we're not?"
Jax concludes this whole argument with his belief that "we all just became archetypes" which suggests a shift towards becoming non-human. He's given up hope at this point for not only escape, but also that he'll never be the same person he was before. He doesn't see himself as a person due to so many years of being separated from his real life and body. With that, Jax is projecting his own (attempted) disassociation onto every other member of the circus. Yet he himself has played a role in keeping the other members in their "archetype"—Gangle remains "sad" due to her mistreatment, Ragatha is "cheerful" in the hopes that her attitude can outweigh his actions, and Zooble is always "grumpy" from being instigated by him.
Zooble, EP 6: "You're a human. You're not his toy. ... It's a part of you that's real, and the only you that you should care about is the real you. You have to choose to love yourself even if it doesn't make sense. It's not natural, it's intentional."
What makes this quote so significant is that Zooble says this not to assert or comfort themself, but to directly comfort someone else. They may not believe it fully yet, but it encompasses their worldview in a place where the cast has been stripped of their ability to express and even love themself naturally. Gangle's autonomy and identity is validated, and in turn, she validates Zooble's identity (through her perspective) as well.
Additionally, it is important to note that Jax’s conversation with Pomni and Zooble’s conversation with Gangle will greatly determine the trajectory that these relationships will take later on.
Example #3: Caine and Humans
Lastly, I think the way that their relationship with Caine parallels one another says a lot about how connected they are to their own humanity. How does the most (seemingly) detached character versus the most attached character react differently to a one-on-one conversation with their AI captor? For two people who are often quite confrontational or instigative, the context of their circumstances have forced Jax and Zooble to take a different approach.
EP 3: Therapy Session
Caine recognizes his lack of human ability in creating his "art"—"And if what you're saying is that I'm bad at the only thing I'm good at, then that would... be..."—which highlights something deeper than an inability to capture Zooble’s interest. Their inherent connection with their own humanity is something that Caine can never appeal to, as it is something he lacks in his creations. With every adventure Zooble avoids, it is yet another failed attempt at capturing a human experience. This might be why Caine craves their validation so much; it would affirm his own desired humanity from the one person who refuses to see him in that way. But interestingly enough, it is this challenging conversation that gets a human-like reaction out of Caine—frustration and doubt, not just anger like other times.
I think it is also important to notice the context behind the adventure in this episode, as Caine has intentionally tried to shift his artistic direction into something that Zooble would like. But his attempts at maturity only result in something terrifying and violent. Or in other words, something that Jax would have much more preferred—especially after lamenting over the “anti-climactic” lack of blood, death and violence in the previous episode.
EP 7: Dinner Date
Caine showing his adoration for humanity and wanting them to like him—"Is it that I'm actually a cool guy with cool hobbies and not that much different from you beautiful humans?"—is something that Jax superficially seems to display, as he's always gone along with each adventure. Yet this is only because he has tried to abandon his humanity, accepting the wacky hijinks of Caine's stories because they carry no human logic, only familiar fictional tropes that allow him to enact chaos against the others. Hence, Caine's ideal participants would not be human, but more like fictional characters. In episode five we see Caine watching the “President Pomni” adventure through a TV screen, perceiving Jax’s behavior as "phenomenal acting” since so much of his personality is literally a performance. Even the entertainer seeks to be entertained.
But Jax's passive acceptance of the adventures is not what Caine wants, rather affirmation that his personality is indeed “human-enough” from someone who seems to like his work. And contrasting from his debate with Zooble, this only has the opposite effect of Caine failing to recognize what the circus members really want and need. What stands out here is that despite the thematic opposition between Zooble and Jax, Caine still wants validation from both of them and fails at truly gaining both. His character is a complex, contradictory enigma as he’s too human (selfish, needy) for Jax, but too artificial (aloof, inept) for Zooble.
Dynamics
There’s a lot that I could cover when it comes to dynamics, so reducing the complexities of their relationships to a few core examples is definitely challenging. But one thing that you can really pull from Zooble and Jax’s relationships is that they inversely mirror one another. As Zooble grows closer to some of the others (most notably with Gangle) they grow as a character; but while Jax does the same (most notably with Pomni) he digs himself into a deeper, lonelier grave. This has everything to do with what they want out of these relationships and how they go about getting it.
With each other
It is very easy to take Zooble's comment in episode five ("Fun isn't the thing I hate.") at face value. They do not make their disdain for Jax subtle, but there are lines they won't cross in humbling him. The way they describe him in episode 3 shows that they recognize his true intentions—not to "have fun" but to mess with people's minds. Ultimately, Zooble doesn't hate the human, but the character. They hate his performance of the "funny one" as it doesn't aim to make others laugh but to make himself feel powerful. So, while Zooble sees right through his facade, they don’t exactly know what's on the other side. Regardless, they know that despite the way Jax acts, there is still a human soul that deserves some respect and help underneath.
The partial olive branch they offer him in episode seven shows that any discord between the two won't stop them from still being concerned with his wellbeing. And the invitation Zooble gives him to be a part of the group (“you’re still one of us”) in episode eight makes it impossible for Jax to keep thinking that they couldn’t care less about him. It also says a lot that the line “go off and abstract or something” is exactly what almost happened after Jax had left their last conversation in the prior episode. He can try to pretend that everything is okay, but Zooble’s perceptiveness continues to knock down his many attempts to keep playing his role.
On the other hand, Jax is consistently trying to shove Zooble into one archetype or another, but their resistance makes this somewhat difficult. Instead, he reduces them to being the “grumpy” one, in a way that makes their dynamic kind of like a rivalry. Both find a way of getting back at one another, but he knows that if he pushes a little too roughly, Zooble won’t just take it but will actively find a way to get back at him. As a result, Jax never tries to seriously cross the line with making them suffer like he does with Gangle. This balancing act between holding back and knowing when to strike reveals how the two of them push each other's buttons in a way that is both deliberately retaliatory and shows how much they know/remember about each other. If anything, there is a familiarity that could be reminiscent of a more lighthearted relationship, which is most noticeable when they are forced to work together in episode eight.
In fact, this might be why Jax chooses to engage with them again and again. It’s almost reminiscent of the playful banter he likely had with Ribbit and Kaufmo. Yet Jax’s interactions with Zooble are clearly undercut by mutual resentment, and in some moments, you can see how their antagonism takes him off guard sometimes. He can’t keep the illusion of a “friendship” both because of their (understandable) mistrust of him, and he would never let himself be that vulnerable with someone he’s supposed to dislike. They are a constant reminder of who he could be—assertive but not mean, independent but not isolated. As such, he feels both disdainful and likely, envious toward them.
With Gangle
Other than the most distinctive quality of the relationship being how kindly Zooble treats her compared to Jax, there is another aspect that I think is less obvious. What is notably prominent in the show is that Jax insists on constantly engaging with Gangle. This isn't just because she is an easy target, but her lack of resistance validates Jax's "archetype" belief and his need for attention. He can't play his role as the "funny one" without a participant to constantly be at the receiving end, and Gangle unwillingly fits the part. Despite what he says about his lack of care for the circus members and belief that they've all lost their humanity, deep down, he craves interaction. Without it, there is no role for him to play.
So when Gangle starts to form a genuine relationship with Zooble, a person who actually enjoys her company, she is no longer the "sad one". They see her as a person who is more than her mask, and encourage her to stand up against Jax's control. This change in Gangle’s development isn’t because of the “power of friendship” but the humanity that Zooble actively brings into the relationship. They aren’t looking to hide their flaws with Gangle or play any kind of “role”. While they don’t open up as much about personal struggles like they were forced to do with Caine, this relationship gives comfort to both themself and to someone else who really needs it. Zooble doesn’t view Gangle as someone they need to change or “toughen up” but to encourage and support, which is exactly what ends up making her stronger.
With this, I think Jax definitely envies the real connection that Gangle has with someone else as something he has lost before (Ribbit, anyone?) and probably will never have again. These two lines that he says in episode five—“Do you think Gangle is capable of being happy? … Does she think hanging out with Zooble is going to magically fix that?”—implies so much. He’s afraid that this carefully constructed reality about the kind of character Gangle is can be destroyed by one person who treats her like a human being. Which means his own detachment is at risk too.
With Pomni
Pretty much all of Jax’s relationship with Pomni is characterized by a lack of understanding or compassion. He simply wants to make her a clone of him; the benefits of having a “partner in crime” without the emotional investment of a real friendship. The more he tries to convince himself that her humanity isn’t real, the more it ends up hurting himself in the end. In episode six, it is very clear that his original goal was not as straightforward as it seemed due to the actual connection that the two of them are able to make by working together. This is the reason why he’s so quick to downplay any reference to the two of them as a “team” —they’re just two characters who happened to be paired together for this adventure. But at the same time, he can’t help but feel shame and regret after the fight as this connection is likely something he hasn’t had in a long time.
While Zooble’s relationship with Pomni is much less emphasized, I think that the bar scene in episode five actually says a lot about how Zooble’s real personality makes Jax feel insecure. Pomni shows genuine interest in their skills, which Jax immediately has to undermine by making vaguely demeaning comments on their queer identity. He’s trying to bring back that “grumpy” role, refusing to let them get comfortable in an environment that highlights Zooble’s actual personality outside of the role he has assigned them. While Jax is mostly unsuccessful (Zooble finds out about the corn weakness) he’s able to shift Pomni’s attention back to himself with his “apology” and looks for the opportunity to catch her off guard. If Zooble is going to have Gangle for themself, he can at least test to see if Pomni will be as agreeable (spoiler alert: she isn’t).
And with that, just as Jax starts to notice the bond between Zooble and Gangle in episodes five and six, Zooble does the same concerning his relationship with Pomni. When they approach Jax on the beach in episode seven, they talk about how talking through things “with the people I trust” could help him, with a very clear glance back in Pomni’s direction. This comes right after episode six, where Zooble benefitted from a real moment of confiding with Gangle and ended up learning something new about themself. Gangle wholeheartedly believed in their confidence and self-esteem, which encouraged them to believe that those qualities aren’t fabricated, but a true reflection of their character. With that, Zooble recognizes that Jax (someone who could be facing a similar internal conflict) could benefit from the support that comes from a real friendship, and sees Pomni as someone who is capable of fulfilling that role.
These three facets continuously reinforce the idea that Jax and Zooble need interaction in their lives, but for very different goals. Zooble remains distant at first but comes to discover the beauty that comes from the mundane; even the most ridiculous and violent adventures can provide opportunities for community. And unlike Jax, it isn’t for the sake of personal entertainment, but rather a way to embrace the circumstances they’ve been forced into.
What Does This Mean for The End of TADC?
To wrap up, I want to consider what some of these thoughts might imply for the finale as someone who hasn’t seen any leaks thus far. I think we can all agree at this point that much of it will likely focus on Pomni and Jax’s relationship, and that’s something that I’m honestly not mad about. There’s a lot there that the finale could dive into, and I’m excited to see it for myself. But there is one idea that I want to present that might be a bit controversial; Pomni isn’t the right person to “help” or “save” Jax. This doesn’t mean she’ll actively hurt him, but her perspective comes from a place of recent human experience—she hasn’t had any real loss within the context of the circus yet. The closest thing she had to that was Gummigoo, and even with that, there wasn’t the regret that might come from all the missed opportunities or unspoken words that would come from a long-term relationship.
Then the next obvious answer would be Kinger, right? I mean, there’s the clear parallel of loss between Queenie and Ribbit, and Kinger has clearly had the ability to grieve over his partner in a healthier way. But what Jax lacks as of now (and likely won’t gain over the course of this last episode) is a real respect for who Kinger is as a person. He’s seen those moments of clarity and wisdom from episode eight, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. There’s no backstory he's aware of in Kinger’s life during the circus to build off of. And much of Kinger’s support to others has been reinforcing the existing humanity of people like Pomni and Ragatha, where their fear (of Caine) or empathy (for Pomni and in turn, Jax) has become too much for them to carry alone.
Gangle definitely shouldn’t be in a position to help Jax after everything he’s done to her, and Ragatha has already tried and failed because of their closely shared history and grief. So that leaves us with one person, which seems deliberately convenient for the sake of my argument… or does it?
Kinger isn’t the only character that has had candid conversations. Gangle admits to Zooble that she’s starting to lose her sense of humanity because of how Jax has treated her. His harassment has become something inevitable, and the only way to avoid the worst of it is to play her role. But Zooble affirms that even with the very personal nature of their “avatar gimmicks” the soul still resides underneath. And to accept one’s reality is to love yourself—mistakes, flaws and all—no matter how impossible or difficult it seems. So would it be a stretch to assume that since the EP 6 conversation with Gangle is about Jax, then there could be some kind of future conversation Zooble has with Jax about Caine, the circus, and Pomni?
That kind of conversation (or more likely, argument) would definitely be the most difficult challenge Zooble would have in the entire show. It would require an insane amount of patience, understanding and maturity to navigate. But interestingly, what I do think they have above almost anyone else in the circus is a higher degree of respect from Jax himself. Which might not say a lot (this is Jax we’re talking about), yet it does mean something. With everything we just covered, it's clear that with the envy Jax has, it also comes with a vague sense of kinship. Most importantly, we know that as much as Zooble hates him, their emotional maturity shows that they believe he has the right to accept himself fully. That he has the right and the will to live.
I would hope that this kind of conversation could take place, not only for plot reasons but for the significance of all the buildup and thematic foiling we’ve seen between the two of them so far. Yet… I think the finale might deliberately leave that unfulfilled because it is the one conversation that might pull Jax far enough from the edge to get him to reconsider his ways, even for just a moment. To leave this push-and-pull in a kind of “checkmate” or a tragic ending would make this relationship more special, not as a lost opportunity that ruins the story but one that makes the ending cut even deeper. Maybe in another life, things could have turned out differently, and these two could have met in different circumstances—human ones, where they wouldn’t have to deal with the question of who they are in a digital world that constantly denies it.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts. :)
