#bullying notes

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 18 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 157!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

What Exer is saying here would be completely valid if Jackson were really trying to avoid them.

Like, even if it's for the wrong reasons (Exer literally magic-bullying him), if Jackson was trying to avoid them then they just should give him space. WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM AVOIDING HIM BACK. If then Jackson approaches them they should hear him out bc that would mean he's ready to talk things through

Ofc we all know Jackson wasn't trying to avoid them, but if they used the power of ✨communication✨ then, unsurprisingly, everything would've been resolved more easily

Pamela is definitely hearing what they're saying

Tho I can't read Exer's expression

Exer saying that he "can't stand [Pamela]" is a way to victimize himself and put Pam as the villain

That's the difference between Exer's bullying and every other bully that there is in JD; The others don't care about their role in the bullying, they're fine being the bullies because they don't think being a bully "reduces their status", but Exer feels like he has to justify himself, change the situation so he isn't really a bully, because he has to be the perfect boy.

He's not bullying Pam, he's self defending. He's not bullying R&M, he's giving them what they deserve. He's not bullying Jackson, he's preventing him from being a threat.

These kind of situations where random guys come up from nowhere and talk to Jackson are cool moments, as they show his popularity. In the latest episodes this doesn't happen anymore, probably because his popularity went down after the whole drama (tho it seems both his and Exer's popularity are slowly coming back)

HEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYY HOLD UP THERE!

Is that Jackson with HIS HAIR DOWN?!?!? ..........or at least halfway there...?

Anyways this is the most down his hair gets. Impressive.

Exer is the only one who doesn't seem surprised. Nice detail

EXTRA NOTES:

Honestly I forgot what I was keeping note of 😭😭😭

No, but I checked and it seems there's nothing extra to keep notes of this time...?

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 6 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 146!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

Still haunted by the idea of David dating Mariah to this day

Jackson is even TREMBLING when he's left alone with Exer! And that look on Exer's eyes... he's noticing itt

Ppl are not afraid or intimidated by Jackson's popularity, unlike Exer, bc he's the new kid. And that must annoy Exer

Exer is starting to get pushed aside for the (probably) first time in a while too

I bet that he's also jelaous bc Jackson is "the perfect guy" who doesn't need any magic to be like "perfect". (maybe that's one of the reasons Exer thought Jackson also had magic?? Because he was way too perfect??)

That pinterest joke abt Argon has forever changed the way I read that scene.

Paola is very good at drawing smiles that are not smiles (at the beggining of S2 Jackson did a lot of these "smiles that are not smiles" and captured his feelings SO WELL) and you can't convince me that Exer is smiling but not smiling here:

(this image is right after Exer's been making Jackson do 2 strikes)

David might be starting to notice Exer's jealously:

(notice the face he's making??)

Jackson hitting on 2 girls in one episode 💀

EXTRA NOTES:

This episode covers a span of an entire week. When Jackon is answering a bunch of questions and being a nerd, his outfits change panel to panel, giving us a hint that each scene is from a different day. We can see a total of 5 different outfits, the first being of the same day of the beginning of the episode, and then we cut back to gym class again. Meaning, there was 5 days of school, weekend, and the gym class again. So, at the end of the episode, is September 12th 1989.

There's green right before Jackson is about to bat right and I KNOW it probably is a way to confuse new readers so they can't know what's happening, but then he guesses where the ball is going to be with his eyes closed?? Maybe he can uncouncsiously "sense" the magic somehow

Black aura again when Exer is glarin at Jackson

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 17 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 147!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

Pam was YELLING at Jackson and still Ron and Day didn't hear anything. Bros are going to be deaf at 30 if they keep listening to music with such a high volume

Following the precious note, Exer was not listening to anything so that means he heard everything, still acts oblivious with Ron and Day. So, all the rambling I did in the previous note was in vain bc it turns out Exer was just going hard on the manipulation

I have to make a collection of Ron bumping his head in the doorsteps

I don't remember very well, but I'm pretty sure that most of the times there's a misunderstanding Day tends to blame himself

I'll keep note of this while re-reading

Also Day's shirt screams 80's

Jackson always tends to isolate himself in his room whenever he feels bad. It's normal to want to be left alone when you're feeling bad, but isolating yourself whenever anything happens is not very good for you. He does this a lot in S2 iirc

Jackson not being able to differentiate hallucinations of reality hurts me soooo much... And ppl brush past that way too much. He LITERALLY couldn't tell reality and hallucinations apart, he started to doubt his own senses, his own SANITY. That was the worst part of Exer's bullying imo. And that's why I understand why it was so hard for Jackson to forgive Exer (and why Diary hasn't forgiven him yet). (important clarification: you can choose not to forgive s1 if they did sth bad to you, but that does NOT give you the right to "make justice" or "pay them back")

Exer making Jackson even look more uncomfortable:

Exer really looks confused and unaware but if you squint like a lot and consider that, well, he knows what's going on and is very much aware of what's happening, you can see the glare under the mask (?)

Ron's thinking face and Exer literally standing 90°

EXTRA NOTES:

Chromatic aberration when the REDs see Jackson leave the record store, when Exer and Pam look at each other, when Jackson sees Pamela coming in the hallway

Black atmosphere when Jackson is running away at the end of the episode

September 17th 1989. And it's also Friday! (IMG: Episode 15)

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 3 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, so it makes a little more sense

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 146!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

Exer ability to lie without hesistation and without giving any hint of lying just proves is not the first nor one of the few times he's already done it

Exer waiting for Jackson just to stare at him angrily seems like kind of a way to tell Jackson to "back off" imo. Kind of trying to show his popular-kid power

Jackson talks to himself in second person a lot. Talking to yourself in second person is pretty common and normal, but knowing what happens next... maybe this is an early sign of Jackson's dissociation?

Exer was basically testing Jackson with the whole sink, the principal and the green eyes thing. I'm 99% sure

And also stealing his schedule?? That man was already trying to know where Jackson would be or what?? Maybe he was just teasing him but I'm also 99% sure he read his schedule before giving it back to Jackson

Hello, I'm Present Jack adding some stuff I've noticed that Past Jack missed:

Weird how in Jackson's memory Exer doesn't have green eyes

Following Episode 7's note about Jackson's eyes' green glow idea: As Jackson's eyes were glowing green in episode's 1 scene, maybe this means Exer's messing with Jackson's memories (kind of making him see the green and then making him forget it?) That'd be rather... odd. Idk, I'm not sure abt this. + there's no green aura in the memory. Maybe that memory is just some seconds after seeing exer with green eyes. It's even shown on Episode 2 that his green eyes last a short moment

EXTRA NOTES:

It's September 4th 1989

The black aura now is when Exer is glaring at Jackson

No greenish aura around Jackson in the bathroom scene, even if he was angry at R&M

His eyes have a green glow again when he meets up with Exer

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 15 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 147!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

They are going to run over somebody some day

Exer lets out a sigh before acting again

It is pretty annoying when someone is overcorrecting you all the time... but still he's driving like a crazy man

Jackson keeps assuming everybody still blames him:

That is probably due to him blaming himself for what happened (as he keeps insisting that it was all his fault). It also explains why The Glare™ is working on Jackson now; he is aproaching everyone with he idea that hey hate him, so he's paying attention to every minimal sign that proves that. And, as he thinks everybody hates him, he's uncomfortable by hanging out with them but doesn't say no in order not to end up in worse terms with them

Then he realizes the only one still not liking him is Exer, while the other do want to hang out with him, so he's not that uncomfortable

Huh, they are sitting with Mariah in Spanish class?

EXTRA NOTES:

Black atmosphere right before Exer is being fake-nice to Jackson, when Jackson notices how much Exer is being annoyed by his attitude in the car, when Exer glares at Jackson and Brenda talking,

Green aura and chromatic aberration when Jackson sees fake Pam

I'm starting to think that the black aura usually represents someone being scary and the chromatic aberration anxiety or sadness.

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 10 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 147!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

Looks like Exer expected Jackson to "get into trouble" but not actually take someone's skirt. Maybe he really did think that Jackson was a pervert here. He hates Jackson so it makes sense that he expects the worst of him

David falling for every new guy he meets is so me coded. I fall for every person I meet at first, and then just realize my feelings are platonical

🤨🏳️‍🌈❓ 🤷‍♂️

Jackson has never used his mouth right from day 0. Just look at this scene:

Jacskon has a good reasoning as to why not give David the skirt! Now, all he needs to do is tell him what he thinks and then we're all goo-

Nevermind, onto misscommunications we go!

No matter how distant he seems to be with Carol and Frank by not calling them "Tía" and "Tío", Jackson does feel safe with them. He does feel like his home is a safe space where he can relax, and his found family people he can rely on

Until his home is "intruded" by someone else and Carol and Frank break his trust

And this is very interesting to keep note of, especially in the latest episodes. Jackson's home is not a safe space anymore (Ron is a gossiper who can listen to him), his family are not reliable anymore (he can't tell them what he's going through bc he knows it's crazy and unbeliable, he has abandoment issues and believes that if he's "weak" or "dumb" they could abandom him, he's had hallucinations of Carol and Frank having creepy eyes (ik it was Diary's doing but the point is that Carol and Frank can't protect Jackson and can be influenced by Diary)) and now his OWN head is not safe anymore! Diary can listen to some of Jackson's thoughts, can see whatever Jackson sees and can CONTROL him against his will!! Jackson's lost all kind of privacy and not having ppl that he can 100% trust is not helping either

Also look at this, this is very heartbreaking:

"Can't even trust yourself"

HE CAN'T EVEN TRUST HIMSELF! He's been betrayed by EVERY SINGLE PERSON (but Elijah ig) in his life and now his own body and head is betraying him too!!!

EXTRA NOTES:

Black bg twice, but I think both instances black was used to show emotion and not sth magical... though jackson's magic is very linked to his emotions. idk

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 8 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, otherwise it might be a little confusing.

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 146!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

SHE (paola) DOES IT AGAIN! A SMILE THAT'S NOT A SMILE

This is after Brenda almost calls her a "best friend"!!! Look at that smile not smile!!!!! is so good, Paola is really great when it comes to expressions

Jackson's reaction to having a bad day might be some kind of foreshadowing? Or early hints of his tendency to bottle up everything. He runs away and doesn't talk to anyone abt what happens to him, making him have a bad mood and being kind of grumpy later

Carol's reaction to being called "Carol" hints that Jackson goes back and forth with calling Carol and Frank "Tía" and "Tío".

Jackson's feeling so bad abt moving back to Kingsmont that he attribute HALLUCINATIONS to that. And I don't think he's told Carol and Frank how much moving back is affecting him. If the nightmares aren't actually due to his mom "haunting" him, then they are a sign of his anxiety towards the move. (btw, there's not a single scene or anything of Jackson recognising sth from his childhood or sth like that. Almost like it's left out on purpose)

I don't get how Carol & Frank didn't send Jackson to therapy the moment he said he yelled bc of an imaginary wet-floor sign

NOW there's no way to justify it; Exer's teasing Jackson with the sole reason to hurt him emotionally. What I find most crazy abt this is how much thought there's behind this time; Exer had to spy Jackson after school ended, wait for him to be alone in his room and make him see the wet-floor sign, exactly the same as the one he made Jackson have problems with hours ago.

Oh, and HUGE parentesis here; yeah, Exer can use his magic to spy on ppl. This is proven on episode 146:

Lucy is spying Jackson with the reflection on the water. We know she's spying him and not imagining him bc the image on the water has the same clothes as irl Jackson.

diary cameo just bc

Lucy is supposed to have the same magical abbilities as Exer, i. e. Exer can spy on ppl using his magic.

EXTRA NOTES:

Black aura around Pam, but for obvious reasons, is unrelated to anything else

Green aura in the wet floor sign scene

[jack-talks-about-jack]

Episode 4 notes

I reccomend reading the episode right before reading this, so it makes a little more sense

THESE NOTES WILL HAVE SPOILERS UP TO EPISODE 146!!!

GENERAL NOTES:

I can't be the only native Spanish speaker who gets annoyed when Paola randomly skips the opening exclamation/question marks (¡¿)

Ik that Jackson "froze up" when he saw Exer but there was no green anything, so I don't think Exer makes him "freeze up". This is not the last time he does this and the way his mind goes elsewhere to the point he doesn't hear his surroundings is odd. This must be a sign of something. Probably dissociation? Maybe (I'm nothing close to a psychologist and I don't want to assume anything)

Jackson says a bunch of stuff he likes to do but it's never shown later in the comic. Probably because it's not relevant to the story, but maybe Jackson couldn't find time to do his hobbies due to school + ig magical bullying drains the inspiration to do anything

NOW exer is starting to get jealous. In the previous episode he was just setting boundaries (sth like "this is MY girl, new kid"), now he is starting to see Jackson as some kind of competition of popularity

Exer can read other people's minds??

Ricky and Marty are a reference to Rick and Morty btw

The scene of Ricky and Marty shows that Jackson is not the only one who is a victim of Exer's bully magic. Exer's been harassing Ricky and Marty even before the start of the comic, as shown in Pam's flashback (IMG: Episode 42)

(and ik that it some people might say "they deserve it" or "they had it coming" but bullying is NEVER justified. I'll definitely make some "analysis" or sth later abt this)

Also, Exer is clearly testing how much Jackson can see. And probably also teasing him. Though the most surprising thing for me abt this is how Exer is acting while doing this; he is looking at Rick and Mary but is clear that he's listening and paying attention to what Jackson is doing bc he keeps a poker face until Jackson starts panicking, then he laughs in a mocking way (and probably laughs abt Jackson and not R&M)

I wonder if Exer consciously made Jackson think it was his fault at the beggining or just a coincidence. Bc Exer looking at Jackson before playing with R&M makes me lean to the former.

Hello, I'm Present Jack and I'll add some things Past Jack missed that I think are interesting:

I think Exer purposefully made his eyes green and made like a mist around him to tease Jackson later. In Episodes 1-2, only his irises are glowing green and there's no green mist (just the greenish aura), but this time it was much more exaggerated:

I think Exer did this to reduce Jackson's suspicious of him; he denies what Jackson's saying in such a natural way that it really seems like Jackson's the one losing it. In fact, I think the whole thing was pre-meditated (Teasing R&M, taking Jackson's schedule) to put up that act. Which would link to Episode 2's first scene: Exer practicing to put up an act

EXTRA NOTES:

There's a green mist around Jackson before Rick and Marty start getting bullied by magic. But again, must be a narrative way of keeping new readers confused.

Times Jackson has "frozen up": 2 (both related to Exer, but none seemed due to his magic)

Also I forgot to mention it before, but there's a chromatic aberration in the title

There's also a green mist in the flashback of the previous episode

There's a black aura when Jackson's seeing what's happening to R&M