I can’t stop thinking about this scene and when Jack says the following:
Like he always tends to do, he likes to rage bait the others—push their buttons. And the thing is… they’ve told him things that he’s tried to ignore. Like Ragatha’s comment about having no friends likely being the worst of them all, but even other moments like in the guns episode with Pomni, or Zooble not taking any of his bs.
He is having a hard time accepting what’s happened, granted all the characters are going though it, but the way we see Jax experience the hyperventilating when he’s away from the others or out of sight… he tries so hard to not let others see he’s in distress. He doesn’t mind when they see him be a jerk or get angry.
I’m not one to theorize often, and I’m certainly no psychologist, but I can’t help but think a lot about Jax’s emotions from the most recent episodes.
My guess is that after Ragatha entered the circus, it was Gangle, and then Jax, then Zooble and Pomni. And before Jax or around when Jax entered was when we had other characters like Kaufmo and Ribbit. I think he says this about Pomni and Zooble because they call him out on his bs the most, but with Pomni it’s more vulnerable, and with Zooble I think it’s more so that they have Gangle’s attention, and we see in earlier episodes how Jax likes to poke at Gangle, and with Zooble around he doesn’t get to have his “play thing.”
So why is this scene so interesting to me? Well, he’s not succeeding at riling up the others. They are so done with this place that they can’t be bothered to refute Jax. And the thing is, maybe it’s not just because they’re tired, maybe if we think about how Zooble threw him the “you’re included in this too” nod, that we the audience know gave him some comfort after nearly abstracting in the previous episode. I think they also just didn’t bother with indulging that conversation because they know this is just him lashing out. And he even sighs and for once doesn’t push things further.
Then we get to the torture scenes after the group successfully upsets Caine. Knowing that the character designs in the circus are a manifestation of their insecurities, I have found Jax as a bunny harder to understand (but full disclosure I started watching the episodes a little over a week ago thanks to my nail tech recommending the show).
I think Jax isn’t comfortable in his skin, and/or his skin represents a shield for a bigger insecurity he is burying deep (both things can be true). Which in my mind explains why he’s desperately trying to cover back up.
He’s terrified of being laughed at, yet he claims to be the funny guy. Humor functions as his deflections and his coping mechanisms. Perhaps these are aspects of learned behavior for his own survival.
It was clear in the last episode that he’s running away from something in the real world. The moments where he flashes back to driving fast down a dark road initially made me wonder if he had unalived a person and is dealing with the guilt and manage to escape into the game to avoid facing criminal charges. But now I think he could be a victim who was trying to get away from an abusive situation. Idk, again I’m just writing and thinking and want to hear what other people think because I am absolutely FLOORED by this episode.
But I think he’s a rabbit because he’s got the attitude of the hare (like tortoise and the hare) and tries to skedaddle from shit he doesn’t want to deal with. And like when you pull a rabbit out of a hat, the rabbit is complacent with being in that hat. He’s complacent with being stuck in this circus.
My thoughts on him going into the series finale is that if it’s a happy? ending, he’ll find strength in vulnerability. If it’s an everything is effed ending… it was nice knowing you all.
titsay
areudirty
janainaart
jbbartram-illu
germansingergirl
gummygunk
annaxmalina
kianamaiart
yousharknotpass
origamiaround
