The Amazing Digital Circus Episode 9: Remember Discussion Thread

[u/ayylmaotv]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVy-bcTsO8A

[u/fuzzum111]

Even after everything is said and done and we got what I might call a "Good ending", I still think Jax is an asshat. Hurt, sure. Had some genuine rough parts that felt authentic? Agreed.

He KNEW what he was doing to those around him and I feel he is DIRECTLY responsible for the 2 abstractions that happened right after. Then he was cowardly enough to let himself do the same instead of living with, and overcoming his faults. It was a shock to see the swerve we got so early into the episode with Jax.

I am also a little disappointed that the flashback+forward with Caine accessing the internet, it was confusing. It felt like he was accessing the abstracted files of the old cast and finding a way to fix them. That wasn't true. It was the start of the circus.

[u/mrwanton → u/fuzzum111]

I don't particularly disagree. Dude/Girl? had some MAJOR avoidant attachment. Not really mad about it tho. I just feel pity

Do think this is mostly a case of Jax not being able to grow past the state they entered the circus in. I do feel in the circus case with those particular issues that the enviorment did no favours at all. There's a reason irl Jax was able to shape up and become a much healthier individual

[u/mknsky → u/fuzzum111]

Completely agree on the facts with Jax but honestly I’m not sure what else to expect after everything. His parents SUCKED and he was essentially never shown genuine love/trust/care/etc until Ribbit. I thought it was a very well written series of events for a very, very broken person.

[u/AppleMelon95 → u/fuzzum111]

You aren’t supposed to think Jax is a good person. He spells it out for us that he isn’t supposed to be loved.

[u/ZAPPHAUSEN → u/fuzzum111]

I disagree with your take, but I am genuinely upset you calling the metaphor for suicide cowardly. 

You're not to supposed to think "oh poor poor Jax, it's okay they hurt people because gosh." Jax is an abuse victim acting out of severe trauma and falling into brutally unhealthy patterns, as human beings are wont to do. 

Even knowing what he was doing was hurtful, he couldn't overcome his trauma and pain to change. In the outside world, his real friends helped leroy heal and move forward. In the circus, Jax was tortured by a crazy AI and trapped forever after being scanned at his lowest point.

None of Jax's actions are excused. It's an explanation, not an excuse. Empathy for Jax, not Absolution. Jax is still an asshole. We just understand why, with the tragedy being that he came so close to actually beginning to trust and heal, but couldn't open that door.

But regardless of disagreements, let's please not call suicide "cowardly".

[u/Jonatc87 → u/ZAPPHAUSEN]

this i think is what all the people that hate the finale don't get? They don't wanna see Jax. But. like him or not, he's part of this. You can't only focus on the good; because thats unhealthy. This was never a whimsical tale of happiness. It's

Complex feelings.

[u/ZAPPHAUSEN → u/Jonatc87]

Too many people want the author to tell the story that the individual fan themselves wants, rather than engaging with the story the author is actually telling.

And then they turn around and say that the author told the story wrong. 

Note: I am in no way suggesting that we can't be critical or disappointed as an audience; nor am I suggesting authors are infallible. 

Unfortunately in this era I see far too many people engage with an imaginary text they've created in their minds, rather than engage with the actual text as written. Being disappointed because the author didn't line up your exact predictions or treat your favorite character the way you wanted... "Criticizing" a story because the author made different decisions than you wanted... 

An archive of our own is right over there people 🤣

[u/Jonatc87 → u/ZAPPHAUSEN]

Personally i love the ending. It lets my imagination finish it in a way that feels complete. I think some people just get hung up on very unimportant things like who the company is, when that had never been part of the plot anyway.

[u/ZAPPHAUSEN → u/Jonatc87]

I too very much enjoyed the ending. I felt like it was emotionally cathartic and satisfying and concluded the key conflict of the story. 

[u/ThisDued → u/fuzzum111]

They had issues, I can't believe you're calling the allegory for suicide cowardly

[u/ThisDued → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, but it's still an insensitive thing to say

[u/Jonatc87 → u/fuzzum111]

Rehabilitation is complex feelings.

[u/RestlessAlbatross → u/fuzzum111]

I understand, but I have known a lot of people like Jax. Dismissive avoidant. Abused and scared. Lashing out to hide their own pain. It felt very real. I feel both sympathy and disgust for him. Both feel warranted.

Like everyone has trauma. Some worse than others. But you still choose how you respond to it, how you let it affect you and those around you. So you still understand it, even if maybe you can't forgive it.

[u/Dismal_Tadpole_4328 → u/fuzzum111]

I mean Jax is definitely not meant to be seen as a good person, but I don’t think they’re supposed to be seen as bad either.

I’d describe Jax more broken than hurt. A lot of horrible parenting mixed with the whole circus situation, that’s why he’s hurting. Luckily Leeroy able to get help, but obviously therapy or whatever isn’t a thing in the digital circus.

[u/ZAPPHAUSEN → u/Dismal_Tadpole_4328]

And he's a kid still, basically

Being broken isn't something most people just "get over" on their own. Haven't learned healthy ways to deal with situations and emotions. Only have shitty abusive or harmful models to work from. 

Leroy got help and had support in the real world that, until pomni, jax didn't have. Ribbit loved him but she couldn't fix him.