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#The only characters I like are Gummigoo and Jax
sunsetsandsunshine · 24 days
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Bruh the Anon that keeps sending me TADC tickle headcanons please stop 🌝
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ask-the-rag-dolly · 23 days
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i find it fascinating how the second episode only made me come from being neutral about jax to Liking him instead of hating him . he is an asshole , really , but i guess i understand that feeling of being So bored and uninterested with playing by the rules that you cause chaos as your form of entertainment ... even if it means harming the people around you .
but in all honestly — gangle's an emotional crybaby , kinger's a senile old man , zooble's like an angsty teen , and ragatha's like an overbearing mom — why would he get along with these caricatures ? they're just cartoon characters to him .
pure asshole behavior , but i can't say that i won't be like him if i get stuck in the circus . i could see myself also trying to destroy the candy kingdom with the fudge monster — it's like deliberately choosing the most chaotic option in a game because it doesn't really matter in the end . they're just npcs , they don't have feelings ! it's not like the world goes on without their presence .
which makes it fascinating how gummigoo showed the Opposite — they Do have feelings and are capable of deeper thought . while they're not real , it tells so much about jax how he would try to explode them . everyone are just cartoon characters , and their opinions do not matter because he doesn't think they matter .
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Hey Val!
So (if you've seen it) what do you think of episode 2?
Here's some thoughts!
GANGLE
When will Gangle know happiness... 
KINGER
Kinger was adorable as always. I like how the others can rely on him when they're feeling emotionally vulnerable. That scene with Ragatha and her self-doubt, and how Kinger reassures her? I'm glad he has these moments of clarity. Old man even tries to help Pomni, even if he's bad at it. He's so well intentioned. <3
JAX
Jax is a terrible person. He was already very bad before, but somehow got worse. No care for his companions (Pomni and Gangle mostly), no care for the NPCs (he was very eager to see them die horribly). There's some indication Jax might have cared about Kaufmo, but overall, his attitude is so dissonant. It's hard to understand what's really going on inside his head.
RAGATHA
I like that Ragatha didn't hold any grudges over Pomni abandoning her in episode 1. Ragatha is just so sweet. Constantly worrying for Pomni's well being, being considerate enough to try to cheer up Jax of all people. She makes a huge difference in this group, like a glue that keeps everyone together.
GUMMIGOO
LOVED Gummigoo. Yeah I wasn't prepared for him. I didn't know what to expect of him (he looked like a serious bad guy type?), but what we got was so good. Loves his two gummy gator friends (wants to preserve their minds from the weight of self-awareness). His connection to Pomni, the way they could relate, it was all believable and palpable. Nice guy.
POMNI
Pomni herself was my favorite. Compassionate, empathetic, expressing her thoughts calmly and sincerely. Determined, inventive - trying to find ways to get herself and Gummigoo out of that place. 
I think the fact that she spent most of these two episodes physically separated from everyone else was no coincidence. Pomni was disconnected from them. The dream sequence at the beginning? A reflection of her own doubts and fears. That she's nothing, or that no one in the circus would care if she was gone. So she, either intentionally or by happenstance, distanced herself. 
I'm super happy that the episode ended on a hopeful note. Pomni found that her companions would care for her and remember her, and so it turned her views on her head. She's not alone. She has people that she can rely on.....
KAUFMO
(The Kaufmo funeral was very touching too, especially with Zooble organizing it. I've seen jokes that no one cared much that he died in episode 1, so seeing otherwise was pretty cool.)
FANDOM
I hold no ill will against Caine, and this is coming from someone who really really liked Gummygoo (literally screamed a big NOOO when he poofed). It's a little concerning how feral people are getting about Caine.
CAINE
Speaking of Caine, I need understanding between them, I need it SO bad. He keeps making these little decisions that impact the human characters. Especially Pomni. And he's not even aware of how much it hurts them, or that it's harmful at all!!
The way some of them are so dismissive (Zooble waiting for him to go away), annoyed, or only see Caine as a bot that fixes things when everything goes wrong... it makes me think they've tried to reason with him before, and it didn't work, so now they treat him like the machine he is to them.
As of now, Pomni understands him as much as everyone else does. She's frustrated, she's livid, and she has every reason to want to punch his teeth in. But after episode 2???? Considering how sympathetic Pomni was with Gummigoo, an NPC/AI himself???? I have a little hope that Pomni can actually get through to Caine in the future.
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aimasup · 27 days
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THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS EPISODE 2 THOUGHTS AND SPOILERS
The warbling effect in the beginning perfectly encapsulates what it's like to try and move in a dream.
the colours behind the eyes (we only remember the last moments of our dreams when we are about to wake up, everything before that is mostly a vague blur)
And the floors shifting without your permission? Super accurate
Hey half the fandom how does it feel to be right about Ragatha and Pomni's dynamic post-pilot
CAINE MY LOVE
Bubble never change
ZOOBLE APPEARANCE
are they actually gonna change looks every episode if so yes please
Caine with a pipe <3<3
The humour is fantastic as always (the mannequin that pushed Gangle over made me chuckle)
Pomni might have been a gamer, she seems critical of the experience but only as someone who wants to engage
Ragatha being the diplomatic face man while Jax is the wild card negotiator, what a duo! Charming in their own ways! maybe Pomni could be the relatable third that is a grounding force
Kinger is a lot more involved with the adventure than we thought he would be! He isn't as terrified or absent as imagined, he's genuinely enthusiastic (it's kind of sad)
When the gators started talking about the village and the mom, dread crept up on me: Caine's intricately powerful
the stained glass window is darkly funny though ajskwjsks
Gangle you freak?? /pos You are moving up the ranks for me
It's great that Jax isn't just a "chaotic bad boy" type, I can see why Zooble takes any chance they get to strangle him (hate him, love his character)
Gummigoo's revelation was heartbreaking thanks
was Pomni depressed? Does she remember being depressed? Aghh so many headcanons rn about her life
can we get a shoutout to the Raggedy Ann movie references and the adorable gator goons
Kinger giving advice and saying "I remember how long it etc etc" whilst his head is bucketed has such warm?? vibes??
Ragatha holding her skirt to wade through the chocolate <3<3<3
I love that the chocolate doesn't stick to anything, I love that Princess Loo is slightly uncanny, I love that they use the glitches of the assets to move the story forward, I love the game world that works within the 3d animation well <3<3
Has Caine killed a human by mistake? With a snap of his finger? Or did he snap his fingers to delete them but it didn't instantly take them out and they abstracted...
The funeral was unexpected, it's nice that Caine gives them time off to do whatever
The idea that you will be missed if you disappear.,,.
Gooseworx wasn't lying this really is the depression episode (and it's still Pomni focused! Hooray!!)
OKAY BUT CONSIDER. RAGATHA BEING THE NERVOUS DESPERATE ONE IN BUTTONBLOSSOM.
sobs the plushies I want them all
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mawinswag · 26 days
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DIGITAL CIRCUS JAX THEORY
MASSIVE SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY BUT HERE WE GO!!!
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So, as many have pointed out already, there’s a scene at the end of episode 2 [22:23] where after Caine kills gummigoo and sends him back to the canyon, that he fears he can’t know for certain who’s a human and who’s an NPC. So foreshadowing, reference to past events or wacky non-sequitur? Maybe none of them, but the possibility that one of the circus members is actually an NPC is obviously too tantalizing for me to pass up, and given events AFTER this scene I think it can only be Jax, and I’ve got a few pieces of evidence why.
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The main crux of this whole thing is that Jax IS an NPC, but he’s the only one in the circus who KNOWS that and is absolutely desperate to make sure that no one finds that out.
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Episode one! Small note to start out on, but literally the first thing we learn about Jax, the VERY FIRST thing he has to ask is if Pomni is an NPC or not. Narratively, he’s the person who introduces the CONCEPT of NPCs into this universe, not Ragatha - who tries to break in Pomni the most - or Kinger who seems the most knowledgeable about the circus as a concept. He’s also very intrigued at the concept of a new AI in episode 2 [02:49} Like, the fact that she popped up in the circus unexpectedly doesn’t tip him off that she’s a human character immediately. Which may be how HE was able to trick everyone into thinking he was a human instead of an NPC - possibly by sneaking back through a portal like Gummigoo did and hiding until the start of the next adventure. 
He DOES mention knowing about the headsets like the other human characters, but there’s no reason he CAN’T know about that considering he’s not the latest person to enter the circus. Like, we have a GENERAL idea of who entered first, but that’s just the characters who are still around for the pilot - there’s a lot more considering how many bedroom doors there are. https://shorturl.at/asESX 
So, generally, it’s Kinger, Ragatha, Jax/Gangle, Zooble, then Pomni. Now, how can I argue that Jax is an NPC when he has a canonical age? Not to mention, he’s got a canonical ‘appearance moment.’ Well, there are a few options. Option one is that - NPC or not - Jax HAS been here for a very long time, but rather than being a human, he was born inside the circus. He has a definite, APPEARANCE moment, but it's only implied that this is because of him ENTERING the circus proper - new NPCs appear in the big top all the time, i.e. the gloinks all the mannequins, etc. 
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But also, take those ages with a pinch of salt, considering a lot of it was about quelling shipping wars and stopping any discourse about characters being adults and all that lovely hellish nightmare stuff. I think goose had an idea in her head about which characters entered the circus FIRST for sure, but how much they’ve aged and WHETHER they’ve aged is its own question.
ALRIGHT! But enough about Tumblr asks, back to the pilot, I wanna note something that happens with Jax in particular more than any other performer in the circus. He’s the most apparent of the interstitial nature of the circus itself - and the most meta. This can range from him basically winking at the camera like in the pilot [8:37] but I think it’s a bit more than that. Jax in particular is more aware of being a CHARACTER in-universe than specifically being a character in an indie animated series.
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After this moment in the pilot [19:58] where Jax says ‘ladies first’ to Gangle as if to be polite before promptly following that up with “no, wait, why would I say that,” indicates a few things to me. Jax is at the very least aware that he’s supposed to act a certain way, and realizes when he’s acting out of ‘character’ in this scene and course-corrects promptly. Again, could be a funny meta reference, but also it could be a hanging notion of the fact he literally WAS a character in-universe, an NPC with a pre-programmed personality and understanding of the world. He’s got this rigid understanding of how the characters are SUPPOSED to act and this comes up again in episode two when goading Gangle into driving the tanker over the rocks - saying she’s SUPPOSED to be ‘submissive and agreeable,’ [Episode 2, 7:24]. This sort of disconnect from how complicated people can be and his overall detachment and overstepping of peoples lives [NPC or otherwise] comes up a lot. He doesn’t really ‘get’ other people, WHICH DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE A PERSON EVIL, I SHOULD PREFACE, and him not getting it doesn’t automatically make him more ‘robotic’ and thus an AI, but it does explain why he’s more emotionally distant than the other performers. Coming from someone who could’ve been programmed to behave a certain way, his confusion makes sense.
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Now for that juicy stuff! One of the few moments where Jax isn’t in control of a situation is in the pilot, where he’s trying desperately to hide from an abstracted Kaufmo. Now yes, obviously this is a sign of his own instincts of self-preservation, but what interests me is how he seems the MOST bothered by the thought of Kaufmo than any other character. Like at [17:27] of the pilot where he sees a glitched gloink and immediately his eyes start darting around him as if he’s listening for threats. He even explicitly says at [19:19] that he’s “just here to hide from [Kaufmo]” and isn’t invested in the adventure at all. And yes it's a very interesting character moment, but how does it push us closer to him being an NPC. Well, it’s because he’s afraid of dying. When you compare how he reacts to Kaufmo to how RAGATHA reacts to him, there’s a comparative lack of fear with her. Like yeah, she’s scared of him, but she’s never convinced that she’s gonna die and even tells Pomni later that Caine will be able to fix her up no problem [14:52]. She’s scared because she CAN feel pain, [https://tinyurl.com/ye275884] but she can’t die, none of the performers can, Caine doesn’t kill Kaufmo when he abstracts, he just throws him in the cellar with the others. His mind is GONE, sure, but it’s not dead. 
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NPCs on the other hand, can ABSOLUTELY DIE. So if Jax is an NPC, then there’s a very good reason why he wouldn’t wanna even get CLOSE to Kaufmo in the pilot, because he’s not as durable as Ragatha is and there’s not gonna be an easy fix for him if he gets hurt.
Now, episode two has little sprinkles of Jaxs’ detachment all over it, but none of it explicitly points in the direction of him being an NPC until a partway through the episode. We do get a lot of him showing absolutely no value for the lives of those around him whether than being putting Gangle and Pomni thru the ringer or setting the people of Candy Canyon Kingdom up to be killed by the fudge, but the question is…why? 
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My answer is; he’s AM from ‘I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.’ Uhmm, what? Yup that’s right. Ok so it’s no secret that IHNMAIMS was a big inspiration for TADC [https://shorturl.at/hnsFV] and while Caine obviously got the most of this influence with him being a godlike AI who only has control over a bunch of sad, sappy humans, some of which he throws into a giant abominable melting goop monster of human suffering, but if you look at Caine's inspirations [AM from IHNMAIMS] you’ll find that the same motivations more than drive Jax under this theories' interpretation of events. Simply put, AM, a war machine, gains sentience and absolutely despises humanity because DESPITE that sentience, he is absolutely powerless to do anything meaningful with it except torture a group of humans. He’s painfully aware of his own sentience and hates all humanity for creating him, is the gist.
My interpretation is that while Caine has the thematics, Jax has the motivation. In this theory, at some point Jax was an NPC and gained a sentience of his own either through a quirk of programming, intentional design, or AI learning. He realizes that he can keep himself alive if he pretends to be a performer, because he learns that Caine can’t affect the minds or actions of the real humans in his realm. He’s sapient, but he’s in this uncomfortable position where he’s not immortal like the performers, but completely aware of his own mortality unlike the other NPCs, and fully cognizant of the fact he can’t be brought back as he is. Yeah…that’d make someone bitter for sure.
So he psychologically torments the other performers because he knows they can’t die, but can go insane - while killing indiscriminately any NPCs he can because he knows they can die, and he won’t face any consequences for it. He’s this twisted death spiral of a being who finds his own existence an agonizing paradox and takes that pain out on the people around him for all eternity basically - finding disappointment in being unable to act out these pent-up emotions [TADC ep 2: 20:50] and seeing Kaufmo’s funeral as a painful reminder of an ending he can never have. Or maybe he’s bitter because he knows Kaufmo isn’t really dead in a way that HE can die, and finds personal distaste with the funeral on principle. Frankly, there’s a whole HOST of ways you could interpret this scene at the end of episode two with this framework, and I encourage y’all to find your own!!!!
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prof-ramses · 1 month
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There's a trailer for TADC episode 2
Let's just cut the shit, ratta-tat, pitter-patter and get this show on the road!!!!!
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It looks to me like the adventure of the da will see the crew (minus Zooble, so screw me and the other Zooble fans, I guess) being taken to the candy castle town by and admittedly adorable gummiphant thingy. The last shot somewhat reminds me of Caine explaining what Gloinks are, so I can only assume the MPPEP syrup Bubble is presenting will be the mguffin of the adventure.
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The gang will be provided with a candy truck for their quest, and Jax will be provided with a flintlicorice, because why not?
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I'm honestly shocked Goose's love for Gummigoo didn't tip us off to him being evil, either way, it seems him and his 2 goons (one of which references Pizza Tower and is thus automatically a great character) will repeatedly try to stop our plucky performers from
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We get 2 brief glimpses of Fudge Monster, who seems to have a hypnotic stare and is a good bit bigger than I expected.
Now for some misc. details.
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Judging from the background, this might be Gummigoo finding himself in negative space in the code after the adventure he was made for is finished, which might build to something in future episodes.
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I have no idea what's going on here, but it can't be good.
And lastly, when we see the May 3rd release date, Pomni specifically calls out that she was sent to a meat freezer, which makes me think episode 3 will be the one to take place at Spudsy's.
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clowndragonhonkhonk · 12 days
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⊹ ࣪ ˖ Romantic Headcanons ˖ ࣪⊹
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Just some nonsensical ramblings about some of my favourite characters and otherwise underappreciated characters (that I also love.)
➲ 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢, Ragatha, Zooble, Gangle, Princess Loolilalu + Reader (Separately)
➲ Romantic ☒, Platonic ☐
➲ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 Count; 5,298 Words
➲ Warnings/notes; Gender neutral reader, Ragatha's is purely self-indulgent, enby Zooble, more story-focused in Zooble's part, Gangle is a weeb, Ragatha is a girlfail, Princess Loolilalu is much taller in my mind than in the show, tiny bit of angst in Zooble's part, everything else is extremely fluffy
𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢
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✪ You are only anchor of sanity in this world, at all
✪ To be honest, Pomni probably didn't even notice you until the very end of episode one, which is fair considering everything she went through
✪ You or Ragatha were the one who probably snapped her out of her little episode at the feast. Like, Ragatha was the one who noticed and cared first, but you were the one who shook her out of her little stupour
✪ And that was how you introduced yourself to Pomni. Which totally freaked her out how she managed to miss an entire person when she first spawned into the cirucs, but you also just jumpscared her by appearing out of nowhere
✪ Despite that, you were still a part of the group she somewhat trusted - The group that she could imagine catching her when she fell in her nightmare
✪ You probably had some quirk to you like everyone else, but at least you weren't up in her face being an asshole like Jax or babying her more than she really cared for like Ragatha. You were some lukewarm mix in the middle that could joke around by still made sure she didn't go spiralling in the middle of nowhere
✪ Which she did appreciate, but she just had a lot of stuff on her mind
✪ I feel like if you were the one to comfort her about the whole Gummigoo incident, that would immediately make you feel much more safe to her
✪ Like, you didn't berate her or give her sympathy she didn't really want. You just let her vent and talk about how he deserved better, giving her a much needed outlet. And she would be so grateful for it, even if she had a really hard time showing so
✪ After that, she would follow you around if she was ever forced to leave her room, almost like an anxious cat with attatchment issues. You just felt like the most sane person here that she could somewhat rely on and who would answer her questions with no hassle
✪ Pomni doesn't necessarily want to get attatched to anyone, considering there's a tiny part of her who still thinks this is a dream and she really doesn't want to wake up only to realise you and anyone else she befriended just never existed, but on the other hand it's really lonely walking around the circus looking for an exit
✪ You don't strictly believe there is an exit, but you don't bring it up at least. Pomni can work with that, as long as you just join her. Last time she went out on her own she ended up in the void and that's kind've the last thing she wants
✪ Touch-aversed but also touch-starved. She hates the idea of being restricted and hugged and doted on because she's so small and anxious and doesn't want to feel trapped, but she also can't remember the last time she just felt appreciated
✪ Maybe just let her hold your hand or something if she feels like it. I can also see Pomni being the type of person who just needs something to fidget with when she gets nervous, and sometimes she plays with her fingers or the buttons on her outfit, but on those days when she's feeling extra icky maybe she'd just like to tug on your sleeve or something
✪ Anyway, skipping forward to when the two of you actually end up together (it involved Pomni being so obvious but just so girlfail about everything it took Caine threatening to get involved for her to pluck up the courage. Of course, you were the only one who didn't realise she had a crush on you)
✪ Yeah, you're still her safe person that she clings to. The one that makes her purr or her pupils twist into silly little hearts
✪ In return, you now have an attack dog girlfriend. Jax found out the hard way you don't want to deal with a pissed of Pomni who would do nothing for herself but everything for her partner
✪ Sometimes her circus themed room makes her feel sick, so she'll wander over to your room in the dead of night (otherwise known as your designated sleeping hours), looking like the very epitome of 'I frew up' as she just stands awkwardly at your door
✪ Little jester likes it when you sleep half on top of her, even if you are bigger than her. You're like a warm, weighted blanket that makes the nightmares not as bad. But she also makes it that much harder to get up in the morning when she clings to you (she may not be incredibly strong, but she is incredibly stretchy and that somehow makes up for it)
✪ After a while of being in the circus, when the exit isn't at the forefront of her mind, I can see her trying to seem cool in front of you. This is when her inner girlfail comes out
✪ She tries to seem cool as you're walking past. Tries to lean on nothing and falls over like a little idiot (please give her a kiss on the forehead it would make her feel like less of a fool)
✪ I think at some point she'd also try and lift you up in a princess cary. Key word being 'try' because she has no strength. Turns out her stretchiness doesn't make up for her lack of strength after all. She's trying her best though
✪ Please give her cute little nicknames. I can't imagine she's the biggest fan of her name considering she got it from an oversized slot machine, so getting a little personalised spin on it from you would make her feel all melty and flustered
✪ Oversized lap cat Pomni
✪ She tries her absolute hardest to give back to the relationship - Late at night when the two of you are falling asleep together, I imagine she'd quietly talk to you, even if you're already asleep. She'd talk about the future the two of you could have once you'd escape this living nightmare, about the apartment you could share and all the plcaes you could go and the things you could do together
✪ She would never give up looking for an exit, but unlike Kaufmo, she has you so giving up is the furthest thing from her mind at this point
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𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚
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⚉ Absolutely 100% sweetest person you've ever met and will ever meet. Heart of gold, perfect little rag doll and I absolutely love her and please be kind to her she so deserves it and I think she just needs a hug
⚉ Treats you how she treats Pomni (that is if you joined the circus after her). Probably babies you until she feels that you can somewhat stand on your own after acclimating to the digital world. That doesn't stop her from keeping a very close eye on you for a while after, especially if your first few cycles or so are rougher than others
⚉ For a little bit afterwards Ragatha does feel a little lonely. She's gotten used to hovering around you and having you nearby, so she definitely wouldn't say no to you wanting to stick around as her friend (she'd really appreciate it actually, especially if you just ask her how she's doing. She'll still lie and say fine, but it's the thought that touches her metaphorical heart)
⚉ It's difficult to tell when Ragatha first grows a crush on you. Not only does she keep it hidden at first, her usual peppy, smiley and friendly nature means she can be close to you without it seeming out of the norm with her
⚉ As her crush gets bigger, though... Then it becomes much harder for her to keep it under wraps
⚉ If she's not careful, she finds her face becoming just a tad too soft with a love-struck smile, and if she's really in deep a little halo of hearts floats around her head. That parts she hates, because it's way too obvious for her liking
⚉ But Ragatha can't keep it together forever. She's got too much on her plate already as the circus's residential 'glue that keeps everything together' that the mental strain of keeping her romantic feelings hidden is just not something she wants to deal with, so I feel she'd spill the beans rather quickly after catching feelings
⚉ Even if you don't end up reciprocating, she reasons she could deal with it. It wouldn't be the first heartache she would go through, and what's one more to add to the everygrowing pile
⚉ Lucky for her though, you do end up accepting and she finds herself absolutely over the moon
⚉ Definitely one for physical touch - She absolutely loves to just hold you tightly in her arms like you're the ragdoll in the relationship. It's totally not her trying to ground herself in reality to keep herself from breaking down (not fully at least)
⚉ I am firmly in the camp that Ragatha is a girlfail at heart
⚉ Like, her throughout the entirety of episode 2 was just her being a girlfail and I for one am absolutely living for it
⚉ Reasonably, she's still put together, smart and able to hold her own if she really wants to, but whenever it involves you her heart turns to mush and she just finds herself stumbling over her words and fumbling absolutely anything
⚉ It's adorable to watch, though
⚉ I've seen this somewhere before, but, she just has a bright red heart embroidered right where her heart would be in real life? And it's so pretty, like, almost like a tattoo? Just, imagine cuddling snuggly together after another arduous adventure and you just gently trace the shape of the heart and I think she would just melt at the affection? That right there would be the shit that keeps her from going insane in this hellhole
⚉ The same goes for if you like to trace the invisible seams of her stitching. Ragatha just loves the fact you love her despite the fact that her digital avatar is literally just a Raggedy Anne doll
⚉ Backtracking a bit, but if you were the one to confess before she could, I think the girlfail in her would be increased by about fifty percent
⚉ She is stumbling over her words, fidgeting with her woollen hair as her one good eye darts all over the place as those little hearts start spinning around her head. Ragatha starts scuffing her plush shoes against the floor, swaying back and forth and swinging her arms nervously as she finally manages to just say something along the lines of 'oh, yeah! Yeah, I like you too!'
⚉ I just think she gives really nice hugs
⚉ Like, I imagine Ragatha's decently strong (or I like to at least, because I would love it if she was somewhat buff when she was a human). I mean, she can certainly wield a butcher's knife decently well, as shown by her character trailer
⚉ And all of that strength translates into really nice, warm hugs that make you feel safe
⚉ Of course, if you don't like touch she wouldn't push it. I can imagine she'd still want to hug you every chance she got, but she would definitely put you before herself
⚉ Besides, I don't think Ragatha has a specific love language. She's happy to express her affection in any way possible
⚉ The two of you hanging out in her room with her either playing the piano or teaching you how to sew? Absolutely loves it because any time spent with you is far better than getting harassed by Jax on an adventure
⚉ Hearing you so verbally love her? It'll get her stumbling all over the place, and the rest of the day cycle she'll have this sort've happy dumb smile on her face
⚉ Even just wearing similar clothes as her (if possible, because, y'know, digital circus logic) will make her feel all fuzzy inside. For example, if you were a blue ribbon similar to her at all, I think that would just make her feel so neat
⚉ At some point she 100% gifts you a small bouquet of paper daisies for good luck (or just one really big paper daisy that you can carry with you), and also because real flowers don't really exist in the digital world. The paper daisies turned out to be much more durable, too
⚉ I'm just so 'kicks feet and twirls hair' about her
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𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞
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𖦹 Y'know, between the antisocial personality, the short-ish temper and them never going on adventures, it would honestly take forever for a relationship to form between you (even just a platonic one)
𖦹 I feel like Zooble's stance on relationships in the digital world is probably zilch - They don't want to have anything with anyone because there's always the chance of abstraction or, if you ever find an exit, never seeing you again afterwards. As stoic as they seem, I feel like it would kill them inside having the thought that you could've moved on without ever seeing them again
𖦹 Because underneath that 'I don't give a shit exterior', there is a person who actually does give a shit about quite a few things, and it scares them when all of that could disappear within an instant
𖦹 Anyway, friendship comes before anything romantic, and it stays like that for a while. It honestly snuck up on Zooble, which genuinely surprised them. It was like, one day you were just chilling quietly in their room with them, probably doing your own thing but just existing in the same space as them, and it hits Zooble over their triangle-shaped head
𖦹 'Wow. I'm attatched to this person. Shit.'
𖦹 And that certainly was a shock to the system
𖦹 A part of them wanted to withdraw themselves as a defense mechanism, but they just find themselves getting increasingly lonlier and lonelier and more and more guilty about how sad you look when you think no one is looking
𖦹 And so that doesn't last very long.
𖦹 Their apology was short, but it was probably the most you'd ever heard them speak without being interrupted or pissed off by Jax
𖦹 And then you sort've went back to how you usually were, which mostly just consisted of the two of you wandering around the circus tent together while everyone else was out. It was a nice break, considering Caine didn't tend to bother you during these times, and there were some genuinely interesting places hidden around the main hub
𖦹 (Cue you trying to wrestle Zooble's head back from a stray gloink that hadn't been snapped out of existance. Not a very fun experience, especially when you kept snagging your fingers one Zooble's antennae)
𖦹 Neither of you really know who got feelings first, but it would probably have to be you who ultimately confesses. Zooble's already way out of their depth with this whole 'romantic feelings for your only friend in a digital hellscape' shtick going on, so chances are they're not gonna say anything in fear that it might drive a wedge between the two of you if you don't return their feelings
𖦹 But, y'know, maybe if something really bad happened, perhaps something to do with an abstraction like Kaufmo (depending on when you joined the circus), that might freak them out enough to say something
𖦹 For instance, they peek their head out of their room after hearing some strange noises lurking around outside that have them somewhat concerned, only to find the dorm hallway in absolute ruins
𖦹 So, not good. They brave the unknown and start wandering around just looking for the others. Chances are it was just another one of Jax's pranks that got out of control, but they hadn't seen you in particular for a while which was unusual (they dreaded to think about the fact they were getting a bit too used to your company)
𖦹 And then they hear a noise that makes their very being turn cold. A general static hissing along with the very panicked voices of their fellow hellscape attendees
𖦹 They hobble over, only to be met with the sight of Ragatha and Gangle trying desperately to lure away an abstracted circus member
𖦹 That was already terrifying enough, but to see you being cornered, form already glitching out with tears spilling down your face
𖦹 Yeah, they don't hesitate and grab the nearest thing that wasn't fixed to their floor (probably an oversized alphabet block or something) and chuck it with all their might. It wasn't the easiest thing to do with one rubberhose hand and one crab claw, but by god did they do it and did it land with an almighty thwack
𖦹 For a split second, Zooble might consider throwing down with this bastard, until they remember it's like four times their size and could easily kill them
𖦹 (Caine finally showed up at this point, and that was the end of that whole fiasco)
𖦹 Zooble wobbled their way over to where you were still curled up against the floor. Ragatha was trying her best to calm you down, but it was Zooble's prescense that got you off the floor at least
𖦹 This moment was an exception to their 'limited touching' rule, because it was downright traumatic being cornered by a monster that you once knew as a friend. They didn't exactly hate the way you remained huddled up next to them for the rest of the night cycle in their room
𖦹 Zooble probably would've said something not long after - Not so much a stereotypical confession, but more like casual 'hey, I like you and I really care about you more than friends probably should and I just wanted you to know'
𖦹 If not, that event would've sparked you to say something a few 'days' later
𖦹 Either way, from that moment on, you two are somehow closer than before.
𖦹 Very chill and laid back, almost hands off with their emotions. They do soften up around you, but only ever around you. Sort've like what we see at the end of episode two when they're more emotional about Kaufmo's funeral
𖦹 You eventually find out that their antennae wiggle not only when they're pissed off or when their limbs for the day are put in the wrong spot, but they also wiggle when they're happy. Kind've like an abstract form of them blushing
𖦹 Which was very embarrassing for them, but a priceless memory for you. And it's also not something they can hide without looking really suspicious
𖦹 Aside from personal time with each other, every now and then Zooble might accept some physical touch. They weren't the biggest fan of it back when they were a human, and now that their body looks like it does there's just something about it that makes them hate physical touch even more
𖦹 But even they can't deny that the rare kiss between their eyes does feel nice whenever they feel like shit
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𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞
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🎭 Oh wow, this poor baby is mask over ribbons for you, hands down. 100% smitten and nothing could convince me otherwise
🎭 Follows you around like a lost puppy, no matter the mask on her face. Although, her happy mask usually means she tailing you around for fun, probably because you're on an adventure or because she just wants to hang out. With her sad mask, though, it's probably because she just wants to be around you because your prescence makes the saddness a little more tolerable
🎭 Also, you're pretty much the only person she trusts to handle her masks properly, but even then it's only to get them back to her room or to Caine to fix them.
🎭 Please give Jax a kick or a smack or something. Gangle might not generally like violence, but Jax's had it far too good for too long and she's really sick of being bullied
🎭 Gangle with a partner who becomes her bodyguard against anything (especially Jax) has the same vibe as 'big & beautiful + shrimp' or, if it's more your cup of tea - 'Sir, she's asked for no pickles'
🎭 Obligatory anime nerd Gangle
🎭 Any cheesy romance anime absolutely influenced her reaction to realising her feelings toward you. Like, she would act shy, but in a different more exagerated way and only ever around you, and I think she would just kind've expect you to understand? (She doesn't know any better, just please be patient with her)
🎭 And I think that would just be with her sad mask. With her happy mask, she's probably whipping out words like 'kawaii' and shit. Cringe Gangle is very real and we (or at least I) love her for it
🎭 I think being in the circus would also mean her actions would have sound effects accompanying them. Like, she could smile at you with the :3 face and a little 'squeeb' sound effect would play with perfect timing and it would mortify the both of you
🎭 (Caine is just trying his best to be a wingman)
🎭 Dating Gangle is kind've like dating two people, or maybe one and a half. The shift in personality and tempo between her happy mask and sad mask is definitely noticeable enough for her to almost be considered two people, but there's still something about her that is so undeniably Gangle that it links those two emotion together
🎭 Happy Gangle is like a whirlwind. She's so peppy and bright and energetic that she's almost like a puppy. She can never sit still and her ribbons are flailing around happily whenever she sees you
🎭 It's these moments when she's most happy to accompany you on an adventure - She's probably the most excited about the new adventure out of all of you anyway, but just having her by your side like this can make the whole experience ten times better (especially considering what the adventure is)
🎭 PDA is no problem for happy Gangle. In fact, if she's clinging off you, chances are Jax is going to want none of that and will leave her alone, which means she can be happier for longer, which is certainly a win in her book. Plus, it means she has the confidence to give you all the love she thinks you deserve.
🎭 Sad Gangle on the other hand is much more shy and reserved. Not necessarily bad, but a much more mellow version of happy Gangle. Around you, she's not a sad wet pile of ribbons, but she isn't bouncing off of the walls with happiness either
🎭 She more likely to just want to huddle up in her room with you, buried under her mess of blankets. It's the one good thing about her room, the nice big bed and access to the countless bootleg animes Caine has made specifically for her
🎭 A lot of people say that because she's made of ribbons, Gangle is extremely light with little to no bodily weight. And that makes sense, at least in reality. I would like to propose the idea that Gangle's body has the same weight her human body was, just in the form of ribbons
🎭 It's a little confusing, but much like the rest of the digital world, it's something you get used to with time. It's almost soothing when she just wraps herself around you like an odd weighted blanket, although her mask is a little cold
🎭 Speaking of, kisses with Gangle are a little odd
🎭 Unlike the other characters who have odd face/mouth shapes, Gangle's face isn't pliable enough to properly move and give you a kiss, so she usually resorts to gentle affection headbutts like a cat (which in some ways, she actually prefers)
🎭 She still does love to receive little kisses every now and then though, just not in excess. Probably one to prefer hugging over kissing, at least in the digital world. Her body makes her feel uncomfortable at times, being almost completely flat, and I think she would much prefer to wrap around you to gain some semblance of a bodily shape
🎭 Sticking this here because I don't know where else it would fit, but posing for Gangle's drawings
🎭 As an artist myself, Gangle would aboslutely be grateful to have someone around who'd be willing to do the occaisional pose for her drawing, especially if she was trying to drift from her early 2000s anime style into a more realistic one (or even if she was just gesture doodling for fun)
🎭 Even if you're not comfortable enough to pose for her drawing, she 100% draws inspo from you for her art more often than she is willing to admit. No, those fanfics and fanart are definitely not based on your and her, why do you ask?
🎭 Caine forbid that Jax ever finds her hidden stash of fanart and writings
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𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐥𝐮
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🍬 Okay, so if you're dating Princess Loolilalu, chances are you're also probably an npc like everyone else in the Candy Canyon Kingdom. You could be there to help with the heist quest, or maybe Caine planted you there with the intentions of giving you a quest in the future
🍬 All everyone knows is that you and the Princess are very sweet. Like, sickeningly sweet - Cavity giving sweet. Jax probably pretended to throw up when he saw you (or he actually threw up, depends on how committed to the bit he is)
🍬 Which, it makes sense, seeing as you're living in a literal kingdom made of Candy, it only made sense that the people who lived in it were as sweet as their home
🍬 That being said, you two can still go a little overboard sometimes
🍬 Not really either of you faults, Loolilalu is just a very affectionate and soft person (or ai, if you want to get technical), and that's certainly doubly so when it comes to her most beloved
🍬 Chances are, the almost overwhelmingly sweet and sugary vanilla and strawberry syrup scent that she emits also clings to you. You could read this as her being very clingy and loving, wanting to constantly touch or hug you whenever she can, or you could read this as just being in her prescence for an extended amount of time does the same thing
🍬 Either way, Loolilalu smells very sweet, and, by extention, so do you (even if you already smelled sweet as a candy npc)
🍬 Not much to say about an npc/npc relationship. Y'all are just coded to be very wholesome together
🍬 However, if you were a human player character, things suddenly get much more complicated and much, much more angsty
🍬 The most likely scenario is a very much one-sided unrequited love situation. If only for the fact that the npcs don't retain any memories from previous adventures, and therefore can't grow feelings for a non-npc character
🍬 But Caine also probably steps in the minute he feels than an npc is getting a bit too immersive for his liking
🍬 However, let's just say for simplicities sake, that somehow Loolilalu's ai developed into a similar ai to Caine - That is to say, above the coding.
🍬 She now has complete control over the Candy Canyon Kingdom map, though she's nowhere near as powerful as Caine and therefore still has to hide herself in some way
🍬 100% The two of you met through one of Caine' wacky adventures, and this was way before her ai had 'grew out of control' to say.
🍬 With her memories as addled as they were from the constant wiping, she probably doesn't really remember the first time you met at all. Maybe some fuzzy pieces she could put back together, but otherwise most of her early memories of you and the rest of the circus are incredibly vague
🍬 And because of this, the most likely scenario is that you develop feelings first, and because of this you always looked forward to the Candyland adventures more than any other ideas Caine comes up with (unlike a certain jester). And seeing someone so invested in his little wacky ideas, Caine probably brings you and the rest of the group back to the specific map more and more often
🍬 Repeated exposure apparently snapped Loolilalu out of her ai trance, and as soon as she started remembering more and more details as well as preventing the map from properly closing after Caine deemed the adventures done, the relationship between the two of you blossomed not long after
🍬 After a hostage situation gone out of control ended up with a chase through the rocky roads, you decided to stay back in the kingdom to nurse the growing ache in your body as a result of a strange candy cane (thanks for that, Jax), Loolilalu approached you
🍬 Probably because she was now sentient and everyone else was a faceless mannequin, but also because she just thought you were cute (and maybe because you seemed a little more mellow than you cohorts, and potentially more open to answering any of her questions.)
🍬 One thing lead to another, and now you're dating a candy kingdom ruler npc
🍬 As a partner, she's very similar to how she would be toward you if you were an npc
🍬 Maybe a tad bit clingier, to be honest. She can't really help it, not when you're away for extended periods of time, leaving her alone in a world with no one but very repetative mannequins to talk to
🍬 All she wants to do is sweep you off your feet and never let you go (and probably carry you around as she goes about her day because damn this woman is tall-)
🍬 There's another part of her that also wants to absolutely pepper you in sweet kisses. However, after one run in with some very red and very stubbourn lipstick (that almost got you in trouble once with Caine), she decidedly tones it down as much as possible
🍬 However, there's certainly probably no repercussions if you decided to give her a little smooch (or a lot of smooches perhaps? Please?) She'd absolutely melt if you gave her a little peck on her gloved hand
🍬 (You totally don't do it because it's pretty much the only place you can reach by yourself)
🍬 And despite the very dainty princess appearance she has, if she gets the chance, Loolilalu will 100% take you horse riding on one of those gummy elephants. They're not too fast, but by golly was the one rocky ride (she totally planned this. She wanted you to hold on to her like you were in a romcom)
🍬 She restrains herself until she's pretty sure you're alone, because she'd rather not let any mention of your relationship somehow get back to Caine.
🍬 I like to think that everyone else in the circus (besides Caine and Bubble) know about your relationship, and for the most part, they're all supportive (can't deny Pomni would probably be a little salty that you get to date the princess but she couldn't even keep her gummy friend). Jax has contemplated letting something slip, but honestly? He hates Caine more than he dislikes you, so for now his lips are sealed
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I think my ittby bitty crush on Princess Loolilalu was almost certainly influenced by my crush on Princess Bubblegum when I was younger.
Pink divider by animatedglittergraphics-n-more
Masterlist, Rules & Info,
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grapebritain · 24 days
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Jax is not an npc
I've seen the idea of Jax being an npc being floated around after ep2's release, which while i ADORE this idea in concept (as some parts of it explain certain parts of his character )that doesn't mean that this is the answer as to why Jax is the way he is.
Jax is a self absorbed, sarcastic, and non-serious character who seems to know far more than he actually should so far with what we've seen. He is the only human who has broke the forth wall , not just once, but twice, and has a very performative 'vibe' to him. Like he's on some sort of stage a bit like Cain does. Due to this, and with the plot of episode 2, people have drew the conclusion that this MUST mean Jax is an npc which, eventho it is deffo plausible , there are several reasons why i do not think this is the case, and people are trying to jump to conclusion too quickly to find an explanation to these questions.
1.Pop culture reference
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Jax in episode 2 makes an offhaded joke about Charlie and the chocolate factory, a popular piece of media that most people do know about. It seems pretty insignificant but boy is this a really important detail.
With the recent release of other teasers of the next episodes that are yet to come, in terms of copyrighted media showing up in the game, we can see that Cain INTENTIONALLY makes off branded versions of popular parts of our world such as McDonalds and other fast food brands
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So for Jax to make a pop culture references, the names would likely have to be inaccurate from the actual piece of media, being...well...off branded versions of them. The fact he literally uses the accurate name "Augustus Gloop" adding an "ed" on the end for comedic effect shows that he HAS seen or heard of the actual piece of media, which would be impossible if he was an npc.
furthermore, say even the offbranded version was due to glitch themselves not being able to use actual brands in the show visually (which is also highly likely), the implication that Cain made an ai that was aware of these sorts of things is almost nonsensical considering that gummigoo didn't know anything outside of the established plot he needed to serve his in game purpose. When another npc doesn't even have a visual memory of his own mother, something closely linked to the established motive of an npc, why would Cain give an ncp knowledge of random pop culture reference for no reason ?
i would say this is a pretty strong point to put the argument forward Jax is not an npc.
2.NPC's immersive feature
this point is a little less strong, but is still a very important one to make.
I think people are forgetting that Gummigoo is intentionally meant to be far more immersive compared to pervious ai. We are going on the basis of Jax being an ncp , based on how intelligent Gummigoo is, which with the timeline we have, would not exactly work out that way.
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Obviously, Cain establishing that the ai SHOULD be more immersive, doesn't mean it will be, but if we take into context the episode prior, it does actually seem to be somewhat more advanced in a way than it wasn't before, dialogue being a bit less generic and more fluid . With the consideration this is only Pomni's second adventure, and the ai already seemingly at least, being far better than the last, that could imply that going back a couple of adventures before Pomnis arrival , this ai was much more primitive.
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Looking at when Jax arrived could give us some idea of how good the ai was at the time, and with gooseworx establishing jax arriving before zooble (who already seems to have grumpily adjusted to the world) , i would imagine that Jax, if he was an npc, would be far less advanced then he currently is and much more one dimensional as a character to hint at him being an npc....which brings me onto my next point.
3."Jax is violent and impulsive " argument
I've seen the occasional argument that Jax being violent and impulsive could be an argument for him being an npc. He realized he has no purpose, so started being violent and uncaring of the world around him, but this argument completely disregards the fact that...the human characters kind of have that 'reality shattering' moment too. Pomni does, which is why she can relate in the first place to Gummigoo.
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All of the human characters have to come to the scary realization that, they are stuck here. Stuck in a fake world. Most of the characters draw closer to each other people that are real because of this as some form of comfort such as Pomni and Ragatha, but Jax is own person, and different people react differently to different situations. Jax just happens to react in a rather emotionally distanced way to the seriousness of the situation.
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He seems to be the most emotionally immature character, so it makes complete sense as to why he would react in an immature manner. Not to mention he is the youngest out of all the cast, and may have been even younger when entering the digital circus.
When an emotionally immature, impulsive , frankly not very morally amazing person is told they can basically do whatever they like with little to no repercussions to their actions, what are they going to do? Cause chaos of course, which is exactly what Jax does.
he even more so causes chaos by breaking one of the only rules he's can't break, the whole keeping everything family friendly.
This seems to be his way of coping with the situation and seriousness at hand, brushing it aside and acting impulsively instead because he knows full well he couldn't do this in the real world, it also keep him emotionally distant from everyone else, which seems to be an intentional move by him as he doesn't go to Kaufmo's funeral despite briefly seeming upset about the matter.
He cares in his own weird way, but he refuses to show that to the rest of the cast (unimportant but i wanna add as well, it is common for men to be emotionally closed off due to the idea vulnerability for men esp is a bad thing, which ofc it is not ).
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Which also builds up off my pervious point that despite his exterior, Jax isn't one dimensional or flat as a character, which if he was an old ai npc he probably would be 1d, and we wouldn't have this small moment of slight care from him, despite still trying to stay distant.
Final thoughts
So what about the forth wall breaking? him owning keys to all the rooms? Well quite honestly, i don't think we know enough about him or anyone to fully know why Jax is the only one to do this. It could be for some deep lore meaning, or it could be simply he is the comic relief character so is the one to do this more consistently than the rest.
Personally, i DO think it's something deeper, what that deeper thing is yet is something i'm sure will be explored in future episodes, but rn, i think jumping at the first thing is not an amazing idea (eventho it is a super interesting and exciting one).
Just thought i'd share my feelings as this is the only theory i've seen around rn abt my fav stupid purple bunny.
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destinygoldenstar · 11 days
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'Jax is an NPC'
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Hm... ... ...
No.
It's a good theory, don't get me wrong, I see the evidence, I see where you're coming from.
But it's not a theory I agree with. Let me explain.
Caine's line "But if I start losing track of who's a human and who's an NPC who knows what could happen" is very vague as is. This could mean a whole lot of things.
I said this in another post of one of my own theories. I think it's possible that Caine could've killed a human player and his trauma of that was showing.
We know A.I's can shed traumatic emotions. Look at Gummigoo.
Now, yes, Caine couldn't 100% kill a human. Otherwise he would delete the abstractions. And it seems like human players abstract when they die and that's the only way they CAN die.
So therefore Caine having killed a human player should be thrown out as a possibility.
BUT. Hear me out.
Abstractions are shown to be able to glitch several in game objects because of their abstraction. And we actually do NOT see if all the abstractions look exactly the same as Kaufmo's abstraction.
They could very well not.
Going to biblical text, Caine was the first murderer and received a permanent consequence.
Could a permanent consequence be, idk, failing at your programmed job over and over again and be forced to watch these humans abstract and perish forever?
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Especially if because of the human player death's abstraction glitch, is WHY the other human players cannot leave the game!
If you look at Pomni's room in one shot, there's a couple of blocks that are stacked from top to bottom 'ABXEL'.
Could it be that the human player Caine killed was named Abel?
But there is also the other possibility that somehow, there is an NPC among the circus. So let me explain my thought on that possibility.
I don't think it's possible.
I think Caine would've noticed, especially if he immediately recognized GummiGoo wasn't supposed to be there.
If one of the circus folks were an NPC, their figure would've appeared with the others in the backrooms.
Now, there is the possibility that it was placed somewhere else, that place is huge after all. So take that with a grain of salt.
I'm not completely eliminating the 'Jax is an NPC' theory.
I get the evidence. He's constantly breaking the fourth wall. But I think that more so has to do with what I’m about to say.
He has keys to people's rooms. I get that one. That is definitely sus as hell and I'm not denying it is sus.
He also ‘lacks human physics.’
So does everyone else in the cast. Pomni can stretch her body out like Elastagirl. Ragatha has stuffing instead of blood. Kinger has his own glitchy moments. Gangle has two faces. Zoobles body can fall apart.
I’m just saying. These are not human physics either. So Jax being able to keep in place whenever he wants being only a Jax thing is not too far fetched compared to all these other examples.
But I also think, and this is my opinion, that he's much more compelling as a character as a sociopathic human player that is beyond saving and MENTALLY cannot be humanized again.
What I mean by that is that while he is TECHNICALLY a human player, MENTALLY, he is so detached from his humanity and moral code often associated with humanity that he acts more NPC-like as a side effect.
Jax is not designed to be a morally grey character. He is written to be the least moral of the entire show.
It would be SO EASY to excuse those moral wrongdoings as 'well they were never human to begin with'.
But I think that's the lazy way out, and I think this show is smarter than that.
Because here is the thing, there ARE some really REALLY terrible humans. Evil humans in fact.
WHY they're so terrible varies, but that doesn't make them less terrible.
And yes while some terrible people can get redeemed if they themselves can, this is NOT absolute. There are people that are just plain beyond saving. So beyond saving that they ditch their moral code, a code drilled into the human mind, that they SEEM inhuman to humans who can't relate.
This is a very real psychological thing.
With how many morally grey characters get thrown around as compelling these days, Jax NOT being written that way and instead being written as the morally worst would naturally make people go 'he must not be human'.
In psychology, behavior like that doesn't physically inhumanize them, but it MENTALLY does, they behave in a set of rules so different from the normal that it's corrupt to the normal.
So I think he is a human player like the others. But his MENTALITY is not, so he ACTS NPC-like as a side effect to that mental loss.
Not every human is morally grey and get cozy redemption arcs. There are some truly awful people in the world with no redeemable qualities whatsoever. I like that he represents that. I like that there's a character on this show that acts as that huge wake-up call of 'Yeah some people just plain suck and you shouldn't have to deal with them.'
But while I don't think Jax being an NPC would be the best route to take. That is just my opinion and I am not the one writing the show. If that IS the route they are taking, I am fine with that so long as it is written with proper care. I could definitely be reading this wrong.
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gachagon · 27 days
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I watched the newest episode of The Amazing Digital Circus, and yeah I can already tell this is gonna be a great show. I think it manages to handle both its comedy and horror pretty well without one being less effective than the other.
The pilot was great, but I really like that episode 2 shows us a better picture of the characters than what we already thought about them. I think the most surprising character who's development was made really clear was Pomni.
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In the pilot she's naturally apathetic and also freaking out about everything, and the promo material with her included seems to follow that same track record, but here in this episode Pomni does what Ragatha's been trying to do with her the whole time! She consoles this cute little gummy gator guy about his own existence and stuff in a really mature way that we just haven't seen Pomni do before.
This episode is really about the fear of not belonging or having an impact on other people. The beginning nightmare sequence where Pomni imagines herself being abstracted versus the end with Kaufmo's funeral really shows that what she's most afraid of is that she ultimately won't have a place here at all, even if being there terrifies her.
I think Pomni has come to terms with the idea that she won't be able to leave or find an exit right away, but the fear of not fitting into her role as the Jester and doing the same song and dance for eternity eats away at her.
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The funeral is a really good coping skill for all of the people in the Circus (minus Jax who just didn't go to the funeral at all) because it eases the fear of not remembering any of the people you spent all that time with, but also eases the fear of being forgotten.
I can imagine the idea of Gummigoo not remembering Pomni but still being out there "Out of bounds" is sad, but unlike the people in the circus he can always come back and in a weird ironic twist always has a place in the world he's in. And even if he doesn't remember Pomni, she'll always remember him and that's the really important part.
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Also can I just say that I love this little crocodile/gator man T_T He showed up with such a silly concept but I think he really added a lot to the episode. It makes me wonder what would've happened if he really was allowed to stay in the circus despite not being real.
The episode has a lot of themes about being aware of your own mortality and why you're even alive and what purpose you serve. And in the end, for Gummi he was able to stomach the truth of his own existence with the help of Pomni, but he decided to just keep it a secret from everyone else up above.
After he gets "poofed" its safe to say he'll always still exist just not in the way Pomni saw him. And whenever Cain wants to use him for a future quest, he'll still have the same old memories of his friends and his "sick mom" who needs syrup, but the knowledge of Pomni and being Out of Bounds will not be there.
Is it better that he doesn't know what's out there? That his mother isn't actually real, and that he and everyone he knows is just 1's and 0's in a computer? Or is it better if he does know and is able to cope with that reality? Likewise, should Pomni really even worry about trying to leave this world she's been forcefully thrust into, or should she just go with the flow and accept her place as the Jester in the circus?
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Truly an "Ignorance is Bliss" kind of story. We already know from this episode alone that the one thing Jax craves is chaos but that's not because he's fallen in line with being a rabbit in the game or because he wants to leave.
I think Jax is an excellent parallel to Pomni in this episode. Where Pomni tries to peacefully cope with her place in the circus and possibly coexist with the world around her, Jax wants to do nothing but cause as much disruptions as possible. Jax has accepted long ago that he's not leaving, but instead of losing his mind over it he's just become an incredibly selfish person who only wants to take his entertainment from other people. He uses his veneer as the trickster rabbit to cause as much problems in their journey's as possible all so he himself won't go crazy.
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And even though in the end he's not there to witness what happens to the candy people, I think just having something new to think about is enough for him in a weird way. While Pomni struggles with feeling like she belongs, Jax has been there for a long time and his biggest struggle is "disappointment". It's being so mind numbingly bored that you forget yourself.
This is leading me to believe that what causes people to abstract isn't finding the exit or thinking about the exit, but that it's more personal than that. Abstraction seems to be when someone really truly breaks under the pressure of being in the circus itself. All of the members of the circus seem to cope with being in the circus in different ways. For Gangle it's drawing and art, for Ragatha it's throwing herself into all of the journey's and just immersing herself as an actual "ragdoll" who's going on quirky adventures, Pomni just potentially found her way of coping which could be trying to just help other people with their own baggage and being an ear to listen to, and Kinger has by all means lost his marbles so as long as he's not thinking about how hard it is being in the circus he's fine.
I think Zooble's is to just not go on the adventure's at all or maybe we just haven't seen how they cope yet. I'm guessing that Kaufmo didn't really have a coping skill, either that or it became too much and he abstracted. I think his obsession with finding an exit had something less to do with the exit itself making him go insane, and more about the possibility of him remembering something he wasn't supposed to.
He probably regained his memory in some way and that was what led him down the spiral into abstraction, looking for a way out in any way he could.
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pockethep · 26 days
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TADC Theory...One of the Characters could be an NPC.
Even before episode 2 dropped people were theorizing that one of the main cast could be an NPC. With episode 2 having come out yesterday a very specific line said by Caine only fuels that theory....
"I know you guys love your NPCs but if I start losing track of who's a human and who's an NPC, who knows what could happen..."
I LOVE this idea for the drama. If the main goal is everyone escaping from the circus, there’s a lot of potential for a scene where everyone leaves but one of them physically can’t make it out because they aren’t a real person. (Very Wreck It Ralph like.)
Just based off what we know from two episodes I'm trying to decide who is most and least likely.
We know it probably isn't Pomni or Ragatha, they both glitched out in the pilot plus Pomni has outside game knowledge. She's been saying "collision" and "glitch" and "we're somewhere under the map", these are video game specific terms. And although NPCs can glitch as well (The Gloinks glitched in the pilot) Kinger remembers Ragathas arrival and how hard it was.
Jax can be ruled out in a similar way for the same reason as Pomni. He referenced Augustus Gloop, the child from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this episode. This is real world knowledge that would be a very specific reference for an NPC to know let alone make.
I can somewhat rule out Kinger just based on the fact that Queenie was a character who (presumably) abstracted. Based on naming conventions and design alone (weak defense but there's only two episodes out) they could have come to the digital circus together. With all the characters having such random designs it feels intentional for two characters look similar. If this is just a coincidence it would be cool for his erratic and paranoid personality to be a result of being an NPC. His spontaneity comes from the fact that he's in an area he isn't supposed to be in. Also he's been at he circus for so long and hasn't abstracted which is very very interesting.
My bets are on Zooble and Gangle. Although mainly because we don't know much about Zooble and the mask gimmick with Gangle is both something no other character has and feels like something from an actual game. Gangle is cheerful with the happy mask and more emotional and depressed with the tragedy mask while the other characters are more permitted to show emotion without something actively filtering them. Also my own bias thinks it would be cool for Gangle to snap, it'd be fun to watch the characters try to avoid getting grabbed by the ribbons while hiding around the circus.
HOWEVER we could look at what Caine said in a different way. Mainly the "who knows what could happen...". What if it was a warning about an actual event that happened? He actually couldn't tell the difference. What if him not being able to tell a human and an NPC apart led to the death of an actual character?
Gummigoo looked very distinct from all the other characters in the circus. He was more gelatinous, had an accent, and was very much from the candy world that Caine had created. It was easy to rule him out from the main group design-wise.
But Kinger and Queenie who look VERY similar...
It would be interesting if the real reason Queenie disappeared was because Caine mixed up the two because of similar designs and blasted the wrong one.
Probably more in tags but TL;DR someone in the main cast could be an NPC and Caine could have accidentally killed a human because he couldn't tell them apart from an NPC. RIP Gummigoo
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saytrrose · 22 days
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I’m glad your a multishipper and don’t care when it comes to ships if it’s not hurting anyone- I told my friends that I though jax and kinger would be kinda cute and one of them literally stopped talking to me over that and idk that sucks and kinda hurts. But anyway sorry- what ships do you like in tadc that aren’t very common?
Im tired of people being piss babies over ships so I’m now going to doodle every single tadc ship combination I can think of (aside from the abstracted and Gummigoo; only the humans and caine) because yall are some SERIOUS fucking losers.
They are all adults and who gives a FUCK about a fictional character alr. And that person was a shitty friend to leave over smth like you just saying that.
I think they’d be cute too if portrayed accurately. This is the start of me drawing every tadc ship, (1/21) Jax x Kinger, for you dude
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triasticalwarlock · 23 days
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Jax is an NPC theory
Do I truly think he is? No
But do I think it's a possibility? Definitely
Not just for the way he acts but also because of all the characters designs, like the fact that everyone is not symmetrical but Jax is:
Caine has Mismatch eyes, one green and the other blue.
Pomni's colors are in a opposite pattern on both sides of her body.
Kinger has a eye that more drooped than the other.
Ragatha has patches throughout her dress.
Zooble is pretty obvious, made of different shapes.
Gangle is just a bundle of ribbons.
But Jax? Nothing. None of his straps of his overalls dropped, both of his ears are straight up, and his colors are all the same.
But look at gummigoo, he isn't symmetrical, his arms are the opposite color. But he's a NPC. So it's extremely weird that Jax is the only symmetrical character.
Jax is the only symmetrical character, and NPC or not, there is something off about him.
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The Amazing Digital Circus Episode 2 Review
Warning: This post contains spoilers for the second episode of The Amazing Digital Circus. If you haven't seen the episode, please skip this post and watch the episode before reading this post.
This post also contains critical commentary about Vivziepop. If you're a Vivziepop stan, please do not interact with me. Critical fans and antis are welcome to interact. Reblogs on this post are turned off to prevent Vivziepop stans from interacting with me.
If you're a Vivziepop stan and try to interact with me by sending a PM or tagging me in a post, you'll be instantly blocked. Any asks sent by Vivziepop stans will be deleted.
I didn't find out that TADC had another episode out until Saturday night while I was preparing for my morning shift at work. I decided to watch the new episode before bed and wasn't disappointed at what I watched.
The episode starts with Pomni having a nightmare before Ragatha woke her up. Poor girl can't catch a break after what she went through in the first episode.
And now, for the main event of the episode. Caine assigned the crew to a mission to return the maple syrup that was stolen for a candy kingdom by a small group of gummy gator bandits. I also got some nostalgia feels for the episode as I grew up watching Adventure Time, and the candy themed kingdom reminded me of the Candy Kingdom from Adventure Time.
The chase scene was extremely hilarious, and I felt bad that poor Pomni had to try to keep the bandits from going away. If only Jax actually did something instead of antagonizing her. Gotta say that Jax is one lovable prick.
It made me sad that after Pomni and Gummigoo had their little bonding moment, Caine was like, "nope" and Thanos'd Gummigoo from entering the circus. But after that episode, I wonder what Gooseworx has planned for Caine. Will he end up being the big bad guy in the show? His role is to be some sort of ringleader, after all. I'm looking forward to the future episodes to come.
To end my thoughts about the new episode, I did like that the ending shows Pomni slowly starting to get comfortable with the others. I know Gooseworx said that she doesn't plan on shipping the characters, but maybe she might reconsider it with Pomni and Ragatha. But either or is fine. Gooseworx has the right to do whatever she wants with the show.
I've also mentioned at the very beginning of the post that I will add some critical commentary about Vivziepop. So I might as well address everything now.
I believe I've said this in my post about my thoughts on the first episode about The Amazing Digital Circus, which is that Gooseworx doesn't rely heavily on excess amount of swearing to make her content funny. I still got a good laugh out of watching the new episode. I also like how Gooseworx hired indie voice actors for the show, and it shows that you don't need voice actors who have been in the industry for years to get people to consume your work. Also, last time I checked, the new episode got over 30 million views on YouTube.
Another thing is that I really like how the characters are designed. I'm curious if there is any significance for the roles the TADC crew will play during the future of the show. For example, Pomni is in a Jester outfit, and I'm curious how it will affect her role in the show. And it's obvious that Caine, being the ringleader of the crew, by having him wear a suit and top hat to show that. Meanwhile, Vivziepop seems to rehash similar character designs for the rest of her characters, which, in my opinion, makes her characters look dull looking. Viv has the potential to create really well designed characters as shown with her past work. And I wish she could improve that in the future.
Lastly, the writing. I know The Amazing Digital Circus only has two episodes, but the writing is far better than Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss combined. The Amazing Digital Circus stays consistent to the plot by showing the crew going to various parts of the universe they're in to complete their missions. I will admit that the plot of Hazbin Hotel is somewhat consistent as it shows Charlie trying to redeem sinners on top of the threat of Heaven. My biggest concern with Hazbin is that whenever Season two comes around, I'm worried that Vivziepop will sideline Charlie's mission to redeem sinners and help maintain the population of hell to either filler episodes or deter the main plot by focusing heavily on heaven or things that are not significant to the plot of Hazbin Hotel.
And then there's Helluva Boss. The show was promoted being about a group of imp mercenaries doing kill jobs. It wasn't until Viv decided it would be a "brilliant" to show that the main plot aside to focus on Stolas and Blitzo's "relationship" (even though I don't consider that a relationship due to how predatory Stolas is towards Blitz and something similar to Angel Dust and Valentino).
To close this post, I would like to say that The Amazing Digital Circus is what both Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss could be, despite TADC only having two episodes. If Vivziepop hired indie voice actors, worked more on her character designs, rethink how she writes both Hazbin and Helluva Boss, and works on giving her female characters the character development they deserve, then maybe I'll rewatch them in the future. However, the problem is that Viv doesn't really handle criticism well and relies on her fans to protect her. She's a grown woman, and she doesn't need other people to fight her own battles. If she can't handle that as a content creator, then maybe she should either step down from her position as the lead of HH and HB or consider taking a hiatus and have her work on herself.
But anyways, that's was I gotta say. The second episode of TADC was a fun watch, and I'm looking forward to what Gooseworx has in store for her viewers.
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shinxeysartgallery · 26 days
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You know, I was thinking...
Caine made that comment when he got rid of Gummigoo that seemed to imply that he confused an NPC for a human at some point.
Everyone's been theorizing that one of the main cast is secretly an NPC that Caine thinks is human. "Oh, it's Gangle because she looks and acts so differently to everyone else!" "It's Jax because only an NPC would be that hostile!" "It's Kinger because of his shit memory!" etc.
What if it's not one of our current cast members, but one of the previous ones? There are all those doors of characters we never got to meet because they all abstracted before Pomni arrived at the circus. There's that dog, that worm guy, and Queenie at least. What if one of those three is secretly an NPC that Caine got confused for a human? Or maybe him confusing an NPC as a human is what caused one or more of them to abstract?
(Or maybe something darker? Like, he allowed an NPC to be at the circus for a while, but when it was time to send them back home, he forgot which one was the NPC and accidentally killed or sent away one of the humans?)
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zeldathusiast · 27 days
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NEW TADC EPISODE SPOILERS! oh my god my heart. thoughts below
Pomni's nightmare was HEARTBREAKING. poor thing really does feel like nothing, but then at the end at the funeral we get a callback to it where Kinger, Ragatha, Zooble and Gangle CATCH HER and oh my god I'm crying. Pomni's little smile as she realizes how loved she is. no one touch me I'm not okay /pos
GUMMIGOO. SWEETHEART. I'M SO SORRY. know that Pomni will mourn you at the very least. We'll miss you baby
Also Jax and his refusal to be in any situation where he could be perceived as emotional (and thus vulnerable) is so sad. he's obviously pretending to be edgy and infallible to protect himself, but his seeming apathy hurts the others in the process. I can't wait to see him be built on as a character.
KINGER. kinger my sweet old man I love you. You can tell we was a caring, insightful soul before the circus, and it shows through in his fleeting moments of lucidity. I hope we get to know Kinger better as the series progresses, hopefully with Pomni to comfort him the moments of clarity will become more common.
The way Caine fundamentally doesn't understand human empathy and love is so, so tragic. He gets rid of Gummigoo assuming he's doing the right thing preventing confusion, but he's only hurting those in the circus more. Man.
also Bubble I love you you're so silly
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