We Analyze Golden

This is the SHORTEST episode of the entire show.

Though only by like a minute.

"I'm sure we'll find something that works eventually."

Is Zooble projecting a little with that line?

Ironically they do find something that works, and how they find it is by abandoning the notion they'll find something that works beyond what they already have to work with.

On my first viewing, I was put off by the fact that Gangle is basically back to square one at the end of this episode. Not in the sense that she didn't get any development this episode, but that her problems are still very much present.

But then after watching the whole show and after giving it more thought I realized "WAIT NO THAT'S THE POINT"

Stuff like this doesn't just get 'cured', it doesn't just go away. You kinda have to learn to live with it, find happiness, and take care of yourself. Even if it's not up to the standard people put you on unfairly.

Here's my headcanon as to what Kinger was doing.

They were working at a fast food place.

Bless Gangle for not throwing anybody under the bus and taking accountability.

It's sad cause the thing she's being docked for is the thing that saved her life probably, but that's how the work environment is.

And also PTSD.

Because we know that it's canon that Gangle was hit by a truck and in the hospital prior to joining the circus.

UGH, IT'S SO SATISFYING.

The music coming back as Gangle is relieved of her work

The fact that this is the first time we see her smile even through her tragedy mask

Let's be honest, we all thought Gangle was going to abstract here.

I love this scene and how depressing the edit is of just watching all this boring work ethic around you.

Yet another instance of aspects of the show people were theorizing the hell out of,

Only for it to not actually mean anything.

"Oh Ragatha... I love her, but after awhile it gets kinda hard to tell how genuine she's actually being."

She said it. Not Jax.

If Jax said it, everyone would've waved it away. But the fact that another character beat her to it... oof.

"We're doing another one of these"

Okay, so what is the purpose of this line?

Self aware joke that this show is one big therapy session?

Pomni being an asshole?

No.

I think this line is something Pomni is using to prep herself for trying to figure out what to say to Gangle.

I said this once I'll say it again, Pomni is NOT a therapist character. She does NOT know what the right thing to do to help someone is. I'd argue the only time she does is in the finale.

Here, for example, Pomni's advice here is "Go talk to someone else. How about Ragatha?" And before she can offer herself as someone to talk to, Gangle is already gone.

She fails at being the therapist here. So later she resorts to just standard kindness.

"Well, that was more info on gloink reproduction than I ever needed to know."

Relatable.

I relate to Gangle SO HARD in this scene.

I'm not a masker, willingly not, but I feel for her so hard because I've witnessed IRL what masking can do to people.

"Huffing paint? And not waiting until a designated break? I'll be right there!"

Underrated joke.

"Are you smiling?"

"Uh, no?"

"...why not?"

How they made this scene both funny and terrifying at the same time is just so impressive to me. I felt CHILLS when I heard that on my first viewing.

And YES, these sorts of career chains will tell you that you need to mask your emotions and always put on a happy face. In fact loads of how society works demands you just always put on a happy face.

And that is TRAGIC. That is PROBLEMATIC.

And I absolutely adore how TADC calls it out and the consequences masking can have. Not just with Gangle.

You know the crazy part? When this episode came out I once had someone tell me that the message of the episode was that masking was GOOD and if you were to ever put your mask down bad things would happen to you. Their proof being that Gangle got hit by a truck. We should be seeing the scene where Gangle throws off her mask as a warning sign and a bad thing we should be yelling at her not to do.