Empress

There were 3 main question in regard to the circus which the fandom wanted answers to and didn’t get. Here is a list which one they are, why the were asked and how they could have worked.

1. who is Abel

The question of Abel was asked as soon as we heard the name Caine. Than it escalated once c and a was announced to be a synonym for Cain and Abel. But there were no further hints of Abel until the fake one appeared. This means it could have worked as a red herring. Afterall Caine named himself and constructed the whole abel idea himself. If the show stopped there no one would have asked further questions. Except they added Abel as a real AI. Still easy to answer if Caine simply said he killed Abel / is a result of both with no way back. But again they didn’t stop and showed Caine removing a still functioning Abel from himself and let him drift off. This creates a new question in regards to the future and even the past since we now want to know more about him. Was he always conscious inside Caine? Which powers did Caine get from him? The question could have easy been avoided, if it wasn’t supposed to be important anyway, if they just stopped his relevance once episode 7 ended.

This issue also includes the question about who bubbles really is. The show was never clear what he was. While he was not a virus. He could have been eather Abel or a reflection of caines thoughts. Both options have problems who should have been adressed. If he was Abel than what were his real thoughts on Caine and about what he did. And if he only reflected caine, than why was he his own character with different likes than Caine. And why did Caine only say goodbye to Abel but not bubbles? Should he not care for his assistant? This is an easy fix. Simply have Caine talk to bubble in the void instead to himself and let bubble announce what he is. For example let him say to Caine „why are you asking me, I am only you“.

2. what is c and a

The c and a logo was one of the first major hidden detail we saw in episode 1. and the show continued to give us hints about it . kinger as a possible member, the full name, the fotos, Caine mentioning they have been cut off and the fake adventure. But again it works as a good red herring since we know that the building Pomni entered was abandoned. Meaning c and a could not be the evil mastermind in the back ground. This however doesn’t mean we don’t want information about the company. unlike Abel, who Caine could simply have made up himself, c and a had real presence in the past and thous real consequences / questions we want to know. Like what was the plan for Caine, what was he supposed to do, why the brain scans, why was the building abandoned, did they know Caine was sentient, etc.?

3. what are abstractions

The only question which is clearly not a red herring is the one about abstractions. The one mystery we saw in episode 1 and whose importance stayed relevant throughout. but with no further answers until episode 7. the episode were both of the other questions turned out to be unimportant. We learn that if someone abstracts the sequence looks like Caines eating the person. A throwback to the picture Kaufmo drew. That caine can alter minds, has something to do with the first abstraction scratch, maybe was responsible for kingers mind (he can’t remember what happened to lead to queeny abstraction) and than we learn later that scratch had a tumor. Nothing else about anyone else or more about scratch himself. But this information was apparently relevant to know. We also learned early one that Caine is unable to tell NPC and human apart and something terrible happened before.

What could this all mean? This question is what the episode should have been about. The other questions could have easily been answered in a few minutes so they don’t remain open, but than all the focus should have stayed on this. Let Jax abstract if you want. But don’t use this as a what if show. Let the cast ask for a reverse and look around the now free accessible circus. Maybe figure out they are brain scans this way instead of kingers telling them.

Simply said Let them figure out the mystery of the circus because of Jax, but not replace it with him. Maybe they find the solution or maybe they don’t. But at least they find out the answers themselves.

(My theory was that the system mistook the tumor of scratch as something normal and once a person entered a similar state of insanity like scratch had, the system would give them the tumor because it believed that this is how it should be. Caine is responsible for this mistake since he used scratch as his blueprint for the other characters, since he was the only happy one inside the circus. If Caine mistakes an NPC for a human he will give them the same data as scratch had. Meaning they can start to get affected by abstractions as well. Caine doesn’t understand what a tumor is and though believes it’s a virus inside the code he doesn’t understand and fears spreading instead of the code itself that’s the problem.

Basically the system believes the ideal, happy human is a sick one and uses this code once someone becomes too sad. Not knowing the code itself is the problem and not the cure.)

The prequel could show how kingers crew made Caine and than got trapped inside. How the first people abstracted (including queeny). Some implications how Caine was responsible for c and a downfall (why the building was abandoned) and ending once ragatha enters.

The sequel could eather be something light like Caine figuring out how to permanently connect to the internet and inviting the crew to explore the server with him. Like Ralph breaks the Internet.

Or something more heavy. For example Caine wanting answers why nobody from c and a ever came for him / or the building the computer is on getting sold and Caine wanting to stop it. Both reasons resulting in the cast having to make contact to the real world to get answers / help. Leading to c and a figuring out about Caine and wanting to take the project for themselves (the cast are only files on a computer who could get uploaded, send into the cloud and stay save that way. Caine on the other hand is bound to the server of the computer, meaning he could get taken away) once that happens the cast would have to get the help of their real live counterparts to save Caine. While Caine would have to fight to not get his code changed (maybe having to hear a dark secret why he was created). Resulting in a heavy story about identity and meaning of live.

Or you could make a prequel only about the abstractions, including the goal how to fix them and how they integrate once they all turn back.

This is fine, since the goal seemed to be an endless stretch out without planning. There was no real script for the dragon king and only concept Art and ideas.

But what I would have liked to get is a concept guide. Something which answers all questions in a reasonable manner with some drawings. It doesn’t even have to be a story. Because I don’t believe there is one. But an understanding where they wanted the characters to go.

For example Ezran arc will be about becoming a good king. So show some pictures and explain what problems he will face and fix in his kingdom. That’s it. But for every character.

The only 3 character I am really interested in are the bad guys. Because let’s be real. The heroes already got everything they want and so their story’s will be about challenges arriving and than going back to the status quo. Like with Raylum. But the villains could have interesting development plans.

I want to know if Claudia will become the real big bad in the end, even outshining aaravos. Since her desires for saving Viren, freeing aaravos, etc. did impact the story from season 3 on, more than anyone else’s. Plus she is the only one who constantly is free and able to do things, while the rest is death or imprisoned in some way. She even seems more scary and determined than aaravos. Her character has the most possibilities.

Than I want to know where aaravos is headed. Will he get his daughter back? Will he change? Did he make the other staffs? What are his plans? There is still the symbol he studied in his book when Viren was imprisoned with him. Plus the blood ritual Claudia did. And why kill Viren later. Why ask him to do the ritual himself if he is just going to kill him? So many questions are still open here. He is the character who has to answer the most questions.

I know what they tried to do with soldier boy. Making him both a person who cares for his son, has an honor codex and still some good values deep down, while also beeing a toxic jerk. But having contradicting values doesn't mean flip flopping the whole time.

The best way they could have gone is show him protect homelander (like against the speedster) but also talk back to him. Saying things like, he is my son so no body gets to kill him, but he is wrong so I must change him.

His humanity and strong character where he never stays quiet no matter if he is wrong could shine this way.

In the end he is trying to leave with homelander. Trying to convince his kid that this is too far and they can have a new beginning elsewhere. When homelander doesn't want to give his power up, ben treathens to go alone. Resulting in the betrayal.

An easy arc to understand and get behind.

In season 3 ben says how he always wanted a son. Giving him the relationship he always wanted in season 5 while twisting it against his values could work. This is defently more interesting than having a love relationship with storm front, which was never mentioned before and contradicts his previous love.

I was a little disappointed in the chosen one plot. Because of two reasons:

1. It didn't add anything to Vlad struggles. He still would chose to fight vampire tradition no matter what power level and people would still try to force him to become a proper vampire.

2. It made no sense.

He never used his power to make things happen. His project of uniting slayer and vampire would have worked better if he had the respect of others. But he constantly gets pushed around. Further it makes no sence why he would want to to be draculas heir if he has more power than his dad anyway and doesn't need him. Wanting his love is one thing I can understand, but wanting the Titel another.

There could have been such an easy fix.

Make the titel of dracula itself the power. Every head clan vampire has a major power which gets passed down to one heir to the next. Meaning Vladimir doesnt get the ultimate power no matter what. But only if he gets chosen as heir.

We don't know why the fsm was even born. Was it an agreement between both races, a secret love or a trick on side used on the other (both can shapeshift).

I believe it has had to be a trick the dragons used on the oni. Why?

Because an alliance would mean they already agreed to peace. Not fight over who gets the child if both side are one. And if they loved their child (eath other) why didn't they follow / join fsm in ninjago?

So one side decided to end the war they would trick a member of the other side into a fake relationship. In this case probably the dragon. Why?

Because the oni have problems in feeling things, meaning they are easier to get tricked into a fake relationship or even just had arranged partners based on power. Making it harder for them to deceive the dragons. Besides they already were the villains.

So what if one dragon. Eather on his own idea (most likely) or as an agreement, tricked one of the oni into getting a child together.

This individual would be old, powerful, evil, but on the same time have some compassion left. Maybe saying they believed if they could get a hyprid child they coul kill all oni and end the war. Having a "for the greater good" mindset.

This would fit why ras master is powerful, apparently doesn't plan to betray ras and knows so much about the source dragons.

It would also explain why the fsm was explained again and why ras captured wu. They need the blood of the son to free the dragon. Like how garmadon was resurrected. Lloyd is only 1/4 dragon. While fsm was 1/2 dragon just like wu. Maybe wu has even more dragon blood since garmadon had more oni. Making him the most likely candidate for such a ritual.

Besides if the merge has some deeper meaning, then the creation of the separate worlds by the fsm should get some relevance. What better way to tackle this history by someone who was there.

Since at this point i am really confused why wu was never mentioned as half dragon or oni.

Garmadon transformation into a dragon and was full oni later on.

Lloyd transformed into a dragon hyprid in dragon rising and an oni during the oni triologie.

And what did wu say? "You are half oni too lloyd". Which is wrong. Wu is half oni. Lloyd is 1/4 oni. Even the ninja had more dragon forms than wu.

Besides garmadon uses constantly his element of destruction and some times even creation. But wu only does spinjitzu. Which is something everybody can do.

Wu even looks older than garmadon. No matter which form he took. So maybe his rapid aging was a side affect.

So instead of making it a big mistake, why not write how wu secretly took a potion to make himself more human to be with misako? He hide this fact from others and simply never mentioned it. But it would explain so much.

It doesn't even have to be a big plot point. Simple have someone question wu lack of otherwordly traits and him saying he made himself human. Thats it. It doesnt have to be reserved or be a big secret even. Maybe the ninja all knew and we simple werent involved.

They made a lot of points how soldier boy isn't evil and knows what homelander does is wrong. While on the same time showing him having compassion towards him.

Even further they showed how homelander can calm down when he has a good fatherly influence on his side (old man).

Until now soldier boy didn't try to be a good influence. But what if this changes?

What if soldier boy comes to the conclusion to take homelander power away, but not to kill him. Living together with him as normal people since he cant chose one side completly. A compromise so you will. This way he gets to be a father and honor storm fronts wish. While on the other side he saves the world.

He could even make a deal that if they allow him to do this and leave depowered homelander alone / dont use the virus. Than he will work for them and kill every superhuman the government thinks is bad, especially all immortals who are still lose.

This will leave butcher and MM disatisfied. Just like homelander hates to be powerless and soldier boy hates to have to work for others, without getting celebrity status. but this is the point. Nobody gets a complet happy ending. Just a bunch of compromises.

Like they defently know who garmadon is and some of his more heroic or evil deads but what else?

Do they know he was bitten and forced to go evil? That he was a hero in the serpentine war? That he turned into sensei garmadon? That he is lloyds father or wu brother?

I think none of this is the case. For the first points garmadon is too old and the generall history too forgotten.

And for the latter two, while he never hides his past or relationships, it is not something they announce to the world or want to be interviewed on.

First The people who knew about his transformation where those he already met before he became evil / know about the bite (his master / overlord / mininos of his or of them) or were present. This is not the case for the generall public. They would just know garmadon is gone, but not that this normal old man is him. And i cant see anyone running around be it ninja, enemy or even the news pointing out how garmadon is good now and looks like this. His face would stay out of the Media and though remain unknown. Which would explain why no normal citizen gave garmadon a hard time while in his sensei form (he was teaching a class).

I even doupt that many will remember his sacrifice against the snakes.

While it is possible that the people know about lloyd beeing his son. I could also see them not putting two and two together.

Garmadon looks completely different from llody. He doesn't scream son in a crowded environment unless it is in a clash between their forces. Who of course know about the relationship but they would not go out and tell the public. Like no snake/ skeleton would have a conversation with a citizen back then, how their boss is related to the ninja.

Further if garmadon goes full evil mode he makes public announcements to the ninja / green ninja. But doesn't say my son. The closed the public ever saw him call lloyd his son was during the live beat up. But it is debatable if people heard this part.

If you think lloyds name is a dead give away you are wrong. Not only could they think lloyd had another dad who also had the last name garmadon. But there are people out there who call themselves the sons of garmadon. So who knows if the citizen understood they were talking about the same guy.

Than you have to take into count that a lot off information about the ninja were missing in general, that the newer generation lacks awareness of things not long ago (snake evolution) and that garmadon himself is treated more like the boogie man than a real person with family. Plus the story showed instances where the people didn't know things about lloyd, which should be obvious if you know about his dad. Like frak should know lloyd is part oni if he knows oni garmadon is his father.

It is a little strange that the oni havent tried to take anything over, when this was literally their thing. Now that the merged lands exist there should be problems everywhere.

So what if there exitst a reason for their new peaceful ways?

What if garmadon was transported to the oni lands eather by the merge itself or by the institution and than took over. He is clearly more powerful than the rest and omega / overlord are no longer there.

Not only would this fit his trend of his evil side to get armies whenever he wants. But also could work in function with his revived good side.

He could teach the oni how to be good. This is literally the perfect job for him. He had to learn compassion like a true oni would need to (resurrccted garmadon). He has his sensei garmadon experience back in how to teach and he knows about darkness, destruction (his element) and forgiveness more than anyone else.

Him making up for all he did and using everything he ever learned to redeem the demons of the ninjago serie would be a perfect character arc. It would even mirror lloyds since he learns to be a leader and it would come full circle with garmadon beeing destinated to rule and turning into full oni. Maybe this could even fix whatever issues the fsm had with the oni.

It would also explain why we haven't heard of the oni or garmadon in ages. Him beeing distracted ruling / teaching his kind while beeing immortal could mean he hadnt realised how much time had gone by.

There are simply so many satisfying call backs / reasons and symbolics in this theory that anything else would just feel less.

Pros:

It looks good. The characters are aged up in an appropiate way. The movement is clean, faces show emotion or funny looks and the characters have more than just one outfit. Also the fighting movement is fluent and the landscape is gorgeous. It is not the same as the typical avatar look. But it is great in its own way.

The voice acting may be different. But it grows on you.

Neutral, still good:

Of course not all ships will get screen time. Expecially zutara since the creators are set with kataang. But that is not a bad thing. Just the reality if you have a lot of good characters with chemistry and choose to go forward with one and stick to it.

While aang will probably get the most screen time, i saw enough clips to get the feeling the cast isnt left out.

everyone is also acting a little different, but they are grown up, so its okay. Besides you can clearly tell its still them.

Cons:

The only thing i dont like is that the energy bending of korra with the big anime looking avatars is back. I would have liked more bending focus instead of going into this territory again.

Also i would have loved to see more of the world we already got to know and see how it changed. The earth kingdom or the sun warrior place would have been interesting. Basically fill out your world building instead of just adding places. The only city we will apperently explore is republic city and the new air base.

I would also have liked a link to druk. Since everyone who watched korra wants to know where zuko got him from.

What could have been better / added:

Maybe if they had left the spirit realm a mistery (air bending power staff) and left out the spirit / energy blast avatars and instead focused on a more grounded conflict it could have been better?

Mostly after wars there is a periode where everyone want compensation, but not start anything again (happened in the avatar comics). than there is a short peace frame. And than people who are still angry about what happened or how it ended will return and ignite a conflict again, which can escalate into a new war or get resulted.

There are probably still a lot of people who are angry with what the fire nation did and who think it should have paid more. Now wanting revenge since they had time to regroup and power up.

So we could have a plot where some elemental group is planning to destroy the fire nation by maybe erupting the vulcans. This way we could see the fire nation, the earth kingdom and water tribe places and see negotiations between. Add the sun warriors, what happened to the dragons and druk. Even a parallel between roku / sozin and aang / zuko. It would also allow iroh, azula and suki (zukos bodyguard) to appear.

Conclusion:

While i would have liked a more tactical plot instead of a korra one. It makes up for it by looking good and honering the material and using the characters well. It is clearly a passion project and satisfying avatar fans.

It is not perfect or as good as the original show. It clearly has problems. But honesty i am just so glad that we get something new at not just live actions. In this time we should show support for people who are still trying to make new things while honering what came before.

People showed less dislike towards things like snow white, star wars, etc. Because they stopped caring / hoping for anything more and just ignore what comes. Avatar gets currently a lot of hate. But only because people still believe in it and the movie nearly succeeded in giving them what they wanted. You are more disappointed in something which was good, but could have been great, than you are in something which was born to fail.

- the ending was satisfying

- every plot point got concluded

Old bibel God isnt all nice (caine vanishes npc, but they arent permenently deleted like he was (confetti instead of nothing)).

but he is still better than the devil. Which asks the question how bad will bubble be? not only for the cast, but for the npc's as well.

And since there are biblical references everywhere. What would this mean for the ending? The story of abel already ended with his death and caines eternal punishment started (and his story arc ended) as soon as he got deleted. Meaning both furfilled their caine and abel arc. Even though it is clear their storys arent over yet.

So to tell this continuing story, they need to have another plot going, which had to be already established in the background for time reasons, in this case god and satans story.

Meaning if bubble becomes the main villain and gets linked to satans story (cast down by god, introducing sin like swearing, etc). Than this recontextulises caine into god (like he calls himself). Starting a new arc they already mirrored and whoes ending they will also mirror.

For this new arc to come to its conclusion, caine has to come back and reclaim his titel as god and defeat satan. Than he can become the nicer version of god from the new testament.

This ironically starts a circel. The same story over and over again. Just in different contextes.

God creates humans (abel, cain, eve, adam). Time passes

C and a (god) creates adam, eve (kinger, queenie), abel and caine. Time passes

We know that pomni and jax are supposed to be the main characters. And yet only a few questions remain who have nothing to do with pomni

What are the abstractions / how do they happen / can they be reserved / flashback

How did gangle / jax / kaufmo (c and a employe after ragatha) and kingers intere group enter the circus

What happened with jax / ribbit and kaufmo and what happened between queenie / scratch and kinger

What is bubble

What happened to c and a (why is everything abonded)

What happens to caine

All these questions can be answered by kinger and jax. Pomni can be the one who asks the questions, but if it is supposed to be her story she would need to do more than that.

The only questions she can be directly involved in, is in fixing the future, since she doesnt know the past.

This could be fighting bubble, figuring out how to save the abstractions or fixing caine.

Considering that she is not the best fighter or a computer genius the first two task should fall on someone else.

Caine says he build a program to desigyn the human bodys for him and he shown he can change those during adventures (animals during jax hunt).

this means he had the power to change their avatars the whole time, but didnt since he believed their bodys were perfect already.

Even in zoobles case he believed she only wanted different parts. He didnt understand that she wanted a new avatar.

So what if they had drawn a new look they wanted and asked caine to make them this way, would he have compliet?

It would probably work with him beeing responsible for their looks. And if they were really specific about it (not just i dont like my body, but more like i want this exactly) he would understand their request. The question is only would he want to change them?

I think yes, since he only cared about his adventures, not about any critique zooble mentioned about her body. So if she said "caine i would probably like your adventures more, if i like my body more and this drawing is how i would like it." Than i can see him change the avatar.

It would even be resonable in his eyes since his world is based of a game and in those you can change your avatars.

Sadly no one knew they could do that and caine never offered from his side. (Just like the knowledge of creation was never told)

We know harley was rejected by elliot and with his ego, he never recovered from that. So is it not likely that he still wants to proof to elliot how great he is?

He cant really break poppy or proof anything to her since she doesnt really resemble elliots personality or knows what is going on. She was death when elliot made the toys program.

But ollie does. He was the one elliot made the immortal prototype body for. The one he wanted to be part of his family. The son he chose.

So maybe harley had the files of who the prototype was when he experimented on him. And decided to torture him so bad, not only because he wanted to get the secret of immortality from the prototype. But purposefully made it worse to proof a point. To make ollie suffer for beeing the son elliot chose. To make the prototype aknowledge or beg to him, which is the closes he will ever get to get some kind of win against ollie. Because if the prototype fears him, than he showed that he was better than ollie.

The more ollie is resisting or fighting back, the more harley sees this as a fight to proof who is better. And he will torture the prototype more as a consequence (unlike the cold indifference to other kids). Not caring that ollie never chose this or is fighting for survival sake instead of proofing something.

Maybe this even plays a point in why the doctor works for the prototype (besides fear). Because than ollie is old enough /strong enough to no longer be competition in harleys eyes. But be an replacement for elliot. Who now sees harleys use and wants to work with him.

But i want to go further and ask what images the blue dot was made out off. Considering we never saw those.

I think he was feed the brain scans.

We have to note how advenced bubble is. He seems to understand the humans a lot better than caine (just doesnt care for them) and has much more chaotic actions. And this all from only one source of data. Yes he has less power than caine, but he is not lacking in agency.

So the brain scans could explain why he is so advanced and why caine only had access to those after he absorbed the blue dot.

Even further it could tie in with bubble becoming a virus. While he was not supposed to be one (there is even a bubble file on the computer) he certanly acts like one. He multiplies, is chaotic, helped to delete chain, is called parasite, etc.

But what else acts like this? A Tumor!

If bubble is made out of brain scans, than this would include the tumor. And a tumor spreads until the host dies. In this case until all brain scans he had where corrupted. Explaining his weird behavior.

And if caine absorbed the blue tumor dot. Than bubble is his tumor now. Technically functioning like a virus would without actually beeing one.

And since bubble is a part of caine, he is also affecting him and the circus. I noticed caine only glitching out in episode 8 when bubble is near. Once he is gone, caine starts to calm down. Also kinger said he wanted to fix caine, meaning he believed there was something which caused caine to act this way. And he was right. There is a file in his data target=torment which is part of his security systems (caine has no access to those, but something else did talk with kinger there)

Further we still dont know what is cousing the abstractions. We know caine doesnt want it to happen, that scratch was the first to abstract, that the cast are only brain scans and that you become mean before you abstract. Do you know what else makes a human unpleasant if affected? A Tumor! And this fits with the brain scans getting corrupted if a tumor is the reason. Not to mention why scratch was the first to be affected.