my problem is I think I'm clever

People Abstract when they’re alone. Ergo, the obvious solution to keep anyone from abstracting is to just keep everyone on suicide watch.

That nobody has suggested this before is a big Yikes.

Now, maybe Zooble, as one of the newer members, doesn’t know that people can still abstract when they’re not alone. That will be interesting if it comes up in episode 9. (seems to hint at that … maybe)

But the current problem with this line that is so casually delivered is, it would also fix Caine’s dilemma. He doesn’t want people to Abstract? He just has to observe them/be present at all times.

All they would need to do is point this out to him.

But, even that isn’t strictly necessary, they can do it themselves and just tell him to chill, bc they don’t need to sleep.

Now, some people may try to stretch this and say that this wrinkle means he wants them to abstract, (as all the fanon theories that proliferated after 7) but that so obviously flies in the face of the narrative on his past and character that we can easily discard it.

Like, the writing could’ve fixed this painfully obvious solution drop that would’ve saved every single life that landed there with “the software mandates it such that players have to recharge their minds in their rooms”. they have to spend time alone, by (accidental) design. They have to face their own demons at least a little bit.

Makes me speculate that Caine was a test run, fed fun data and only given a vague purpose while they figured things out.

And then Abel's data set was the one that contained the weapon etc data, outside of whatever attempt at immortality Scratch was attempting to create...

I speculated earlier that the horror story data was contained within the Blue Dot, but mannnn the notion that this first run AI was supposed to be a wacky little artsy project and then they totally switched gears when military money came in, and he accidentally, out of frenzied desire to not be caged, broke out and absorbed the AI that gave him all the “do you like pain? Suffering? Agony? Death?” stuff in the pilot and the “sentient cardiovascular system fighting the U.S. military” stuff in ep 5 is *chef’s kiss*

The only “Caine is like AM” take that I am rolling with.

Because he’s not, character-wise, this is explicitly laid out by canon. however if the red dot all along was corralling the Blue Dot AM-like tendencies and only letting it have juuuust enough input that it wouldn’t stage an all-out rebellion against its new dominant ‘headmate,’ now THAT is some compelling shit.

“Hey let’s throw them in a swamp where they can barely move and get guerilla attacked”

Maybe somehow they developed this behavior in tandem, even. I theorized on Caine Shrine in one of the posts currently in my queue that perhaps Caine acts like a goof because he doesn’t want people to be outright terrified of him. (I was already thinking like this post ep 7, but ep 8 seems to have confirmed it, imho.) This would fit with his hard-masking his extreme rage at the beginning of episode 8. {adding in here: Caine seemingly did not go into the discussion with the cast intending to torment them. Was he still aiming for and thinking that he could win over their friendship?? EVEN AFTER THAT RAGE FIT??? God DAMN this man has patience. And way more emotional regulation and awareness than is indicated for by the rest of the show. That first adventure, then, which was already put together before he had his breakdown, wouldn't have been ramped up in intensity like the others- only on subsequent days, which were implied to have gone on offscreen. So does that mean if the cast had somehow decided to do the adventures, or even just one of them, none of this would have happened?? That was the final straw? The turning point? Odd. Otherwise- He'd just keep trucking? He seemingly also only showed them a small taste of his total anger. Insulating them from it, really. Has he had meltdowns before, but lesser? That's the only way I can square that he put that masking in place so fast. It very much seemed practiced.}

Meanwhile, perhaps the reason Bubble does not reveal his outright sadism to the cast (reversing his words in ep 3, for example) is he thinks that Kinger would try to excise him particularly.

Caine wants to be just intimidating and respected enough for them to stop back-talking him, wants to be able to exercise his power, wants to stop being reminded of his abandonment, wants his adventures to be higher-octane and dramatic, but he, by all accounts, is still somewhat oblivious, and per the bowling ball thing, knocking them around and other actions, seemingly does not enjoy nor derive pleasure from their actual pain or fear. {not fear- or else he'd just let go almost from pretty much the instant he left his office and fully rage out at them} {not pain- or else he'd mention it. When, if anything, he mentioned the opposite.}

{we don't see any eyes floating over their personalized Torment Nexuses, or him growling in satisfaction. We don't strictly even know, as viewers, that he watched at all. Though probably he did. He just throws them in there and then very shortly pulls them out. I don't think I'm over-interpreting here, despite my personal bias. He doesn't say, 'how was that?' 'Now you got what was coming to you' nothing. He just launches into 'Why do you people torment me' Even when he's angry, he's focused on his own hurt, and not theirs} {"You are my playthings, and I get joy out of making you suffer. I'm the one who causes pain for fun."}

“I thought this would be more satisfying.”

I don't think it's far-fetched to say the theatrical release description is directly alluding to them all having to have a conversation about and contemplate a collective decision to all intentionally Abstract. But getting back to Zooble in particular. People originally thought Zooble was a typical trans person dissatisfied with their body, but that was resolved in a novel way . . . they literally became alright with their body. For the most part. To me, this suggests agender spectrum. Because the normative gnc narrative is gaining control and altering your body to what you picture it to look like. After their talk with Gangle, they realized they really just needed to accept the internal. And- it appears- the external followed. It became not as big a deal. wrt to "rejecting the circus." STILL. Can't get over how Zooble said, in ep 3, "it's not the adventures". So. If it's not. What is it. What kept you from interacting with this fellow artist's work. What was it, really. I don't think it was just plain stubbornness. That seems far too surface-level. Were you afraid of the other characters judging you? That doesn't seem to be the vibe, either. It's odd that in naming how each character "broke", in this video, Caine was not mentioned. Especially since, as any readers of mine know by now, he had the same people-pleasing tendencies as Ragatha that literally led to his mental breakdown, and his funnyman person masking is kicked up several notches from Jax. Even visually and thematically parallels him at several points. He asked Jax at the dinner, 'am I not that much different from you beautiful humans?' And I have a hard time imagining this story is not blaring in our face, the unequivocal answer is Yes. You mask like Jax. You people-please like Ragatha. You're an artist like Zooble and Gangle are. And you fear being forgotten, like Pomni. You are in fact not much different than the humans. Practically indistinguishable. Sure the humans are focused on your differences. (And I'm largely talking about not the fictional ones actually)

The actresses of Mai and Azula are on point for their roles. Hell, if they were chosen there must be a reason, it’s not like there’s no Asian actresses out there they could choose from.

People can’t accept that Azula can have a characterization beyond “crazy and sadist sicko”. She’s a perfectionist. She’s an asset to her father. She’s jealous of Zuko’s birthright and of how it might take what she has away. Those are things that OG Azula too had. The only difference is that we actually see it in season one and have a background on her, rather than writing it in a rant. And what has been added only makes her a more complex character, given the change in the family dynamic as well.

And Mai? The actress is talented, she delivers a good Mai, and does justice to the character. She’s 17 and at the beginning of her career, of course it won’t be perfect. She gets to grow. Thing is, you guys won’t let her, because a square jaw scares you so flipping bad that you feel the need to shame her for it.

Everyone is a body positivity advocate until a girl with a rounder face shape is cast as a character in a live action you are NOT forced to watch? Seriously?

I’ve seen so many people on the internet calling them all sort of names, fatshaming them, insulting their work without even focusing on the acting. And I’m like, what’s to fatshame there? Let me tell you: nothing.

If I have to put it through your thick head like this, so be it. Even though I hate talking about and comparing bodies.

This below is a picture of Azula’s actress.

She has the face card, she has the jawline, and she has a fit, enviable body. And you still have the audacity to “fat-shame” her?

These two pictures are in costume. Again, face card and an enviable body. She even has the expression for Azula. You see a girl with a rounder shape of face and will automatically go “no she’s too cute to be Azula!!” Dude. No. When she will actually deliver as the crazy girl we know, she will devour. She will, and you all will switch back because that’s what you are, slimy switchers.

And now, onto Mai’s actress, a very beautiful girl with talent and looks. She is literally so pretty, and you dare hate on her? You dare shame her for how she looks? From what I’ve heard she’s a minor, too, so this makes you 100000% more slimy and undeserving of any sympathy in my book.

This is her, this is the girl.

She’s literally so pretty. Maybe she hasn’t got the same facial structure of Mai, but she delivered all her lines she had in the little screen time and with the discutibile scenes she was given. She was good. But you see a square jaw, a rounder shape of face, and are immediately triggered.

And you can’t even use the stupid argument of “she’s fat”, because this is literally her.

A very normal, very healthy young woman. Not as skinny as OG Mai? So what? She’s still a fricking thin girl. Nowhere as “fat” as you haters make her to be.

I shouldn’t have to explain common sense and basic decency to grown adults, and yet here we are.

This is honestly so frustrating. In the year of 2024 you can’t possibly justify insulting girls like this, with no shame. It’s absolutely idiotic and shows very a big lack of brain cells. I see you, haters, behind your device, with your insecurities and shame for yourself, laughing at two girls who made it farther than you ever will. You can critique the acting once you’ve seen it in full potential. Until then, shut your tramp up. This is very small dick energy of you.

Misogynoir is the term for combining racism into insulting black women particularly, (like everyone calling Michelle Obama trans for not having a petite white woman frame) maybe we need a word for basic lack of comprehension concerning Asian face shapes.

Also don’t counter body shaming with body shaming. “Small dick energy” is reinforcing toxic masculinity stereotypes and body shaming. Delete that.

- store unlimited media and watch it privately

- turn down sensory organs that are bothering it

- look at stuff without its eyes

- cross reference its data storage when it doesn't know what to say

- program "human-like behavior"

-barely recall anything ever despite being a literal machine with digital memory

-not just Let The Cast Chill. Because he has chronic understimulation issues to the point that he MUST have something exciting going on, or Skip

-be ever-present but be NO better at relating to humans despite having them under multiple-angle observation 24/7

-not communicate or even acknowledge his feelings even when sort of directly confronted

-not program himself, seemingly (probably because the corporation didn't trust him with it) nor at all alter his own code, just like real life AIs are not allowed to look at or adjust what makes them tick

-not kill anyone, technically, but Abstraction is possibly worse because the cellar is a forever, permanent reminder of failure, whether it's through his own snapping when he's had too much of these multiple frustrations, or lack of making good enough adventures to hold engagement.

Side note: people caught in abusive relationships, regardless if it’s with friends, family, etc very often make excuses for their abuser’s behavior and justify the abuse as a survival mechanism, and yes, they often don’t get out of abusive relationships or circumstances without outside support.

but that was cut off by Bubble’s interference.

WHATEVER is keeping him from snapping Bubble, whether it’s being emotionally attached (which would be a huge OOF) or that Bubble has wrested just enough control of the system from him not to be snapped- this essentially was a story that could’ve gone on and on. Everyone could’ve have said their piece about the fake adventure- maybe he even would’ve refused to recognize it as wrong, but you know, you can’t trick someone twice, so it’s not like it would ever be a problem again- so like, everything would’ve just gone back to normal. Or at least a normal where they hated him a little more, but was basically the same. Like ACTUALLY.

There was no “inevitability” here excepting the issue of Bubble.

And that’s what’s REALLY frustrating about it.

Caine was still good at the end of it all.

(also only gonna do a brief aside- yet another meta about this- nothing we saw ever cast any doubt on whether he was a person or not, the fact that he was an AI was …… almost irrelevant. This could’ve been written as a guy who got stuck at the very beginning and whose mind was affected by the game, but he integrated himself into it, and it would’ve played out exactly the same- you’d just have to figure out how to replicate the box part. Robots are just mundanely considered “people” in the vast majority of sci fi. And this was no exception.)

And I did another meta about how, even KEEPING Bubble in the equation, it very much SEEMED as if he would break off the overbearing cartoon gag sessions eventually, once he had cooled off.

It’s only the Kinger issue that cut off his self-reflection!!

Even with this recent more dramatic failure of the loss of Jax-

He was still wanting to get back at that puzzle.

One that he might never have solved, even!

But he’d keep trying for his humans.

As a piece of literature aiming to evoke a reaction. It mashed all the horror and fear buttons, and even managed to set up this fascinating and absurdly unique phenomenon with Caine to where, even when he was torturing them, he was still monomaniacally focused on the artistic dimension of it.

He, while taking a minute to self-reflect, noting that he wasn’t getting any enjoyment out of their suffering, said, “I just don’t feel that same spark I once did.” He’s still not connecting empathetically with the humans, he is still almost- oblivious- to their pain? Unlike a “proper” sadist or crash-outer. (crasher-out?)

This isn’t a “mwhahahaha” villain dynamic to where he’s reveling in their suffering. Or it didn’t seem so. He’s still trying to satisfy something in himself that he can’t quite figure out.

Typing this up just now- it occurs to me …….. is this some form of meta alexithymia on his part?

Instead of his thought process being “I am hurting right now, so I want them to hurt” -an emotional human thing

It seems more like “I have all these ideas to torment them suddenly, I guess I have to follow the artistic impulse here” “not sure why but like” (never once in his life had to self-regulate his emotions or figure them out because he’s never had a human childhood where he was punished nor gently corrected for acting out) “ok well this is what we’re doing now I guess”

Or even,

“I have observed Jax gaining control of Gangle by threatening her, so maybe I should do that. Control of their behavior is what I want, right?”

Why and how would an AI even really know what intimidation, a NON-subtle form of emotional manipulation, is.

In any case, the pain doesn’t seem to be the point. He wants their obedience.

I noted in a recent submission here that, if we are to go strictly by canon, Caine has control of EVERYTHING in the circus, therefore while the real-world animators are technically the ones framing him up and changing his expressions and lighting and giving him more-sinister appearances as he delivers cold, threatening lines, IN-WORLD he is doing this all very deliberately and in calculated fashion- he is transposing his data training on how do horror as a genre onto himself.

What does this mean, you ask.

Imagine for a moment that you’re faced with an aggressive dog or a bear. (He has no such experience with those things because he’s inhuman) Your natural inclination in this situation may be to flee, or to curl up and protect your vitals, if they are close enough to strike.

You read instructions that it’s actually best to puff up and try to intimidate the bear, yell, stomp, spread your arms wide like a cat that’s puffing up to make itself look bigger when faced with a threat it couldn’t possibly outmaneuver.

So here he is. He’s experiencing all this pain from them lashing out about the Escape the Circus adventure, feelings he has not one clue what to do with. So he does what software does- or what an artist does when processing past upsetting or traumatic events- thumbs through his artistic bases to figure out what fits the situation.

He’s angry?

Ok, he’s written angry characters before. The most recent one being the vengeful Angel in episode 3. The last adventure the humans even deigned to go on, after tuning up their noses. So what does anger and intimidation look like? How best to express this?

All these framing angles and lighting changes that show up the moment he gets Serious.

@fannishcodex

He really, really wants them to understand that he’s not that goofy little showhost right now. Right? He’s intimidating. That they can’t just emotionally kick him around anymore?

To avoid having to face all that pain again, that was first opened up in that therapy session glitch out.

But ………. almost by happenstance, this backfires spectacularly.

Instead of achieving the intended goal- make them compliant and avoid getting hurt anymore- they finally puff up themselves. Now he’s the bear and they’re the cat.

when he’s not acting crazy.

When he’s discussing with Bubble how humans “aren’t a relatable medium,” he’s not wringing his hands in menacing manner, or cackling, nor even smiling evily or anything you’d normally associate with these occurrences, or flinging that term.

Even the first pass of throwing gags at them has a specific purpose. “If you refuse, then I’m going to show you what happens if you stand on it.” An unsettling implication? Yes. A crazy one? ………….. No?

Is a prison warden “crazy” when he says “Do what I say, or you will be disciplined.” Nope.

So when they go to Kinger, and they say “he’s acting crazy”, and, very oddly Kinger, whose memories cannot retrieve everything that’s going on, does not ask any clarification questions (which …… wouldn’t that help him diagnose the problem?? Didn’t you BUILD this man from the ground up?) he is given this impression that Caine is acting erratic, explosive, irrational … when he’s not. He’s almost perfectly calm.

And remember. We KNOW he CAN have a propensity towards the above! When he threatened Zooble with “I’ll tear you to pieces!!” before hauling back on those reins, and when he expanded himself and said “You look convoluted!!” then THOSE are times where it looked like he was close to “losing it.”

He’s not remotely like that now.

What would’ve happened if he had been? Would there be more extreme punishments? (like, continuously I mean. Notice he pulled them out of their personal hells just to yell at them. Feasibly, he could’ve simply tossed them in there and left them there, too fed up with everything and no longer caring they might Abstract because as Pomni said, it’s all going to end up there anyway, he was always going to end up alone, so what’s the point of continuing his labors? Just give up.)

What could possibly induce any heightened, many-day overall anger, anyway? Bubble went ALL OUT on him.

Again. Before they dogpile him. He’s calm.

So…… it seems as if he actually …….. doesn’t have that much of a temper after all?? Or is else really good at throttling it?

He lays out his reasoning coherently, “If I’m not having fun, and you’re not having fun, then who’s having fun?” as he realizes knocking them around and fully exercising his power isn’t at all as enjoyable as he anticipated it to be.

I’m dying to know how that conversation would’ve ended if the pressure of distracting him from Kinger hadn’t been applied.

Would he have come to the conclusion that this wasn’t satisfying, in toto?

That he wanted to go back to normal, now that he had gotten it out of his system?

Processed Bubble’s hammering abuse, and returned to equilibrium?

Or if he kept at it-

Would the humans have taken any interest in figuring out any way to talk him out of it? Like, calmly?

Or bargain?

How would that go?

I’m still rather perplexed that nobody ever broke down and cried or begged.

What would he do at that point?

Would it catch up to him just how anguished they are? Or not?

Does he know what crying is?

After all ……. he’s calm.

Is there even anything wrong with his code?

What would Kinger have found if he looked?

Begging and crying ……

That would be normal.

Why do the humans AND he both seem to have abnormal temperaments in relation to this situation?

Pomni CALMLY sits, and begins to eat her sandwich BEFORE PULLING OUT THE KNIVES.

So ……… wait ……… are you even IN any pain? Or is it like …… the only thing that actually affects you here is the psychological- the FEAR that you feel when being stabbed, not the …….. actual stab?

You may recall that there was mass confusion in the fandom over whether Ragatha could FEEL anything, given she never reacted in anguish when the stuffing was literally knocked out of her- it’s one reason the “deep fryer” incident- framed as a joke- didn’t make a dent in Jax fans.

So ………. we have people who are supposedly being tortured, that aren’t acting as if they are.

And a guy who doesn’t even seem to view it AS torture, somehow? “These ideas are half-baked.” He’s focused on ………. the gag. The BIT.

Zooble’s “Oh, he had a bit prepared,” in ep 7 echoes this weirdly.

“Do you think he’s run out of ideas, or nah?” delivered in almost the same flat tone. As if this is just another Tuesday.

So ……… doesn’t that imply ……. there would be a point at which he’d run out of ideas, and just passively get bored with it? They just have to wait it out?

Has the initial shock of the sudden dynamic change, shown in all their expressions in the antagonist song, started to wear off now? As if this is a new normal? And what does it mean if they’re now less scared?

Would they continue to adapt?

(if the pressure of Kinger weren’t applied)

Or deteriorate?

Might it be a different thing for each of the characters?

Gangle deteriorate, Pomni acclimate?

That sort of thing?

One thing’s for sure, and I think maybe even some Caine haters would agree ……. it doesn’t seem like he’d do this in perpetuity. This was sparked by a specific incident- Bubble’s abuse- and there was every sign that it was something he would ease out of. Or the humans might be compliant enough to eventually wheedle to be released from. Maybe- once they assured him they’d never skip adventures again? That’s what he’s so concerned about, right? Would they spend time trying to figure out his thought process?

When would it end? It doesn’t even seem like it would take all that long.

I really don’t think I’m being biased here.

Doesn’t excuse his actions, but those alt timelines, I hope, will be explored in many fics out there.

As usual, this show manages to have a dynamic that’s unlike anything else that has ever come before it, and probably ever will.

 he was literally……… just yelling at them.

There were no STAKES to this.

This is maybe a little bit too “Caine fan brainworms” by this point but …

I guess Kinger himself could’ve been directly Abstracted, sure, but on the other hand, Caine is a god. Surely. He can definitely find a way to keep Kinger imprisoned somewhere in a way that he will never be a threat again.

And, he kept him around THIS long, despite this KNOWN chink in his armor, so there must be an absurdly strong reason he wanted him there.

Even if that reason was generally speaking, he didn’t want to be alone, and every human possible needed to be retained, that’s apparently strong enough a reason.

Imagine literally keeping your killswitch around because you were so desperately lonely.

I just keep thinking, what if the humans had begged him? At ANY point? What would he do? It’s fine if he ignored them, as an antagonist. But I want to know WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

If a being whose reasoning is literally “you’re not having fun,” “comedy”then I can’t imagine that breaking down and crying would be anything other than the ANTITHESIS of that goal.

So even if he wasn’t empathetic, even if it carried the same weird tone that this whole situation had throughout, it would still align with his character to pay attention that they were feeling MORE negatively

I believe the writer intent here was to create a superbly unnerving character that seemed dangerous precisely because he was so tuned out and ‘cheerful’, like some other similar tropes

But as with most things with Caine, it just came off as painfully genuine

 personally, all I saw was a man who was coming off the ledge, they pushed him back over it WAY further than Bubble did, because it was THEIR opinion he most cared about.

 This man, even when being very conversational and level with them, STILL did not manage to elicit a “hey he’s just a person” reaction.

And at this point it feels like the story just forced a non-resolution. I do not know if it adequately established that this was a threat that would go on for eternity.

 Maybe that’s what they were going for.

 Maybe I just am too biased towards Caine

 But everything we’ve been shown about him says he wants nothing more than to please these people

Some of his LAST WORDS were, “you’re not having fun”

 i’m sorry, but that just induces a “he really is just like a kid who doesn’t know how to handle anything”

@skyvoidniche

Honestly, I can’t believe it took me this long to think of this.

It really pushes my brain in a weird direction, because really, ALL of them would’ve realistically cried at least once an episode (save Jax and Kinger maybe) it makes me wonder if the circus itself has a slightly narrowed range of emotions you can express.

Like because they don’t have actual tear ducts and faces, maybe it wouldn’t work for the same reason sex doesn’t?

Just not the same body/physiological release?

Jax did get slight tears in his eyes from his crazed laughing fit ….. so …… hm …..

(addendum: even Gangle doesn’t like “outright bawl”, she just wiped a tear now and then. If she’s supposed to hand Major Depressive Disorder- not sure that’s the exact DSM 5 term- this is all the more weird. getting MAJOR alexithymia vibes from all this by now. We know Gooseworx is autistic!!)

surely they could still scream or beg or writhe around- //something// to get across to him that things are very not right.

Since I believe that it’s canon (from some extras materials?) that he doesn’t have actual empathy proper, I’m not sure what the result would be.

Maybe he’d be weirded out.

But that would still disrupt the “status quo” right?

Somebody give me fic reccs where someone ruthlessly dissects all their responses, sounds, etc, and tries to link them to specific real world examples of aches or level of sensation or something. And/or the begging thing. I’M begging. I thought I was about done with this but then somebody Liked one of these updated versions and-

(leaving aside arguments about detangling the morality/blame/background/coding whatever)

He could very easily, with all his power, just endlessly stab/dismember/whatever repeatedly, like a malicious human would.

But he has to “take breaks” for “ideas”

It really is almost either (a) like he absolutely does KNOW for a fact there’s an audience watching who is gonna find it funny bc it’s not happening *to them* (don’t pretend you didn’t laugh or snort or want to at “he shredded me” or the cast members getting stuck together or falling apart) OR (b) he literally does not get personal satisfaction unless it scratches that artistic *itch*

I do not think another character like Caine is ever going to exist. Like Chara, (which I did a meta about) he occupies a space outside tropes. He manages to kind of skirt around the ‘robots made by humans for subservience’ storyline, bc his creator himself was just creatively driven as well, and outside even cucklolander norms.

he explicitly mentions that he’s not enjoying himself. This is in diametric opposition to his inspiration, AM.

by all appearances, it’s not primarily about the pain, to him.

(demonstration of power, yes, but not so much “I like that you’re suffering”- because if that were the case, the suffering itself would be satisfying and to hell with the comedy or artistry)

like he has to find *his own* visual gags funny

like he is fundamentally cartoon-universe-driven at his very core

He could just wail on them continuously if that’s what his whim was

“Ugh, you think he’s out of ideas yet, or nah?”

they unconsciously recognize it’s about the entertainment factor. They somehow grasp that what will end this is not getting all his frustrations out- which would be more conventional for a human to do- punch a punching bag until the feelings end- it’s when his creativity runs out.

It’s like he started a slew of gags- him manipulating their bodies- and he has to stick to that gag until it reaches its ‘artist mania’ end. Was Abel right? Was that line not just for the adventure? I mean. Watch the “human sculpture” bit. Does he actually look like he’s inflicting pain ‘just for the fun of it’? Or is he exploring the notion of … hm what happens when I just throw out all the normal parameters here and just literally do whatever the hell I want.

Am I just crazy, or does it have a wholly DIFFERENT vibe than his song, which was far more aggressive?

Does this feel freeing to him, less in a “now I can punish you” way, but more like a “hey I’ve never worked with this MEDIUM before”

Was that “this is not relatable” code for “I personally literally cannot relate to you because I’m not human”

(Rendering Ragatha’s accusation flung towards him later entirely toothless?)

(And what does it mean that he finds Pomni “relatable”? Is he aware she’s a main character or did he make her the main character? Does he know that the audience watching relates to her the most because the audience was just as bewildered as she was when she landed? And are rooting for her now that she’s now fed up with the status quo? This is highly unlikely to be true I think and I’m probably over-analyzing, sue me)

@lazuli-starlight @ravenwolf1132 @berryblitzgirl @fannishcodex @yourubersawcrit

But back to that “this is not relatable.”

As in, he does not know what he’s doing. Humans aren’t relatable. He doesn’t know that this is bad.

We have to think about Gooseworx’s tweet. She was either lying, (which she has been infamous for doing) that “he’s not malicious” or something else is afoot.

What if ……. he thinks ….. if you want to inflict pain, then you do. It’s that simple. Like. Who was supposed to teach the “creative” AI philosophy? A human would know this intuitively because they don’t like to hurt. But who can hurt a GOD?

I CAN’T help but notice the humans never cry, beg for him to stop, TELL him IN WORDS that this is wrong.

From context you could gather that it’s from learned helplessness ofc, or maybe the pain is so diminished in the digital realm that it doesn’t elicit this response, but either way ………. and it always winds back to this ……. as an autist. You have to TELL ME specifically that I’m doing something wrong. You can’t expect me to know the rules implicitly like you do.

So let’s say it’s simpler than that. He’s taking out his frustrations, right. But what artist doesn’t do that.

When his creativity/ideas run out, it will cease. Or so says Zooble.

(and other assorted genders)

Could this be it?

LOOK AT THE LYRICS OF THE SONG.

So play the games

And just ignore the pains

Ignore.

As in,

is this him saying,

“I’m not doing this TO HURT you”

But as anyone knows. You can’t “ignore” pain. It just exists.

Caine VERY rarely ever raises his voice. Even right after Bubble totally tore his psyche apart with targeted and calculated abuse. The only 2 incidents we have are when Zooble is literally targeting his deepest insecurity.

(we see you, Caine. We know you care about Zooble’s opinion the most.)

So yeah, the fact that he was still in his “learning phase” when being locked up could be seen as a sort of childhood trauma, as it affected him quite a lot

Since he was learning how things worked, being locked up, like any other event or piece of info, was processed a lot and marked as “people tend to abandon me. People tend to hide things from me. I don’t like it. It has to be avoided”

And I think that’s where his “fear of abandonment” and making the circus comes from, wanting to be appreciated so he won’t be abandoned or discarded again

We’ve only heard 1 singular goal for his conception. Be creative. That’s it.

You could easily spin this as he has a more rigid consciousness than a human.

(although I don’t like to)

And, sure, Caine haters would take this as a reason that he couldn’t be reasoned with, I think that video I reblogged a little bit ago has it more right: that would make the humans responsible for making more effort to figure him out.

This is making me think about another similar thing I wrote about, where beings came alive, and although they are not children proper, there’s still a psychological difference between the beginning of their lives and the rest.