Screenwriting101

This line haunts me in a very bad way.

"You need me! I can fix you!"—Pomni

What the actual...fxck was that?! I thought people find the "I can fix u" trope very cringe and i didn't know this was the final boss of I CAN FIX U?!? LITERALLY?!

back again part 2 of my honest takes on tadc jax. Tbh i was very neutral to jax from the beginning. And tbh since jax has more screentime i thought jax may havemore arc and development, but nah we see them abusing eveyone for the next few hours and has no internal conflict. So i was even 🤦‍♀️ when peple call jax an asshole. Jax is not an assole! That's freakin abuse!? Does blackmailing, harrassing, murder attempt etc make u an asshole?! Wow! tell that to the judge on court irl...

The problem was never jax is trans or not, the problem was is jax suppose to be symphatic cautionary tale tragic figure or a straight up abuser villian?

At first, i thought jax was just suppose to be a villian or some sort of mess up guy but no... why? Thanks to the weird montage scene of ISNT SHE LOVELY?! Let me tell u why.

If we go to the symphatic side. The song choice worth side eyeing but it kinda undercooked as hell. For example, if a character is complex or static,they still have an internal conflict. But instead, in tadc jax is just absing and self hating and moveo and does nothing else...and the cast has to tolerate jax... this is a mid execution of a complex figure.

My idea was why not make jax try to be better even it fails? But some dude on reddit is like NOT ALL CHARAcTERS WANT TO TRY! Ok fair, but even they r stubborn to change..why? Like why they don't want to be better? I know jax's self hating, but pomni and even some of the cast is right there, trying to help jax but jax is just a brick wall like always, like doesn't jax feel a tiny bit of conflicted? Like what is jax's philosophy?

Example, i was an asshole in life, and people told me to change but i didn't bc i had the thought of if i was an sshole maybe others would respect me, but als inside i felt a tiny be of conflict.. but still i din't do anything but continued UNTIL CONSEQUENCES HIT ME LIKE A TRUCK.

Jax consequences is being isolated and absrtacted but that's what they wantned to avoid responsiblity in the most fucked up saddest way but that's still not a consequences of jax's horrible actions??? Why the victims never got an apology or even get a chance to even hit jax lik a truck(pyshically or metaphorically lol) Jax has the to do so! LIKE JAX COULD AT LEAST SAY SRY WHILE HUGGING POMNI???

This links back to why jax being trans shouldn't be overlooked as hints

tbh i never thought jax being trans is unessacary instead it's kinda adding depth if it was executed better. If jax being trans is nothing to do with their actions and plot, then why on earth the montage scene is needed? We don't even need to acknowledge jax is reborned at all? I mean 90% of the fans and va said its a trans reborn songs sooo..urr idk what to say. I mean if it was interpreted as pomni being lovely it makes sense too but since 90% fans think it' a trans song, so IT'S NOT IRREVELANT TO THE PLOT ANYMORE. It' a freakin emotional climax of jax being dead and reborn and u have nuts to tell me it's nothing to do with the plot???

If jax was closet trans their actions make more sense but IT'S NOT EXCUSABLE AND THEY STILL NEED CONSEQUENCES. If jax was cis... he is just a abusive man. And the montage song is more confusing now and it serves 0 purpose unless goose wanted to make pomni the lovely one(as she should be).

Now to if jax is the straight up villian..this def will work but again what destroys this side? Well...THE MONTAGE SCENE... if jax was closeted trans and also a villian..nothing wrong but the montages seem to be celebrating jax is reborning as a woman. But why should we celebrate? I don't care jax's gender anymore, i don't care if they r celebrating jax is now gay, bi or a secretly an asian. Why one earth we r celebrating an abuser? Tbh if they cut the montage, jax would be the cruelest villian now. But if they want to tell us jax is closeted trans and as a villain, i really wished goose commit from episode one?

Tbh i think jax's closeted trans shouldn't be treated as subtle hints or a weird side quest. Like goose is trying to acheive either one or both side but kinda went neither and no jax is undercooked as hell,and needs q&a or a tweet to be solved or understood.

Compare this to "Dumbledore is gay"

Social experiment: I posted the same thing from my tumblr post (check my blog). And look at their reactions lol. Stay tuned. And bring some popcorn btw.

I used to think tadc is a show which leaves fans to interpret themselves but now it doesn't feel like the case.

Is jax trans or not? Depends how u define canon. To me, its kinda 50-50? Like i know there r hints of jax being trans but they r left being so universal and broad that anyone could relate.

Example: the maid dress scene. Jax is mad and flustered. On surface it' very normal human reaction??? If we go deeper, it can be interpreted as a closeted gay man being furious, a crossdresser embrassed bc their identity is leaked and so much more?!

The egg scene. There is a quote jax said he isnt some sort of egg need to be cracked??? Tbh i forgot lol, but recently i only found out its a trans slang? Fair, but that's a very subtle hint, if a casual viewer watches this, they could be very confused or just interpret as a guy who doesnt need someone to symphatize...?

ribbit putting a bow on jax's head. Cute. And that might the only scene that kinda hints so. But we have 0 idea wtf they said to their mum, we all know is jax is "less of a man" which alot of people in this world experience no matter u r cis, trans or whatever gender. So i thought it's suppose to make many viewers relate rather than on just a minority?

Jax's room colour. Damn, anyone's room could be pink no matter the gender. So thats also a very vague hint.

"Isn't she lovely" holy moly. Ok i heard people say this song is suppsoe to mean wouldn't jax be lovely if jax transitioned? That's fair..but many wouldn't think of that??? Especially the song is abt a newborn black baby and is a very positive song??? Tbh imo ORIGIN OF LOVE would be a better song for that. Sung by a trans rockstar and very obvious and underrated song.

Now, back to the topic, everything of these hints r very universal and can be related by anyone. But since gooseworx kinda confirm jax is trans on twitter, now it's clear all of these r stuff trans people experience. Nothing wrong, but when fans try to make everyone agree and nod like a good boi, that's kinda weird. Bc gooseworx herself said it's up to u, u can interpret jax as anything, u dont need her permission.

The show made things universal and relatable to everyone, but when the fact that jax is trans needs to be confirm by the creator is kinda bad writing? ... tbh if she writes jax is a closeted trans person, why couldn't that be hint from the start? Why mid series? And its so undercooked and wasted... tbh i did screenwriting and YES ITS kinda HARD TO write A CHARACTER BEING LGBT WITHOUT SCREAMING INTO UR FACE. But still, there r still ways to show jax is closeted trans instead of tell.

Tbh if i'm writing jax as a closeted trans persom i would keep the focus on their personal fear of ruin, fear of change, or feelings of unworthiness, rather than validating bigotry. For example, jax treats the whole female cast like crap. And there are almost no scene they feel guilty or want to change, or want to express their identity without being all negative. And yes some said the song can imply jax is trans, but seriously if ur plot needs a song to tell us what they r, it's def bad writing. Tbh i wish goose commit more abt jax's closet side.

So is jax a good rep?

I cannot tell, bc i'm not trans. But it's up to u. Yes jax may make some trans people feel seen, but some feel they r one dimensional dick. If i wanna be on screenwriting facts side, jax is written very shallowly...?

Like let's take example. X is half Asian. They avoid eating Asian food. Why? Now, fans have to guess. Whether a)they just don't like the taste b)they r embarassed to eat it infront of others c)they r denial abt their asian identity and tries to embrace their white-ness.

Now, congrats u have fans arguing and causing a war! If u want to be conrete abt they r hiding their identity, u can write they have private moments they enjoy their real identity, or try to make them reveal themselves EVEN IT FAILS. If im writing a minority since i'm one of them, i won't make my character be one dimensional all negative traits? Like i dont care their gender or race, a good charcater r complex charcater shouldn't be a one dimentional jerk or hero.

Why i think jax is not complex as u think?

Jax is straight up abusive and there r almost no redeeming qualities. Yes i know some said jax isnt suppose to make u symphatize or redeemable, but here is a deal, even they r abusive and jerkish, they can still be self aware and take accountability or maybe have a twisted moral code. Like jax abuse gangle and zooble and humilates them. Ragatha had the worst too. And yet pomni is there...being nice to jax...no matter what. And jax is like yeah i dont care anyway, i hate myself!

At this point its exhausting. Like THE SHOW REPEATS LIKE HUNDRED OF TIMES JAX HATES THEMSELVES, AND WHAT??? Like an interesting charcater would try to be better even it fails bc something is stopping them. But jax is just a brick wall... being abusive to everyone...? The only moment they open up to is ribbit who is dead btw thanks to jax. But they showed almost no remorse and never takes accountability and continues to drive people into abstraction or torture women like it is nothing...? We don't even know if jax has a moral code, or even a line? What is jax's philosophy? Repress so others won't hurt u? Kinda.

But this links back to is jax trans? Tbh repressing can be in so many ways. Repress sexuality, repress mental illness, repress race identity and so many more. So ofc some wouldn't think jax is 100% trans and it isnt entirely them being ignorant. It's only confirmed when the writer says so.

And this links back to ...why her writing is not very good... if u need a tweet to confirm ur charcater's struggles...it' pointless. Like why not spent some time on how to write a compelling clear closeted trans character that i believe more trans people would feel more relatable? Jax doesn't have to be likable or perfect, jax just needs to face some consequences. And yes some would say HE Is ABSTRACTED AND ISOLATED WHAT ELSE U WANT? Tbh let me be real, u can write jax suffers with the most horrible level od torture and that is not a charcater arc..thats just pity. Why? Bc jax literally knew this would happen, and chose not to take accountability or do something and abstracts so jax can avoid confrontation abt their actions. Tbh consequences doesnt have to be torture, it can be just jax being confronted, like if it was me i would write jax seeing their victim's perpective or honest u filtered thought abt them. Make jax take accountability even its fails.

Is self inserting bad?

NO, but depends how u execute it. There r many characters u enjoy might be a self insert of a writer(they maybe dont go online and say so though, but thats still nothing wrong doing so). Jax self insert is raw unfiltered self hatred of the creator herself. And she also mention jax enjoys abusing women which is concerning but audience r not ur therapist and they don't know ur personal life unless they scroll twitter alot. Jax can be a good rep abt closeted trans people, but it's so personal, some r just confused. Like not all trans people can relate, some may but some just can't.

For example if u watch a film abt a character being insecure for 24 hrs straight, everyone would feel bored or exhausted. I feel the problem is she doesnt blend the perosnality and struggles into the setting. Example if i write abt a insecure theatre kid base of my insecurity.. i wouldnt throw all of my personal feeling into it, i would write base on the setting, theatre, so the charcater would be inseucre abt them not good enough for theatre, instead of just oh they r insecure of ()???

Instead in tadc, jax just straight up abuses everyone and it feels less like ohh its' abt people trapped in an SIMULATION world..but it sounds like OH NO EVERYONE IS TRAPPED IN JAX'S REPRESSED SHIT AND THEY HAVE TO TOLERATE THEM?! Tbh like if so, why not try writing jax is repressed from day 1 and focus on they can't show their feelings bc jax is trapped in this world and no idea how to regulate their emotion and identity thanks to caine and the circus itself.

I understand the tragedy is jax couldn't accept who they r and change, but tbh some may not think its sad at all, some may read it's an excuse to be not responsible for all their action after all and some some just think it is "good for jax" bc they never tried to do anything at all bc how stubborn they r. Tbh like if this is suppose to be cautionary tale... *again, be clear from day 1? Be clear jax is closeted? All the hints r from mid series or just very vague as hell.