#habitalk

Given the timelines of events, it sounds to me that Caine had figured out a routine that worked for his needs (that he has due to unresolved trauma).

Make an adventure -> Have all humans go on that adventure -> Have feedback and reassurance that it was good due to their reactions within said adventure or because they didn't complain. -> Feel good about doing a good job.

Rinse and repeat.

What also probably helped that feedback loop is that Jax and his friends Ribbit and Kaufmo had a great time as a friend group within the circus. And so all the other humans also didn't mind the adventures too much, because everyone kinda had their support networks.

And then Zooble comes along and shows Caine that his way of coping isn't mentally healthy for the humans in the circus actually.

If anything, Zooble did him and the other humans a favor by telling him that his behavior is awful to the people he supposedly loves.

Y'know

I had and still have the feeling the grand finale is gonna be something along the lines of like the last Evangelion episode.

All of them, except Jax, are people who strike me as ones that are willing to give someone a (second) chance if that person means it. And Caine did. Also they all seemed distraught with Caine's deletion and Zooble said they were glad he wasn't actually. (Please excuse that I cannot think of an example quote where Kinger is showing that behavior, but tbh all his therapy scenes count I think)

Caine was showing them that he genuinely changed his mind about all his bad behavior towards them.

So giving this whole "Caine becomes part of the gang" a try isn't so far fetched as I think some people make it out to be.

Having worked on game stuff myself... I wonder sometimes if Sebastian is bald (hair hidden) and T-poses in the death cutscene.

And if only his arm is animated.

Because that is all the work that was needed for this scene.

And we, the player, don't see this because everything is shrouded in darkness.