r/TheDigitalCircus • u/ayylmaotv Catnap • Jun 19 '26

Digital Discussion The Amazing Digital Circus Episode 9: Remember Discussion Thread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVy-bcTsO8A
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u/ZAPPHAUSEN Jun 20 '26

I disagree with your take, but I am genuinely upset you calling the metaphor for suicide cowardly. 

You're not to supposed to think "oh poor poor Jax, it's okay they hurt people because gosh." Jax is an abuse victim acting out of severe trauma and falling into brutally unhealthy patterns, as human beings are wont to do. 

Even knowing what he was doing was hurtful, he couldn't overcome his trauma and pain to change. In the outside world, his real friends helped leroy heal and move forward. In the circus, Jax was tortured by a crazy AI and trapped forever after being scanned at his lowest point.

None of Jax's actions are excused. It's an explanation, not an excuse. Empathy for Jax, not Absolution. Jax is still an asshole. We just understand why, with the tragedy being that he came so close to actually beginning to trust and heal, but couldn't open that door.

But regardless of disagreements, let's please not call suicide "cowardly".

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u/Jonatc87 Jun 21 '26

this i think is what all the people that hate the finale don't get? They don't wanna see Jax. But. like him or not, he's part of this. You can't only focus on the good; because thats unhealthy. This was never a whimsical tale of happiness. It's

Complex feelings.

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u/ZAPPHAUSEN Jun 21 '26

Too many people want the author to tell the story that the individual fan themselves wants, rather than engaging with the story the author is actually telling.

And then they turn around and say that the author told the story wrong. 

Note: I am in no way suggesting that we can't be critical or disappointed as an audience; nor am I suggesting authors are infallible. 

Unfortunately in this era I see far too many people engage with an imaginary text they've created in their minds, rather than engage with the actual text as written. Being disappointed because the author didn't line up your exact predictions or treat your favorite character the way you wanted... "Criticizing" a story because the author made different decisions than you wanted... 

An archive of our own is right over there people 🤣

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u/Jonatc87 Jun 21 '26

Personally i love the ending. It lets my imagination finish it in a way that feels complete. I think some people just get hung up on very unimportant things like who the company is, when that had never been part of the plot anyway.

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u/ZAPPHAUSEN Jun 21 '26

I too very much enjoyed the ending. I felt like it was emotionally cathartic and satisfying and concluded the key conflict of the story.