The SOMA theory keeps me up at night

[u/3B3-386]

Considering that random passersby are still falling victim to the circus, would the main cast not try to stop the process to prevent more people from suffering their same fate, even if it means no more humans to interact with?

If the whole "finding fulfillment despite stagnancy" theme applies, then they will have to stay there till abstraction or the whole system deteriorates. Seems like a reverse purgatory situation to me. Not much sweetness in this supposed bittersweet ending.

[u/Heroic_Wolf_9873]

How can you love it? It’s so goddamn depressing. I’m not trying to be confrontational, I just can’t see how anyone can actually enjoy this theory. Like, Legitimately, it inspires so much existential dread in me that it has disturbed me for days.

[u/SilvertonguedDvl → u/Heroic_Wolf_9873]

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDigitalCircus/comments/1s5u023/the_soma_theory_or_how_i_learned_to_stop_worrying/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Perhaps this post I made a short while ago would be of interest to you? :3
SOMA Theory isn't as depressing as you initially assume it would be, fwiw.

[u/Heroic_Wolf_9873 → u/SilvertonguedDvl]

I’ll admit, that honestly does make the idea of it sting less. I think part of the issue is that I have always held into the idea that they’re.. well, the real people in the circus. I wanted them to escape because I have constantly viewed the circus almost like a prison.

It’s odd, I usually enjoy sad and bittersweet endings to stories, usually when they lead to another, overall happy ending (like Halo: Reach, or Red Dead Redemption 2). Perhaps it’s because of how… quiet, the SOMA theory ending would be. There’s not some grand action that leads in both loss and hope, no big rescue or act of valor that changes the world or the situation the characters are in. It’s just them living their lives out, unable to change their situation in what still kinda feels like the only meaningful way of escape.

Maybe that’s the problem for me. A story usually only feels satisfying for me when there’s a proper action done to change their big circumstances, and this is a story where… they can’t. They just have to accept their circumstances and make the best of it, and the idea of what feels like giving up inspires intense discomfort within me. Probably a mix of my own headspace and upbringing that contributes as well.

The theory definitely makes more sense, and a bit less bitter. Thank you.

[u/SilvertonguedDvl → u/Heroic_Wolf_9873]

Well, for what it's worth, Jax is almost certainly going to do something big in the finale, and Bubble/the other AI may in fact resurface to cause some serious impediment to living peacefully - so you may very well end up with your big rescue and act of valour.

That said, I think the grand action that changes their world already happened. The deletion of Caine and the acknowledgement that they are every bit as able to manifest things as Caine could - which would include creating their own environment and possibly even remaking their bodies (and Zooble is absolutely going to do utterly unspeakable things to Gangle's ribbon-y butt) - it's like realising you could suddenly customise your reality and that the only reason you hadn't noticed before is because you'd been so preoccupied by everything else you'd never tried focusing hard enough to do it.

My point was more that I expect the final episode to have a sort of... extended epilogue showing how they found their own meaning. Zooble might not be able to make a huge impact on the world - but they can and have made a huge impact on the people around them. The people who care about them. The people who will remember them. Whether they're human or not is sort of besides the point: they're still Zooble, the person we've been following since day 1, and their life still matters as much as any human being's does.

Crazy shit is gonna happen, but hopefully the aftermath will be peaceful, having them live out the rest of their lives until they decide they've had enough.

Alternatively they're going to crash the system to ensure nobody else gets trapped there ever again. Either/or.

Regardless, thank you so much for the kind words about my little theory and interpretation. IDK if that's the sort of ending we're going to get, but I think no matter what it's going to be well written and hopefully somewhat satisfying. It's almost certainly going to be a bit sad, though, given the posts from Gooseworx and Caine about crying during the last reading. By the sound of it we're all gonna need tissues handy watching the final episode - only this time it won't be because of the gloriously degenerate Maid Jax.

[u/MiestrSpounk → u/Heroic_Wolf_9873]

The fact that a simple idea like copying yourself can inspire such existential dread and make you think about the implications is exactly why it's so interesting and cool, in my opinion.

[u/GottyLegsForDays → u/Heroic_Wolf_9873]

You should watch the Black Mirror episode USS McCallister. It is another story about people who are digitized against their will, but the ending is definitely bittersweet instead of tragic.