They're All Monsters? The Amazing Digital Circus Analysis!

[@black-shadow-eclipse]

I really like this take, even Ragatha, who seems to be the sweetest, is a people pleaser and spreads out toxic positivity. Always seeing the positive things and trying to tell people everything will be better. But thats not true of course. Even the nicest person has her issues and deeper troughs.

[@laniakeas92]

Yeah I like how Jax is basically a full opposite to her. His coping mechanism is being exseccively pretentiously mean.

[@mustardandpickles2850]

time to be someone who nitpicks at random comments you spelled thoughts wrong at the end of your comment " and deeper troughs. " you said troughs instead

[@wingsoftwitchbots5613]

@@laniakeas92I never really got the impression that Jax’s behaviour is a coping mechanism, at least not in the sense that deep down he’s actually a good person and is just dealing with his own grievances by being cruel to others. I suppose we will find out in episode 6 but I’m pretty sure it’s as simple as “he’s just a bad person”.

[@R.W.P.]

Being nice isn’t what you feel inside, it’s what you choose to do. Gangle may be meh, while Jax is bad.😊

[@anythingyoucando1546]

My thought is that each one also was an active employee of the company itself. Kinger/Queen - debugging and programmer. Jax - security/hacker. Zooble - 3d animation. Gangel - storyboard/manager. Ragatha - financial/counselor. Pomni - beta tester. Caine also seems to draw inspiration from the other character's memories. So who's memories was the original adventure of the day come from? I want to say Jax because many bullies come from a violent home life. It might be too predictable though. Potentially could be a different moment in Jangle's life. Ragatha first saw Jangle's mask under the influence of the Stupid Sauce. Strange huh?

[@zogkuma]

If Pomoni is the "Jesus" figure, I don't think that the "Judas" figure will be Jax. That's too obvious. No. I think it will be Ragatha. She will be the one betraying everyone, I think.

[@admiralmonocle3874]

Maybe, but we just don't know enough about these two characters yet. Ragatha and Jax are still kinda mysteries to us.

[@ikaikakaahanui2457]

its sometimes the nice ones that are evil also nice theory as well

[@NwstrtRJT30]

Episode 4 makes me feel like when we finally learn more about her it won't be as sympathetic or flattering as with the others.

[@anythingyoucando1546]

@@zogkuma A clue could be from Pomni's dream sequence in episode 2. The three that are hovering at the top of the hole are Caine, Jax, and Ragatha.

[@anythingyoucando1546]

@@zogkuma I made a separate comment describing how each character is an employee with a unique job within that plays well with your theory as well.

[@wordsmith6154]

I actually heard from someone (I think Aylmao) that the line about the tea parties and dancing lessons actually came from a line in a musical cartoon about the raggedy Anne and Andy dolls. EDIT: At first, though, I had the same thought. Either Ragatha was a rich kid or a mother herself.

[@ItsBread-y6y]

Yeah it's from the song "No girl's toy" from Raggedy Anne and Andy

[@FlyMiCat_yup]

Yes, this is it

[@tirramasu7948]

It may either be a reference incorporated as a part of her lore. Or just a reference as a joke cause she is a rag doll

[@wordsmith6154]

@tirramasu7948 Well, we'll know in the next episode. It's supposed to be Ragatha centric.

[@Moon525]

I love how you’ve been pointing out how similar these characters actually are to each other.

[@VioletFeatherWind]

My theory about Ragatha is that she might have been an abuse victim. With what you said about having a family that basically had expectations of her and couldn't care less about what she wanted in life. I theorized that she might've been a mom who was trying to put on a sweet persona just for her kids but had a husband who physically took advantage of her. Basically treated like a toy. A doll. Though her being from a family/society where people have this idea of how she should look and act without regards of her well-being is definitely a form of abuse. Her family wanted her to be all "dolled up" in this case

[@samuraitadpole5459]

💩 like this is why I'm only making strong women in my show, too predictable

[@bodebunch6101]

6:52 I am pretty sure that when she said that hurt nothin' packages landing on my head and the rest of that quote. Was a reference to the Ragady Ann and Andy No Girls Toy where Ragady Andy said the same thing

[@Cthulus_left_tentacle]

Ragatha gives off “Big Sister Energy” that to me is masking “Eldest Daughter Syndrome”. She may have grown up on a farm (hence her horses she loved) and was the eldest of a lot of kids. So, she was expected to take on a lot of responsibility and essentially act as the third parent. She may have resented this, not actually able to pursue her own needs or act how she truly felt. Maybe in trying to actually break free, she wound up in the circus and is now trapped once more in that same parental role. think her abstraction will be a kind of self-implosion, where her mind breaks because she doesn’t know what she wants or even who she is anymore.

[@sarahvatalaro1066]

I think that this will all be about conquering their biggest faults. In episode 1, Ragatha comments about how Kaufmo called her out for fake-laughing at his jokes. Her people-pleasing seems to be her biggest fault, as she lets her kind persona slip and her real thoughts come out. She is insecure about people liking her to the point where it is impossible to like her genuinely, because it’s always an act. Gangle also mentions not laughing at Kaufmo’s jokes, which is due to her emotions controlling her instead of her being in charge of them. Zooble is insecure about themselves physically. This one is pretty cut and dry, as we have an episode where they explain this explicitly. This makes Zooble and Gangle excellent foils of each other. Kinger i believe is cursed with obsession, as you mentioned in the video. A popular theory is that he was once a higher up at C&A, the parent company that created the Digital Circus video game. My guess is his obsession led him to not only end up with his consciousness in the game, but his wife’s as well. Maybe she was sick and he was obsessed with keeping her alive? Either way, we still wee these obsessive tendencies with him constantly asking about insect collections and remaining in his fort. I think Pomni is playing both sides- and this is her big fault. In episode 3, she mentions that she “knew it would turn out like this” and “he just wants (her) to suffer.” She would have known it would turn out like this if she had worked for C&A and was trying to extract data or work on the game from the inside and got manipulated. Not only is she wearing red and blue- contrasting colors showing both sides of her true character, but in the last supper scene we see her in the position where Jesus would be. Jesus is the connection between God (creator) and humanity (created), just like Pomni. I think she got tricked into putting on the headset, knowing this would happen. Gooseworx has said that out of all the characters, Jax deserves to be there the most. Why? Well, i think that it’s because his greatest fault is one he will never recover from: he lacks humanity. He has shown time and time again that he will push, shove, shoot, and bully at any given chance. The problem is, if he lacks humanity, he will never want to recover So, my theory is that everyone except for Jax will learn to overcome their faults, including the abstracted characters.

[@NightoftheLivingcookies10]

Goose also said Jax will do something “unforgivable” later in the show and “only the strongest Jax fans will survive” It’s possible the circus the way it is now is actually restraining Jax from what horrors he’s truly capable of, and he knows this. If all rules were destroyed and Caine was “overthrown” there’s no telling what he’ll do (but it will spell doom for the others)

[@veronicapiccinini7956]

We all have “inner demons”, flaws, whatever fancy name you want to call them. It’s only a matter of time and opportunities before they flare up and manifest in the most sudden (except not really, since most of them are a messy result of adverse experiences) and tragic way possible if we are not careful and empathetic towards others and ourselves. Look at Uzi from Murder Drones for instance. Her “murderous frenzy” in “Cabin Fever” (my favorite episode) happened as the result of many variables, some of them that could have been resolved, or at the very least managed, if she was more open about her feelings, without being aggressive, and the others were more receptive about it: mainly it happened because she felt jealous that N and V (two Murder Drones, mind you) were able to become popular among her peers, while the latter avoided her like the plague or didn’t even bother themselves to acknowledge her existence, but also afraid of what her powers were going to turn her into, and that N would leave her and forget about her because of that (not helped by V, who constantly antagonized her, and tried to kill her TWICE because she saw Uzi as a dangerous threat), and then she snapped and turned into a raging she-demon. It’s only after she revealed to N what she’s bothering her in a moment of clarity, and N assured her that he would never leave her, she calmed herself down. 6:54 - 6:56 That’s just a reference to a song from Raggedy Ann’s movie 11:32 Didn’t she say in Episode 3 that “she knew she would end up in Hell”? So yeah, she must have really done something awful to have such a though (or maybe, her anxiety made her believe that way, when in reality she was just overthinking about a still bad but harmless action)

[@skyenight-by8yh]

For one, I think that Ragatha’s vision might’ve been just a hallucination from the sauce, and two, yes I also think that TADC is a kind of “hell” for the characters for their “inner demons” (which I think the creepy smile from the hallucination was from.) 😅

[@honeyzen_cutiepie5588]

I really want to know what's inside of the stupid sauce 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@tyreeramsey8942]

I may be overthinking here, but I actually have an observation about Jax. Towards the middle of the episode, Jax asked Pomni "How're you doing?", which surprised Pomni. He then followed up with "See you later.", as if he cared about her. What I found interesting about this conversation is that, like Ragatha, Jax didn't use a filter for his thoughts. He was extremely tired and irritable in a situation that made Gangle look more like a "bully" than him. Thus, Jax didn't have the energy to bully others and lost his "filter", perhaps making him "nicer" in the process. As this analysis suggests, all of the characters of the Digital Circus are a shade of grey, and their character can't necessarily be labeled as "good" or "bad". But I think this scene does suggest that similar to Ragatha, Jax has thoughts about the others that he doesn't want to reveal. Perhaps he doesn't actually hate everyone and instead his actions are a reflection of how he feels about himself. Again, not defending Jax, but I think his character archetype is very similar to Angel Dust, another complex character.

[@goldem0_derp393]

I’m glad they are shutting down people who want Jax to be better. Learning about jax feels way more human and realistic than trying to make him seem like a positive figure. The world is rough out there and there are people who genuinely act like him. I think it grisly helps shape the dynamics between interpersonal communication with all the characters.

[@rainbowtoyfunrandomess1982]

Even the most nicest characters like Pomni, Ragatha, Gangle, and Kinger can have their own inner demons especially when they almost go insane. I mean, Gangle kinda took things too far while being the boss and Ragatha getting drunk with Stupid Sauce causing her to say something truthfully like when she's jealous of Pomni flirting with Gummigoo.

[@Agent_ghost75]

Pomni seem like someone who regretfully put self preservation above all else to get to where she needed to get

[@meakimon]

I thought the reason Ragetha saw Gangle as this scary monster once the stupid sauce really hit her, was because we got a glimpse at her fear that Gangle is more likely to abstract due to her emotional state. So Ragetha was just scared. But that's just how I interpreted it, and it's fun to think and wonder. ^^

[@CosmicSheepZzz]

It was pretty creepy when I saw it… I wonder if all the colorful thing around the circus is just an illusion and everyone is just walking zombies zombies :x

[@BrianGeller]

I think jax and ragatha knew each other and had some type of relationship not saying it was romantic saying some type, I think the know that they knew each other outside the circus and remember it, saying this due to ragetha saying she hates jax but wishes he did not hate her.

[@VoidOni623]

The hidden horrors behind tadc

[@anythingyoucando1546]

The program interfered when Caine tried to call himself as a "good boss" at the last bit of the episode. Interesting timing. The "A" in C&A?

[@CY3ER]

Honestly I feel like you completely missed the mark on Gangle. Gangle and Jax are nothing alike. She genuinely feels terrible about the entire day going badly. She never once gives the impression that she is trying to make people more miserable than she is. I think she wants to feel in control because she doesn't necessarily have control over her emotions anymore because it's tied into the mask she is wearing. She puts on a new mask and finally feels "normal." This is before she even knows what adventure they're going on and she just wants to continue to feel normal. Basically, "normal" for her was how she felt with the mask on before being put into a position of authority. Zooble also mentions that the mask is made of plastic and won't break like the other ones. The mask doesn't break physically but we can hear it cracking as Gangle breaks mentally. I think Gangle mentioning her authority not being real is because she's scared of losing the new identity she found. Nothing about anything Gangle has ever done in any episode has ever suggested that she gets any sort of satisfaction from making other people miserable. The entire episode she's trying to build everyone up as a team, not to put them beneath her boot. Someone being a shift manager doesn't mean they do it because of some malicious reason, that would be completely silly to think. The whole thing wasn't even "her creation" as you said. It's Caine's creation. He is the one that asked if it was normal and Gangle said yes, because working in a fast food restaurant is a pretty normal thing compared to the other adventures we've seen. We also see that Gangle feels terrible at the end of the episode! She thought she was doing the right thing to make everyone feel better even though what is best for her isn't what's best for everyone. It was made pretty obvious that she was projecting her own emotions and feelings onto everyone during the "training" with Jax. I'm just not seeing how you got to that conclusion about Gangle. It feels miles away from how she's portrayed throughout all the episodes, including the latest one. Final note, the quote from Ragatha "Hurt nothin'. I'm hurt enough. Packages landin' on my head. Tea parties. Dancing lessons" is a direct quote from Raggedy Ann & Andy. She also said she misses her horses, another reference to the movie. Gooseworx said they include references because it's their favorite movie. Maybe it could have an implication to the background of the character but I don't think it's that deep. Just reference for reference sake.

[@Jonathan_Collins]

Is it a coincidence that absolutely every tadc member suffers from a notable mental issue? A NOTABLE one. Like every one of them is troubled at some point and none of them are those pure unbreakable sigmas we may face in the real world. Are they... chosen?

[@CartoonUniverse]

can you list them? I might do that as a video

[@your_local_dead_person]

​@CartoonUniverse If i am to take a pure guess on some of what they are refering to i'd say this: Zooble:dysphoria Gangle:the feeling of being trapped and or narcissistic Kinger:relization/derealization Ragatha: im not entirely sure, but mabye stressful depression?

[@CartoonUniverse]

Most of that sounds right, I'll keep thinking on that for a video.

[@bloodyidit4506]

Jax: Anti-social disorder Ragatha: People pleaser Pomni: severe anxiety Kaufmo: obsession, sad clown Gangle: Manic depression Kinger: Dementia Zooble: Body-dysmorphia These are my best guesses as a non-expert who has been studying a little.

[@PewPewBeets]

I had a theory that the Digital Circus was a special kind of prison back in episode 3. Each adventure appears to be a retelling, or possibly an exaggerated recreation, of what each character did to warrant being placed in this multi-colored hell. Pomni either witnessed something she shouldn't have or unjustly abandoned someone. Kinger killed a loved one, either out of paranoia or genuine intent. Gangle was an abusive boss whom hid behind her failed dreams as an artist. Jax probably bullied and abused someone. Ragatha might have lashed out at her family because she didn't think she could live up to their expectations. Zooble may have just been a delinquent who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[@eric6455]

i dont get how you dont have 1million subs by now. you are a solid 9/10 on all theories and media challenges. keep up the good work.

[@HarryAsz]

I just found it weird that they never conversed about their lived experiences IRL. Those topics should eventually come up. I'd like one episode where they venture on that. Seems like a good premise

[@ivanhunter6492]

I still believe they are all in purgatory and the adventures are akin to the Seven Rings of Hell.

[@petarpoljak6918]

Since there are nine episodes, maybe Dante Allighieri's Divine Comedy interpretation of Nine Rings could be an inspiration

[@poog1236]

Pommi could be Dante , but who would Virgil be?

[@AlexMoe-i3l]

With the whole idea of them being trapped their with their own personal issues, its almost like a groundhog day styled purgatory. Where in order to actual leave, there is an issue they have to work out.

[@Tyler_the_cremator1]

The gangle behind the slaughter 🗣📢🔥🔥

[@DogDudeRulez]

Jax is funny because he’s the bugs bunny of the cast. In that he’s the forth wall breaking trickster. However in the normal soul crushing scenario of the service industry he completely loses steam. Especially after being told performing poorly could incur a punishment. That right there is the core of his character he is trapped in a consequence free environment and embracing it to feel in control of this insane situation. This r maybe by the time his episode roles out I’m completely wrong. At the very least he knows physically nothing he does to the other characters actually does anything so he feels empowered to do it

[@soullsmordor9584]

I think it would be a good if Jax is actually holding back how mean he can be, he wants to be true and honest to himself, not be fake, but he also has to hold back to not go overboard, like having intrusive thoughts, going through with them but on a lower degree than what actually popped up.

[@pegasusbs6237]

What if the circus is a rehabilitation center or therapy session gone wrong

[@ConnorTheCoder]

6:52 This was a reference to Raggedy Ann and Andy’s musical adventure

[@-Kalamity]

They all are very good written characters and its cool to know so much without exposition punched in your face 😊

[@ShayleeYT]

I think they are criminals, locked in the video game as a punishment.

[@matttribe2820]

My theory is TADC is like a prison or Hell for the characters

[@matttribe2820]

TADC is just like me, putting on a fake smile every day

[@cravdraa]

Ragatha absolutely displays toxic positivity.

[@firebundle]

HOW DARE KZbin SHOW ME THIS 13 MINS LATE🔥💀🔥

[@LegendarySquid]

I GOT THIS RECOMMENDED TO ME ALMOST AN HOUR LATER 💀💀💀

[@matthewreeves7220]

When ragatha says tea partys and danceing lessons its a refrence not lore

[@ЭнхмөнхУ]

it could be interoperated as being part of the lore

[@blessedtomeetyou1676]

what if extraction is actually a great thing...what if it sets them free

[@babygorilla4233]

Omg, it's a reverse infinity train! Infinity train puts you through trials till you get over your personal issues, the circus makes you submit to them. If that's not what they're doing, it might be an interesting idea. Edit, now that I think about it that's kinda the season 3 plot with the wave cult?

[@josephsharp6221]

I like Jax being a bad guy, it lets him stand out from the cast as a main character, and it’s like he’s 100% bad, more like 95%

[@widdershinnz]

Ragatha is Gangle’s mom and they put eachother in the circus in some way. Familial ties are probs why Goose doesn’t ship anybody.

[@ikaikakaahanui2457]

Heres some helpful timestamps for some people 1:43 Gangle 4:53 Ragatha 7:31 Kinger 8:53 Zooble 10:43 Pommi 11:55 Jax Also interesting and nice videos about them as well. I hope Zooble still has some nice motivations, even if maybe one or two may be bad. Also I don't know if anyone points this out, but when Gangle, in their new mask, walks past Zooble, Zooble looks guilty of even giving them the new mask in the first place. Maybe something similar happens when Zooble in the real world suggests or gives something to someone, and something bad happens to that said person, and Zooble kinda blames themselves for it Pommi's theory of abandonment seems interesting, maybe that's why she gives some therapy sessions to some people, cause of what happened to her or someone close to her. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned Caine, unless he does not count in this case? Caine does act like a god like figure, and I do agree with some plenty of religious stuff in the show. I did hear another interesting and kinda messed up theory that I might have heard before as well: what if some of the characters are already dead/still alive but wounded pretty bad: and add the inspiration of SAO (Sword Art Online), where players got stuck in the game and their physical bodies are at the hospital by now. Gangle: Since it seemly implied irl them got hit by a truck, what if something similar happen to them there, with their body of just strings and a mask represents their still conoisus body, and maybe can somewhat still move some limbs. Kinger and Queenie: Since they have been down there for a while, what if one of them is irl, or both of their physical bodies are dead, and so one of them is pretty much trapped in the game at this point. Ragatha: Since she have a flat body, what if irl her got crushed in a way, and either dead or somewhat alive after said incident, put on the headset so that she can freely move for now, but with a price. Zooble: Kinda like what happened to Gangle, but also a bit worse. Though I don't know if this theory for Zooble is appropriate, cause I don't want to cause some accidental drama... Jax: Either dead and brought into the game, or some random hacker that got sucked in the game forever, but somehow found some cheat codes Pommi: I feel like she is the safe and alive one out of all of the others. theres also another theory of mine that Ragatha also works at the Digital Circus Game, and that she was one of the concept artists or character designer due to her digital character design.

[@moonlitmarigolds.]

The thumbnail was actually a jumpscare

[@tomcaniff6437]

nonononono using the "who deserves to be there" question as a starting point is a huge stretch, because someone OTHER THAN gooseworks posed the question, and the only actual information gooseworks gave was saying "yes" assuming she thought that long and hard about such a short question is absurd as hell. but still, I watch these videos because they take what little information we have as far as possible.

[@CY3ER]

Fr how can you make that big of a stretch 😂🤦‍♂️

[@jaydeadite9798]

The correlation between Pomni and Jesus reminds of Matthew 26:39 KJV, when Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to God. “ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. ” ” Several Christians believe this is Jesus asking not to be tortured and placed upon the cross, but Jesus chooses to do it because his love for humanity was that great. Meanwhile Pomni is/or was in a similar situation to save another yet ultimately chose not to. Perhaps as this series moves forward, we will see Pomni develop more and more into Savior for all these trapped souls in the Digital Circus. Or I have absolutely no idea what I am talking about. Either way. 😂

[@CartoonUniverse]

Typical Cartoon Universe commenter, insightful and with Biblical sources cited.

[@Mariya-m3f]

Jax's badge says I don't care 😂

[@demonlilith420]

you made it out to seem like Gangle knew she would be manager before she suggested that but she didn't! Caine gave her that role after she had suggested specifically just for "something more normal" she did not know he would give her that role! she just wanted a hint of normalcy after all the chaos!

[@SalariaStudios]

So like what if this is hell and cane is literally been punished to create punishments for people. And as time goes on he’s added a more Digital Touch to the torture.

[@Gir_Em0P0ny]

The mask tho is so so spooky

[@treeperson1655]

Being feared os better than being loved but above all else avoid being hated

[@babygorilla4233]

It was the realest thing ever for 1/5th of the staff to be stoned as hell working at fast food. Only way it could of been more realistic is if I was half the staff tbh.

[@michaelsokenis]

The wording of them "deserving" to be there is from a fan question, not gooseworx themselves. Not correcting the fan isnt the same as the creator agreeing.

[@lemonchanisrandom1531]

😂 boxes and dance lessons was generally just a reference to a show

[@callumbaurley716]

I like that Jax is getting worse, though we do see his grin slip in this adventure. We are seeing that these characters deserve one way or another to be here. Potentially all have had a near fatal incident. Explains memory loss.

[@johnvandiver5634]

We've all got angels And demons light and dark inside of our spirit 👼🔥😈. How we choose to approach them makes us who we are

[@Lagw1020]

How about Kinger? As far as we know, he didn't do anything bad. And there goes his episode, so we wont get a look into his negative traits

[@twixysnicker7230]

I LOVE DIGITAL CIRCUS

[@Ether101_Prime]

So, I know a bit about "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" and can't help but wonder if the characters are direct parallels.

[@alllittlethingzz]

I don’t think ragatha has a crush on pomni but just want someone to flirt with her and who just likes the idea of having someone to flirt with her in general.

[@ElisioDolgan]

This is the only episode where the characters haven't attempted to swear

[@bombkirby]

6:20 "Condescending" is not a verb, it's an adjective. You do not "condescend" someone. You can be "condescending towards them" though. Think of it like "You're being mean towards her" VS "you're meaning at her". Doesn't make any sense, does it?

[@luongmaihunggia]

True

[@anythingyoucando1546]

I also noted that there is so far always at least one person who stays behind at the Circus itself.

[@ConvictionAnimations]

Man that thumbnail would have zoms cool fan art

[@starlightthefirstYT]

I love your videos

[@hugsandchaos9554]

I’ve heard a few theories about Jax, but one of my favorites is that he hopes for violent adventures as a sort of “trauma response”, although I’m not sure “trauma” is the best word I’m looking for to explain what’s going on in his head in this theory, so let me explain the theory a little more. Jax has expressed wishing for a violent adventure. He wants gore, a big epic battle, all that fun stuff, and the reason why is similar to why he bullies the others. It keeps him sane. At least in his eyes. Being able to let out any frustrations and anxieties he might have about being trapped in an environment such as the circus in such an extreme manner would definitely make him feel better. Now one could argue that if he wanted to do that, he could just go ahead and do it to the others, but maybe he wants to actually see some damage actually done. On the other hand, maybe the violence would distract him from his situation and he can simply indulge in it. Honestly, this theory reminds me of people who love horror because it comforts them to see a situation that would justify their anxiety or something like that. Or he could just be a narcissistic bully, but if you ask me, this theory is a lot more fun because it hints that Jax sees what he’s doing as just an attempt to keep his sanity. Maybe he’s desensitized himself from the others so he wouldn’t feel bad for lashing out at them and feeding his sense of control over them, but if this is true, then how desensitized he actually is from them is up for debate. Also, slightly unrelated to this specific theory, but maybe his bullying actually IS a trauma response to this whole mess he’s in. A feeling of lack of control can make someone act bossy to try to regain control. A sense of helplessness or vulnerability can make someone act more aggressive. Not everyone reacts to trauma by becoming meek and people pleasing, some try to either act like they’re in control or legitimately take control. I understand it if this is perceived as me defending Jax and excusing his terrible behavior. I’m not trying to say “he’s just a sad boy”, I’m exploring reasons why he’s acting the way he does. Sure, he might be like that for the sake of it, and I’m okay with that, it’s just SO MUCH FUN to dive into a character’s mind and see what makes them tick.

[@Kurayami612]

11:40 I had a game theory flash back...

[@craftyard9217]

0:59 So kimda like silent hill where as the characters personal trouble keep them from leaving until they find some sort of peace

[@TheChemicalAce]

I get the comparisons of kinger and the story for episode 3, and i like it, Except for the fact that the wasn't meant to be a story told to kinger, it was a story meant for ZOOBLE which is stated twice in episode 3 and once in episode 4 at the start of the episode

[@AspieMemoires]

It’s Jax, he’s keeping them in the circus. I’ve tried five times to type out my theory, KZbin keeps deleting my comment even though there isn’t anything wrong with what I said. I hate KZbins restrictive system. I just was explaining why I thought his personality fit perfectly. And evidence etc. But noooooo. 😂 No matter what I did or words I removed it kept finding something wrong so I gave up. Because at that point it wasn’t even my original thought I typed out any more. I’d love to say it fully for you maybe you could do a video on the theory. But I can’t.

[@Malevolence460]

Pretty sure he has certain words blocked in his comments since that’s happening

[@Journey-p3q]

I think a big reveal as to these characters'personal flaws comes from their character design: each of the character's appearances represents their biggest faults: 1. Kinger is a king chess piece with googly eyes. The king on a chess board is completely defenceless without the other game pieces (they can only move one space at a time), and therefore is completely reliant on the queen for protection. The queen chesspiece, however, is often used to wipe out the other player's pieces, making the queen more vulnerable to being captured. The King stays back inactive while the queen is forced to take on the enemy. 2. Gangle is a tragedy and comedy mask that is held together by a thread. When she wears a happy mask, that mask is shattered to reveal the tragic mask beneath. She has to wear a much stronger happy mask over the tragic one in order to seem happy. 3. Zooble is a mismatch of parts to the point in which you don't really know what you are looking at, and those parts constantly change. Zooble is constantly misunderstood by as to who they are, what their identity is, and what they actually want. They don't really have a functional identity of their own. 4. Raggatha is a rag doll, something that was made to look pretty, but is build to be yanked, and pummeled, and thrown around by whoever owns them: they're a smiling doll made from pieces of scrap fabric that had already been used to make more beautiful things. 5. Jax is a cartoon rabbit, a sadistic archetype found in most cartoons that gets laughs and attention from hurting others that are deemed "the villain" of the rabbit's story. They are a two dimensional character only written for laughs, and nothing else. They're not worth getting to know more than just being the funny bunny. 6. Pomni is a jester: they have a lot of power in a king's court in that they are the only one capable of mocking the king without loosing their head. However, the jester is the one that is constantly mocked and made fun of, and never taken seriously, even though they are the wisest person there (they're the fool.)

[@bluethebunnylord9274]

Jax could be something like a fury, someone who is put in the circus to punish the “sinners” when gooseworks says that “Jax deserves to be in the circus the most” it could mean in a sense of a fury. In Greek mythology furies are responsible for pursuing criminals and punishing them by torturing them in the underworld If the circus is Tartarus then Jax would be a fury. He torments the others to get them to expose their flaws and toxic traits. He wants them to acknowledge their flaws so they can leave the circus. Caine is hades, the circus is Tartarus, and Jax is a fury.

[@Aphr0dite.the.w1tch]

Jax has moments where his bully mask breaks and he feels bad for a second but quickly covers it back up

[@Tairafan]

6:50 that's actually a reference from the Raggedy Andy song "No Girls' Toy". It's from an animated Raggedy Anne movie from the 70s

[@SillyScreeny]

Honestly, I see a theme of Yin and Yang with the characters, with both good and bad traits balancing out their characters. Even Jax seems to have some genuine kindness, I guess we could possibly see more of that with his episode?

[@indirabandinelli4127]

Gangle: *becomes depressed, goes mentally insane and nearly abstracts* Cartoon universe: ya she's not a good person

[@HaughtyToast]

The idea that Zooble was probably the type of person to break relationships by pushing the people around them away whenever they failed to understand them. I wouldn't be surprised if this behavior ended in someone getting extracted in a simmilar way that Kinger did for his wife. The one thing it seems that all of the character's who have extracted or have come close to abstracting have in common is that they didn't feel appreciated or otherwise cared for. Notably Gangle when she started disassociating, and Kaufmo who Ragatha suggests became that way because he felt she and the people around them didn't like his comedy.

[@phoenixaasted]

777 thousand subscribers I really hit the jackpot with this one

[@cranejy2945]

Honestly, i like the theory that they are all in the digital circus by choice, and simply forgot about it. They are subjected to a sort of unhinge, yet childlike torture through cain games so that they can work out their issues. I believe you are right when pomni issues are probably that she is just a coward that gave up on people she loved. That would explain why she an "exit" appeared in front of her when she wanted to leave to help others. But since her wish to escape was stronger than her sense of aid, she wasn't able to escape throught that exit. I believe that "abstraction" is simply what happen when, instead of working out their personnal issues, they make them worst. I think Kingler went in with Queeny in the digital circus so that they could fix their relationship. Kingler was too focus on everything else while Queeny did not voice her troubles enough, and she abstracted when she could not bring herself to voice her mind, shutting herself completely.

[@demarcojones1081]

Digital circus reminds me of tv show called the good place.

[@FeatherMelody]

Zooble's talk about her discomfort with her body and not being able to find what she needs to feel ok in the chest she was provided, self isolating and trying to take up less space both physically and emotionally, combined with Jax comment about holding her breath making her straight, makes me wonder if maybe in life she was trans, didn't or couldn't get the help and support she needed (maybe from pushing people away), and maybe even ended it. Maybe the holding her breath comment was an allusion to her being closeted in life.

[@Stephanie-md6xy]

You know, Pomni's little comment about being the therapist of the group made me think. I believe I figured out what might be Pomni's inner demon, something she's possibly struggled with in the past. So hear me out - abandonment issues. Upon taking a closer look into every meaningful interaction Pomni's had so far, one thing sticks out to me - she gets separated from the person she connected with. Think about it - her first bonding experience ended with confetti and a poof. The person who she had the most comforting convo with doesn't remember it even happened. And with her latest attempt at connecting with somebody, Gangle literally slammed the door in her face, leaving her completely alone in the dark. Maybe this is something Pomni faced in her real life as well - every person she got close to left. This would explain why she decided to fend for herself rather than help in ep 1. Maybe that used to be a bad habit of hers - leaving before others leave her. If that's the case (and if Blitzø is anything to go by) she must've led quite a lonely life. No wonder she wanted to escape, although she didn't think it'd be forever. If Pomni's supposed to be this world's Jesus, then this issue would be rather ironic, considering she'd have to learn to do the very opposite of what she's been doing her entire life. But I think she has that in the bag! Another amazing video! I'm so gere for your TADC theories!

[@Octayv]

ragaatha coming from a rich family makes so much sense in terms of "rags to riches"

[@WitheredLastName]

POV tadc is just a jigsaw movie

[@leticiallime]

I really like jax and I actually relate to him a lot, I think he is like zooble. He thinks about doing bad things and then just decides to do it, without trying to hide or please anyone. He actually makes me feel better about feeling like a bad person sometimes, and makes me question what would we do or say if we didn’t care about what anyone thinks?

[@bappo795]

"Jax! I like, hate you, but don't want you to hate me. is that weird?" -Ragatha

[@CartoonUniverse]

Thanks for emphasizing this line. I need to hone in on it.

[@Just_a_cat_with_overalls]

I believe that jax is the firdt person to be in their since st the end of episode 4 u can see his csr saying Jax-001 and they zoom in as if to tell everyone that he id the first to come, this also makes me thing the reason he hides to much about himself and distance himself from everyone becaude he knows how personal connections destroy you like how king personal connection to his wife destroyed his mind and his wife turning. This also explains how jax was so worried or just in aw when ragatha said even tho she hates him she wants to be friends as his efforts goes in vain as the entire series you see jax being the bad guy and distanting himself making people not want to be friends with him

[@Just_a_cat_with_overalls]

I also believe that zooble knows something more about kang as their multiple sessions for her ends up just being for kang as shown, kang trying to be a therapist for zooble with her not caring but after she tells her truth kang who is the anchor for their dimensions to even being their starts to glitch or abstract. So u believe after multiple therapy sessions were the roles continue to be reversed zooble knowsnsomething about kang the others dont

[@dreamhollow]

I think Jax isn't quite how people picture him. I think he puts all his ugliness up front. He demands attention, respect, and wants to be noticed. Attention seeking behaviors if you will. From a psychology perspective it's reasonable to assume the guy is an outward monster to cover up some deeper insecurities. Is he a good guy deep down? Probably NOT; but I get the feeling he's covering some deeper emotions he won't let himself feel because he harbors a lot of self hatred. Self hatred often manifests in things like bullying after all. There are also some moments in the first episode that people missed that could be easily overlooked.

[@bloomins8088]

ya know, at first i thought the whole "Mildenhall Manor pulls from Kinger and was tailored to him" was a touch of a stretch. But after this episode? Nah, yeah, i do think these are paralleling something deep in their lives.

[@Th_darkmatter]

I really think the twist is that all of them wanted to go to the circus they willingly put on the headset but none of them really remember that they wanted to escape from their real life but in doing so the got put somewhere more miserable

[@okashiad6930]

Not sure if I believe Kinger made Queenie abstract or that the adventure was a mirror of his situation. The angel adventure was built for Zooble after all. Yes, there are parallels in that both the Hunter and Kinger lost their wife, but idk if there is enough info or context to suggest he caused it.

[@lockskelington314]

I don't think everyone in the circus is bad but perhaps put into the circus after accidents of sorts. Ragatha fell off a Horse (presuming that she was rich) Gangle was hit by a truck with her body mangled, Kinger shot his wife and entered the Circus to be with her, Zooble was put in because they had gender dysmorphia to an extreme point where they didn't feel comfortable in their body and was put in the digital circus, Jax was put in by mistake (if the him not being an npc theory comes true, which I still believe) when he was put in a coma after doing something horrible or as a response to someone he hurt getting back at him, And I think Pomni was either put in against her will or went in voluntarily as a nurse or something so that she could help everyone trapped in the circus.

I think Jax knows that if there is no antagonist in the circus the boredom would drive everyone insane

[@bonkc]

Ngl Jax just gives off some wanting attention and having the constant need to be in control over everyone's reactions and emotions and in as much control over his own situation by putting himself as the one everyone HAS to listen to vibes

[@ampisbadatthis]

correct, anyone familiar with the short story "I have no mouth, and I must scream" (which Digital Circus is loosely based on) knows that every single character in it is awful, because they're all trapped in a wasteland and being tortured by a cruel AI. The only difference is that Caine is just an idiot and only Jax seems to be intentionally vindictive.

[@w1ndgeneral226]

I've actually had a crazy theory that the characters trapped in the digital circus *aren't actually the real people* but rather NPCs created to have AI personalities almost exactly like the real people they're based off. The REAL versions of them might still be in the real world living their lives, while the characters WE know just *think* they're the real ones. *It would explain some things, like why they can't remember their real names, it's a glitch in their programing.*

[@indirabandinelli4127]

Debunked: in the Netflix description of says that 6 humans are trap there confirming they are all human

[@anythingyoucando1546]

I do thing that Jax lashing out will be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Intentional or not.

[@noodle932]

i kinda miss the old background music

[@CartoonUniverse]

it will be back, usually we do just one spooky vid but we kinda felt the vibe for two this time. We will also put out the music on a playlist soon I think.

[@ruthmelgar3430]

Each part where the East digital Circus character why do they look so disgusting in their horrifying way?

[@Tosciki2137]

Fresh comments!