#oh my god imagine if he makes kinger abstract by going to far saying something about Queenie or something. 👁️👁️👁️👁️

[dullahanblorboposting]

Re: Jax and the NPC theory

I've seen everyone speculating about which of the current TADC cast is most likely to be an NPC, but I don't think any of them are? I think it's much more likely that either

A different NPC is confused for a human in a future episode, and terrifying shenanigans result as expected

We get a flashback of that happening with old former humans who have since abstracted, tying to some of the portraits on the doors maybe?

Or my favorite possibility: I think there is more potential in that line foreshadowing the exact opposite.

What if Caine in a future episode mistakes one of the human members for an NPC? Apparently Gooseworx teased that Jax will be crossing moral event horizon at some point in the series, and to be honest there is no way it involves him slaughtering NPCs. He's a jerk for messing with the other humans' enjoyment in that regard, sure, but the NPCs aren't real and don't matter. He cannot be 'evil' by harming them because there is no true harm done. He's treating the NPCs as the video game characters that they are.

So whatever he does that earns him the crossing-the-line badge has to be something that directly affects one of his fellow humans, the people who ARE real and DO matter. I've seen the idea that he causes someone to abstract somehow and I think that's the only way for him to cross that line.

Wouldn't it be interesting if for some reason something happens that causes Caine to lose track of who is human and who is an NPC momentarily at some point, and for shits and giggles since Jax treats everything so carelessly, he does a bit where he tries to convince Caine that one of the humans is an NPC. Maybe not even thinking anything seriously bad will happen, just in the usual asshole menace type of way, just to freak the victim out. Only for Caine to actually buy it and try to poof them away. But since they're human, the impact of the attempted poof is that they abstract instead? I doubt that will be how it plays out, like if Jax does cause someone to abstract it will probably be because he went too far with his words and mentally breaks them, but like wouldn't that be fucked up? It would be so fucked up.

[cococaffeinated]

Hi! I was wondering if you had any little headcanons on Jax, Kinger, and Gangle? Like maybe a story on how they bonded or something like that? Also, have a good rest of your day! I love your art!

I keep thinking about Jax and how he might have potentially gotten his key. It's been a source of so many branching possibilities for headcanons! One of the things I've headcanoned is that maybe Jax had received the key from Queenie just before they abstracted. A little token for "just in case". Drabble below and extra thoughts CW: angst, implied abstractification, mentions of Queenie

┍━☽【❖】☾━┑

Jax frowned as he looked at his hand, a golden key resting upon it; placed there by the dark queen piece that Kinger took a fancy to. It was the middle of the night, or at least Jax assumed it was. When Queenie entered his room, Jax assumed it was morning and he was being fetched for another adventure, but no one was awake yet, except him and the queen. "What is this?" the rabbit asked. Queenie simply smiled, despite the absence of a mouth, it seemed apologetic. "It's a key!" they replied, and Jax rolled his eyes but not with any real annoyance. "Yeah, I know what a key is, Queenie. This place makes people crazy, not stupid." Jax retorted, nervously twirling the heavy metal object in his hand. "What's this for?" 'It couldn't possibly be for an exit. If it had been, then they would have all gotten out by now.' Jax thought to himself. "It's a key that opens what is closed. It's something I won eons ago when Caine would let us ask for things after winning games and adventures." Queenie explains. This gave Jax no form of reassurance, where was this conversation even going? He furrowed his brow. "Okay..." he says slowly, unsure. Holding the key a little tighter now. "Seems, kinda important, don't ya think, toots?" he finished, trying to lighten the now heavy atmosphere of their conversation. Queenie nods their head once, "It is and that's why I'd like you to keep it... In case anything happens to me." With that Jax raised both hands in mock surrender, in disbelief. He laughed darkly as he shook his head.

"No. No, no. We're not having this conversation, Queenie. I'm not hearing this talk, not from you." Jax felt cold, dread sweeping through him. He couldn't imagine Queenie abstracting. Jax knew it could happen, it happens to anybody who so much as slips away too far into their own mind. Abstraction can happen to anybody, and Queenie was no exception to that. But still... It was hard to imagine. "It's just in my nature to take precautions, Jax. I'm not saying goodbye, this is just me making sure that if anything happens to me..." Queenie insisted. "No." "If anything happens to me, I need someone who's equally grounded to check on the others..." "No! No, I'm not listening to this cr#p, take the d$mn key back—" Jax felt Queenie's hands grasp gently onto his shoulders, he didn't realize he was trembling. A fragile silence passed between them. "Please, Jax." "Why me... If anything happened to you, I don't think I can lose Kinger too... And Gangle's not going to..." "Because I know, in your own way, you care for those two as much as I would, Jax. This key can help you go into rooms that are locked. It always starts with isolation, Always. Remember that. If Kinger or Gangle... or god forbid anyone else starts locking themselves away, even in the morning, you be your obnoxious self and charge right in, you understand?" Jax closed his eyes, pained at the thought of what this favor and responsibility entailed. "Jax, I need you to promise me you'll do this... Jax..." --- "Jax!" The rabbit blinked his eyes open, he looked confused and scared for only a fraction of a second before his eyes focused, and he lazily leered down at Gangle who looked up at him with concern. "Pomni was asking you a question..." She pointed out, Jax simply shrugged, his lazy grin stretching as he stretched his sleepiness away. "Mn, oh yeah? Did you, really? You normally whine so much Pomni, I keep thinking you're a squeaky toy NPC passing through." Voices droned away in his mind as the usual lecture from Ragatha about being mean to others carried on. His eyes casually swept to check everyone's attendance. Everyone was present today, ready for a new adventure to start. 'Good.' He thought, the golden key weighing heavy among the items he secretly carried. ┕━☽【❖】☾━┙ Of course, I don't know how Jax might have gotten the key or keys in the first place. I can't wait for the canon explanations (if any) if TADC ever gets a full season (I'm hopeful)!

Chess is one of my favorite games and knowing that queen pieces are powerful in their own right and can move in any direction, I kept thinking about how the key Jax now has could have belonged to Queenie previously.

And Jax's low-key (haha pun intended) checking on everyone who was left in the circus after Queenie abstracted was one of the many ways Jax became even closer to Kinger and Gangle.

But the little drabble above implies I also headcanon that Kinger, Queenie, and Gangle are Jax's cornerstones, his friends that he grew close to. Enough that when Queenie felt herself starting to slip away, she confided to Jax with the responsibility of checking on their remaining loved ones. It's a heavy responsibility but it's neat to think that Queenie knows that Jax has a certain way of coping with his surroundings that ensures that he'll last longer than most.

Also, imagine:

Jax is the one who gives Kinger the idea of making a pillow fort (an impenetrable fortress). To make it in the middle of the circus. If Jax sees Kinger is there, it puts him at ease that Kinger is still there, wearing his madness just as well as he advised him to (in a previous hc-comic I made) when he first arrived in the circus.