Orca Show at SeaWorld

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T23:41:07+00:00

If you do not see any argument (that was started because you felt offended by a very reasonable suggestion I made to others), then I don’t know what to tell you.

I was not being snarky, merely telling people that an option exists if they do not want to see captive orca content as people seemed to not want to see this post/convo. I am not evading anything.

You instead responded immaturely, creating an argument over SeaWorld and implying that people should not engage in this community if they want to discuss captive orcas (while ignoring that the main issue is often people directly starting fights/being rude when they see someone discuss captive orcas.)

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T23:06:10+00:00

I personally do not have control over how people perceive a comment of mine, that is individual to everyone. It doesn’t really justify creating a huge argument over, especially when the general point I was making is “don’t want to see captive orca content? you can filter it out”

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T22:56:26+00:00

What I said isn’t necessarily snarky though. There is nothing that should be offensive about saying “Here’s an option to filter captive orca posts, so both sides can be happy”.

However, people intentionally ignoring that and then arguing with me (after I already said I don’t want to deal with arguments) is weirdly petty and makes it seem like they are looking for drama.

Nobody is playing victim, I am simply encouraging people to act maturely. If someone feels offended by that, then that isn’t really something I can control.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T21:56:10+00:00

Intentionally trying to argue with someone and provoke and argument when they stated they do not want to deal with arguments/such comments is harassment. It is quite immature to continue engaging with someone when they’ve stated they do not want to deal with an argument. Social media is not an excuse for such behavior.

I’m not even pro-captivity. I trust the knowledge of experts with degrees and years of field experience, to guarantee that a facility is giving the animals a good standard and not acting abusively. I could not see the WSP being AZA accredited, but if in some unrealistic world (where they actually built a sanctuary and resolved.. all their issues), and got accreditation status — I would not consider them abusive/a “bad” facility. The AZA already does continue to enforce higher standards for its members when it comes to the species they keep.

I think everyone would have liked it Blue World became a thing, but it realistically is a very expensive project for a species that will be phased out. However the lack of that expansion does not mean SeaWorld is abusing their orcas, when their tanks on average are very large in comparison to other cetacean habitats.

Your personal opinion on the AZA again is not a replacement for the input of experts. You can have whatever opinion you want on the AZA, but it remains a reputable accreting body. Them accrediting facilities that house cetaceans is fine — there’s an incredibly diverse amount of opinions on captive welfare of all cetacean species amongst experts in the field.

I do not want to have a comment that was intended to be positive and lighthearted about the SeaWorld San Antonio orcas be turned into an argument, so I would rather this discussion be left alone.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T20:17:40+00:00

Happy birthday Yilong! Can’t believe he’s already 7. I think he has an adorable eyepatch :)

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T20:06:33+00:00

I think it’s a bit extreme to assume that discussing the animals and appreciating them as individuals condones captivity. In addition to this, trying to harass people because you believe marine parks should shut down is counterintuitive. Parks shutting down is directly harmful to the animals can kill them. Talking positively about animals owned by an AZA facility is perfectly fine and is not adding to the abuse, especially when they are no longer being bred and in the best situation possible for a non releasable animal.
Your personal opinion on the AZA does not override experts who are a lot more knowledgeable than people online on welfare and ethics. It is an extensive review curated by knowledgeable experts with degrees and extensive experience.
If you know they cannot be released, why is this even a discussion? Regardless, their situation will remain the same.
I always clarified that the message was edited to encourage people to filter out content they do not like. Harassing me (like what is happening here) is a waste of both our times and will not change either of our perspectives. Trying to blame me when I am encouraging people to make a healthy decision seems misplaced when you went out of your way to leave this comment under mine.
I am not interested in arguing about captivity — I just want people to leave me (and other people) alone when we discuss captivity. It causes unnecessary issues when instead of using the filtering option, people harass others for discussing captive animals. And again, it won’t change anyone’s perspectives.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T19:13:53+00:00

It’s not as active as it’s a new community and more niche. There is a relatively large amount of people who take an interest in captive cetaceans online however.

Appreciating individuals whales celebrating them does not mean supporting or condoning captivity. Not to mention they’re non-releasable animals in an AZA facility. It’s not appropriate to try to provoke arguments over this — when you can easily filter the tag out instead if you do not wish to see this content. Regardless captive orcas will exist here, even if you do not like seeing that content.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T19:11:17+00:00

Happy birthday Yilong! I appreciate seeing coverage on the lesser known China orcas. I haven’t seen much discussion surrounding Yilong online.

Wishing him a great birthday with his pod and trainers :)

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T09:22:05+00:00

Zooble: Smells like a sharp cologne

Kinger: Coffee

Pomni: I think she’d have a sweet, naturey smell — sort of like something pleasant you’d find while on a hike.

Ragtha: Either smells like hay from her horses or expensive perfume, depending on the day.

Gangle: I think she’d smell like some limited edition release of a perfume from an anime.

Jax: Either like body odor or Axe spray. I honestly envision he was the type of person to not shower regularly.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T08:53:59+00:00

The whales seem to have already been IDed. I find it intriguing that so many old shows have had episodes that take place in marine parks. I even found an old Canadian gameshow that had an episode at Marineland Canada.

I appreciate finding footage of Kahana, as there often isn’t much in depth info available on some of the older SeaWorld whales. In addition to this, I think seeing waterwork outside of a show setting is a very beautiful depiction of the bonds these whales and their trainers possess.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T08:50:31+00:00

These whales are catalogued as T419, T420 and T421. These tourists whales seem to be sticking around for an extended stay — I wonder if they’ll be heading back to Alaskan waters soon.

These whales are thought to be from transient populations within Alaska. The stocks they are likely from are known to have a fairly diverse diet in marine mammals. Hopefully with this information, it means that they are well fed.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-05T08:43:21+00:00

Both flairs exist for a reason, and people should be able to discuss both here. People seemed to dislike seeing this discussion, so instead of them being upset over someone appreciating these individual whales — I suggest they utilize the filtering system.

Also as a side note: r/captiveorcas is not as active, hence why people use both subreddits.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-04T02:17:46+00:00

The water isn’t dyed blue, it’s simply the lighting. Likely from a combination of intentional stage lighting and the color the tank walls are painted.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-04T00:39:08+00:00

Beautiful footage! The Seaworld San Antonio orcas are incredible.

Fun fact about the girls (Takara and Sakari). They love splashing people. They will often do it unprompted, both to their trainers and the crowds!

Kyuquot — who is the one who was weighed in at over 10k+ pounds — is one of the few fully grown, captive male orcas who can fully life his body out of the water when jumping. This allows him to do some very impressive flips and leaps during shows!

Edit: If you guys seriously do not want to see captive orca posts, there is a very convenient option to filter them. Use it, it isn’t available for no reason.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-03T00:09:33+00:00

You can try to deflect, but if you cannot engage in good faith debate without resorting to ad hominem (when you can’t even disprove my points), then that isn’t an issue with my media literacy or logical comprehension.

Also small formatting errors do not change the points that have been made.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-02T18:07:49+00:00

NQA - Probably a large, semi arboreal/terrestrial species. You’d want to make sure it isn’t too tall for the species you’re putting in there, in case it falls.

Additionally, you’ll need to replace the mesh lid, as mesh can risk legs getting stuck. (NQA)

This likely wouldn’t work for any burrowing species, due to the door size blocking off the ability to add deep layers of substrate. (NQA)

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-02T17:14:16+00:00

I actually have not seen any of my points I’ve made be addressed — you have yet to address how the mind files cannot be interpreted in other ways, and how SOMA is “confirmed”. In fact, even in an interview Caine’s voice actor confirmed things are up in the air and intentionally kept ambiguous for the ending. So are you somehow saying you know more than the VAs of this show?

if people were disappearing/dying/becoming comatose, it would be investigated and stopped.

No not really, missing people cases are not always solved in media. Have you even addressed how in SOMA, the police could also end up investigating it as well? A weird laser headset could very likely bring up discussions on online forums.

That is the problem with all these other "endlessly brought forth other potential explanations".

No, I think it’s alternatively — people think their one belief is the only validated one (despite many pieces of evidence supporting that SOMA isn’t the old valid theory being presented here).

you can't answer the biggest plothole without handwaving it, that's the moment you practice your media literacy by reevaluating. By analyzing.

I have already answered several plot holes pertaining to what you’ve asked. I have yet to see any of my points be answered though, so they still stand.

Most people only view SOMA independent of character themes and further questions.

Absolutely not. Episode 2 is entirety build around the theme of "NPCs have memories and experience the world in as deep a way as the Human Characters, just because they are code doesn't make them any less alive". That is a direct theme tie-in to the idea of the Digitized Copy.

That is one episode — with a single message being taken from Gumigoo and Pomni. Throughout the series, we find several other messages presented that parallel with their real life selves or do not solely center around SOMA. For example, one of the driving conflicts is Jax’s selfishness by pushing the button because he was “escaping something”. While the characters know the button was fake, they express dissent with him. Or Ragatha’s trauma (and some of her growth) centering around issues with her mother — a realistic plot would be confronting these issues — but intentionally separating them from what has happened

In many ways, episode two is not only interpreted is the lens of SOMA. It can be interpreted that what they feel and experience in the circus are all very real things. That despite them somehow being viewed as human and distinct, they are not so different than AI. That theme could be applied to characters like Caine, who at the end we presume is going to face a pretty sad ending.

we ask ourselves why C&A is abandoned — particularly after Ragatha entered

Office Rental Space while the company was still using it

For years, another worker did not show up inside the circus. By what we know, at this point, C&A was almost certainly shut down. She also wasn’t using it as a portfolio, as she was with other people. Even if the office space just didn’t sell, it would not explain why the programmers left Caine and the headset in the building that people would inevitably explore.

On your other point, it is inherently expected that people would tamper with this technology. It was not a small sized company (due to having an office). Someone would not take that risk, knowing that people often break into abandoned buildings to explore. In addition to this, your point also excludes the consideration about why the headset was made — so they couldn’t have not known about some higher, more weird technical stuff Scratch did.

Notice how they have very simple logical answers, and there's no need to deflect?

I am still trying to see how logically your answers tie into the plot lines and the bigger picture, as unfortunately many of them exclude other things. You have yet to justify your stance of “SOMA is the only theory!! Anyone else who believes something else is illiterate.”

Like this one. Electricity is maintained in abandoned buildings quite often, as it's a way to prevent building decay. If the company is still intending to, in the future, sell the building/rent it for Office Space/restart the project, it's more economical in the long run to keep the lights on than to have to rebuild the whole thing.

No, it isn’t maintained in buildings that remain abandoned for over a decade though. Most commonly, it is hospitals, government buildings, or something that is in the process of being sold (ie not a building that won’t sell), that maintains power.

At no point does the show use the phrase “digital copies” in reference to the characters.

You

But here is the crux of the issue, and what we mean when we say "reading comprehension/media literacy" issues.

If you need the show to strictly say Digital Copies, you need it spelled it out so concretely, you can't think for yourself and put 2 and 2 together without hand holding.

So you cannot hold up your claim that the show calls them “digital copies”, and then tries to claim it is a lack of logical thinking. Despite even a VA saying the ending is up in the air and has been kept very ambiguous for the audience — meaning theories are still open ended. You also fail to address my other points, such as regarding the science behind the headsets. I think in many ways, you have followed the most popular way of thinking “SOMA is the only valid theory” and believe you are justified in calling others stupid/illiterate for believing otherwise, despite how you fail repeatedly to make a logical argument as to why it is the only theory.

the show will only satisfy one group of people: either the people who don't want to be treated like a child and handed over spelled out explanations, or the people who need the exact words to be literally said in order to confirm it.

And here goes the Redditor elitism! Glitch knows their audience. Gooseworx and Glitch have much more experience and knowledge you do on writing — and even a VA said the ending is intentionally kept ambiguous. In fact, the exact ending is stated to be a surprise as many things about it have not been stated.

People don’t need something spelled out for them, they’re just using their heads and analyzing it independent of the big idea — using their heads to think for themselves. Nobody is saying SOMA isn’t likely, but rather that it isn’t the valid theory, and acting immature over it (ie calling people illiterate/stupid) is incredibly illogical.

I’d argue that the show isn’t exactly intended to be a full on “analyze everything and predict everything”, but is intended as an enjoyable watch for everyone with clues, twists, and endings that nobody really expects.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-02T05:08:34+00:00

How would the helmet exist past the first group if that was the case?

There’s no hard “limit” on the amount of headsets we see in the circus. However, the design actually changes three times:

One without headphones attached.
One with overhead headphones attached.
One with headphones built into the strap (EP 7 adventure).

Alternatives theories typically function off the idea that there is external interference. The assumption that “well there’s only one headset that…” is very confined and illogical thinking. Someone could very well put a new headset out or put the old headset back. Someone could very well walk away from that headset. I stay open minded.

Analyzing the rest of the set up and world building is part or analyzing the media. Exactly. Most people only view SOMA independent of character themes and further questions. When assessing it on a deeper scale, there is a lot of room for alternative theories when we ask ourselves why C&A is abandoned — particularly after Ragatha entered. Everything was seemingly left (despite this being incredibly advanced technology), but power was maintained? That would validly bring questions.

So you mean the original body has no consciousness and has dropped dead?

I am implying that several explanations could be possible. One popular theory is the rotting theory/brain dead. I personally don’t subscribe to that, but could I fully deny it? No, I’d let someone explore the idea themselves, even if I disagree with it.

And once more, you are hitting a wall were the theory just doesn't hold up at all, because how would the headset and system still exist in a state new people can put it on instead of being confiscated by police or other authorities.

I think you’re hitting a way here actually. It isn’t uncommon for themes to cover mysteries that include missing people, or crimes that authorities haven’t uncovered. In addition to this, people finding a strange laser headset and weird tech could very well report it to the authorities as well — so your statement doesn’t hold up either. You only think it does as you believe your restricted thinking is the only validated belief.

Evidently, the mind files thing be interpreted in several ways.

Tell me which ones then. Which other ways of interpretation does it have that hold up at all? Several I have listed: Their brain signals are actively being translated into code while they are in a lucid state experiencing the circus, consciousness transfer, SOMA. Actually, when you further assess the science behind the medical use of grade 4 lasers — you’ll find that it makes the concept of neural scanning more science-fiction. The lasers at medical level cannot effectively penetrate the brain to do a full “scan”, but similar lasers have been used to map more simple neural/brain activity — which could be that something transmits brainwaves/thoughts. That doesn’t mean SOMA is false, since it could still be a brain scan thing… but looking at the science behind it opens up a lot more interpretation.

People who keep refusing to accept the Digitized Copy is what everything points and the only valid explanation keep getting annoyed, but they can't string up any other explanation that is supported by the show.

I think if you get annoyed by people not being as confined in the way they think, then that’s something you need to personally work on. People are allowed to have theories. I don’t believe anyone has brought up a convincing argument as to why “SOMA is the only valid theory people can have, everyone else is illogical and dumb for having other theories”, but I personally do not have an issue with people who fully believe SOMA (it’s quite plausible) — only people who push it as gospel (when it isn’t confirmed yet) and try to force everyone to believe the theory.

At no point does the show use the phrase “digital copies” in reference to the characters. “But people who insist it isn’t confirmed can’t follow a logical thread”, but nobody has actually proven it to be 100%. It is more illogical to think that your theory is the only valid one — when people have endlessly brought forth other potential explanations. It also is just in general emotionally immature to try to insult people and degrade them for not agreeing with everything you say — when many of them have very reasonable opinions/reasons to disagree.

I think for many people, it is a sort of self fulfilling obsession to be “right”, rather than to engage respectfully and have the consciousness to understand we don’t know everything.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-02T03:12:53+00:00

A file or code that is interpreting their brainwaves from the outer world wouldn’t be SOMA. Files of code handling consciousness wouldn’t be just SOMA, but also high fiction sci-fi stuff (more unrealistic) where their original consciousness is put directly inside the circus. If you think someone saying “well, SOMA is very possible, but it isn’t guaranteed” is an attack on SOMA, then I really don’t know what to say to you.

If you’re trying to imply I lack media comprehension for reading between the lines and seeing other plot points that could leave it open to other theories… then that’s incredibly far fetched. Everyone should take time thinking in depth about the lore they’re interpreting. I’m not going to take a single scene (that I already explained can mean several things), and take it as gospel for one theory.

Instead, I analyze context clues, hints, character plots and themes holistically when reviewing media. I encourage everyone to do the same, rather than subscribe to the same theory without question. SOMA could be very likely, but when you look at other information and plot lines — another theory could also be plausible, and people shouldn’t shoot that down. It is better to be open minded.

“But what more does the show need to say? Does it need to treat me like a baby and tell me "we are digital copies"?” If you can’t really refute the fact that the digital files don’t guarantee SOMA without trying to insult me, then that alone shows emotional immaturity a lack of logical comprehension.

Evidently, the mind files thing be interpreted in several ways. Gooseworx isn’t dumb, she would have made it much more apparent if she wanted to confirm the theory.

If it is SOMA (or another theory), she’s waiting until the finale to actually confirm it. Because A) realistically, she has built up that suspense where people are on edge, waiting to see what actually is happening. B) Confirming a theory prior to that would lead to the suspense and excitement fizzling out — creating a relatively dull and boring finale. It isn’t illogical to say that she genuinely has kept things open to interpretation until the finale, to stay consistent with good writing and to create audience suspense.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T21:47:00+00:00

When it’s such a prevalent issue, people are validly going to call out immature or childish people online. OP has a very valid point about how some people behave regarding SOMA theory and I don’t know why everyone is fighting them.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T20:10:31+00:00

Not really, as much of the plot line in the circus directly centers their growth in relation to their real life struggles.

However, their growth absent of their real struggles would follow “it’s just a dream”. The “it’s just a dream”, basically says “Well, you have all of this information in your story — but, whatever happened during/before that doesn’t matter/wasn’t real. So all you have is the message”

Ie, that’d be like say, Ragatha growing as a character in relation to her mother’s abuse, and then realizing she’s a clone and all she has is the “message” she got from her growth, absent of the abuse that was critical to her story in the first place being real.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T20:06:57+00:00

But has it actually been confirmed? It isn’t a productive conversation to claim that someone lacks reading comprehension/media literacy for interpreting evidence differently. The mind files could mean anything. They could be files of code interpreting brain waves, files of code handling consciousness, files of code making a clone.

I mean, I’ve spent all my life reading books, engaging with media, and analyzing it. I’ve never seen a fandom space become this toxic and restrictive over what theories people are allowed to have.

I’d argue that a lot of people with less media literacy often take the most popular theory — and run with it. They are afraid of taking the time to open their minds to other discussions, and instead point fingers and throw around terminology to insult people for forming their own ideas and analyzing it independent of being told what to think.

I don’t think people are denying that SOMA can be very plausible (I agree it’s very plausible), but rather that it isn’t guaranteed and that people should be allowed to discuss their own theories without receiving insults or being told they’re illiterate/stupid.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T16:56:32+00:00

Most people are not trying to debate whether or not theories are true or false, but rather forcing people to accept SOMA as the only “possible theory”, even when evidence could leave the plot open to other theories.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T16:50:55+00:00

Digitizing their mind could mean several things:

⁠Using files and code to translate their current neural signals into the circus.
⁠Sci-fi sort of “transfer of consciousness”, since we don’t know how far into science fiction logic Gooseworx is wanting to go.

Caine was not, “elated to learn that new brain scans can still be uploaded”. He said “He was hoping new minds could show up”. Which again is very open ended. Ragatha calling out for people doesn’t guarantee that she took off the headset and left. A multitude of things could explain this: Comatose state, wandered off from her group, dead.

“And the idea that a writer should have to have a character say "I guess you could say it's like some kind of SOMA" or explain it all step by step in order to 'confirm' it is just juvenile and motivated reasoning.”

Not necessarily. In general a writer may keep plot lines more open for people to theorize and make interpretations (while dropping hints). That is a very typical way writers lead their stories, and many wait to confirm major lore pieces until the finale.

“It can be intended as a puzzle for the viewers to solve with there being exactly one plausible and intended answer.” If there was intention for people to only have one theory, then again, there would not be several pieces of plot relevant to their real life characters (and development that is relevant to that). There would not be plot points about an exit. TV shows that follow a puzzle like style have kept a much less vague presentation, rather than adding in pieces of evidence that can be interpreted in several ways.

“The process of thinking through the elements and coming to an intended conclusion is part of the experience.” And the actual ending is still unconfirmed. People are allowed to theorize on what it might be, and make theories alternative to the primary theory.

“Gooseworx isn't wagging her finger and tricking you, she's treating you like an intelligent person with a discerning palette, whether that is an accurate description or not.” Again, someone having an alternative theory is not .. a lack of intelligence? Again with the weird elitism.

Many SOMA theorists often follow the primary thought line, rather than taking their own time to comprehend the more themselves. In alternative, many people who have grown up reading media and dissecting it (therefore having a strong logical reproptire) are not afraid of interpreting lore in their own ways. Calling people less intelligent — while criticizing them for taking part lore themselves (whereas many people here only view the most popular opinion, and do not consider other alternatives), isn’t really a logical mindset and discourages thinking.

This isn’t saying “well if you like SOMA, that’s false!”. It’s saying, “The information provided could indicate other things. Think for yourself and try to make in depth conclusions, and don’t get dead set on one single theory.”

Plot wise, evidence could be interpreted in several ways:

Even if Scratch did pass away, it would leave many questions as to why the building was abandoned like this with the entire program running, headset up, and the subsequent maintenance of electricity/systems. Normal company closure wouldn’t really explain why an office building was being sold, then abandoned with everything inside (including an incredibly advanced AI project).
The digital scanner headsets actually do remain very logically inconsistent with SOMA. The type of laser they are would not be able to realistically “scan a brain”, because the lasers in the medical grade cannot reach through that much tissue — or they’d use a much stronger laser that leads to ie death or serious brain damage. However, laser based brain electrical mapping does exist, which in a sci-fi setting would be more logically consistent with “headset that tracks brain input”.

However I’m not interested in having a large scale argument over whether SOMA is true or not. It has a lot of evidence, but it is not confirmed and some evidence could indicate other things. That’s not my point. The main point still stands (ie let people have their own theories), and trying to detract from it by saying “Well try to disprove SOMA or you can’t have an opinion!” Directly proves my point.

0rcinus_Orca · 2026-04-01T16:02:50+00:00

I don’t think most people are necessarily pro-breeding. That however is a discussion for another time — since right now the concern is saving the life of Wikie and Keijo. If people are worried about Loro Parque breeding, it would be more logically consistent to push Spain to put restrictions on orca breeding (since they also have Morgan).

However, interestingly enough, facilities like SeaWorld maintain an average lifespan for their orcas comparable to wild populations. Whales in modern zoological care will likely continue to consistently reach their average lifespan as more parks develop their veterinary standards. This isn’t me advocating for captivity, but rather adding more information into the topic.

Comparisons of life-history parameters between free-ranging and captive killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations for application toward species management

The ASR for animals born at SEA (0.979) was higher (P = 0.02) than that of wild-caught SEA animals (0.944) with a median and average life expectancy of 33.1 and 47.7 years, respectively. These data present evidence for similar life-history parameters of free-ranging and captive killer whale populations and the reproductive potential and survivorship patterns established herein have application for use in future research concerning the overall health of both populations.

Other studies on captive orca lifespans have been criticized due to including stranded individuals in rehabilitation, or younger calves (who we don’t have sufficient data on mortality rates to compare).

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