John is the most unique figure in the book, representing a fundamental link to the world outside the simulation. He is not a glitch victim, but rather an operative who entered the program to study and potentially fix it.
John’s personality is defined by his reserved nature, caution, and a sense of detached responsibility for the inhabitants of the glitch.
The Watcher: He initially identifies himself as “just a watcher”, indicating a mission to observe and gather information rather than interfere. His physical appearance is unremarkable, sandy brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and appearing to be in his late forties, allowing him to blend in.
The Cautious Operative: He is extremely cautious about divulging information to the inhabitants, believing that knowing the truth will destroy them. He constantly warns Ben to keep his identity secret for their safety. This reluctance makes him seem evasive, but it stems from a fear of causing death, as past “test groups” who learned too much “couldn’t exist here” and “rejected the system”.
The Humble Outsider: He is genuinely surprised and humbled by the resilience and simple desires of the glitch inhabitants, particularly Ben.
John is not a human consciousness caught in the body shuffling mechanic, he is an agent from the outside world working to resolve the glitch.
Unaffected by the Glitch: John is instantly distinguished from the others because his eyes are “wide and unaffected” while Ben and Keith’s eyes are blurring during the reset. He is “obviously aren’t affected by the glitch”.
Origin and Mission: He is one of only two people (the other being his wife) to have successfully entered the glitch, having been inside for about five months. His mission is to gather information to reset the simulation or find a way for the inhabitants to “continue forward from here”.
Limitations: He cannot “appear anywhere” and must physically travel to meet people. He feels pain inside the simulation, though it doesn’t affect his real body outside the program.
John’s main challenge is maintaining his secret while actively intervening to prevent harm, which ultimately exposes him.
Protecting Ella (Intervention and Exposure): His primary action in the narrative is stationing himself across the street to watch over Ella’s body, fearing it was a target. This intervention, while protective, blew his cover, as Ben immediately recognized him as the “weird guy that came from nowhere” who wasn’t affected by the switch. He felt his intervention exposed his “failure to stay anonymous”.
Coping with the glitch’s Effects: Although he is not shuffled, the chaos and extreme nature of the simulation still affect him. He finds the discussion of people living through daily body shuffling (like Ben describing “a day of periods or pregnancy”) to be shocking, evidenced by his widened eyes , though he attempts to mask it with sarcasm.
The Threat of Keith: John becomes a target of concern for the inhabitants because if he is killed inside the simulation, it would be extremely difficult for him to re-enter, leaving “nothing stopping Keith” from causing mass death. He must rely on Ben for physical protection, shifting his role from “watcher” to “watched.”
