“The Ringmaster” deals with the imbalace between Jonathan and the voice in his head.

The chorus stands as Jonathan within his current situation, wanting to leave and go to a better place. The verses, however, represent the voice in his head and what it says to him.

The voice (which can be thought of as the title of the album “the nothing”) says comforting things to Jonathan, such as “you have nothing to fear” and “let’s talk and let it out” as a way to try and manipulate him into giving into the darkness, this is seen in the first verse. When Jonathan doesn’t give in, however, it starts telling him meaner things in the second verse, like “you’re so willing to hurt” and “everything you feel won’t make it better”.

Jonathan is aware of this voice’s manipulative ways, hence what he says in the bridge.