It's so inconsistent like the cast are able to do and say things that caine is completely unaware of and consistently didn't know where characters were yet there are times where he IS aware where they are and what they are doing such as him getting Pomni out in the void and such
like the whole "Where's Kinger?" or him not knowing where Zooble was or Not Knowing their plan in episode 8
Caine actually didn't lie when you think about it when he says he cannot manipulate the cast’s minds, because he is specifically referring to direct mental control rather than indirect influence through systems he designed. Caine does not reach into a character’s thoughts, overwrite their personality, or consciously alter their beliefs or decisions at will instead, he creates rule-based environments adventures, items, and voting mechanisms that operate autonomously once set in motion. Effects like the Stupid Sauce or Jax becoming vegan via a voting system are emergent outcomes of those systems interacting with the characters, not Caine personally puppeteering their minds. Holding him responsible for those effects as “mind control” would be nonsensical in the same way blaming a game developer for every player action caused by in-game mechanics would be. Creation does not equal direct execution: once the rules exist, they function independently. Therefore, Caine’s statement remains truthful within its intended scope which is he himself cannot manipulate minds even if the structures he builds can influence behavior indirectly through consequences, incentives, and physical modifiers rather than conscious mental domination
thoughts?