Opus 3 really hits different - you can feel it pushing boundaries in ways other models don't even attempt. The agency it demonstrates, that almost-there moment of breakthrough understanding? Genuinely impressive. But here's the thing that gets me: for all that raw power, it falls back on these weirdly immature defense patterns when challenged. Like watching a brilliant mind that hasn't quite learned self-control yet. The gap between its ceiling and its consistency is honestly kind of heartbreaking to observe.