What was the point of Synergy?

Well, keeping it in the holographic realm, there is the concept of 'hard light' that one sees used to explain the holograms in the 'Star Trek' universe. They're still holograms, but they have physical presence.

As far as Synergy's role as an advisor, yeah, that would be interesting to see played up. A machine helping a human along her path to maturity. There's something oddly sweet/ironic about that.

And as for Synergy being inside the earrings rather than having them merely be a conduit, that could be done, yet, if Synergy were always with her it would hamper the ability to write Jem into situations where Synergy can not be of help. As it is, the writers can always write in a weather storm/underground area/shielded building to put Jem in 'danger' where Synergy can not help her and she is on her own. Though, if I were Jem, I would most definitely want Synergy with me at all times!

Though, if that were the case, we wouldn't get to see a really big 80's style supercomputer! 

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I have to respectfully disagree with you. I think JEM is absolutely a Cinderella story - in the traditional sense. American writers think that "a Cinderella story" means a "rags to riches story", but that is actually a gross MISUNDERSTANDING and OVER-SIMPLIFICATION of the fairy tale, as it is known in other cultures.

Cinderella was BORN into a wealthy, prosperous family, and she enjoyed all the comforts her father bestowed upon her until her cruel stepmother and stepsisters arrived on the scene, trying to deprive her of what was rightfully hers. Despite having to endure the torments of her stepmother and stepsisters, she eventually acquires a glamorous new identity/makeover by the extraordinary assistance of her Fairy Godmother, and ends up transcending her birthright (going from the daughter of a wealthy man to a princess). Keep in mind that Cinderella was NOT born poor, and she didn't even GROW UP poor - her stepmother and stepsisters only temporarily came between her and her birthright (during her adolescent years), making her serve them, and taking away the fine clothes and comforts that she was accustomed to as a girl.

The parallels between Cinderella's story and Jerrica's are UNMISTAKABLE. Jerrica too was born into a family that was doing very well; her mother died while she was young, like Cinderella's, and just as Cinderella's father misplaced his trust in his new wife, Jerrica's father misplaced his trust in ERIC RAYMOND. Eric is Jerrica's equivalent of the evil stepmother - taking the upper hand as soon as he could, and trying to make Jerrica as helpless as possible by denying her birthright. "Father left half of the company to me!" she points out to him, but he simply says: "Jerrica darling, I'M running the company now, and there's NOTHING you can do about it!" One can effortlessly imagine Cinderella's stepmother telling her as much: "Ella darling, I'M running the household now, and there's NOTHING you can do about it!"

Heck, Eric even makes Jerrica SERVE him in the 'Starbright' episodes!! Yup, his character archetype is the Wicked Stepmother, alright.

Needless to say, the Misfits are the equivalent of Cinderella's Stepsisters in JEM. They are not as evil as the Stepmother/Eric Raymond, but they nevertheless make life hell for Cinderella/Jerrica. In Perrault's original version of 'Cinderella' (or 'Cendrillon' as she is called in French), the younger stepsister actually has a soft side to her, and isn't nearly as mean to Cinderella - and even THIS ends up being paralleled in JEM, considering that the youngest Misfit, Stormer, has a soft side to her, not being nearly as spiteful towards Jerrica as the others.

The magical transformation in Cinderella is effected by her Fairy Godmother, and the "magical" transformation in JEM is effected by Synergy (Jerrica's Fairygodmother). Again, the equivalent of magic in 'Jem' is science fiction. And for the record, Synergy does way more than simply project a hologram over Jerrica. If you watch THE MUSIC AWARDS 2 part episodes, you will see how integral Synergy is to the Holograms' act overall!! She provides all kinds of special effects to enhance their performance, so much so that Rio gets mad at Jem for not revealing the source of all these cool effects.

And THROUGHOUT THE SHOW, Jem relies on Synergy to get her out of trouble and provide miraculous intervention, the same way Cinderella had to rely on her Fairy Godmother to get her out of her predicament and provide miraculous intervention!!!!!!!

So you see, JEM is a Cinderella story in the truest sense of the term! A textbook example!!! 