diff --git a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
index 7ad7a87e4d..bc4da22925 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
@@ -925,7 +925,8 @@ describe("HyperframesPlayer seek() sync path", () => {
     player.seek(2);
 
     expect(timeline.seek).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(timeline.seek).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
+    // suppressEvents=false so onUpdate fires (imperative-visibility compositions repaint).
+    expect(timeline.seek).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2, false);
     expect(post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
@@ -964,7 +965,7 @@ describe("HyperframesPlayer seek() sync path", () => {
     pause.mockClear();
     player.seek(2);
 
-    expect(timeline.seek).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
+    expect(timeline.seek).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2, false);
     expect(pause).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
diff --git a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
index 3f10620be4..a13d866ddf 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
@@ -531,7 +531,10 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
   // GSAP seek() preserves play state; player seek() contract lands paused.
   private _tryDirectTimelineSeek(t: number): boolean {
     return this._withDirectTimeline((tl) => {
-      tl.seek(t);
+      // suppressEvents=false: fire the timeline's onUpdate so compositions that
+      // drive scene visibility imperatively (via the root timeline's onUpdate,
+      // e.g. slideshow decks) repaint on a paused seek — not only while playing.
+      tl.seek(t, false);
       tl.pause();
     });
   }
diff --git a/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.test.ts b/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.test.ts
index adca44771b..e4be7de0ae 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.test.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.test.ts
@@ -41,15 +41,14 @@ const SHOW: ResolvedSlideshow = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Factory: controller on SHOW, advanced to fragmentIndex=1 via playback
- * (emit 2 → frag 0, next(), emit 4 → frag 1). Used across Fix 8b + backToMain tests.
+ * Factory: controller on SHOW, advanced to fragmentIndex=1. Construction enters
+ * slide a at fragmentIndex 0 (its first fragment); one next() reveals fragment 1.
+ * Navigation is synchronous (seek-driven) — no playback emit needed.
  */
 function showAtFrag1() {
   const p = fakePlayer();
   const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-  p.emit(2.2); // fragmentIndex=0
-  c.next(); // target=4
-  p.emit(4.2); // fragmentIndex=1
+  c.next(); // fragmentIndex 0 → 1
   return { p, c };
 }
 
@@ -66,28 +65,28 @@ function showAtSlide1InDeep() {
 }
 
 describe("SlideshowController linear nav", () => {
-  it("enters the first slide on construction: jumps to the first hold (no auto-play)", () => {
+  it("enters the first slide on construction: seeks to the first fragment (no auto-play)", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
-    new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    // No auto-play: seeks (jumps) to the first hold, fragments[0]=2;
-    // playTo then plays a brief forward render-nudge and pauses there.
+    const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
+    // Synchronous seek-only hold: jump to fragments[0]=2, fragmentIndex 0, never play.
     expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
-    expect(p.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(p.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  it("holds (pauses) at slide end when timeupdate reaches it", () => {
+  it("never auto-plays — a single seek both repaints and holds", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    p.emit(2); // first fragment — handled separately; still inside slide
-    p.emit(5); // reached end
-    expect(p.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // Determinism: navigation is a pure seek; the player is never put into a
+    // playing state that could run on into the next fragment/scene.
+    expect(p.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("next stops at the first fragment, not the next slide", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    p.emit(2.2); // play reaches fragment 0, controller pauses
-    expect(p.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // Construction already lands on fragment 0 of slide a.
     expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
     expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
   });
@@ -95,10 +94,8 @@ describe("SlideshowController linear nav", () => {
   it("next past the last fragment advances to the next slide immediately", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    c.next(); // -> fragment 1 target (2)
-    p.emit(2.2);
-    c.next(); // -> fragment 2 target (4)
-    p.emit(4.2);
+    // construction → fragment 0; next → fragment 1; next → slide b (no fragments)
+    c.next(); // fragmentIndex 0 → 1 (seek 4)
     c.next(); // no more fragments — advance to slide b immediately
     expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(1);
     expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(7.5); // slide b midpoint
@@ -144,16 +141,13 @@ describe("SlideshowController linear nav", () => {
     expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  it("auto-pauses at a fragment, then next advances to the FOLLOWING fragment (not the end)", () => {
+  it("at a fragment, next advances to the FOLLOWING fragment (not the end)", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    p.emit(2.2); // auto-pause at fragments[0]=2
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
-    p.pause.mockClear(); // clear the pause from the auto-stop above
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0); // construction → fragment 0
     c.next(); // should target fragments[1]=4, NOT slide.end=5
-    p.emit(4.2);
-    expect(p.pause).toHaveBeenCalled(); // must pause at 4, not skip to 5
     expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(1);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4);
   });
 });
 
@@ -218,31 +212,24 @@ describe("SlideshowController branching", () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe("SlideshowController Fix 8a — fragmentIndex advances via onTime not next()", () => {
-  it("next() does NOT pre-increment fragmentIndex; onTime advances it when hold fires", () => {
+describe("SlideshowController — fragmentIndex advances synchronously on next()", () => {
+  it("construction lands on fragment 0; next() reveals fragment 1 immediately", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    // fragmentIndex starts at -1 (enterSlide sets it)
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(-1);
-    // Call next() — should NOT pre-increment fragmentIndex
+    // Seek-only model: entering a fragmented slide shows its first fragment.
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(2); // fragments[0]
     c.next();
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(-1); // still -1 until onTime fires
-    // Simulate playback reaching the hold point (fragments[0]=2)
-    p.emit(2.2);
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0); // onTime advanced it
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(1); // synchronous, no played tick
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4); // fragments[1]
   });
 
-  it("next() after auto-pause targets the FOLLOWING fragment without pre-increment (regression)", () => {
+  it("next() targets the FOLLOWING fragment (not slide end) while fragments remain", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    p.emit(2.2); // auto-pause at fragments[0]=2; fragmentIndex=0
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
-    p.pause.mockClear();
-    c.next(); // should target fragments[1]=4 — fragmentIndex stays 0 until emit
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0); // NOT yet 1
-    p.emit(4.2);
-    expect(p.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(1); // onTime advanced it
+    c.next(); // fragment 0 → 1 (fragments[1]=4, NOT slide.end=5)
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(1);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4);
   });
 });
 
@@ -261,15 +248,14 @@ describe("SlideshowController Fix 8b — back() restores parent fragmentIndex",
     expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4); // fragments[1] = 4
   });
 
-  it("back() when parent fragmentIndex=-1 seeks to slide start", () => {
+  it("resuming a fragmented slide at fragmentIndex -1 seeks to slide start", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    // Enter branch immediately (slide a HAS fragments; fragmentIndex is still -1,
-    // i.e. before the first reveal → resume to slide.start).
-    c.enterBranch("deep");
-    c.back();
+    // fragmentIndex -1 on a fragmented slide = before the first reveal. This state
+    // is reachable via syncTo (audience mirror); resume should seek to slide.start.
+    c.syncTo("main", 0, -1);
     expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(-1);
-    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(0);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(0); // slide a start
   });
 
   it("back() to a NO-fragment parent slide resumes at its midpoint, not frame 0", () => {
@@ -372,16 +358,17 @@ describe("SlideshowController Fix #backToMain — restores fragment position lik
     expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4);
   });
 
-  it("backToMain when root fragmentIndex=-1 seeks to slide start", () => {
+  it("backToMain restores the root fragment the branch was entered from", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
 
-    // Enter branch immediately (root fragmentIndex is still -1)
+    // Construction lands on slide a fragment 0; enter a branch, then return.
     c.enterBranch("deep");
     c.backToMain();
 
-    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(-1);
-    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(0); // slide start
+    expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(0);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(2); // fragments[0]
   });
 
   it("backToMain with multiple nested branches restores root slide position", () => {
@@ -593,13 +580,13 @@ describe("SlideshowController next() — reveals remaining fragments at slide en
   it("reveals the next fragment even when currentTime is already at slide end", () => {
     const p = fakePlayer();
     const c = new SlideshowController(p, SHOW);
-    // Simulate a static jump to slide end without having stepped through fragments.
-    p.currentTime = 5; // slide a end, fragmentIndex still -1
-    c.next();
-    // Should target the first fragment (2) rather than advancing to slide b.
+    // Static jump to slide end; pending fragments should still be revealed in order
+    // (the playhead position doesn't gate fragment stepping).
+    p.currentTime = 5; // slide a end
+    c.next(); // fragment 0 → 1, stays on slide a
     expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
-    expect(p.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(p.seek).not.toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(5); // not advanced to slide b start
+    expect(c.position.fragmentIndex).toBe(1);
+    expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(4); // fragments[1], not slide b
   });
 });
 
@@ -614,12 +601,10 @@ describe("SlideshowController syncTo", () => {
     expect(c.position.sequenceId).toBe("deep");
     expect(c.position.slideIndex).toBe(0);
     // Slide c has no fragments, so resumeSlide lands at its midpoint (restFrame) —
-    // the same visible-at-rest position enterSlide uses — not slide start. It then
-    // plays a render-nudge so the composition repaints; onTime pauses at the hold.
+    // the same visible-at-rest position enterSlide uses — not slide start. A single
+    // seek both repaints and holds (no sustained playback).
     expect(p.seek).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(11.5); // slide c midpoint (10 + 3*0.5)
-    expect(p.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    p.emit(50); // player passes the render-nudge hold
-    expect(p.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(p.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("syncs a main-line slide+fragment position without animating", () => {
diff --git a/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.ts b/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.ts
index 2504278617..69bc16a1c6 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/slideshow/SlideshowController.ts
@@ -15,33 +15,21 @@ interface StackFrame {
 }
 
 const MAIN = "main";
-const EPS = 0.001;
-// Seconds to play past a restored/mirrored position so the composition repaints
-// (a bare paused seek doesn't re-render some compositions; pausing on the first
-// timeupdate fires before a paint).
-const RENDER_NUDGE = 0.2;
 
 export class SlideshowController {
   private stack: StackFrame[] = [{ sequenceId: MAIN, slideIndex: 0, fragmentIndex: -1 }];
-  private holdAt: number | null = null;
-  // The logical hold (a fragment time / slide point). playTo() plays a short way
-  // PAST it (to holdAt) so the composition repaints; holdTarget is what onTime
-  // matches against fragments to advance fragmentIndex.
-  private holdTarget: number | null = null;
   private changeCbs = new Set<() => void>();
-  private unsub: () => void;
 
   constructor(
     private player: PlayerPort,
     private show: ResolvedSlideshow,
   ) {
-    this.unsub = player.onTimeUpdate((t) => this.onTime(t));
     this.enterSlide(0);
   }
 
   // fallow-ignore-next-line unused-class-member
   dispose(): void {
-    this.unsub();
+    // No subscriptions to tear down — navigation is seek-driven (see playTo).
   }
 
   private slidesOf(sequenceId: string): ResolvedSlide[] {
@@ -105,17 +93,22 @@ export class SlideshowController {
 
   private enterSlide(index: number): void {
     this.frame.slideIndex = index;
-    this.frame.fragmentIndex = -1;
-    this.holdAt = null;
     const slide = this.currentSlide;
-    if (!slide) return;
+    if (!slide) {
+      this.frame.fragmentIndex = -1;
+      return;
+    }
     // Jump to the slide's first hold and stay there (no auto-progress). With
-    // fragments that's the first fragment; without, a settled frame INSIDE the
-    // slide (its midpoint) — NOT slide.end, which is the boundary where the next
-    // scene begins (else slide 1 would render slide 2's content).
-    const firstHold =
-      slide.fragments.length > 0 ? (slide.fragments[0] ?? slide.end) : this.restFrame(slide);
-    this.playTo(firstHold);
+    // fragments that's the first fragment (fragmentIndex 0); without, a settled
+    // frame INSIDE the slide (its midpoint) — NOT slide.end, which is the boundary
+    // where the next scene begins (else slide 1 would render slide 2's content).
+    if (slide.fragments.length > 0) {
+      this.frame.fragmentIndex = 0;
+      this.playTo(slide.fragments[0] ?? slide.end);
+    } else {
+      this.frame.fragmentIndex = -1;
+      this.playTo(this.restFrame(slide));
+    }
     this.emitChange();
   }
 
@@ -145,51 +138,25 @@ export class SlideshowController {
         : slide.fragments.length > 0
           ? slide.start
           : this.restFrame(slide);
-    this.holdAt = null;
     this.playTo(seekTime);
     this.emitChange();
   }
 
-  private nextStop(slide: ResolvedSlide, fragmentIndex: number): number {
-    const next = slide.fragments[fragmentIndex + 1];
-    return next ?? slide.end;
-  }
-
   /**
-   * Jump to hold time `t` and pause there — NO sustained playback, so slides
-   * never auto-progress. Seeks just before `t` and plays a short render-nudge
-   * ending at `t`: a bare paused seek doesn't repaint some compositions, and
-   * pausing on the first timeupdate fires before a paint. onTime() pauses at `t`
-   * and advances fragmentIndex when `t` is a fragment boundary.
+   * Jump to hold time `t` and hold there — a pure, synchronous seek with NO
+   * sustained playback, so a slide can never auto-progress.
+   *
+   * `player.seek(t)` drives the composition's GSAP timeline directly (the player
+   * reaches the same-origin iframe's `__timelines`), and GSAP `.seek()` renders
+   * that frame synchronously AND leaves the timeline paused. So one seek both
+   * repaints and holds — deterministically, in every window including a
+   * backgrounded one. (The previous play-a-frame-then-pause-on-a-timeupdate
+   * "render nudge" left an unfocused audience window playing while it waited for
+   * a throttled tick to pause it — that was the auto-progress / one-side-frozen
+   * flakiness. fragmentIndex is now set by the caller, not on a played tick.)
    */
   private playTo(t: number): void {
-    // Seek to the EXACT target so the first repainted frame is the correct one —
-    // seeking BEFORE it (as a backward render-nudge) flashes a pre-target frame
-    // / the previous scene. Then play a short way PAST it so the composition
-    // actually repaints (a bare paused seek doesn't), and onTime() pauses there.
-    const slide = this.currentSlide;
-    this.holdTarget = t;
-    this.holdAt = slide ? Math.min(t + RENDER_NUDGE, slide.end) : t + RENDER_NUDGE;
     this.player.seek(t);
-    this.player.play();
-  }
-
-  private onTime(tt: number): void {
-    if (this.holdAt !== null && tt >= this.holdAt - EPS) {
-      const target = this.holdTarget;
-      this.holdAt = null;
-      this.holdTarget = null;
-      // Advance fragmentIndex if the logical target is a fragment boundary.
-      const slide = this.currentSlide;
-      if (slide && target !== null) {
-        const fragIdx = slide.fragments.indexOf(target);
-        if (fragIdx !== -1) {
-          this.frame.fragmentIndex = fragIdx;
-          this.emitChange();
-        }
-      }
-      this.player.pause();
-    }
   }
 
   next(): void {
@@ -197,9 +164,10 @@ export class SlideshowController {
     if (!slide) return;
     const hasMoreFragments = this.frame.fragmentIndex + 1 < slide.fragments.length;
     if (hasMoreFragments) {
-      // Reveal the next fragment. onTime() advances fragmentIndex at the hold.
-      const nextTarget = this.nextStop(slide, this.frame.fragmentIndex);
-      this.playTo(nextTarget);
+      // Reveal the next fragment — advance the index and seek to its hold time.
+      this.frame.fragmentIndex += 1;
+      const target = slide.fragments[this.frame.fragmentIndex] ?? slide.end;
+      this.playTo(target);
       this.emitChange();
       return;
     }
diff --git a/packages/player/src/timeline-adapters.ts b/packages/player/src/timeline-adapters.ts
index 5d19eaab7c..e38a98a94a 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/timeline-adapters.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/timeline-adapters.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ export interface RuntimeDurationAdapter {
 export interface DirectTimelineAdapter {
   duration: () => number;
   time: () => number;
-  seek: (timeInSeconds: number) => unknown;
+  // suppressEvents mirrors GSAP's timeline.seek(position, suppressEvents); pass
+  // false to fire onUpdate (so imperative-visibility compositions repaint on seek).
+  seek: (timeInSeconds: number, suppressEvents?: boolean) => unknown;
   play: () => unknown;
   pause: () => unknown;
   /** Optional: set playback rate (e.g. GSAP's timeScale). Called when the player's playbackRate changes. */