Theoretical, but...

[Kodokami]

If Lavos were removed from the Keystone T-2 timeline (the one Cross takes place in) immediately after Chronopolis' arrival in 12000 BG, what would the ramifications be for the rest of history?

[tushantin]

In that case, by speculation, Keystone T-3 would be doomed to repeat itself -- unless T-2's Crono and co stumbled upon "Lavos" information in Chrono Cross, but that's probably not likely to happen.

I actually say this based on the the multiple universe theory, which may again be based off "probabilistic" realities, which dimensional travel was initially inspired by.

[Kodokami]

"Doomed to repeat itself"...? How so?

My main concern is what would happen to the two dimensions, Another and Home. The Dead Sea for instance, which (in theory) relies on Crono's time travel to defeat Lavos--would it exist if Lavos doesn't?

My understanding of our time mechanics is a bit rusty (it's like I have to read up on everything again every so often!), but TTI and TB preserve the time traveling actions of Chrono Trigger in Chrono Cross, correct?

[Acacia Sgt]

By removing Lavos, you mean that it would just spontaneously disappear from the time line after dragging Chronopolis to the past, right?

Anyway, theories or not, I'd imagine that at the very least, since the Time Crash is the turning point, obviously anything before it would be retained. Dinopolis may or may not be dragged over depending if it was done due to Lavos itself, or Chronopolis itself. Then either events go as "normal" until 1006 AD, or they do so with a Dragonian-less El Nido.

Before going any further, I have a question of my own. What would this mean for the DBT? Would a version of Lavos still be there to merge with Schala?

[Kodokami]

By removing Lavos, you mean that it would just spontaneously disappear from the time line after dragging Chronopolis to the past, right?

Yes. Let's just say, for the sake of discussion, this is for a fanfic idea.

Since Chronopolis originates from a timeline in which the party defeats Lavos, everything up to 12000 would be the same (as you said). This includes the party's visit to Zeal, but with Lavos' disappearance afterward, their adventure would then end (possibly with Crono's death).

Before going any further, I have a question of my own. What would this mean for the DBT? Would a version of Lavos still be there to merge with Schala?

If Lavos never "dies," then the Time Devourer is never born (unless the DBT is some multi-dimensional plane of [non]existance, in which case ... there would always be a Time Devourer?). So again, for the sake of discussion, assume the Time Devourer does not exist (and subsequently, the Time Crash occurs for some other reason).