iii. Case Study: Schala's PendantIf Schala gave Kid her pendant before sending her to 1004 A.D., it means she kept her pendant with her after the Ocean Palace incident. How then would the pendant exist on the outside world and come into possession of the Guardia royal family, eventually ending up with Marle, who used it in Chrono Trigger? How was it originally passed down anyway before Crono started time traveling? Would its absence potentially undo Chrono Trigger, preempting Marle from reacting with the Telepod to enter 600 A.D. or charge it up at the Mammon Machine to get around Zeal?
Time Traveler's Immunity and Time Bastard dictate that regardless of what Marle or Crono were doing at the Millennial Fair in 1000 A.D., they would appear in 600 A.D. and their versions in 1000 A.D. would disappear at the original time of departure. Additionally, all matter going with them, such as Crono's wood sword or Marle's pendant, would be subject to these laws and would appear in 600 A.D. and be removed from the present. Under these theories, the pendant would materialize with Marle in 600 A.D. when she first time traveled and was thought to be Queen Leene, circumventing the need for the pendant to be physically passed down among the royal family for 13,000 years. For the issue of Time Bastard applying to the pendant itself, please see below.
Time Bastard's Application to the PendantSome debate that the answer is flawed because the pendant on Kid would be subject to Time Bastard. That is, since the pendant would go to 1004 A.D. with Kid from the Darkness Beyond Time, it would "pass" Marle's instances of time traveling, which take precedence. However, it is important to consider that Time Bastard operates on personal time. Let's examine the pendant's personal history.
Chrono Trigger
Pendant is created in 12000 B.C.; used thirteen thousand years later.
Chrono Cross
Pendant is created in 12000 B.C.; used almost instantly afterwards.
Thirteen thousand years would have to pass until the pendant disappeared due to Marle's original time traveling with it. It would disappear roughly in 14004 A.D. to appear in 600 A.D. with Marle. The same case can be applied to the Vests and Mails in Chrono Trigger. Crono can use both the vest and mail because he has traveled through time with the mail before retrieving the vest. After four hundred years, the vest would presumably be subject to Time Bastard and disappear. Crono is not violating the conservation of energy or time in this manner; he is merely using the same item in two different stages of its personal history.
7. Cause of Trigger's AnomaliesFour anomalistic instances of temporal distortion occur in Chrono Trigger. Firstly, in the Ocean Palace Incident, strange Gates materialized and gated the Gurus and Janus to various eras across time (and in the new timeline with the Prophet, one would gate Schala to the Darkness Beyond Time). Secondly, Marle's pendant reacted with the Telepod to take her to 600 A.D. Thirdly, Magus's summoning Lavos in 600 A.D. caused a raging temporal distortion that sent Magus to 12000 B.C. and Crono's group to 65000000 B.C. Third, after Crono was at the new Ocean Palace Incident, Schala fell into a dimensional distortion that took her to the Darkness Beyond Time. Last to occur is the new Melchior and Janus's disappearance from 12000 B.C. Who caused these, and why did, in each case, important individuals conveniently go to important eras in the planet's history?
Entity Plan and ErrorThese Gates were all effected by the Entity, whose first action to save itself occurred in 12000 B.C., when it gated Janus and the Gurus to the important eras of its lifetime. The actual Gates in this incident may have been created by Lavos, as he tilts his head toward each person he is gating at the time. Conversely, Lavos doesn't gate Crono and his friends when the incident occurs the second time around, meaning the Entity perhaps created them after all. Secondly, it created the Gates, the one at the Millennial Fair included; once it had found its savior, Crono (as evidenced in the instructional manual, which references "guardian spirits," probably a translation quip, as choosing Crono), the Entity then caused the Gate to open at the Telepod exhibition and start Crono on his quest. Lastly, though Magus's summoning Lavos was the cause of the temporal distortion at his lair, the Entity had a hand in sending the affected individuals to certain eras. If the Entity can create stable wormhole Gates through time, it is not a cop-out to believe that it can usher its own plan along by having an active hand in these instances of time travel. The Entity has much to gain from this course of action. If it is assumed that Lavos would have killed everyone then it would make sense that the Entity would have gated them all to safety. It also follows suit for the places that they were gated to to coincide with any plan that the Entity might have planned before beginning the events that start the game. The group goes back to 65000000 so it can actually see where Lavos originated from.
That said, it is probably not the Entity's doing that Schala was taken to the Darkness Beyond Time through the dimensional distortion in the second Ocean Palace Incident. Whether the planet is aware of Belthasar's Project Kid is debatable, along with whether it even perceived a threat in the form of the Time Devourer, which may have been outside the realm of its perspicacity. Sending Schala to a place where she might evolve with Lavos into a being that could devour time is certainly not in the interests of any reasonable entity, however.
Finally, concerning the disappearance into black Gates of Melchior and Janus in 12000 B.C., this is thought to be an example of the Time Bastard theory in action.
8. Useful Life of Entity GatesSeveral Gates exist in the world to facilitate Crono's quest in defeating Lavos. But do the Gates terminate after a certain period? While the nature of the Gates dictate that they always project the user the same period of time forward or backward in history, do the Gates themselves exist for all time?
Limited Clock TheoryLeebot, The Unknowuser_The Gates have a set lifetime defined by Time Error (that is, from the perspective of the End of Time). For instance, to avoid any temporal mishaps throughout history, such as other people finding the Gates and using them, the Entity anticipated that Crono and his group would only take a few weeks or months to defeat Lavos, and accordingly phased the Gates out at a certain time after its expectation for the completion of the quest. Once Crono actually finished, the Entity closed the Gates arbitrarily, as they were then definitively no longer needed.
MisconceptionsGeographical InaccessibilityThe main problem here is that the Gates don't exist in other eras where spatially they should sit. However, each Gate is also presumably located in an inaccessible or nonexistent spot of land throughout the eras. To explain, take the Gate in Guardia Forest, 1000 A.D. In 65000000 B.C., that Gate might exist, but it may not be found anywhere or may simply hover above the ocean. It could also exist within a cliff face or lava flow; the party would never see it. The Gate at the Bangor Dome may sit several feet above the ground level of 1000 A.D. and other eras, due to sedimentary build-up. This can be applied to every Gate except interestingly the Truce Canyon / Leene Square Gate, which appear to be in the same area and can be interpreted as one Gate (with simply two openings on the other side of 400 years). With geographical inaccessibility considered, the Gates might actually exist in every era.
The only problem is, who determines what end of the Gate potential entrants are in when they access a Gate? What would determine whether someone entering the Tyrano Lair Gate in 30000000 B.C. went 65000000 B.C. into the past or the future? This is problematic, as if anyone entered the Gate in a strange era, he or she could potentially disrupt history on a huge scale.
9. The Time Crash RevisitedAs described earlier, the Time Crash is very anomalistic, as it exposed the entire Sea of Eden to Lavos's will and resultingly traveled back in time ten thousand years. What are the exact mechanics surrounding this event? GrayLensman extensively addressed this question for the [[Salt for the Dead Sea]] article. Taken from there, here is the theory concerning the Time Crash.
The Time Crash was completely unlike standard forms of time travel.
* Chronopolis and Dinopolis contained many more than three entities, violating the Conservation of Time theorem.
* A three-dimensional region of space, containing a vast area of the earth's surface, was transported. This is opposed to Gate travel, where the horizon of the Gate acts as a portal from one space-time to another. Gates displace their spherical volume in normal space-time -- they do not envelop a region of space and transport it through time.
* The area of the Sea of Eden was still linked to the cause and effect of the future. Unlike normal time traveling, where travelers are not affected by changes to their past world line, the Sea of Eden changes along with the timeline. In Home World, the Day of Lavos still occurred and Chronopolis changed into the Dead Sea, reflecting the ruin of the future.
The conclusion is that the region of the Sea of Eden containing Chronopolis in the Chrono T-2 dimension and Dinopolis in the Reptite dimension did not time travel at all. Rather, the counter-time experiment created a space-time warp which brought the space-time coordinates of the area surrounding the Sea of Eden in 2400 AD into conjunction with the space-time coordinates of the Sea of Eden in 7600 BC. The substance of Chronopolis and Dinopolis was not transported through time; a region of space-time in 7600 BC became that same region in 2400 AD.
The edge of the Sea of Eden was separated from the space-time of 2400 AD and connected to the space-time of 7600 BC. The Sea of Eden and the rest of the world both moved forward through time at the normal rate so that in 1020 AD, Chronopolis was in 11020 AD. The boundary of the Sea of Eden anomaly allowed an entity to travel 10000 years into the future. Passing through this boundary is exactly like time traveling through a Gate or in a vehicle. Time is Conserved and travelers become immune to timeline changes.
In 2400 AD, I image that the Time Crash would appear as if the area of the Sea of Eden collapsed into a singularity. A hole was made in space-time, and the edges of the hole were pulled in to fill the void. In 7600 BC, the future Sea of Eden space would expand from a singularity, enveloping the past Sea of Eden.
When the timeline was changed so that the Time Crash did not occur, the Sea of Eden in 7600 BC remained unchanged. The version of the Sea of Eden which contained Chronopolis was sent into the DBT. However, the boundary of the Sea of Eden behaved like a Gate, even though the space-time anomaly no longer existed. Any entities which crossed the boundary from the future Sea of Eden into the 7600 BC world were protected from changes made to the timeline. Each time an entity crossed the boundary from the Sea of Eden in the original timeline, that same entity appeared at the boundary in the new timeline. The settlers of El Nido appeared out of thin air at the edge of the Sea of Eden. If and when the entities returned to the Sea of Eden in the original timeline, the new versions of the entities were sent into the DBT, in accordance with the Time Bastard theory. Since the outside world was identical in both timelines, the new versions of the entities ceased to exist just as they crossed the conceptual boundary of the Sea of Eden, maintaining the illusion that anomaly was still there. Thus, El Nido was constructed and settled by humans and Reptites, even though Chronopolis and Dinopolis no longer existed in the past.
An unfortunate consequence of this theory is that any entity to ever exit the anomaly must appear at the boundary of the Sea of Eden regardless of changes to the timeline. It is not known how many entities exited Chronopolis/Sea of Eden/Dead Sea after 7600 BC (in Another World only, of course), but they would end up wandering around the new timeline. Some of these entities would eventually be sent into the DBT as a result of the Time Bastard theory if they originally time/dimensional traveled. Maybe Schala could have just sent them all into the DBT. This problem could be potentially far-reaching.
The ramifications of this theory are fully addressed in the Chrono Cross Resolutions article, which explains the aftermath of Chrono Cross's unification of dimensions.
C. IssuesA few problems exist within the Chrono series's handling of time. Specifically, the Grandfather Paradox is invoked once, while the effects of time traveling are ignored in two other instances.
1. The Marle ParadoxWhen Marle and Crono go back in time, the search for Queen Leene is called off. However, Marle soon disappears; Lucca explains that she phased out since her mother was never found and could not give birth to her other ancestors as a result. This poses a problem in that the Chrono Series does not acknowledge the Grandfather Paradox, instead falling in line with the Time Traveler's Immunity theory. As Crono and his crew travel through time, they retain memory of their actions in history, even if they influenced events so that certain people they met never existed or were significantly changed. The clincher is that they defeated Lavos, yet retain memory of the Day of Lavos recording and the ruined future. However, Marle's disappearance is explained directly as a result of the Grandfather Paradox; she also disappears on a matter of possibility, as her mother was not even dead at the time of her evanescence. Interestingly enough, she was also alive during the entire ordeal, retaining memory of a cold, dark place. Why does she disappear? If her influence had been totally nullified, why would Crono and Lucca even remember her? Does this event contradict everything else laid down on the subject in the Chrono series?
TheoriesEntity Activationdrumguy074, GrayLensmanThe Entity's active role in bringing about Lavos's defeat is indisputable; it created the Gates to usher Crono along to squash the alien parasite. Perhaps the Entity, as it might have set up the conditions for the Telepod Gate to open, also phased Marle out (sending her possibly to the Darkness Beyond Time) to motivate Crono to save Leene to avoid historical abberation and also get him started on his quest. The fact that Marle is alive during the entire ordeal lends credence to this theory; she was not removed from existence by time, but seemed to be grabbed and shifted somewhere by an external force. Additionally, while some think the Entity's controlling the affair is a cop-out, akin to saying "a wizard did it," the Entity's role in the game is already well established as being direct and active, as it created the Gates and also presumably created the Red Gate for Lucca to utilize in helping her mother. Lucca's description of Marle's disappearance in this case was merely an assumption.
According to Lucca's explanation, the series of events caused by Marle's arrival in 600 AD would end the Guardia royal line and change history so that Marle was never born. This was not the case because Marle did not cease to exist for all time; she just vanished in front of Crono. Her past existence in 600 AD was not undone because the people in Guardia still thought that Queen Leene had been rescued. Thus, the effects of Marle's time traveling still remain. After Crono and Lucca rescued Queen Leene, Marle reappeared, as opposed to never having disappeared in the first place. I don't think this is an example of the grandfather paradox. The paradox is a logical impossibility that cannot actually happen. A solution to the paradox has to be made. In Chrono Trigger, the paradox is solved by giving time travelers immunity to changes to their pasts. Crono, Lucca and Marle would be unaffected by any changes they made to their pasts in 600 AD. The only purpose for Marle's disappearance was to preserve the Guardia royal line, which is very important. The supervisor and Doan had to exist so that the heroes could view the Day of Lavos record. Some agency made Marle disappear for this sole purpose, most likely the entity influencing history so that Lavos could be defeated.
Developer OversightZeaLitYMasato Kato was not completely in control of the overarching plot of Chrono Trigger; the only part of the game purely designed by him was 12000 B.C. If we consider that different people had conflicting ideas about time travel, and that this problem comes early in the game, it is possible that this idea was raised in the early stages of development or was proposed by an executive without extensive knowledge of Chrono series mechanics, which would not have been available at the time. As the plot progressed, time traveler's immunity situations arose and garnered evidence as the grandfather paradox was disproven; regardless, this important plot point could not be removed, and was left in the game unchallenged for release.
MisconceptionsThe most common misconception made about the Marle Paradox is the Temporal Inertia theory. Its full refutation has been available on the Dead Sea / Sea of Eden FAQ Refutation article for some time, and can be accessed from that article or the Marle Paradox's formal entry in the Theory encyclopedia. Specifically, it claims that changes through time are not instantly manifested (a point the Chrono series refutes in several instances).
2. The Guardia Line ParadoxUnder the rules of Chrono Series time travel, history is not predetermined; if a person leaves for a year in the future, he will arrive in a world that has not seen him for one year's time. This is proven in the case of the Sun Stone; when the Porre mayor removes it in 1000 A.D., it no longer exists in the Sun Keep afterwards. Now, consider that Ayla is Marle's ancestor, and gave birth to the descendants who would eventually become the Guardia royal family. If Ayla leaves 65000000 B.C. on her quest with Crono to go to the future, why is history unaffected? From the point of her departure, the world's history should have progressed without Ayla, meaning the Guardia family would have never been born. The same can be said for Doan, said to be a descendant of the family from 1000 A.D. How do Ayla and the others travel through time without violating history in this manner?
TheoriesTimeline Resilience TheoryGrayLensman, Leebot, whatevSmall changes made to the timeline will not have any noticeable effects if the intervening interval of time is sufficiently large. This is due to the overwhelming number of other factors involved and chaotic effects. After a geologic period of time, these small changes are simply cancelled out by the law of averages.
For example, even though Ayla was originally the ancestor of the Guardia royal line, in the timeline which existed while she is traveling through time, the present era was not noticeably changed. The Guardians had a different ancestor which had no noticeable effect after 65 million years. Doan is surviving member of the Guardia royal line in 2300 AD, even when Marle was traveling through time. After 1300 years, Marle's absence from 1000 AD had a minimal effect on the timeline. One example of where this does not apply is Queen Leene's disappearance in 600 AD, which may have eliminated Marle from the timeline.
Still, this is somewhat refuted by the fact that the Mayor of Porre does change if you give Jerky to his ancestor in 600AD. By most accounts, this is a minor change, yet the mayor is in fact changed by these events. Perhaps a better way to explain it is that the scale of the changes to the past corresponds to the scale of the changes in the future.
Examples: Having the original ancestor of Marle leave 65mil BC would end the Guardian line, but this is a very significant change, so some factor would act to preserve the timeline of the world to allow the Guardian line to come into existence. Giving Jerky to the Mayor of Porre's ancestor is a relatively small change, but because the resulting change to the timeline is also relatively small, it is allowed to happen. The rising of the Black Omen is a very significant change, but Crono's interference in the Ocean Palace is certainly not trivial.
Star Trek also uses an axiom that limits changes to the present from traveling to the past by an amount "proportional to the inverse-square of the distance traveled." This means that the further one travels into the past, the smaller the effect on the present. This can also be seen in CT; the party can easily make changes to the present from 600 AD, but can change nothing (with the exception of the Sun Stone) from 65,000,000 BC.
Alternative AncestorsKerntheGerm, DaggartPerhaps the 65 mil. BC ancestor is just Kino, and Ayla has nothing to do with it. Certainly, this would create a domestic problem when Ayla returns to her own time and finds that Kino has already taken or will take another tribe member as his wife. Nonetheless, the time stream would remain undisturbed.
Another simple explanation is that they're not really ancestors in the literal sence. With all the intervening years, how could they confirm that either way without some higher technology than they posess? Or, it could be relation through adoption. With so many intervening generations, its possible (likely maybe?) that one of the wives marrying into line bore a child illigitimately and hid the fact, or someone adopted.
Interloper ProtectionChrono'99, SentenalPerhaps one of the random people who had ended up at the End of Time was one of the descendants of Ayla and ancestors of Marle. Under Time Traveler's Immunity, this person would be protected from the disappearacne of his or her ancestors, and after returning to his or her home time, could continue to father the Guardia line.
Another stipulation operates on Radical Dreamers's note that Guardia probably held the Frozen Flame for much of its history. Perhaps use of the Frozen Flame to establish Guardia gave its first founder Time Traveler's Immunity. These theories are both farfetched, sadly.
MisconceptionsHistory cannot be preserved simply because Ayla "returned to prehistory and had babies after the adventure." Until Lavos is defeated, there is no "after the adventure," and on top of everything, the theme of the Chrono games is that free will exists and people can change history by unleashing their desires and passions. The series does not operate on temporal possibilities, and neither is anything "fated" to happen. When Ayla departs 65000000 B.C., she should be missing for sixty five million years, and Guardia should evaporate.
Additionally, Kino and Ayla probably did not have a baby before she left. This is evidenced in the animation ending of the Playstation version, in which the two are formally married. Kino's jealousy in the game is also indicative of a young and turbulent relationship
3. The Doan ParadoxAfter Lavos is defeated, the future should instantly become pretty and beautiful, and the ruined future timeline should disappear. This includes Doan, the old man who led the Arris Dome survivors. Yet Doan is brought by Lucca after Lavos is defeated to 1000 A.D. for the Moonlight Parade. How did Lucca pull this off if Doan should no longer exist in his old form?
TheoriesPreplanningLucca, in a show of optimism, previously arranged for the ancestors and descendants of the Guardia line to show up at Guardia Castle. This would sadly cause a complete breakdown of history like the Guardia Line Paradox, resulting in a history absent of Marle's ancestors (meaning Guardia wouldn't even exist). The only loophole that could work is if Lucca only took Doan out of the future and gathered the other relatives only after Lavos was defeated. This is quite a stretch, unfortunately.
MisconceptionsDifferent DoanThe Doan we see is simply the new Doan. However, this theory is flawed because Lucca wouldn't have brought him back otherwise, and Doan also notes that Crono and the team gave him hope, implying he previously did not have "hope" in the ruined future.
4. Telepod ParadoxIf Marle changes history when she goes back in time, how do Crono and Lucca still travel to 600 A.D. from their home version of 1000 A.D.? The rest of the series dictates that as soon as changes are made to the past, the future changes resultingly in an instant. If Marle went back in time and significantly disrupted the Guardia history, 1000 A.D. would change; the Mystic War may not have been won, or the royal family may have simply changed bloodlines. In any event, the same 1000 A.D. would not exist as it was known to Crono and Lucca, yet they are still able to pursue Marle in time. How is this possible? Conceivably, another Crono and Lucca could find their way through time in an alternative timeline created by Marle's disruption in the past, but this Crono and Lucca would have no recollection of Marle. Despite applicable theories, this is probably a plot hole with no intended workaround by the creators.
TheoriesLeene SurvivalEriol, GrayLensman, LeebotLeene is found despite Marle's introduction to the era anyway, meaning history is preserved normally (provided Marle doesn't much around too much and dies peacefully of old age) until the modern era. This would allow the same 1000 A.D. to roughly exist. The only problem here is that Marle is said to have disappeared (see Marle Paradox). Even if she did, her disappearance would have served as motivation for the soldiers to find the real Leene, which resolves that loose end. If this is the case (with Leene surviving; note that Frog was on his way to rescue her anyway), we have the following series of events:
1. When Marle initially time travels to 600 AD, her presence in the past results in a new timeline being formed, sending the original timeline to the DBT.
2. In 1000 AD, Crono and Lucca are instantaneously discared and replaced by new versions of themselves. Since they still exist and remember Marle time traveled, in this timeline the Guardia royal line was not interrupted.
3. When Crono traveled through the warp, another timeline was created in which both Crono and Marle exist in the past. In 1000 AD, another new version of Lucca is created. Since Lucca still exists and remembers Marle and Crono time traveling, the Guardia royal line was not interrupted in this timeline either.
4. After Lucca constructs the Gate Key, she follows after Crono and Marle, creating another new timeline consisting of the events witnessed in the game. Queen Leene doesn't die because Crono saves her. Marle disappears, supposidly because she doesn't exist in the timeline. The future version of Marle may or may not exist.
5. Once Lucca, Marle and Crono return to 1000 AD, the timeline is not noticably changed from the original. If the new version of Marle didn't exist in the previous timeline, she does now.
The effects of Crono and Lucca's actions immediately and instantaniously affect the timeline when they emerge in 600 AD. The future doesn't change as they act, except when time traveling. From the perspective of 1000 AD, all of the time travelers actions have already occured once they emerge in 600 AD.
Super Warp ProtectionZeaLitYThis theory assumes that Marle caused a significant disruption in 600 A.D. that would alter the future. When Lucca built the Telepod, she most likely tested it herself. Crono then used it at the Millennial Fair, and Marle finally used it to go to 600 A.D. Now, if the Telepod's warping is considered a form of time travel or dimensional distortion, then Time Traveler's Immunity may be invoked for Crono, Marle, and Lucca. This would take care of their preservation as individuals who know about Marle up until her disappearance into the past. The only problem remaining then is that the state of the Millennial Fair does not change either. It is a stretch, but perhaps Marle's disruption did not significantly affect history, and events played out mostly the same to result in a Millennial Fair at that time.
MisconceptionsWhat if Crono made it in the Gate before the actual Gate spit Marle out in 600 A.D.? Though this is possible, it would not help Lucca's case, as she still came in after Crono and Marle were both in the past and history was changed.
II. DimensionsA. Observations1. Alternate WorldsChrono Cross introduced the concept of dimensions to the Chrono series; dimensions are self-contained universes, simply put. When Serge slips through Angelus Errare, the only explanation available to him is that he has come to an Alternate World. Later, at Viper Manor, Belthasar elaborates on definition of dimensions.
Prophet:
The world is not just
a single entity.
Another world similar
to our own exists in
another dimension.
There you will find what
you might have become,
a world of possibilities
that might have existed,
a whole history that has
not been written yet...
It is out there somewhere...
We are simply unable to
see, feel, or experience it.
Parallel worlds, never to cross
each other, yet existing
alongside one another...
Home World and Another World are separate universes (or dimensions), existing alongside one another in what can be described as a parallel configuration. The dimensions never cross or intersect; they exist independently of one another with separate, divergent histories. This establishes the idea of alternate worlds in the Chrono series, or various universes in addition to our own that have their own histories and timelines. As they never intersect, residents of one dimension have no awareness of the other world, and vice-versa; additionally, travel is not normally possible. Thus far, we've established that two dimensions exist during Chrono Cross -- Another and Home. Later in the game, things became more complicated as the possibility of other dimensions was brought up.
But that ain't all...
At the same time, another
city from a different
dimension's future, was
also thrown back in time.
Dinopolis... The future city
of the Reptites -- Azala's
descendants, who had evolved
more closely with the planet.
Just as Lavos, in an attempt
to save itself, summoned
Chronopolis from the distant
future...
Perhaps our planet beckoned
Dinopolis into the past...
maybe as a measure against
Chronopolis and humanity.
To think that time is not
absolute, but elastic...
Relative and subjective...
That there can be individual
differences caused by changes
in time...
Perhaps the same people and
life-forms can even exist in
several different space-times.
An independent time that flows
with a will of its own...?
Hah... What nonsense...
However, in the distant past
humans could have been defeated
in the contest of evolution,
and the Reptites could have
continued to develop...
It is not unthinkable that
such a time line could exist
in other dimensions.
Everything is purely a
problem of possibilities,
and the world is only
stabilized by the viewpoint
of the one who observes it.
These quotes definitively anchor the idea of alternate worlds in the Chrono series, establishing that, in fact, many other dimensions can and do exist, featuring their own distinct histories and events. One such dimension brought up above is the Reptite Dimension, a universe in which Lavos presumably never landed on the planet, meaning the Reptites defeated the Early Humans and inherited the planet, constructing a unique society culminating with Dinopolis. The explanation by Kid goes on to say that the planet was somehow able to pull Dinopolis to the world of Chrono to act as a counterbalance with Chronopolis (multidimensional awareness will be covered in the Theories section). The Chronopolis researchers also bring up the possibility of many other worlds, noting that the world a person lives in is only stabilized by his point of view relative to his home dimension. In the case of the Chrono series, all the action takes place in one dimension, later split into two in Chrono Cross (the split is covered in the next section) and then unified once more. For ease of discussion, the main Chrono dimension is called the Keystone Dimension, while the dimensions from which Dinopolis originated is called the Reptite Dimension.
2. The Dimensional SplitSo far, we've established that alternate worlds exist, and except for Serge and the planet (whose involvement will be addressed in Theories), these separate universes never intersect or touch. With that considered, what allows Serge to travel between Home World and Another World? In fact, what caused these two dimensions? Originally, there existed one dimension in the Chrono series, called the Keystone Dimension for ease of reference. This is where all the action of Chrono Trigger took place; Crono defeated Lavos and saved the day. However, as a byproduct of his presence at the new Ocean Palace Incident, Schala was gated to the Darkness Beyond Time and eventually was merged with Lavos to form the Time Devourer, a being capable of devouring spacetime. Belthasar, in the future of 2300 A.D., subsequently built Chronopolis and created a complex plan to defeat the Time Devourer. His plan involved literally splitting the dimension of the Chrono series world into two separate worlds. Through his machinations, at 1010 A.D., the universe split into two separate dimensions, one in which Serge lived and one in which he died, called Home and Another respectively. To obtain a clearer understanding, let's read some background concerning the event.
Belthasar's plan to destroy the Time Devourer was very complex, calling for the Time Crash, the creation of El Nido, and the dimensional split. However, these actions were meant to work toward one goal -- that Serge would receive the Chrono Cross artifact and venture to the Darkness Beyond Time. The Time Crash and the creation of El Nido provided for Serge's life and empowerment as a strong fighter, but what were the forces behind the creation of the Chrono Cross? As it is described in the game, the Chrono Cross is a mysterious artifact capable of wondrous healing and sculpting powers. Apparently, an item such as this was the only thing that could separate Schala from the Time Devourer, saving her and defeating Lavos once and for all in the process. Now, the Chrono Cross is created from two pieces of the Dragon Tear, a Dragonian artifact. The important aspect of its creation is that these pieces originate from Home and Another both; that is, the Chrono Cross is created from components from both worlds! Presumably, this special construction and the intended effects of the Chrono Cross allowed it to appropriately free Schala and also unify the dimensions.
It is thus logical to assume that in order to create the one Chrono Cross, an item whose power depended on its multidimensional composition, Belthasar needed to simply create another dimension from which part of the Chrono Cross's components would be drawn. As an added bonus, the Chrono Cross would also be capable of unifying the dimensions back together again, as the split would be a necessary evil to create the Cross in the first place.
With this in mind, Belthasar set to work in planning Project Kid. Originally, when 1010 A.D. passed, the split of the dimensions did not happen; Serge was killed and time went on normally. Belthasar in 1020 A.D. then arranged for Kid to travel back in time and save Serge. Somehow, this action caused the dimensions to split. The exact mechanics are unknown, and the split is an anomaly in that according to the
Principle of Discarded Timelines, the old history should have simply disappeared to the Darkness Beyond Time with the new history and a living Serge replacing it. Something was different, however, and instead of time merely being changed, Kid's action of saving Serge fissioned a completely new universe off from the original in 1010 A.D. This new dimension proceeded to grow independently of the original (Keystone, named Another World during Chrono Cross). A connection was retained at the spot of the original split, Opassa Beach, where Kid saved Serge. It was named Angelus Errare, and was stated by Belthasar to allow travel between the two. Aside from this border fluctuation, the dimensions were entirely independent of one another (though some small connections will be addressed later in this section).
i. Time Travel and the SplitThe dimensions split at 1010 A.D. Does this mean that if two people travelled back in time from either dimensions after 1010 A.D., there'd be two of them in a single dimension?
Probably not. It is suggested that the dimensions are now complete, separate entities. Since dimensions are self-contained universes, Home World simply has the same history as Another up to 1010 A.D., after which it diverges. The Chrono series avoids paradoxes and probably would not create a case where the dimensional split literally happens at a branch on one worldline.
But can someone prevent the dimensions from splitting if they traveled back in time to Another World before 1010 A.D.?
This depends on whether the split of dimensions is protected by time traveler's immunity. Since acts of time traveling are, and since the dimensions, once split, are self-contained universes that exist all on their own, it would probably be impossible to prevent the split. Home World exists parallel to Another World and apart from it; even if you prevented the action that made things split in Another World, it still happened before you traveled back in time to stop it.
3. Angelus Errare and Other AnomaliesBefore proceeding, let's review. So far, we know that many alternate worlds exist, never intersecting and evolving independently of other dimensions. We also know that the Keystone Dimension, where the Chrono series takes place, was somehow broken into two separate universes by Belthasar as part of Project Kid. The next logical step in this exposition is a describing how and why Serge can travel between the two worlds. Before delving into the "can" and the mechanics of dimensional travel, let's first examine the method he utilizes.
i. Angelus Errare and the Darkness Beyond TimeBelthasar speaks concerning Angelus Errare in Viper Manor:
The locations where such
divisions in the time-space
continua occur are called,
'"ANGELUS ERRARE"' -
'"Where Angels Lose Their Way."'
It is said that, there, the
borders of two dimensions
fluctuate in such a way as to
make the passage between the
parallel realities a possibility.
Angelus Errare appears as a green portal on Opassa Beach in both dimensions. It allows Serge and any in close proximity to him to pass between the dimensions, provided he has an Astral Amulet (though he was called into Another World at the start of his quest by other means). Angelus Errare acts as a time Gate would, transporting its entrants to the destination through a wormhole. The second portal on Opassa Beach is a strange, pink radiation that allows travel to the Darkness Beyond Time. While Angelus Errare is explained as the spot where the dimensions split, the origin of the Darkness Beyond Time wormhole is mysterious, and its creation can only be attributed to Belthasar. As a stipulation, this Gate could only be opened with the use of a Time Egg. It is not named in the series, and only exists in Home World; before entering it, Serge briefly converses with the Ghost Children. Lastly, a few dimensional distortions exist in the Sea of Eden, lingering after the Dead Sea's destruction. The exact mechanics of why Serge can travel between dimensions will be addressed in the next section, but first, let us examine other dimensional connections.
ii. Other Dimensional ConnectionsIn addition to Angelus Errare, a few other connections between the dimensions exist around El Nido, varying in strength. This means that actions in a certain area in one dimension may have repercussions in the same area in the other, and so on. While Home and Another run parallel to each other, there are some connections. These can be readily observed by the well-traveled; here are a few cases.
Examples
1. During the fire at Hermit's Hideaway in Another World, a patch of ground was charred and smoldered for days after. In Home World, the same patch of grass seemed to be fine; nothing notable happened there. Once the charred area was cooled by the Ice Gun or Breath in Another World, Turnip sprang to life in the same area in Home World, apparently thanks to the cooling of the grass in the other world, which enabled living or growth conditions and allowed Turnip to flourish.
2. Concerning Turnip again, he is stated to be the dream of an Acacia Dragoon -- in Another World. The dream apparently transcends the dimensions; Turnip notes that he dreams he is the Acacia Dragoon when he sleeps.
3. The Black Dragon of Marbule shares a similar dream. From Another World, his nightmare casts a gloom over Home World's Marbule, filling it with Lagoonates and Mantarreys.
4. In Shadow Forest, a rock exists in the fast stream coming from Viper Manor's water system. If you roll it over the water jet in Another World, it is rolled in Home World as well, and a man is trapped behind it. The same happens conversely; if the rock isn't rolled, the mushroom collector is threatened by enemies instead.
More interesting is whether dimensional connections exist between people, and whether actions in one world are balanced out by actions in the other concerning the same person. Some lead similar or the same lives, while everyone around them lead drastically different lives because of the split. Perhaps they, themselves, have a very thin dimensional veil, causing little difference to come about. And, then, the ones whose lives have the most difference would logically have thick veils about them. The same would go for areas in which the same monsters roam in both worlds; perhaps these areas are so unaffected that their environment has not changed in the least!
Perhaps when dimensions are split, some links or entities have stronger inward compositions or some other physical phenomenon that result in them running a bit closer to each other. Think of two planes set atop each other with space between; some points dip, nearly touching each other, while the only tunnels between the two are Angelus Errare and the FATE Island distortions in the Sea of Eden. In any case, connections between persons is tenuous except in the case of Orlha and Tia, who seem to be equivalents of one another though somehow different in identity.
4. Dimensional Travel and ObservationWe can now question why Serge is allowed to travel between the dimensions. In Viper Manor, Belthasar notes the following:
Perhaps in this world,
you are the missing piece
from a giant puzzle.
And maybe, just maybe...
the vacuum created by
your non-existence here
has drawn you across the
border between the dimensions
to fill the void in that puzzle.
Of course, no one can
say for sure.
This initially suggests that Angelus Errare operates on a type of Conservation of Energy modus, meaning that since Serge is absent from one world, he feels a natural tug to slip into that world. While some of this is true, the truth is much more personal. Angelus Errare operates on biology and recognition, similar to the way the Prometheus Circuit only admits the Arbiter to the Frozen Flame chamber in Chronopolis. This is proven by Lynx, who switches bodies with Serge and is subsequently able to go between the dimensions at will; meanwhile, Serge is not admitted through the Gate at all due to his form as the beastly Demi-human. The fact that this Gate operates solely on biological recognition suggests it was engineered by Belthasar for Serge's use specifically. The alternative belief is that somehow, the dimensions do implicitly "know" Serge's biology, but this almost has to hinge on an overarching intelligence, which renders it unlikely. At any rate, Serge's status as the missing piece between dimensions allowed him to freely travel through Angelus Errare; team members could accompany him as well provided they maintained close proximity after the wormhole's activation with the Astral Amulet.
Once bodies were switched, Serge was somehow able to edit Angelus Errare to let him back through once more by destroying the Dead Sea (the mechanics behind this are an enigma, and are addressed in a later section on the Dead Sea). Serge also later utilized the distortions present in the Sea of Eden; however, these portals were said to require the six Dragon relics to use. The reason behind this stipulation is unknown; it is known that the Dragon relics are used in the creation of the Chrono Cross, but their exact powers are never stated in the game. In any event, these dimensional distortions operate like Angelus Errare, transporting the missing piece to the other dimension in the same area.
B. TheoriesThe above concludes the observations concerning dimensions presented in Chrono Cross. While much information is given, a few questions remain begging to be asked, including "How many dimensions are there?" or "What is the nature of the universe?". These issues will be addressed in this Theories section.
1. Origin of DimensionsHow did the dimensions begin? Are there many separate realities, all proceeding independent of one another, or did they stem from a common root? The split of a dimension, as evidenced in Chrono Cross, seems to be a special and anomalistic event. That is, dimensions do not normally "split." Neither does time traveling alone create dimensions; the
Principle of Discarded Timelines states that sufficiently. Alternate dimensions and space times did not fission off the Keystone dimension due to time travel or random chance. They originated from separate creation events (big bang, or other quantum mechanics) and developed independently of each other. Different initial conditions and chaotic randomness would account for the variation between these worlds. Unlike Another World and Home World, in which the latter split off at 1010 A.D., the normal dimensions of the multiverse are all separate from each other. Some entities may exhibit an awareness of more than one dimension, such as the planet (which pulled Dinopolis out of the Reptite Dimension), but sufficient data is not available to determine the why, how, or extent of multidimensional awareness.
At the beginning of the universe, the quantum indeterminancy would be so great as to cause the formation of many universes, one of which eventually becomes the Chrono (Keystone) dimension, while others become the various others like the world of Radical Dreamers and the Reptite Dimension. Since a big bang causing infinite universes would allow for many to be very similar to each other, this would allow for the similarities between these and the Keystone Dimension. In essence, these notations and beliefs can be expressed with one statement, presented in the next subsection.
2. Unified Dimension TheoryThere is the possibility for a countless number of dimensions to exist; the world is only stabilized from the viewpoint of the observer. This draws on relativity; a person in a particular dimension is only aware of the dimension he exists relative to. For the Chrono series, the events take place in one dimension (two in Chrono Cross, one being an offshoot of another), called the Keystone Dimension, and later Home and Another Worlds. Dimensions run parallel to one another, never touching save through two exceptions, including multidimensionally aware entities like the planet and Missing Piece situations as evidenced by Serge. Each dimension contains its own history, called a timeline, which can be rewritten by time travelers; the discarded timeline would be sent to a Darkness Beyond Time in this scenario, replaced by a new one with changes by the time traveler.
The only question remaining is, do infinite dimensions exist, or do only a finite amount of realities exist? This question is troublesome for two reasons. Firstly, the Chronopolis researchers speculate that there may be infinite worlds and possibilities; however, the planet of the Keystone dimension exhibits multidimensional awareness. Unless there were finite dimensions that the planet definitely existed in, how could such an entity be aware of other dimensions? Even an infinite number? Secondly, the Time Devourer, main antagonist of Chrono Cross, is stated to be capable of devouring all space-time upon its evolution. However, how can a being of finite proportions devour an infinite number of dimensions?
A clear answer may never be known. Regarding the first problem, it is possible that the planet is simply the same "being" in a few dimensions, but this is a stretch as no information exists on how it was able to pull Dinopolis out of another dimension. The second problem with infinite dimensions may also be resolved if the Darkness Beyond Time only exists for one dimension. The question of whether one Darkness Beyond Time exists for all dimensions or merely one is addressed in the Issues section.
C. Issues1. The Dead Sea / Sea of Eden EnigmasThe most enigmatic topic in the entire Chrono series is the Dead Sea, a ruined future condensed into the Sea of Eden in El Nido. Little expository information was provided for the Dead Sea in Chrono Cross, and though helpful evidence and statements existed in some places, many details concerning the area had to be divined by clues and theories. The best information came from Masato Kato, creator of the Chrono series, in an interview.
The Sea of Eden became the Dead Sea in the Home World because of the incident 10 years ago at Opassa Beach. Serge lived on in that world, causing the time-line leading to destruction (which Crono and friends nullified) to come back into existence again. In the Other World, where Serge died, the Sea of Eden and Chronopolis remain as is. In other words, the Dead Sea indicates that if Serge lives, the future will probably lead back to destruction.
The Chrono Compendium has authored a special article dealing precisely with the Dead Sea. Reprinted here are two topics of special interest. Firstly, how does Serge's relationship with Home World spell destruction for its future? The most prominent and consistent theory here appears.
i. Armageddon-Branch TheoryCrono could not have defeated Lavos in Home World. The event which spares Serge's life also creates a plurality of dimensions from 1010 onwards. Since there is only one Crono in 1000 AD to defeat Lavos, only the future in Another World is saved.
Further ExplanationIn the original timeline (Another World) Serge dies in 1010 AD, but Kid changes the past, somehow creating an alternate dimension in which Serge lives (Home World). Another World always existed; it is the original dimension, but Home World only extends from 1010 AD onwards. In 1000 AD, Crono exists in Another World. If he travels through time, he can only reach a destination within his own dimension. When Crono defeats Lavos in 1999 AD, or any other time, the battle takes place in Another World. In 1000 AD, there is only one version of Crono. If Crono lived past 1010 AD, there would be a version for each dimension, but that version did not travel through time to defeat Lavos. In Home World, no savior appears in 1999 AD to save the future. Serge caused the destruction of the world by spawning an alternate dimension which is beyond 1000 AD Crono's notice or reach. He does not undo any of Crono's actions. In Another World, the future is secure, at least until the Time Devourer arrives. There cannot be multiple Crono groups because there is only one dimension in 1000 AD!
This tentatively takes care of why the Dead Sea forms and the ruined future occurs once more. Another problem exists relevant to the explanation given concerning the dimensions above in this article; specifically, why does the destruction of the Dead Sea allow Serge to enter Angelus Errare as Lynx? No official word on the mechanics behind the transformation exists in the game, interviews, or even Ultimania. Notwithstanding this lack of information, a theory about this problem was created for the Salt for the Dead Sea article; it is reprinted here:
ii. Arbiter-Resonant TheoryDuring the explosion, the remnants of the Frozen Flame destroyed there cause a change in Serge's genetic make-up and cause it to somehow "line up" with his mind, and cause him to become the Missing Piece again, despite the new body; that his DNA once again became Serge's own. This theory has merit in that Arbiter status is identified through DNA, shown in Serge's admittal into room in which the Frozen Flame is kept in Chronopolis. How might simple DNA have such profound meaning in physics, however? The attribute of the Arbiter's DNA is not the genetic sequence, but some quantum mechanical -- or deeper elemental -- quality of his material substance. The destruction of the Dead Sea altered Lynx's DNA -- or body -- to have an identical signature as Serge.
Additionally, this theory is validated by this statement made in Chronopolis by a researcher.
Perhaps the DNA of the ones who made contact with the Flame is recomposed by the sound they generate within? I wonder if life-forms are just dreaming inand endless flow of music?
Lastly, the Chrono Cross itself operates by using tones, and String Theory, as well as classical Quantum Mechanics, incorporate harmonies and resonant frequencies. Thus, it seems reasonable that the destruction of Home World's Flame successfully realigned Serge as Lynx's DNA, though this was not a full body changing.
For other issues related to the Dead Sea, please see the [[Salt for the Dead Sea]] article.
2. The DBT: Omnidimensional?We know that the Darkness Beyond Time is the final resting place for discarded timelines overwritten by time travelers. But does the Darkness Beyond Time exist for all dimensions, or does a DBT exist for each? This question hinges on a couple factors. Specifically, if there are infinite dimensions and only one Darkness Beyond Time, the Time Devourer could not possibly devour the infinity of the space-time continuum. However, if there are only a finite number of dimensions in the multiverse, this problem is moot.
Ultimately, this problem rests on the interpretation of Belthasar's statement that the Time Devourer will destroy all space-time continua. If taken fundamentally, it means the multiverse, though if taken conservatively, it only means the Home and Another Worlds will be destroyed.
MisconceptionsIf you think that if there is only one Darkness Beyond Time and as a result, infinite chances of a Time Devourer forming and destroying the universe, remember that as evidenced by Serge, there is also a persistent chance that something will arise to challenge the Time Devourer and prevent it from devouring space-time continua.
3. The Dimensional Unification and AftermathThe ending of Chrono Cross suggests that the dimensions were unified and time restored to one stream. This comes from a quote by Schala:
Time, which has been divided,
will be unified again now.
The ending of Chrono Cross and its repercussions are fully addressed in the [[Chrono Cross Resolutions]] article. An applicable question is reprinted here; specifically, how did the dimensions unify to form an ideal timeline? Which world took precedence as the main timeline? Was a sort of balance struck?
i. TheoriesTimeline RewindBubblebobby2000The dimensions weren't unified, but rather Schala never interfered with time in 1006 A.D., preempting the events that shaped Chrono Cross's history. Time then proceeded normally from 1006 A.D. on, resulting it a new timeline whose details are unknown (apart from the fact that Serge lived, and he and Leena still are friends). The new timeline would proceed like this:
1006AD
Serge bitten by panther demon. Wazuki, Miguel then brings Serge to Marbule and there Serge was healed by the witch doctor.
1010AD
Serge never drowns (since Lynx was never there). And the world never divides.
1020AD
Serge continues with his life, except he finds that one day he falls unconscious at the beach. And then he wakes to find that he has in his mind a set of memories from some other Serge in some other world. This other Serge is the Serge who once lived in Home World and defeated the Time Devourer. Note that under the Time Bastard theory, the Serge indigenous to the Ideal Timeline would be replaced by the one coming in from Home World / the Darkness Beyond Time. Everyone would have their memories erased following the unification, consistent with what Schala had predicted. The exception is Serge of course.
The worst problem with this idea is that Kid would have never been created as part of Project Kid. Even this stipulation is debatable; perhaps Kid might have still come in to the world. At any rate, these points are so far removed from the original idea that they are almost moot, as Chrono Cross leaves much to be desired in terms of explaining its resolution. While ideas like Time Traveler's Immunity and Time Bastard can be applied to these possibilities, it's tenuous to do so because so little is known.
Happy EndingSubwoofersIcecreamSomehow, the Chrono Cross was able to rewrite history taking the most optimal elements from each dimension and combining them. In this scenario, the Acacia Dragoons would live, but so would the Hydra; Marbule would be restored, but Fargo would remain an independent, self-made pirate without regrets. This theory is troublesome, as who is to determine what is good or bad in each dimension? The Chrono Cross would have to have a complete awareness of history and human emotion from 1010 A.D. onward in El Nido. FATE could provide something like that, but FATE was destroyed by Serge prior to the resolution of the game. Additionally, the Records of FATE weren't working in Home World anyway.
Serge DefaultFyrekunSince Serge is depicted as being alive at the end of the game, Home World's history could have been used as default. Serge only lived in that dimension, as he was absent from Another starting with the time of the dimensional split.
ii. A Proposed TimelineThis timeline represents what may happen in the Ideal Timeline. Since virtually no information exists on the ending of the game, this is not necessarily canon information.
* From the perspective of the time-line, once Serge defeats the Time Devourer, it is as if it never existed.
* When Belthasar warps from Zeal to the new timeline, he does not discover that Schala had been absorbed by the TD, and he does not start Project Kid.
* In 2400 AD, FATE and Chronopolis were never built, the Frozen Flame lays dead on the bottom of the ocean, and the counter-time experiment does not take place.
* Lavos does not create a temporal distortion connecting Chronopolis to 10,000 years in the past, and the planet does not do the same for Dinopolis from the Reptite dimension.
* In 7600 BC, Chronopolis and Dinopolis do not fight and the Dragon God is not split into six parts by FATE and absorbed by the Time Devourer.
* Because the temporal distortion surrounding Chronopolis acts like a Gate, the Chronopolis residents appear in the Sea of Eden due to TTI and terraform and colonize El Nido as if FATE and Chronopolis still existed. The same goes for Dinopolis, meaning Elements still might be developed. In 2400 AD, the people who would have worked at Chronopolis mysteriously dissappear due to Time Bastard.
* The Records of FATE never work, except perhaps according to preprogrammed instructions. Elements may or may not be developed.
* Serge is born in 1003 AD.
* Schala does not create Kid, but she may appear in 1004 AD due to TTI.
* Whatever happened to Guardia in 1005 AD hopefully doesn't occur.
* In 1006 AD, Schala does not create a magnetic storm, and Serge does not go to Chronopolis. Wazuki does not become Lynx and Miguel is not imprisoned in the Dead Sea.
* In 1010 AD, Wazuki does not attack Serge and he does not drown. The dimensional split does not occur.
* In 1015 AD, Lynx does not attack Lucca's Orphanage (if it exists) or abduct Lucca.
* In 1020 AD, the new version of Serge disappears due to Time Bastard. The original version of Serge (protected by TTI from warping to the DBT) is sent to Opassa Beach by Schala. Serge's dimension crossing adventure does not occur. What happens to Schala and/or Kid is anyone's guess.
Remember that the ending of Chrono Cross is fully addressed in the [[Chrono Cross Resolutions]] article.
