General Tropes:
Adaptation Expansion - The search for the Dragon Crests, and much of the post-Fort Dragonia adventure specifically for that matter, is expanded by switching between Serge/Lynx's party and Kid's.
And Now for Someone Completely Different - During Serge's time in Lynx's body, the perspective will switch twice to Kid's perspective and the allies Serge left behind as they deal with the fallout of Fort Dragonia and aid in the collection of the Dragon Crests, with Schala as the liaison between both parties in the latter.
- During certain battles, and definitively after the events of Chronopolis, Cain returns to the role of central protagonist.
Anti-Frustration Features - The Developer's Room is no longer tied to an ending, and is unlocked by beating the game once. However, it will be generally empty until the player unlocks all the different endings, in which it will be filled by bestiaries, music, character bios, and bonus artwork.
- Terra Tower is mercifully much shorter than in Chrono Cross, and the elemental mini bosses fuse to become a singular boss fight instead of having to search for all six.
Battle Couple - Kid and Serge eventually become this. Cain and Schala continue to be this, as does Crono and Marle. Dario and Riddel prove to be no slouches either.
Big Damn Heroes - Serge's allies from before the body swap finally put aside their previous hang-ups and come to Serge's aid in Home World Fort Dragonia to Hold the Line against 'Dark Serge' when the latter proves to be more persistent than his previous timeline self.
Bizzarchetecture - Terra Tower and the Black Omen, 'natch.
Boss Rush - The Very Definitely Final Dungeon naturally holds one of these courtesy of a demonified Arvis and the members of his Conspiracy escaping from Hell and preparing to wreak havoc. The three generations of heroes must stop them before they can reach Thanaton.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique - Opening the Seventh Gate ends up being this. It's said that doing so unlocks the secrets of time and the universe, allowing the opener to achieve 'enlightenment'. Unfortunately, the reality is that the massive infusion of power and information shatters the mind and warps the body into something beyond comprehension, as revealed to be what happened to Norstein Bekkler. Cain takes the risk during the Final Battle, feeling that it's the only way to put down Thanaton. Thankfully, the Entity had other ideas.
Darkest Hour -
Everyone Can See It -
Foreshadowing -
Grand Finale - Of the Chrono Trigger mythos.
In Spite of a Nail - Even in the altered timeline, Lynx still manages to burn down Lucca's orphanage. However, Cain and Schala's presence ensures that he's at least driven off before he can harm Lucca.
- With the above in mind, Balthezar's counter-time experiment still splits the timeline, thus the events of Chrono Cross still happen. Only this time, because Schala is in no need of rescuing, it's due to a genuine miscalculation instead of it being Balthezar's design.
- This is actually revealed to be an in-universe phenomenon. Circumstances behind them may change, but some things in history will always be set in stone. Zeal will always fall, Guardia will always end up warring with the Mystics in 600AD, and Mother Brain/FATE will always attempt to seek absolute dominion.
Irony - The Enlightened Ones spent their lives in the pursuit of mystical fulfillment and Nirvana, and sacrificed their collective morality to try and achieve it once Lavos worship became widespread. Cain, who had long since been ostracized by the Enlightened Ones, becomes the only person out of all of them to ever actually attain it.
- Doubly ironic is that Cain, who for most of Fate's Trigger believed that Humans Are Bastards, is the one to ultimately champion humanity against Thanaton.
Lady and Knight - Cain and Schala continue this dynamic even after fifteen years. Kid sees this as a source of embarrassment, preferring a more modern, yet mystical romance.
Multiple Endings - It wouldn't be a Chrono story without them.
Never the Selves Shall Meet - Just as with the original Cross, this trope is averted hard. Cain actually encounters his Home World counterpart, which goes far in convincing Norris of Serge's plight and Lynx's duplicity.
One-Winged Angel - As it was in the original timeline, Lynx/Dark Serge transforms into a monstrosity after reconnecting with the main FATE interface.
Playable Epilogue - After achieving the Golden Ending in the altered timeline, there's a brief playable segment capping off Cain's character arc set to preparing for Kid and Serge's wedding, and giving a proper goodbye to these characters and the setting.
The Reveal - Being the saga's Grand Finale, there are plenty of these to go around.
- The Harle the party encounters throughout Fate's Cross is from the original timeline, making her its last survivor.
- The Entity, once the subject of discussion between Crono's party, is confirmed to exist, and that it has an Evil Counterpart in the form of the God of Death Thanaton… and that both are fragments of Zurvan the Dreamer's soul torn away when Lavos crash-landed on the planet.
- The purpose of the Chrono Trigger/Assassin of Time being to break the chains preventing the planet's salvation and restoration of Zurvan's mind. Or in layman's terms, ensure that Cain lives long enough to fulfill his destiny.
Shout Out - Cain’s attaining Enlightenment before the Final Battle with Thanaton plays out exactly like a Dragon Ball Z/Super transformation. Word of God says this is an intentional tribute to the late Akira Toriyama.
Super Mode - Cain retains his from Fate's Trigger, but only uses it a few times when facing severe threats.
The Very Definitely Final Dungeon - The Frozen Sea of Dreams and the Black Omen. The three parties of Trigger, Cross, and Origins gather from across time and are forced to do battle with the God of Death Thanaton to stop Zurvan's Collapse.
Three Faces of Adam - By the time all of the protagonists, past and present, join up, Serge is the Hunter, Crono is the Lord, and Cain is (ironically enough) the Prophet.
Wham Line -
Wham Shot -
(To be continued)
