Is Magus really all that cool?

[Xenterex]

Well, while that picture is of horrendous quality, I'd still call it blonde over green...especially of the green the sprite has...And, no...Various pics of her from Amano clearly use blonde hair...Hell, her design in Dissidia (though she has a green hair variant costume) uses her original blonde hair as well.

I did check the wiki entry on her, and it states she was indeed intended to be blonde.  Kindof interested that several of the pictures use shades of brown/tan for her hair.  The concept art for Dissidia is clearly blonde, but the ingame there are almost all shades of brown.  Personally, I think a l pale green hue suits her better than blonde. 

[Zipp Dementia]

Wow, this went from a Janus discussion to a Tina discussion!  I never thought THAT would happen!

Ah, Dissidia looks like fun...

[Zephira]

Maybe Janus secretly likes Tina. Who knows?

Speaking of Magus, think we ought to have a thread dedicated to how cool he is? That'd be neat. Here's laughing at the guy who commented on how many newbies come straight to this topic. Lots of people join boards just for this one character. (excellent observation, by the way)

And in answer to the topic's title, hell yeah! He is the only boss-turned-PC I know of that you can hate so passionately one chapter, and love so much the next. What makes him cool and appealing is not what makes you like him or hate him, a villain or hero, but the fact that you can argue the point and both sides are strong and valid.
Aesthetically he might be a bit cliche, but it is still executed well. Square took what we all know as the classic, demonic villain, and twisted it into something that defied our expectations of the stereotype. Why would this flat, grim reaper wannabe want to join the good guys? Oh, you mean he's not out to destroy the world and suck out our souls? And he's helping us get our leader back? Now that's cool.
Then, of course, there's his theme song. Some of the best remixes I've heard have come off of this theme song.
And if you need any more evidence, just go check out SooperKreep's depiction of him over in the Submissions section

[The Black Wind]

Magus is the best character in Chrono Trigger. I just love how you are absolutely convinced for a good portion of the game that he is responsible for the creation of Lavos, only to fight him and discover that he was only trying to awaken Lavos. When Lavos finally appears, he reveals himself to be the "Prophet" and tries to destroy Lavos himself. Definitely the biggest plot twist in the game, to find out that that this seemingly all-powerful homicidal maniac actually has the same goals as the good guys -- not just to save the world, but to avenge the kingdom and the people he loved as Janus, the little boy with the purple cat. It was also interesting to note that Janus, as a child, begs the Prophet not to kill your party. I wonder if that affected Magus's own feelings towards them? Ah, well. Regardless, Magus is a well-defined character and among the best in gaming history.

[V_Translanka]

Speaking of Magus, think we ought to have a thread dedicated to how cool he is? That'd be neat. Here's laughing at the guy who commented on how many newbies come straight to this topic. Lots of people join boards just for this one character. (excellent observation, by the way)

I thought that's what this thread was...Hardly anybody but Tact (thread creator...and really he was just whining about how the other characters get pushed to the side by Magus' sheer amount of awesome) has really said anything about Magus actually not being cool...

It was also interesting to note that Janus, as a child, begs the Prophet not to kill your party. I wonder if that affected Magus's own feelings towards them? Ah, well. Regardless, Magus is a well-defined character and among the best in gaming history.

What? No he didn't...and anyways, it wouldn't effect our Magus anyways...He comes from the original, Keystone, timeline...the Janus we see (besides in Magus' flashback) is in the new K-2 timeline...

[Feldschlacht IV]

Magus is the best character in Chrono Trigger. I just love how you are absolutely convinced for a good portion of the game that he is responsible for the creation of Lavos, only to fight him and discover that he was only trying to awaken Lavos. When Lavos finally appears, he reveals himself to be the "Prophet" and tries to destroy Lavos himself. Definitely the biggest plot twist in the game, to find out that that this seemingly all-powerful homicidal maniac actually has the same goals as the good guys -- not just to save the world, but to avenge the kingdom and the people he loved as Janus, the little boy with the purple cat. It was also interesting to note that Janus, as a child, begs the Prophet not to kill your party. I wonder if that affected Magus's own feelings towards them? Ah, well. Regardless, Magus is a well-defined character and among the best in gaming history.

Really? I never thought his motives were benevolent. I always just thought he was a selfish bastard.

[The Black Wind]

What? No he didn't...and anyways, it wouldn't effect our Magus anyways...He comes from the original, Keystone, timeline...the Janus we see (besides in Magus' flashback) is in the new K-2 timeline...

Yes, he did. Play it again. Crono and co. are imprisoned when Schala and Janus appear to release them. Schala tells them about Melchior, and the Prophet comes in and threatens to kill them for meddling. Both Schala AND Janus defend them, and that's why the Prophet spares their lives. And what the shit? "Keystone"? "New K-2 timeline"? Last time I checked going into the past and changing shit around = changing the future. Hence why Queen Leene being kidnapped in the Middle Ages nearly ended Marle's existence, and why saving her brought Marle back. Not to mention everything involving Yakra/the Chancellor, the Sun Stone, the Rainbow Shell, the forest, etc.

Really? I never thought his motives were benevolent. I always just thought he was a selfish bastard.

Which is understandable, but the fact that Magus displays compassion for Schala both while in disguise as the Prophet and after means that he isn't completely blinded by  his quest for vengeance. Talk to him after he is defeated by Lavos and before Crono is killed -- his only concern is if Schala is alright, even while knowing that he'll probably be killed. And after Lavos is defeated, Magus doesn't go back to the way he was in the Middle Ages. Instead, Magus tries desperately to find her and save her from Dream Devourer, risking his life in the process. These are not the actions of a selfish bastard.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

And after he discovers that nothing he can do will save her, he wipes his heart, mind, and soul blank. He then finds himself in a forest with no memory. It was then theorized here on the Compendium that he may have become Guile.

[The Black Wind]

I think in that moment Magus finally realized just how corrupted he's become. Schala basically told him that because he relies on nothing but strength, he can't save her regardless of whether or not he is the most powerful being alive. We all know this to be true because defeating Time Devourer is impossible without the Chrono Cross even if you deplete it of all its HP. Magus no doubt accepted this fact and wished to leave every part of him behind to give birth to something "new", which Dream Devourer gladly accepted. It does feast on thoughts, dreams, and memories, after all, and Lavos seems to have an affinity for the powerful Zeal family. Think about it: first he uses the Queen, then Schala, and it becomes the Dream Devourer. This leaves only Magus, who has essentially "died" (which explains why Frog's curse was broken). The very essence of Magus theoretically could have facilitated the creature's evolution. Of course, I have no evidence of this, however it is curious that the Dream Devourer somehow transforms into the Time Devourer. It's interesting to ponder.

[utunnels]

This leaves only Magus, who has essentially "died" (which explains why Frog's curse was broken).

Yeah, I always wonder how could his curse be undone. In a certain ending, Marle kisses Frog. Although that  is only a joke, but fit the fact he's cured quite well.

But if you kill Magus in game instead of let him join in, he will say if he's dead, Frog's curse will be undone. Maybe that's not an immediate effect, because Fog is still...a frog after Magus's death.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

I guess the curse died completely with Lavos, in the form of Magus resting in peace since Zeal Kingdom had finally been avenged. That was his driving force when he cursed Glenn into Frog, and so with that desire satisfied, the curse broke.

[Feldschlacht IV]

Yeah I just assumed that Magus just lifted the curse after it was all said and done.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

In canon, that would be valid. I was talking about why Frog's curse didn't break right when Magus died at North Cape.

[Elgrad]

Couldn't resist.

Magus has many things going for him. From the beginning of the game he was hyped up to be your nemesis. It was the biggest threat to the kingdom and the battle was still being talked about in 1000ad. The whole setup was done perfectly. You enter his castle striking countless enemies down, felling his generals at your blade. Not only did he invade your kingdom, not only did he turn a valued ally into a lowly frog, but he created Lavos!! (As far as you knew at the time) And thereby he's the destroyer of your future. You're out to KILL him.

But then, like others have said, you start witnessing his story. You experience the life that he was living and start to recognize and understand how he became that way. It was learning that there was a purpose underneath it all. And that's what made his offer to join you so utterly awesome. He's a tragic figure with infinite resolve. He lost his childhood, he pretty much lost his sister twice, yet he's still focused and determined.

He also wields a scythe, is a magical juggernaut and he floats!

Yes, Magus is really all that cool.

newbie++;

[V_Translanka]

I think Frog's curse lifts because the Gates close...So since Magus isn't a part of Glenn's timeline, not only is he essentially dead in regards to both Glenn & all of 600AD, but possibly his Magic doesn't effect Frog in that way without access from one to the other by way of the Gates...

What? No he didn't...and anyways, it wouldn't effect our Magus anyways...He comes from the original, Keystone, timeline...the Janus we see (besides in Magus' flashback) is in the new K-2 timeline...

Yes, he did. Play it again. Crono and co. are imprisoned when Schala and Janus appear to release them. Schala tells them about Melchior, and the Prophet comes in and threatens to kill them for meddling. Both Schala AND Janus defend them, and that's why the Prophet spares their lives.

You said he begs...He does not beg...I'm fairly sure he doesn't even have any real lines against Magus...And I think that he only reacts when it looks like Magus is acting against Schala...

And what the shit? "Keystone"? "New K-2 timeline"? Last time I checked going into the past and changing shit around = changing the future. Hence why Queen Leene being kidnapped in the Middle Ages nearly ended Marle's existence, and why saving her brought Marle back. Not to mention everything involving Yakra/the Chancellor, the Sun Stone, the Rainbow Shell, the forest, etc.

Keystone refers to the original timeline in which Lavos erupts in 1999AD & the Entity/Planet is fuct...K-2 (aka Keystone-2) refers to the new timeline we're a part of in CT in which Crono & Co. help the Entity by stopping Lavos. And, yes, changing things in the past changes the future, but you also have to take into consideration TTI. Thus, Magus would not be effected by the things that happen to Janus in the K-2 timeline.