Spekkio

[V_Translanka]

While I think the Bend of Time is an obvious nod to the End of Time, I don't think the two are the same...Their purposes are kind of similar (portals to different times & portals to different areas of battle), but totally different...

[mav]

Oy, comparing the Bend of Time to the End of Time is too much work, thankfully it's already been done.

It might even be that he has no control over his form and that it only reflects the power and/or experiences of those he fights...

Indeed, he says his appearance in look strong or weak is just a reflection of how strong or weak his opponents are.

As for this Sprigg comment, that's definitely a great comparison. Like Spekkio, Sprigg's transformations are also based on her enemies, but she gained this ability. So perhaps shape-shifting is some kind of technique that a character can learn? Nonetheless, Spekkio's transformations don't seem to be from his own will. In fact, can we even safely assume we know his real appearance or if he has one?

[Xenterex]

Nonetheless, Spekkio's transformations don't seem to be from his own will

that does make sense, since when you see him, he asks you how he looks. 

Actually, there's a Kilwala piano player in Porre in 1000AD.

And one that runs from you that leaves the shelter behind.

Spek's lack of future forms is interesting to note.  He also lacks forms imitating creatures within the ocean palace, and the black omen.  Wayhaps the influence of Lavos has an effect on spekkio? 

[V_Translanka]

I think it's also possible that Spekkio simply asks how he looks to judge their inner strength (actually, doesn't he say something along those lines?) and thus their ability and/or deserving to learn Magic...

Also, maybe he doesn't have a future-based form though because most of the monsters there are just robots & mutants...

[mav]

Well, his statement that his appearance is their strength may be just a check on the party's inner strength, but the reason he asks them how he looks might be to figure out just what his appearance is. If Spekkio's transformations aren't from his own will, then he may have no idea how appears to people and it becomes necessary to gauge his appearance based on their strength.

[V_Translanka]

Uh, didn't Xenterex just say that?

[mav]

Yeah, I was just expanding on why I thought Spekkio asked the question in the first place: Xenterex and I agree that he asks you how he looks because his transformations aren't from his own will, but the reason he asks may be because he doesn't even know his own appearance...rereading that, I suppose it was a bit unnecessary, but whatever.

[ONSLAUGHT]

Spek's lack of future forms is interesting to note.  He also lacks forms imitating creatures within the ocean palace, and the black omen.  Wayhaps the influence of Lavos has an effect on spekkio? 

Now that there is an interesting point, maybe Lavos DOES have some sort of impact on Spekkio's forms considering the places where the influence of Lavos is greater's enemies have zero connection to anything that even relate to him. So now I question that either Spekkio isn't a god and just happens to have some powers(or possibly a curse of appearing different to people based on their strength)or Lavos is even MORE powerful than anyone could even begin to concieve(which would just make Crono and friends that much more unbelievably strong willed and powered).

[BROJ]

Perhaps Spekkio is simply a holographic AI programmed by Belthasar... a sort of 2.0 on the other mechanical Nu─one with personality and the power to use and imbue magic.

Purely speculative, but a curious thought, nonetheless.

[V_Translanka]

Hologram would be an interesting idea as to why physical attacks don't work on him...but with the ability to unlock Magical potential? It seems like quite a stretch...

Since his ultimate, final form is that of the pink Nu, I still think that he has close ties to the planet as is supposed they do...The planet as well is powerful and is also linked to Magic...

The weapons and armors brought forth from the planet's powers of sky, dark, fire, and water were since sealed in the northern shrine on the Queen's orders.

[BROJ]

It seems like quite a stretch...

Purely speculative, but a curious thought, nonetheless.

But, for fun alone, I shall entertain this engagement.

Hologram would be an interesting idea as to why physical attacks don't work on him...but with the ability to unlock Magical potential? It seems like quite a stretch...

Since his ultimate, final form is that of the pink Nu, I still think that he has close ties to the planet as is supposed they do...The planet as well is powerful and is also linked to Magic...

The weapons and armors brought forth from the planet's powers of sky, dark, fire, and water were since sealed in the northern shrine on the Queen's orders.

I actually thought of this as it would require the least effort on less entities' effort, hence more likely, ala Occam's Razor. Perhaps it is because the fact that they have attained the highest power the planet could offer, the Nu is what appeared to them─If you are strong, I am strong. When in reality, they are fighting themselves, or a projection thereof, it is only that they become one with the earth/universe(actualized potential), the Entity perhaps, that the Nu appears and they are able to overcome their limited identities to save the planet. (Buddhist Zen appears to be a strong influence... )

I am, however, confused as to what your quote is supporting... Edit: Nevermind, I see.

[mav]

I believe V_Translanka's quote there was just to point out that because there have been items with the powers of fire, sky, etc. that were from the planet, there is magic in the planet.

But I don't know if Spekkio is a hologram, but he definitely could be an AI of some kind that acts as a manifestation of the people he is fighting.

Now that there is an interesting point, maybe Lavos DOES have some sort of impact on Spekkio's forms considering the places where the influence of Lavos is greater's enemies have zero connection to anything that even relate to him.

Onslaught, correct me if I'm wrong, but are you saying that Spekkio's lack of Black Omen forms, Ocean Palace forms, and 2300-based forms are due to those area's connections to Lavos? Basically Lavos's connections to the Black Omen and Ocean Palace have some influence on the creatures there, similar to how the creatures of 2300ad are likely affected by Lavos emergence in 1999, and that prohibits Spekkio from taking on their forms?

[ONSLAUGHT]

Yes, I'm saying perhaps Spekkio has some sort of weakness against Lavos which would also help to support my theory(only a theory, not definite)abut how he was from a time era and just like the Gurus and Janus, he got whiped away and wound up in the EoT.

Hologram sounds interesting, but as V_Translanka pointed out then how would you explain his unlocking of magical abilities? Of course, there is a chance that if he was created, rather than by Belthasar but by Gaspar, perhaps just like Belthasar's Nu in the future he is manipulating Spekkio...

[mav]

Well, is it more probable that a creation by either Gaspar or Belthasar could unlock a person's inner magic? Then again, Belthasar has proven to be unnervingly crafty and intelligent...But its Spekkio's skill set that makes him seem deity-like; even if he's a good ol' time traveler, he still has these phenomenal abilities of changing his appearance and helping people realize their magic potential, how is this even possible? I don't think any other creature in the Chrono series has shown the ability to essentially "teach" people magic.

Wait...the people of Zeal leeched power off power sources, is it possible that before the discovery of these power sources Spekkio was providing these people with the ability to perform magic?

[V_Translanka]

Well, like that quote said before, the elemental weapons which are said to be from the planet have the power of the Magics behind them...So perhaps they used to use a sort of Chrono Cross Element-like form of magic...? Then again, there's also the Sun Stone which was said to have powered Zeal prior to their reliance on Lavos via the Mammon Machine...perhaps in a Magic sense...?