Chrono Trigger DS Analysis HQ (Spoiler Spoiler, of course)

[art_garfunkel]

Chrono Trigger DS established Dalton as a man out of time. So who knows what he's been up to since then or for how long. His knowledge of magic, technology, and military strategy could have vastly increased during his travels through time. Sure he could still be the bumbling power hungry buffoon, or he could be a demi-god. Who knows how much experience he gained since his "downfall" in Zeal.

I personally see him as some mastermind (albeit a still somewhat buffoonish mastermind) behind the scenes trying to ochestrate events through time for his benefit. He already knows more than he should. How does he know Crono and co are from Guardia? How does he know what Guardia is? How does he know about Porre? How does he know Porre has the potential to become a military power? I see him traveling across time behind the scenes, gaining the knowledge and advantage he needs to gain revenge and power.

I want a new game with Dalton as the antagonist.

[chrono eric]

If a new game is made, I predict that will probably be true. At least as one of the antagonists if not the main one.

[FouCapitan]

If a new game is made, I predict that will probably be true. At least as one of the antagonists if not the main one.

I'm holding him to a pretty high role in the script I'm working on.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

The issue with Dalton is one of the loose ends I want tied up with Chrono Three.

[Phillies64]

I want a new game with Dalton as the antagonist.

I'd like this too, but I don't think Dalton should be the main threat. At first he should be, but through the course of the game you learn that his mucking with the timestream caused some other wordly threat.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

Maybe the rebirth of Lavos as a fully-evolved Time Devourer (but without Schala)?

[art_garfunkel]

I want a new game with Dalton as the antagonist.

I'd like this too, but I don't think Dalton should be the main threat. At first he should be, but through the course of the game you learn that his mucking with the timestream caused some other wordly threat.

Perfect. It fits his clumsy, slighty goofy (but legitimate) threat level.

[ZealKnight]

The only reason they won is because Dalton is actually a strong, powerful, and strategic military leader.

Prove it. I'll give you that he eventually got strong & powerful during his time in the Vortex, but strategic...?? I don't see any evidence of that.

Your saying that there is no way that their were other countries other than Zeal and the Earthbound before Crono and Co. showed up? I always wondered what the rise of Zeal was, and assumed it was how a buffoon like Dalton could get in that rank. Unless he was born into it, which seems unlikely. Zeal is portrayed as an evolved kingdom. He at least had to have studied war to make it into that position, and it's unlikely that Gaurdia knew of any of the Zealian tactics.

[Fireseal]

You guys are over analysing Dalton a bit too much on his ability. Yes, CT portrays Dalton as just a whinny and stupid person with an eye-patch, a cape and a big ego, but has it ever occured to any of you that perhaps the nation of Porre is even more stupid than the person who apparently rallied them to defeat Guardia? Dalton would be like the real-world George W. Bush, and the nation of Porre would be his massive army of buffoons, that carry guns and wear ridiculous blue berets. Dalton just simply got into power, just like George W. Bush did, by the stupidity of the nation.

[ZealKnight]

Nice comparison, but you've given George W. Bush too much credit. Dalton would be a much more effective and intelligent leader.

[V_Translanka]

The only reason they won is because Dalton is actually a strong, powerful, and strategic military leader.

Prove it. I'll give you that he eventually got strong & powerful during his time in the Vortex, but strategic...?? I don't see any evidence of that.

Your saying that there is no way that their were other countries other than Zeal and the Earthbound before Crono and Co. showed up? I always wondered what the rise of Zeal was, and assumed it was how a buffoon like Dalton could get in that rank. Unless he was born into it, which seems unlikely. Zeal is portrayed as an evolved kingdom. He at least had to have studied war to make it into that position, and it's unlikely that Gaurdia knew of any of the Zealian tactics.

I said prove it, not speculate about why you might think that way!

But, anyways, the way I see it he (& Zeal for that matter) just overpowered anyone who didn't have Magic. And, no, it doesn't appear as though there were other 'countries' or even that any could have existed in the ice age occurring below...And, also, what exactly was Dalton's "rank"? Are we ever told he's a military general of some kind? Or is he just the Queen's lapdog that he appears to be?

[Magus22]

Chrono Trigger DS established Dalton as a man out of time. So who knows what he's been up to since then or for how long. His knowledge of magic, technology, and military strategy could have vastly increased during his travels through time. Sure he could still be the bumbling power hungry buffoon, or he could be a demi-god. Who knows how much experience he gained since his "downfall" in Zeal.

I personally see him as some mastermind (albeit a still somewhat buffoonish mastermind) behind the scenes trying to ochestrate events through time for his benefit. He already knows more than he should. How does he know Crono and co are from Guardia? How does he know what Guardia is? How does he know about Porre? How does he know Porre has the potential to become a military power? I see him traveling across time behind the scenes, gaining the knowledge and advantage he needs to gain revenge and power.

I want a new game with Dalton as the antagonist.

I am glad that more people are starting to support what I have started many years ago. It just makes the most sense, and Dalton has clear motive. Although I may be treading off topic, this analysis of Dalton's appearance in the Dimensional Distortion (exclusive to this DS re-release) and even his motive will be important for the Compendium to "flesh-out" in the near future. I like the idea of Dalton raising a Lavos spawn or genetically engineering it with Zealian technology. Either that or he extracts some similar form of DNA from the discarded Lavos spawn shell still sitting atop Death Peak that the party used to climb the mountain and revive Crono.

The way I see it, I expect one of three possible NEW Chrono games very soon (by "soon" I mean we will hear something by the end of 2009 - even though earlier would be better). Check out the following:

• Chrono Trigger 2: The Fall of Guardia (events after CT, rise of Porre, Fall of Guardia, Masamune, Dalton)
• Chrono Cross HD Remix (re-release of CC on next-gen gaming console - think CT DS for here)
• Chrono Break (the much anticipated sequel to both Chrono games - we won't see this for a long time)

This DS port has given us what we wanted. Not only has it been a new Chrono game, but we must establish that the added sidequests, ending, etc... were all placed in there for a reason. Why not just simply port the original again? Why go the extra yard and add new content that was never in the original? This is fantastic news and we should all look forward to something tasty in the near future.

[V_Translanka]

I like the idea of Dalton raising a Lavos spawn or genetically engineering it with Zealian technology. Either that or he extracts some similar form of DNA from the discarded Lavos spawn shell still sitting atop Death Peak that the party used to climb the mountain and revive Crono.

Wouldn't that no longer exist in the new future? Though since Dalton was in the Vortex...I say more of Chrono World's Lavos would be a bit much...They already brought it back once, a third time could only result in disaster (ala Godfather 3?)...

[Shadow D. Darkman]

I submitted a possibility of bringing Lavos back as a fully-evolved Time Devourer (since it hadn't reached the end of its evolution when Serge freed Schala) as a plot twist for Brake in a different thread (or this one, but further back). Maybe around the time Serge interfered, Lavos no longer needed Schala to complete its evolution.

[V_Translanka]

But Lavos was merging with Schala in order to survive...then the Chrono Cross erased it from existence...