Zeal Timeline (another possible timeline?)

[xcalibur]

Hi, first thread on here...

First id like to say that the compendium & forum is great, and im happy to find such a wealth of information on my favorite RPG.. as well as many other people who are just as fascinated by the story.

anyway..

as we know, if your level is high enough its possible to defeat Lavos in the ocean palace incident - this gets you the programmers ending.

but tying this into the storyline, lets say Crono & Co really do this - that means that Lavos wouldnt get the chance to destroy Zeal, and Zeal would continue to exist!

i wonder what that timeline would be like...

[Chrono'99]

Welcome!

There are a few fanfics and projects that feature(d) timelines in which Zeal didn't fall, like the collaborative fanfic "Project ZEAL", but I think the circumstances were different in each.

[Enigma Outlaw]

Honestly that's an idea I've never considered and a very intresting one at that. Obviously at the Ocean Palace they would have no choice but to fight Lavos then. However in the off chance they would have won you are right. Sure 1999 doesn't get blown up but neither does Zeal for that matter. Several things to consider:

1-Do Janus and the Gurus still get sent to their respective times?
2-In turn does this mean if Janus doesn't go to 600 AD the Mystic/Fiend War never happens, Cyrus never dies and Glenn never becomes Frog?
3-Does Zeal still become immortal?
4-Is Zeal still psycho?
5-With the death of Lavos does magic still exist or does it fade away ala FF6?
6-In turn if magic fades away would the Fall of Zeal still occur?

So much to consider. Nice topic X ^_~

[Acacia Sgt]

Let's see if I can answer those...

1) Since they already time traveled at least once (original time line), then yes, Janus and the Gurus will doubtlessly appear in their respective times.

However, since the ones to appear will be the ones coming from said original time line... Well, look below.

2) Having Zeal surviving means that history suffers a very big change. Considering how both the Enlightened Ones and Earthbound Ones had to live together now, by 600 AD (or even way before) everyone already has had both as ancestors. So in the case Zeal continued to live on floating in the sky, then it means no Cyrus, Glenn, etc.

Then, Zeal was the cause of the endless blizzards that were present since it rose. By continuing to float, the blizzards will keep going, preventing the Earthbound ones to live above the surface, meaning no Guardia, etc.

3 and 4) Since Lavos was the cause of both, then by it's defeat, it means Zeal stops being both.

5) Lavos wasn't the only source of magic. The Enlightened Ones used the planet as their source, like the use of the Sun Stone, before finding the Frozen Flame. Besides, when Zeal fell, they only lost their ability to use it, they still had it, so doubtless that they can still use it after Lavos's defeat.

6) Since it's highly likely that magic won't fade, the islands could still float. Though I'm not entirely sure of this one.

[xcalibur]

indeed...

The continued existence of Zeal would certainly form a very different timeline. not only would there not be a magus, but the world could be a very different place.. after all, zeal had an enormous influence on the history/timeline of the world.

an important consideration is that with the destruction of lavos, zeal could no longer use him/it as a power source. lavos wasnt their only source of magic, they used the sun stone before the mammon machine was built, as well as a few other sources i believe. without lavos, the queen might regain her senses, and life could get better in zeal.. although with less power to go around.

the islands would probably continue to float for at least a while.. after all, zeal was around for a decent length of time before the mammon machine, at least several generations. they did mention that the elemental power sources that they used previously were being slowly diminished, which presents the possibility that they may not be able to maintain their lifestyle above the clouds indefinitely. maybe zeal would end up going back to the surface to avoid expending too much magical power. that would create a somewhat less sharp divide between enlightened and earthbound, though they certainly wouldnt be brought together in a "last village". from there, who knows how history could develop? its an interesting thought anyway, and its possible material for a project/fanfic.