Can't return to the Black Omen

[IrishChai]

I think I might have reached a dead-end in Chrono Trigger and wanted to run it by you fans before I gave up and loaded up a much earlier saved game. I would like to preserve the choices I made to get the fitting ending then play again, but it seems that isn't possible now.

Basically this is where I am at; I entered the Black Omen and am after the point of defeating Lavos in all his many battle forms. I entered a room shortly thereafter (don't remember if there were other battle right afterwards) with a save game spot and portal back to the End of Time. I was almost out of every single item I brought with me so I returned to the End of Time to restock. I saved my game out of habit after I was all healed up and ready, then decided to try and revive Crono via the Time Guru's clues (I got Crono killed in my first encounter with Lavos and the Queen in 12,000 BC).

So I've been chipping away at the path to revive Crono, but at this point I would prefer to just get back to the Omen and finish this playthrough. The problem is I can't get back. I don't have any portals in the End of Time leading back to Black Omen, specifically from where I took the portal to the End of Time after the Lavos battle. I haven't found any sign of the Epoch in any of the 9 time period portals I have available to me (went in to each one and looked for it's icon via the area map). When I return to 12,000 BC, I'm stuck on the Earthbound Isle with no access to anything else other than the time portal in a small cave on a very small island. When I go to either of two portals to 65,000,000 BC, I have the Dactyls to fly with but that only seems to be useful on the quest to revive Crono because there is still no sign of the Epoch to use it to fly back to the Omen - just a hint by the Time Guru that "the one who crafted your Wings of Time can tell you the way".

So is there something I'm missing about how to get back on the Black Omen and continue that fight? Will it be accessible again if I just complete my quest to revive Crono? Otherwise I know I will be restarting back since before I lost Crono in battle. I kept a save just in case he never came back, but it seems like weeks since that point with how often I play.

I appreciate any help you guys can give. Thanks!

[IrishChai]

Just wanted to add that I'm at the point right after defeating the Lavos Outer Shell according to one wiki article over at strategywiki.org, where the reward is stated that I get a save point and end of time portal for defeating that encounter. I can't find anything online about leaving and not being able to get back in order to defeat the inner shell and core.

[IrishChai]

Best RPG I've ever played though, even if I am stuck at this point. Can't believe I missed this one growing up.

[rushingwind]

It could be a random glitch. I had a bizarre glitch or two randomly show up when playing Final Fantasy 6 in the past, so it's not inconceivable that there could have been a random error in your CT playthrough somewhere. Admittedly, I don't have the sheer number of playthroughs with Chrono Trigger that I do with other games, so I have never encountered a CT error myself, not even the famed Wolflobe sword! )

But before jumping to the conclusion that something is majorly wrong with your gamesave, let's rule out some things. While it seems ridiculously simple, have you checked the far, far right end of the platform at the End of Time? If you walk down that little stairway where Magus is standing, the Epoch might be there. (Truth: The first time I played CT I completely missed this somehow, so that's why I bring it up.) At some point Gaspar comments that the Epoch follows the characters around, as if it has a will of its own, so its worth double-checking.

You say you returned to the End of Time via a time gate after defeating outer Lavos. In that case, there isn't going to be a gate that leads back to the Black Omen itself. You can use the bucket gate to get back to the underground cave, which will lead you to the inner Lavos battles. When you returned to the End of Time after the battles, did you use the Time Gates to try and revive Chrono? Or had the Epoch not yet disappeared by that point?

Hmm.... Well, did you perhaps crash the Epoch into Lavos during a trip to 1999 by any chance? I've never followed that course of action, but I think it removes the Epoch from the game (after all, it's wrecked).

I hope something in this jumble of ideas is helpful!

[Kodokami]

When you defeat Queen Zeal in the Black Omen and are transported to Lavos, you can't return to the Black Omen in that or any future time eras; you can, however, revisit it in previous time eras. For example, if you first finish the Black Omen event in 1,000 AD, you can return to it in both 600 AD and 12,000 BC. If your first attempt was in 12,000 BC, that's it. You must wait until another playthrough.

As for not finding the Epoch, that's strange. Rushingwind gave some good advice, so double-check with that. And, as she said, if you need to return to the Lavos fight, use the bucket at the End of Time.

[IrishChai]

But before jumping to the conclusion that something is majorly wrong with your gamesave, let's rule out some things. While it seems ridiculously simple, have you checked the far, far right end of the platform at the End of Time? If you walk down that little stairway where Magus is standing, the Epoch might be there. (Truth: The first time I played CT I completely missed this somehow, so that's why I bring it up.) At some point Gaspar comments that the Epoch follows the characters around, as if it has a will of its own, so its worth double-checking.

oh man. I was afraid it was something extremely obvious and ridiculous like this. Sure enough, I walked over there and it asks me if I want to return to the Epoch. I thought I checked there before and just found a dead end in the stairs, so I didn't even try it I am guessing that will get me back to the Black Omen just by going to 12,000 BC and flying there, but I'll be able to figure out my way again with the Epoch to move around easier. I just needed the mobility back. Thank you very much!

[IrishChai]

Kinda silly of me to not even try going straight to Lavos in 1999 too, but now I see that drops me off right outside where I left it in the first place (outer shell destroyed and open to the inner shell). That's something else I thought I had ruled out by going there and just seeing the end of the world. So both answers helped! Thank you all!

[rushingwind]

Hey, no worries! Like I said, I overlooked the Epoch the exact same way on my first playthrough!

Since it seems like you defeated the Black Omen, you won't be able to return to it in the same time period that you defeated it in. So, say if you defeated it in 1000 AD, you can play through the Black Omen a second time in 600 AD if you want, and a third time in 12000 BC. Once you've defeated it in 12000 BC, though, there will be no more returning to the Black Omen in any time period! After all, if you wipe it out in Antiquity, it won't be there for you to thrash in the future, now will it?

Glad to be of help. Enjoy the game!