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Darkness Beyond Time - Dead Project Discussion / Finished watching the entirety of the CE Memorial channel. Comments & Feedback
« on: May 05, 2011, 06:36:12 pm »
Hey,
It's been a long time since I've even thought about the Compendium, mostly because life took priority over writing and talking about the Chrono series on the internet. Anyway, I've had a lot of free time on my hands lately, so I got around to watching Faust Wolf's playthrough of CE in its entirety again, and I loved it! I think I commented on it a while back in 2009, I wanted to give all of yo uwho worked on teh project another kudos and some commments on CE. Although I wish I could have gotten to play it myself, it was almost as enjoyable just watching it be played. I have some comments and feedback for everyone who worked on this:
The General Story & Character Development
The story was very well-done, and it was a joy to even watch someone else play while I paid attention to the story. The writing in general was fantastic, and I loved how you kept everything updated with npc comments as the game progressed. In the beginning, I wasn't so sure the King Zeal thing would work out, but it did - quite well! I'm also glad you decided to go with the reptite world arc instead of a cold war arc like you commented - it seems like it just fit better. The only element I really thought was weak was the Ocean Palace ruins in 11,995 BC. I realize it would have been tough to get around Zeal's entrance and Schala coming back without it, but the whole time FW was running through it I was thinking, "This all turned into the Black Omen and was sucked into Lavos' pocket dimension at the end of CT - how can it be back at the bottom of the sea when it was destroyed?"
As far as character development went, again I really liked how you did it. My favorite had to be Marle. By the end of the game, she had really grown up a lot.Frog Glenn was really developed too, but I liked Marle's more. I did think it was pretty cool how through the game you showed Belthasar transitioning from being this brilliant man who was too naive for his own good to who he will be in Chrono Cross.
The Frozen Flame
I really liked what you did with the Frozen Flame with regard to the arbiters, its role in history, and also clearing up some confusion Kato caused in Chrono Cross with his explanation of the Flame causing humans to "evolve." Your explanations were both smooth and VERY believable!
I really liked how you guys even went as far as to say that Schala was an arbiter, and that the Flame was in the Mammon Machine, and what caused the Ocean Palace disaster was Lavos trying to reclaim the Frozen Flame. Granted, part of the reason I liked that was because I remember being part of that whole discussion on the forums years ago, and it's really neat when you get to see stuff you talked about actually being implemented in a game.
Endings & Relation to CT:DS
I'll talk about both of these together. While I think changing everything to 1005 AD really did help the story progress well like you said, and since it was actually here at the Compendium that it was suggested that maybe Dalton changed history and made Porre militant, it was good to put that part in, although I really don't think the extra temporal dungeon stuff and fighting the Dream Devourer in CT:DS should be considered canon in the Chrono series. So, as far as the ending explaining how Magus ended up fighting the Dream Devourer solo in CT:DS, I don't really think you needed to do that, although I did like how you did it. The ending itself, however, was simply amazing, both pre-credits and post-credits. I loved the lead-in to Chrono Cross as well. To think of it all as a "Grand Chess Game" between Belthasar and the Frozen Flame was really cool, and it gave a whole new insight into Chrono Cross as well. Having Crono and Marle in the Dreamtime with Gaspar was pretty neat, and having Crono watching Serge at the end and talking about how "that boy did a fine job" was something I really liked. Last, keeping with the multiple endings tradition was fantastic - loved it!
Other Random Things
- Yes, Glenn + Braveheart = BROKEN!
- Gameplay and pace seemed well thought-out. Having breaks with mini-games and other fun stuff really seemed like it kept things flowing nicely.
- The whole time a romance was budding between Glenn and Ayla, I kept thinking, "Poor Lucca - if only she knew the Frog was the hunk she dreamed of! She should have made a move!"
- The scene with Crono standing over Marle's bones in Dinopolis seemed too short. It seemed like Crono went from barely mourning Marle's death to snapping and chopping up every reptite in sight.
On Square-Enix and the C&D
It's sad it happened, and I really feel for you all. I really believe that if CT:DS hadn't come out, you wouldn't have received the C&D. They were probably afraid that this game would steal away their business from CT:DS, and they probably felt like they were just protecting their IP. Problem is, they failed to realize a couple things: 1) Your game would have in all likelihood increased sales of CT:DS, and 2) The game was nearly good enough for them to just pick it up themselves and publish it on the DS. I mean, all the development work was done and everything! Any offer they would have made you guys to pick up CE would have been less than what it would have cost them to develop the game. It's a shame they couldn't have offered you an alternative like that - you know, one that would have actually made fans happy and would have made them more money.
Like others have mentioned across the net, Square-Enix isn't the Square of old that made amazing games. While I think part of it is that Sakaguchi's leaving them created a talent vacuum, it really seems to me that Square-Enix is just trying to become the Japanese Electronic Arts and be able to compete internationally as a publisher.
I didn't buy FFXIII or FFXIV, and I'm holding my breath before even thinking about buying FFvsXIII. Not to mention, I haven't bought any of their George Lucas style remakes of their past games. On the up-side, maybe they'll eventually learn that they can't churn out crap with a quality label on it while simultaneously refusing to make anything the customers actually want (while simultaneously C&D quality games being made by fans).
In the end, though, you guys should be proud of yourselves - you made a MASSIVE contribution to the CT community, and to be completely honest about it, I'd consider CT:CE canon before I would consider any kind of Chrono thing Square-Enix would try to put out in the future (which they probably won't). Fantastic job! Well done!
It's been a long time since I've even thought about the Compendium, mostly because life took priority over writing and talking about the Chrono series on the internet. Anyway, I've had a lot of free time on my hands lately, so I got around to watching Faust Wolf's playthrough of CE in its entirety again, and I loved it! I think I commented on it a while back in 2009, I wanted to give all of yo uwho worked on teh project another kudos and some commments on CE. Although I wish I could have gotten to play it myself, it was almost as enjoyable just watching it be played. I have some comments and feedback for everyone who worked on this:
The General Story & Character Development
The story was very well-done, and it was a joy to even watch someone else play while I paid attention to the story. The writing in general was fantastic, and I loved how you kept everything updated with npc comments as the game progressed. In the beginning, I wasn't so sure the King Zeal thing would work out, but it did - quite well! I'm also glad you decided to go with the reptite world arc instead of a cold war arc like you commented - it seems like it just fit better. The only element I really thought was weak was the Ocean Palace ruins in 11,995 BC. I realize it would have been tough to get around Zeal's entrance and Schala coming back without it, but the whole time FW was running through it I was thinking, "This all turned into the Black Omen and was sucked into Lavos' pocket dimension at the end of CT - how can it be back at the bottom of the sea when it was destroyed?"
As far as character development went, again I really liked how you did it. My favorite had to be Marle. By the end of the game, she had really grown up a lot.
The Frozen Flame
I really liked what you did with the Frozen Flame with regard to the arbiters, its role in history, and also clearing up some confusion Kato caused in Chrono Cross with his explanation of the Flame causing humans to "evolve." Your explanations were both smooth and VERY believable!
I really liked how you guys even went as far as to say that Schala was an arbiter, and that the Flame was in the Mammon Machine, and what caused the Ocean Palace disaster was Lavos trying to reclaim the Frozen Flame. Granted, part of the reason I liked that was because I remember being part of that whole discussion on the forums years ago, and it's really neat when you get to see stuff you talked about actually being implemented in a game.Endings & Relation to CT:DS
I'll talk about both of these together. While I think changing everything to 1005 AD really did help the story progress well like you said, and since it was actually here at the Compendium that it was suggested that maybe Dalton changed history and made Porre militant, it was good to put that part in, although I really don't think the extra temporal dungeon stuff and fighting the Dream Devourer in CT:DS should be considered canon in the Chrono series. So, as far as the ending explaining how Magus ended up fighting the Dream Devourer solo in CT:DS, I don't really think you needed to do that, although I did like how you did it. The ending itself, however, was simply amazing, both pre-credits and post-credits. I loved the lead-in to Chrono Cross as well. To think of it all as a "Grand Chess Game" between Belthasar and the Frozen Flame was really cool, and it gave a whole new insight into Chrono Cross as well. Having Crono and Marle in the Dreamtime with Gaspar was pretty neat, and having Crono watching Serge at the end and talking about how "that boy did a fine job" was something I really liked. Last, keeping with the multiple endings tradition was fantastic - loved it!
Other Random Things
- Yes, Glenn + Braveheart = BROKEN!
- Gameplay and pace seemed well thought-out. Having breaks with mini-games and other fun stuff really seemed like it kept things flowing nicely.
- The whole time a romance was budding between Glenn and Ayla, I kept thinking, "Poor Lucca - if only she knew the Frog was the hunk she dreamed of! She should have made a move!"
- The scene with Crono standing over Marle's bones in Dinopolis seemed too short. It seemed like Crono went from barely mourning Marle's death to snapping and chopping up every reptite in sight.
On Square-Enix and the C&D
It's sad it happened, and I really feel for you all. I really believe that if CT:DS hadn't come out, you wouldn't have received the C&D. They were probably afraid that this game would steal away their business from CT:DS, and they probably felt like they were just protecting their IP. Problem is, they failed to realize a couple things: 1) Your game would have in all likelihood increased sales of CT:DS, and 2) The game was nearly good enough for them to just pick it up themselves and publish it on the DS. I mean, all the development work was done and everything! Any offer they would have made you guys to pick up CE would have been less than what it would have cost them to develop the game. It's a shame they couldn't have offered you an alternative like that - you know, one that would have actually made fans happy and would have made them more money.
Like others have mentioned across the net, Square-Enix isn't the Square of old that made amazing games. While I think part of it is that Sakaguchi's leaving them created a talent vacuum, it really seems to me that Square-Enix is just trying to become the Japanese Electronic Arts and be able to compete internationally as a publisher.
I didn't buy FFXIII or FFXIV, and I'm holding my breath before even thinking about buying FFvsXIII. Not to mention, I haven't bought any of their George Lucas style remakes of their past games. On the up-side, maybe they'll eventually learn that they can't churn out crap with a quality label on it while simultaneously refusing to make anything the customers actually want (while simultaneously C&D quality games being made by fans). In the end, though, you guys should be proud of yourselves - you made a MASSIVE contribution to the CT community, and to be completely honest about it, I'd consider CT:CE canon before I would consider any kind of Chrono thing Square-Enix would try to put out in the future (which they probably won't). Fantastic job! Well done!
2
Lavos, the Planet, and other Entities / Discussion: Nature of the Entity in CT&CC and Bosh/Balthazar's Role
« on: June 13, 2009, 05:23:14 pm »
This has been bugging me for quite some time, ever since I observed that The Guru of Reason's (Bosh/Balthazar) role in CT was actually larger than what was spelled out for us, I've been thinking that while Kato had it right that the planet really was the "Entity" repsonsible for creating the gates, it wasn't purely the planet's will that guided Crono & Co. through the events of CT. In other words, I think Kato only had it half-right and tried to make something canon that conflicted with pre-established but seldom-discussed canon from CT. Here's the evidence:
- In the very beginning of CT, if you try to sell Marle's pendant to Melchior, he tells you to hold onto it and keep it safe.
- When you meet Balthazar for the first time, he speaks about Death Peak and about how now is not the time to climb it, and that "they", the dolls he created, must show you the way. This foreshadows you having to climb Death Peak and there is a right time (using the Chrono Trigger) to climb it. In other words, there are STRONG hints that Balthazar had prior knowledge of the heroes' needing to come to him to climb Death Peak.
- Balthazar also asks if you have ever seen his creations, the Blackbird and the Ocean Palace, although this could be chalked up to his slowly losing his mind....
- Balthazar dies completing his Wings of Time and leaves a message for Crono & Co. explaining why he completed the Wings of Time, and explaining that he knew they would be able to open the sealed door, which means he also had knowledge of their being to the Kingdom of Zeal. He even creates a copy of himself in the Nu to help guide Crono & Co.
- When it comes time to use the Chrono Trigger, Balthazar not only knows how to activate it (may have had prior knowledge in Zeal), but has made preparations for the heroes to climb Death Peak, and depending on whether or not they have a clone, he guides them to Nornstein Bekkler in 1000 A.D.
Here's my thoughts on the matter:
The planet is the "entity" in one sense. The planet is responsible for the gates being formed, however, it is hinted that Balthazar played a much larger role in the events of CT than what is commonly accepted. He may not have guided all the events as he did in CC, but he did have more of a hand in the events of CT than what he is being given credit for.
The planet is responsible for the gates but I don't believe in the sense that is commonly accepted. I see the planet-as-entity as a physical and temporal phenomenon. Lavos is buried in the core of the planet, which in itself could be considered a strong electromagnet. So, with a pocket dimension interacting with a strong electromagnet, time and space can't help but be distorted and have holes and connections be made. In other words, it's the planet's reaction to Lavos in its core that makes the gates form in the first place.
Now in CC, you see some even crazier stuff happen, where time periods don't bend together, but timelines do! The most violent example of this is the planet pulling Dinopolis out of its timeline to counter-act Chronopolis. Kato says that the planet pulls Dinopolis from its timeline into the one where Chronopolis is present, but is that a "conscious" act of the planet-as-entity? I don't think that's the case. Instead, I would think that this resulted of interactions between Lavos, the planet, and the Frozen Flame, causing a massive dimensional distortion (a la Fringe - thank you J.J. Abrams), where Dinopolis crossed over.
What are your thoughts on this subject - I'd like to see a debate going on this.
- In the very beginning of CT, if you try to sell Marle's pendant to Melchior, he tells you to hold onto it and keep it safe.
- When you meet Balthazar for the first time, he speaks about Death Peak and about how now is not the time to climb it, and that "they", the dolls he created, must show you the way. This foreshadows you having to climb Death Peak and there is a right time (using the Chrono Trigger) to climb it. In other words, there are STRONG hints that Balthazar had prior knowledge of the heroes' needing to come to him to climb Death Peak.
- Balthazar also asks if you have ever seen his creations, the Blackbird and the Ocean Palace, although this could be chalked up to his slowly losing his mind....
- Balthazar dies completing his Wings of Time and leaves a message for Crono & Co. explaining why he completed the Wings of Time, and explaining that he knew they would be able to open the sealed door, which means he also had knowledge of their being to the Kingdom of Zeal. He even creates a copy of himself in the Nu to help guide Crono & Co.
- When it comes time to use the Chrono Trigger, Balthazar not only knows how to activate it (may have had prior knowledge in Zeal), but has made preparations for the heroes to climb Death Peak, and depending on whether or not they have a clone, he guides them to Nornstein Bekkler in 1000 A.D.
Here's my thoughts on the matter:
The planet is the "entity" in one sense. The planet is responsible for the gates being formed, however, it is hinted that Balthazar played a much larger role in the events of CT than what is commonly accepted. He may not have guided all the events as he did in CC, but he did have more of a hand in the events of CT than what he is being given credit for.
The planet is responsible for the gates but I don't believe in the sense that is commonly accepted. I see the planet-as-entity as a physical and temporal phenomenon. Lavos is buried in the core of the planet, which in itself could be considered a strong electromagnet. So, with a pocket dimension interacting with a strong electromagnet, time and space can't help but be distorted and have holes and connections be made. In other words, it's the planet's reaction to Lavos in its core that makes the gates form in the first place.
Now in CC, you see some even crazier stuff happen, where time periods don't bend together, but timelines do! The most violent example of this is the planet pulling Dinopolis out of its timeline to counter-act Chronopolis. Kato says that the planet pulls Dinopolis from its timeline into the one where Chronopolis is present, but is that a "conscious" act of the planet-as-entity? I don't think that's the case. Instead, I would think that this resulted of interactions between Lavos, the planet, and the Frozen Flame, causing a massive dimensional distortion (a la Fringe - thank you J.J. Abrams), where Dinopolis crossed over.
What are your thoughts on this subject - I'd like to see a debate going on this.
3
History, Locations, and Artifacts / What if FATE had succeeded in recovering the Frozen Flame?
« on: March 04, 2006, 10:41:44 pm »
Recently, I accessed the alternate ending in Chrono Cross, where FATE recovers the Frozen Flame by using Lynx/Dark Serge as planned. All the records of FATE turn black, and it is suggested that this happens because Lynx/Dark Serge recovers the Flame for FATE and becomes one with FATE.
The more I think about it, however, the less it makes sense. We find out in the game that Lynx was a part of FATE the whole time or was completely under FATE's control, essentially being FATE. There is a part of this that is left completely unanswered and also leads me to believe that had Serge not been able to stop FATE from recovering the Frozen Flame, the future in the Dead Sea would have happened due to an error on FATE's part.
The FATE computer calculated that if it regained control of the Frozen Flame, it could regain its power over possibly stabilizing the correct future and protect humanity from Lavos. The problem that the FATE computer did not forsee, however, was that by recovering the Frozen Flame through the method of switching bodies with the Arbiter, Serge, it would have caused the very destruction it wished to prevent, or possibly the destruction of all space-time.
Let's just say that FATE did recover the Flame under the guise of Dark Serge. Dark Serge becomes one with FATE and also is in contact with the Frozen Flame, which in turn can be in contact with Lavos and/or the Time Devourer. The only thing I'm not sure of is which form of Lavos FATE would become one with - Lavos or the Time Devourer. A paradox occurs though, because by merging with one, it cannot possibly merge with the other. We know, however, that it is because of Serge that Lavos is able to still reign in the future, and it also because Serge that the Time Devourer could destroy all space-time. That is, if it merges with Serge, who is connected to the Frozen Flame.
So, the question I'm raising is what would have happened if FATE had succeeded? My prediction is that it would have inadvertantly caused destruction of either one future or all of spacetime, hence the reason why Serge had to stop FATE from succeeding in its goal. The thing is, I'm just not so sure if I'm right. What do you think about this?
The more I think about it, however, the less it makes sense. We find out in the game that Lynx was a part of FATE the whole time or was completely under FATE's control, essentially being FATE. There is a part of this that is left completely unanswered and also leads me to believe that had Serge not been able to stop FATE from recovering the Frozen Flame, the future in the Dead Sea would have happened due to an error on FATE's part.
The FATE computer calculated that if it regained control of the Frozen Flame, it could regain its power over possibly stabilizing the correct future and protect humanity from Lavos. The problem that the FATE computer did not forsee, however, was that by recovering the Frozen Flame through the method of switching bodies with the Arbiter, Serge, it would have caused the very destruction it wished to prevent, or possibly the destruction of all space-time.
Let's just say that FATE did recover the Flame under the guise of Dark Serge. Dark Serge becomes one with FATE and also is in contact with the Frozen Flame, which in turn can be in contact with Lavos and/or the Time Devourer. The only thing I'm not sure of is which form of Lavos FATE would become one with - Lavos or the Time Devourer. A paradox occurs though, because by merging with one, it cannot possibly merge with the other. We know, however, that it is because of Serge that Lavos is able to still reign in the future, and it also because Serge that the Time Devourer could destroy all space-time. That is, if it merges with Serge, who is connected to the Frozen Flame.
So, the question I'm raising is what would have happened if FATE had succeeded? My prediction is that it would have inadvertantly caused destruction of either one future or all of spacetime, hence the reason why Serge had to stop FATE from succeeding in its goal. The thing is, I'm just not so sure if I'm right. What do you think about this?
4
Lavos, the Planet, and other Entities / A New "Entity" Theory In Progress
« on: December 13, 2005, 01:32:46 am »
I have been reading the Entity theory posed by Zeality, et al, and while I do agree it is a very plausible theory, I would like to propose another possibility that I don't feel has been adequately explored. This possibility is based off of quotes from Chrono Trigger as well as the driving force behind Chrono Cross. I am proposing that the "Entity" could be the Gurus of Life, Reason, and Time.
I came to this possibility after playing Chrono Cross and considering that the Guru of Reason planned out (most of) the events that happened in Chrono Cross. He even developed a machine which could move freely through time. As I considered this, I first thought that the Guru of Reason himself may have been the driving force behind Chrono Trigger for a few reasons:
1) He did complete the Epoch, which meant he could have used it before he decided to store it.
2) He made sealed doors which he knew would eventually be opened as given by this quote:
"To those who opened the door... I am Belthasar, the Guru of Reason. I once lived in the kingdom of Zeal."
This quote is very important because it implies that he had hoped someone would open the door and had planned accordingly. This could imply that he was expecting someone to eventually come with the ability to open the sealed door. For that to happen, they must have been able to recognize how to open the door, as we know that "dynamite won't even budge it".
From there, I considered the possibility that the Guru of Reason had planned out Chrono Trigger as well as Chrono Cross. What is interesting is the time periods the gates are placed in - 1000 A.D., the time in which the Guru of Life was sent, 600 A.D., the time period in which Magus (Janus) summons Lavos and as a consequence he and his castle disappear, 2300 A.D., the timeline in which the Guru of Reason resides, 65,000,000 B.C., when Lavos crashes onto the planet, and 12,000 B.C., where it all began for the Gurus and Janus. Each timeline represents significance to the Gurus, especially the Guru of Reason.
The more I thought about 1000 A.D., however, the more I was led to reconsider that the Guru of Reason was not the only one who could have been involved, if the Gurus were involved at all. This quote from the Guru of Life in particular led me to believe so: "Oh, my! It's...the pendant...! Er, sorry, but I can't buy that! It's...far too special! Keep it safe!" Why would he say this? One possibility, and the only conclusion I have been able to reach, is that he had some knowledge of what would eventually transpire.
The End of Time is also very interesting, as the Guru of Time resides there. Furthermore, there is the possibility that he constructed the structure of the End of Time as Crono and co. see it, since it is implied that there was physically nothing there (except the prospect of Spekkio) before he arrived. Furthermore, there is a gate in a bucket leading to the Day of Lavos there that appears to have been constructed. The question that I posed in my mind, then, was why would it not be a pillar of light like all the other gates? This gate was special in that it was not meant to be accessed immediately. Because of this, I was further led to consider the idea that the Guru of Time could have been involved in such a plan as well, especially since he serves as a guide throughout Chrono Trigger.
Since it is known that the Zeal culture was able to create and study space-time distortions, it is not unreasonable to consider the possibilty that the Gurus could have planned the formation of the gates and the guiding of the events of Crono Trigger.
Some arguments against such a theory also need to be addressed.
The first, and most compelling argument against the notion that the Gurus were involved in the planning of the events of Chrono Trigger is the gate which appears during the campfire scene. How did that gate just suddenly form?
Under this proposed theory, there is a possible answer. The pendant the Gurus made holds considerable power and demonstrated the power to make gates on two other occassions. The first occassion was the begging of the game when a portal opened when the pendant was exposed to another space-time distortion. The other time was on Death Peak when the Time Egg was used with the pendant. It must also be taken into consideration that the pendant was made of dreamstone, as was the Masamune. The Masamune did react to Frog's emotions on two occasions during Chrono Trigger, and during Chrono Cross it was full of negative emotions/energy. This gives credit to the possibility that the pendant too could react to emotion. During the campfire scene, the pendant was in the possession of the heroes, and it was also fully charged with the energy of Lavos, a being which had the power to manipulate space-time. The pendant itself could have reacted to Lucca's emotions creating a temporary gate.
Another argument is that at the end of Chrono Trigger, Lucca comments that the "Entity" is at rest. This supports the planet-entity theory better, does it not?
I hate to answer questions with questions, but this case it is necessary. How do we know that Lucca truly knew what she said was true? Also, could the Gurus not also have been relieved and at rest that their plan worked?
A third argument against this theory is that Frog's quotes from the camfire scene, " 'Tis true that mortals do relive their most profound memories before death claimeth them," and "Lavos playeth an integral role in the fortunes of this Entity..." imply that the planet is the "Entity", not the Gurus.
One possible answer is that the Gurus had no choice but to tailor the events they could plan, or even just tailor the gates to main points in the history between Lavos and the planet. After all, the whole point would be to save the planet from the destruction Lavos would bring upon it. Also, Lavos played a major role in the lives of each of the Gurus, and at least two of the three Gurus did study Lavos in detail.
I am interested in hearing feedback and other arguments, both in favor of and against this proposed theory.
I came to this possibility after playing Chrono Cross and considering that the Guru of Reason planned out (most of) the events that happened in Chrono Cross. He even developed a machine which could move freely through time. As I considered this, I first thought that the Guru of Reason himself may have been the driving force behind Chrono Trigger for a few reasons:
1) He did complete the Epoch, which meant he could have used it before he decided to store it.
2) He made sealed doors which he knew would eventually be opened as given by this quote:
"To those who opened the door... I am Belthasar, the Guru of Reason. I once lived in the kingdom of Zeal."
This quote is very important because it implies that he had hoped someone would open the door and had planned accordingly. This could imply that he was expecting someone to eventually come with the ability to open the sealed door. For that to happen, they must have been able to recognize how to open the door, as we know that "dynamite won't even budge it".
From there, I considered the possibility that the Guru of Reason had planned out Chrono Trigger as well as Chrono Cross. What is interesting is the time periods the gates are placed in - 1000 A.D., the time in which the Guru of Life was sent, 600 A.D., the time period in which Magus (Janus) summons Lavos and as a consequence he and his castle disappear, 2300 A.D., the timeline in which the Guru of Reason resides, 65,000,000 B.C., when Lavos crashes onto the planet, and 12,000 B.C., where it all began for the Gurus and Janus. Each timeline represents significance to the Gurus, especially the Guru of Reason.
The more I thought about 1000 A.D., however, the more I was led to reconsider that the Guru of Reason was not the only one who could have been involved, if the Gurus were involved at all. This quote from the Guru of Life in particular led me to believe so: "Oh, my! It's...the pendant...! Er, sorry, but I can't buy that! It's...far too special! Keep it safe!" Why would he say this? One possibility, and the only conclusion I have been able to reach, is that he had some knowledge of what would eventually transpire.
The End of Time is also very interesting, as the Guru of Time resides there. Furthermore, there is the possibility that he constructed the structure of the End of Time as Crono and co. see it, since it is implied that there was physically nothing there (except the prospect of Spekkio) before he arrived. Furthermore, there is a gate in a bucket leading to the Day of Lavos there that appears to have been constructed. The question that I posed in my mind, then, was why would it not be a pillar of light like all the other gates? This gate was special in that it was not meant to be accessed immediately. Because of this, I was further led to consider the idea that the Guru of Time could have been involved in such a plan as well, especially since he serves as a guide throughout Chrono Trigger.
Since it is known that the Zeal culture was able to create and study space-time distortions, it is not unreasonable to consider the possibilty that the Gurus could have planned the formation of the gates and the guiding of the events of Crono Trigger.
Some arguments against such a theory also need to be addressed.
The first, and most compelling argument against the notion that the Gurus were involved in the planning of the events of Chrono Trigger is the gate which appears during the campfire scene. How did that gate just suddenly form?
Under this proposed theory, there is a possible answer. The pendant the Gurus made holds considerable power and demonstrated the power to make gates on two other occassions. The first occassion was the begging of the game when a portal opened when the pendant was exposed to another space-time distortion. The other time was on Death Peak when the Time Egg was used with the pendant. It must also be taken into consideration that the pendant was made of dreamstone, as was the Masamune. The Masamune did react to Frog's emotions on two occasions during Chrono Trigger, and during Chrono Cross it was full of negative emotions/energy. This gives credit to the possibility that the pendant too could react to emotion. During the campfire scene, the pendant was in the possession of the heroes, and it was also fully charged with the energy of Lavos, a being which had the power to manipulate space-time. The pendant itself could have reacted to Lucca's emotions creating a temporary gate.
Another argument is that at the end of Chrono Trigger, Lucca comments that the "Entity" is at rest. This supports the planet-entity theory better, does it not?
I hate to answer questions with questions, but this case it is necessary. How do we know that Lucca truly knew what she said was true? Also, could the Gurus not also have been relieved and at rest that their plan worked?
A third argument against this theory is that Frog's quotes from the camfire scene, " 'Tis true that mortals do relive their most profound memories before death claimeth them," and "Lavos playeth an integral role in the fortunes of this Entity..." imply that the planet is the "Entity", not the Gurus.
One possible answer is that the Gurus had no choice but to tailor the events they could plan, or even just tailor the gates to main points in the history between Lavos and the planet. After all, the whole point would be to save the planet from the destruction Lavos would bring upon it. Also, Lavos played a major role in the lives of each of the Gurus, and at least two of the three Gurus did study Lavos in detail.
I am interested in hearing feedback and other arguments, both in favor of and against this proposed theory.
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