Difference between revisions of "Chronopolis (Early Human Diagram)"

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(Plot Inconsistency)
 
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==Inquiry==
 
==Inquiry==
  
In [[Chronopolis]], a diagram supposedly depicting an [[Early Human]] and a [[Human]] is presented to contrast [[Lavos]] evolution. However, the alleged Early Human is shown with apelike features. However, [[Ayla]] is shown to be an upright homo sapiens in [[Chrono Trigger]], along with her colleagues. What gives?
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In [[Chronopolis]], a diagram supposedly depicting an [[Early Human]] and a [[Human]] is presented to contrast [[Lavos]] evolution. The alleged Early Human is shown with apelike features, even though [[Ayla]] is shown to be an upright homo sapiens in [[Chrono Trigger]], along with her colleagues. What gives?
  
==Answer==
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==Plot Inconsistency==
  
The diagram probably depicts an even earlier stage of human development, predating Ayla. Masato Kato worked on Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross at the deepest stages of its development, precluding the possibility of making a mistake simply by forgetting Ayla's concept art and the status of humans in [[65000000 B.C.]] The size of the human brain is 1,600 cm3. That / 3 = 533.3. What we know is that the "original size" mentioned by the Terra Tower stoneface must be of roughly 530 cm3. According to many websites, the brain size of an Australopithecus is about 530 cm3. This is too close to be just a coincidence. But if you don't want to consider the Australopithecus human, there's the Homo habilis who has a brain size of 550 to 650 cm3. It's less close to the 533.3, but it can fit. The point is, when the stone face says that a modern human brain is 3 times bigger than the original brain, it was probably comparing the brain size of the "corrupted" modern human with the brain size of either the Australopithecus, or the Homo habilis, or some other early human species. It couldn't have been referring to a more evolved species like the Homo erectus, because erectus already has a brain size of 1,000 cm3 -- too big to be 3 times smaller than the 1,600 measurement. As for Ayla, she's clearly not an Australopithecus, she might be erectus or someone with no equivalent species in the real world. Anyway, her brain size is between the "original size" mentioned by the stone face and the modern, 3-time bigger size. Her head is clearly too big to contain ''just'' a little 530 cm3 brain.
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Chrono Cross establishes that early humans contacted the Frozen Flame around [[3000000 B.C.]], and that [[Lavos]] evolved them to modern humans rapidly. These modern humans would later create the Kingdom of [[Zeal]] and modern civilization. The same quote that establishes the three-million year timeframe also speaks of the brains:
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<pre> [Prisoner]
 +
  When I was still human,
 +
  I was locked up here, and
 +
  I have been here ever since...
 +
 
 +
  This tower is a fortress belonging
 +
  to the ancient Reptites...
 +
  A symbol of revenge, brought
 +
  against mankind by the Dragons...
 +
 
 +
  With the defeat of FATE,
 +
  the seal has been broken
 +
  and this tower has surfaced...
 +
 
 +
  In the eyes of the Dragons,
 +
  we humans are the foes...
 +
 
 +
  A brain that has developed abnormally
 +
  to 3 times the original size in the
 +
  span of 3 million years...
 +
 
 +
  We humans have evolved at an
 +
  enormous rate because of our
 +
  contact with Lavos's flame...
 +
 
 +
  In a sense, mankind is Lavos's offspring...
 +
 
 +
  We humans are extraneous to this planet...
 +
 
 +
  Now...
 +
  How will you fight,
 +
  Serge...</pre>
 +
 
 +
There you have it; the brain and early human depicted in Chronopolis looks like a an Australopithecus human or Homo habilis, while [[Ayla]], [[Kino]], and the others are shown to be fully-formed humans in Chrono Trigger. One can also object to the brain comparison, since Ayla and her kind are also fully-formed humans intellectually.
 +
 
 +
==Theories==
 +
 
 +
===Designer Oversight===
 +
 
 +
Masato Kato worked on Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross at the deepest stages of its development, precluding the possibility of making a mistake simply by forgetting Ayla's concept art and the status of humans in [[65000000 B.C.]] This is probably just an accident by the field artists for the maps of Chrono Cross, not caught by Kato or the other higher-ups.
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 +
===Other, Farfetched Theories===
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* ''Thought:'' Chronopolis got its evolutionary data only from the Dragonians after the [[Polis War]], and in the Dragonian dimension, early humans looked like that (whereas in the Keystone dimension, Ayla and her friends are normal humans).
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* ''Chrono'99:'' Chrono Cross is taking creative license. (Chrono Trigger could also retroactively be taking creative license, but this runs into problems with the drawing of Ayla at Lucca's house and the brain/cognition issue.)
 +
* ''Chrono'99:'' Lavos's impact sent the Frozen Flame back in time to 68,000,000 B.C., preserving the three million year figure and allowing for Ayla and her kind to be evolved in time for Crono to meet them.
  
 
==Media==
 
==Media==
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[[Image:Humanchange.png]]
 
[[Image:Humanchange.png]]
  
''From'': [[Common Questions]]
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''From'': [[Plot Inconsistencies]]

Latest revision as of 14:44, 1 October 2009

Inquiry

In Chronopolis, a diagram supposedly depicting an Early Human and a Human is presented to contrast Lavos evolution. The alleged Early Human is shown with apelike features, even though Ayla is shown to be an upright homo sapiens in Chrono Trigger, along with her colleagues. What gives?

Plot Inconsistency

Chrono Cross establishes that early humans contacted the Frozen Flame around 3000000 B.C., and that Lavos evolved them to modern humans rapidly. These modern humans would later create the Kingdom of Zeal and modern civilization. The same quote that establishes the three-million year timeframe also speaks of the brains:

 [Prisoner]
   When I was still human,
   I was locked up here, and
   I have been here ever since...

   This tower is a fortress belonging
   to the ancient Reptites...
   A symbol of revenge, brought
   against mankind by the Dragons...

   With the defeat of FATE,
   the seal has been broken
   and this tower has surfaced...

   In the eyes of the Dragons,
   we humans are the foes...
   
   A brain that has developed abnormally
   to 3 times the original size in the
   span of 3 million years...

   We humans have evolved at an
   enormous rate because of our
   contact with Lavos's flame...

   In a sense, mankind is Lavos's offspring...

   We humans are extraneous to this planet...

   Now...
   How will you fight,
   Serge...

There you have it; the brain and early human depicted in Chronopolis looks like a an Australopithecus human or Homo habilis, while Ayla, Kino, and the others are shown to be fully-formed humans in Chrono Trigger. One can also object to the brain comparison, since Ayla and her kind are also fully-formed humans intellectually.

Theories

Designer Oversight

Masato Kato worked on Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross at the deepest stages of its development, precluding the possibility of making a mistake simply by forgetting Ayla's concept art and the status of humans in 65000000 B.C. This is probably just an accident by the field artists for the maps of Chrono Cross, not caught by Kato or the other higher-ups.

Other, Farfetched Theories

  • Thought: Chronopolis got its evolutionary data only from the Dragonians after the Polis War, and in the Dragonian dimension, early humans looked like that (whereas in the Keystone dimension, Ayla and her friends are normal humans).
  • Chrono'99: Chrono Cross is taking creative license. (Chrono Trigger could also retroactively be taking creative license, but this runs into problems with the drawing of Ayla at Lucca's house and the brain/cognition issue.)
  • Chrono'99: Lavos's impact sent the Frozen Flame back in time to 68,000,000 B.C., preserving the three million year figure and allowing for Ayla and her kind to be evolved in time for Crono to meet them.

Media

Images

Humanchange.png

From: Plot Inconsistencies