Chrono Trigger: An Existentialist Reading (Part VI)

[ideas]

In this final entry, we'll look at the miscellaneous quests that players can take on in the final hours of Chrono Trigger, as well as the final battle against Lavos and a few of the game's dozen-of-so endings. Because this part of the game is non-linear, I've decided to format this entry differently from the others. Instead of a single synopsis,

Comments

*claps*

[anonymous]

First, let me apologize in advance for my english. It's not my first language, though I don't have problems reading it.

This is probably the more interesting and indepth analysis I have read about a game in a long time. At first I admit I avoided it in the Compendium list of articles because I thought it was some kind of far-fetched explanation of some fan. The introduction persuaded me to give it a try, and now I think it was worth every minute I spent reading it.

Probably I need to re-read it (the level of caffeine in my system is too high to think straight) but with this first read I remember particularly some parts that stroked me the most: Your character analysis, especially Marle (I never noticed the irony of her escaping her royal duties just to end up posing as the Queen), Ayla (which is a character I never disliked, but kinda overlooked. She never stroked me as such an interesting character, your analysis really showed her under a different light) and Robo(I always thought of him as the most self-defining character of the game, being the only truly non-human character. As a machine he has to go against his own pre-programmed commands even before he can choice to go against fate. I really enjoyed reading your insights about the character); also the last section about Identity and Choice (now I am in tears after that one, lol =P as other commenter eloquently stated: I'm in TEARS OF PURE AWESOMENESS!).

Your idea about the dreamstone being a fragment of Lavos is very tempting, but the fact that Ayla got it before Lavos landed on earth makes it almost unplausible (thought the paradox about Lavos being the one "helping" humans to evolve is not lost because of the frozen flame).

There were some parts I thought needed quoting (at least for people who hasn't played the game that much, or don't remember certain parts, like Cyrus' epitaph), but that's because I read it at the compendium first, now that I see it with the supporting images, it all makes sense.

And lastly just to thank you for taking the time to write this, a must read for every Chrono fan, anyone interested in existentialism, philosophy or how it is applied to fiction works. Your analysis proves some of the reasons this game is considered a classic and it's still being played after 13 years.

Re: *claps*

[anonymous]

Also, I forgot to mention about Chrono's Resurrection part, actually you can have a similar reunion scene with Lucca if you don't have Marle in your party, I recently tried playing that scene with different teams :P not related with the article, but just as a curiosity.

Re: *claps*

[ideas]

Thanks for the comments. I'm always pleased (and a little surprised) to discover that someone other than me is interested in this strange combination of subjects.

Taking Chrono Trigger, Radical Dreams and Chrono Cross together, it's difficult for me to believe that the Frozen Flame is not Dreamstone. Thematically, both objects are connected to the power of Lavos and the power of dreams; both are red shards; and both are supposed to have triggered fundamental changes in the evolution of the human species. If they aren't the same thing, they damn well should be. Granted, the Dreamstone is on Earth before Lavos lands, but we don't know when it appeared exactly, and the Frozen Flame is described as falling from the heavens in prehistory. Couldn't the shard of Lavos' shell have landed before Lavos himself?