Homesuck: Vriska Rising - Page 355

Kim · 12-20-2010, 01:41 AM

Actually, it is how time travel works, I think. Since the timeline branches at that point, if he travels back in time he can theoretically travel back to before the timeline split. If both of them do this, they can encounter each other. At least, I think that's the logic at work here.

Arcanum · 12-20-2010, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NonCon

Since the timeline branches at that point, if he travels back in time he can theoretically travel back to before the timeline split. If both of them do this, they can encounter each other.

That's actually what's happening right now.

Also this is probably another one of those instances where a doomed timeline is necessary for the Alpha timeline to continue, a la Davesprite.

Fifthfiend · 12-20-2010, 01:49 AM

I'm mostly not seeing how the timeline splits given that flipping a coin/the options dave assigns to either outcome should be just as deterministic of an act as any other thing that's happened in this comic.

The story switched from offshoot timelines being created / cut off in a basically deterministic manner to like, many-universes time travel but ALSO still deterministic because the plot says so.

Kim · 12-20-2010, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifthfiend

I'm mostly not seeing how the timeline splits given that flipping a coin should be just as deterministic of an act as any other thing that's happened in this comic.

Exactly. This is my main problem with it. Theoretically, alternate timeline Daves who have traveled to the past for whatever reason should be showing up left and right, but they aren't. Were it not for that, I could accept that the timeline is branching regularly and we just aren't seeing the branches.

Quote:

That's actually what's happening right now.

That was my point. I mean, Davesprite proves that this is possible. My only problem is the one above.

Fifthfiend · 12-20-2010, 02:01 AM

Like basically as I understood it, branch timelines occur when a Dave goes back in time, influencing events in the main timeline such that the timeline that Dave came from never occured. Like:

John gets self killed -> Dave / Rose stuck in game -> Dave goes back and gets John not to get himself killed -> John lives, so the timeline where John dies, now, never took place.

Or

Dave time travels back in order to get book before it's stolen -> Dave gets killed -> Dave sees time-displaced corpse in present, decides not to go back in order to get book, so the timeline where Dave goes back, now, never takes place.

In this case it seems like it's supposed to be that Dave picks one set of outcomes in the branch timeline and one in the main timeline even though there's nothing that would cause his choice to be any different in the main timeline than it would in the branch one. But at the same time the branch timeline is still a branch timeline just because... it is?

EDIT: I guess it's possible that the doomed-timeline Dave had some as yet unseen interaction with main-timeline Dave that would have resulted in him choosing differently?

Arcanum · 12-20-2010, 02:08 AM

This would make a lot more sense if Terezi deliberately altered the result of the coinflip, thus purposefully creating the branching timeline. However the way she says it, it doesn't look like that's the case and it was just Dave's decision that was different, which brings up the problem you guys mentioned. I'm hoping this gets cleared up in the next page or two.

Aldurin · 12-20-2010, 02:33 AM

All I see coming out of this is another Dave corpse for the pile, which has been determined to be a bad thing.

Also this brings up the question of who gets dreamself usage in a stable time loop? For example if Jack appeared out of nowhere and killed both Daves in the same blow which would become hero Dave given that they are both on the quest bed?

I mean I kinda don't maybe not get it. At least this time it's pretty freakin' obvious I'm not getting what's going on here.

POS Industries · 12-20-2010, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanum Darkfire

This would make a lot more sense if Terezi deliberately altered the result of the coinflip, thus purposefully creating the branching timeline. However the way she says it, it doesn't look like that's the case and it was just Dave's decision that was different, which brings up the problem you guys mentioned. I'm hoping this gets cleared up in the next page or two.

The problem is that Terezi isn't part of any offshoot timelines in the kids' universe. She can only interact with the alpha timeline, and only the alpha timeline can have interactions with the trolls. Thus, there can't be an alternate timeline where she did something different, she had to set up a scenario where the choice Dave made would create an alternate timeline that would do the exact thing she wanted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifthfiend

Like basically as I understood it, branch timelines occur when a Dave goes back in time, influencing events in the main timeline such that the timeline that Dave came from never occured.

The branch timelines aren't really a Dave-dependent thing. It's just that the only time we, viewing the alpha timeline, are made aware of any alternate timelines is when a doomed Dave shows up. But there's probably a whole bunch of them, it's just that the vast majority of them don't involve Dave going back to a point on the alpha timeline and changing the course of history to the one we're privy to.

Kim · 12-20-2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldurin

NonCon, do one for Doc Scratch.

WISH GRANTED

Dracorion · 12-20-2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanum Darkfire

This would make a lot more sense if Terezi deliberately altered the result of the coinflip, thus purposefully creating the branching timeline. However the way she says it, it doesn't look like that's the case and it was just Dave's decision that was different, which brings up the problem you guys mentioned. I'm hoping this gets cleared up in the next page or two.

Clearly Vriska did it.

Because Vriska.

VRIIIIIISSSKKAAAAAAA

12-20-2010, 01:41 AM	#3541
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	Actually, it is how time travel works, I think. Since the timeline branches at that point, if he travels back in time he can theoretically travel back to before the timeline split. If both of them do this, they can encounter each other. At least, I think that's the logic at work here. __________________ this post is about how to successfully H the Kimmy

12-20-2010, 01:49 AM	#3543
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	I'm mostly not seeing how the timeline splits given that flipping a coin/the options dave assigns to either outcome should be just as deterministic of an act as any other thing that's happened in this comic. The story switched from offshoot timelines being created / cut off in a basically deterministic manner to like, many-universes time travel but ALSO still deterministic because the plot says so. __________________ check out my buttspresso Last edited by Fifthfiend; 12-20-2010 at 01:54 AM.

12-20-2010, 02:01 AM	#3545
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	Like basically as I understood it, branch timelines occur when a Dave goes back in time, influencing events in the main timeline such that the timeline that Dave came from never occured. Like: John gets self killed -> Dave / Rose stuck in game -> Dave goes back and gets John not to get himself killed -> John lives, so the timeline where John dies, now, never took place. Or Dave time travels back in order to get book before it's stolen -> Dave gets killed -> Dave sees time-displaced corpse in present, decides not to go back in order to get book, so the timeline where Dave goes back, now, never takes place. In this case it seems like it's supposed to be that Dave picks one set of outcomes in the branch timeline and one in the main timeline even though there's nothing that would cause his choice to be any different in the main timeline than it would in the branch one. But at the same time the branch timeline is still a branch timeline just because... it is? EDIT: I guess it's possible that the doomed-timeline Dave had some as yet unseen interaction with main-timeline Dave that would have resulted in him choosing differently? __________________ check out my buttspresso Last edited by Fifthfiend; 12-20-2010 at 02:07 AM.

12-20-2010, 02:08 AM	#3546
Arcanum Strike the Earth! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 3,185	This would make a lot more sense if Terezi deliberately altered the result of the coinflip, thus purposefully creating the branching timeline. However the way she says it, it doesn't look like that's the case and it was just Dave's decision that was different, which brings up the problem you guys mentioned. I'm hoping this gets cleared up in the next page or two. __________________ POS Almighty has spoken.

12-20-2010, 02:33 AM	#3547
Aldurin Lakitu Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,648	All I see coming out of this is another Dave corpse for the pile, which has been determined to be a bad thing. Also this brings up the question of who gets dreamself usage in a stable time loop? For example if Jack appeared out of nowhere and killed both Daves in the same blow which would become hero Dave given that they are both on the quest bed? I mean I kinda don't maybe not get it. At least this time it's pretty freakin' obvious I'm not getting what's going on here.