but I'm combining your two theories, together....and it works, in a theory kinda way. Also I was just using that one example from BTF3 about the newspaper not having anything on it....
My goal is, currently, shaping the ideas of Timetravel and it's effects to the happenings in the FF8 Storyline; and to have no holes in the reasoning.
I like to believe this is how it works....which results in a happy ending for FF8 and from what I can tell, leaves no holes.
We were following Squall's story/timeline, which I'm going to reason is really the past. (Has a little bonus of fitting into Final Fantasies Linear Gameplay, and unreplayablity. )
Ultimecia's Story/Timeline is the true present. Square's writers didn't really focus on Ultimecia so we don't know much about her...but that's besides the point.
So, in my mind, Squall's Timeline is based on fate, caused by the events in Ultimecia's Timeline. Everything that Squall and company does had already happened and everything that Ultimecia's doing has an unknown cause. Paradoxes may have been happening in her Timeline...but, because we were following Squall's Timeline, we didn't see any of it's effects.
Ultimecia's Timeline has a big unknown future. If Ultimecia knew her future, she would have won or would have stopped. So she obviously doesn't know her own future, which supports part my theory of her Timeline being the true present.
Timetraveling Forward never happens in the Game. There is a Time Compression thing that happens, but Going to the Future never does. (defined by Square in the Story). There is a reason why they had to remember each other during the Time Compression....It was the only way they could be in one place at one time....well....I think that's the reason....get's too complicated when you go there. Everything happening at once is beyond comprehension and is probably impossible to explain. The Game, "The Longest Journey", supports Time Compression pretty well...One character in that Game lives in that frame of time. After playing that game, understanding Time compression makes a little more sense, not much...but a little.
Ok...so (in my FF8 TimeTravel Theory) Ultimecia's Timeline is defined as the True Present Timeline (A timeline with a constantly changing future), Squall's Timeline, which we are watching, is the Past (the Future is already defined in Squall's Timeline, up to, and not beyond, the point of Ultimecia's Timeline).
Apparently, Squall, who is living in the past, can't effect his own past. This is because the Past can't change the Past. This keeps us from seeing the Paradox Thing. (Remember, FF8 doesn't have a real Paradox thing happening, just Time Compression. Smart move by Square's writers)
When Squall Defeats Ultimecia in the Time Compression. Her Timeline ceases to exist. (of course all timelines ceased to exist during the time compression, but I'm going somewhere else with this) Squall's Timeline then becomes the true present and all the happening from then on forward are constantly changing.
In short, when Squall defeats Ultimecia. His timeline becomes Ultimecia's Timeline or vice versa. The circle of fate is broken.
(from my imagination)
When Squall returns to normal time, he can then go to his own past and change it if he wishes....but if he does.....His past will become the Present. And his Timeline will do the same thing that Ultimecia's timeline Did.....It will Vanish, out of existence. Not a smart thing to do. The risk is too high, best not to Timetravel, unless you know for sure that the universe is going to end....(Ever see a movie called "Super Nova"? In the DVD deleted scenes version...the Universe Dies...that would be a good time to risk timetravel )
Square has some really good talent, under it. They really thought about this TimeTraveling stuff, in their story; and it shows when you analyis the story's sequence of events. Too bad the story was not gripping. They really needed a defined villan. That's where they messed up. That and the editing they did to the dialog.
I bet you that Square's writers were focusing, so much, on the Timetravel thing, that they forgot about or didn't have time to connect us to the FF8 world and Characters. FF7 did this Character connection thing, perfectly....but FF7 Story doen't make any sense when you analise it. Kinda wierd when you think about it.
(hope, I didn't lose anyone)
[This message has been edited by Threesixty (edited April 05, 2001).]