Imagine that you were able to travel to the past. In the past you meet a direct ancestor of yours, who has no posterity. You see yourself in your predecessor. You two get to know each other and become close, but one day while you’re not paying attention you injured your forebearer and they end up dying. You killed your ancestor. . . By doing this you altered a whole chain of events, like your birth. But if you were born in the future, then how could you kill your ancestor in the past?
This is known
as the grandfather paradox. Media that involves time travel tries to explain
this paradox in different ways. In this post we will explore four types of time
travel that has been explored in media. With each type we will explain 1) the
speculation (how it works), 2) how media portrays this type of time travel, 3)
How acceptable does it work in that story. Not every time travel media will be
explored in this post. If there is one that you love that is missing leave a
comment and we can explore it in another post. Personally, I have not seen/read
all time travel focused media, but I would love more recommendations. Time
travel is one of the most satisfying concepts in media. I am a huge fan.
1)
Alternate Timelines
In this assumption
when you travel to the past you are going to a different timeline, a different
world, just like your own, but the only difference is that the present you have
not been to this past. With alternate timeline you can change the past which
changes that worldlines future, not effecting your own timeline.
Let’s go back
to the past to the mid to late 90’s. You go home from school and turn on Cartoon
Network and “Sailor Moon” just finished airing. The next show that plays is
Dragon Ball Z! The last epic episode you watched was when Goku defeats Freeza as
a super Saiyan (*Spoilers*). In the previous episodes the Z fighters, minus
Goku, are on earth, and Freeza is coming to destroy the earth for revenge. None
of the Z fighters are strong enough to beat Freeza. There are only two living
Saiyan’s, and both cannot become a super Saiyan. Earth is doomed. Then a new character,
Trunks, is introduced and he is a super Saiyan and slices Freeza easily. Later
we find out that Trunks comes from the future from a different timeline to save
another earth, so it doesn’t end up like his. It was an epic twist and the best
saga of Dragon Ball Z. This was my first show that talked about alternate timelines, and it worked well for this show.
Recently, I found another show that explores alternate timelines as well called Steins;Gate. In the show we follow young adults that create a phone microwave (PhoneWave) that allows the characters to send a message to the past. Every time the PhoneWave was used the timeline shifts to another parallel timeline where the changes occured, like telling your dad not to take a flight. However, most everyone in that timeline has only memories from the new timeline we are in expect for Okabe, who keeps the previous timeline memories (which he calls reading steiner). This drama is one of my favorite shows because of how well it explores the effects of time travel and the trauma that happens by being the only one remembering other timelines. It also explores sacrifices characters are willing to make to get in the best timeline (reaching Steins;Gate). I highly recommend this show if you like time travel dramas.
2) Time is Fixed
When time is fixed then nothing you can do will change the future. If you
tried to kill your ancestor the universe will prevent you from doing so by unlimited
means. For example, you would trip in the act and miss or get hit by a car, you
imagination is the limit of what could prevent you from changing the timeline.
I read about
this speculation in a couple of different books, “Timeline” by Michael
Crichton, and the “Oxford Time Travel” series by Connie Willis. In these books
characters go to the past for an on-site study of different eras in humanity’s
history. We see in the books that nothing you do in the past will change the present.
In Connie Willis books cats were extinct in the present, but they can bring
cats from the past to the present because those cats cannot alter history. Ya,
for cat lovers! Sad for dog lovers. . .
I should
mention “Avengers: Endgame” in this post even though it was in the previous one. I believe that Marvel universe falls
under this category now after watching "Loki". We see in “Endgame” that the avengers can go to the past,
but what they do must not change the past or the time variance authority (TVA)
will correct the time stream to converge to the main branch (hence the show
Loki). That is why Captain America goes to the past at the end of the movie to
put the infinity stone back. How he put back soul stone remains a mystery. Right
now, I put Marvel under this category, but this could change in the future, but
as of right now this is where I believe Marvel universe belongs. I think this
movie doesn’t do time travel justice. It has many plot holes like Steve staying
in the past and extracting the aether (Thor: The Dark World), but it is widely
seen hence this discussion in this forum.
This is an ok
method to use if plot holes are not made. If the characters break the universal
rules, then this method fails and shouldn’t be used. I think this mistake happens
a lot in media because the artists are trying to entertain the reader instead
of making logical sense. That’s why I think instead of using this method artists
should use alternate timelines. It is a safer bet with less plot holes.
If you want a
fun book to read that incorporates time travel, I suggest “To Say Nothing of
the Dog” by Connie Willis. It’s about a character named Ned who is avoiding his
boss Lady Schrapnell to recover from being disoriented from time traveling too much (time-lag) by
going to the past for a “vacation”.
3) Time is Malleable
What you do in the past will
affect the present. So, if you kill your predecessor, you will disappear
shortly after. This is the laziest form a time travel in all of media. It makes
no sense because of the grandfather paradox.
Two movies come to mind when I
think about changeable past, changeable future. “Back to the Future” (of course) and
“X-Men: Days of Future Past”. In “Back to the Future” Marty McFly prevents his
mom from falling in love with his dad, so he starts to erase from existence. Luckily
a solution is found, and he doesn’t cease to exist. This I believe is the first
movie to have time travel as a main plot point. So, we should be grateful for
how this movie influenced better time travel shows and movies. It has not aged
well, but good for its time (in my opinion). On the other hand, “X-men: Days of
Future Past” objective is to go to the past to change the future. Mutants are
being hunted and the only hope for mutants is to send Logan (Wolverine) to the
past to prevent this future. This movie tells the audience that the future can
change, but without any explanation on how to overcome grandfather paradox.
4) Time reverses
In this final time travel scenario
instead of hopping to the past, like the other entries, we switch directions of
time. If time was coordinates following a positive direction, then to go
backwards in time we would turn around and go the negative direction. Even
though you are going backwards in time you still get older. Like a car odometer
when you go in reverse the odometer still moves forward by distance.
Two movies come to mind when I
think of time reverse, “Superman” (1978) and “Tenet”. In “Superman” Lois Lane dies and Superman flies around the world in opposite direction from earths
torque causing everyone on earth to go backwards in time so he would be able to
save her. It’s cheesy, but hey it was the first superman movie made. It is
allowed to be cheesy. In “Tenet” the main plot revolves around time reversing.
To prevent World War three the protagonist manipulates the direction of time to
prevent an attack from the future. In the movie they discuss grandfather paradox,
and, in a genius, way stated that they don’t know the answer, but it is not
worth finding out. If you haven’t seen “Tenet” and want to watch an action
movie with time travel, watch it.
This is a good method for time travel,
and I like this as much as alternate universe scenario. Not many movies use time
reversal, but I hope this would change in the future as more people involve
time travel in their story.
Here is a list of other movies and
shows I could have included in the discussion if there is one that you would
like to go over or if I left out your favorite time travel series leave a
comment. I always have time to talk about, well you know time.
Movies:
- Edge of Tomorrow (Time Loops)
- Terminator
- Looper
- Interstellar
- Bill and Ted
- Harry Potter
- Your Name
Shows:
- Doctor Who
- Heroes
- Flash (DC Shows)
- Samurai Jack
- Star Trek
- Re: Zero
- Erased
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