Multiversal Characters

[brainsniffer]

It's something I've been thinking about too - the fact all these analogs are existing at one time... I mean, are they? I take it Zach hasn't been moving in time as well as linewalking, so there's all these people who seem to exist in different timelines in their realities, but they're all the same people. That has to be on purpose, right? Lament is ~600 years from current (halfway through book 2, so..), I can't remember Infected but I thought it was 2160 or somewhere? Gwen's world could be anytime, Dead End felt pretty "now-ish", AP and Demonverse feel pretty now, and Cheat is definitely future, and Discipline is futurish.

Now all these are different worlds with different levels of technology, advancing at different rates - so they could either be as old as each other, measured in different ways, or in different timelines... but either way they're all culminating around these similar groups of people. Sure, that's fun from a story point - but I do wonder if there's more to why these particular people, other than the Adversaries need a time travelling, space travelling insane person to open the door.

I'm not certain that Tor is "The Central" either, because he's not always the hero of the books. Hell, Tor, for all he's a major character and keeps getting involved, has retired from the fight seemingly... Dare is much more motivated at the moment. He does seem to be the one that has the most analogs though, and the most that tend to be broken and insane.

I'm curious to see when we start seeing the bad versions of our favourites appear - or if they already have and we just didn't notice - I wouldn't put it past the guy... Hell, I'm still a bit happy and a bit "what was I thinking!" about the major character linked in latest Infected book... (apart from Tobin, who given who was revealed as his father, previously, should have been a bit of a hint).

[David]

I think they are all valid. Considering infinite possibilities there will be a lot of concurrent Zacks since the timespan of the universe is not infinite etc. In AP it was mentioned it wasn't the first or last time, there will always be that character, anytime, future or past, somewhere, fighting the adversaries.

In other words, the timelines are different, but I don't think it relates, the realities he writes about just happen to match up for the most part. I say most part because infected is clearly not quite in sync with the rest.

[qHnED7SnYgQs]

It's not coincidence that these different realities line up at this particular point in time. If you just picked 10 realities totally at random and they lined up this way, that would be very special. But the realities that are now in contact with each other haven't been selected randomly at all.

They have basically been introduced to each other by Riley the Tricksters, and his selection criteria seem to have been pretty specifically other realities that are central to the current conflict with Adversaries.

As for "infected is clearly not quite in sync", ignoring the relatively high degree of similarity between Demonverse and Alternate, each reality that has it's own series really is quite different from any other, I don't see Infected as being particularly special about that.

[qHnED7SnYgQs]

I don't know why this never jumped out to me before, but after just finishing re-reading the Eve books, it became very clear to me that Eve's ability to inspire people to reach their full potential is essentially the same a Tor's command line ability to, well, do the same thing.

Now, Eve and Tor are obviously not character analogues, but they do have what amounts to the same power. Which makes me wonder if this particular power might be something that's present in all of the currently involved realities in some way.

[TIC] Take Tony for example, in a reality scheme that doesn't have supernatural powers, his ability to motivate people to keep pushing themselves probably is as close to that power as it can be in that universe.

With that power present in both Tor and Eve, I wonder if Timon can figure out what pattern makes it work and apply that to other people. This ability would be highly beneficial for at least all of the YAs that are in charge of any area, as well as any that are actively training people (e.g. Petra, or, in the future Havar). Also, obviously, for any (Alternate-type) Line-walker that will be involved in training more Line-walkers.

[brainsniffer]

[brainsniffer]

You know, even Discipline's Ben's "other" power of being able to quieten the voices for the others is kind of similar really... I mean, they couldn't be led without it, and he clearly has some control of the group through that, even if it's not used that way... maybe its the analog for the power for the situation?

[David]

Not sure that counts, it's more the writing style. Most of Dale's protagonists are pushy, jump in, and generally get their way as far as planning. Even Tyler who constantly downplays his importance is like that. He doesn't write passive characters. Of course, there is some following, for all of them, just not the doormat kind.

It's actually one of the things I enjoy about his books. Protags that do what they're told, or are led about, annoy me.

[brainsniffer]

Probably, and I agree - I like his characters are assertive and insane. I am probably reading too much into that given especially in Lament, it's a pretty passive society and Pran had an abnormal upbringing. I thought it worth bringing up for discussion though, because who would put so much faith in a 16 year old girl who had never been in the world, regardless of her work ethic?

There's a part where someone misheard Tuvin's name as "Tubin" too, and that's not much of a stretch for me to guess he could be an analog of Tobin/Troy. He's a young apprentice Guardian and while I can't remember a physical description it feels like it fits.

[qHnED7SnYgQs]

[qHnED7SnYgQs]

[Gwen Farries 6] The Mask of Omegon has be released at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2JWE00

Everyone please consider this post fair warning that all following posts may contain spoilers from this book and all previously released ones.