[CT/CC Spoilers] Guile = ???

I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not about to say that Guile is Magus. Oh no, not at all... but it's not all that far from what I mean.

Consider this: Lavos is present in 12,000 BC, 600 AD and 1000 AD when it rises right? So, when Crono and co. defeated it, all three era's were affected, not to mention 1999 AD and 2300 AD...

Now, we know that in 12,000 BC, the Gurus are sent off in time after Crono dies. But what happens to the fourth person who was teleported originally? It is possible that Janus wasn't zipped off to 580 AD...

So, what evidence is there to support the theory that Guile is Janus then?

1) Well, for a start, there's the fact that in Lucca's letter, she writes that Janus may be standing next to Kid. Now, that's hardly conclusive, I know, but it is suggestive.

2) In the ending, the photo of Schala Kid Zeal has a man standing next to her; while his face cannot be seen, his clothes resemble those of Guile's. It makes sense that if Guile was Janus, he would be with his big sister, wouldn't it?

3) Guile floats instead of running and has long purple hair, just like Magus does. Now, if Magus has these abilities, it is fair to assume that Janus would as well.

4) Guile's use of black magic is like that of Magus'. Again, if Magus was a black innate, well, it makes sense that Janus was a black innate as well.

Now for some arguments against...

1) If the Guru's were shipped off through time after Crono's death, then it's pretty darned likely that Janus was as well.

Counter} This is true, BUT Janus is not mentioned by the Alghetty elder when he tells you of Melchior being sucked into a gate. You'd have thought he'd have mentioned him right?

Counter-counter} Well, the reason he mentioned Melchior was that Melchior was right bloody next to him when it happened. You never actually know where Janus is. If he was in the Black Omen like he was originally, then he could have been sucked into a gate after Schala sent Magus and co. away, or even better, while they were all in the Tesseract.

2) How did Janus go from 12,000 BC to 1020 AD?

Counter} This one actually links to the previous point as well. Janus turns up at the Black Omen after Magus and co. are shipped out by Schala. Now, it is possible that Schala knew what was going to happen (hell, she knew the Ruby Knife wouldn't be enough, didn't she?) and when Janus turned up, she used the last of her power and some of Janus' to send him to 1000 AD, thus giving him the twenty years to grow up and become Guile.

Here's where it all gets really funky, and kinda involves another theory.

What if "the entity" in CT is not the planet... but Schala?! See, the Time Devourer which is a combination of both a Lavos Spawn and Schala lives in the Tesseract which TRANSCENDS time. So, while CT was happening, the course of events had already happened, and as such, she had already merged and was asserting her will onto the world in a bid to free herself. She told Janus what she was doing and then sent him forward to guard her clone, Kid...

I'd definitely like to hear your opinions on it...

Magus is not in CC. Straight from the Creators of the game.

The entity is the planet. Straight from the creators again. They said they didn't know why it was translated to entity instead of just saying planet.

I don't have much of an opinion on it as they have said this. They can change their minds on it if they make a sequel(cept for the entity thing) but as far as I know that is that.

Janus is mentioned by the elder... unless I'm mis-reading your post.

Elder: When the disaster struck, an eerie, black portal materialized. Melchior tried to save Janus, but he was also dragged in.

Sounds to me they were both pulled into their respective gates. How the elder knows this is beyond me.

But anyway...
I think it's a given that both originally and after Crono's death Janus was still sent to pre-600 AD. If he hadn't the second time around then a gargantuan paradox would happen and the story would literally fall to pieces.

• there would be no Magus
• there would be no war
• there would be no Leene abduction (which would interfere with Crono's first viist to 600 AD)
• there would be no rivalry with Frog - Frog would still be human
• there would be no incentive to get/fix the Masamune - therefore Ayla would not have been found

...and on and on. Magus is crucial to the story, so if he doesn't get sent to the Middle Ages we have a pretty big problem. Just the fact that after he joins you his appearance remains as Magus tells us that he must have still arrived in the Middle Ages. If he hadn't he should appear as Janus, no?

As for the photograph, I've heard many sources say the man in it is Serge. Apparently the artbook has a better picture of it. Either way I think it was ridiculous to not show his face in the game.

Well, that one got handbagged quickly XD

I understand Guile was originally supposed to be Magus, but Square couldn't find a good way to fit him into the story. I alway felt Guile was way too cheerful to be Magus.

As for the entity, I've figured it was the planet for quite a while. And ed's mention is actually the first time I heard that's what it said in the japanese version - I just figured it was the planet because Robo mentioned that everything they've seen could be the memories of a dying entity, which is exactly what was happening to the planet in 2300 A.D. That, and it appears that Gaia Theory, which says that the Earth itself is a living organism, holds true in the Chrono world.

Recently I've started to think that Guile is Janus. As I said... somewhere... it's just too big of a coincidence.

They made a guy with the same hair/eye color, age, black magic, etc. If they ever did include a Janus character in the next sequel they would almost certainly have to use Guile - otherwise they'd have a near clone of Janus wandering around the world with no purpose. Plus it would be easy to expand on Guile's history in the sequel since NOTHING about his past has been established yet. There are also plenty of reasons why he can be oblivious to everything in CC - under a spell, mental re-programming by FATE, simple amnesia... no biggie. Plus his reaction to the Frozen Flame would make more sense then also.

The hard part is figuring out HOW he gets to the Present in the first place... I can't think of any way it could work out unless he came from another dimension. =(

MAGUS IS NOT GUILE! JANUS IS NOT GUILE! JANUS IS NOT SERGE!

OKAY

Whoops, I forgot to close this XD