Originally Posted by
Panthera
Okay, we all know the usual way of referring to post-Time Compression Ultimecia: Practically a god, arguably the most powerful entity in the FF series [Neo ExDeath being the usual other candidate]. And that seems pretty logical. After all, a being who has absorbed all that has ever or will ever existed ought to have some pretty hefty power. However, there has always been the glaring issue of how the hell she managed to be defeated by people who are undeniably vastly inferior. All arguments about exactly how much the GFs enhance Squall and co aside, we can all agree that there's no reason a handful of GFs can somehow trump the power of every sorceress that has ever existed, in addition to everything else that ever has been or ever will be. The answer, of course, is fate, but how? There seem to be two ways of interpreting it. The one that seems most common is the idea that fate grants them, Squall especially, a vast new power so that he can match her. Hence why people will refer to Squall in VS topics as being able to win "if he gets his DEM powers". The other, which I personally believe [and have been debating with TDL over at the Square Enix board on and off for a month or more now], is that fate caused her to simply make a mistake and allow Squall to stab her-the key to this being that all her great power doesn't actually make her physical body much more durable than anyone else. Still, how does one make a mistake when all they need to do is put up a shield and laugh at the ants poking it? And why would Squall suddenly get vast power without any plot recognition of it? It seems to me that there may be another alternative: Ultimecia is not the reality-controlling god of time we thought she was. This theory has likely been thought of before, but I can't recall having seen it, and I figure, why not?
"A sorceress trying to change the world by compressing time and taking power
from all sorceresses."
That is Ultimecia's scan info in her first form [wording taken from Sir Bahamut's Time/Ultimecia Plot FAQ for this and the next quote]. What I find interesting is the use of the present tense. According to this, she didn't TRY to change the world, she is TRYING to change the world. Is this a hint that Ultimecia has not yet absorbed all that power?
"Ultimecia, transformed to absorb all time and space. Absorbing all existence as we speak."
And her final form's scan info. The key to this theory. First, a look at the first half of it. "Ultimecia, transformed to absorb all time and space". Isn't in interesting that they would refer to her in that way? Prior to the final part of the battle, she hasn't transformed. She fights in her normal form, uses Griever, junctions "herself unto Griever", but doesn't actually transform herself in the way this seems to indicate. So prior to the final stage of the final battle, Ultimecia isn't actually absorbing anything by the looks of it! That is further confirmed by the second half, saying that the absorbing is happening during the battle. To me, this means that she hasn't even started to absorb time and space until the very end of the fight against her. She compressed time, yes, but hadn't absorbed it yet. This could also explain a discrepancy I've always noted that appears in her speech before the fight. The price for your meddling is death beyond death. I shall send you to a dimension beyond your imagining. There, I will reign, and you will be my slaves for eternity.
How exactly would she go about doing that? It's always puzzled me why we have TC referred to as being a set up where only Ultimecia can exist, and yet she some how refers to making them her slaves. My theory explains that: TC is NOT absorbtion included. She has to compress time, THEN absorb it. Hence this line now makes sense: once she absorbs reality, they will be in a dimension she rules.
In summary, Ultimecia compresses time, but does not start absorbing it until the end of the final battle. This would mean she is not as powerful as we thought, as she never finished the process, and didn't even start it until shortly before death.
) he was weakened.
