Quote Originally Posted by champagne supernova View Post
I always felt that the biggest hole in the R=U theory is that the characters aren't alike, visually or personality-wise. Get me a photo where Rinoa looks like Ultimecia, and maybe I'll consider it. But they don't. Ultimecia speaks with an accent, which Rinoa does not. And Rinoa is a optimistic happy person, whereas Ultimecia is broody and depressed. I haven't played the game for a while, but I'm sure Ultimecia goes on about no matter how hard you try to hold on to something, it will eventually disappear. Time takes no prisoners, etc. That sounds more like Squall than anyone.

Not to say that there isn't a link between Rinoa and Ultimecia. I have seen photos comparing the two, and there is a some resemblance. The presence of Griever also suggests a link. So, I believe that Ultimecia is descended from Squall and Rinoa. But to say that they are the same person is ludicrous. Why would Rinoa want to be alone? She tries to control Ellone's power to cause time compression, but if she was Rinoa, surely she'd use that power to prevent her mother from dying? Killing the entire world is definitely NOT Rinoa.

Anyway, that is my view on the matter.
Any number of things could have taken place to change Rinoa's personality between some kind of evolution from Rinoa to Ultimecia. Unfortunately, such gaps cannot be filled using evidence from the game. It's all speculation--wild, unsubstantiated speculation at that.

To believe such a theory, one must be willing to take several leaps of faith no logical individual would ever consider even remotely reasonable.