#rvb 16 spoilers

[leafyfiddle13]

Time Travel in RvB

I've been doing a lot of thinking since the premiere of Singularity on Saturday and I'd like to lay my thoughts out here. As we all know, RvB 16 and 17 (The Shisno Paradox and Singularity) all revolve heavily around the concept of time travel. Last season this appeared to be somewhat inconsistent. We were offered three possible explanations for how time travel could possibly work in this universe in Season 16. As of the premiere of Season 17, I think we now know that it is a mix of all three. Allow me to explain. First, the three possible types of time travel given in S16.

How time travel is differentiated

"A paradox is a contradiction in reality. Say for instance ... you go back in time and prevent yourself from time-traveling in the first place. Paradox. Something happens that can't happen." -Jax Jonez, Walking and Talking

Each of these three possible instances of time travel all revolve around paradoxes, and how to deal with them.

The closed loop

"Well, basically... it means we’re not in control over our own lives. Anything that you're gonna do with the time machine, you're gonna do. Y-you don't get to choose." -Jax Jonez, Walking and Talking

The closed loop method of time travel means essentially that nothing in time can really be changed. It's solid, more or less. There are certain events in Season 16 that suggest this is the type of time travel that we are dealing with. (Caboose going yelling to Grif about a fixed interest savings account, Sarge getting his own men killed at Broken Ridge, possibly even Sarge shooting Achilles in the foot. Not to mention all of the events in Caboose's slide show reflect a closed loop). However, there are some things that don't fit this type of travel.

Flexible Timeline

"Last and least is the flexible timeline. Marty McFly goes back in time and stops his parents from meeting. He undoes his own existence. The ultimate paradox! But he doesn't just vanish. Instead he's got this weird buffer period to fix it. Why or how this buffer period exists... yeah, no explanation. It... shouldn't." -Jax Jonez, Walking and Talking

This type of time travel is the least realistic, but also can be used to explain some of the weirder things in S16. This theory gives a short buffer even after paradoxes, but also allows for changes I'm the timeline if a paradox doesn't happen. In Back to the Future, which Jax references as being an example of the flexible timeline, Marty actually does change history. When he returns to the present, he finds that his actions in the past changed how things turned out. The only thing that can begin to cause a paradox is something that would prevent the time traveler from time traveling. In S16, we see instamces of changed history all over. Most notably is that Genkins erased pizza from existance. Another would be Sarge and Simmons' recruitment of historical figures. Not to mention, the fact that they can even change anything enough to cause a paradox at the end suggests an amount of flexibility that is impossible with a simple closed loop.

What it means for Season 16

"So far, all the time traveling can be explained away by a really weird closed loop." -Jax Jonez, Caboose's Travels

This quote by Jax makes sense based on his limited knowledge of the situation, but it is far more likely that the time travel that we had seen up until that point was a mixture between a Closed Loop and a Flexible Timeline. More evidence of this is provided by Genkins in the finale.

"Burrowing through time weakens it, sure. And changing history cracks it a little. But nothing shatters time like a paradox!" -Genkins, Paradox

The timeline is mostly solid, mostly a closed loop. Making small changes a la Marty McFly or erasing pizza are possible like a flexible timeline, but it still "cracks it a little." The main point of difference between RvB time Travel and the classic Flexible Timeline is what happens when a Paradox occurs. In the classic example, there is a buffer period to correct the paradox before it fully takes effect. In RvB, well...

Singularity

"Your shared history was the back-swing before the hammer strike, and is now a period of soft-time to be traversed, interfered with, poked at to create alternate timelines. Each another crack in my prison." -Chrovos, A Sitch in Time

When the Reds and Blues create a Paradox by saving Washington, something haplens that is pretty unique in terms of time travel story-telling, and I like it. Because they shattered time with that paradox, the events which led up to that action (meaning the events of the series, known in universe as The Singularity) are now "soft time." As Chrovos explains it, this means any time travel into that part of history won't result in small, insignificant changes to the timeline as they did in Season 16 (erasing pizza), but instead every change would create a butterfly effect which spawns alternate timelines. And this brings us to the final kind of time travel:

Alternate Reality Theory

"The other type of time travel is the alternate reality theory. According to that, when you travel through time, you're actually creating another reality or universe." -Jax Jonez, Walking and Talking

This theory posits that time travel spawns new, divergent timelines off of the main branch, creating a linked but distinct web of timelines (or universes).

What it all means

Mainly, it means this is a hell of an arc. Even with the writer switch, they've managed to take one of the major complaints about S16 (time travel being inconsistent, and not fitting with any of the three possibilities), and used it to show that the time travel in the show is a mixture of all three, in a way that is actually one of the more unique and cool forms of time travel that I've come across.

More personally, it gave me a lot of food for thought and allowed me to analyze something (which I love to do) that previously seemed like it wasn't worth analyzing necause it didn't seem to make sense. S16 was not my favorite, but I came to enjoy a lot of it. I LOVED the Cosmic Powers being Forerunner AI twist. But the one thing that stopped me from fully enjoying it was that the time travel, the main conceit of the arc, did not make sense. But in one episode they've addressed it in a way that is so wonderfully creative, and allowed me to really get fully re-invested in the series.

Thank you, Jason Weight! This season is off to a great start!

#rvb 16 spoilers #rvb 17 spoilers #rvb17 #rvb16 #the shisno paradox #singularity #rvb17 spoilers #red vs blue #rvb

[the-darkgod]

doc/o’malley’s evil finger wiggles

#red vs blue #rvb #rvb 16 #rvb16 #rvb16 spoilers #rvb 16 spoilers #doc #alex speaks #my gifs #do you think those are enough tags lol #i honestly dont know what ppl use

[southicut]

My heart? Ripped. Me crying? Definitely

#rvb16 #rvb 16 spoilers #rvb16 spoilers #red vs blue #rvb

[weatheredlaw]

Now I’ve thrown him off his rhythm. (insp.)

#red vs blue #rvb 16 spoilers #my gifs #series: red vs blue

[beewaggle]

Yes.

#rvb 16 spoilers #red vs blue 16 spoilers #rt first spoilers #waaaash #agent washington

[felixmcshouty]

some quality character descriptions from this week’s rvb

#red vs blue #rvb 16 spoilers #rvb first spoilers #agent washington #caboose #donut #its official folks! donut is a bottom

[0utpost-alpha]

Wash: “We leave you alone for 5 minutes and you manage to piss off God?!”

Reds and Blues: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#this is the reds and blues were talking about here #i wouldn’t leave them alone for a min #rvb 16 spoilers #red vs blue 16 spoilers #rvb 16 #rvb #red vs blue #red vs blue spoilers #rvb spoilers #16x12 #rvb 16x12 #docudrama #first member #first member spoilers

[magicalbluelightning]

Wash better be ok after all this is over

#rvb #red vs blue #agent washington #rvb16 #rvb season 16 #rvb 16 spoilers #fanart #digitalart #roosterteeth #i don't really like the mouth #but i am super happy with the rest #sketchy style is on purpose

[butchflewers]

None of this would’ve happened if Captain Flowers were still alive. Probably.

#rvb #rvb16 #the shisno paradox #my post #rvb 16 spoilers

[centfont]

based on recent events...

#hohoho #this part of the ep was so funny to me #not really spoilers #but #rvb 16 spoilers #red vs blue season 16 #lavernius tucker #franklin delano donut #kaikaina grif #centfont stuff

[colonelsargestillincharge]

I want to see Sarge being confused as to why he can’t get himself to shoot Caboose.

Shotgun in Caboose’s face, finger on the trigger, but for some reason Sarge doesn’t know, He feels murderious rage at himself for trying to hurt this Blue and not knowing why

#rvb sarge #rvb caboose #rvb #rvb 16 spoilers

[leafyfiddle13]

So I just finished the complete timeline, with dates, for Red vs. Blue. I hahd been working on it for a while, but stopped after Season 16 because of all the time travel shenanigans. Well, I finally finished it. Just in time for the announcement of Red vs Blue: Singularity (Hyyyyype).

Anyway I though I’d post it here, just for kicks. Be aware, I have added small additions here and there that take what’s already in RvB and puts it in the broader context of the Halo universe. There are also a few events here that are from the Halo games, just as a point of reference for those who are interested in when RvB takes place in relation to the Halo games.

#rvb #rvb16 #rvb 16 spoilers #rvb 17 #halo #timeline

[the-darkgod]

everyones titles in their interviews

#red vs blue #rvb #rvb 16 spoilers #rvb 16 #my favorite is donuts tbh #and caboose's !!! love caboose #also im sad that carolina didnt get one :( #and that wash's full name is Agent Washington lol #alex speaks

[riathedreamer]

I’m just gonna yell that Geoff is so good at emotional Grif? Like, his quitting speech in s15 is still one of my fave episodes ‘cause of all the emotions we hear in his voice, and now this episode, that soft “bye”, I cry

#rvb16 spoilers #like they even praised joe for pushing them when it comes to voice acting #and it really shows #like damnnn #my heart is broken by the way #rvb #dexter grif #rvb 16 spoilers

[weatheredlaw]

also my hot take on tucker for season 16 is not that joe doesn’t get him or that he was poorly written. 

my hot take is that, after literal seasons of having to make so many choices that have so many intense consequences, tucker being handed a time machine and the personal directive to just do what he wants would absolutely lead to him making dumb fucking choices and being a spoiled little brat.

like after a crazy week of work and responsibility, haven’t you just wanted to cut loose, be a little crazy, suffer no consequences? and that talk with kai was rough. she called him on his shit and it got him thinking. 

and since joe actually does know how tucker works, since he actually does acknowledge that tucker has grown, he has tucker be the one who suggests they go back to help wash. he has tucker acknowledge he made a mistake -- with wash, with kai, with the england and the time machine. 

like some of you guys are so dedicated to hating this season, but joe really did a good job with tucker, i feel, and i loved that we got to see him kind of stomp his feet and throw a tantrum after being forced to take on so much responsibility. i think he kind of earned it. 

#red vs blue #rvb 16 spoilers #series: red vs blue #tucker's little spiral was one of the most relatable parts about this season

[beewaggle]

RVB Prediction

You know what? It's not going to be Carolina, Tucker, or even Locus...

Wash is probably going to end up having to shoot himself.

#agent washington #rvb 16 spoilers #red vs blue 16 spoilers #rt first spoliers #predicting season 17 or 18 really