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Cleaning up the bad examples: Continuity Rebooter

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Prime32 Since: Jan, 2001
#1: Nov 28th 2014 at 11:36:31 AM

Continuity Rebooter seems to be a The Same But More Specific version of Cosmic Retcon, where at least one person related to the retcon remembers it. Every example on the page is already listed on Cosmic Retcon except for a few under videogames, and some of those contradict the trope description - the Super Robot Wars example for instance is just a standard Bad Future plot.

The page for Continuity Reboot currently says

For when the reboot is given an in universe explanation see Continuity Rebooter.
In other words stating that every example of Cosmic Retcon is also an example of Continuity Rebooter and vice versa.

There is one aspect of this trope which doesn't fall under Cosmic Retcon and could be salvaged - an event which creates an Alternate Universe - but I'm not sure how much there is to work with.

Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#2: Nov 28th 2014 at 12:23:58 PM

Cosmic Retcon is a plot trope — the creator completely rewrites the continuity and declares that the changes were always that way..

Continuity Reboot is a plot trope. The creator starts the continuity over; the old continuity may cease to exist, or it may be remembered.

The Continuity Rebooter is a character who causes the continuity to change.

It needs cleaning up, but it's not broken and doesn't need fixing.

I've corrected the utter misstatement of the definition of Continuity Rebooter in the Continuity Reboot page.

edited 28th Nov '14 12:27:39 PM by Madrugada

DAN004 Chair Man from The 0th Dimension Since: Aug, 2010
Chair Man
#3: Nov 28th 2014 at 4:51:36 PM

I actually would say that Continuity Rebooter sounds too similar to Ret Conjuration

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bwburke94 I am mad scientist! It's so cool! from 1.048596% (Y2: Electric Boogaloo) Relationship Status: She does the things you do, but she is an IBM
I am mad scientist! It's so cool!
#5: Nov 28th 2014 at 8:44:52 PM

Let's get this discussion started.

Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — which is he, if either?

2025: the year it all ends?
Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#6: Nov 28th 2014 at 9:04:38 PM

Is he the reason the continuity changed? Did he, In-Universe, do something that caused it to change, or is he simply there when it changed?

edited 28th Nov '14 9:05:43 PM by Madrugada

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#7: Nov 28th 2014 at 9:06:52 PM

Link triggered the change. He was the one actively time travelling and creating the two continuities.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#8: Nov 28th 2014 at 9:16:59 PM

Then he's a Continuity Rebooter.

See, it's really quite simple. "Did <this character> directly cause the continuity to change, In-Universe?"

Next?

edited 28th Nov '14 9:20:43 PM by Madrugada

Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#9: Nov 28th 2014 at 9:20:06 PM

I've changed the thread title to reflect that this is not a repair thread, it's a clean-up thread.

Spark9 Since: Nov, 2010
#10: Nov 29th 2014 at 12:28:18 AM

Ret Conjuration is the ability to cause a continuity change. A Continuity Rebooter is a character who has caused a continuity change.

Clearly any character who did so must also have had the ability to do so, so by definition every example of Continuity Rebooter is also an example of Ret Conjuration. The reverse is not true, because there may be characters with the ability who haven't used it yet. Still, clear subtrope/supertrope relation here.

Prime32 Since: Jan, 2001
#11: Nov 29th 2014 at 3:31:37 PM

[up][up][up]The description of Continuity Rebooter says that stories about Time Travel don't count. The Adult timeline only becomes disconnected at the end due to Adult Zelda sending Link back without his ocarina.

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#12: Nov 29th 2014 at 3:47:15 PM

[up] Not quite. Series about time travel don't count, but a story about time travel in a series that doesn't normally include it do count. So because Zelda isn't normally about time travel, it's an example.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Prime32 Since: Jan, 2001
#13: Nov 29th 2014 at 4:00:57 PM

Time Travel is a central gameplay element in OoT, as a form of Dual-World Gameplay, and it's pretty common in the series in general - besides Ocarina of Time it also shows up in Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword (plus Hyrule Warriors IIRC). Wind Waker had the Master Sword being used to freeze things in time, while Phantom Hourglass states that Link's element of Courage is also the element of Time.

edited 29th Nov '14 4:13:38 PM by Prime32

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#14: Dec 30th 2014 at 2:32:23 AM

Starring this thread.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#15: Dec 30th 2014 at 5:20:40 AM

[up] I really dont get this post. Could you explain?

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Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#16: Dec 31st 2014 at 6:35:05 AM

[up] It means the thread is in the final stages and needs work done before being closed. In the thread list, you'll see a yellow asterisk by the thread title; that's what "starring the thread" means.

bwburke94 I am mad scientist! It's so cool! from 1.048596% (Y2: Electric Boogaloo) Relationship Status: She does the things you do, but she is an IBM
I am mad scientist! It's so cool!
#17: Jan 8th 2015 at 1:02:34 PM

So back to the Ocarina of Time debate, then?

2025: the year it all ends?
IndirectActiveTransport plays capoeira from Chicago (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Every rose has its thorn
plays capoeira
#18: Jan 8th 2015 at 7:32:39 PM

Zelda is the continuity rebooter. Link changes the future by traveling through time, but we don't get two separate continuities until Zelda sends him back to an earlier point to prevent the future from happening in the first place. This doesn't erase the future, it just results in Link mysteriously vanishing from it and two different timelines now running.

Well, three timelines according to "Hyrule Historia" but that seems more like an Ass Pull to me (what event lead to the "defeated" timeline is never explained)

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SigurdZS Since: Feb, 2012
#19: Nov 6th 2015 at 1:38:44 AM

I'd like to add that, if I understand the trope correctly, the current Laconic in no way relates to what the trope is actually about.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#20: Jan 1st 2016 at 1:41:47 PM

Locking per New Year Purge.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
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