An Aetherial "Multiverse" as opposed to the Multiverse Theory
This post is intended to explain what exactly an Aetherial Multiverse is and how it contrasts to the Multiverse Theory. It is broken down into parts, 1: What is Aether?, 2: The Multiverse Theory, 3: My Time-Travel Paradox Theory, 4: An Aetherial Multiverse, and 5: How the two differ.
1: What is Aether?
What is Aether? In greek mythology, it is the upper air that the gods breathe. It has also been used as an explanation for how things can move through a vacuum. But in CODZ, it is something else entirely. We had seen the word used many times throughout the early years of the story, but in Moon we first started to see the importance of it and what it is. Dr. Edward Richtofen describes the Moon Pyramid Device (a.k.a. the M.P.D.) as having a stable connection to another dimension.
Now, just briefly I think it may be necessary to clarify the difference between universes and dimensions. A universe is one iteration of the physical realm (Earth and reality as we percieve it). By contrast, a dimension is entirely different. There are four dimensions that we know of in the CODZ story. To explain this think of 2D vs 3D. The first dimension goes only in one direction, it is entirely linear. The second dimension has both an "x" and "y" axis allowing for shapes to be formed. We live in the third dimension. This dimension has an "x", "y", and "z" axis, which allows for what we call three-dimensional (a.k.a. "3D") shapes. Then there is the theoretical fourth dimension. The fourth dimension has the added variable of time. In the fourth dimension you can pass through time as easily as space.
Aether or as it is sometimes called "The Aetherial/Etherial Realm" is the fourth dimension. This is why Aetherial control is so powerful. It allows the person controlling it to manipulate space and time on a whim.
2: The Multiverse Theory
I would highly recommend that you read a more in depth explanation of the Multiverse Theory, but for those of you who do not want to read a longer explanation or only need a brief refresher on the subject here is a brief summary.
The Multiverse theory states that there are an infinite number of universes. If it is possible, it has happened, is happening, and will happen in some other universe. Everything that happens in game takes place in a different universe while the infinite versions of our characters attempt to succeed in their mission.
3: My Time-Travel Paradox Theory
I made this theory far before I played zombies, back before BO1 was even out. I made this theory as a possible explanation to many of the paradoxes related to time travel.
Here is the paradox: "I go back in time and kill Hitler before his rise to power, thus stopping WWII and changing history forever"... so what happens? Do you cease to exist? Do you go back to the present and find out there is a new version of you?
My theory: "I go back in time and kill Hitler before his rise to power, thus stopping WWII and changing history forever" this disrupts the flow of the timeline through the fourth dimension and fractures it. There are now two futures. The one that I departed, and this new future where WWII never happened. It is impossible to travel between these timelines without moving through the fourth dimension (or an even higher dimension).
4: An Aetherial Multiverse
It wasn't until BO2 that I considered implementing my time travel theory into my CODZ theories. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
This Aetherial Multiverse would consist of a finite, but ever expanding, number of timelines or universes. Every time that someone changes history through time travel, they are fracturing the universe (anyone remember the ZNS Richtofen quote "we are dealing with the inter-dimensional time travel across a fracturing universe..."?). They are able to travel back and forth between these universes by traveling through the Aether ("Return Through Aether" anyone?). It would most likely be an Aetherial Dr. Maxis that is moving them through the different universes.
However, for this theory to work, there would have to have been the first time that the timeline fractured. One initial event that tore space and time. Maybe the Apothicons or the past actions of known characters, or something else entirely. Could be Primis. I think Primis is a good bet because they are the first and they are the last. They were at the beginning and at the end. However, there is no way to know for sure without more information.
5: How the two differ
The two are quite possibly opposites. The Multiverse Theory's infinite universes vs An Aetherial Multiverse's finite universes. Our characters actions not even amounting to a percentage or fraction of impact on the multiverse vs our characters being one of the biggest causes for what is happening.
Anyway, let me know what you guys think of this theory and thanks for reading.