Richtofen's Power Isn't Time Travel

[TastyBrains]

As seen in the Die Rise cinematic, Rich saves the N4 from certain doom by moving them back to the top of the building. Samuel looses his memory and questions whether they have been there before. Many believe he has simply reversed time to this point, but it has to be something else for a couple of reasons:

1.) It Happened on Green Run:

When approaching the town and a couple other locations, the characters will question why it seems so familiar. This can happen during their first pass through the map, so it isn't just when they return to the location. This is likely due to the same power seen in the Die Rise cinematic. As someone stated in another thread (not sure who, sorry), this could also be why the characters seem to know each other, but know little ABOUT each other. Maxis also comments that he has been searching for the N4 for decades- this is probably why. The N4 may have been trying to light up that tower for years on end. With these facts in mind, it's safe to say Rich used his power in Green Run as well. Why does this disprove the time travel theory you might wonder? Easy: the fridge and the bank. If Richtofen was truly rewinding time, the bank would empty after each game and the fridge would as well. While it could be argued that this is simply a gameplay mechanic, I couldn't see them poking holes in their storyline like that.

2.) They Lose Their Weapons:

This can be seen simply through watching the cutscene. I don't know why people seem to think the cutscene doesn't take place immediately following the teleportation, but it shows them immediately afterwards when Stu wonders why he was brought to Die Rise and begins to question Rich. Zombies attack and everyone goes down. It seems possible that the wave was a response to Samuel hesitating to help Rich, forcing Rich to preform a mindwipe and return Samuel to submission. Either way, when the N4 begin to hold off the zombies you notice that they are all are using weapons that aren't the M1911. It is probable that these are their weapons from the end of Green Run that were brought with them. After they go down, however, they are returned to the roof and given the M1911. If time was rewound they would have the same weapons as before.

So far there is little to suggest time travel versus resurrection or a healing power of some sort. Unless discussed in the easter egg itself, it is unlikely Rich is using time travel to save the N4.

[InfestLithium]

Great little theory, friendo! I'm glad you find that Richtofen does not have some time travel power. I'm not saying that it's not possible, it's just that...well, the power has never been brought up or displayed before even when Samantha was in power. The events that occurred in Green Run are presumably debatable regarding to the timeline. For what we know, Green Run is just a small town with the basic locations of any typical area. Before arriving in Hanford, they could have visited various other locations similar to the town.

China is a bit different story. I personally believed that the ending of the cutscene was actually the beginning of the actual event, and vice versa for the intro. Deja-vu seems to be the controversial concept at hand, and should be considered in every theory like this accordingly. If I recalled correctly, the N4 still has their weapons from the introduction cutscene (Marlton has the SVU, Misty with an SMG[?]).

Keep up the ideas/concepts friendo! :)

[AlphaOmega]

Actually, this is very true.

Through my EE hunting, at a certain time, Stu hears Rich say something about how far his power truly extends. Bottomline: It isnt that far. He can do stuff like control zombies and stuff but sa far as something that complcated? nah. However, that is probably why he wants all these steps done! So that he can gain more power!

[Stop Mocking Me0]

Couple of holes in your theory: I never heard a speech from maxis about decades of searching...

2: The bank and the fridge are just there to help not everything is cannon... So many people are going to fight me on that...

3: In the last picture of the horde, zombies are attacking misty Samule and marelton with their shotgun, python, and sniper.... So they don't lose their weapons, but their memory yes why not?

Another note is the broadcast from the destroyed CDC bace in georgia ??? (Which is odd considering the ORGIONAL CDC bace was also in georgia, but in Atlanta... ) "Symptoms include mass paranoia (Samule) LOSS OF MEMMORY (everyone)....

Also does richtofen sound sick? I hope he's ok... :(

[Wilbizzle]

Ive heard maxis say that or something along those lines..but i think hes right with reincarnation idea and time travel was just a byproduct of teleporting last i knew from the kino intro

[Stop Mocking Me0]

Is it possible maxis's mind is being erased as well?

[InfestLithium]

Maxis speaks of searching for decades via television broadcast found in Green Run's Farm.

Nobody will argue with you about the fridge and bank; more than likely it's just a game mechanic made to enhance the desirability to play.

Their memory may essentially be wiped out. But if it is wiped out and it's not due to time travel, then what cause it?

[TastyBrains]

A couple of things:

You are right in that the characters keep their weapons in the ending shot of the cutscene. My bad on that. Anyway, even if the fridge and bank are gameplay options, the tower remains lit between games. If he rewound time he might reverse the tower. While it is true the teleportation to Die Rise could have immediately followed completion of the easter egg, time could have been spent simply killing zombies (as we did for several months) to help Rich store power for the teleportation. During this he may have revived the crew when necessary.

[Stop Mocking Me0]

Maxis speaks of searching for decades via television broadcast found in Green Run's Farm.

Nobody will argue with you about the fridge and bank; more than likely it's just a game mechanic made to enhance the desirability to play.

Their memory may essentially be wiped out. But if it is wiped out and it's not due to time travel, then what cause it?

The same way all memory gets wiped: It's exam week but in all seriousness the CDC guy said that one of the symptoms of SOMETHING was memory loss... Oh wait DUH! Over exposure to 115, just like with takeo, Dempsky, and Nikolai! That makeshift teleporter must be DROWNING with the stuff.... To teleport with it could definantly cause over exposure to it... I wonder how this will effect Samule...

[Xieon]

Richtofens power is the ABILITY TO MANIPULATE MATTER.

He says it in the start saying something like everything has energy running though it but my POWER TO MANIPULATE IT is weak at this time.

[Edward Richtofen]

So Richtofen's abilities don't extend too far but he can put Rus's head back on his shoulders and make him alive again? The whole crew alive again?

They are teleported back to the hise rise roof top. We know from lots of evidence that teleportation in this game connects to time travel.

So we must ask ourselves, what's more plausible? That Richtofen teleported them through time to try anew? Or that Richtofen brought them back to life to try again? Deja vu would apply to both circumstances.

Also the fridge and the bank should not be considered canon. There is plenty of evidence to suggest the exact opposite. Oh I made the turbine but the next game it's not made, the zombie shield, the jet gun. I shot a can off a table and the next game it's back on the table. Once you go down that road, everything must be canon and you will run into certain paradox.

They keep their weapons, but to me that doesn't mean much to the story. They could have showed up with those weapons? I wouldn't expect them to leave Green Run with M1911's in hand after what they accomplished; would you?

If anyone has read the dark tower series it could be something similar to that. Whether that is time travel or parallel universes, or something completely different is anyone's guess. All I know is those books are awesome :D

[Zelkova]

Richtofen has the ability to control time and space to a certain extent not time travel. These are 2 different things. Time and space control allows time travel (albiet minor) but it also allows one to basically do what Richtofen is doing. And from what I gather from his quotes he doesn't have complete control over the zombies. If he did he wouldn't be allowing them to continuing kill us while we complete his little goal.

[Naitrax]

This theory really makes sense. This seems to be how we are constantly able to replay the maps! This may also explain why important things such as the Navcard Reader stays built once complete. Richtofen has a compassionate side! Or are his seemingly nice respawns part of something a lot more sinister... :twisted: