You see, I'm one of those people (although I've never met anyone else with this passion) that look for meaning in everything. Symbolism, reasonable backgrounds, you name it. I'm a sucker for it. I love explanations rather than "it's just like that." A weird trait I have, but I can't ignore it. This was furthered by the symbolism in Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil and from there whenever I came across something, I wanted an explanation (granted, I've always wanted explanations for everything, but it's increased since).
Now, I set my sights on JoD (...which I no longer have ;_;). Along with my weird ways of trying to connect it with NiD, figuring out one of multiple reasonable answers to the question "Why did NiGHTS rebel against Wizeman?", wondering what could have happened to Jackle, and more, I've come up with several theories that I'd like to share.
...And yes I know we go above and beyond what's presented...but I still enjoy explanations to things that have none in the first place. Those explanations also give prompts on writing one-shots or full stories in fanfiction (of which I can't seem to stay away from ^^;).
Keep in mind, I've never read anyone else's theories (at the time of this posting) so these are just assumptions and such.
- Theory 1: Dream Drops of Remembrance
(Keep in mind that I've never played NiD, but this is what I think of those little collectibles.)
In JoD, when you collect all of the Dream Drops and
I believe this is because those Dream Drops are actually fragments (dreams or memories, you decide)
Those tears of leaving a friend are never forgotten, and the memories (or fragments of dreams) of that purple jester will never fade.
An insignificant thing people tend to pass up, but I thought I'd be nice to get this out in the open.
- Theory 2: Reala's Bandages?
http://www.nightsint...?showtopic=3429
(Yeah, not bringing it to a different thread altogether, so a link to the original will do.)
- Theory 3: Octopaw's...Everywhere
I personally believe that the poor thing likes to go to places he doesn't expect NiGHTS to go. ...He wants peace darned it!
- Theory 4: NiGHTS' Betrayal (It would be all alone if I left it out, sorry.)
I'll just make this short since there are many possibilities for this. This goes back to NiD, yes, but more evidence has, in my opinion (since I never played the original), been brought up to give an inkling at least as to why he left.
Taking some points from a one-shot seldom in progress ("Rebelling Over Nothing"), I think it may have had to do something with freedom and being restricted by Wizeman. NiGHTS enjoys flying as do we all and he might've goofed off too much and had been denied from leaving Nightmare. As well, Wizeman thinks himself as a god, so perhaps NiGHTS resented that.
...And off hand, I'd like to add this: the whole "light of the Ideya" thing that was left out of JoD (found by Kentilan when hacking) also inspired a bit that perhaps the light of a Red Ideya fused with NiGHTS, enabling him to live outside Nightmare. (Stupid point, but it's all in trying to find reason.) That or (obviously) a shard of Red Ideya..infused with the light to keep it active.
Whatever the full story is, NiGHTS is willing to die to make sure Wizeman...dies too. Jeez that's some deep hatred.
Update: In the unused script for JoD, something that I think NiGHTS says has brought something up. (Also added in a little more dialogue from the script.)
We're just doing our best to save Nightopia
from your messed up schemes.
If you really want me to stop showing you
up, then quit bothering us!
Oh, those are big words, NiGHTS.
The time for mercy has passed. I'll
deliver your heads to Master Wizeman myself!
That would support what NiGHTS was rebelling against. It was for Nightopia first and foremost. The Ideya and the Dreamers connect to it so of course he was willing to help them to stop the...destruction perhaps? He does seem to love exploring the places (enough to leave the Visitors behind anyways).
Assuming it was NiGHTS saying that...right?
- Theory 5: To Brainwash, or Not to Brainwash? (I'll probably come back to this one at a later time)
This has been on my mind for some time but... Why did Wizeman want to merely brainwash NiGHTS instead of destroying him/her? I have two reasons that, to me, seem most plausible:
1. NiGHTS was an incredible Nightmaren before turning traitor. He's far too precious to destroy.
Or more likely...
2. It's difficult, or nearly impossible, to create First Level Nightmaren. It would be far simpler to wipe out NiGHTs' consciousness and give him/her a new mind.
This can be carried over to the question of why NiGHTS and Reala, beings that are basically two sides of the same coin, were not created as one. I've said that Wizeman didn't want anybody close to perfect rivaling him, a god, so he made them separate. Perhaps, besides efficiency and avoiding "perfection," it was difficult to create a being that was a cross of NiGHTS and Reala.
Perhaps Wizeman ran out of resources or those resources are difficult to come by?
Update: In another topic, Twilight mentioned that maybe Wizeman is giving up a part of himself to create the Nightmarens. Making Nightmarens from a part of himself seems plausible, however, there's still the issue of what resources Wizeman uses to create First-Levels since only two are known to exist. If it was as simple as creating Marens that are common in every level, he could do it again (and supposing how long he's been in charge of Nightmare, he could have had the chance to make more). We don't know how long it took for Wizeman to create Reala and NiGHTS and nor do we know the conditions he had to do so. The same goes for Second-Levels, but they seem to be easier to create than First-Levels.
Perhaps the answer lies in the differences between First- and Second-Level Nightmarens? Crack that mystery with even a small theory, and the answer should be close. It has to do with what First Levels have in common, besides being humanoid... Then again... Maybe that's it? (Will have to come back to that theory later.)
Update 2:
A quote from Wizeman at the end of JoD. This suggests that it was easy to create NiGHTS, a First-Level Nightmaren. If that's true, then he might have seen no reason to create more First-Levels (which probably could have made his job a whole lot easier in the long run if they were sent after the rebel if they weren't rebels themselves). Either that or there was another reason he didn't make more First-Levels - at least ones we know of. Perhaps he had enough resources at this time, but didn't want to waste them if he didn't have to.That which I have created, I can
just as easily destroy. So be it.
Your fate is now sealed.
Note: If this was JoD before NiD, then Wizeman began to run out of resources sometime after this battle.
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JoD Before NiD Theories
- Theory 1: Placing the Games in Order
Thanks to Penelopi for providing this.
Well, since the dialogue in the deleted JoD cutscenes indicates that NiGHTS is rebelling for the first time in that game, I figure a good way to put JoD and NiD together is to say JoD comes first, and the events in it are what causes Wizeman to imprison NiGHTS in NiD. The only missing thing is, Reala is supposed to somehow be the cause for NiGHTS's imprisonment. I guess Reala could have just dragged NiGHTS back to Wizeman once they all revived, but I have no idea how he'd do that since NiGHTS beat him in JoD without the kids. Maybe NiGHTS was weakened from the Wizeman battle in JoD, and even being brought back from the dead or whatever happened didn't restore his full strength.
- Theory 2: A Little Rebellion is Just the Beginning
As Kentilan ripped from JoD and Penelopi kindly pointed out, Reala is stated to have said that NiGHTS' rebellion was 'little' in a planned, but not completed, scene.
You've defeated Cerberus, and you've
meddled with Master Wizeman's plans.
How far do you plan to take this little
rebellion of yours, NiGHTS?
That's Reala talking, in a cutscene placed after the 2nd Cerberus battle and a couple other random missions that didn't make it in. Obviously, Reala wouldn't be asking NiGHTS what his intentions were if he'd already broken away from Wizeman once before. Which also brings up an interesting thought. NiGHTS could have been still officially allied with Wizeman at the point where Will and Helen meet him in the beginning. But then again, Owl didn't seem very scared of him.
And might I add to this. We don't know how long Owl and NiGHTS knew each other before Will and Helen showed up. True this is suggested as to being early in the rebellion, but let's not forget how unfriendly Reala was to NiGHTS when they met in Helen's dream (who was hinted at meeting NiGHTS first in Will's dream). So obviously the rebellion started before either kid showed up, but was still in it's early stages to be laughable by Reala.
Update: Found another quote that was cut out that could support this theory.
That was based on destroying the Tower of Nightmare. Now why would Wizeman command NiGHTS to do something? Quite obvious really. He thought NiGHTS was playing around and wasn't really being serious in rebelling.NiGHTS... I command you...
Leave this place at once!
More Supporting Evidence:
Here (in-game, not deleted)
- Theory 3: Reala's Bandages? (Take Two)
This can swing the timeline either way like most theories. If JoD is a sequel, then the bandages may cover up old wounds. If JoD is a prequel, then Reala may have tossed away his armor since it might have been impeded him. It couldn't help stop NiGHTS the first time, so why would it help later? A "Tragic Revenge" indeed as Reala chooses to get close and use Paraloops to stop NiGHTS instead of using Mare balloons. (Revenge is usually personal so...)
- Theory 4: Jackle's Creation (This is a huge one that may be edited later.)
As speculated in the theory "To Brainwash, or Not to Brainwash?": "It's difficult, or nearly impossible, to create First Level Nightmaren. It would be far simpler to wipe out NiGHTs' consciousness and give him/her a new mind."
If this is true, then perhaps Wizeman was using constricted resources when creating Jackle. Explains a lot there doesn't it? Of course there's more to this. When did Wizeman create Jackle? If in JoD (as a prequel), then he may have been locked up due to his insanity. Perhaps then in NiD Wizeman's resources were stretched out to where he HAD to allow Jackle to be of some use.
But wait, WHY would Wizeman's resources be stretched out in NiD specifically? Here is what spurred it:
And that made the cogs turn and resulted in this (edited for relevance):I thought that Jackle was inconcesquential too, but he is the final part of making NiGHTS and Reala have a complete personalty. Jackle is totally androgynous in every sence of the word, so he has nothing to cancel out the characteristics of NiGHTS and Reala. He is the insanity to balance out NiGHTS and Reala's rationality, and the mystery to balance their flamboyance. He looks like NiGHTS and Reala a bit, so there's probably a connection.
Of course, there's also the possibility that Jackle was either the first or third known First-Level Nightmaren. Either he was failed as the first (and Wizeman learned his lesson on how to make better Nightmarens), or Wizeman used constrained resources in creating Jackle as a third and resulting in...well you know. It would make sense that Wizeman wouldn't make anymore First-Levels if Jackle somehow botched up his plans. Then again, maybe he's bidding his time until he has enough resources for the perfect Nightmaren... (Scary thought ain't it?)Also, the difficulty in creating First- and Second-Levels. Who's to say that Wizeman had enough Secondaries to take care of every dreamer that he became conscious of? Either not many dreamers had Ideya to take and protect or, with so many Visitors, he had to assign more than one Nightmaren to a Nightopia. That would make sense since Reala, a First-Level, was protecting a Nightopia just like the Second-Levels. Shouldn't a First-Level have better things to do than do to the dirty work of a Second-Level? Just what were his duties anyway prior to taking over Stick Canyon? Also why would he need to do that (protect SC) unless Wizeman couldn't make enough Secondaries to go around? We don't know how much effort goes into making them, but it's less effort than making a First-Level and more than making a Third.
Edit: Even if there were weren't many Visitors with Ideya to take and protect, perhaps the difficulty in creating Secondaries left only Reala to look over Stick Canyon.
Update:
A quote from Wizeman at the end of JoD. This suggests that it was easy to create NiGHTS, a First-Level Nightmaren. If that's true, then he might have seen no reason to create more First-Levels (which probably could have made his job a whole lot easier in the long run if they were sent after the rebel if they weren't rebels themselves). Either that or there was another reason he didn't make more First-Levels - at least ones we know of. Perhaps he had enough resources at this time, but didn't want to waste them if he didn't have to. First-Levels require a lot more effort than regular Nightmaren, so at least time would be needed to create one...but who knows how long that takes? An eon perhaps? Just because something's easy, doesn't mean it takes little time. It might be easy to get through a game, but does that mean you'll be done in an hour? A day?That which I have created, I can
just as easily destroy. So be it.
Your fate is now sealed.
Granted, perhaps it was Jackle's creation that kept Wizeman from hastily creating anymore First-Levels. Sure, it's easy to create, but perfection is needed so no more rebellious Maren are brought into being. Jackle has the ability, in all his randomness, to actually question Wizeman's actions. Then again, if it's just to wreck a Nightopia, I don't see why he wouldn't jump on board to make everything into a resemblance of his lair. Imagine Soft Museum if Jackle redecorated it. Doesn't seem so friendly anymore does it?
Note: If this was NiD before JoD, then Wizeman began to regain a pool of resources sometime after the final battle. (Explains the luxury Reala has of nail polish, doesn't it?)
Update 2: It turns out that Jackle as a prototype First-Level Maren is canon. This possibly brings two things to light. One, Wizeman was experimenting with either abundant or constricted resources when creating Jackle. Two, after Jackle it became easier to create First Levels. Perhaps NiGHTS was second to be made since in the original JP description for him it says: "Having the craziness of the original Nightmaren, the free wild character of this individual suffers much misfortune." So as Wizeman went on creating, his skills improved. It might be "easy" to create First levels now, but perhaps the First-Levels are a little too...unpredictable. Wizeman never expected NiGHTS to rebel and he never expected Jackle to be...well, Jackle. With the creation of Jackle and NiGHTS perhaps Wizeman deemed the creation of First-Levels only necessary if there was no other option. Absolute necessity to keep his Maren in line since it seems that the higher the level of the Nightmaren, the more consciousness they will have and thus may have a mind of their own.
What resources could Wizeman take to create First-Levels to where he can't even control them half of the time and there are often unseen results? It's more than just Nightmare energy...
- Theory 5: Power in Life Choices
Link: Here (To avoid taking up more space on the first post.)
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It should be noted that to accept JoD before NiD you must ignore the following theories:
(JoD) - Theory 1: Dream Drops of Remembrance (There is a way for this to be slightly plausible, but it involves headache-inducing multiple planes of existence co-existing at the same time in the Night Dimension.)
(JoD) - Theory 2: Reala's Bandages? (Again this is the one for supporting JoD after NiD.)
(Very tired after getting this all together and editing the post. Might make less sense tomorrow. G'NiGHT... *snore*)
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Miscellaneous Mysteries/Theories
Jackle's Disappearance - Either dead or banished to some far corner of the Night Dimension. (Doesn't matter if JoD proceeded NiD or not.) He may also be alive if the "NiGHTS Never Dies" theory has any say on a Nightmaren's lifeline.
Reala's Persona - A control-device made by Wizeman to keep those who use it under his control. Probably only gets effective after extensive exposure without taking it off. After prolonged usage, it becomes difficult for the effects to wear off...and considering that Reala is loyal to begin with, it's not likely much will change if he were to take it off for a week or so. (This one's terrible and might need to be looked into further.)
Update: It seems that the Personas are mainly for representing loyalty to Wizeman (and supposedly different Personas allow First-Levels to shape-shift...which NiGHTS does anyway in NiD without one). Only First-Levels wear the masks, but since NiGHTS rebelled they really don't serve a purpose.
Nightopians - Ancient Blessed Creatures that exist to guide Dreamers, even before NiGHTS arrived. However, they are weak and only the Visitors can protect them along the path to reclaim their Ideya. That is all...
Dream Gate Ruins - The Night Dimension has been around for ages so of course there's going to be ruins! Although that island might've been larger at some point... Heck, there might have been a palace that got decimated thousands of years ago leading to the fountain, but we'll never know really...
NiGHTS Never Dies - Simple. This is a quote from "Journey of Dreams" (although I can't recall where at the end this was supposed to be at).
Remember that NiGHTS is a Nightmaren first and foremost so as long as Wizeman lives, NiGHTS, Reala, and the other Nightmarens will never be permanently destroyed (unless Wizeman destroys one of them of course; he's the creator after all).I am... the creator of Nightmare.
Heed my words...
As long as darkness exists within the
hearts of humans then I... and the
nightmares... shall never be destroyed!
What First-Levels Are Made Of - As speculated in Update 2 in Jackle's Creation, there might be something more being used to create First-Levels besides Nightmare energy. "What resources could Wizeman take to create First-Levels to where he can't even control them half of the time and there are often unseen results?" Considering their humanoid shape, it's safe to assume it has something to do with Dreamers. Ideya is an obvious guess since Wizeman is always collecting them and we never see what happens to them. Yes, Wizeman doesn't want anyone else to have Ideya so that there won't be anymore Nightopias, but what happens to those spheres? There's a chance he may use them to create First-Levels and considering the nature of Ideya, there's no real way to tell what will happen when a Nightmare being tries to use it for something outside of it's intended use. Destruction, most likely, but Wizeman isn't going to bat a...erm...hand-eye at holding one unless it's the Red Ideya of Courage.
A second idea - and this is a bit of a stretch - is that First-Level Nightmarens are made out of the subconsciousness of Dreamers. Now just hold on, because this is merely a thought and there's isn't much supporting it except for the facts that First-Levels tend to have more consciousness than others and they have a humanoid shape. Now, Wizeman was once a Visitor, but turned bitter and allowed his subconscious to drift and become absorbed into the Night Dimension. If it happened to one dreamer, who's to say it can't happen again and by Wizeman's will? Now if that isn't a scary thought - falling asleep permanently only to wake up without a thought on your Waking World life and becoming a slave to an omnipotent Nightmare being - then I haven't a clue what would be worse.
But wait! In the Official U.S JoD manual, it says that he "derived [Nightmare creatures] from its own soul." Well, in the Official JP NiD manual, it says: "He created Nightmarens by using his own power." Soul and power are completely different things yet they could be thought of as the same. There's a chance it's half-and-half, that he creates Marens from his own soul (which probably crossed over Dimensions when he, as a Visitor, "died" in the Waking World...less confusing if you don't get into the science of it) and he uses the power he gained in the World of Dreams to create the Marens as well.
Whatever Wizeman does to create First-Levels definitely has something to do with the fact that each resembles a human in some way.
(Will have to come back to work on this theory.)
Wizeman's Power Fluctuations - Link: Here (To avoid taking up more space on the first post.)
Additional points (major and minor):
Masterweaver
Smashy (Minor)
[This theory is subject to change, most likely to be added to.]
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Eh. That's all I got and I'll edit when and if more pop up from my observations on youtube. Anyone want to contribute to my mess of guesses? >>; Also, am I weird, or strange, or abnormal for bringing this up? O_o
Note: Whatever I type down at a moment's notice usually doesn't make any sense come morning. X_X