Dark Force of PSIII...how can it be here, how can it return?

[DracMazoku]

A question I always wondered, even since I knew about the real time Phantasy Star III take place according to the Japanese release of it.

So chronologically:

PSI --> 1000 years or so --> PSII --> People escape Parma on 400 Spaceships --> 1000 years or so --> PSIV --> Profound Darkness is defeated, and thus, no more Dark Force --> 1000 Years or so --> PSIII

So according to this timeline, PSIII takes place 2000 years after the destruction of Parma (even if the english mistranslation say only 1000 years have passed since the destruction of Parma, but still...), and 1000 years after the defeat of the Profound Darkness. Without the Profound Darkness, Dark Force cannot escape every 1000 years from its prison, and thus cannot return. But at the end of Phantasy Star III, Dark Force is telling us he will be back in another 1000 years to haunt our descendant.

How can this be possible. Is this Dark Force not aware that its master is dead? With him dead, should he even exists to manipulate the Laia/Orakio war (which happen at the same time as PSIV)? And even then can he really come back without the Profound Darkness and outside the Algo system?

Do you think the Dark Force (or Dark Falz, or Darth Phalus) from Phantasy Star III being out of Algo for so long become its own entity outside the Profound Darkness reach, which mean he could initiate its own resurection?

sorry for all this confusing mess, but the Dark Force from PSIII (and PSIII in itself) was alwasy the big "WTH???" in the whole continuity. I have my own theory about the link between all games (except for the PSU games, which are their own little world), that link the original PS, PSO, PSZ togheter (in my theory, the Dark Force from PSII is born from the Dark Force of PSIII (the ones who like to hide inside the Pandora Box) and not from the Profound Darkness (who are just there directly))...But for that to work, Dark Force from Phantasy Star III must become something outside the Profound Darkness reach.

So what do you think about the Dark Force from Phantasy Star III and the time paradox he create???

[Wing-0]

Well, I would say that Dark Forces are independent of their big breasted mom (big, gray boobs, I say), the same way we are biologically independent from our parents.

Given the Alisa III's isolation from the Algol system, I would say the Dark Force didn't know mom was already dead and so thought he would be back (or another of his seemingly innumerable siblings), hence the threat.

[BenoitRen]

This is obviously a side-effect of PSIII being released before PSIV, which pretty much retcons Dark Force's "promise". There's not much more to it than that.

Err, PSO is its own universe. So is Phantasy Star 0.

[DracMazoku]

Uh are you saying PSZ and PSO are not directly linked, and that each of those game/sub-series are their own universe, not linked with any of their other games universe?

Because while we can argue over why PSIII can or cannot link through PSO or PSII with PSZ through some un-official speculation made by fan for the fun of arguing many of the possible theories, PSZ and PSO are clearly directly linked without a tiny inch of doubt as Coral is directly mentionned in one of the post-game quest as being the real name of Earth before the Great Blank

[BenoitRen]

Uh are you saying PSZ and PSO are not directly linked, and that each of those game/sub-series are their own universe, not linked with any of their other games universe?

Yes.

PSZ and PSO are clearly directly linked without a tiny inch of doubt as Coral is directly mentionned in one of the post-game quest as being the real name of Earth before the Great Blank

Phantasy Star 0 was clearly inspired by Phantasy Star Online. I've read that even so, it's not in the same narrative continuity. This is reinforced by the fact that aside from the planet's name being Coral, there is no concrete link between the games.

There's also the fact that Dark Force doesn't exist anymore in the PSO universe, so it can't exist in Phantasy Star 0.

[Daren]

I find it hard to believe PS3 comes 2000 years after PS2... Didn't there was a tread about this a few months ago?
How can the people living on the Alissia 3 not know they were on a ship for 2000 years?

[Zucca]

Hm. The timeline topic?

[Wing-0]

Postwar ignorance is a crazy mistress, I'd say.

[DracMazoku]

Thanks for the link to the old topic confirming the 2000 years theory...I've learned some things I didnt know about PSIII back story too, it was really a good read

@BenoitRen: At this point in the online Universe, or even in the Phantasy Star series, I think that Dark Force really is a powerfull entity that grows beyond just the simple fact that "one" being exists...I still believe Zero is connected to the Online saga, even though there's some plothole to fill to make a more direct link. If one day Sega come to us saying that in a Pre-Great Blank era, people began the Pioneer Project, while starting the Mother Trinity one, it will then confirm everything. But anyway. I guess this is not the real subject of this topic, but more about the nature of Dark Force in PS III

[BenoitRen]

At this point in the online Universe, or even in the Phantasy Star series, I think that Dark Force really is a powerfull entity that grows beyond just the simple fact that "one" being exists

It doesn't matter what you think. According to PSO: Episode III, Dark Force/Falz is gone, and it can't come back.

I still believe Zero is connected to the Online saga, even though there's some plothole to fill to make a more direct link.

If Sega says it's not connected, then it's not connected.

[DracMazoku]

It's true that I noticed that with you, since I arrived here, it does not matter what I think. Sorry for the bother, if there's no place for discussion, I'll be going now

[BenoitRen]

I'm sorry if I came across as harsh.

Discussion is welcome. But just saying that you think Dark Falz is still there and that the two series are linked doesn't make for much of a discussion. Instead, substantiate your claims. From where I'm sitting, PSO said that Dark Falz is gone, so it's canon. Tell me why I'm wrong.

[IndispensablePeaGuy]

Just to point out some things...

The PSO and PSU subseries of Phantasy Star are separate from the original series canon. They use references of the old ps games, such as weapons, enemies, quests, etc, but that's it. This has been pointed out 6-10 years ago.

PSIII hasn't had any influence from Reiko Kodama, who has created the original series mythology in the first place. Its position in the timeline is debatable now since the generation remakes were only including 1,2 & 4 before that project was canned.

As for Dark Force, a lot of various fan interpretations have been made about this antagonist, but Le Roof explains that its essentially a part of the Profound Darkness that can't be easily contained. The canonical explanation is that Dark Force returns every 1000 years because after being expelled, it returns back to its imprisoned, complete self - PD. You encounter it more than once on psiv because 1/3 of the seal has been destroyed, allowing the PD to bypass more of its imposed boundaries as DF. That simple.

When the seal is finally weakened completely, the PD finally reveals itself, no longer needing the Dark Force guise any more. After you destroy the PD for good, the cycle is dead. No more Dark Force.

[xrick]

Myself... I don't consider it truly canon, as in PS4 Fal only makes a vague reference to the colonies that were sent when Palma went POOF!, when they went to explore the wrecking of one those colonies...

So, wether all of this talk about PS3 DF having a sort of connection to the main classic saga or not, to me means nothing.
The same I can say about PSO:E3, I don't consider it canon as well in the PSO continuity...

For last, Classics, Online and Universe are all separate continuities, to me it's more than confirmed. About PSZ, I have no idea...

[BenoitRen]

The games are canon, whether you like it or not.

I can sort of understand why one wouldn't consider PSIII canon, but what's wrong with PSO: Episode III?