「断層のダイバージェンス」 (Dansō no Daibājensu)
“Divergence of Fault”

“I didn’t invent the time machine to win at gambling, I invented the time machine to travel through time!”
– Emmett “Doc” Brown, Back to the Future Part II

Oh Okarin, I guess gambling is the limit of your time machine prowess eh? I mean, it can only go so far in history when cell phones/text messaging existed, at least without some modifications. Even so, it shows that it isn’t too reliable, since he gave Rukako the numbers and failed to win the lottery regardless. So technically, not much really changed in the end result. Of course, the experiment proves many things, and time travel is finally happening, so it’s all pretty exciting. The show explains everything rather well, which I appreciate, and I like that it only explains what is necessary, rather than bore viewers with a thorough thesis on World Lines.

As the episodes go on, they’re starting to become checklists to cross off for confirmations and speculations. Okarin is unfazed as he shifts worlds as assumed from episode one and subtly confirmed by the dream from last week, check. It seems to be fact that Okarin will only shift to the same place he was, and only right before the event that initiated the shift. Suzuha gets more associations as a dystopian future warrior from the super reflexes to checking for brain washing and talks about chips, check. What a terrible future. A banana is not required to use the phone microwave, check. Phew, that one’s a relief. Speculation that perhaps Okarin may not be the only one that retains his memories as the world line shifts, check.

I gave Shining Finger another chance to be awesome, and she mostly stood neutral this time. She didn’t do much except annoy Okarin, and ended up absorbing information in the background. But you know, it’s kind of hard to get to know another character when Okarin won’t pick up the only way she communicates. I’m certain her character will make more sense after a couple more episodes anyway.

The whole last scene was simply great. It was like a review of what Okarin thinks of each character. Cool ignorance of Makise, friendly response to Rukako, intense annoyance at Moeka, standard annoyance at Daru, and a soft place for Mayuri. Kind of made me in awe at such a simple scene that is only possible with the invention of cell phones, and yet feel some oddity watching Okarin hold an intense conversation with a time traveler by mere text messaging. Titor was a bit too relaxed dealing with the amazing discovery that Okarin is coincidentally the man that could help him save the future, but lays out several “goals” that hint at possible finales. He describes Divergence 1% as some sort of obstacle that must be “crossed” in order to obtain freedom, and if not, only dystopia awaits, further correlating with Suzuha’s character bio. Okarin’s hesitance in moving on gives a lot of weight in these developments as they go on, and as he becomes more and more human and less and less mad scientist, it becomes incredibly easy to slip in his shoes.

How are they not merchandising these oopas yet?

 

94 Comments

  1. Celeb 17. I laughed harder the second time he said it.

    I liked this episode the best so far. (including Makise jokes) Like you said, you can finally see the weight of this whole experiment sitting on Okarin’s shoulders now. The level of seriousness took a nice big leap. First time I’ve seen some real fear in a character this season.

    + What is Dystopia?

    1. To save you the trip from wikipedia, “A dystopia is, in literature, an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian.”

      1. Textbook, shmackbook. Put it into terms where people can actually understand it. Dsytopia is opposite of Utopia, the prefect world. Dsytopia is a delusional world filled with pain and misery made out to be the perfect world. It is anything, but perfect. Happiness is a delusion rather than reality. Just imagine the futuristic world of the “V for Vendetta” is the easiest way to explain it. If you didn’t watch V, then imagine the Matrix.

        chaos
  2. He does not retain his memories, it’s like he switched places with the new timeline Okarin. He has no recollection about giving Rukako the lottery numbers.

    I’m also as scared as Okarin about the consequences of using the time machine. The show is great at that.

    Also, I think John Titor might be Suzuha. She fits the profile doesn’t she?

    Richard
    1. He also forgets about standing there for about 30seconds after panting in front of the microwave.

      Oh god, this is so mysterious @_@ I didn’t expect the show to get so much better

      Richard
    2. Eh? I’ll have to re-watch that again. I could have sworn he remembered everything.

      1.) As far as being the messiah… if Titor is already in the past why can’t he just change things himself? Why does he need someone else who can jump into the past even more?

      B.) Shinning Fingers is evil…

      11.) I always felt Suzuha is from the future. As Kiiragi pointed out, there is now so much evidence that Suzuha is from the future that I can’t help to wonder why she has come back. Obviously she got a job that is right next to where Okarin is dong his work. I can only come to the conclusion that she is there specifically for him.

      IV.) Very good episode though. I am glad I stuck with this.

      Ricalloo
      1. 1.) As titor said himself, orakin is the first person he knows that can retain it’s memory. So I guess titor can’t do it, that’s why his interactions with the past are limited

        Kratos
    3. No, he retains his memories from his old world line because he’s the only Okarin we’re watching. What you’re saying is that he doesn’t inherit the memories of the Okarin that he replaces in the new world line.

      1. Oh, I see. I’m back where I started. Communication error there on my part.

        Have you all, then, inferred from the data you get in the episodes that there are in fact multiple timelines, or is time singular… changeable, but singular?

        Basically what I’m asking is that since we only see everything Okarin sees, and know only what he knows, how are we to deduce that he simply isn’t changing time and that there is only one timeline? I’m not speaking real world, I’m speaking Steins;Gate world(canon).

        For instance, in DBZ Trunks travels back in time to stop the Androids, but he changes events and makes a new timeline without fixing his own. By the end of the Cell Arc multiple timelines had been created.

        So far all we see in S;G is that Okarin is moving from timeline to timeline, but we never see what he left behind. So it makes me wonder, is he actually changing a single timeline, or is he simply moving from one timeline to another.

        Ricalloo
      2. Hmm, well, this was explained by John Titor a couple episodes ago. There exists world lines, which are basically multiple parallel timelines that consist of all the possibilities of all the choices that could be made occuring all at the same time. Multiple dimensions kind of thing. You can go back to my old posts and skim them, I go over them too.
        Edit: Basically posts for ep 2 and 5 for good measure.

      3. This is the second time the world around him changes with him being aware of it (this is his unique “power”). Remember how nobody knew about John Titor?

        I think there ARE multiple timelines but his (and ours) consciousness is on one at the time. This is why, in a way, it seems like there’s a singular timeline.

        Richard
      4. Ahh, okay. So then Titor’s explanations are the rules of S;G then? That is effectively what I should have asked earlier. I only inquire because what we’ve seen to date does show different timelines, but whether they are the result of changing a single one or branching off into a new ones is something I am still unsure of. If the “many-worlds” you discussed in the Ep2 post is it, then that will help me understand what I am seeing better.

        There are so many types of time travel paradoxes and theories that I have trouble just accepting one. >_< Let alone my disbelief that one would amazingly appearing in the past at the same position one started from in the present. The Earth is moving through space in many directions (rotating, orbiting sun, orbiting galaxy, moving from center of universe), so our position in space changes constantly, meaning sending someone back may place them in the middle of nowhere…. unless… the "stretching" of the universe counters that… but that is another discussion. 🙂

        Ricalloo
      5. Given that John Titor came from 2036 and SERN already had time travelling for some time, at least enough to set up some sort of dystopia andhence should have mastered the basic theory of time travelling, the explaination should hold for the series.

        As a side note, “many worlds” is a terrible time travelling situation. Lets say you time travel to stop a 14 year old school girl from doing something terrible like signing her life away and destroying the world. By time travelling you don’t save her. Instead you save another “her”. So which “her” is her? Are both “her”s the same? Would you be happy with failing to save the “her” you knew for a month and instead saving another “her”? Can you even get back to the universe with the “her” that you originally knew?

        Zaku Fan
      6. It’s kind hard to explain time when there is nothing we can do to prove any of it. All we can do is speculate from a distance. As far as time that I know of, there is only one timeline in the universe with infinite possible choices; thus, many things can happen yet one one is allow per time. Imagine drive down on a highway at 55 MPH, while there are lots of exits that you can take, you can only take one, which is another highway, but you are still drive at 55 MPH. Unable to move faster or slower. This is how time works. To travel to the past and change something in the past, it means that the future before the time travel never existed; therefore, when a time traveler return to his time, he actually return to nothing and disappear. He only exist as that person during the time travel, once return, he is absorb into the new changed world, which usually means the original time travel never took place. Why? Because travel to the past to change it, eliminating the need to travel back in time again. Unless you failed miserably, then second time is the charm, right?

        The only way to have multiple worlds is assuming there is multiple timelines. In this perspective, a time travel is more like a tourist travel to different worlds rather than traveling through time.

        In Stein;Gate, Okarin changes the past yet is unaffected my its changes. Thus, he either is an abnormality or has some kind of special power. John Titor suggested that Okarin has special power.

        chaos
    4. What I’m starting to wonder is: If he is transferring or merging or whatever with himself in the new line, what happens to the old line? Is there another version of himself that is left behind in the old line or does he simply cease to be since the him from that line has moved to the new one? I wonder if they will address this: what happens to the timelines he has abandoned and if he can ever return to them.

      hjerry
    5. I agree with you in regards to Suzuha. I’m pretty sure she is John Titor. I had already been suspecting it some episodes back due to her showing signs not being from that timeline. Who’s the only time traveler currently? John Titor. This episode confirmed it even more. What does Suzuha tell Okarin? “Why don’t you call John Titor?” Titor was too relaxed because he is Suzuha and she has been hearing everything that is going up upstairs.

      Maybe Okarin texts John Titor and Suzuha texts back from the first floor. lol.

  3. Dr. Pepper, the official drink of mad scientists, check. I’d love to try some Dr.pepper but they don’t sell that here.

    This episode’s pretty intense, this whole time travel is finally getting to him. Suzuha’s definitely the most mysterious of the bunch.

    Give everyone in the world an Oopa cushion!

    Nhelraios
    1. “you cannot tell anyone what Dr Pepper tastes like because it’s so different. It’s not an apple, it’s not an orange, it’s not a strawberry, it’s not a root beer, it’s not even a cola. It’s a different kind of drink with a unique taste all its own.”

      Wikipedia, WTF??

      Richard
      1. Dude, here in America, I even hear radio commercials for Dr. Pepper when I’m drawing. Talking about how Dr. Pepper gives you the power of Thor and how epic it is. It’s my favorite soda now, because Orange Fanta got really awful after a while! They even have that guy with the mustache who drives a bunch of motorcycles making Dr. Pepper commercials!

        Okarin would be proud!

        pieprsn
      2. Dr. Pepper is good, it’s just I wish there was an accessible sugar version. I tend to drink mostly micro-sodas and throwback Pepsi and Mt. Dew because they are all sugar sweetened.

        As much as I love coke, the only sugar version available is Mexican and can be harder to find.

        Ricalloo
    2. Diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda. I’m diabetic so I don’t drink the sugar one. Diet Dr. Pepper used to taste awful (like battery acid) but a few years ago they found a way to make diet taste just like regular. Dr. Pepper is the only soda that has a warning label (or was only soda) to warn you when opening the bottle. Folks have gotten eye injuries from the cap flying off of the bottle when you 1st open it.

      Karmafan
  4. I thought they missed a number because they were going for the 3rd place prize, or did they miss one number to get to 3rd place( so basicly one more than in the first case) ?

    nasadigital
    1. You are talking about US lottery, where there 6 numbers. In order to win first prize, you need all 6 numbers correct. Second is 5 numbers correct, third prize is 4 numbers correct, etc.

      In other countries, they do multiple numbers draw for each prize. Example: first prize is 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. Second prize is 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12. Etc. etc. etc.

      chaos
  5. If he did go to another time-line, so he is in completely dimension, and he just left the people he knew in the original time-line (actually, he disappeared from its original dimension) to never comer back. That’s sad. He is in a new world with new people (it’s like Trunks in DBZ lol).

    1. No, you are assuming at multiple worlds timeline, where there are different worlds in different time. Stein;Gate assumes only one world, one timeline. Okarin is different. Why? In due, time friend. In due time, it will all be explained…

      chaos
      1. lol, you’re making it more confusing for everyone. It’s a problem with the constant usage of the same word. You’re right, on the most outside layer, there is only one timeline, and one world, but there are also multiple lines within that single timeline, with each line consisting of a “different” world. Now, what are you going to call those lines? We call them timelines too. So everybody saying multiple timelines and multiple worlds is still correct.

      2. lol, Kiiragi. Yeah, I think we are both talking about the same thing, just using different words.

        “Now, what are you going to call those lines?”

        They are possible worlds. In essence, they don’t exist. To be clear, they are yet to exist because it hasn’t been chosen. Once one line has be chosen, all other lines ease to exist and new lines are created as well as related lines continue with new possibilities.

        For example, lets say when I was 14, I have 3 girls to ask out. My first girlfriend is Nancy. That is the current timeline. Because I chosen Nancy, neither Sarah or Mary can be my first girlfriend. However, they can be my second and third girlfriend, but never my first. Those possible timelines are not non-existence now. However, I can travel back in time and choose Mary instead of Nancy. Thus, I created a new timeline where Nancy is not my first and can never be my first.

        chaos
      3. I lol’d at your example.
        If we go by the many-worlds theory that’s on wikipedia, and what Titor states in the anime, all the other world lines DO exist and they all coexist. Going by your example, all the world lines where you date that particular girl as your first ALL exist, you’re only able to go through one choice until, of course, you change the past. Every possible choice that can happen all exist on different world lines, and because of this, all possible world lines are theoretically already preset. Okarin doesn’t create new branches, he’s just shifting to the existing one that fits all his choices. The old one should still exist, as do all others.

  6. So via time traveling, Okarin is moving from one line to another (parallel lines?), and he retains the memories from the previous one. And this is the power that Okarin has to change the past/future??

    I’m just stating what was obvious but please fill the gaps if there is anything else I need to know… coz I’m REALLY confused what the hell is going on…

    And also what do you mean by: “Speculation that perhaps Okarin may not be the only that retains his memories as the world line shifts” I didn’t quite catch that…

    Tenshi_
    1. Okarin knows what will happen in the future, by sending mails to the past. He can save everyone by just doing that.

      and maybe “Shining Finger”, also retain her memories? That mysterious finger.

      FlamingYu
      1. I had the same thought about Shining Finger, when John Titor was talking about how Okabe was able to retain his memories and they showed Shining Finger. Maybe the reason why she takes pictures is so that she can retain memories from moving through different worlds. Or whatever the called them .-.

        DrZucchini
    2. It is not parallel worlds. It is a metaphor for possible route that time can take. There are infinite possible route, but only one timeline. The visual art didn’t help much. Imagine time as water flowing down a river. While there are many routes it can take from the beginning of the river to the end, it can only take one, then choice another route based on its past route. Some options that existed before are now impossible to do yet new possibilities are opened as a result. Thus, the term “infinite possibilities” is not really infinite. Then the visual in the anime will make more sense.

      chaos
  7. The problem with this series is that speculating feels pointless when the information is just a google search away (not that it will stop me, of course). For instance, I say John Titor and Suzuha are the same person. I’m calling it now. See how odd it sounds to “call” something when I can just confirm it with but a thought? I think it’s because it becomes an empty victory if you can’t prove that you did not cheat.

    Anyways…

    My head just exploded trying to think what the hell just happened when Okabe “time traveled”. I had to hit pause and think for about 2 minutes on how he pulled that one off. Kinda of a let down when they basically told us that his ability to keep his memory is 100% fantasy.

    Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty cool ability. I was just hoping that the only thing that they were going to keep unaddressed were the origins of the phone microwave, while everything else remained within the boundaries of plausible science fiction, much like Back to the Future.

    Athos
  8. Heh, I’ve drunk Dr.Pepper tons of times before and never became much of a fan. I don’t like it. xD;;

    As for the Mayushii & Okarin relationship. Oh gawd. They are so close, these childhood friends. 😀 Its so sweet how Okarin holds such a sweet spot for Mayuri. ^^

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Kii: You’re still spoiling because people can read between the lines. We’re not stupid.

    Crii
    1. Logically speaking, I can read between your words and deduct what is going to happen to her exactly. I hate people who ruined the ending for other people. Sometime it is best to let people watch it for themselves O.o

      chaos
    1. @Anonymous: Just like what Anonymous said, I also thought that Okabe purposely sent the wrong lottery numbers to the past? Just like what he explained about it? It was even mentioned in the subs. Can anyone verify this?

      I’m kinda confused as well, did Okabe actually sent the wrong numbers in purpose? Or did he sent the right numbers, but Ruka got it wrong when he bought the ticket?

      X
  9. Ok, am i the only one to find Part Time girl looking a lot like Mr Braun’s daughter? Even the eye color looked the same in most scenes though the age seems off if we talk about 2036. This is assuming that the time travel rules have no major ones regarding paradox with yourself much like some recent anime.

    Why pan to Moeka when John Titor was talking? Hinting that Moeka is a time traveller? Moeka for SERN? Unlikely given the dystopia/brainwashing background, Moeka as a SERN agent would not be against using heeavy handed tactics like killing everyone. Against SERN? More likely but why not tell Okarin everything? To manage the unfolding of events so as to direct things? Also they haven’t explained what is FB. Part Time girl’s association with John Titor? Part Time girl=John Titor? Then why not be upfront? Also because of managing the unfolding of events?

    Is Okarin able to retain memory because he held the activator (handphone) in hand? Then why is he able to remember Chris’ killing? Or he is special? If so why?

    Also duturu!! Mayuri is cute. Moeka’s seems to be softening with Mayuri’s attacks of friendship

    Zaku_Fan
  10. Ok, I’ve got a theory for Suzuha. In the first episode when Okarin goes to the roof wee see that the satellite landed perfectly on the roof and someone making signs, some with same haircut as Suzuha.
    So I think that in Suzuha’s mission was actually to kill kurisu before she met Okarin and succeeded. However Okarin changes the past by sending the email to Daru through me microwave. In this new time line the past have been changed, the conference is canceled, the satellite(time machine) crashes miserably, and Okarin met Kurisu.
    Now Suzuha doesn’t know what to do so she approached Okarin to see what will happen next.

    Kratos
    1. Some boys like to dress up like girls. Nothing wrong with that. The way I see it that it is better to do it at his age than being in your late 40’s to find out that you like wear girl’s bra and panty because that feel good.

      If he start liking guys, then that is a totally different story. One that is beyond my heterosexual male POV to comprehend. (Danger, Robinson Family! Danger!)

      chaos
  11. Warrior part timer looks really like mr braun’s daughter. the side by side scene really makes me think that she would grow up into a future full of problems and time warp back/

    deafvader
    1. I am looking at the side my side picture. I see two different hair style, two different hair color, two different eye color, and two different eyes expression. Both of them looking at Okarin in two different ways. From the look on Suzuha’s face, she is always happy to see Okarin. She is probably ralated to Okarin than to Mr. Braun. The only assumptions you have are they look similar and Suzuha is from the future so she might be one of the character here.

      Stick with the facts and you will never go wrong. I say focus on the item that she was holding in her hand and reply to the little girl that it is something important. I take that such a small and simple item has to have great sentimental value to her. So if you can figure out if somebody here has that same item, then you will figure out who she is and why she is here.

      I rewatch the scene and find that she has a nostaglic yet happy smile while looking at the item. Then she turn and look at Okarin with a greater smile then change after noticing his shocked expression. Assumption: Okarin gave her that item in the future.

      chaos
      1. I normally don’t say anything to ruin the storyline and the the person see it for themselves. So, I will put spoiler here just in case.

        Show Spoiler ▼

        chaos
  12. Anyone think that this Moeka girl is really really suspicious this episode? I know she’s already quite suspicious, but it just was more so this episode. Im speculating she’s a spy from SERNNN

    SuspectingYaro
    1. Come to think of it, perhaps she’s brainwashed? Like Okarin looking somewhat emotionless and getting mistaken for being brainwashed, while Moeka’s standard look is an emotionless look.

      Still i don’t see SERN not programming their agents (brainwashed or no) to use all means necessary to do their goals, including stealing, killing and other less savory activities

      Zaku Fan
  13. Today at 16:10, I received 2 text messages from someone that shows time of 21:05.

    I got email from 5 hours in the future!
    Steins;Gate!!

    Now to make a new time stream.

    Uipt
    1. What did it say?

      Was it something along the line of “Get your ass off the couch and get a job, you bum!”? Or was it a warning about 2012? Or “Note to self: remember to hide your porn mags somewhere else, mom will find it 5 hours from now while cleaning your room.”

      chaos

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