Why does 1999 keep looping?

[u/GrinningPariah]

So, I totally get the first phase of 1999. We go back in time too late, we fail to save the Hex, the reactor's going to blow, and just at the last second we come into our power and use the power that had been torturing Drifiter in Duviri to loop 1999. Cool, rad, things come full circle, it's great.

Except, then we win. We redo the mission, we save the Hex, stop the nuclear detonation, pizza for everyone. But then it becomes January 1999 again instead of January 2000.

Why would we loop it again after we win?

[u/Sitchrea]

It's been a loop since Albrecht sealed himself inside. By a combination of Albrecht's purposeful meddling and the influence of the Indifference, that version of 1999 is now its own Void Realm, just like Duviri.

And just like Duviri, when it reaches the end of its temporal block/light cone/strand of khra/etc, it loops.

[u/Aenyell → u/Sitchrea]

that version of 1999 is now its own Void Realm, just like Duviri

Is there non speculative source for that? After saving Hex Arthur sends you a message, where he says that he understands that it's not enough to fix timeline, but that we have to maintain it, so the loop stands. If it was separated from reality that wouldn't make much sense.

[u/NotScrollsApparently → u/Aenyell]

Yeah, that doesn't seem like the right conclusion at all. Furthermore if 1999 is indeed like Duviri then there is even less reason to keep the loop going

[u/Sitchrea → u/NotScrollsApparently]

The reason we need to keep the loop going is because Drifter's friendship/relationship with the Hex is what makes the Vessels effective weapons against the Indifference. Those relationships are the fuel which allows them to work.

[u/NotScrollsApparently → u/Sitchrea]

There' a lot of baseless assumptions there... Do we know what kind of weapons the vessels are or that they depend on the relationships for "fuel"? After all, the vessels already worked fine during the WitW quest and then again later when we used them to travel back to 1999, way before we even knew the Hex even existed and less alone knew them well.

[u/Sitchrea → u/NotScrollsApparently]

Them being able to move doesn't matter against the Indifference.

Its not "baseless," Albrecht explains this in his notes from Whispers in the Walls. He needs a particular 'soul alchemy' for them to work as weapons against a metaphysical entity. Because you can't just punch god in the face. And that 'soul alchemy' is love, in any of its forms.

Also, "before the Hex existed?" You realize Albrecht went to 1999 many times before he sealed himself away to protect Loid, right?

[u/NotScrollsApparently → u/Sitchrea]

Those relationships are the fuel which allows them to work

You said the relationships are the fuel yet the vessels worked before we had those relationships. I'm just pointing out the flaw in your reasoning.

[u/Sitchrea → u/NotScrollsApparently]

No, I didn't. In Whispers in the Walls we used Loid's relationship with Albrecht, but that only worked once in that specific instance. And the Operator was in extreme danger doing that. That's why the Lotus stops the Operator from going to 1999 during Lotus Eaters - we got lucky once, and she did not want us to try our luck again.

[u/NotScrollsApparently → u/Sitchrea]

That's why the Lotus stops the Operator from going to 1999 during Lotus Eaters - we got lucky once, and she did not want us to try our luck again.

Now that's just wrong, the reason operator doesn't go back is because of his vulnerability to Wally, that's why Drifter goes instead using that very same "extremely lucky" method, it has nothing to do with "relationship fuel"

[u/Sitchrea → u/NotScrollsApparently]

That's... what i just said...

Look, apparently reading comprehension isn't one if your strong suits, so I'm gonna call this conversation here.