BOC: "No-Zilla"

[Andrew A. Apold]

>> 12 Monkeys wouldn't qualify because they didn't alter the past,
>> which is probably the best way to handle it...
>>
>aahh but they did! that one was pretty good. having some guy from the
>future shot to death in an airport qualifies as altering the past i'd
>say. i mean, do you think the people who shot the guy were completely
>unaffected by it?
>and having him shot there in front of his childhood self ....
>the endless loop..
>and the chick at the end, "insurance...."

Ah, but did they or didn't they?  I disagree here, they didn't
alter the past, because the entire thing was already in their
past.  Not a thing changed in the past of that future we were
shown from before and after they sent Willis to the past.
There present had already taken all of that into account, as it
were.  Rather depressingly predestinationist, I suppose...

One of my favorite quotes, from "Excalibur", Merlin has been
asked by Arthur to tell him who he will marry.  Then, Guenivere
gives him something to eat, and he stares at it.  Merlin says

"Looking at the cake is like looking at the future... until you've
tasted it, what do you know?  And then of course, it's too late..."
(arthur takes a bite)
"too late!"

This little exchange, seemingly humerous, actually is quite
interesting.  He seems to be saying that the very act of looking
into the future predetermines it from that point onward... and
implying that it was not set in stone prior to that.




+---------------------------------------+
Andrew A. Apold (mordru at gekko.net), aka | Tension
Roger Shrubstaff, Guildmaster of Reeves |  Apprehension
Duchy of Silverwater (BL), Amtgard      |    and Dissention
aka Asgrim Dragon -=UDIC=-              |     have begun.
+--------B-L-U-E--Ö-Y-S-T-E-R--C-U-L-T--+    -Alfred Bester
 "I was corrupt before I had power!" - Random