Grand Unified Theory: CHALDEA
00. FOREWORD
Hello, Petrikow here, author of this frankly embarrassingly long document.
I think its worth talking about why one should care about making theories like this in the first place?
For me, primarily, it was a lot of fun to research and put together. Not because I think all I've uncovered is going to come true. Realistically speaking, a lot of details are fuzzy and unclear, and outright impossible to figure out without exact confirmation. That said, in the process of piecing together the honestly staggering amount of information about F/GO's primary mysteries, a model has to be constructed in order for the pieces to find a place to fit in. The structure of this model is ultimately something I've had to fabricate, using the incomplete information provided by the game. Right now, we don't have all the pieces to figure out exactly what happened, but we have enough to approximate the missing ones. And that is what I have done. So when I speak of things in certain terms in this document, I hope it is with the understanding from the reader that the certainty I speak of only ever pertains to the model. I am not exactly certain about all this. I have a lot of good guesses, but the truth is intentionally obscured by the author of F/GO, as to provide a satisfying conclusion when you ultimately complete the game (or Part 2, I guess). That's not to say that I lack confidence, just that the process of theorycrafting is by nature uncertain.
Nevertheless, I engage in this uncertain practice anyway, because in a way, this is the reason I care about F/GO at all. Rather than straight up entertainment, I find it more an exercise in thoughts. Thoughts about all kinds of things. History, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, religion, etc... When you line them up like that, it sounds like F/GO is perhaps much grander than what it is. At it's core, F/GO is a story about people, their place in the world, and how they find meaning in it. And that meaning isn't something grand. It is something commonplace and ordinary; something all people have experienced. Not knowing how things will turn out, but still having hope for tomorrow. I suppose putting it like that, I must sound like the world's most aggrandizing F/GO enjoyer, but that's not quite it. I have a lot of problems with how this story has unfolded and continues to (very slowly) develop. But that just isn't the focus here today.
The reason I bring up these themes is because in the process of constructing the model, one of the most important aspects to keep in mind is what the story is trying to say. In order to build a completely accurate model (and that very much is the goal, even if an impossible one), the themes of the story have to respected. Though that is naturally under the supposition that the author follows the themes already established (though in this regard, I have few doubts about Nasu). Therefore, a lot of reasoning here may seem odd unless you keep a hold of some of the themes introduced, especially the ones from early on in F/GO. You may also find me going to absurd lengths (many citations, long explanations) to clear up a minor point, but in my mind, this serves not just to make model clearer, but also to build up an understanding of the themes. There's also a point to keeping it comprehensive; people who've already engaged with the community and common theories may find some of the early stuff very obvious at this point, but it needs to be established regardless for the sake of any reader.
With that out of the way, please feel free to partake in what I've decided to call the Grand Unified Theory of Fate/Grand Order. The ridiculously bombastic name has a certain tinge of sarcasm to it, but also serves as a way for me to keep my spirit in check. Always aim high, and shoot for the moon. (when you see text of this color, click it to reveal the source/additional context of the statement highlighted)
ラニ:月を撃つ。
Rani: Shooting Moon...
ラニ:彼はそう言っていたのですね。
Rani: That's what he said, correct?
ネコアルク:おっそれそれ
Neco-Arc: Oh yeah, right, right.
ネコアルク:言葉の意味はまったくわからんにゃ
Neco-Arc: Not the slightest what he meant by that though.
ラニ:月に向かって撃つとどうなると思いますか
Rani: What do you think happens when you shoot at the moon?
ネコアルク:月に弾が刺さる
Neco-Arc: The bullet gets stuck in it?
ラニ:違います
Rani: Wrong.
ラニ:本当に実行した場合あまり意味のない行為です
Rani: It really is a meaningless action to carry out in reality.
ラニ:真上に撃つと自分に当たる危険性もあります
Rani: If you shoot straight up, there's a risk the bullet will come down and hit you instead.
ネコアルク:にゃんだそれ
Neco-Arc: Whatchu talking about?
ラニ:他の全ての可能性を捨ててでも不可能に近いひとつの目的を実現する
Rani: To realize a goal that's close to impossible, even if it means throwing away all other possibilities.
ラニ:そのような意味もあります
Rani: It has that kind of meaning to it.
(MELTY BLOOD Back Alley Nightmare)
(Click the source text again to close the opened statement)