Where in the World is 199X? Part 1
"The year is 199X...", one of the first opening lines to Earthbound. So where is this "199X" on the natural timeline? Well, simply put, it's not near the 1990's like you'd think. The "X" has a meaning all it's own. As most of you know, X is the Roman Numeral for 10. Therefore, theoretically, Earthbound takes place in the year 19910.
The big question arises "Wouldn't it be a futuristic wonderland?" Well, perhaps it once was. But then it happened: an apocalypse of sorts descended upon the people of perhaps 10,000 years before. This apocalypse devastated the world, killing off most of the human population, destroying all civilization, and deforming the earth. The cause of this is Giygas, and since he is the Cosmic Destroyer, he could've wiped out any other human colonies outside of Earth. So what happened after that? Let's just say it involves four robots and a kid in a spider-walker.
After the famous battle that destroyed Giygas, Earth began to heal. After many natural disasters during the apocalypse and the result of tectonic movement, the world of Eagleland, Foggyland, and Chommo (according to the Mother 2 map) were formed. Humankind began to virtually start over. The Scarabans came and went. Small villages in Eagleland were formed. Over the course of time, humankind reached the standards of modern life and beyond.
This time allows for evolution and the creation of new animals, like the Crested Booka and Arachnid!. This also gives time for the Mr. Saturn and Tenda to set up and form their own societies. "Dinosaurs", which apparently survived, are also never seen before the 20th century. They are simply mutant creatures, which evolved over time and were abandoned/trapped in the Lost Underworld.
Due to possible prior genetic engineering and frequently common mutations, humankind has also changed. Very few people have to go to the bathroom, which explains the lack of them. Even the man in Dungeon Man�s bathroom doesn�t know why he's there. Adults don't sleep at all. Another thing of notice is that most people are exactly the same. Look at the Mr. T characters, New Age Retro Hippies, and Cops. This could very well be the result of cloning, more than likely before the apocalypse, though the appearance of a Mr. T-like figure is strictly coincidental.
Now that we've covered genetics, aliens, and the apocalypse, let's see how society is so radically different, it couldn't be a part of the late 20th century.
"The year is 199X...", one of the first opening lines to Earthbound. So where is this "199X" on the natural timeline? Well, simply put, it's not near the 1990's like you'd think. The "X" has a meaning all it's own. As most of you know, X is the Roman Numeral for 10. Therefore, theoretically, Earthbound takes place in the year 19910.
The big question arises "Wouldn't it be a futuristic wonderland?" Well, perhaps it once was. But then it happened: an apocalypse of sorts descended upon the people of perhaps 10,000 years before. This apocalypse devastated the world, killing off most of the human population, destroying all civilization, and deforming the earth. The cause of this is Giygas, and since he is the Cosmic Destroyer, he could've wiped out any other human colonies outside of Earth. So what happened after that? Let's just say it involves four robots and a kid in a spider-walker.
After the famous battle that destroyed Giygas, Earth began to heal. After many natural disasters during the apocalypse and the result of tectonic movement, the world of Eagleland, Foggyland, and Chommo (according to the Mother 2 map) were formed. Humankind began to virtually start over. The Scarabans came and went. Small villages in Eagleland were formed. Over the course of time, humankind reached the standards of modern life and beyond.
This time allows for evolution and the creation of new animals, like the Crested Booka and Arachnid!. This also gives time for the Mr. Saturn and Tenda to set up and form their own societies. "Dinosaurs", which apparently survived, are also never seen before the 20th century. They are simply mutant creatures, which evolved over time and were abandoned/trapped in the Lost Underworld.
Due to possible prior genetic engineering and frequently common mutations, humankind has also changed. Very few people have to go to the bathroom, which explains the lack of them. Even the man in Dungeon Man�s bathroom doesn�t know why he's there. Adults don't sleep at all. Another thing of notice is that most people are exactly the same. Look at the Mr. T characters, New Age Retro Hippies, and Cops. This could very well be the result of cloning, more than likely before the apocalypse, though the appearance of a Mr. T-like figure is strictly coincidental.
Now that we've covered genetics, aliens, and the apocalypse, let's see how society is so radically different, it couldn't be a part of the late 20th century.
