Lynx (Chrono Cross)
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| Lynx | |
|---|---|
 Lynx, drawn by Nobuteru Yūki |
|
| Game series | Chrono series |
| First game | Radical Dreamers |
| Designed by | Nobuteru Yūki |
| In-Universe Information | |
| Homeworld | Arni (Home World) |
| Weapon | Scythe normally; Swallow when Serge is in Lynx's body |
| Innate (type of magic) | Black |
| Age | 17 (M) |
Lynx (ヤマネコ Yamaneko?, "yama" is mountain and "neko" is cat; "yamaneko" refers to lynxes in Japanese) is a fictional character who serves as an antagonist of the Square Co., Ltd. RPG Chrono Cross. A demihuman, Lynx is Kid's archenemy. Lynx appears to have insight on Serge's current situation, far more than Serge does himself. A cruel and calculating sadist, Lynx enjoys the pain he causes his enemies, though he rarely displays this emotion, or any others. He is known to be seeking the legendary Frozen Flame, and at the start of the game, he has been serving as advisor to the Dragoons at Viper Manor. For reasons unbeknownst to Serge, Lynx is actively seeking him out.
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[edit] History
It is revealed near the end of the game that Lynx is actually Wazuki, Serge's father.
Years ago, a young 3-year old Serge was bitten by a Panther Demon. In order to save him, Wazuki and his friend Miguel travel by boat to meet the Sage at Marbule. However, a violent storm (which is later explained was actually caused by Schala in order to guide Serge) throws them off course and they end up in the Sea of Eden. Due to the storm, FATE, the malevolent supercomputer which controls Chronopolis, shuts down temporarily.
Wazuki and Miguel enter Chronopolis, and guided by a voice, they are told to bring the child forward. Serge comes in contact with the Frozen Flame, therefore making him the Arbiter of Time between Lavos and the beings of the planet. The Flame fully heals him, while Wazuki's mind is eroded by his fears, catalyzed by gazing into the Flame. Wazuki and Serge return to Arni, while Miguel remains trapped as FATE reboots.
Despite their return, Wazuki is traumatized by the incident. His mind is consumed by FATE, and he essentially becomes its tool. FATE turns Wazuki into the physical manifestation of Serge’s greatest fear, a humanoid panther, and instructs him to drown Serge in order for her to regain control of the Frozen Flame. However, it is not sufficient, as the Flame's chamber is sealed by another defense mechanism.
As Lynx, Wazuki's only purpose is to serve FATE; as such, he must find a way to to bypass the Frozen Flame's lock, which is barring FATE from utilizing its power. In 1015 A.D., Lynx and his assistant Harle attempt to persuade Lucca into unlocking the defense mechanism, Prometheus (a character in the original Chrono Trigger, Robo). As Lucca does not comply, they burn down her home and orphanage. This event can be witnessed later in the game, through time travel. Serge watches the scene and meets Kid, before returning to his own time.
Years pass, and Lynx has been busy working for FATE. He forges bonds with General Viper of the Acacia Dragoons. Over time he is promoted as Viper's right-hand advisor. Lynx is merely using the Dragoons as a resource; more specifically, he acquires the Dragon Tear from Viper Manor. Lynx and Serge cross paths a few times, with Lynx repeatedly making crpytic references to things as of yet unknown to the player (such as Serge's role as designated "Chrono Trigger"). As stated in the previous game and later in Chrono Cross, the definition of a Chrono Trigger is "pure potential"; to be more accurate, the potential for altering history according to one's dream.
[edit] Dark Serge
About half-way through the game, Lynx “joins” the party automatically.
In a dramatic sequence, Serge confronts Lynx and a battle ensues. With the help of the Dragon Tear, Lynx succeeds in possessing Serge's body and trapping Serge in his own, effectively becoming Dark Serge. It is interesting to note the change in Dark Serge’s character icon, which becomes much more foreboding and evil in its appearance. In Lynx’s body, the player must tragically fight his own former allies, as they assume he is the enemy. (It is also the only instance where the player can control Lynx with the Scythe.)
“Lynx” loses this battle (though it is possible to defeat your allies, resulting in a slightly different scene) and awakes in a Dimensional Vortex, a sort of "limbo" between the two dimensions. The game continues from there, the player using Lynx and his skills from then until the player manages to make Serge "rebirth".
Becoming Serge is a key objective for Lynx, as Serge’s body is the only one Prometheus will recognize and allow access to the Flame. Without Serge's presence, the Flame's chamber is impenetrable. Dark Serge quickly becomes a scourge, tarnishing Serge’s reputation, and placing Kid under a spell, forcing her to aid him.
After Serge is literally "reborn" as his true self (Serge rapidly grows from an infant to young adulthood, while Lynx's body vanishes), the player finally enters the Sea of Eden, which Dark Serge had penetrated long before. The group subsequently reaches the ghost-ridden Chronopolis, where they find computer logs which quickly detail what has gone wrong. With the "real" Serge no longer needed, FATE naturally tries to eliminate him, but is instead destroyed itself. With FATE offline, Dark Serge also finally vanquished.
Lynx becomes a player character after he switches bodies with Serge. Ultimately, the player is still using Serge, whose spirit is in Lynx's body. Several people who have met Lynx (prior to switching bodies with Serge) are at first skeptical of the change, but all realize something is different before long, usually commenting on his "eyes".
[edit] Other dimensions
[edit] Home World
The true Lynx is from Another World (in which Serge died at age seven), but his Home World counterpart is nowhere to be found. Once back in his Home dimension, Serge (in Lynx's form) realizes that Lynx once inhabited Home World as well; he served as an agent of the militarist nation of Porre and helped conquer El Nido. As such, he is highly unpopular in the capital city of Termina. Because of his Porre connections, Lynx has free reign to enter the ruined Viper Manor (which is under Porre's control), but is unwelcome most everywhere else.
Some players argue that he should be somewhere in the Dead Sea with General Viper, Karsh, Zoah, Marcy, and the other Acacia Dragoons frozen in time - searching for the Frozen Flame, but while those characters are seen frozen, Lynx is not actually seen anywhere in the Dead Sea (nor anywhere in Home World). However, series creator Masato Kato confirmed in the Ultimania Guide that Lynx did go to the Dead Sea with Harle and died there.
[edit] Radical Dreamers
In Radical Dreamers, Lynx is the main antagonist. He resides in Viper Manor, and serves as the actual adoptive father of Riddel after he killed her father. Also in this version, Lynx is in possession of the Frozen Flame, not looking for it as he is in Chrono Cross. He is also human, not a humanoid panther. Serge, Kid, and Gil--the Radical Dreamers--go to Viper Manor to steal the relic. Depending on the players choices in a New Game + game, Lynx reveals himself to be an alien. Some would argue that there is not a separate Radical Dreamers world, but that Chrono Cross is a remake of the Satellaview game.
[edit] Fortune
"You're not dead or anything, are you? Has anybody called you back from
the great beyond? Hmm…For some reason, I just can't read your future."
