Angel Explains: Time, Space, and the Multiverse

Time and Space

Just about all of humanity (and the various other species) can get behind the concept of 4 dimensions of reality (height, width, and depth that make up physical space, and time). Although some theorize the potential for as many as 10 dimensions in the physical universe, the extra dimensions don't really effect most sentient beings on a day-to-day basis, so for the time, we'll not discuss them.

Taking the 4 dimensions we all know about, it can obviously be observed that by traveling through "space" (walking, for example), you're traveling through time, as you measure speed in such measurements a "miles per hour" (distance through time). All physical beings follow this method of space-time travel. There are few beings that don't travel along the "normal" space-time pathway.

To an extent, angels and demons don't, and yet they do as well. Any time they are in a plane of existence, they are physically following that timeline along it's normal, forward progression. 1501 AD leads to 1502 AD for an angel just as much as it does for a human. However, angels and demons can remove themselves from the normal timeline and "reposition themselves" at any point they choose.

One might wonder how it is that the timeline doesn't get irrevocably screwed up with angels and demons popping in all over the place? Well, for one, angels and demons cannot have any future knowledge of their own timeline. The laws of paradox and the universe prevent angels and demons from ever gaining that knowledge. Think of it like a leash. Any time an angel or demon gets too close to their own future (before they're naturally supposed to be there), the leash pulls on them, stopping them from getting too close. It's more natural than that (the being will not even realize they are avoiding a possible paradox, they'll just naturally go another direction).

The Realities

Of course, just because angels and demons can't foresee their own future doesn't mean that there aren't times where changes to the timeline don't happen. Some moron invents a VW Bug that can travel through time, and changes occur that were never supposed to happen. What happens then? Alternate realities.

In this case, think of the universe like an onion (or a parfait, if you prefer). The universe is layered, with reality upon reality all closely packed to each other. Many of the realities are quite similar to each other. Sometimes these realities spring up because some moron travels backwards in time and changes something (major or minor, every change can "create" a new reality). Most realities are just natural occurrences. Major and minor choices can lead to parallel realities, and, in fact, are doing so all the time. You don't notice it, nor does the alternate you that sprung up, not that one, nor that one...

With realities constantly popping up, one would conjecture that the universe would eventually collapse upon itself under the perceived "weight" of all of reality... Well, remember this universe started with a big bang. Where do you think that came from?

Hub Realities and Side Realities

Some realities are more important than others. It helps if you think of it like there is one Earth and that this Earth is the "Prime" Earth, from which all other similar realities are grouped around. This acts as a hub (or a pole). The universe is built upon these poles, and calling them poles is an apt term. They give the universe (really, the multiverse) it's strength and resilience, postponing the eventual point, billions of years from now, where the universe will collapse, restart with a bang, and everything takes another crack at existing.

Each of the polar realities are important. Many of the side realities (most, honestly) that spring up are of no consequence. The universe doesn't care if in one reality you got the roast beef sandwich and in another you got ham. Sure, a reality will spring up, but it's not a polar reality. The universe only needs that decision made once, and then it moves on.

Why, then, are there various other realities if only one is important. Backups. If, for some reason, one of the polar realities collapses (like some retard causes the apocalypse and ends all reality as they know it), there is a good chance one of the related realities will survive (many of them will collapse, because in many of them the apocalypse does happen, just like it did in the polar reality). One of these surviving realities will become the new pole to support the universe, and everything continues on.

What we don't want to have happen is for all of the realities around one pole to collapse, taking out that pole entirely. What happens then is a domino effect. One pole collapses, weakening poles around it. Those realities (completely unrelated to the pole that just collapsed), start acting wonky, they collapse, and so on, and so on. The universe implodes, and we get an early big bang.

That is another job of angels: to protect the multiverse. Unlike with most physical beings, we don't exist in multiple realities at once. There is only one of each of us. So yes, not only can we travel along the timeline, but we can also travel "across" the timeline, between realities. Most of us, however, don't. Few beings in the cosmos can handle the stress of trying to keep track of millions upon trillions of realities (let alone trying to figure out which one they left their keys in), so for the most part angels stick to one reality and try not to hop around too much. Usually it's the polar reality. Protect that one, and the universe is safe.

As a note, most demons are the same way. Demons don't really want the end of the universe to occur. They like corrupting souls and torturing the innocent. If the universe collapses, they won't be able to do that anymore.

Pop Quiz

1. How many dimensions are there in physical space? Are you sure?
2. Let's say I, as an angel, wanted to jump back in time and sleep with my grandmother. Can I do that? Would she enjoy it?
3. Is the universe more like an onion or a parfait? Draw a diagram to illustrate your answer. Make sure to realistically color the astral plane.
4. I have 4 oranges and little Tiffany has 5 apples. I give little Tiffany 2 of my oranges. How many apples does she still have? How many does she have in the reality next door? Make sure to conjecture with examples, like how many oranges I actually had there, if I had apples instead of oranges, and if little Tiffany actually existed.
5. Do demons want the apocalypse? Do demons want waffles? What would they have on their waffles?