MovieChat Forums > Sphere (1998) Discussion > Stuck in a time loop? (spoilers)

Stuck in a time loop? (spoilers)

posted 9 years ago by crooky-3
4 replies | jump to latest

Based on the ending, we know that anyone left alive who knew what the sphere really was collectively forgot about it, and it flies off into space. And the very very end seems to indicate it makes it back into the logged "unknown event".

Given this, is it now stuck in a time loop? Obviously somehow the spaceship comes back in time to about 300 years before present day in the movie, and it's some 50 years in the future - so would it be impossible for this sphere to exist past the latest time that spaceship exists? Or would the time travel back create a new dimension?

I guess it's a philosophical question based on whatever belief of time travel one might have. The time loop scenario seems interesting, especially since the sphere never would seem to die or go away.

[–] paqmanbiker 9 years ago

Yeah I guess it really does depend on which theory of time travel you subscribe to. In the theory where multiple dimensions are created, the sphere goes back in time with the ship during the unknown event, and an alternate dimension is created/exists, where the sphere never interacts with the ship at all. Maybe in that dimension the unknown event doesn't happen because the three at the end didn't decide to forget. But then the sphere wouldn't have been there in the first place for them to forget about lol. So paradox. But even in the dimension we see in the movie, I guess the time loop only happens for the sphere. For the astronauts on the space ship, time goes on in a straight line. They have an unknown event, go back in time, and die. For our scientists, they investigate the sphere, go crazy, almost die, fughettaboutit, and live the rest of their lives. Buy honestly, I've always been confused about these things myself, so this is just the way I see it.

[–] dethmaul-1 9 years ago

So time is going in a straight line, and right beside itself, ALSO going in a circle at the same place/same time?? This *beep* confusing yet fascinating lmao.

The Sphere's timeline is going in a circle, WHILE interacting with the Habitat crew and spaceship crew's timelines. 300 years apart, but Its timeline still overlaps the other timelines. The Sphere goes forward to go backward and start over, while the straight-timers lay on top of it and go about their business at the end.

Wild.

In the end, Okonkwo threw the Cat.

[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

It does theoretically appear that way, as the 3 surviving protagonists were happy to let sleeping dogs lie undisturbed.🐭

[–] einstein (2568) 4 years ago

yes that would make sense