Talk:Princesses

Hypothesis section

We have endeavored to reduce speculation as much as possible over the years. Creating an entire section devoted to it is not compatible with the wiki's pursuit of objectivity. --Terilem (talk) 06:15, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

Thanks Terilem, I totally agree. But I just want to add that Talk pages are a great place for speculation! If you want to put the possibilities somewhere, Abacos, bring them in here (we might even get some interesting discussion from it). -- Fenyx4 12:27, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

Thanks Fenyx4. Well then, we all know that Ultima 1 is full of anachronisms. But if there is a time machine, any anachronism can be explained through time travel. I tried to use mathemathical logic and stick to the facts as much as possible (I have degree & master in Physics). A scientific principle is to stick to the simplest possible hypothesis. Below is how I proceeded. --Abacos (talk) 22:26, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

PS: I removed the reference to the manual, because the princesses are not named in it at all. Therefore, the fact that "the eight princesses were victims of the ongoing feuds between the city-states of old Sosaria, having been taken captive to exact leverage over the rulers of other lands" is just speculation, as much as my hypothesis. Furthermore, the "hostage hypothesis" explains none of the anachronisms in Ultima 1. --Abacos (talk) 22:26, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

Hypothesis 1: the princesses come from the future using the time machine

I reasoned as follows:

• (1) The time machine is key to explain all anachronisms in Ultima 1.
• (2) What other element in the game is most closely tied to the time machine? I say: its secret location. This secret is held by the eight princesses.
• (3) Let's put together the princesses and the time machine. The first thing that comes to my mind is: "the time machine belongs to the eight princesses". According to the principle of maximum simplicity, I used just one word to link princesses and time machine.
• (4) Scientifically speaking, how strong is an hypothesis? It depends on how many facts it can explain. The hypothesis above can explain all anachronisms, and some more facts. I believe it is rather strong.

The time machine itself is anachronistic in the medieval setting of Ultima 1. It must come from the future. If it belongs to the princesses, then they come from the future, too. Here I paste what I originally wrote on the page.

Hypothesis: The eight princesses came from the future of Ultima using the time machine.

Anachronisms and facts explained by the hypothesis:

• Possible reasons for imprisoning the princesses:
  • 1. They could have started divulgating their superior technology, thus threatening the power of the kings;
  • 2. Vice versa, they could have refused to tell their technological secrets to the kings;
  • 3. Lord British needed to learn the location of the time machine so to send the Stranger from Another World back in time and defeat Mondain.
• Four kings hold a time machine gem because they took it from the princess they hold captive.
• Laser-armed aircars, space shuttles, vacuum suits and reflect suits were built using the technology learned or extorted from the princesses.
• The anachronistic weapons were hidden by the princesses at the Pillars of the Argonauts.
• The eight princesses are not featured in any of the following ages because they went back to their future after the Stranger released them.

Only one question is still unanswered: why do the princesses require the Stranger to become a space ace? I remember I read somewhere that Richard Garriott said that he put the starwalking portion in Ultima 1 just because he had some space left on the disk. For this reason, I discareded the hypothesis: "The eight princesses come from space". --Abacos (talk) 22:26, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

Hypothesis 2: the princesses come from space

This hypothesis is obtained from the fact that the eight princesses require the Stranger to become a Space Ace. On the other hand, this request could also be the whim of demanding capricious girls.

If the princesses are space women, the anachronistic technology is explained as before, as well as the first two reasons for imprisoning them. They disappeared from the Ultima series because they went back to space (look for them in Space Rogue or Wing Commander...). Still, space science does not imply time travel; subsequently, it does not explain why the princesses know the whereabouts of the time machine and why the four kings hold a time-machine gem.

For these reasons the "space-women" hypothesis is weaker than the "time-traveling-women" hypothesis. Still, the "hostage" hypothesis is the weakest of all. --Abacos (talk) 22:26, 24 September 2015 (UTC)