Terra-jin wrote:If this is the case, then why did you agree that 785 corresponds with 765 before Trunks' first trip (and with 767 afterwards)?
Anyway, this is directly in conflict with Bulma's statement in the DBS manga about concurrent time flow (which you yourself agree with). Timelines don't flow independently, time on all timelines passes interdependently. 1 day here, 1 day there.
Trunks from Age 785 traveled to Age 765 and hence, Age 765 is the reference point. If Trunks returns to the future, he will return to Age 785+the amount of time he spent in the main timeline.
If Trunks from Age 785 traveled to Age 3000, Age 3000 is the reference point. If Trunks returns to the future, he will return to Age 785+the amount of time he spent in the main timeline.
This does not mean that Age 765 = 785 in another timeline. The time machine decides where Trunks wants to go. The time elapsed in those main timelines will also be elapsed in the future timeline with respect to what the reference point is. The reference point is the last time point the time machine went to visit the main timeline.
I already gave you the example of how the time was flowing in DBS, which is consistent with Bulma's words and what I said. The problem is that you're thinking that one Age equals another Age in another timeline. What matters is the reference point.
Terra-jin wrote:Consider Trunks' second trip again. It's 785 and he's preparing to visit the main timeline again. He spent 'b' days in the future, so 'b' days passed in the main timeline.
Agreed, but what is the reference point in the main timeline? Is it Age 764?
Terra-jin wrote:If he now visits a time before 784 + 'b' , he changes the past and creates a paradox. If he visits a time after 784 + 'b', he enters the future of this timeline and doesn't create a paradox. The point in the main timeline matters directly to your first rule of time travel.
I can't escape the conclusion that your theory suffers from internally conflicting views.
No. If the reference point is Age 764 in the main timeline, then Trunks can travel to ANY point after Age 764+b. The first rule states, "1. New Timelines are created when changes are done in the past which create a paradox.". I'm not sure how this is contradicting anything else in the theory. Currently, it is consistent with the manga, anime, Daizenshuu, and Chouzenshuu.
If he travels to a point before the reference point (i.e. before Age 764+b), then a new timeline is created. Cell did exactly that when he traveld to Age 763, 1 year prior to when Trunks traveled in his first visit.