Gate
A Gate is a hyperdimensional, space-time distortion that allows people to move through time. The first Gate in Chrono Trigger is opened by the Telepod interacting with Marle's pendant, sending her into the past. Crono uses the same means to follow her. Lucca creates a Gate Key that can open any Gate, enabling the group to travel through time. More Gates are discovered as the group continues their journey, set up by some unknown entity to put them on course to fight with Lavos and prevent the destruction of the world.
Gates in Chrono Trigger
With the exception of only one, all Gates connect the same geographic location in two different points in time.
- Leene Square, 1000 AD <-> Truce Canyon, 600 AD
- Guardia Forest, 1000 AD <-> Bangor Dome, 2300 AD
- Proto Dome, 2300 AD <-> Medina Village, 1000 AD
- End of Time, ? <-> Mystic Mountains, 65M BC
- (Magus' Keep), 600 AD -> Near Ioka Village, 65M BC
- Tyranno Lair Crater, 65M BC <-> Cave in Antiquity, 12000 BC
- Fiona's Shrine, 1000 AD <-> Lucca's House, 990 AD
- Gate in Bucket (End of Time) <-> Apocalypse, 1999 AD
- Right Telepod, 1000 AD -> Apocalypse, 1999 AD
After the Proto Dome Gate is crossed by four characters, the Gates to Medina, Proto Dome, and the Mystic Mountains are available at the End of Time. In order to make the other gates accessible, they must be used after these gates have been unlocked for them to link to the End of Time.
The Gate to the Mystic Mountains does not have a corresponding geographic exit in another time period.
The Gate in Magus' Keep is a temporary Gate, created by the premature awakening of Lavos. It grows to massive proportions, swallows up Magus' Keep, and flings the heroes across time.
The Gate in the bucket at the End of Time takes the group directly to the fight with Lavos. This battle starts with the fight against Lavos' shell. Once they make it inside the shell, there is another Gate that allows them to return to the End of Time to recuperate. Afterword, the bucket Gate will return them to the inside of Lavos' shell.
The red Gate at Fiona's Shrine is a side quest after completing the Sunken Desert. Using it, Lucca travels 10 years into the past to prevent the accident that leaves her mother unable to walk. This is the only side quest in the game that can be failed without ending the game. The only difference it makes is whether or not Lucca's mother, Lara, is able to walk for the rest of the game.
In a New Game Plus, the fight with Lavos is available immediately. Once Crono and Marle go to Lucca's demonstration, there is a spark in the right telepod that can be activated to create a Gate that travels directly to the fight with Lavos, and is the only way to see the director's ending of Chrono Trigger.
In the DS version, there are other Gates in 600 AD and 65M BC that lead to the Lost Sanctum. Likewise, their are Gates in 1000 AD, 2300 AD, and 12000 BC that lead to the Dimensional Vortex.
Following the destruction of Lavos and the return of the heroes to their native times, the Gates weaken and close.
Gate in Chrono Cross
Only one Gate remains by 1020 AD and it is located at Opassa Beach. It connects 10 years into the past, and is used by Kid to rescue Serge from drowning. Doing so splits the two dimensions, one where the child Serge survived, and another where he drowned.
Due to his nature as an unnatural singularity - an individual who, through unnatural means, has no double in the other world - Serge has a different effect on the Gate. He is able to use the distortion left behind by this Gate to cross between his world and the one in which he no longer exists. Later on, using the Chrono Trigger, he is able to cross into the Darkness At The End Of Time.