Dream World Standards

Dreams are alternate realities.

Background

Dream Worlds are worlds within the subconscious that are a common trope across fiction. Often, how a franchise decides to handle dream worlds varies depending on the cosmology. Some verses recognize affecting, creating, or destroying a dream world as a feat, but others do not fall under this same idea. If they are the former, we treat them as pocket realities independent from the indigenous universe of a dreaming resident.

This article will detail how we determine whether or not dream feats from a verse can be used as a viable source of feats. Some of the following requirements should be met in order to prove that dream worlds can be used as feats. It should be noted that some points greatly outweigh the others when it comes to consideration on whether or not something qualifies.

Dream World Requirements

• The dream should be a "physical" place where characters are moving. If the realm is also treated as an abstract or conceptual realm, that would also support this requirement. However, it's important to note that it should be noted as physical not just from the perception of characters within the dream or the dreamer. That is not enough evidence to conclude that something is properly a legitimate dream world outside of just the dreamer. Also, take note that characters who can hop into dreams would need extra evidence behind them too given the nature of their ability.
  • If a dream is stated to be of a clear measure (i.e. a planet, a solar system, or a universe), it's good evidence to suggest this as well.
  • Laws of physics being present would also prove that the realm is likely physical too.
  • If residents from a dream world can exist outside the dream world.
• It should be shown to be part of the cosmology. Things that are recognized as part of the structure of multiple worlds should be very evident; they would be genuine places that authors have intended to count as viable locations for the verse.
• Concepts such as death should be present as part of it. To clarify, this doesn't mean dying in the dream world and waking up just fine. This means if one actually dies in the dream world, one is truly dead in general. Some of the sub-points also clarify other things to show this idea.
  • Another concept that implies this is hunger. This would show that bodily necessities such as food are still existent needs in dream worlds.
  • If someone takes damage in a dream world and it carries back to a non-dream world, that can be used to show that the damage experienced was actually true too.
  • If it has a concept of time even as well, this would help bolster the dream world to satisfying this point.
• Whoever or whatever is stating that the dream worlds are real places should be a reliable source. For more on how this point works, please refer to our Statements page and evaluate it from there.

Examples of Dream Worlds

Viable Dream Worlds

• Super Mario Bros.: The Mario series has displayed many times that the dream worlds are different universes from the real world. As early as Super Mario Bros. 2, Subcon is a dream world in which Mario was taken to after being cursed by Wart. Already in this game alone do they refer to Subcon as a universe. The dream worlds are later followed up in Mario Party 5. The Dream Depot is a place where all dreams go to to become their own worlds. In this game, we see that Future Dream is described as a universe by Misstar. It should be noted that each dream world's size are all the same, as displayed in the ending. Finally, Mario & Luigi Dream Team is another game where the dream worlds are the main focus. Here it is stated that the real world and dream worlds are divided by a dreamy border, further proving that these are alternate universes. Dreambert notes that when the Zeekeeper is crossing dreams, he refers to them as dimensions.
• The Legend of Zelda: The world of the Wind Fish is a dream world where Link can not only abide by the laws of physics, but it is an official world apart of the official cosmology map. Link can also die within this world, thus this meets most of the requirements.
• Chrono (Verse): In Chrono it is directly displayed that dreams are alternate universes, young Masa/Mune explains that all observations lead to another world and worlds extend beyond what one simply see as real along with another enlightened one from Zeal stating that truth exists within dreams along with the world existing within them. They also directly reference dreams being like other parallel worlds with infinite possibilities.
• Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics): Dream Worlds in the Archie Comics for Sonic the Hedgehog meet multiple of these requirements. Characters such as Sonic are able to move within the dreams, Lumina acknowledges that each dream is its own universe that the Preciousstone supports as an extradimensional world, the effects of damage apply outside of the dreams, and Maginaryworld is consistently recognized as an official zone for the comic books. Even residents such as Void exist outside of the dreams as he was seen in the zone prison.
• NiGHTS: The entire point of this series revolves around the connection between the real world and Dreamland. Wizeman created NiGHTS and Reala to steal Ideya energy and open a portal to the Waking World (showing they are both separate existing places), dreamers are able to walk around follow some of the law of physics in the dream worlds, the dreams are specifically noted to be different worlds, and the people acknowledging the places as dreams are real world occupants and guides of the game. The Archie comics adaptation pushes this idea further to where Reala can go to the real world and exist in it, alongside NiGHTS.
• EarthBound: Magicant is a realm inside of the users conscious, Ness can not only directly die within Magicant but he also physically walks around and can grab items from there into the real world. Some Magicants can also have places that connect to them from the real world. Ness can also physically absorb the land of Magicant into his heart. Magicant also has had it's official size noted to be "immeasurable" or an entire universe. Which is also called another world.

Non-Viable Dream Worlds

• Kingdom Hearts: Specifically the dreams within the sleeping world of Symphony of Sorcery, it is a direct dream that Spellican corrupts, along with Sora needing to use Immersion to enter the dream. With even Young Xehanort who notes this is all a dream.

• The Amazing World of Gumball: In an episode Gumball and Darwin go into Gumball's dream in order to erase the dream of Darwin kissing Penny. While in here it follows all of the logic of a dream and thus is not a legitimate place that is real but merely a place Gumball and Darwin can enter.

• Gravity Falls: The Mindscape is the physical landscape of a person's mind. Though despite this it's merely a realm in one's mind with no real other proof that it is a real, tangible place. It is even noted by Grunkle Stan that the injuries Dipper sustains is merely in the realm and he can easily fix them.

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