User:GiverOfThePeace/Scott Pilgrim: The In-Depth Explanation of Subspace

Introduction

Subspace is a highway of reality-bending proportions that plays a crucial role in transporting characters to various locations with haste. Subspace in and out ports appear to be marked throughout the Scott Pilgrim universe with a star. The quote-unquote 'subspace highways' are the quick form of transport that Ramona uses to deliver Scott his package, and the highways just so happen to run through Scott's head on several occasions, which causes him to dream of Ramona.

Along with subspace highways, there exist mind subspaces. These are directly tied to the mental consciousness of every person, but normally can't be accessed without a highway running through it, or being a master of subspace. These are often what are shown throughout the Scott Pilgrim novels as a metaphor for the main characters and play a crucial role towards the ending of volume 6. They also appear throughout Bryan's other stories to convey a particular message in a metaphorical manner.

How it Works

Well the general explanation (as explained in the comics) is that there exists an alternate universe called the "subspace" and Ramona's purse/suitcase is actually a portal that she can utilize to warp in and out of subspace. Using subspace pathways /"highways" she can travel long distances over a relatively short stretch of time and space from her reference point.

This essentially shows that the function of subspace is similar to how wormholes work, "warping" people from one point to another, except in Ramona's case, the warp happens in the alternate subspace dimension, and the wormholes are "doors". Subspace is an alternate universe which sits below our own, and which has different properties which can be used for travel, for storage, and can even manifest itself inside people's heads, as it did for Scott when he sees Ramona travelling through his dreams.

While regular space stretches through the universe and bends in the presence of gravity, the subspace universe has completely separate laws of physics.

These laws, however, include the fact that in subspace, everything is relative to one's mind. Thus, if one can imagine it, it exists in subspace. Since Scott Pilgrim is a video game enthusiast, all of the game-like manifestations are brought in from subspace to our universe through Scott's mind-portals. Even Scott's desert dream is under his control. Without even knowing it, he visits subspace every time he dreams, except instead of experiencing normal dreams like the rest of us, each dream is an actual occurrence in subspace. The desert itself is a manifestation of his loneliness. If Scott was not as lonely and having a normal dream, he could have found Ramona skating by in a carnival or a field of flowers, or the bottom of the ocean, or wherever else his brain was dreaming up at the time.

The subspace portals are just pathways in between universes, and what may seem like a miles-long journey from point A to point B in our universe may actually be a few minutes walk to and from those same points in the subspace universe.

Following this, the "powers" are just manipulations of subspace. Summoning demon hipster chicks is just using subspace warps to bring in other-wordly demons, throwing fireballs is just bringing in subspace fire through a portal in your hands, etc. Gideon himself is a master of subspace which is how he is able to conjure up beams of energy, set up the league, control Ramona, and everything else he does.

So basically, it's an alternate universe in which the laws of physics are looser and are manipulated through thinking and telekinetics rather than through physical manipulation as they are in our world. You can warp in and out of our universe, "will items into existence in the subspace world and warp them in and out of ours, or otherwise exploit it in a variety of different ways.

How Big is Subspace

We know Subspace is an alternate universe to the regular universe, but is there more to it than just that? Well as shown in Bryan's Seconds, it's actually far bigger than we originally thought.

For reference, the plot of Seconds revolves around the character Katie, using a special species of mushrooms to travel to alternate realities where she redid a specific action. Along with this, the character named Lis showed Katie what these changes meant and how they affected those around her.

Katie's single subspace alone managed to fit the entire cosmology of Seconds within her subspace. For those wondering, the tree is a metaphor for branching realities and how every action and inaction creates countless timelines, which is later confirmed by Katie when she finally understood what the lights surrounding the void meant.

And as stated before, this was a single subspace showing off every action and inaction in Seconds alone. And because everyone has their own subspace that they unconsciously manipulate, this would apply to each of those.

Abilities

Due to what we’ve established here characters get a good deal of abilities both within and outside of subspace. It should be noted not everyone gets these abilities and it varies depending on the subspace user and how much control they have over Subspace, so someone like Stephen would not have the same amount of abilities as Gideon Graves as an example.

In Subspace:

Perspective Manipulation: Perception is Law. People, items, and Mind Subspace itself are based on the nature of the person's mind, therefore, however, a person imagines Subspace is how it will appear. A good example is Scott's Dream Desert: this location is repeatedly used as a metaphor for Scott's loneliness but also is his projected image of Subspace at that time which Ramona is able to pass through.

Law Manipulation: One’s subspace operates under their rules and systems which can extend even to the real world with characters like Gideon affecting Ramona’s Subspace.

Acausality (Type 4): Subspace is a different space-time where all rules are different (including death), thus it should by extension be a different system of causality.

Immortality (Types 3, 5, 6, and 8) & Regeneration (Low-Godly): Subspace avatars are avatars of pure cognition of one's true self and by extension can be restored by the true form at will. Concepts such as death are irrelevant to them as even if one dies they will just be sent into subspace. Even spirits can freely pass through and from Subspace. All damage done to a subspace avatar means nothing to them, Scott could lose his limbs in subspace and be cut in half and would still be perfectly fine.

Reality Warping & Mind Manipulation: While Mind Subspace allows for others' own projected images of themselves to take on other forms, the individual whom the Subspace resides in retains all power and control within said mind. Through this, the character can shape themselves and Subspace to their liking all through their thoughts, perspectives, and desires.

Power Nullification: A user of Subspace can completely nullify any connection an opponent has in that Subspace, regardless if they're more powerful or not. This is how Ramona was able to expel Gideon despite him being a master of Subspace and able to manipulate it inside anyone's mind.

Out of Subspace:

Sheer Willpower: Those who can access the powers of Subspace in the real world naturally require a strong will and determination to control them.

Perspective Manipulation: Potent Subspace users can use the perspective-based powers of Subspace to overwrite reality to fit how they view it in the real world

Plot Manipulation: (Types 2 and 3) Through the power of Subspace, characters can rewrite and manipulate the plotline of their story. It's also implied throughout the Scott Pilgrim series that Scott, along with other major characters, are protected by a sort of plot armor to help them in dire situations.

Subjective Reality and Dimensional Storage: Whatever the user can imagine will be created in subspace. For instance, Scott manifested his love for Ramona as the Power of Love, which he can pull from and store in Subspace.

Portal Creation and Summoning: As the powers of the characters originate from Subspace, they can create portals or summon beings and objects from their subspace.

Dimensional Travel and Space-Time Manipulation: Characters can manifest doors directly to subspace, or even move between subspace and the real world through sheer force. Breaking the walls between subspace and the main universe.

Law Manipulation: Subspace can shape reality to the user's liking. An example being Scott Pilgrim and the various video game-like aspects of the world, which are a result of Subspace and its perspective-based abilities.

Why Seconds is Canon to Scott Pilgrim

One of the main things with Bryan’s comics is that he’ll tend to insert short easter eggs from Scott Pilgrim into his newer comics, since Bryan has made all of these verses along with him directly having people like Scott physically appear in Seconds, it should be fine to consider these canon. Whether or not they’re in the same universe is up for debate but not the relevant point since either way is irrelevant since no one physically scales to each other across the franchise. To add on Seconds has alternate timelines that exist.

Other Extended Franchises

As for Bryan's other series (I.e Lost at Sea and Snotgirl), these don't have as many direct connections to Scott Pilgrim, but they do share some small easter eggs like Raleigh having a bag that has a clear resemblance to a subspace purse (Notice the star, a common trait all Subspace "doors" have). Furthermore, Ramona even establishes Subspace is a concept taught to Americans in school and that is regularly used by people in America, unlike in Canada, which is where Lost at Sea takes place.

Snotgirl has even less to work with, but due to the powers of some of the characters, it's not a stretch to assume that Subspace has a connection to the Snotgirl series (Characters like Caroline have directly shown to resurrect after death because she concentrates on living). There's also Lottie's various dreams which act as a metaphor for her current emotions like Scott Pilgrim.

Movie Version

Unlike the comic, the movie's interpretation and influence of Subspace has a far smaller scale in the story, which causes the listed abilities above to be left out. Fortunately, things like Subjective Reality, Portal Creation, and Dimensional Storage, and Summoning can stay given characters like Matthew Patel and Scott himself use the same weapons and powers as their comic counterparts.

While inside Subspace, the characters can manipulate the appearance of Subspace based on their subconscious thoughts, which should give them Perspective Manipulation. Along with that, they can directly access Subspace through Subspace doors which can randomly appear when most convenient.

Game Version

The game version is very similar to the comics however, with characters like Gideon using his own mind subspace to become stronger than previously. It's also used as a place for quicker travel, and reflects the user's mind (I.e Gideon's Subspace).

Along with this, it's heavily implied the mini games are canon aspects of subspace (Shown by how you start off in subspace before challenging the bosses), which further adds to subspace in the games being based on your perspective and how you wish to view reality.

The biggest difference is most of the characters lack the ability to enter subspace like they do in the comics. However, we can assume that the doors that lead into subspace are manifested by the characters similarly to Gideon when he opened his subspace portal on his chest, which is supported by how they're all shaped like stars, and the doors appear when they're most convenient.