Theories of Time

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The following article/section contains spoilers. The New War

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Saya... If he- if Onkko- if I could have shown her how catalogues of possible futures fanned out from the moment I could choose, could have chosen, to stay, none of them end, ended, well. None, save one: this one. The one where I left. This future ends so well for her, for Konzu, for Cetus. As eviscerating a choice as it was, it was the only one I could live with. Some day, I swear, this is- but- this was... this will be borne out. Speak of this no more. To be crushed by the singular excruciates. What's done is done. Enough.

—Onkko

The Theories of Time explain how multiple versions of reality can co-exist despite how those in the WARFRAME universe can only experience one of them in linear time.

Lore[]

The New War[]

Presentism, the obsolete theory of linear time, posits that now is all that is real. In this frame, the Present Absolute, the now, moves constantly toward the future. And leaves the static past behind, discarded, consigned to unreality. The future remains to be discovered, but is less real than even the past. [...] The Void offers humanity the truer telling of Eternalism. That now is merely a facet of a great block. It is relative... and we can change the frame. The tyranny of the Present Absolute is overthrown. Tomorrow is now its equal.

—Euleria Entrati

First formally introduced in a flashback during The New War, the Operator learns about the Theories of Time in a "Temporal Axioms" lecture aboard the Zariman Ten Zero taught by Euleria Entrati.

Terms[]

Present Absolute - what is known as now, the present. The present is absolute/uniquely defined under Presentism.
Presentism - the theory that the present is the only reality; the past is no longer real, and the future is even less real than that.
Eternalism - the theory that the future and past are as real as the present; and can theoretically be accessed by "changing the frame" (of reference)^[1]. Since making a choice cannot change a pre-existing future^[2], it follows that all possible choice/chance events are simultaneously real in separate realities.^[3] (It differs from the real world theory of Eternalism, which does not require a multiverse and is simply deterministic in its usual singular-timeline form; choice and chance are concepts that don't necessarily have to exist. That definition of Eternalism just states that the past and the future exist now and so the present is not special. )

Trivia[]

Presentism is an actual view in Philosophy of Time. It says that there is only the present, and that the past and the future don't exist. Eternalism, however, is the view that both past and future, as well as the present, exist. The Eternalism mentioned in the quest is similar to the Concretist view of possible worlds.
During Baro Ki'Teer's inventory sync across all platforms on Hotfix 31.7.1 (2022-07-28), he references Eternalism with the possibility of other Baro Ki'Teers existing, before making a deal with a stranger in the Void to merge all of his other selves into a single individual.

Lore Edit

Codex • Leverian • Story and History
Historical Events
	Main	The Collapse • The New War • The Old War • Void-Jump Accident
	Leverian	Aria’s Revolution • Death of Holsum Yurr • Insurgency of Altra • Javi’s Execution • Karishh’s Final Feast • Liberation of the De Nas Brothers • Massacre of Reshantur • Tale of Telamon • Trial of the Myrmidon • Voruna's Continuity
	Misc	Great Plague • Rain Of Chains • The Bleeding Earth • Radiation Wars
Stories	Fragments	Alad V's Partnership • Albrecht's Notes • Duviri's Lost Islands • Gara Legend • Grineer Queens • Ordis' Past • Revenant Legend • Solaris United History • Specimen VK-7 • Tale of the Woman of the Earth and the Husband of the Sea • The Tenets
	Codex	Kaleen's Investigation • Orokin Archives: Warframe • The Beast • Warframe Archive: Debrief
	Synthesis Imprints	Corpus Trade Mission • Creation of Sentients • Grineer Encounter with Sentients • Grineer Uprising • Infested Jordas • Orokin Survivors • Relief Mission on New Uxmal
	Comics	Rell (Webcomic) • The Ascension • WARFRAME: Ghouls • What Remains • WARFRAME: 1999 (Webcomic)
	Nightwave	The Emissary of Eris • The Glassmaker • The Wolf of Saturn Six
	Misc	Ascension Day • Albrecht Entrati & the Requiem Words • Litany of the Dax • Mirror Queen Story • Naberus Folktale • Prime Trailers • Solaris United ARG • Tales of Duviri • The Dying Old Man • The Hollow Rider • Unauthorized Broadacast Transcripts • Waverider • Zariman ARG
Locations		Ceres (Altra) • Cephalon Weave • Corposium • Deimos (Cambion Drift, Necralisk) • Duviri (Academe, Archarbor, Cornucopia, Galleria, Kullervo's Hold, Lake Verula, Lorn, Manipura, Necropolis, Scholar's Landing, Watcher's Island) • Earth (Cetus, Tower of Unum, Plains of Eidolon, Iron Wake, The Silver Grove) • Harkonar Production Zone • Ice Mines • Jupiter • Kuva Fortress • Phobos (Mycona Colony) • Pluto • Lua (Circulus, Yuvarium, Reservoir) • Lucretia Platform • Luna Placida • Mars (Martialis, New Uxmal) • Murex • Masker's Theodolite • Neptune • Orokin Derelicts • Origin System • Relay • Reshantur • Eris • Europa (Riddha) • Sanctuary • Saturn (Saturn Six) • Sedna • Tau System • Undercroft • Uranus • The Void (Duviri, Granum Void) • Venus (Dabaoth-Kra, Deck 12, Orb Vallis, Fortuna) • Yuvan Theaters • Zariman Ten Zero
Technology		Arcane Machine • Archwing • Anchor Station • Amalgams • Amps • Archon Shards • Asteroid Hangars • Autofactory • Ayatan Treasures • Carrier Platform • Cephalon • Conduits • Corpus Ships • Cosmic Clock • Crystal Index • Cyclops Array • Defixios • Entrati Lanthorn • Fomorian • Freightlinker • Genestamps • Golden Maw • Galleons • Heart of Deimos • Hydraulas • Icedriver • Infestation (Helminth, Lephantis, Levianthan) • Isolation Vaults • Jade Light • Kuria • Lora Device • Mandachord • Missile Platform • Narmer Veil • Necramechs • Neural Sentry • Orbiter • Orokin Shield Nodes • Orokin Towers • Orowyrm • Pom-2 • Pulse Turbine • Railjack (The Tempestarii) • Tether Power Plant • Raknoids • Razorback • Reliquary Drive • Sentients (Eidolons, Murex) • Sentinels • Shipkiller Platform • Solar Rails (Junctions) • Specters • Torsion Beam Device • Transference (Somatics) • Veilbreaker • Vessels • Vitruvian • Void Relics • Warframes • Weeping Towers • Zanuka Project (Zanuka)
Factions/ Organizations	Allied	Tenno • Nightwave • Conclave • Cephalon Simaris • Ostron ( The Quills) • Solaris United (Solari, Ventkids, Vox Solaris) • Entrati • Necraloid • Cavia • The Holdfasts • Kahl's Garrison • The Hex
	Opposing	Corpus (Board of Directors, Feed and Research Division, Order of Profit, Corpus Guilds) • Grineer • Infestation • Orokin Corrupted • Stalker (Acolytes) • Sentient • Narmer (Archons) • The Murmur • Scaldra • Techrot
	Syndicate	Steel Meridian • Arbiters of Hexis • Cephalon Suda • Perrin Sequence • Red Veil • New Loka
	Misc	Orokin (Archimedeans, Dax, Yaskutai, Yuvan Clerisy, The Scoria) • Myconians • Black Seed • Cephalites • Children of Reshantur • Focus Schools • Hollow Children • House of Stavika • House Lavan • House Sigma • House Vidar • House Zetki • Kavor • Lorists • Tekelu • Temple Telamon • Tubemen • Arlo's Congregation (Devotees, Zealot Herald, Zealot Proselytizer, Zealot Baptizer, Zealoid Bastion, Zealoid Prelate)
Currencies		Credits ( Höllars) • Granum Crown • Orokin Ducats • Platinum • Aya • Regal Aya
Languages/Scripts		Corpus Language • Grineer Language • Orokin Language (1999 Script) • Ostron Language • Solari Language • Voidtongue
Eras		Orokin Era (Lith • Meso • Neo • Axi • Void Era)
Other		Albrecht Membrane • Brain-Shelving • Cephalon Cordylon • Cloning Decay Syndrome • Conceptual Embodiment • Continuity • Komi • Kuva • Naberus • Operator Report • Oro • Rathuum • Shawzin • Synthesis • Star Days • Temporal Axioms • Theories of Time • The Index • Vosphene Glyphs

Characters Edit

Tenno	Baro Ki'Teer • Berryn • Excalibur Umbra • Haigos • Jenva • Kahl-175 • Lotus • Mathon • Operator (Drifter) • Rell • Terolee • Teshin • Varzia
Cephalon	Apnar • Cy • Drusus • Jordas • Loid • Melica • Ordis • Otak • Suda • Sark • Simaris • Vull
Grineer	Captain Vor • Councilor Vay Hek • Garv • General Sargas Ruk • Grineer Queens • Kela De Thaym • Kahl-175 • Kuva Lich • Lieutenant Lech Kril • Sprag • The Grustrag Three • Tyl Regor • Ven'kra Tel • Wolf of Saturn Six
Corpus	Alad V • Exploiter Orb • Frohd Bek • Latrox Une • Nef Anyo • Parvos Granum • Profit-Taker Orb • Sisters of Parvos • The Sergeant • Vala Glarios • Veso • Xeto
Infested	Fass • Helminth • Vome • Zealoid Prelate
Orokin	Albrecht Entrati • Ballas • Isaah • Margulis • Nihil • Silvana
Sentient	Erra • Hunhow • Natah • Praghasa
Murmur	The Man in the Wall
Stalker	Angst • Malice • Mania • Misery • Stalker (Shadow Stalker) (Protector Stalker) • Torment • Violence
Narmer	Ballas • Erra (Pazuul) • Archon Amar • Archon Boreal • Archon Nira • Ka-Nuteru
Duviri	Acrithis • Barris • Brimon • Bombastine • Dominus Thrax • Drifter • Koral • Luscinia • Lodun • Mathila • Pip • Sythel • Teshin • The Warden • The Vagabond
Techrot	Technocyte Coda (DJ RoM • Drillbit • Harddrive • Packet • Zeke)
Scaldra	Lieutenant Viktor Vodyanoi • Major Neci Rusalka
Neutral	Clem • Darvo • Maroo • Neewa • Nora Night • The Unum

Syndicate Leaders

Amaryn () • Arthur Nightingale () • Cephalon Suda () • Cephalon Simaris () • Cressa Tal () • Ergo Glast () • Eudico () • Fibonacci () • Kahl-175 () • Konzu () • Little Duck () • Loid () • Mother () • Nora Night () • Onkko () • Palladino () • Quinn () • Roky () • Teshin ()

Ostron
Characters	Konzu • Onkko • Pedlek • Saya • Shigg
Vendors	Hok • Old Man Suumbaat • Fisher Hai-Luk • Master Teasonai • Nakak
Cetus • Ostron Language • Plains of Eidolon • The Quills

Solaris United
Characters	Boon • Cutter • Eudico (Vox) • Solaris United Agent • Volan
Vendors	Legs • Rude Zuud • Smokefinger • The Business • Ticker
Allied Vendors	Little Duck • Roky
Fortuna • Deck 12 • Orb Vallis • Solari Language • Ventkids • Vox Solaris

Entrati
Characters	Mother • Albrecht • Fibonacci • Kalymos • Loid (Original) • Tagfer
Vendors	Father • Daughter • Son • Grandmother • Otak
Allied Vendors	Bird 3 • Loid
Albrecht's Laboratories • Cambion Drift • Cavia • Heart • Necralisk • Necraloid • Necramech • Sanctum Anatomica

The Holdfasts
Characters	Archimedean Yonta (Skittergirl) • Cavalero • Hombask • Kira • Quinn • The Husband • VERD-IE
Chrysalith • Dormizone • Everview Arc • Halako Perimeter • Oro Works • The Greenway • Tuvul Commons • Zariman Ten Zero

Kahl's Garrison
Characters	Chipper • Horrek • Jarka • Kahl-175 • Olvar D
Drifter's Camp

The Hex
Characters	Amir Beckett • Aoi Morohoshi • Arthur Nightingale • Eleanor Nightingale • Leticia Garcia • Quincy Isaacs
Höllvania • Höllvania Central Mall • Kinemantik Instant Messaging • WARFRAME: 1999 (Webcomic)

Cephalon	Acetuma • Cordylon • Samodeus
Grineer	Dr. Tengus • Gharn • Gral • Sergeant Zek • Veytok
Corpus	Bak Vondu • Cladius • Corpus Captain • Corpus Commander • Dr. Intehb • Jubb Lott • Sigor Savah • The Philanthropist • Zyl
Infested	Arlo • Kenga
Orokin	Alarez • Archimedian Perintol • Bilsa • Bekran Zaft • Belric & Rania • Bren Terrasiam • Corphel & Irilia • Davis • Dax Menz • Dom De Nas • Executor Avantus • Executor Karishh • Executor Tuvul • Historian Porvis • Javi • Lorist Ontella • Lorist Remballa • Kaleen • The Myrmidon • Olemedi • Pilio De Nas • Valeria
Sentient	-
Duviri	Caxa • Fergin • Garmi • Govio • Jinn • Leem • Mother Opa • Pol • Qig • Roon • Ula • Vana • Velkk • Yimi
Ostron	Er-Phryah • Hinmun • Mer-Sah • Mitsuki • Mukha • Shigg
The Quills	Pratoo
Solaris	Cutter • Volan
Red Veil	Cantis
Other	Aria • Darro • Fidelia Scorse • Holsom Yurr • Leo De Nas • Raff Seglass

Main Story Quests Edit
Arc 1 - Awakening	Awakening • Vor's Prize • Saya's Vigil • Vox Solaris • Once Awake • Heart of Deimos • The Archwing
Arc 2 - The War Within Saga	Natah • The Second Dream • Rising Tide • The War Within • Chains of Harrow • Apostasy Prologue • The Sacrifice
Arc 3 - The New War Saga	Prelude to War (Chimera Prologue • Erra • The Maker)^[4] • The New War (The Duviri Paradox)^[5]
Arc 4 - The Void War Saga	Angels of the Zariman Jade Shadows Whispers in the Walls • The Lotus Eaters • The Hex
Side Quests
Warframe Quests	The Deadlock Protocol • Call of the Tempestarii • The New Strange • The Glast Gambit • Octavia's Anthem • Sands of Inaros • Hidden Messages • Mask of the Revenant • The Silver Grove • The Waverider • The Limbo Theorem • The Jordas Precept
Side Quests	Howl of the Kubrow • Stolen Dreams • Veilbreaker • Patient Zero • A Man of Few Words
Quest Unlocks
Warframe Unlock Quests	Hidden Messages ( Mirage) • The Limbo Theorem ( Limbo) • Patient Zero ( Mesa) • The New Strange ( Chroma, Khora) • The Jordas Precept ( Atlas) • Sands of Inaros ( Inaros) • The Silver Grove ( Titania) • The Glast Gambit ( Nidus) • Octavia's Anthem ( Octavia) • Chains of Harrow ( Harrow) • Saya's Vigil ( Gara) • Mask of the Revenant ( Revenant) • The Sacrifice ( Excalibur Umbra) • Vox Solaris ( Garuda, Baruuk, Hildryn) • Chimera Prologue ( Wisp) • The Deadlock Protocol ( Protea) • Call of the Tempestarii ( Sevagoth) • The Waverider ( Yareli) • Heart of Deimos ( Xaku, Lavos, Citrine) • The New War ( Caliban) • Angels of the Zariman ( Gyre) • Veilbreaker ( Styanax) • The Duviri Paradox ( Kullervo) • Whispers in the Walls ( Qorvex, Dante) • Jade Shadows ( Jade) • The Hex ( Cyte-09)
Syndicate Unlock Quests	Saya's Vigil ( Ostron) • Vox Solaris ( Solaris United, Ventkids, Vox Solaris) • Heart of Deimos ( Entrati) • The War Within ( The Quills, Vox Solaris, Necraloid) • Angels of the Zariman ( The Holdfasts) • Whispers in the Walls ( Cavia) • The Hex ( The Hex
Location Unlock Quests	The Duviri Paradox (Duviri, Dormizone) • Saya's Vigil (Cetus, Plains of Eidolon) • Vox Solaris (Fortuna, Orb Vallis) • Heart of Deimos (Necralisk, Cambion Drift) • The Archwing (Empyrean Proximas) The Duviri Paradox (Duviri) • The Second Dream (Lua) • The War Within (Kuva Fortress) • Chains of Harrow (Iron Wake) • The New War (Drifter's Camp) • Angels of the Zariman (Zariman Ten Zero, Chrysalith, Dormizone) • Whispers in the Walls (Sanctum Anatomica, Albrecht's Laboratories) • The Hex (Höllvania Central Mall, Höllvania, Backroom)
Feature Unlock Quests	Howl of the Kubrow (Incubator Segment) • The Archwing (Archwing) • Stolen Dreams (Maroo Weekly Ayatan Hunt) • The New Strange (Sanctuary Onslaught) • Vox Solaris (K-Drive) • Heart of Deimos (Necramech, Helminth Segment, Mirror Defense) • A Man of Few Words (Clem Weekly Mission) • The Duviri Paradox (Drifter, The Circuit, Duviri Incarnons) • The Second Dream (Operator, Focus) • Rising Tide (Railjack) • The War Within (Kuva Lich, Conjunction Survival) • Call of the Tempestarii (Sisters of Parvos) • Angels of the Zariman (Void Armageddon, Void Cascade, Void Flood, Zariman Incarnons) • Veilbreaker (Break Narmer, Archon Hunt, Archon Shard) • Whispers in the Walls (Arcane Dissolution, Melee Upgrade Segment, Entrati Incarnons, Alchemy, Netracells, Deep Archimedea) • Jade Shadows (Ascension) • The Hex (Hell-Scrub, Legacyte Harvest, Faceoff, Technocyte Coda)
Story and History

↑ "The Void offers humanity the truer telling of Eternalism. That now is merely a facet of a great block." "It is relative... and we can change the frame." "The tyranny of the Present Absolute is overthrown. Tomorrow is now its equal." -Euleria Entrati, A.K.A Mother, during the New War quest
↑ "A. Events can be rewritten; traces of the original persist" -Duviri#Zariman Tablets
↑ "Correct. Versions of reality now exist in which each parent dies. Lintana is assigned to one of them, but the other is no less real and is theoretically accessible." -Euleria Entrati, A.K.A Mother, during the New War quest
↑ Prelude to War is a compilation of miniquests and cutscenes leading up to The New War.
↑ The completion of Duviri Paradox is required to start The Hex quest. Additionally, The Duviri Paradox has very interlinked story context to several critical characters in The New War.

Events

Update 38.0 (2024-12-13)	1999 ARG
Update 36.0 (2024-06-18)	Belly of the Beast
Update 35.0 (2023-12-13)	Gargoyle's Cry
Update 34.0 (2023-10-18)	—
Update 33.0 (2023-04-26)	—
Update 32.0 (2022-09-07)	—
Update 31.0 (2021-12-15)	Zariman ARG
Update 30.0 (2021-04-13)	—
Update 29.0 (2020-08-25)	Nights of Naberus • Orphix Venom • Star Days
Update 28.0 (2020-06-11)	—
Update 27.0 (2019-12-13)	Scarlet Spear
Update 26.0 (2019-10-31)	—
Update 25.0 (2019-05-22)	Hostile Mergers
Update 24.0 (2018-11-08)	Solaris United ARG • Buried Debts
Update 23.0 (2018-06-15)	The Pyrus Project
Update 22.0 (2017-10-12)	Plague Star
Update 21.0 (2017-06-29)	—
Update 20.0 (2017-03-24)	Ambulas Reborn
Update 19.0 (2016-11-11)	Infested Summer • Corpus Bust • The Index Preview • The Pacifism Defect
Update 18.0 (2015-12-03)	Shadow Debt • Rathuum • Proxy Retribution
Update 17.0 (2015-07-31)	Infested Nightmares • Proxy Rebellion
Update 16.0 (2015-03-19)	False Profit • Tubemen of Regor
Update 15.0 (2014-10-24)	Halloween • Mutalist Incursions • Eyes of Blight
Update 14.0 (2014-07-18)	Avalanche Offensive • Cryotic Front • Back To School • Gate Crash
Update 13.0 (2014-04-09)	Specters of Liberty • Suspicious Shipments • Breeding Grounds
Update 12.0 (2014-02-05)	Ties That Bind • Tethra's Doom
Update 11.0 (2013-11-20)	The Hunt for Alad V • A Favor For Darvo • The Cicero Crisis • Oxium Espionage
Update 10.0 (2013-09-13)	The Gradivus Dilemma
Update 9.0 (2013-07-13)	Sling-Stone • Arid Fear • Survival Weekend
Update 8.0 (2013-05-23)	Artifact Defense • Informant
Update 7.0 (2013-03-18)	Fusion MOA

Seasonal	Real-Life Tie-In	Lunar New Year • Valentine's Day • St. Patrick's Day • Easter • Halloween • Christmas
	Charity	Conquera • Movember
	Game Themed	Star Days (February) • Dog Days (Summer in Northern Hemisphere) • Nights of Naberus (October)
Playerbase Dependent		Fomorian Sabotage • Razorback Armada
Monthly		Ghoul Purge • Thermia Fractures
Yearly		Plague Star

Theories of Time

Lore[]

The New War[]

Terms[]

Trivia[]

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