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Chidi reports having seen something which Michael declares to be the "time-knife", to which Chidi exclaims "I saw the time-knife" as if it was some non-visualized abstract concept he was already acquainted with. This leads me to ask: what is the time-knife as referenced in the show?

  • Is it a real concept in physics, philosophy, or some other real-world discipline?
  • Is it some sort of cultural reference?
  • Is it an in-joke?
  • Is it just some invention of the scriptwriters to give Chidi something to freak out over?
Anthony X
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1 Answers1

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The "Time-Knife" is an in-universe created idea, a bunch of realities folding onto each other like a blade. Chidi saw it when he was "falling" in the IHOP, and Michael names it shortly thereafter.

After Janet rescues tiny Chidi from falling, the conversation goes like this:

Chidi: I just saw a trillion different realities folding onto each other like thin sheets of metal forming a single blade.

Michael: Oh, that's the Time-Knife. We’ve all seen it.

It's not until afterwards that Chidi exclaims "I saw the Time-Knife!".

He might have seemed familiar with it since he'd already described it like a blade, but he definitely learned the phrase itself from Michael based on what he observed.

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Tronman
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