Could you elaborate on the ‘no evidence the timeline starts when Quentin enters Brakebills’ thing? Like specifically timeline 40 starting? I’ve only watched the show once through so maybe it’s obvious but I’d love to learn more about how the examples you have link up to that. They’re really interesting things to notice!
sure!
firstly, there’s nothing said or implied that there’s a “fixed point” jane resets to, never mind that fixed point being quentin entering brakebills. secondly, the timelines are implied to be pretty different from each other (jane doesn’t know where quentin is at the start of the pilot; she’s genuinely curious when she says “why, did you kill him?” re: alumni guy; she’s surprised he’s a good liar (1x02 when he has emerson’s alloy in his pocket); fogg isn’t able to guard against quentin slipping him truth serum in 1x12; ember doesn’t recognize quentin and julia on sight in 1x13, etc).
thirdly, there is the big detail of zelda saying that margo’s name was janet in another timeline. yeah, it’s a fun wink to those in the know about the books, but it’s no different from the rest of the show’s “worldbuilding” (the show isn’t really interested in worldbuilding and tbh that’s fine) so i take it as canon.
in 1x01 jane says “it’s starting” which could be about the beast starting to target brakebills, but that in combination with “you do have an eye on our boy, don’t you?” means that the time loop likely started a while ago. (if “it’s starting” is about the loop itself, it implies jane doesn’t actually have much control over it.)
i’m obsessed with the timelines tbh. like WHY did the beast come to eliot in the form of a nice boy in a sweater!!! how does the beast being in penny’s head since he was a kid fit into all this? why is jane trying to get quentin off the garden path (which eliot and margo represent…. they literally tell him to stay on it!)?
