Time is of the essence

Time travel is thought of in different ways by many. The most common view is that if you travel backwards in time, you can change aspects of a timeline. I propose another possible theory:

You cannot, under any circumstance, change events that have already happened.

The best example I know of this is Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). (If you haven't played the game, I don't recommend it but that's a different story)

[SPOILERS AHEAD!]

At the beginning of Shadow's story, Mephiles is released and recognises Shadow though Shadow doesn't recognise him. At the beginning of Sonic's story, Eggman attacks Elise because she is in possession of the Blue Chaos Emerald and is the vessel that Iblis is sealed within. After Shadow and Silver finish fighting, they both trigger chaos control opening a vortex to the past, 10 years ago to be exact. During their visit Shadow seals Mephiles while Silver seals Iblis inside Elise and gives her the blue Chaos Emerald before returning to the present.


These two events in the past always happened this specific way because they travelled to the past in the future. This is why Mephiles recognises Shadow and Elise possesses the Blue Chaos Emerald.

[SPOILERS END]

In other words, events that happened in the past because you had travelled back in time, always happened because you went back in time. It's how events always happened and nothing had been changed.

Besides even if the 'change the past' theory is true, once you had changed the past, the you who had changed the past would no longer exist causing the past to have never been changed. Butterfly paradox, I think it's called.

Who knows if time travel is even possible?

(This my first piece of writing on here so thank you for taking the time to read it.)