Attractor Field

An Attractor Field is a cluster of world lines that lead to a single converging point. While each individual worldline is its own thread and thus has differences compared to its neighbors, all of the threads are moving in the same direction, and ultimately make up a single yarn bundle, or Attractor Field.

The term convergence refers to events which are fated to occur on a world line regardless of human action, while divergence refers to the attempt of changing which events are fated to occur. Typically, events of mass confusion enable divergence great enough to switch Attractor Fields, a notable example in the series being the Y2K panic.

In relation to the series, the term causality is used to describe when human action is insignificant in achieving divergence, meaning that human action only slows the occurrence at best. Although the divergence number constantly fluctuates, it is impossible for most individuals to notice a such a shift.

The divergence number of a Worldline is a percentage that signifies its difference from any given neighbor. In standard formatting, one would write the exact number that identifies a specific worldline with a percent sign (%). For example, writing the first Alpha worldline as 0.000000%.

However, to better convey when worldlines are part of a specific Attractor Field, a Greek alphabet symbol of the Attractor Field is usually used in place of the percent sign. For example, the first worldline in the Alpha Attractor Field is typically written as 0.000000α.

In addition, verbal discussion might refer to all Alpha divergences as an "Alpha Worldline" or "Alpha Line", although the term Attractor Field would eventually be developed by Rintaro as to easily discuss details pertaining to the bundles that are Attractor Fields.

All Attractor Fields originated from some point the past, and eventually, they will all converge onto each other once more. Each Attractor Field detailed in the Steins;Gate body of works and its related forms of media are summarized here.

Alpha
The Alpha Attractor Field is made up of all worldlines ranging from 0.000000α to 0.999999α divergence.

On most iterations of worldlines of this Attractor Field, Dr. Nakabachi's conference at the Radio Building is cancelled due to a mysterious object crashing into the roof, causing panic throughout the city. Kurisu Makise holds a speech on the implausibility of a Time Machine in Nakabachi's place, and she eventually joins the Future Gadget Lab as a result of Okabe catching her interest. Further experimentation and the design of the PhoneWave leads to the Time Leap Machine, and the attempt by SERN to take control of the result and the people involved to further their own goals.

The closer the divergence number is to 0.000000α, the quicker the final convergent result of the Alpha Attractor Field is achieved as the influence of the Attractor Field and its converging points is stronger.

The final convergent result of the Alpha Attractor Field is the completion of the SERN Time Machine and the enslavement of humanity in a Dystopia headed by the Committee of 300.

Beta
The Beta Attractor Field is made up of most worldlines ranging from 1.000000β to 1.999999β divergence, with few exceptions. The first is "Steins Gate", which is divergence number 1.048596%, while the other two 1.049326χ and 1.048599χ are worldlines part of the Chi Attractor Field.

On most iterations of worldlines of the Beta Attractor Field, Dr. Nakabachi's conference at the Radio Building takes place as scheduled, with Rintaro Okabe attending. Shortly afterward, Kurisu Makise is found dead by Rintaro, and he in a state of shock sends a text message about it to his friend Daru, unknowingly beginning his journey throughout time.

Most iterations shortly after this timeframe are known for Nakabachi stealing Kurisu's thesis and defecting to Russia, sparking an arms race to secure all known information on the late Kurisu as to successfully build a time machine.

Although SERN attempts to conquer the world in this Attractor Field like they do in many others, convergence will not allow success due to the arms race, as well as SERN's ignorance to the Lab's activities here.

The closer the divergence number is to 1.999999β, the more quickly the final convergent result of the Beta Attractor Field is achieved as the influence of the Attractor Field and its converging points is stronger, save for the 3 noted exceptions which are not necessarily bound to converging under the Beta Attractor Field.

The final convergent result of the Beta Attractor Field is World War III, fought over Kurisu's Amadeus data & time travel thesis.

Gamma
The Gamma Attractor Field is made up of all worldlines ranging from 2.000000γ to 2.999999γ divergence.

On worldlines of this Attractor Field, Urushibara Luka's mother when pregnant receives strange messages to her pager with a future date, ultimately resulting in SERN's ambitions of control finding success much earlier in comparison to worldlines of the Alpha Attractor Field. Their covert influence in this Attractor Field is depicted as much stronger as well.

A notable difference in this Attractor Field is the fact that Rintaro Okabe and Mayuri Shiina are separated as childhood friends, likely due to information gathered from analyzing the future text messages. Okabe lives a ruthless dual-life in all known iterations of the Gamma Attractor Field, with many known details from the Alpha and Beta Attractor Fields reversed as a result of the aforementioned events.

The final convergent result of the Gamma Attractor Field is the completion of the SERN Time Machine and the enslavement of humanity in Dystopia headed by the Committee of 300, much like the Alpha Attractor Field. A grim difference here is Okabe becomes a high-ranking member of said committee, ruling Japan as the dictator "Hououin Kyouma".

Delta
The Delta Attractor Field is made up of all Worldlines ranging from 3.000000δ to 3.999999δ divergence. Worldlines of this Attractor Field are noted for their seeming peacefulness, with neither the threat of SERN nor World War III as a looming threat.

While the PhoneWave does exist much like as known in the Alpha Attractor Field, it is not central to the Future Gadget Lab's work in this Attractor Field and instead takes a backseat while they focus on the creation of more harmless Future Gadgets, such as "Darling, You Idiot!" and a dream reading device.

It should be noted that SERN's influence is incredibly weak the closer the divergence number is to 3.999999δ, with known pawns of SERN from the Alpha and Beta Attractor Fields becoming completely safe individuals in higher Delta divergences who live fulfilling lives as ordinary people. However, as the deviation on the Divergence Meter dips lower, the presence of SERN seems to grow stronger and known members are once again living a secret dual-life. Even so, their influence appears to be particularly weak in any iteration of this Attractor Field.

Epsilon
Not much is known about this Attractor Field.

Chi
The Chi Attractor Field is made up of two known worldlines. The first one, 1.048599χ is exclusive for events of a Science Adventure series manga. The second and most notable worldline is 1.049326χ.

This Attractor Field is a next door neighbor to "Steins Gate", and it is only possible to land on 1.049326χ if Okabe decides against undoing Luka's D-Mail and 3 extra days are spent on the Alpha Attractor Field. Notably, Luka will decide to time-leap, and eventually succeed in reversing the D-mail she sent herself.

The final convergent result, nor the future of the Chi Attractor Field is known. This worldline could potentially have a peaceful future since Okabe is brought to the hospital for a wound on August 21st 2010, much like in the "Steins Gate" worldline. He refuses to explain how he got the wound in this Attractor Field, however. The presence of the Divergence Meter is ominous; it could imply that time travel and the existence of world lines will emerge in this Attractor Field, or else the Divergence Meter would likely cease to exist.

Omega


The Omega Attractor Field is made up of all worldlines ranging from -0.000000Ω to -0.999999Ω divergence. The starting number is negative, hence the lack of a starting number on the Divergence Meter. Official source material shows that the proper way to write Omega Worldlines is "-0", even though such a number doesn't actually exist.

Little is known about the future of worldlines of this Attractor Field. It is vastly different from the others in that Okabe does not start the Future Gadget Lab, nor does he know any of his friends except Faris. On -0.275349Ω, the only known worldline on the Omega Attractor Field from Okabe's perspective, he participates in "Rai-Net Access Battlers" tournaments with Faris and is her lover.

It can be assumed that SERN won't complete its time machine in worldlines of this Attractor Field, because the lab isn't together to create the Phone Microwave and subsequently the Time Leap Machine. Furthermore, the presence of the Divergence Meter is ominous; it could imply that time travel and the existence of world lines will emerge in this Attractor Field, or else the Divergence Meter would likely cease to exist.

Steins Gate
The Steins Gate Worldline carries a divergence number of 1.048596%. As it is under the influence of both the Alpha and Beta Attractor Fields, it does not reach the final convergent result found in either field. Since this worldline doesn't converge upon the Committee of 300 and SERN's dystopia, nor World War 3, there was no need for Suzuha Amane to travel back to 2010 on this worldline.

This worldline is where the true ending of the main plot occurs, and it is dubbed as "Steins Gate" by Okabe. The main draw of this worldline is its unknown future—World War III over Kurisu's knowledge and SERN's dystopia are averted on it, as well as specific character deaths which were unavoidable on either the Alpha or Beta Worldlines encountered in the main story.

However, none of the aforementioned details guarantee that the future of the Steins Gate worldline is peaceful. The very presence of the Divergence Meter is ominous; it could imply that time travel technology will emerge in this world line, or else the Divergence Meter would likely cease to exist. As is demonstrated by the rest of the Science Adventure series, the Committee of 300 is still apt to carry out various other schemes in an attempt to gain control of the world on this worldline.

Trivia
In the anime Robotics;Notes the series starts by showing the numbers 1.048596, those of the Steins Gate Worldline, on the Divergence Meter.