In Chrono Trigger, Melchior is a character who plays a significant role in the story. He is a skilled blacksmith and an expert in the field of weapons and equipment. Melchior resides in the prehistoric era, specifically in the village of Medina.
When Chrono and the party travel back in time to the middle ages era, they meet Melchior, who becomes an important ally. He aids the party by upgrading their weapons, providing valuable information, and assisting them on their quest to save the world.
Melchior is known for his wisdom and knowledge of the mystical element known as “Dreamstone,” which is essential for crafting powerful weapons and defeating formidable enemies. He also plays a pivotal role in repairing the broken Masamune, a legendary sword crucial to the game’s storyline.
Overall, Melchior is a revered character in Chrono Trigger, providing valuable services and guidance to the player throughout their journey.
Origins of the name Melchior
The name “Melchior” has ancient origins and is associated with various cultural and historical contexts. It is primarily known for its association with the biblical account of the Three Wise Men or Three Kings who visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
According to Christian tradition, the Three Wise Men were named Melchior, Caspar (or Gaspar), and Balthazar. Melchior, often depicted as an older man with white hair and a white beard, is believed to have brought the gift of gold to symbolize Jesus’ kingship. It just so happens the 3 gurus in Chrono Trigger share the same name.
The name “Melchior” itself is derived from the Hebrew language. It is composed of two elements: “malk” meaning “king” and “ior” (or “yar”) meaning “light” or “God.” Therefore, the name can be interpreted as “king of light” or “king servant of God.”
The story of the Three Wise Men and their gifts has been a significant part of Christian tradition and is celebrated as the Feast of Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day on January 6th.
Beyond its biblical association, the name Melchior has been used in various literary and cultural works throughout history. It has appeared in plays, novels, and even in popular culture references.
Where to find Melchior
As your journey progresses through the game, you end up running into Melchior a number of times. Here are all the points in time where you find Melchior.
- At the Mellenial Fair
- You first find Melchior at the start of the game, surprisingly. You can find Melchior selling his merch at the Millenial Fair. At the fair he takes notice of Marle’s pendant and actually asks to buy it off of you.
- Village of Magic
- You run into Melchior again in the year 1000 A.D. He is living in Medina and runs a little hut, called Melchior’s Hut. Here you can buy weapons.
- Tata and the Frog
- After you and your crew find the broken pieces of the Masamune, you realize only a master blacksmith is able to return it back to its former glory. So you end up visiting Melchior in his hut, but he tells you, you are only able to repair it with a red stone, which cannot be found anymore, the Dreamstone.
- The Masamune!
- Once you come back from your journey from the past and receive the Dreamstone, you can then return to Melchior and he will get to work in his basement to put the pieces of the Masamune back together.
- The Guru on Mt. Woe
- During this mission you attempt to rescue the Guru of Life, your party ventures out to Mountain of Woe in 12,000 B.C. Here you need to fight the monster Giga Gaia and rescue the Guru. You later learn that Melchior is the guru you need to rescue, the Guru of life.
- What Lies Beyond??
- After returning from the Terra Cave, you run into Schala and Janus, you learn that she is abandoning Zeal. Dalton ends up kidnapping her, and brings her back to Zeal. Melchior ends up giving Crono the Ruby knife.
- The Time Egg
- In a cut scene, you find out the Melchior was transported from 12,000 B.C to 1000 A.D
- The Rainbow Shell
- Once the Rainbow shell is recovered during the trials of the King Guardia XXXIII, Melchior arrives at Guardia Castle to use the shell to create some powerful weapons for your party.
The Three Gurus
In the game you discover that there are 3 gurus who play a big part in the story of Lavos. When the Mammon Machine was activated, the gurus are sent to different periods in time to live out their lives. Belthasar was sent to the future, Gaspar was sent to the end of time and Melchior gets sent to the present.
The Guru Melchior
The first Guru the party encounters in Chrono Trigger is Melchior. Initially, he appears briefly in Leene Square as a weapons merchant. Melchior approaches Crono and asks him to persuade Marle to sell her pendant. However, even if Crono agrees, the pendant is never actually sold to Melchior. This interaction becomes evidence against Crono during the trial for Marle’s supposed kidnapping.
Melchior’s request for the pendant suggests that he knew about its ability to transport him back to his own time. He was banished from Zeal after the events at the Ocean Palace and wanted to prevent Queen Zeal from exploiting Schala’s power and controlling Lavos. Melchior likely played a role in either creating the pendant or ensuring it moved from Schala’s possession to that of the Royal Guardian Family.
After the party returns from 600 AD, Melchior disappears. He later takes up residence in the Fiend village of Medina, where he sells more powerful weapons like the Crimson Blade. In the Middle Ages, the party assists Guardia against Great Ozzie’s undead minions at Zenan Bridge and uncovers Magus as the mastermind behind the assault. They also learn that Frog needs the Masamune, a legendary sword, repaired to have a chance against the magic-wielding Prince.
To repair the Masamune, the party brings the Broken Blade and Broken Hilt to Melchior’s Cabin. There, they discover that the Dreamstone is required for the repair. Melchior, being its creator, possesses knowledge of how to fix it. They obtain a sample of Dreamstone from Ayla, the chieftain in Prehistory, and with the help of the mechanically-gifted Lucca, Melchior successfully repairs the sword.
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