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The Cave of the Past is a location in EarthBound. It is the final area of the game, and is Giygas's base of operations. During Ness's time, a small portion of the cave is briefly visited, where it is found to be an ordinary site in the Lost Underworld. Ness and friends can barely progress into the cave before they encounter a dead end, however; they do manage to find a demolished Phase Distorter on a plateau across from them.

When Ness and his friends walk in The Cave of the Past, mechanical footsteps can be heard.

After Ness becomes empowered by his experience in Magicant, the party returns to Saturn Valley where Jeff's father, Dr. Andonuts, has finished the Phase Distorter 2, a time traveling device. Using it, they travel to the present version of the Cave of the Past, a small, lush cavern at the center of the Earth (ironically teeming with plant life), where the Star Master teaches Poo PK Starstorm Ω. However, this area is a point of no return, meaning that all the player can do is move forward. After having their souls transplanted into robot bodies, Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo use the Phase Distorter 3 to travel to the past, where the cave is a strange, foggy, gray world filled with nightmarish enemies. This location is another point of no return, which also forces the player to continue onward.

Cave of the past1

The Cave of the Past (The Cliff That Time Forgot) before traveling with the Phase Distorter 2.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After conquering the Cave's beasts and reaching the end of the cave, they venture into a strange crack, headed to the Devil's Machine, where Giygas and the malevolent Pokey Minch await. Pokey informs the group that Giygas has become so powerful that his mind is completely destroyed as a result of Pokey's assistance. The group defeats Pokey, after which they attack Giygas. Paula begins to pray, and with the combined prayers of Earth's people, Giygas is defeated. Ness and his friends journey back to the present and return home.

Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.

Cave of the past

The Cave of the Past (The Place) after traveling with the Phase Distorter 2.

List of Enemies[]

Music[]

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