Point of divergence

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Departure point (literary term) and Divergence point (literary term) both redirect to here.

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In discussion of counterfactual history, a divergence point (DP), also referred to as a departure point or point of divergence (POD) is a historical event, with two possible postulated outcomes. Typically these represent the actual course of historical events (Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo) and another, such as Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo.

In alternate history fiction, the POD is used as the starting point for the extrapolation, as it is indeed in much of the science fiction genre.

In Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, the point of divergence is Franklin D. Roosevelt's fictional assassination in 1933 (q.v. Giuseppe Zangara). In Eric Flint's alternate history (a time travel variation) he postulates an Assiti Shard event which juxtaposes parts of our planet including the town of Grantville, West Virginia in both space and time—a twist on scientist's referring to a space-time continuum in relativisic (Einsteinian) physics.

One Multiverse (science) theory posits that PODs are occurring all the time, with an infinite variety of possible outcomes that each creates a universe, this having been used as a premise to the 1990s U.S. television series Sliders. Speculative fiction is full of universes based loosely on the concept of multiple universes, including many fantasy milieus.

Point of Divergence is also the title of an amateur press association for Alternate History fiction and the discussion of topics related to it, which published its 51st issue in May 2008. Dale Cozort and Robert Alley are the Official Editors of the APA and the contact points for prospective members.