A common plot device to many science fiction stories (and more than a few comic book story arcs) is one of an alternate timeline. Something happens... usually involving time travel... which causes established events to veer from their intended path, thus creating a new timeline.

One of my favorite uses of this is in Back to The Future: Part II where Biff Tannen uses the Sports Almanac to give his past-self knowledge of the future, thus changing his path to that of an evil millionaire. Marty then has to go back in time to prevent Biff from doing what he already done-did.

Classic.

Lately I've been feeling like I'm trapped in an evil alternate timeline where somebody has changed the path that we're all supposed to be on. And do you blame me? The amount of horrendous shit happening in the world just keeps escalating, and there really doesn't seem to be any end in sight.

Alas, something tells me that Marty McFly ain't going to show up and magically fix everything this time.