questions + theory on 2nd gig (spoilers)

[EOT]

the question is, is SAC set before or after the first movie? if afterwards, then its safe to assume that the puppet master's offspring have made it safely into cyberspace complete with the childhood memories of the major and the skills of the puppet master.
now, my theory, which may well be false; could it be that the whole purpose of the nuclear strike is to get the 3 million souls of the refugees into cyberspace, and that kuze, gouda, the russians and the americans have all unbeknown to them been taken for a ride by a higher power pulling the strings.
this would explain the memory shop, gouda's change of personality, kuze not being affected by the virus, and also fit nicely with proto being an artificial life-form. also, if this is the case, then the only thing that stopped the plan from actually working was the unpredictable nature of the tachikomas.

[Jeni Nielsen]

I believe the answer is neither. The series is set in an alternate universe where the puppetmaster and Motoko have not fused.

[Lightice]

Yes, Kamiyama has made it clear in interviews, that the Stand Alone Complex is set in a separate timeline, where the Puppetmaster (Ningyo Tsukai) does not exist.

The movie, incidentally, takes place in 2029, whereas the SAC begins in 2030.

[THYREN]

Oh not again!