I'd argue that yes, they are.
Chrono Trigger NEVER made a claim to be any more than it was. Ex: Crono is a just a good kid and he succeeds in his role in the game.
Chrono Cross? Serge is swirled around and the central focal point by being mediator and his father has repeatedly tried to damn him due to this and other events spiraling out of control. How does he feel? "...".
Serge is a failure, Crono wasn't until Cross was introduced and ruined everything by behing the worst game ever created in human history, selling poorly, and helping in Square's fall into a merger.







