56253
I have a following sentence (probably):

> この惑星はもう「生命{いのち}を育む船」としては既に…終わってしまっているのだと

It's from a manga and the narrator is speaking. I don't EXACTLY know who the
narrator is supposed to be. Context wise it's happening on a dying desertified
world and a character (character A) just fought a monster caused by the
desertification.

On the next page we are then shown seemingly another character (character B)
and there the narration boxes seem to stem from them and they are rejecting
giving up on the world.

What I'm first wondering is:

1) what is the function of もう here? I know from dictionary that it means now;
soon; shortly; before long; presently​, but those are kinda different
meanings. So which one would be applicable here. Is it now, or soon so to
speak? Or something third.

2) 既に…終わってしまっている this bit. Does it mean together with もう that the world is
already completely ending. OR is this more, _world as life bearing vessel has
no already completely ended_ , and いる is there just to say that end happened
and is continuing to present an into future.

3) I assume と here is some kind of quoting with the verb (presumably think)
being left out. Kinda weird for narration.

4) The very next text on the next page is Character B saying:

> 諦めてたまるもんですか…っ
>
> No way am I just gonna stand by and give up…

Could the と from 3) be some kinda conjunction to this? And this would all be
B's narration? I'm thinking no, since A previously did agree that leaving the
world would be for the best, so I'm thinking she is saying this world is done
for and that is being contrasted with B saying that they won't ever give up.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-28T12:03:35.840
56251
2018-01-28T13:00:55.197
26839
question
interpretation
Interpreting 既に終わってしまっている
1. This もう is "already". 

>     * もう出発する。 I'll depart soon.
>     * もう出発した。 I already departed.

  2. This ている is not progressive. 終わる is an instant state-change verb (aka punctual verb) described [here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3122/5010). "This planet is already (completely) finished."
  3. Yes this と is quotative. This と probably connects to a verb _before_ this sentence. Sometimes the word order can be changed for emphasis like this. See: [What does と mean in 「ここにおいで」と?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/38645/5010) Is there a verb such as 知っていた or 理解していた before this sentence?
  4. I don't think they're connected. "諦めてたまるもんですか…っ" is a fairly colloquial line, and it's unlikely to be a continuation of the sentence in question.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-28T13:00:55.197
56253
2018-01-28T13:00:55.197
5010
56251
answer