#layto ‘s mystery journey

[101flavoursofweird]

Ernest Greeves is the complete inverse of Clive Dove

The parallels between Ernest Greeves and Clive Dove. The PARALLELS—

Clive lost his (presumably not super rich) parents and his home during the explosion at the institute.

Young Clive got adopted by Constance Dove. After Constance’s death, Clive inherited her huge fortune, along with her servants. 

Clive became obsessed with extracting revenge on those who had wronged him and murdered his unnamed parents. After high school, Clive started working for a newspaper and eventually hunted down the men responsible for the explosion. 

Clive befriended Dimitri and convinced him to resume his research on the time machine— giving Dimitri the riches, the resources (Future London, mainly) and the hope he thought he needed to save Claire. With Dimitri, he kidnapped scientists who would help construct the time machine… and Clive’s moving castle Mobile Fortress. As for Bill Hawks (who had actually profited from the deaths of Clive’s parents and went on to become Prime Minister)… Bill was kidnapped, moved to Future London, and his heart was hooked up to the Mobile Fortress. Quite ironic, as Clive doubted Bill even has a heart.

But getting revenge against the scientists wasn’t enough for Clive. He believed that the only way to enact change— to make those fools in power take notice— was through large-scale havoc. He seems to sympathise with the ‘little people’, whose lives have been ruined in the name of progress, but he was happy to stamp out even more lives if it meant rooting out the corruption and rebuilding London from the ground up.

Clive’s goal to bring the Mobile Fortress to fruition— to the surface of London— actually kind of succeeded, but he didn’t succeed in destroying corruption as a whole in London. Bill Hawks was still prime minister by the end of the game. (Hopefully NwoS will rectify this by announcing Bill’s resignation!)

Deep down inside, Clive wanted Professor Layton to save him from his madness (as Layton did ten years ago). While he was playing the part of Future Luke— Layton’s bright and faithful apprentice— Clive  even started enjoying their time together in Future London. 

Still, Clive was arrested by the police at the end of PL3. He may have been a victim of a ruthless political agenda ten years ago, but Clive himself no doubt made a lot of victims with his Mobile Fortress. PL3 knows this. The game is so well written (outside of Flora) and Clive is such a well-written, sympathetic villain. 

LMJ and the anime’s more serious plotlines are… not so well written, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad! I bring Ernest Greeves to the stand!

Ernest Greeves wanted so badly to be like Clive Dove. It’s kind of hilarious when you put them side by side. You have this scheming, devilish manipulator— the true mastermind of PL3, who flattened a good chunk of London— and then you have… Katrielle Layton’s besotted, hapless assistant.

Miles Richmond (RICHMOND - LMJ is not subtle) came from a ridiculously wealthy family. He, his unnamed mother and his grandfather (MAXIMILIAN RICHMOND) lived in a freaking CASTLE and the family might have owned a mining company(?), as his grandfather discovered a mountain full of diamonds. However, Grandpa Richmond had lots of debts. Rather than pay off his personal debts— as Bill Hawks no doubt would have done— Grandpa Richmond decided that the money from the diamonds should go towards (re)developing London following the destruction left by the Mobile Fortress over ten years ago. Yes that’s a headcanon. Please take my headcanons connecting LMJ to the wider PL universe.

Grandpa Richmond left his wealth in the hands of the Seven Dragons of London. They spent the money on important things for the public like entertainment, finance, transport, mayoral duties, education, justice and mansions animal welfare.

This was a noble, generous decision from Grandpa Richmond that benefited London as a whole… but it sucked for his family! After Grandpa died, Miles and his mother were left destitute. After Miles’ mother also died of illness, Miles was left with nothing in the world. No family, no money, no servants. He went from a young heir, to a struggling orphan— Ernest Greeves. 

Ernest was able to get into university with his favourite professor as a mentor… only to be accused of a crime he didn’t commit by said-mentor. Thankfully, Katrielle Layton confirmed Ernest’s innocence. Following that, Ernest decided to become her assistant*, whether Kat needed him or not.

For years, Miles researched the legend surrounding his family’s missing diamonds. Finally— some time after meeting Kat and the Seven Dragons— Ernest discovered the truth about his family’s missing diamonds. 

*As it’s established in the anime, Ernest recognised the Dragons after working on their cases as Kat’s assistant. I don’t believe Ernest became close with Kat just so he could get revenge against them. While he did involve Kat in his ‘game’ at Richmond Court, Ernest didn’t manipulate Kat from their first meeting as part of his revenge plot. Maybe, secretly, Ernest hoped she or her father could help uncover the conspiracy surrounding his family, but other than that, vengeance wasn’t Ernest’s driving motive in becoming Kat’s assistant or her friend. 

It’s not like how Clive donned his Future Luke disguise to trick Professor Layton and Co. Ernest just… genuinely likes Kat. He adores her. Yes, he can go overboard with his affections, but after he’s had such a lonely, unlucky life, it’s not surprising. He’s grateful that Kat cleared his name and he wants to repay her as much as he can.

Unfortunately, this coincided with Ernest’s need to get revenge against the Dragons, but Kat saw right through his plot. Ernest is really, really bad at being a manipulative villain.

Sure, Ernest threatened the ruin the Dragons finally. Sure, he imprisoned them in a room at Richmond Court and threatened to flatten them unless they revealed the truth about the diamonds, but Ernest put himself in that same room. They came very close to being flattened— to the point where they were all lying on the floor— but do you really think Ernest would have flattened himself along with them? REALLY? The same boy who cries at the wedding of his university professor’s daughter? IDK The professor who almost got him arrested? Nah.

When Kat reveals Ernest’s true identity and his plan, he doesn’t run off with a hostage like Clive did. He doesn’t unleash a giant robot from under the castle. Ernest gives Kat a resigned smiles and says: ‘You never disappoint, Miss Layton’. He’s not disappointed that Kat found him out. He knows how foolish his whole plan was… but he did it because he wanted to keep the promise to his mother. He promised his mother he would investigate their family’s missing diamonds and get revenge if someone had stolen them. He wanted the diamond thieves to admit this for themselves.

Turns out… it all one big misunderstanding in the end. Grandpa Richmond was the one who told the Dragons to take the diamonds for the betterment of London. (Again, why Grandpa couldn’t have saved a little money for his poor family, I don’t know—)

In the LMJ game, Madame Doublee says that they’ve been looking for Miles for years, but in the anime, the Dragons apologise for keeping quiet and not telling him when he was younger… because that’s what his mother wanted? Ernest’s mother chose to keep the truth from her weak son— even when she was dying… because that would give Ernest the determination to keep on living…? I don’t entirely understand her motivations, but then again, I also don’t understand Arthur Cantabella or Baron Reinhold’s motivations, so I’ll let Ernest’s mother off. It’s a silly anime and Ernest is kind silly character… but I do think he’s one of the best written characters.

And honestly? In a series where a lot of the male characters (yes, even HERSHEL and LUKE) just do not respect the wishes of female characters, it’s nice how much Ernest respects Kat. Yes, ok, he lied to her about who he was… but in the end, when he’s all set to leave, Kat clearly wants him to stay. So he stays as her assistant.