Luke and Layton: the Sixth Sense Theory
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I would like to thank my cousins for lending me their Professor Layton games. They are fun, challenging, have likable characters, beautiful landscapes and some gorgeous music, with interesting plots to boot. After finishing the first three games, I can see what all the fuss is about, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second trilogy!
That being said, I can't help but be puzzled by the relationship between Layton and his apprentice Luke. Why does the good professor keep bringing a child with him on potentially dangerous investigations? Where are this kid's parents? For that matter, isn't he a little... young to be an apprentice?
...get out, you menace.
Mandatory pedobear jokes aside, midway through The Diabolical Box, my sister and I had the following exchange on the subject:
Me: This is getting weird: every time Layton is about to introduce him, starting with "He is my...", Luke always interrupts and says: "I'm his apprentice!" What do you think Layton was about to say?
My sister: "He is my soul!"
Me: ...creepy.
My sister: Maybe Layton was dead all along. He is probably hiding a terrible head injury under his hat. That's why he never takes it off. He is actually a zombie and without Luke, he would turn to dust.
Me: Wait... so Luke is his necromancer?
My sister: Yeah! And that's why they have to stay together all the time. I bet Luke was a lonely orphan who tried to summon the ghost of a great detective because he wanted to become one when he grew up.
Me: But he ended up with an archeologist instead... So Layton offered to teach him everything he knew about puzzles and how to be a gentleman to make it up to Luke! And if anybody asks, Luke is his "apprentice," because "necromancer" doesn't have the same ring to it.
My sister: XD
Me: ...Actually, that would be a pretty awesome twist.
At the very least, it would give Luke and Maya great conversation topics in the Layton vs Ace Attorney crossover. As a necromancer and spirit medium respectively, they would have a lot to talk about. X)
Of course, this being a family-friendly game, I doubt this twist will actually happen, and the fourth game probably jossed the entire theory already. But still, it would explain quite a lot about the first trilogy:
For starters, it isn't too farfetched to assume that Luke has some supernatural powers if you take into account the fact that he can talk to animals, and Layton, who prides himself in being a rational man, doesn't seem remotely bothered by this fact. On the contrary, he encourages Luke to make use of his gift during investigations, and it does prove to be helpful on several occasions. And if it is possible to communicate with other species, why not with ghosts, assuming they exist?
As for Layton being dead all along, well... [Here is a spoiler for Unwound Future.]
I have a hard time believing that Layton was unable to uncover the truth about Claire's accident. If unstable rookie journalist Clive could do it, so could the famed Professor Layton... unless he died trying. Layton looked pretty badly beat-up on that picture where he was collapsed on the sidewalk under the rain. Who is to say he didn't actually get killed when he got too close to the truth?
Ever since then, unable to rest, his ghost has been wandering the earth for eight years...until his chance meeting with ten year old Luke, a clever little boy who could understand animals and see ghosts. (It turns out Luke does have a father, but he doesn't seem to be around very often.) Over time, an "apprenticeship" was built!
If Layton himself is a ghost anchored to the living world thanks to Luke, he would have had to acknowledge that some instances of the supernatural do exist. This might explain why he doesn't immediately discard the possibility of a cursed box or [a spoiler for the Diabolical Box.]
a time-defying vampire.
Layton is not scared by any of this because he is already dead, and Luke is superstitious because he knows supernatural things do happen on occasion. Layton is simply trying to teach him that these things don't happen as often as Luke might assume and, more importantly, that they don't explain everything.
Furthermore, if we assume that Luke and Layton have to be together at all times for the latter to remain physically in the living world, it would explain why Layton alway brings him along for the ride, even if he is investigating a murder case by taking the victim's place on a train or[major spoilers for Unwound Future.]
infiltrating a walking fortress with a flying automobile to rescue his adopted daughter from a psychopath about to raze London to the ground with giant canons. The latter example is especially jarring because Layton also had the options of taking either "Celeste," who volunteers to go and seems to know a lot about Clive's plans and psyche, or Chelmey, who is entitled to arrest Clive as a police officer and trained to deal with criminals, or Don Paulo, who is now on Layton's side, designed the Laytonmobile to make it fly and knows how it works. At the very least, the three of them are adults. But no, Layton turns down "Celeste" because "it's too dangerous..." and takes his thirteen year old apprentice instead.
Beware, underworld!
At least this instance might be explained by the fact that Luke was as worried about Flora as Layton, and therefore the professor didn't want to leave him behind. There is, on the other hand, no reason why Layton brought Luke to the casino much earlier in the game, when everybody was telling him not to and even him was starting to have doubts. They had a hotel room, Luke should have waited there and called for help if Layton failed to come back!
Every time Layton so much as suggests that Luke should stay behind because the situation is sure to become dangerous, Luke always answers with a variation of: "I'm your apprentice, and I won't let you go alone!" If "apprentice" translates to "I am your necromancer and you can't go anywhere without me," suddenly things make a lot more sense.
Of course they do get separated on occasion, but it is always very brief. The first time it happened[was a spoiler for the Curious Village.]
was when the stairs from the tower in St Mystere collapsed, leaving Luke on one side and Layton on the other. After escaping with Flora, Layton suddenly lost consciousness, even though he didn't seem to have sustained any head injury - at least nothing serious enough to make him lose his hat. He only regained consciousness when Luke came back with the villagers.
Luke's distress at the idea of parting ways might have had to do with the fact that, if they get separated for too long, Layton may end up disappearing for good.
[Spoilers for Unwound Future abound.]
This might also explain why Layton gets so worried when Luke suddenly disappears from his sight in Unwound Future: he starts to search the entire town frantically without allowing the player to do anything else. (No more riddles until you find Luke, even though every NPC save for Stachenscarfen refers to him in their dialogues. The writers were thorough.) Luke has the exact same reaction when the professor vanishes in China Town. Flora points out that "Luke is really lost without him," but it clearly goes both ways.
(By contrast, both of them barely spare Flora a thought when they have to leave her behind, or when they find out she has been kidnapped in The Diabolical Box. That being said, if Layton really is a ghost, it would also explain why he feels so awkward about taking care of Flora: he knows he won't be around forever.)
Which somehow makes the ending of Unwound Future even sadder. Firstly because of Claire: after finding out about her real identity and her fate to die a second time, Luke stayed with Layton while the man and Claire said their goodbyes. When she starts walking to her death, Luke is the one who runs after her in the blind hope of keeping her there. But Claire isn't a ghost: only a projection from the past, doomed to return to her own time and get killed in an explosion. Hence Luke's desperate cries: "She's gone! She's gone!" which basically translate to: "I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything to help her!"
And secondly because, in the post-credit ending, Luke and Layton have to part ways for good. Note that earlier in the game, when Luke is found crying in front of the statue and tells Layton he will have to leave London soon, Layton never tells him that they are going to see each other again eventually. What Layton says is: "We will always be friends." What it means is that time and distance don't make a difference when it comes to strong friendships, but it also implies that they may never see each other again - Layton may disappear without Luke.
I say may disappear, because things may be more complicated than that. From what we see in the first trilogy, Luke's gift with animals seems to be getting stronger: in The Curious Village, Layton merely says he is "good with animals," but we never actually see the boy converse with any, and he is unable to tame the cat Claudia. (Although that may be because[of a spoiler for the Curious Village.)]
Claudia is really a robot, like all of the eponymous village's inhabitants.)
In The Diabolical Box however, not only is Luke able to[spoil The Diabolical Box,]
have a two-ways conversation with cows, he can also understand what his hamster is saying and train him to find coins for him.
In Unwound Future, this is taken a step further when[a spoiler for Unwound Future comes.]
Luke manages to get the very misanthropic rabbit Number 3 to talk about his past and let them pass after solving his riddles. Not to mention all the training Luke's parrot had to go through.
In light of all this, it would be safe to assume that Luke's powers are growing.
[Spoilers for Unwound Future.]
Therefore, the ending to Unwound Future may be interpreted in two ways: either Luke has grown strong enough as a necromancer to be able to keep Layton in the living world from a distance (through letters with written incantations or what have you), which is why the professor was still in his office to receive all the news Luke was sending him... or Layton did disappear shortly after Luke's departure, and the last scene is merely Luke writing to his departed friend, speaking of moving on and finding new friends, but secretly hoping that the ghost can still read his letters and come back to him.
...If Layton did vanish, it would also explain why we got prequels instead of sequels afterwards...
Okay, okay, I don't believe any of this is true. Don't take this essay too seriously, I just thought it made for a good Halloween post.
Still. If I don't find at least one fanfiction about this, I will be very disappointed in the internet.
Flora: Is the Professor broken?
Luke: Give me a second. A little to the right...
I would like to thank my cousins for lending me their Professor Layton games. They are fun, challenging, have likable characters, beautiful landscapes and some gorgeous music, with interesting plots to boot. After finishing the first three games, I can see what all the fuss is about, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second trilogy!
That being said, I can't help but be puzzled by the relationship between Layton and his apprentice Luke. Why does the good professor keep bringing a child with him on potentially dangerous investigations? Where are this kid's parents? For that matter, isn't he a little... young to be an apprentice?
...get out, you menace.
Mandatory pedobear jokes aside, midway through The Diabolical Box, my sister and I had the following exchange on the subject:
Me: This is getting weird: every time Layton is about to introduce him, starting with "He is my...", Luke always interrupts and says: "I'm his apprentice!" What do you think Layton was about to say?
My sister: "He is my soul!"
Me: ...creepy.
My sister: Maybe Layton was dead all along. He is probably hiding a terrible head injury under his hat. That's why he never takes it off. He is actually a zombie and without Luke, he would turn to dust.
Me: Wait... so Luke is his necromancer?
My sister: Yeah! And that's why they have to stay together all the time. I bet Luke was a lonely orphan who tried to summon the ghost of a great detective because he wanted to become one when he grew up.
Me: But he ended up with an archeologist instead... So Layton offered to teach him everything he knew about puzzles and how to be a gentleman to make it up to Luke! And if anybody asks, Luke is his "apprentice," because "necromancer" doesn't have the same ring to it.
My sister: XD
Me: ...Actually, that would be a pretty awesome twist.
At the very least, it would give Luke and Maya great conversation topics in the Layton vs Ace Attorney crossover. As a necromancer and spirit medium respectively, they would have a lot to talk about. X)
Of course, this being a family-friendly game, I doubt this twist will actually happen, and the fourth game probably jossed the entire theory already. But still, it would explain quite a lot about the first trilogy:
For starters, it isn't too farfetched to assume that Luke has some supernatural powers if you take into account the fact that he can talk to animals, and Layton, who prides himself in being a rational man, doesn't seem remotely bothered by this fact. On the contrary, he encourages Luke to make use of his gift during investigations, and it does prove to be helpful on several occasions. And if it is possible to communicate with other species, why not with ghosts, assuming they exist?
As for Layton being dead all along, well... [Here is a spoiler for Unwound Future.]
I have a hard time believing that Layton was unable to uncover the truth about Claire's accident. If unstable rookie journalist Clive could do it, so could the famed Professor Layton... unless he died trying. Layton looked pretty badly beat-up on that picture where he was collapsed on the sidewalk under the rain. Who is to say he didn't actually get killed when he got too close to the truth?
Ever since then, unable to rest, his ghost has been wandering the earth for eight years...until his chance meeting with ten year old Luke, a clever little boy who could understand animals and see ghosts. (It turns out Luke does have a father, but he doesn't seem to be around very often.) Over time, an "apprenticeship" was built!
If Layton himself is a ghost anchored to the living world thanks to Luke, he would have had to acknowledge that some instances of the supernatural do exist. This might explain why he doesn't immediately discard the possibility of a cursed box or [a spoiler for the Diabolical Box.]
a time-defying vampire.
Layton is not scared by any of this because he is already dead, and Luke is superstitious because he knows supernatural things do happen on occasion. Layton is simply trying to teach him that these things don't happen as often as Luke might assume and, more importantly, that they don't explain everything.
Furthermore, if we assume that Luke and Layton have to be together at all times for the latter to remain physically in the living world, it would explain why Layton alway brings him along for the ride, even if he is investigating a murder case by taking the victim's place on a train or[major spoilers for Unwound Future.]
infiltrating a walking fortress with a flying automobile to rescue his adopted daughter from a psychopath about to raze London to the ground with giant canons. The latter example is especially jarring because Layton also had the options of taking either "Celeste," who volunteers to go and seems to know a lot about Clive's plans and psyche, or Chelmey, who is entitled to arrest Clive as a police officer and trained to deal with criminals, or Don Paulo, who is now on Layton's side, designed the Laytonmobile to make it fly and knows how it works. At the very least, the three of them are adults. But no, Layton turns down "Celeste" because "it's too dangerous..." and takes his thirteen year old apprentice instead.
Beware, underworld!
At least this instance might be explained by the fact that Luke was as worried about Flora as Layton, and therefore the professor didn't want to leave him behind. There is, on the other hand, no reason why Layton brought Luke to the casino much earlier in the game, when everybody was telling him not to and even him was starting to have doubts. They had a hotel room, Luke should have waited there and called for help if Layton failed to come back!
Every time Layton so much as suggests that Luke should stay behind because the situation is sure to become dangerous, Luke always answers with a variation of: "I'm your apprentice, and I won't let you go alone!" If "apprentice" translates to "I am your necromancer and you can't go anywhere without me," suddenly things make a lot more sense.
Of course they do get separated on occasion, but it is always very brief. The first time it happened[was a spoiler for the Curious Village.]
was when the stairs from the tower in St Mystere collapsed, leaving Luke on one side and Layton on the other. After escaping with Flora, Layton suddenly lost consciousness, even though he didn't seem to have sustained any head injury - at least nothing serious enough to make him lose his hat. He only regained consciousness when Luke came back with the villagers.
Luke's distress at the idea of parting ways might have had to do with the fact that, if they get separated for too long, Layton may end up disappearing for good.
[Spoilers for Unwound Future abound.]
This might also explain why Layton gets so worried when Luke suddenly disappears from his sight in Unwound Future: he starts to search the entire town frantically without allowing the player to do anything else. (No more riddles until you find Luke, even though every NPC save for Stachenscarfen refers to him in their dialogues. The writers were thorough.) Luke has the exact same reaction when the professor vanishes in China Town. Flora points out that "Luke is really lost without him," but it clearly goes both ways.
(By contrast, both of them barely spare Flora a thought when they have to leave her behind, or when they find out she has been kidnapped in The Diabolical Box. That being said, if Layton really is a ghost, it would also explain why he feels so awkward about taking care of Flora: he knows he won't be around forever.)
Which somehow makes the ending of Unwound Future even sadder. Firstly because of Claire: after finding out about her real identity and her fate to die a second time, Luke stayed with Layton while the man and Claire said their goodbyes. When she starts walking to her death, Luke is the one who runs after her in the blind hope of keeping her there. But Claire isn't a ghost: only a projection from the past, doomed to return to her own time and get killed in an explosion. Hence Luke's desperate cries: "She's gone! She's gone!" which basically translate to: "I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything to help her!"
And secondly because, in the post-credit ending, Luke and Layton have to part ways for good. Note that earlier in the game, when Luke is found crying in front of the statue and tells Layton he will have to leave London soon, Layton never tells him that they are going to see each other again eventually. What Layton says is: "We will always be friends." What it means is that time and distance don't make a difference when it comes to strong friendships, but it also implies that they may never see each other again - Layton may disappear without Luke.
I say may disappear, because things may be more complicated than that. From what we see in the first trilogy, Luke's gift with animals seems to be getting stronger: in The Curious Village, Layton merely says he is "good with animals," but we never actually see the boy converse with any, and he is unable to tame the cat Claudia. (Although that may be because[of a spoiler for the Curious Village.)]
Claudia is really a robot, like all of the eponymous village's inhabitants.)
In The Diabolical Box however, not only is Luke able to[spoil The Diabolical Box,]
have a two-ways conversation with cows, he can also understand what his hamster is saying and train him to find coins for him.
In Unwound Future, this is taken a step further when[a spoiler for Unwound Future comes.]
Luke manages to get the very misanthropic rabbit Number 3 to talk about his past and let them pass after solving his riddles. Not to mention all the training Luke's parrot had to go through.
In light of all this, it would be safe to assume that Luke's powers are growing.
[Spoilers for Unwound Future.]
Therefore, the ending to Unwound Future may be interpreted in two ways: either Luke has grown strong enough as a necromancer to be able to keep Layton in the living world from a distance (through letters with written incantations or what have you), which is why the professor was still in his office to receive all the news Luke was sending him... or Layton did disappear shortly after Luke's departure, and the last scene is merely Luke writing to his departed friend, speaking of moving on and finding new friends, but secretly hoping that the ghost can still read his letters and come back to him.
...If Layton did vanish, it would also explain why we got prequels instead of sequels afterwards...
Okay, okay, I don't believe any of this is true. Don't take this essay too seriously, I just thought it made for a good Halloween post.
Still. If I don't find at least one fanfiction about this, I will be very disappointed in the internet.
Flora: Is the Professor broken?
Luke: Give me a second. A little to the right...