Well that explained NOTHING
originally written June 4, 2022
I’m being hyperbolic. It did explain a few things. I’m speaking of course, of Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, which I just finished playing.
For a long time, I vehemently refused to consider playing this game, and rejected it as part of the Professor Layton canon. And I developed a personal animosity towards the character of Alfendi. How dare he claim to be the Professor’s child, which he couldn’t possibly be?
But then along came the Katrielle Layton game and anime, another character making the same claim. And as it turned out, these were absolutely wonderful, and explained in a totally satisfactory way how Katrielle is the Professor’s child. So I grew willing to give Alfendi a chance.
I knew, however, from basic descriptions I’d read, that Mystery Room does not explain how Alfendi could be the Professor’s child. So I came at it with the specific goal of settling, based on whatever information the game did provide, on a theory. Possible theories, both acceptable and unacceptable, are laid out below the following
Spoiler Warning!
Major spoilers below for the entire Professor Layton series, especially Unwound Future, Azran Legacy, and Katrielle’s Mystery-Solving File; and for Great Ace Attorney 2. Spoilers for Mystery Room will be individually marked.
Theory: “The Son of Professor Hershel Layton” is simply one of Alfendi’s alters.
I thought of this idea when I was just starting to entertain the notion of playing the game, and I knew that Alfendi had D.I.D. But this is quickly ruled out by the fact that he only has two personalities, and as both, believes himself to be Layton’s son.
Verdict: DISPROVEN
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Theory: Alfendi is the biological son of Hershel Layton.
The idea that the game was espousing this claim was what made me reject it initially. This is impossible. I don’t care what anyone says, it is utterly and totally unthinkably out-of-character that the Professor would commit fornication. Taking advantage of a lady and implicitly abandoning a child. That is what fornication means. It is not the act of a true gentleman.
And there’s no opportunity for marriage. Claire died before they could, and it’s quite clear that he couldn’t bring himself to marry anyone else. I don’t say this simply as a Layton x Claire shipper, there is additional evidence. The eagerness with which he sprung the idea of adopting Katrielle shows he really wanted children, so much that I believe if he could have gotten over Claire enough to marry someone else, he would have.
And even if you don’t buy that, there simply isn’t time. That he did not marry in the time between the explosion that claimed Claire’s life and the main body of games is proven by a remark from Lucille in Azran Legacy. And only three years pass in between Unwound Future and the birth, rescue, and adoption of Katrielle. If during that time the Professor had married someone–whom? Flora?–and begotten Alfendi, WHERE were this wife and child at the end of those three years? That’s a larger, crucial question that spans all theories: Where was Alfendi during Katrielle’s childhood? If he’s the Professor’s son, whether begotten or adopted, he should be present. But he’s not.
Also, Alfendi looks nothing like the Professor, and acts nothing like him. Especially since [Mystery Room spoiler] the aggressive, arrogant personality is his original one. [End of Mystery Room spoiler]. Katrielle, raised by the Professor, has notable personality traits in common with him: gentility, seeing the best in people, enthusiasm for puzzles, initiative, thirst for adventure, readiness to forgive, and frustratingly not explaining things until the last minute. In contrast, neither of Alfendi’s personalities shares outstanding traits with the Professor. It seems highly unlikely he was raised by him.
So, I must conclude that Alfendi is not really Hershel Layton’s son. Whose son, then could he be, and yet believe himself the son of Hershel Layton? There are some possibilities.
Verdict: UNACCEPTABLE
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Theory: Alfendi is the son of Jean Descole/Desmond Sycamore.
Descole is the original Hershel, Hershel Bronev, who gave his name to his brother Theodore, who thus became Hershel Layton. So it would be understandable if mix-ups occurred with the identities. Also, he was married for an unknown amount of time, and had a daughter that we know of. Alternatively, neither would it be unthinkable for him to fornicate after his wife died and he was living for vengeance in despair. Personality-wise, Alfendi does have traits in common with him, even unto his violent side resembling Descole and his placid side resembling Sycamore. But there is no physical resemblance.
Verdict: POSSIBLE
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Theory: Alfendi is the son of Dmitri Allen.
There is a strong physical resemblance here: wavy purplish hair, gaunt face and build, a small chin beard. Also, for a period of at least several weeks, probably months, Dmitri was claiming to be Professor Hershel Layton and, under that alias, posing as a crime lord in Clive’s underground city. And while he was in love with Claire, it’s not unthinkable that he might use his status there to forget his sorrows with some woman who might have, say, frequented the casino. This woman might have never known Dmitri’s true identity, and so told her child that his father was Hershel Layton. This would put Alfendi at a suitable age, too, and probably give him a rather rough childhood, which would fit.
Verdict: LIKELY
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Theory: Alfendi is the son of Kamilla Azan.
This theory actually springs from another theory I have: that Kamilla Azan and thus Katrielle are descendants of Iris Watson. I could, and someday will, write a whole nother essay about that. Thus I thought of the possibility of Alfendi being Katrielle’s biological brother (or half-brother; it seems Kamilla had done anything necessary to get information about the Hidden Relics) at a moment when it struck me: he kinda has the Van Zieks look about him.
This could also tie up the question of his absence during Katrielle’s childhood: perhaps in seeking information about Kamilla, the Professor, or Katrielle on her own after the Professor disappeared, discovered Alfendi and gave him the Layton name by dint of his being Katrielle’s brother. Katrielle does write to Lucy at the beginning of Millionaire’s Conspiracy, so while he wasn’t around during her childhood, she must be aware of Alfendi in her adulthood.
Verdict: PLAUSIBLE
That brings me to the final mystery, something I realized suddenly while playing Mystery Room, something that’s quite shocking. It probably arises from the game makers not having the whole series planned out from the beginning, but still, it is there and must be accepted as part of the story.
In Mystery Room, Barton speaks on the telephone about Alfendi to someone he addresses as Hershel. However, given the logical timing, it cannot actually be the Professor he is talking to! AT THIS TIME, THE PROFESSOR IS IMPRISONED WITHIN THE HIDDEN RELICS UNDER CRANSCOLL CATHEDRAL.
What does it mean? Who could be fooling Barton? Is it Don Paulo?
The answer to that mystery probably lies in a puzzle that would also contain the definitive answer of whose son Alfendi is… and of who Sherl is! But I don’t think we’ll ever know.
Anyway, I favor the Dmitri Allen theory, it seems to have the most basis; but I also like the Kamilla Azan one, it would create a cool parallel with Apollo Justice.
UPDATE: My sister pointed out, in the original games, Barton never addressed the Professor as Hershel. So he is most probably not being fooled, but is talking to the real Hershel, that is, Descole. Going by this, Descole is the most likely person to be Alfendi’s father.