AEG clones

James Wynn · 22 Dec 2008, 00:41 · from 2008-December.txt.gz

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From: crushtv at gmail.com (James Wynn)
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:41:29 -0600
Subject: (urth) AEG clones
References: <797FEFBC5B9A41EF806452907A621060@GATEWAY><494E3642.9060104 at gmail.com>
	<002101c963bb$a0bf5e20$34ce4a0c@rclackey>
Message-ID: <9171E96E343D4D6895819FF6A59305CB@GATEWAY>

> One of the problems with this clone theory is that there should be some 
> sort
> of coordination among clones in order to avoid tripping each other up and
> exposing themselves. That in turn necessitates one individual as the prime
> individual who benefits from the coordinated actions of the others.

I thought that was the whole point of the clone theory. The clone theory 
allows murderer Reis to give Cassie a deadly bracelet, and island king 
Rosenquist to fall in love with Cassie and take it back and give her a 
diamond one instead. They would need each other, but they have their own 
desires out of life. Reis would want to rule "his island in a sea of black" 
liberated from the Squid God, but Rosenquist would want to rule his island 
in a sea of blue liberated from the Squid God. You pointed out how 
suspicious it is that we never meet Rian. But maybe we did. Maybe he doesn't 
look like he's 16 years old. Maybe he looks just like the guy who is 
bank-rolling Cassie's play.

> Otherwise, each individual will have his own agenda, which will lead to
> conflicts. Reis was a megalomaniac. As such, he could never tolerate 
> rivals
> of equal knowledge, powers and resources.

Not necessarily so. He might see it as necessary to accomplish his purposes. 
His obsessive self-cloning could be the primary presentation of his 
meglomania, and "a touch of meglomania" might be the signiture emotion of 
the clones.

>Part of his stated ego trip was
>that he and he alone would possess the most desirable woman
>in the world.

It depends on which clone we are talking about. The benefit of a clone story 
is that one can use it to examine the nature of the soul and identity (as in 
the movie "Dark City") which seems to be Wolfe's favorite theme: Take a man 
and slightly alter his memory and/or personal history. Will he turn out the 
same?

>If only one guy gets the girl . . . things are bound to get ugly.

Or if one wants the girl win the most desirable woman and another sees her 
as a terrible threat. IF the clone theory is correct, then Cassie seems to 
suspect on a subconcious level that one of them doesn't want to win her-- he 
wants to kill her. (pg 181)

J.

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