Madeline's Secret (possible spoilers)

Jarvio

Avoid if you don't want spoilers.

We are getting much closer to the release of NTTD (well hopefully), so let's get in more speculation while we can.

What do you think Madeline's big secret is?

For me, I get the impression that it has to be something big.

For her to just be a member of SPECTRE, to me, just seems a bit too obvious and too simple, and while she may be a member of SPECTRE, there needs to be more to it than just that.

Here's what I think:

I think she is some sort of clone. Yes I know it's a bit DAD-esque, but there are clues here. Some clues that cloning plays a part in this movie:

1 - Safin's lair has cloning tanks in the background in a scene from one of the trailers

2 - Safin doesn't look old enough to have been an adult during Madeline's childhood, which makes me think de-aging himself, which goes with the next point of...

3 - Safin 'playing god', and his line of...

4 - His skills lasting long after he's gone.

5 - The line that really made me think Madeline is a clone though, is the 'daughter of SPECTRE' line. If she is the daughter of SPECTRE, then simply referring to Mr White's daughter would seem anticlimactic. It has to be something bigger. SPECTRE'S first clone perhaps?

6 - In the early days there were also rumours of Madeline's DNA.

7 - Also, Blofeld's dossier in one of the trailers has his age be much older than what matches with Oberhauser. Which would suggest more cloning in the plot

8 - Mathilde could be a clone of Madeline rather than her and bond's daughter

9 - And maybe, Madeline was given some sort of implant to give her a secret mission for SPECTRE, without her knowledge. Like, maybe she knows she's a clone, but does not know that she has been implanted with a mission to take down bond

I mean yeah, this all sounds very outlandish and DAD-esque, but I just think there are many clues here to suggest this. Her secret is being bigged up a lot, so it needs to be something big and memorable. What do you think?

SeanIsTheOnlyOne

I see what you mean but I really hope Purvis and Wade didn't push it too far...

To be honest, I feel quite uncomfortable with that clone theory. Is it a Bond film we're talking about or a Sci-Fi movie ? I know times have changed since 1953 but I expect from the writers some respect and relevance towards Fleming's work.

Furthermore, don't forget what Wilson recently declared about DAD. He admitted its artistic failure, especially because of the script, full of WTF parts. That's why I don't imagine EON making such a mistake again...

I think there will be a clone matter indeed, but more likely some kind of experimental process led by Safin to "eradicate people to make the world a better place", which doesn't necessarily means his goal is realistic and will succeed (creating actual clones). I see him as an eugenics believer, like Drax in MR. The first phase of his plot involves killing millions and I think it's the part Bond and Nomi will try to abort.

Royale-les-Eaux

the secret is she knows the brand of the blue shorts!

Jarvio

I agree that it's a bit outlandish, but I can't think of anything else based on the clues we've got. We'll find out soon either way, but thought it'd be cool to speculate in this final stretch before the movie finally comes out

BlindManBaldwin

I think the secret is she was pregnant, and Bond has a child.

And he inadvertently did the most unforgivable sin — abandon a child.

Mr Martini

I'll speculate that Safin is trying to rid the world of all diseases. He has clones at his disposal. When something doesn't go right, the clone is disposed of. Madeline is one of those clones. Mr. White was ordered to dispose of a young Madeline (possibly a baby). Mr. White couldn't dispose of Madeline so he took her off the island and pretended she was his daughter. Not sure where else it could go from here. In summary, Madeline is a clone. Safin is using cloned human bodies to test medicines on humans to cure diseases. When things don't go right, the bodies are killed. Maybe fed to sharks?

SeanIsTheOnlyOne

https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/comment/1024066#Comment_1024066

Human cloning is still a very experimental concept, and given the film is supposed to occur nowadays, I don't imagine some kind of Sci-Fi story with actual clones, otherwise it would be...WEIRD. I mean we can still expect a "relevant" writing from Purvis and Wade considering since CR06, EON have always been dealing with realistic issues like terrorism (CR06 and SF), ecology (QoS) and mass surveillance (Sp). Furthermore, the fact Phoebe Waller-Bridge contributed to the script makes me think the plot will not go too far and will more focus on current social matters...

SeanIsTheOnlyOne

But I have to admit that clone theory could explain this...😉

Agent Eternal

I believe the clone theories i read here are far fetched and IMHO not compatible to what Fukunaga and Craig might have requested as a style of story.

I think that Safin's story is related to a weaponized virus and perhaps Madeline is a host to an inactive one waiting to be activated or she is the key to activating one made by Safin.

SeanIsTheOnlyOne

https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/comment/1024090#Comment_1024090

That sounds much more relevant to me, especially thinking about Bond's line "And the people become the weapon." you can hear in the final US trailer.

But how do you explain the concept of human cloning appears everywhere within the Bond community to speculate about Safin's plot (including this forum of course) ? Has the word "clone" already been pronounced by anyone who has been working on the movie to have so many theories about it from then ?

Mr Martini

https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/comment/1024090#Comment_1024090

Hope its not similar to Mission Impossible 2.

Christmas Tounes

Head to the Twitter page 'James Bond Brasil' (@jamesbondbr) for exclusive footage, unseen clips from Paloma, Safin and Madeline. Safin says that saving someone's life connects you to them forever.