Mother of God: Line of Duty thread 5 - **MNHQ edit**; "We are obliged to warn you that any spoilers will be taken down and used against you. No spoilers, even upcoming characters, please, in the name of the wee man. (aka Steve Arnott)

[IstandwithJackieWeaver]

Hope no one minds me starting a new thread as 4 was filled on one episode.

Ted has been the police so long that they won't necessarily have his DNA on file from him joining. He was arrested and interviewed last series so his DNA may be on the nominal database from then.

www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/tv/line-of-duty-season-6-trailer/493921

It also said the nominal DNA sample came from other police force databases, so perhaps someone we've not encountered before.

I thought that too but I think he just meant other police databases (eg criminals) rather than another force.

thetab.com/uk/2021/03/10/line-of-duty-season-six-clues-trailer-morse-code-qr-198588

@AwkwardArnottDentonFumble

I think in episode 5 they’ll check through Lakewell’s client list. He was a criminal lawyer wasn’t he, and that’s how he ended up involved with Trapdoor, because he’d represented Farmer before and gave his name to the OCG for framing. I don’t see how he could have picked up a huge amount in prison (I doubt OCG related people sit around in the prison canteen chatting :o) so maybe he got involved in other big cases? Michael Farmer seems a bit small fry for that to have been his first link with the OCG - TBH they could’ve just used one of the bent coppers to search the system for previous sex offenders.

They surely should have done the same with Gill B, they made a point of revealing she used to be a defence lawyer and Ted said she had obviously helped someone and got put on retainer. I don’t think they revealed who that was did they? It can’t have been someone big like Tommy or they’d have realised already. But presumably they’ll have looked into her back story and how she got into the OCG.

They never seem to get a huge amount from the people they put in witness protection though I hope Gill comes back this or next series, it’ll be interesting to see how she copes with her fall from wealth.

I wonder if AC-9 are still running witness protection despite their high bent copper quotient

Oh good point. When did we find out that AC9 run WP? Was that in series 2 with Akers?

Re: the Gail Vella case. The MIT is now looking into the high probability her place was robbed after she was shot because her keys - car and house - were never found and the fact her supposed IT equipment held practically nothing relating to what she was working on. I.e. her murderer took her keys from her and used them to get into her house and swap her laptop/PC, etc for cloned and cleaned replacements.

@AwkwardArnottDentonFumble

Oh good point. When did we find out that AC9 run WP? Was that in series 2 with Akers?

Dot was working for AC9 prior to joining AC12. Before that he had been on Gates' team.

Re the PCC "his job “no longer depends on revealing the deepest truths, but on telling the most attractive lies.”

Tagline of this series 'Lies cost Lives'

As for the Easter Egg clue to Green Lane, Birmingham, green is a dominant colour in the Northern Ireland police force insignia and the IRA as well. I've gone down a big rabbit hole with Birmingham though, looking for the street names of the 1974 Birmingham Pub Bombings and found that one of the long term campaigners for the 241 victirms is now standing for PCC
www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2021/03/20/pcc-candidate-julie-will-always-fight-for-justice/ It feels like a small world.

Re PP commenting that none of the OCG seem to benefit particularly, we don't know how the final top H benefits, but we do know most members know very little else in life, or are blackmailed into membership or cooperation. The proceeds of the crimes don't necessarily have to benefit individuals, they can be used to fund terrorism.

Yesterday I was thinking about Ted's connection to John Corbett's mother and John's Liverpool upbringing. I still think that's a major element of this series.

Why would an anti corruption unit be running witness protection? Makes no sense.

Right at the start Tommy Hunter was placed under protective custody at or by, AC-9.

I'm looking for connections to Jo and am still favouring Hilton as a familial contact. He rose to ACC, was the most corrupt of officers and he was the one who was responsible for putting that pawn, Buckells, in charge when Roz Huntley was removed from heading up Operation Trapdoor.

My take on things so far is that we 2 mysteries to unravel. Who is Jo and what are her motives. Then the whole bigger corruption deal in which Jo appear to be a pawn.

As to Jo, LOD has taken two approaches with the antagonists. For Gates, Huntley and Dot, we are shown who they are and why they are behaving that way very early on. We know they are corrupt, greedy or overly ambitious doing things to further their career or for the OCG. The story lines are very much cat and mouse.

For Denton, Corbett and Davidson their motivations and agenda remained hidden for a long tome before being slowly revealed. Making the story lines more cunning and deceptive. Utilimately we find that Denton was a victim of the OCG and had her own agenda to find justice. Corbett too had his own agenda, he was working for the OCG undercover as part of covert unit. It is revealed he is unwittingly being used to bring down Ted. With Jo we don’t know what her agenda is, whether she is a victim, if she answers just to the OCG or any other organisation / unit. Maybe knowing who she is related to answers that but I doubt it. I think the cliff hanger is a bit of entertaining mischief by the writers to divert from the bigger reveal.

Essentially what Lakewell said about the corruption. He tells Gail that she is being misdirected. That “they” were happy to be accused of racism and other things to cover up a bigger scandal. Who are “they” and what are they hiding. Are there more powerful elements than the OCG. Are there political not just police involvement with the OCG and to what ends? This has been the ongoing shaggy dog story of LOD. I think we need some clarity as it going the Lost road of being far too complex and ridiculous to care about.

@UrgentExit

I'm looking for connections to Jo and am still favouring Hilton as a familial contact. He rose to ACC, was the most corrupt of officers and he was the one who was responsible for putting that pawn, Buckells, in charge when Roz Huntley was removed from heading up Operation Trapdoor.

It’s not a copper though from what Steve said. He specifically said it was a nominal. So it’s a criminal who has not been in the police.

Why would they? I have no idea. And yet they were.

I so want to catch up on this thread! Is it guaranteed spoiler-free so far?

Yes @HunkyPunk mother of god it is 😂😂

@Bluntness100 curses, I was thinking Hilton had been arrested, but of course he escaped before they had chance.

How about Dryden. He took personal control of the investigation into the ambush in Series 2 and he'd made the rank of DCC. He's serving a suspended sentence so presumably had a dishonourable discharge from duties, or whatever it may be called?

I'm not sure how closely LOD protocols would follow actual real life ones in instances like this.

Thanks, fella Blondes!

@HunkyPunk

I so want to catch up on this thread! Is it guaranteed spoiler-free so far?

To the letter of the law, the letter! (sorry - it's just so irresistible)

Didn't Hilton kill himself? Or get bumped off and it made to look like a suicide.

@IstandwithJackieWeaver

Didn't Hilton kill himself? Or get bumped off and it made to look like a suicide.

The latter. Same place as Maneet

And didn’t Ryan kill Manet by the water

I thought it was a balaclava man rather than someone recognisable

I think Ryan was there but I don’t think he did the actual killing of Maneet

Sure we’ve seen him kill and not just Corbett