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.

I don't think being related to Terry is big enough to bribe her though. He's not exactly a king pin.

And I understood what was said as it's a nominal whose DNA was on the database when Jo joined, as it would've been picked up then if they'd checked, but they didn't back then. I know not everyone agrees.

I enjoy reading all theories regardless of how credible I think they are!

Just rewatching end of E4 and Ted’s ‘Mother of God...!’ reaction - I feel like it sets it up more for “Mother of God, she’s Tommy Hunter’s sister!” than “Mother of God she’s Andrew Laverty’s sister which means she is Jackie Laverty’s former sister in law!”

I know Ryan isn’t a nominal but the dna but there still could be a link. I hadn’t realised there were rules apart from spoilers about posting on here.

I don't think being related to Terry is big enough to bribe her though. He's not exactly a king pin.

But the blackmail would be that they can frame him for murder, not due to his OCG role.

It's a significant nominal she's related to, yes.

I just don't think Terry is significant enough a nominal for the reaction from Ted.

@Smokeybacon72

Rewatching series 5 and thinking Miroslav is dna match to Jo, no real reason except he refer to as a nominal. Chloe Bishop could work as Gates daughter if old enough and perhaps clue in surname Bishops gate whivch I think may be real place.

I feel Miroslav was too young to have been on the database in 1999, plus was presumably still in Eastern Europe back then.

There’s no definite reason why Jo couldn’t be related to someone who grew up in another country, but if this link is enough to give the OCG leverage over her, it would presumably have to be someone she is close to and cares about.

I wouldn’t risk my life for a distant cousin who lived abroad and who I only saw once a year.

(Though that’s assuming that the DNA link is also the OCG’s hold over her).

What are police rules on being related to criminals? That's the question. Given you can't choose your family, would a criminal connection scupper your career?

If yes, then it's the being related that's the bribery. If no, then it's that connection who's got her involved in the OCG, IMO, potentially with bribery related to their family (but not in relation to their connection). Convoluted!

I suppose you're meant to declare links. Which she hasn't done. Then we go back to whether she knew about the link herself!

I just listened to the Dot podcast - he says familial match to another officer on the police database.

I think Terry would make sense in terms of plot going forward but doesn’t make sense in terms of what we’ve seen so far.

If that’s true of course.

And, I was just musing while brushing my teeth, thinking of Gail Vella, as it's all going to tie in, Lakewell says that the police preferred to be accused of racism than what was actually going on. Are we back to people trafficking on that front?

@PomLikeTheBattle

I just listened to the Dot podcast - he says familial match to another officer on the police database.

Yes I heard him say that but I think that was a slip up. I think dialogue in E4 was really clear that it wasn’t a police officer

@PomLikeTheBattle

I just listened to the Dot podcast - he says familial match to another officer on the police database.

Does he know any more than we do? Or is that his guess too?

I agree, @OneRankSuperior. It's an historical nominal, if it what they said was written correctly.

Superfluous 'it' there!

My theory on Gail Vella is that she was investigating racism in the police, but via Lakewell (and others?) came upon the bigger story that he alluded to, but the viewer does not know what he meant (Steve might, depending on what was said in the back of the van)

The bigger story is what lies behind everything, and I don't think it's the OCG - I think it's back to Corbett's list and the very highest people being perverted. OCG has in part used that to allow it to continue making money largely uninterfered with.

@NoWordForFluffy

And, I was just musing while brushing my teeth, thinking of Gail Vella, as it's all going to tie in, Lakewell says that the police preferred to be accused of racism than what was actually going on. Are we back to people trafficking on that front?

I thought that could just refer to officers being bent. Corruption amongst senior officers would be worse.

@NoWordForFluffy

I just don't think Terry is significant enough a nominal for the reaction from Ted.

He’s not a significant criminal, but he’s certainly very significant to the suspicions AC-12 are investigating her for.

I don’t actually think that it is him but I think it would make sense if it were.

@GlassBoxSpectacular

Tell us your theory and replace the spoiler cast list person with “x”. Those of us that already know that person can see your theory but it won’t spoil for others!

Ok, I think it’s Andrew Laverty, who is Scottish, is the partial match for Jo, and was acquainted with Tommy Hunter, and hence connected with the OCG, which is how he made his fortune and is how Jackie became involved with the OCG and the money laundering.

There were two possible spoilers being bandied about this week. One of them is a casting detail that has been widely circulated and many people have seen it. The other ‘spoiler’ was more of a hint; my theory connects to the ‘hinted’ spoiler and a clue JM has already put in the show. I honestly don’t want to say more than openly on the thread because I don’t want to give anything away (if I’m correct, which I very well may not be )

This is really intriguing! I don’t think I’ve seen a second spoiler so I’m off to have a hunt - will you tell us your theory, right or wrong, after tonight’s episode please?

I'd be disappointed if it was somebody as insignificant (power in the OCG-wise) as Terry! That would get a 'meh' reaction rather than a 'fucking hell!' from me. And I want the latter from Jed!

Andrew Laverty hadn’t occurred to me but it would explain why they found the blood match to Jackie Laverty in an earlier episode and explained in detail about who she was.

We could combine a few theories. The DNA match is Tony Gates. Chole is confused because means Jo might be her sister. Steve is confused because he's high on drugs.Hastings is shocked because Gates would have been 4 when Jo was born.

@ContinuousMonotoneBeep

We could combine a few theories. The DNA match is Tony Gates. Chole is confused because means Jo might be her sister. Steve is confused because he's high on drugs.Hastings is shocked because Gates would have been 4 when Jo was born.

I think you’ve nailed it