Comics Collection Melissa N. Collection [2024-12-19] [Melissa N.]

[rebirth095]

Oh, that's an interesting thought. Maybe part of Angeliki's role was to learn about Nikos' preferences, and Joanna is a trans woman (recently post-op when we first meet her) they hired for to seduce him. Although the "unexpectedly" doesn't quite fit, since Angeliki knew about Elena several days before the dinner (having helped transform him at the salon).

Unrelated to Joanna, the fact that Joel has been working with Angeliki much better explains how he was so easily able to play along with his glasses being broken and Elena not quite looking convincing as a woman despite his perfectly good eyesight. An older theory explained this as Nikos and Joel working together, but now it works even if Nikos is innocent.

Honestly, I don't even think Joanna needs to be trans herself: if that's Nikos' preference, Joanna could literally just lie, given how apparently advanced the medical tech is in this setting. But that's a minor thing.

You're right, although if I had to split hairs, the unexpected part can be the fact that Nikos has decided to feminize his nephew-in-law. I'm pretty sure that wasn't part of the original plan

What sticks out to me still is that the Sisters seem to have bought into the cover story completely. At this point, if they truly believe the story they told Elena, then they believe that Joel was shot and wants to turn on Toska and is willingly feminizing to hide.

We know that Seferi shot Joel, and I'm kind of shocked that Joel has this much autonomy right now. Makes me wonder what happened in those weeks that we skipped and how did Seferi convince Joel to behave...

 

[Thalantyr]

Makes me wonder what happened in those weeks that we skipped and how did Seferi convince Joel to behave...

I think whatever prize Joel was promised at the end of this caper is probably enough to motivate him to cooperate. Presumably Seferi told him he can either help the plan succeed as Joelle, or walk away (as a woman) with nothing. Perhaps he also promised to pay to reverse the sex change, if Joel believes that is possible. And for all we know Joel may be planning to double-cross Seferi as soon as he gets what he wants.

 

[Stevedore100]

This part has me flummoxed; all your ideas are really good in trying to make sense of what doesn't seem to make much sense.
Angeliki being around 3 years- as mentioned this obviously predates badly Andrew/Elena stuff. Dues it also predate Toska? Was the original target Nikos and his hotel? Then Toska got involved and their plans went south and had to change - how Joel really got to work with Toska is still a mystery (I don't buy the whole "forced to work for Toska" explanation). Or, and this just occurred to me, what if Angeliki is a deep cover cop? There to protect Nikos from Toska, or Seferi, orJoel? Filip could also be an undercover cop.

Since it now appears Seferi and co knew about Elena from the start, what are they trying to accomplish with her? We're they just trying to scare Andrew away as he had got in their way? Showing him his picture and saying they are looking for him supports that, but it seems if they really wanted to scare him off, why not just tell Andrew that they know he faking it and threaten to expose him?

The sisters -;they seem half in half out. The know what has happened to Joel, but they seem to think it is just to hide him for awhile, which is obviously not the idea here. I get the feeling they are just mostly useful idiots to the bad guys, not actively involved.

As to what the plan is with Joel....do they plan to try and ruin Toska (who supposedly has political hopes) by compromising him with a sex video? I really have no idea.

 

[Thalantyr]

Angeliki being around 3 years- as mentioned this obviously predates badly Andrew/Elena stuff. Dues it also predate Toska? Was the original target Nikos and his hotel? Then Toska got involved and their plans went south and had to change - how Joel really got to work with Toska is still a mystery (I don't buy the whole "forced to work for Toska" explanation).

Hmm... well let's analyze the timeline. I left most of this off my original timeline because it didn't seem important at the time, but now...

22 years ago, Seferi was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Elena says "at least twenty years ago" and Seferi clarifies "twenty-two years, to be more precise." In hindsight, that seems oddly specific if it's not important:


So this means Seferi was released from prison 2 years ago. These pages also mention that Seferi's family suffered from Toska's wrath, including his wife and brother, and of course we know Joel is Seferi's nephew so presumably the brother that the news article mentions is Joel's father. Joel himself would have been a minor 22 years ago. Too young to be imprisoned, but perhaps he had to be placed in foster care and/or suffered in other ways with his father in prison. But this is also why I'm somewhat inclined to believe what Joel told Elena about being forced to work for Toska, since we already know that Toska had been vindictively tormenting Seferi's family, and we saw Toska treating Joel like shit during that first dinner.

Perhaps Joel and Angeliki have been laying the groundwork for revenge on Toska for a year before Seferi was released. Presumably Angeliki got involved when she and Joel were still together and she remained involved after they broke up in order to collect her share of the money or whatever they're getting out of this.

All that being said, I have no idea how the Samaras family got entangled in this plan. I'm sure we'll learn more about that before the end.

Edit: I have now updated the full timeline.

 

[Stevedore100]

Hmm... well let's analyze the timeline. I left most of this off my original timeline because it didn't seem important at the time, but now...

22 years ago, Seferi was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Elena says "at least twenty years ago" and Seferi clarifies "twenty-two years, to be more precise." In hindsight, that seems oddly specific if it's not important:
View attachment 4306937 View attachment 4306938

So this means Seferi was released from prison 2 years ago. These pages also mention that Seferi's family suffered from Toska's wrath, including his wife and brother, and of course we know Joel is Seferi's nephew so presumably the brother that the news article mentions is Joel's father. Joel himself would have been a minor 22 years ago. Too young to be imprisoned, but perhaps he had to be placed in foster care and/or suffered in other ways with his father in prison. But this is also why I'm somewhat inclined to believe what Joel told Elena about being forced to work for Toska, since we already know that Toska had been vindictively tormenting Seferi's family, and we saw Toska treating Joel like shit during that first dinner.

Perhaps Joel and Angeliki have been laying the groundwork for revenge on Toska for a year before Seferi was released. Presumably Angeliki got involved when she and Joel were still together and she remained involved after they broke up in order to collect her share of the money or whatever they're getting out of this.

All that being said, I have no idea how the Samaras family got entangled in this plan. I'm sure we'll learn more about that before the end.

That line of thought s plausible - I just get hung up on how Toska could force Joel to work for him all these years later and after extracting his pound if fresh from the family - what's left to hold over them at this point? And then leave him alone for months to live the good life with Nikos at the resort? It is apparent that he doesn't think much of Joel, so the forced servitude story may hold up.

And since this is now "2 weeks later" I'm curious what Elena is doing now that Marina has jumped ship. Picking out the hottest wedding dress?

 

[Thalantyr]

And since this is now "2 weeks later" I'm curious what Elena is doing now that Marina has jumped ship. Picking out the hottest wedding dress?

Based on her past behavior, I would guess having lots of sex with Nikos.

 

[Alicia Mae]

Oh duh. Of course Joel is in on it. I think I was too distracted by his new assets to realize lol.

It seems obvious they’re trying to control Elena into seducing Nikos. Angeliki stages Gjoka’s intrusion, plants the fake ID, and starts gaslighting Elena about how feminine she is. Then she gets Elena dressed in a way that they know Nikos will drool over. But then what? Blackmail since they know they’re not a “proper” husband and wife? Then where does Joel come in? And who is he seducing?

 

[Thalantyr]

Oh duh. Of course Joel is in on it. I think I was too distracted by his new assets to realize lol.

It seems obvious they’re trying to control Elena into seducing Nikos. Angeliki stages Gjoka’s intrusion, plants the fake ID, and starts gaslighting Elena about how feminine she is. Then she gets Elena dressed in a way that they know Nikos will drool over. But then what? Blackmail since they know they’re not a “proper” husband and wife? Then where does Joel come in? And who is he seducing?

I feel like the primary target of this scheme has to be Toska, not Nikos, right? The Seferi faction (which includes Seferi, Joel, and Angeliki) has been planning this for at least 3 years. And 3 years ago, they all had major beef with Toska and seemingly no connection to the Samaras family whatsoever. As far as I can tell, they're just using the Samaras family to lure Toska into a trap. They want revenge and/or money, and Toska also has way more money than Nikos so he's a more tempting target to begin with even if they didn't want revenge. Plus, 3 years ago they had no way of predicting that Andrew and Marina would visit on their honeymoon. They weren't even engaged yet. They may not have even met yet.

 

[Stevedore100]

I think there's a chance that the Risks business is a head fake - this is all based on Seferi's claim that Toska framed him for the embezzlement. And Gjoka gets used as the scary guy who doesn't actually do anything - his appearance at the salon- if Angeliki is in in this, did she arrange for him to show up to scare Elena?
Perhaps the plan is to mess up the deal btwn Nikos and Toska to get at Nikos?