Les Jones

Wouldn't it be funny if Keyser Soze was the most unlikely of them all: Sergeant Jeffrey Rabin? And his messy, hapless persona was just a façade? And he was actually really tough and formidable (just an aside, but the phrase "tough guy" is used quite a bit in the flashbacks)? I know he isn't, but I could imagine him briefing Kint before Kujan enters his office:

"Make something up for crying out loud! Use my pinboard! Why the hell do you think I save all that crap?!"

You could really make a case that Verbal and Keaton were in on it together, and that Verbal double-crossed him at the end. Again, depending on how much of Verbal's story you decide to belive. Darned unreliable narrator. :-)

That's the first time I've heard that angle. Cool theory. What about McManus?

"That's the first time I've heard that angle."

I just made it up. :-) But yeah, it would make more sense to have both of them manipulating the gang. Otherwise it's a little hard for me to believe that Verbal could use his jedi con man powers to manipulate the group into going to California and being in the right place to hit the boat.

A valid criticism of this theory is that it requires Keaton to let himself be caught, and to have his business plans foiled. So yeah, it's a weak theory.

McManus? Sure, I can make up a theory about him, too. :-) He's the one who planned the emerald hit (according to Verbal). He's the one who wanted to go to California to meet Redfoot (again, according to Verbal). He was in the harbor killing many men. Maybe Kint lied about him getting a knife in the back, or maybe he faked his death.

The problem with the McManus-as-Soze theory is that he's even younger than Verbal. The main problem I have with the idea that Verbal was Soze is that he seems too young.

"...jedi con man powers...": that's pretty funny.

Well, I meant McManus-with-Soze, not McManus-as-Soze. But I'm going to go back to doing the lazy thing and just not try to figure out who is Soze and when is Verbal lying in his story. I'll just let the really smart guys take care of that = )