I haven’t got time to do a comparison of Randall in the US and UK version of MM but there are some differences in his character profile alone that I find interesting. (Under the cut for anyone who doesn’t want to see my yapping…)
The true identity of the Masked Gentleman was none other than Layton's old friend Randall, mistakenly incensed with revenge after finding his legacy and his dearest stolen away by his best friend. Despite this, his lovable character stayed the same and his friends never really left his side.
The true identity of the Masked Gentleman was none other than Layton's old friend Randall. He was filled with misplaced rage after witnessing his abandoned hometown and forgotten legacy. Despite this, his true friends never stopped believing in him.
I was originally going to be very biased and say I preferred the UK version, but now I’m not so sure. (Though, I am 100% certain I prefer Dalston’s voice acting UK version for his accent alone.)
I like how the UK profile acknowledges that Randall mistakenly believed his legacy and his dearest (Angela) were ‘stolen’ away from him by his best friend, which refers to Henry but could also apply to Hershel, who took on Randall’s legacy as an archaeologist and a famous adventurer.
On the other hand, the US version replaces the reason for Randall’s ‘misplaced rage’ as witnessing his forgotten legacy and his abandoned hometown… which I also like, even if it kind of makes Randall’s motivations seem more noble than they were? Like, he did what he did less out of resentment because his fortune and his girlfriend got stolen and more because he felt enraged his hometown was abandoned. Sure… He then proceeds to try to flood Monte d’Or with sand, where many of Stansbury’s former residents live.
From the flashbacks, we know Randall liked Stansbury. He tells Dalston exactly that (even though he wants to go to London) and Randall mentions how the town won’t fade into obscurity thanks to his discovery ironically...
In the books the Masked Gentleman leaves at the Reunion Inn (presumably written by Randall), there are several references alluding to Stansbury - ‘the grassy beautiful land’ that Randall and his friends used to love.
The first book mentions how four friends spent their share of a treasure on items they wanted, whereas the fifth friend buried his in a beautiful place, in order to relive his adventure and hunt for treasure with his friends any time he wanted.
In another book, the most scathing one towards Henry, Randall writes of how the people of a vibrant, bustling town took pity on a poor man. Even the richest man in town went as far as to buy a shop for the poor man. No mention of how the poor man worked as a servant for the rich man’s family since childhood but ok The formerly-poor man became so blinded by wealth that he forgot the debt he owed to his neighbours, and the town began to decline. The townspeople had no choice but to leave their homes. Obviously, this symbolises how Henry abandoned Stansbury and its inhabitants for his newfound fortune in Monte d’Or.
Then there’s the awful book about the boy who took in an injured dog, but while the boy was away, the dog chased away his family, leaving their home empty… Again, neglecting to mention how the Ascot family kicked Henry out of their house, but there we go. Maybe Descole didn’t tell Randall that.
During the bonus episode between Randall and Descole, Des says that Randall witnessed the abandoned Stansbury (and the destroyed Ascot heritage) for himself. It sounds like Des either took Randall to Stansbury or Randall went to see the town on his own. This would’ve been so cool to see as a scene/bonus episode, but instead, we just got these two divas scheming at the hotel. While I love this… I would’ve loved to have seen Randall’s reaction to the fate of Stansbury even more. He might have even gone to see his family’s old house.
In response to Des, Randall despairs, ‘Henry, how could you?’, showing Randall feels regret and he blames Henry for the way Stansbury ended up as a ghost town. Maybe he thought Henry shouldn’t have left (inspiring others like Angela to leave with him) or Henry should have invested more money in the town.
I really like this being part of the reason why Randall resents Henry… because it’s actually true and not based off the lies/assumptions Descole told him. Henry, and the rest of Randall’s old friends, did leave Stansbury and Ascot manor behind to live in Monte d’Or. Henry left with the best intentions, to make Monte d’Or a beacon and a base for the search parties, but he still left Stansbury. He did give Angela and the Ascot family a home in Monte d’Or, but all of them still left Stansbury.
It’s not Henry’s fault that it became a ghost town and he can’t be held responsible for the entire population of Stansbury packing up (if anything, the Ascot tragedy did that), but many of the residents moved to the big city of Monte d’Or, which flourished thanks to the Randall’s treasure that Henry found in the ruins. Henry could have had a hotel or a shopping district or anything else built in Stansbury, but he didn’t as far as we see. Everything went to the thriving Monte d’Or while Stansbury was left in the dust.
I really wish the fate of Stansbury was made more apparent as one of Randall’s driving motivators instead of everything else he thought was stolen from him: ‘The Azran treasure, my family fortune, and my Angela…’ It’s more sympathetic and makes him look way less entitled! That’s not to say Randall can’t be in the wrong - he is an antagonist for part of the game - but it would’ve added more weight to his motivation than just… “You stole my legacy, my fortune, and my girlfriend who should have waited for me even though I was presumed dead for 18 years!” And it adds more credibility to the rushed forgiveness Randall seems to receive. I know they don’t all suddenly hug Randall (Layton definitely doesn’t), but that’s the impression I feel Level 5 want from the ending and the credit pictures. If Level 5 wanted to portray that, then they could at least have all the Stansbury gang agree that, Yes, we did leave our childhood home behind. Sorry about that, it sucks, but at least Randall’s here now and we’re all together and we can try to move forward?
One last thing I like more about Randall’s US character profile is how it states:
‘Despite this, Randall’s true friends never stopped believing in him.’
…As opposed to the UK profile’s:
‘Randall’s lovable character stayed the same.’
Because… Randall really isn’t the same person he was back in Stansbury. He went through a traumatic accident, lost his memory and lived eighteen years away from his family and friends working on a farm. He was away from them for longer than he knew any of them. He lived in Craggy Dale one year longer than he did in Stansbury.
Those loveable parts of Randall from childhood still exist within him, like we see during the credit pictures. (My favourite being when he steals Layton’s hat!) But Randall isn’t the same person overall, and he never will be again. Henry and Angela especially need to accept that… which is why I prefer how ‘they never stopped believing in him’, despite what Randall did. He made a mistake, but his friends still stuck by him and helped him become better.
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