Ted Price’s Motives
The troubling thing about the Ted Price mystery is we never really got Ted’s confession about why he’d done what he’d done. It seems to be about his wife’s death but how exactly?
Two motives:
A) He wants an end of the monarchy because he blames all of them for what happened to his wife. He doesn’t want any more innocent people to become casualties preserving them and their way of life.
OR
B) He initially wanted to PRESERVE the monarchy. He knew Simon was planning to abolish it, which made him angry because he’d sacrificed his wife for nothing.
Looking at each of his actions I can come up with explanations for either motive.
1) Pays to have Robert’s plane crashed.
A: He’s setting in motion a plan to kill off all the monarchy. Robert was just the first. He’s sickened by the fact Robert thought he could buy absolution from him.
B1: Simon indicated it was Robert’s unfitness to be King that was motivating him to end the monarchy. Initially it seemed possible all he had to do was kill Robert to prevent Simon from calling for the referendum.
B2: Ted was in cahoots with Robert. Killing Simon was the plan all along, and the plane crash was to cover up Robert’s involvement. The money meant a future for Ophelia, should his actions be discovered.
B3: Ted was in cahoots with Robert. They were hoping Robert’s temporary “death” would demonstrate how much the monarchy meant to the country, how much being King meant to Robert (the suicide note), and by comparison how much better and heir Robert was than Liam. Not to mention the opportunity for Robert to have “changed” from this experience. Killing Simon was never part of the original plan. The money meant a future for Ophelia, should his actions be discovered.
2) Stabs Simon
A: Calling to abolish the Monarchy wasn’t enough, either due to a need for vengeance or because it wasn’t a sure thing. The plan was to get the whole family into the bunker and then open fire. His plan was thwarted because Ophelia was brought down into the bunker. He couldn’t carry out his mission without endangering his daughter’s life.
B1: Simon’s death is the easiest way to generate sympathy for the family and stop the referendum.
B2: This was always Ted’s and Robert’s plan. Ted had run out of time. It was act or face consequences from Robert when he returned.
B3: An improvised choice by Ted, after Simon made his speech about abolishing the Monarchy. Simon’s death is the easiest way to generate sympathy for the family and stop the referendum.
3) Collaborates with the Domino conspiracy to gather evidence against the Royals.
A: This fit with his overall plan to destroy them.
B1: Covering his own ass at this point to avoid exposure and protect Ophelia. The weigh of what he’s done to protect the Monarchy has crushed him, especially considering what Cyrus has done as King and who is now next in line for the throne.
B2: Bidding time, knowing if all else fails, Robert at least will carry on the royal line.
B3: Bidding time, knowing if all else fails, Robert at least will carry on the royal line.
4) Allows the royal family to go to a match where he knows they may well be killed by an angry mob.
A: This fit with his overall plan to destroy them.
B1: Covering his own ass at this point to avoid exposure and protect Ophelia. The weigh of what he’s done to protect the Monarchy has crushed him, especially considering what Cyrus has done as King and who is now next in line for the throne.
B2: Protecting himself from exposure, knowing if all else fails, Robert at least will carry on the royal line/OR he’s become too disgusted with himself and the royal family to do anything but go along with Domino’s plan.
B3: Protecting himself from exposure, knowing if all else fails, Robert at least will carry on the royal line/OR he’s become too disgusted with himself and the royal family to do anything but go along with Domino’s plan.
5) Gets Liam safely back to the car before the mob gets to him.
A: Realizing his plan has failed he sees no reason for Liam to become collateral damage. Remorse/regret may have also played a role.
B1: Remorse, Regret, and/or old instinct to preserve the crown.
B2: Remorse, Regret, and/or old instinct to preserve the crown.
B3: Remorse, Regret, and/or old instinct to preserve the crown.
It was a very sneaky choice by the writers to deny Ted a true confession because now we are all left guessing about Robert. I am hoping we get some manner of closure on this, but I don’t know if we ever will...
