Complex Plot; Simple Answer *SPOILER*

[Lecter 66]

I believe that there is a lot of speculation behind the actual dark plot of Grim Fandango especially on the part of Hector LeMans.

It is obvious that at the end of the game that Hector wanted to get the Double-N-tickets for himslef. So he decieved Don Copal and Domino Hurley into thinking that they were making profits from the actual selling of the tickets.
Only after Domino's death in Year 3, LeMans need someone to infiltrate the L.S.A and hopefully destroy the resistance before he was discovered as a deciever. He hired Olivia Ofrenda to do so, he knew (probably from her telling him) that she was a friend of Manny Calavera and he knew that Calavera was a key-item in the L.S.A. Olivia betryaed Manny and Salvador. More than likely, LeMans would have shot Olivia after Manny had been sprouted.

However to begin Hector's plot he needed Don Copal. Copal controlled the operation of the handling of the tickets, he'd also needed an inside agent to get all the premium clients: Domino Hurley. Then LeMans manufactured fake tickets so the real ones were at the DOD while the fake tickets went to Domino's island.

Where does Chowchilla Charlie enter this domain? Well I think he doesn't. He obviously stole the fake-betting-stub printer from LeMans. But Charlie was probably(along with Maximino) inside a criminal conspiracy with the tickets or as Maximino described it " side-business'"

Eventually Hector gambled all and overrun El Marrow realising that resistance would grow. He also wanted Manny dead after Domino's death, as Calavera knew about the conterfeit tickets.

So any other theories, post them here! :duel:

[El Virus]

I agree with some parts, but I believe the story was more complex on some parts and easier at others, take into account that 4 years went by, through the beginning to the end.
There are a lot of themes on this game, and they are all great.:D

[Shuz]

Nice description. There are a lot players in the plot and their stories are only hinted at, leaving lots of room for speculation.

[VampireNaomi]

Nice theory. However, I believe that Hector actually loved Olivia and wouldn't have sprouted her. If someone was going to get sprouted in that relationship it would have been Hector, IMO. Olivia is too evil and clever to let anyone fool her too hard.

[Lecter 66]

Perhaps Hector wouldn't have sprouted Olivia I'm not sure but she would have betrayed him I'm thinking. Such as at the end of the game, where she's searching through the ticket case

[VampireNaomi]

Yep, she would have betrayed him right when it would have become profitable. What a greedy bitch. And yet I can't help but like her.

[Sanspoof]

What got me is why would the dead need cash? I never figured that out.

[Kloreep]

Originally posted by Sanspoof
What got me is why would the dead need cash? I never figured that out.

You mean why would they need it when the Eigth Underworld is a transitory place where they're not going to be forever?

Why do we want cash in this life? ;)

[El Virus]

Originally posted by Kloreep
You mean why would they need it when the Eigth Underworld is a transitory place where they're not going to be forever?

Why do we want cash in this life? ;)

Good point.
Consider it like this, money is something symobolic, created by the pre-capitalist to the capitalist (not that I have a problem though). Before people exchanged things for other ones, but then civilizations like the Persians, the Mongols, etc. developed money throughout time, until what it is today it is our way of exchanging things with out loosing something important to us.
So why couldn't it be there on the Land of The Dead, maybe they just want to buy an apartment, after all there are buildings, besides I doubt that clown on El Marrow gives away the baloons for free:p

[Sally J Limones]

I agree with Naomi's interpretation of Olivia's character. Somehow, I can't simply see her as a pawn of Hector's, not in the same way as the others. I would also think that Charlie WAS a link in Hector's system, more than Maximino anyway. I think Max was probably just paid off by Hector, because he doesn't seem to anything at all in the conspiracy. All he has is Charlie's "money", and I would think that possessing that was merely a result of Charlie's stupidity: the suitcase WAS reported missing. That's why Charlie's so desperate to get the money back, so not to get on Hector's bad side. Charlie's also at the casino near the end, and I don't think he would be there as a random customer especially since he was previously spied in Rubacava AND the situation with the suitcase.
And on cash: Remember what Membrillo said about people being stuck in the Land of the Dead. Some people just won't get out, at least before the conspiracy ended. There's reason for you. And you could also get into the attempts by people (say Nick Virago) to buy their way into the next world, but that's for another thread.
~Sal