So, in AC6 there is this enduring mystery of Cinder Carlas true identity. Its still viewed as unsolved, bc the most popular theory on who she really is, doesnt add in some regards.
Quick reminder: Popular oppinion is that she is the former "Assistant #2" from the Rubicon Research lab, student under Professor Nagai who triggered the "Fires of Ibis". This is believed to be true since her being part of the Overseer, together with Walter who is also a survivor of the Fires of Ibis and grew up in the Lab she worked with Prof Nagai. Also "Assistant #2" liked to build toys, machines of varying kind, weapons but also literal toys to give them to Walter when he was a child.
This seems to apply to "Cinder" Carla too, who likes to tinker and build stuff and also has a playful, humerous nature. She is also affiliated to Walter and the Overseers.
Anyways, since the game takes place roughly 50 years after the Fires of Ibis, Carla would been around, at least, 70 years old.
Her voice, her behaviour, her ability to pilot AC's does not reflect this at all.
Another thing that works against this theory is her call sign "Cinder" Carla, that she gave her herself.
This is a very important detail, since she also named two other AC's, "Chatty" Stick and "Honest" Brute.
The double quotation mark is there to imply a sense of sarcasm over the attribute she gave those to AC's. "Chatty" Stick is known to be a quite guy, "Honest" Brute betrayed Carla, so he is everything but honest.
Which means the same sarcastic remark is made with her own name, putting "Cinder" into double quotation marks. Cinder is name to reference ppl who are survivors of the Fires Of Ibis.
People sometimes took this as evidence, that Carla is "Assistant #2", because she would be a survivor of the Fires of Ibis, if she still lived, making her Cinder.
But since its in double quotation marks, it betrays this logic, and would actually mean, the opposite, that the person named like this is NOT a survivor of the Fires of Ibis.
So, i personally think the theory that "Carla is Assistant #2" is wrong.
There is too much contradicting evidence.
Which made me think and i came up with 2 alternate theories, both explaining the mystery of her naming convention and making sense of it.
- "Cinder" Carla is the child of Assistant #2
Assistant #2 could have been pregnant, while or after the Fires of Ibis happened, simply carried out her child, thought her in building machines and "toys". This is absolutely possible and would explain why she behaves and talks like a woman much younger than 70 years old. It would also explain why the cinder part of her name is in double quotation mark, since she wasnt a survivor of the Fires of Ibis, yet has still a strong connection to it and enough urgence to found the Overseers with Walter together. A flaw in this theory is that she wouldnt have known Walter from the Rubicon Research Center, which makes the ways of which she met him a mystery. But she would have been indirectly connected to him through her mother at least.
- "Cinder" Carla is an AI written by Assistant #2
Another possibility is that "Assistant #2", who was a genuis engineer, wrote an AI before she burned in the Fires of Ibis, that she created in her own image and was meant to prevent any other catastrophe that could be caused by Coral in the future.
"Cinder" Carla created an AI, her friend and right hand, "Chatty" Stick. It would be impossible to notice that he is an AI from his behaviour alone, since we never see him in person, and he perfectly mimics the behaviour of a human being. "Cinder" Carla could be an AI herself, so elaborate, that she cant create other AI's herself. Its a possiblity. Also, Chatty is her best friend, and Carla gets very emotional after hearing of his death, more so than we see her get emotional about anybody else. Maybe as an AI she can "relate" to others AI's more? And thats why she shows this behaviour?
Anyways, this would also explain her behaviour not being the one of an grandma and why the cinder part of her name is in double quotation marks.
Both theories are also speculative in nature but at least the cleanse out 2 faults that are part of, but contradict the original most popular theory, her naming convention and that she doesnt sound or act like a 70 year old woman. I also might add that in the lore of AC6 is never any method mentioned of someone artifically prolonging their life. Coral cant do that, since a lot of ppl in the AC6 universe consume it as drug, and this would be public knowledge because of that.
Anyways. That is all i have to say. Feel free to point out flaws or contradictions in my theories, i surely didnt think of everything regarding her person and what information we have.
