Series Discussion > MADLAX

Id, ego, and super-ego [spoilers]

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Koveras:
Another crackpot theory from a restless Madlax fan... But this time the original idea is not mine but an-anonymous-editor-from-Wikipedia-talk-page's.

The above mentioned editor suggested that Margaret, Madlax, and Laetitia are actually Id, Ego, and Super-Ego of the former Margaret Burton. I've elaborated the theory a bit and came up with the following:

The new Margaret is the Id. She wanted to live, so she killed her father: the former Margaret's Id took over her for a moment and that was also the moment when she split herself in three. Thus, the new Margaret became an infantile being whose life is devoid of any higher purpose.

Madlax is the Super-Ego. She is the one who couldn't run from the sin and therefore accepted it. For that, she was exiled by then-dominant Id (Margaret). As the Super-Ego, she retained the kind, most human side of Margaret and that is the reason she "screamed every time she killed". That's also why she was attracted to both a stronger Super-Ego (Vanessa's) and a powerful Id (Limelda's).

And Laetitia is the Ego, the conscious (in this case, the one who has all the memories) part who links Super-Ego to Id and vice versa. However, faced with powerful counterparts, she can't really do much for them.

Of course, this only describes the situation in the beginning of the series. In the end, Margaret becomes a complete person, having developed a new Ego and Super-Ego (not without V&M's help - that's what Kajiura wrote about in the DVD insert), and Madlax get Limelda as a substitute for an own Id and Ego. Laetitia is still a "child" at that point, meaning that she has potential to develop to a complete person (like Margaret did) yet.

Limelda Jorg:
Hehehehe when I finished the series I was analysing everything in freudian terms. In fact the whole concept of Margaret's sin creating another being is something very basic in psychoanalysis. When a trauma is generated we have defense mechanism in our mind to deal with that trauma. Margarent couldn't cope with the fact of killing her father but if she didn't kill him she would die. So her surviving instinct made her kill him but in order to keep her "sane" Madlax was born, so she could carry the sin and the guilty. If Margaret wouldn't be in a place with such power to create another being, she would wind up with schizophrenia to deal with her guilty and pain.
In some point this series reminds me "The Forbidden Planet". If you watchend it you know what I mean  ;)

Koveras:

--- Quote from: Carrie Asagiri on June 01, 2007, 02:25:21 PM ---If Margaret wouldn't be in a place with such power to create another being, she would wind up with schizophrenia to deal with her guilty and pain.
--- End quote ---

Most likely, yes. :) What I find so fascinating about the whole mystery thing in Madlax is how the physical plot can be interpreted from a purely spiritual point of view and vice versa. ^^


--- Quote ---In some point this series reminds me "The Forbidden Planet". If you watchend it you know what I mean  ;)
--- End quote ---

Sorry, haven't watched it. Mea maxima culpa, apparently... :(

Limelda Jorg:
"Forbidden Planet" is an old Sci Fi movie which is inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Koveras:
Another random idea: Madlax's words "I'm the pain that comes from touching the truth" (see Matrim's signature) could refer to the pangs of conscience (where conscience is the super-ego she represents). And what she says to SSS in the very last shot: "After all, I'm a part of you", refers to the idea that super-ego is common for all people because it is formed solely by the society and culture rather than individual predispositions.

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