You know what I find really interesting??
How Clive acts around Layton once he reveals his true identity.
He right out starts provoking him, it literally seems like he wants to make Layton hate him. First, he kidnaps his daughter right in front of his eyes.
Though literally challenging Layton to enter his fortress (the door with the puzzle lock is awfully unsafe considering Layton’s skills. Also, hell, Clive literally told his staff to let them pass), he acts as if he doesn’t want him to be around. He even yells at him at some point, before endangering him and the two kids (puzzle “the last tile“) with no real reason???? and then vanishing into the ground. It continues, though, with the unnessecary announcement that “this will be your last chance [to see London (if you don’t stop me)]“. He also shows them the damage he does, giving Layton even more reasons to hate/stop him.
The fact that there are even monitors in the generator room (the weakest point of the fortress) is, at least to me, another hint that Clive had intentions/hoped to be stopped.
I mean, he literally tells them all they have to know, though he makes it sound like a warning (“this whole fortress will detonate!“), while intentionally dropping a few more insults (“I know that you like to play the hero“).
He acts as if he’s holding a sign with the words “hate me!“ written on it just to make sure Layton will stop him no matter what
Yo those are my thoughts haha