1. I really wonder about that. Part of me thinks he's not going to become CEO, just sit in the sidelines and let Alan run it, using his Powers of Stock Ownership = What I Say Goes.

2. Pretty much. I'm not sure about mismanagement as it sounds like the company did well, but definitely years of the company being run in a way contrary to what they want. And good luck taking a huge international company with a lot of shareholders and running it like a charity. Several of my characters in various fics have suggested to Sam that he'd do better to start his own and run it however he wants-- from the one who's simply a skeptic that he can change a company that big, to the one who wants him to become competition and take Encom down.

3./4. Of course we all know I'm difficult about Dillinjr, so, yeah. I got nothing.

5. Yeah, pretty much what I've been saying, only shorter.

6. Ah, good point. In a basement, I might have my doubts, but then again, my experience is with a phone that is nearly ten years old and has hit the floor a few too many times to be a credible source on the possibility of signal, even within my own network (it took going somewhere with my mom, who uses the same company but has a newer phone, to realize that maybe there aren't issues with the company's coverage... just with my phone...). Although it might be a far stretch to assume there's somebody sitting out there monitoring the airwaves around the arcade, just waiting for something to happen... but I suppose Disney might run with something like that.

7./8. Don't know enough about these sources to comment.

9. Again... I'm glad you can make the same points without running off on a tangent. I need to just start quoting you and adding "this" and everybody will still get the point.

10. See 7./8.

11. Another possibility. And of course you've seen my "Evil Alan" monologue, so, yup. Although I'm not entirely convinced-- despite writing that possibility for fun-- that Alan's not too goody-goody/straightlaced/sensible for that sort of thing. Flynn? Totally would (see Clu). And of course seeing discussion in other threads I've started recently, you might even argue he did-- if sticking your head in the sand and allowing bad shit to happen because you somehow convince yourself that's the best way to proceed, counts.