User blog comment:Zathronas/Analysis by an author: World of Remnant, Kingdoms/@comment-4909254-20140919025130/@comment-4909254-20140919031035

On your first point this would change what exactly? This conspiracy would fall apart if Ironwood was such a poor actor he revealed anything to an adolescent teen and by proxy us if/when we see it.

And your last two points are invalidated because if that was the case then Ironwood should/would never have compromised himself by going early and putting himself in that situation to begin with, or Mercury and Emerald would have simply signaled to him without needing to confirm with Cinder to intervene. That's idiotic coordination for two people needing to balance an acting job between each other if it is the case.