Lloyd's secrecy seems kind of out-of-character given his actions in the first game. Then you realize that his Character Development is making him more like his father.
The very beginning of the game, where a lot of focus is given on flashbacks to recent events, then mainly stopping after the journey begins in earnest. It can easily seem overdone, but when you really look at it, it's a look into the process of Emil's growth. You won't know it on a first-time playthrough, but Emil started out as a Blank Slate.
Being in Luin, with an aunt and uncle (later the entire town) who hated his guts + never told him to stand up for himself made him into a meek person... however, it wasn't enough for a full personality thanks to limited variety of interactions, so he didn't have much more to him. However, once Ricther and Marta came into the picture, that suddenly changed with their statements about gaining confidence, taking charge, etc - his meek self then begins to grow/expand, and the flashbacks represent his struggle in doing so. The sudden loss of flashbacks meant the growth ie, the filling-in process, was more-or-less complete.
While visiting the Camberto caves, Emil states that he hates the smell and taste of herbs in a skit, which seems like a strange character detail, seeing how he's otherwise portrayed as the party's Supreme Chef, only surpassed in skill by Genis and Regal. It becomes a Genius Bonus once you realize that the norse-mythology version of Ratatosk(r) is a divine squirrel and most herbs are squirrel deterrents.
With the Emil we play in game not being the real Emil what did happened to the real Emil? He is most likely dead but what did happened to his body that nobody suspects the Emil we are playing is not the real Emil as none of the people in Palmcosta are exclaiming he should be dead or something? Has his body been remained unidentified and buried as a John Doe? Did he wandered to and died in a spot where his body yet to be discovered? Also is it really right for Emil to be continuing on pretending he is that Emil? That Emil is most likely dead and people don't know that and it feels kind of wrong that he remains unmourned.
