Weiss and Sampson are engaged in shaping an innovative theory. They link their ideas to Freud's later ego and super-ego theory. This linkage obscures their unique contributions. In this article I discuss their distinctive theoretical ideas and clinical modifications and contrast these with Freudian theory as well as some other theoretical perspectives. I consider six themes from Weiss and Sampson's work which I believe are innovative departures from Freud: (a) the ego as a motivator of behavior or Weiss and Sampson's object relations perspective, (b) the link between ego motives and attachment research, (c) the nature of the object relational tie, (d) psychic reality and actuality, (e) some clinical implications, and (f) a philosophical assumption about people which underlies their work.