I started watching The Magnus Archives after seeing recommendations for years. I’m on season 3 and so far the plot has essentially been
“Look at this guy. Kind of a dick, ain’t he? Not enough that you actually hate him, but he can be a real prick sometimes, huh? Not entirely his fault though, poor dude is under a lot of pressure. He’s not doing great, not really operating at full capacity. Should probably take a nap. That might help. Anyways- [INCOMPREHENSIBLY LOUD BLENDER NOISES]
I love when people refer to John in Archivist Mode as “jarchivist” because it’s funny, but also because if John is the Jarchivist then Gertrude was the Garchivist which is WAY funnier
I love Johnathan “It seems my academic detachment has fled me” Sims with my whole heart, and honestly it’s because he’s a fucking prick. He spends all of season 1 genuinely being a massive asshole, and not just on the outside, he’s a prick through and through. I think there’s an instinct to justify his behavior because people like him, but I think that’s discounting what makes him interesting.
Yes, when he lies and pretends that he is skeptical, it is out of self-preservation. It is out of fear. But he allows his fear to become something that hurts the people around him. He implies to multiple people, traumatized people looking for help, that they’re delusional. To their faces. It’s not the only thing he says, but he says it with a heavy tone of condescension and irritation, two things that vulnerable frightened people do not need. Both Martin and Sasha almost end up dead because they’re convinced that John won’t take them seriously if they don’t have good enough evidence of their experiences. He’s a huge asshole to Martin for literally no reason. You aren’t obligated to like everybody, but goddamn, John, some thoughts are inside thoughts!
And then he realizes that he’s a massive prick, at some point in the latter half of season 2. Really realizes it, realizes how much his actions impact the people around him. And he doesn’t really stop for a long time, arguably he doesn’t stop ever. But holy shit, he tries. He tries with everything in his entire being to be better. He puts his whole life into being better than he was, into trying to fix what he feels he broke, and he will try and try and try until his hands bleed and his legs collapse under him because he let people suffer under his watch and by his own hand andNever Again. I think that’s why he leans so hard into sacrificing himself, it’s the cumulative guilt of everything, even stuff before the Magnus Institute, and he really does think that he can only be good if he destroys himself in the process because what the hell has ever been good about him?
And that’s horrifying, and tragic, and fascinating. God, he’s such a good character
Season 1 John is extremely clear in my head, so here’s the guy himself! He’s such a bitch, I love him.
Martin is a little more nebulous? Specifically his hair really eludes me. I don’t want to just give them the same haircut, but I also think that both John and Martin would’ve gone to get themselves the most Professional™ haircuts possible when the job change came along.
Speaking of hair, I find it extremely funny that John lies so readily about being 10 years older than he is. It implies that people just believe him normally and the only reason Sasha doesn’t is because she went snooping for it. I bet Tim and Martin had to entirely recalibrate what they thought about him when they realized he was their age.
This is it. This is the peak of my art career. I will never capture this again. Sasha James you have my heart and I knew you for like 11 minutes total I hope you’re chilling on a kayaking trip with Tim and Gerry in whatever version of the afterlife probably doesn’t exist in your universe
