The thing about JMart isn’t that I think it’s toxic or poorly written or came out of nowhere or any of that. Cause I don’t. At all. When I take a break from drinking haterade, I do agree with a good few points people make regarding their relationship in season five. I don’t want to, but I can give Martin little a grace. As a treat. When people aren’t acting like he’s morally in the right for every action he takes.
Because, though I think there is some veracity to not attributing malice in Martin’s actions, the actions he does take DO show disregard for Jon’s… everything. Because, though I do agree that they both take steps to purposefully not fall into the same habits, Martin adamantly refuses to believe Jon is trying. At all. And why do I think that? Why do I, in my heart of hearts, think there’s no way for either of them to get any better when it comes to moving forward in their relationship?
Martin flat out tells Jon that he believes, in a world without the horrors they face, that they wouldn’t even be able to stand each other. That Jon’s best-case-scenario, the scenario that he’s tied up all his hope into, the very idea that they could’ve been doing normal things as normal humans instead of whatever they became, was so far-fetched as to be something Martin had to bring him down from.
“No, Jon, we’re both too unlovable on a fundamental level and wouldn’t even find each other worth speaking to in any other world.”
That’s, essentially, what I hear when I think of that scene in the penultimate episode. Actually, I don’t think Martin includes himself as being unable to be loved, cue the “I am Martin Blackwood” scene, but as I said I’m giving him grace in thinking he’s not, as usual, putting all their problems on Jon.
This isn’t even bringing in the ‘trauma-bonding’ mention, but that’s also a sticking point for me when thinking about whether or not the two of them SHOULD even attempt to salvage a relationship with each other post-series, whether somewhere!else or not.
All the trauma they went through needed to MEAN something, to Martin, so he placed their relationship in that role. So the question begs, when adding in that quote above, what would’ve kept them together after Martin’s 'kill Jonah, pull the lever, save the world, kiss the Archivist’ dream scenario? The one he legitimately thought he was going to accomplish mere hours later? Without either of them needing to rely on the other in a world gone mad, without either of them needing each other to be sources of comradery when everyone else in the world can be, then why would Martin even stick around?
Nothing, according to Martin.
Course you could say that both of their insecurities would mean neither of them would see themselves as worthy of being with anyone else but each other. But that’s not sustainable a foundation to build anything on. Especially if, god forbid, they go to therapy and develop any form of self-worth not tied to each other or their places in the apocalypse. Eventually something will give and I don’t think many of the 'relationship growing pains’ they went through will be that easily forgotten. Or forgiven.
Here’s the point where I would point out how all the issues they had actually are mostly issues MARTIN caused by not listening to Jon when he said anything about anything at all, but as I said. Grace. So I won’t. Just know, though, that the 'hurdles’ they went through are uneven, in my eyes, at least, and I won’t say no more.
I suppose, when it comes down to it, what I’m trying to say is… telling someone you love them. Means nothing. When you think that loving them. Can only be the result of total and complete psychological, spiritual, emotional, ethical, physical, and mental destruction of the very fabric of your being.
