Okay listen I’ve been thinking

This episode obviously is a web one, even if it’s centred around Gertrude, which is all well and good on a surface level until you start thinking about narrative pacing

Because why include this? Why now?

Like, it’s not the webs ‘domain’ explicitly. And it has some good Jonmartin bits sure, (the K in Martin k Blackwood stands for King of healthy communication) but this episode serves no purpose in explicitly furthering the plot - Gertrude and her assistants are dead and Jon has already expressed once this season that he’s followed gertrudes lead as far as it will take him, and has now intentionally ignored her theories vis a vi the end of the world

So what purpose does this episode serve if not simply giving us some sad Gertrude facts and some cool MonsterJon lore

Well I think it’s about Martin, specifically his connection to the web

Gertrude had her 3 assistants, but the one she trusts the most (and survived the longest) is Emma, who is affiliated (at least, or a full avatar at most) with the mother of puppets. Emma, is at first, kind and eager, but gradually looses herself to the web when Gertrudes attention is directed away from her

Almost like a certain other archivist, who has lost all but one of his original assistants to the entities, the last of which is heavily implied to be at least in some way connected to web (there’s been too much foreshadowing at this point for Martin not to be web-y in some way let’s be real)

But what does that mean?

Well I think the answer comes at the end of the episode when Jon asks “would you like me to uh-“ and Martin cuts him off immediately with “No. Don’t tell me”

This is noteworthy because it highlights the biggest difference between Emma and Martin. Emma caved to her curiosity, and what started as quiet wondering and introspection evolved into full blown sadism and manipulation. Emma’s fall to the web was a direct product of her Wanting to know. However Martin has curbed his desire for this almost entirely, to the point where him Not wanting to know has put Annabelle in direct contact with him. Something the web Does Not Like To Do (it normally follows the trend of leaving behind small clues and little hints, direct contact is almost unheard of sans that one puppet guy from season 3)

Which begs the question, why now?

Well I think Martin, Georgie style, is attempting (consciously or not) to sever his connection to the web. Perhaps he already has. The mother of puppets has Done this before with another assistant to another archivist. The web laid the trap for Martin’s curiosity to get the better of him, and Martin has seen where that can lead. Which not only adds to the fact that Martin has survived 4 to 5 other powers without being marked by many of them the madman (corruption, eye, buried, stranger and lonely) but has stepped clear of the webs trap - forcing it to get into direct contact with him.

Of course, this could all just be wishful thinking, because honestly Annabelle is probably pulling all the strings, but still. Something to think about - history repeats itself after all

TLDR: the purpose of this episode was not to further the plot physically, but to examine the webs affiliation with archival assistants and hint at the fact that Martin has severed his connection to it