Here comes the boy. Hello boy.

[positivelyroomy]

Martin K Blackwood | The Magnus Archives

Permissions

History

brb adjusting. boy is trauma.

Personality

Among fans of indeterminate but substantial enough numbers, Martin Blackwood is a soft boy who can do no wrong, but it’s the flaws that add depth to a good character. Yes, he has softness to him. He is also manipulative and a good liar. I think both are the result of growing up as he did, desperately wanting the love of a mother who lacked warmth and affection. He has made himself to be the most palatable version or himself, the least obtrusive.

In their Season 4 Q&A, his voice actor reflected Martin’s growth as learning that it didn’t work to go around, setting yourself on fire in hopes it kept others warm. Guilt is a motivator for Martin, who has internalized a lot of the disdain his mother felt for him for years. His sense of obligation – is it love? – to his mother had him leaving school before graduating to get a job to pay for her assisted living once her health was too far gone for him to care for her on his own. He wouldn’t have found himself at the Magnus Institute if he’d been a less dutiful son. Less lonely.

The early days of the Archives are alright enough. He gets himself a bit of a crush on his boss, who is… kind of a dick, particularly regarding his opinion of Martin’s gross incompetence. It’s not that Martin is incompetent. Lacking confidence? Yes.. Nervous, as if he were hiding something (who isn’t?), sure. Being a people pleaser, he puts himself in danger for “due diligence.” Turns out that trauma is character-building. We enter the era of Martin displaying a bit more backbone and practicality. He is still largely seen as nonthreatening, which Martin finds very offensive… and yet, it comes in handy, and he is more than happy to exploit it.

He has a bit of a rebellious streak against authority figures when they’re evil. He doesn’t even regret lying through his teeth; it’s the intent, and he’s not the one trying to end the world, is he? No. To avoid dramatic spoilers, I will briefly state that trauma and a sense of spite and hopelessness have him withdrawing from the staff in the archives in S4. His voice actor refers to this plot arc as Martin being “pissy”, which fits the bill perfectly. He’s usually regarded as being emotionally intelligent, but using that to bite back at everyone around him is a bit problematic. He is deeply connected to the Lonely during this time. He doesn’t care that he’s being groomed by an Eldritch power, either, though he does show his annoyance when said Eldritch power tries to sneak up on him while he’s trying to have his tea.

He never really recovered from the prolonged catastrophe that filled his days. The man needs a vacation… and a lot of therapy.

Powers + Domain

Martin's only supernatural ability is tied to his affiliation with The Lonely. Wanna disappear? Martin has the actual ability to do just that, without a convenient hedge.

The Lonely differs in how it presents itself from other domains. It is not outwardly threatening or violent like the rest. It's quiet; a warm, foggy embrace where you simply fade away. It feeds on those who are disconnected or isolated from their community.

Episodes featuring the Lonely have the following trigger warnings: emotional abuse and neglect, suicidal ideation/existential despair, severe emotional and physical isolation, abandonment, depression/numbness, loss of identity/dissociation, and self-worth issues/internalized guilt or shame.

CODE