Marty Saybrooke
Encyclopedia
Dr. Margaret "Marty" Saybrooke is a fictional character
on the American daytime drama
One Life to Live
. The role was originated by Susan Haskell
, who portrayed Marty from January 24, 1992 through September 16, 1997 and made brief appearances on February 16, 2004 and February 2005. Christina Chambers
portrayed the role from November 17, 2006 to December 4, 2007, with the character written off for "storyline reasons". Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008 and left on June 6, 2011.
The character was a show heroine, and her 1993 gang rape led by Todd Manning
is considered one of soap opera's classic, "most remembered and impactful" storylines.
), by the life-threatening disease lupus
. Not wanting viewers to think that lupus is always fatal, they decided to introduce Marty as a character who survives the disease. "The character was planned to be part of just one story line," said then-executive producer Susan Bedsow Horgan. "But [Haskell] is such a wonderful actress that we wanted to write more for her."
Marty was soon characterized as representing "the destructive, privileged, college girl, sexually promiscuous and with a serious
drinking problem". She is at first positioned as causing significant problems for character Reverend Andrew Carpenter. She develops a crush on him, but he does not respond to her romantic advances. For revenge, she spreads a rumor that he is gay
and is having a sexual affair with an underage, gay teenage boy. Scandal erupts, but Andrew's reputation is eventually restored.
When head writer Michael Malone
decided to write a gang rape storyline, he started to transition Marty from being primarily bad to being primarily sympathetic. Through further development, the writers "explained her cynicism and self-destructive behavior as the result of her being orphaned: Her parents had died when she was quite young, leaving her to be raised by a selfish aunt". The series continued Marty's redemption, to where she eventually became the show's main heroine through seeking justice for her gang rape.
In 2006, Chambers stepped into the role (Haskell was unavailable at the time due to her real-life pregnancy). When asked if she thought "fans had a little trouble separating how the character was written this time around from the fact that this is a new face playing the character," she said, "Whenever you do a recast, it's always going to be a little bit of a struggle. It's unfortunate that they picked up with Marty 15 years in soap time down the road." Chambers stated, "I think the fans were ready to pick up 15 years ago with the character with her traits and that's not what was given to them."
Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008. When asked what was it like to start portraying the character again, she stated, "It’s great. I was a little nervous. It’s been a long time... But I’ve gotta say that everyone’s made it so easy there. They’ve been very accommodating." She said, "It’s like going home.... And now the role is even more complex. What a gift. It’s a great character. She’s not your run-of-the-mill character. Her life has been up and down. Now it’s even more complicated."
Frank Valentini, the show's executive producer, helped to come up with a schedule for Haskell's return, since she was initially busy taking care of her newborn child. "[He] knew that from the beginning. When he contacted me I was like, 'This is the deal.' He knew this wasn’t a full-time thing for me this time," she said. "And the way they shoot the shows now, it’s easier. It wasn’t like when I was there before and you had all day for one show." Haskell stated they had "a fantastic nanny who’s been with me since the baby was born. And Thorsten’s
mom is also nearby, so when I’m gone for the day, both of them are here".
Haskell said she decided to return to the series for longer this time because she trusted Valentini and knew that Ron Carlivati
was back in charge as head writer. "And I knew that he was aware of the character. That was one of the concerns about the previous head writer [ Dena Higley
]," stated Haskell. "She really didn’t seem to. But you know, I feel safe there and it’s not my first time around, so if I’ve got questions or ideas, we’ll all just figure them out together." Haskell felt that an amnesia
-stricken Marty was a good idea, and was interested in working with Trevor St. John
(current Todd) and Michael Easton
as John McBain
.
Haskell asked Valentini to send her information on what her character had done since she last portrayed the role. "...[H]e said, 'Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. She doesn’t remember.' Okay! Great! You don’t even know how much help that was for me," stated Haskell. She said she did "put a lot of thought into" how her character would be now, but that "it comes back to you, it really does. The most prep I did was learning my stinking lines. That was where I was the most out of practice. Gotta get that muscle going again".
's oldest and most prestigious families. Orphaned at an early age, "poor little rich girl" Marty grows up alone in her family's mansion and is the sole heiress to her parent's fortune. Marty comes to be a troubled young woman who resorts to binge-drinking to garner attention.
Marty is introduced as the roommate of the ailing Megan Harrison during her stay at Llanview Hospital. Both Megan and Marty are diagnosed with lupus, but Marty has chosen to ignore the consequences of her hard-partying lifestyle, which has exacerbated the symptoms of her dangerous disease. Despite her rough exterior, it is clear that deep down, Marty has a wounded heart. After Megan passes away, Marty becomes close to one of her neighbors, Megan's mother Viki Buchanan
. She also becomes infatuated with Reverend Andrew Carpenter. When Andrew rebuffs Marty's advances, the spurned young woman launches a smear campaign
across Llanview, using her knowledge of classmate Billy Douglas' homosexuality
against him, claiming that Andrew is gay and has been having "illicit relations" with young Billy. The rumor is squelched, and Marty's credibility is severely tarnished.
, and has a one-night stand
with him. "Ladies' man" Todd learns he has met his match when the flighty Marty rejects him the next day. Todd still pursues her, but Marty does not give in to his boorish and chauvinistic advances. Over time, a bitter resentment and rivalry develops between the two, particularly after Marty agrees to be Todd's tutor. Todd fails a crucial course due to lack of studying, and irrationally blames Marty for his failure, while still stung by her romantic rejection of him. His anger having reached a boiling point, Todd begins to plot the ultimate revenge on Marty.
On May 13, 1993, when Marty becomes drunk at the "Spring Fling" party on campus, she is gang raped by ringleader Todd and two of his fraternity brothers, Zach Rosen and Powell Lord III. Marty eventually reports the rape, and Todd is arrested along with Zach, Powell, and Powell's distant cousin Kevin Buchanan
(whom Marty mistakenly believes has also raped her). Placed on trial, the four men are represented by attorney Nora Gannon
, ex-wife of District Attorney Hank Gannon
and mother of Kevin's girlfriend Rachel Gannon
. Nora believes in the innocence of Todd and the others, and is clearly winning the trial, especially after Marty remembers that Kevin had nothing to do with the attack and exonerates him, which damages Marty's case even further. Kevin, however, grateful for Marty's confession, decides to help Marty. He and Jason Webb (Dorian Lord's boyfriend at the time) found another young woman named Carol Swift, who reveals that Todd raped her as well. Disgusted, Nora intentionally causes a mistrial.
A furious Todd declares revenge on Marty. He corners her in an alley and threatens to rape her again, but Luna Moody comes to Marty's rescue and scars Todd's face in the process. Powell witnesses the incident and tells the police. In addition, Marty manages to trick Todd into confessing to the rape, which she tape records. Todd is sent to jail, determined to get revenge on Marty, Nora, and Powell (whom Todd will learn years later is his biological cousin). Later Todd briefly escapes from jail, again threatens to rape Marty at gunpoint, resulting in Marty's boyfriend, Suede Pruitt, attempting to come to her rescue and being killed during his struggle with Todd.
Marty's life remains turbulent even after Todd is convicted of his crimes; after finishing medical school, she revisits the past in a brief, foolhardy flirtation with Andrew Carpenter, who is tempted away from his new wife Cassie. Then, Marty grows close to Luna's brother Dylan Moody. After the fugitive Todd saves Marty, Jessica Buchanan
, and C.J. and Sarah Roberts
from a car crash, he is pardoned and set free, enraging his former victim. Nonetheless, over time, Todd and Marty forge a strange kind of understanding, and attempt to gain some closure. Todd encourages Marty to confront her aunt, Kiki, who is her guardian. Kiki, a society friend of Dorian's, has been raiding Marty's immense trust fund to finance her jet-set lifestyle. Marty travels to Ireland
where her aunt is staying and succeeds in severing ties with her. While in Ireland, Marty meets and falls in love with former Irish
terrorist-turned-poet Patrick Thornhart
, who is trying to escape some former criminal "associates". However, back in Llanview, a young AIDS
patient whom Marty has cared for is dying. Todd travels to Ireland and lends Marty his private jet to fly back while he helps her newfound love, only to be mistaken for Patrick and allegedly killed by the assassins. Todd's pregnant wife, Blair Cramer
, harbors great resentment toward Marty for her part in Todd's "death".
Upon her return to the States, Marty works with Patrick to help Bo Buchanan
and the Llanview Police Department foil the plans of the Irish terrorist cell "the Men of 21". After an ill-advised marriage to the paralyzed Dylan, Marty admits her true love for Patrick and they finally reunite. Unfortunately, while still single, Patrick has already spent the night with a lonely Blair, conceiving a child. Tragically, Blair loses the baby in a car accident, but Todd, now back from the dead, blames Patrick for Blair's loss, and contacts another of Patrick's old foes, IRA terrorist Mahoney. On the day of Patrick and Marty's wedding, Mahoney shoots Patrick, who appears to "die" in Marty's arms at Todd's penthouse. Marty sobs as she clutches her husband's lifeless body, and tells Todd that Todd is not a man, but a curse. While in the ambulance with Patrick, however, Marty is shocked to discover Patrick is, in fact, still alive. Together, Marty and Patrick flee the country to live happily ever after, telling only friends Nora, Bo, and Mel Hayes of their fate, fearing reprisal from Patrick's enemies. In her cryptic letter, the newly-pregnant Marty tells Bo and Nora that they are expecting a daughter.
. This spectre comments on the irony of "Margaret [raping] Todd", due to Marty's birth name also being Margaret.
Marty returns to Llanview on November 17, 2006 (now played by Christina Chambers
). Marty is shocked to learn that her son, high school quarterback Cole
(her child by Patrick), is being accused of attacking Todd and Blair's daughter, Starr
. Marty reveals that she has just recently moved back to Llanview and has set up her practice, and that she and Cole are still reeling from Patrick's mysterious death. Todd, Blair, and Marty are all determined to keep their children apart.
, declaring him mentally unfit and thus sparing him a prison sentence, outraging Todd, Blair, and Llanview Chief of Detectives John McBain
, whose father was killed by Spencer in Atlantic City. Later, when Spencer is killed while attempting to abduct and rape a hospitalized Blair, McBain is determined to find the culprit. Marty, meanwhile, begins having disturbing visions of being in Blair's hospital room on the night of the murder, and seeing a scalpel.
Marty confesses her fears of having killed Spencer to her therapist, but can not fully remember what her mind has blocked out from that fateful night. When the lovestruck Miles Laurence
is determined to win Marty's heart, he takes extreme measures, stealing Marty's audiotaped "confession" from her therapist's office and blackmailing her with it, forcing Marty to marry him in order to retain custody of her son. Marty finally tells John McBain about her precarious situation, and John becomes determined to exonerate Marty, find Spencer's true murderer, and end Miles' sick game with Marty's life. Before John can learn the truth, however, the evidence against Marty becomes overwhelming, and she is arrested as the prime suspect in Truman's murder. John and Marty struggle to uncover the hazy details surrounding the night Spencer was killed, and eventually Marty remembers that she was never able to strike Spencer; instead, he assaulted her and left her in a vacant hospital room, leaving her with a head injury. Soon thereafter, John deduces that Lindsay Rappaport
is the real murderer, and Marty is released from prison.
urge Marty to consider a romantic future with John McBain, but a bashful and unsure Marty refuses to consider it. Regardless, Marty seeks John out, and the two spend an afternoon walking the Llanview docks. At the close of the evening, Marty impulsively kisses John. Marty instantly apologizes, but an intrigued John tells her not to be sorry. They share a romantic kiss again soon after.
John and Marty continue to bond during the custody trial for Tommy McBain, but after Marcie McBain goes on the run with her adoptive son, John leaves Llanview to pursue his sister-in-law, along with Todd Manning. After John starts a barfight in Decatur, Georgia
, he and Todd are arrested. Marty and Blair go down to Decatur and bail them out. Marty and Blair insist on joining John and Todd as they search for Marcie in the hopes of preventing the two enemies from killing each other. After the group hits the road, John's car breaks down, and the quartet is forced to get a room at a local motel. Initially there is only one room available but Todd uses his "charm" and money to obtain a room from one of the other guests. Marty and John spend the night together in the first room. During the evening, John opens up to Marty about the murder of his former fiancee, Caitlin Fitzgerald, and explains that Lee Ramsey, the FBI agent pursuing Marcie, holds a grudge against him because of Caitlin's death. Marty in turn confides in John about Patrick's murder. She reveals that Patrick was killed by old enemies from Ireland, and that his old friend Simon Ryerson came to her door to give her the news. Having bonded by unburdening themselves, John and Marty end up making love.
After Cole is abducted back in Llanview by a mysterious man in a "Death" costume, another unseen figure shows up at John and Marty's motel room and grabs her just as she gets a call from Starr on Cole's cell phone. Marty and Cole are taken to Ireland and held hostage by none other than Patrick's "old friend" Simon, who was actually the terrorist who killed Patrick. Simon is determined to get an incriminating "list of names" which Patrick kept from his days with the "Men of 21", but is frustrated to discover that Marty has no knowledge of the list; in reality, Patrick hid the list on a microchip
inside one of his own poetry books. John finds the chip, and he and Lee Ramsey pursue Marty and Cole overseas and make contact with Simon in Ireland. They set a time and meeting for an exchange: Marty and Cole for Patrick's microchip. Things seem to be going as planned, until Ramsey fires upon the van which contains Marty and Cole in an attempt to apprehend the terrorists. The van spins out of control and goes careening over a cliff. Racing to the bottom of the rock quarry, John struggles to free Marty from the wrecked van, but she insists that he find Cole first, saying she has no life without her son. John reluctantly leaves her side and is able to rescue Cole, who was thrown from the van in the crash, but watches helplessly as the van explodes. Marty is presumed dead, and the bereaved John and Cole return to Llanview.
In the aftermath of Marty's death, her loved (and not-so-loved) ones deal with her loss in their own way: John discovers her posthumous Christmas gift, a dartboard with Todd's face on it; Cole undertakes grief counseling
with friend Langston Wilde
; and Todd quietly orders a lavish flower arrangement for her memorial service, without leaving his name.
of Llanview. Banding together with fellow police officers Antonio Vega
and Talia Sahid
, John works to expose Ramsey as a dirty cop and avenge Marty's death. During the course of their investigation, the trio learn about a mysterious woman Ramsey is keeping hidden away in his high-rise penthouse, tended to by a private nurse. John becomes convinced that this woman is key to unraveling the mystery behind Ramsey's double dealings. As it happens, John's suspicions are correct: Ramsey masterminds the theft of the crown jewels of Mendorra from Lindsay Rappaport
's art gallery in order to fence them and pay for his houseguest's costly medical care. It becomes clear that the mystery woman is not merely bedridden, but also mentally impaired due to her unknown ailments. Meanwhile, John's curiosity deepens when he discovers X-rays in Ramsey's office which detail the severe physical trauma of an unidentified female patient.
John has a surveillance device planted inside Ramsey's penthouse. John, Antonio, and Talia stake out the building, waiting for Ramsey or his guest to come into audio range of their "bug." On June 11, 2008, the officers listen in as Ramsey speaks to the woman, who says only two words on tape before the surveillance device goes out of range: "Help me." As John struggles to identify the familiar voice, it is revealed that the mystery woman being cared for by Lee Ramsey is none other than Marty.
Ramsey is working with con artist Tina Lord
, the Crown Princess of Mendorra, who he plans to sell the Mendorran crown jewels to in order to provide for the crippled Marty's medical treatment. During an exchange between Ramsey and Tina for the jewels, two thugs hired by Jonas Chamberlain enter the penthouse. While Tina hides in another room, Ramsey is murdered by the two thugs, who are then shot and killed by John when he arrives on the scene. Seizing the opportunity, Tina flees the penthouse, distracting John from going upstairs and finding Marty. Later, Todd arrives, having followed Tina, and discovers Marty, who has been left with amnesia
after the explosion in Ireland and has no idea who Todd is. Todd brings Marty to his new home, where he keeps her as his 'guest,' hiding the traumatized woman from her family and friends while telling her that she has no family or friends.
When Todd learns that his niece, Jessica
, who has had a mental breakdown in the wake of her husband's death, is operating under an alternate personality "Tess," he's cornered into a stalemate where 'Tess' threatens to reveal that he's hiding Marty if he reveals that Jessica has had a psychiatric meltdown. 'Tess' then backed-up Todd's lies to the unsuspecting Marty.
Over time, Marty and Todd's "relationship" intensifies, and Marty begins to express romantic feelings for her 'caretaker.' On the outs with his family and increasingly delusional, Todd kisses Marty passionately then pulls away. Todd begins to fantasize about a "clean slate", free of all the "mistakes of the past." In a manic outburst, Todd offers Marty a shocking proposition: Run away with him, and raise his daughter's unborn child. Todd claims that his daughter, Starr, wants him to have her baby, when in reality Starr wants nothing to do with her father. Starr intends to give the baby up for adoption to Marcie McBain. Marty is shaken by Todd's request to run away and start a family with him, but, still unknowing of the truth, she agrees; however, when Marty continues to dream about John McBain and regains her ability to walk, Todd fears that his lies will be exposed. As Marty grows physically stronger, the unstable Todd grows eager to whisk Marty away to their "new life" before she can remember the truth. Meanwhile, John continues to investigate the "mystery woman" Blair told him about and begins to suspect that Marty may be alive and imprisoned by Todd.
Growing increasingly obsessed with the idea of "erasing their past," Todd describes himself as 'falling in love' with Marty and proposes marriage to her. Marty refuses, saying she needs to understand who she was before she can move forward into the future. But, when Marty accesses the internet on Todd's laptop and begins to research her past, Todd convinces her to abandon her search for her previous life, 'let go of the past', and move on with him. Marty's memories are stirred when she babysits Jessica's daughter Bree and flashes back to caring for an infant (her son, Cole). Marty pleads with Todd to help her understand what the strange images of a child mean, but Todd lies, insisting that Marty never had children and that she is thinking only of "the son she never had," further encouraging her to join him in raising his daughter's soon-to-be-stolen child.
When Starr goes into labor on October 31, 2008, Todd and Marty finalize their plans to leave Llanview forever, with Todd buying them a large home in New Mexico
and making plans for Marty and he to marry. Todd also sends Marty's private nurse, con artist Lee Halpern, to assist in his plan to steal Starr's baby; Marty remains unaware of any wrongdoing. When Todd buys Marty a new wardrobe, she models his purchases and the situation culminates in Marty telling Todd that she's falling in love with him and wants make love. As things heat up, he flashes back to the night of the rape. Unaware of the true impact or significance of her words, or how Todd has manipulated her, Marty tells him that he is 'not the man he once was,' and that she is 'healed and new, not the woman she used to be.' She insists that all that matters in the present is their "love." And on November 6, 2008, Todd and the amnesiac and housebound Marty have "consensual" sexual intercourse.
After the act, Todd has second thoughts about stealing his daughter's newborn. Before rushing to the hospital, he tells Marty he will be back soon, leaving her to write in her new diary about her "passionate night" with Todd and their newfound "love." As Marty lies in her bed, John McBain comes crashing through her bedroom window on a rope. When John comes in, Todd appears in the doorway. Confronted with his lies, Todd has to confess everything that he did to Marty. Marty bitterly informs Todd that he has essentially raped her all over again. John beats Todd up and Todd is charged with kidnapping, unlawful restraint, and rape. Todd and Marty are taken to the hospital. While there, Cole sees Marty who she still doesn't recognize. He's the first to tell her that she had children and that he is her son. When alone with Nora, Marty angrily tells Nora that she "willingly" had sex with Todd but she is horrified by what has been done to her. Marty starts to feel nauseous at the thought of having had sex with the man who was the ringleader in her gang rape. Nora advises her to take the morning-after pill
to prevent pregnancy due to her sexual encounter with Todd. She does, and later tells Todd with satisfaction.
In December 2008, Téa Delgado
(Todd's former wife) returns to defend Todd in the subsequent rape trial, and this time Nora, Todd's lawyer from the college gang rape, is the prosecution. The rape charges, as well as the other charges, are dropped when in a scathing cross-examination Téa corners Marty into saying that, regardless of her mental state and diagnosable brain damage done to her in the car accident that caused her amnesia, Marty had invited Todd's 'lovemaking.'
Devastated when the rape and kidnapping charges are then dropped, an unraveling Marty sets a plan in motion; professing to still 'love' Todd—who still delusively believes that even cognizant of their history that Marty could still 'love' him—Marti lures Todd to a private New Year's celebration for two. On the roof of the Palace Hotel on January 2, 2009, she urges him to do the one thing that will make her happy: jump. Todd steps off the edge, and plummets into the water below. His ex-wife Blair drags him out of the river.
Later, Marty's other rapists, Powell Lord and Zach Rosen returned to town. During a series of events, Marty is recaptured by Powell who claims that he's 'helping her' and who blames Todd for having destroyed all of their lives. After Marty and Todd are rescued from Powell Lord, by John McBain, Marty finally remembers her past.
Several months later, Cole is led to believe that Eli Clarke has murdered Starr and their daughter Hope, which results in Cole shooting Eli, killing him. Marty tries to take the blame, but Natalie soon squanders that plan and Cole is sent to prison. It is discovered that Starr and Hope had escaped Eli, but then had been kidnapped by Hannah O'Connor, a troubled young woman whom Marty had taken in to keep the girl from being sent into foster care. Hannah had become obsessed with Cole and had kidnapped Starr in order to kill her so that she (Hannah) could have Cole all to herself, but James Ford
managed to thwart her plans. Both shocked and furious that she had never noticed that Hannah wasn't getting any better, Marty disowns her, coldly informing Hannah that she is unfixable and that it was a mistake to ever trust her before she is dragged away by the police. Marty vows revenge against a now-pregnant Natalie, who claims the baby is John's. Meanwhile, Todd tricks Starr into signing a restraining order forbidding Marty any visitation to Hope, Marty's grandchild, leaving Marty even more devastated.
Marty becomes suspicious of Natalie's friendship with Jessica's fiance and John's friend, Brody Lovett
and wonders if perhaps Natalie's unborn child is really Brody's--- not John's. Upon obtaining a copy of Natalie's amnioplasty results, which claim that Brody is the father of Natalie's child, Marty uses it as an opportunity to exact her revenge. She confronts Natalie and attempts to blackmail her into springing Cole from jail, threatening to tell John about the DNA test if she does not. However, after discovering that John has proposed to Natalie, Marty seemingly promises not to do so, but in fact plans to tell Jessica at the ceremony and have her inform John. To this end, she crashes the ceremony, but her plan derails when Jessica is rushed to the hospital due to pregnancy complications. In the ensuing argument between herself and Natalie, Marty falls and strikes her head.
Natalie subsequently takes Marty to the Buchanan lodge, holding her at gunpoint and planning to leave her stranded at the lodge with no way to get help, and also to ensure that Marty loses her job as a psychologist after informing the cops that Marty stole her medical records. However, when Natalie's water breaks before she can leave, Marty turns the tables on her, turning a deaf ear to Natalie's pleas and departing, leaving the laboring
Natalie alone with no way to send for help.
However, Marty has a pang of conscience and returns to help Natalie give birth. John tracks her and Marty to the lodge and walks in moments after Natalie has given birth to a baby boy. When Marty holds Natalie's baby, she suffers a complete nervous breakdown, believing it to be her and John's baby. At the hospital, it becomes clear to all that Marty is completely insane, as she is convinced that it was Natalie and not Eli who pushed her down the stairs. After bursting in on John and Natalie, sobbing that the baby is hers and that Natalie is trying to steal it, Marty is committed and sedated.
The truth about Natalie's baby eventually comes out, and a betrayed John calls off their engagement. As he begins dating Kelly Cramer
, a seemingly recovered Marty is released from St. Anne's; soon after, she confesses to her psychiatrist, Dr. Buhari, that she switched Natalie's paternity test results--- and that John is indeed the father of little Liam. However, instead of going to Natalie and John with the truth, Marty keeps it to herself in the hopes that she will be able to reconcile with John. Showing that she is still deranged, Marty threatens both Natalie and Kelly, prompting John to feign interest in a reconciliation with Marty just so he can keep an eye on her. In May 2011, Marty becomes even more unhinged and sees not only Natalie but Kelly as a threat to her reunion with John. When Marty arrives at John's to prepare him dinner, she has a confrontation with Kelly, who pick up a knife in defense. Off screen Marty stabs Kelly twice, who is later discovered bleeding in the bathroom by John.
Later, Natalie, having acquired Marty's session tape, confronts Marty on the roof of the Angels Square Hotel. After a brief struggle Marty ends up hanging on for dear life, saved by Natalie. Marty thanks Natalie for saving her life, but then pushes Natalie off of the roof. Natalie miraculously survives the fall and is discovered by John and Brody. When Brody goes to the roof searching for Marty, Marty knocks him out and leaves, taking Liam with her. Todd shares the news with Marty that her husband Patrick is still alive. He then takes her to the airport where he tells her that she's going to see her husband, but before Marty leaves she tells Todd that she forgot to tell John that Liam is his son. Marty gets Todd to promise that he will indeed tell John the truth, and afterwards Marty leaves town with Patrick on the plane.
inspired feminist studies
, and Haskell won a Daytime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Supporting Actress
for the role in 1994. In 2009, she won for Outstanding Lead Actress
.
Though the rape storyline was well-received, it was also criticized. Opinions were given that it polarized "the gap between rapists and the raped". There was concern that the show departed from the rape paradigm
by not only insisting the essential "goodness" of Powell Lord, who had also raped Marty, but that it implied peer pressure
"could be an adequate (or even physiologically possible) excuse for rape". Analyst Mary Buhl Dutta reasoned the storyline invokes "rape myths" cataloged by scholar Martha R. Burt, such as "only bad girls get raped," "women ask for it," and "women 'cry rape' only when they've been jilted or have something to cover up". Burt said such myths "deny or reduce perceived injury, or ... blame the victims for their own victimization".
At the time of Haskell's return to the role in 2008, Marty was called "one of those tentpole characters [characters who hold enormous sway with viewers] that everyone who has watched One Life to Live at some point remembers".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the American daytime drama
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. The role was originated by Susan Haskell
Susan Haskell
Susan Haskell is a Canadian actress. She portrays the role of Dr. Margaret "Marty" Saybrooke, bad-girl-turned-good-turned-bad-again, on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.-Private life:...
, who portrayed Marty from January 24, 1992 through September 16, 1997 and made brief appearances on February 16, 2004 and February 2005. Christina Chambers
Christina Chambers
Christina Mae Chambers is an American actress and model.-Private life:Chambers was born into a family of academics, both parents holding doctorates . She is the next-to-youngest of four siblings...
portrayed the role from November 17, 2006 to December 4, 2007, with the character written off for "storyline reasons". Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008 and left on June 6, 2011.
The character was a show heroine, and her 1993 gang rape led by Todd Manning
Todd Manning
Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. Created by writer Michael Malone, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. In 2003, Howarth departed from the series and the role was recast with actor Trevor St. John as Todd, initially written...
is considered one of soap opera's classic, "most remembered and impactful" storylines.
Casting and writing
Marty was conceived as a short-term role. The series had just scripted the death of character Megan Gordon Harrison (Jessica TuckJessica Tuck
Jessica Ines Tuck is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Megan Gordon Harrison on One Life to Live, Gillian Gray on Judging Amy, and Nan Flanagan on True Blood. She also appeared as Madeline Peterson Woods on Days of our Lives.-Personal life:Tuck was born in New York City and is a...
), by the life-threatening disease lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus , often abbreviated to SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage...
. Not wanting viewers to think that lupus is always fatal, they decided to introduce Marty as a character who survives the disease. "The character was planned to be part of just one story line," said then-executive producer Susan Bedsow Horgan. "But [Haskell] is such a wonderful actress that we wanted to write more for her."
Marty was soon characterized as representing "the destructive, privileged, college girl, sexually promiscuous and with a serious
drinking problem". She is at first positioned as causing significant problems for character Reverend Andrew Carpenter. She develops a crush on him, but he does not respond to her romantic advances. For revenge, she spreads a rumor that he is gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and is having a sexual affair with an underage, gay teenage boy. Scandal erupts, but Andrew's reputation is eventually restored.
When head writer Michael Malone
Michael Malone
Michael Malone is an Emmy Award-winning American author and television writer, born in Durham, North Carolina. He is best known for his work on the ABC Daytime drama One Life to Live, as well as for his best-selling works of fiction Handling Sin , Foolscap , and murder mystery First Lady...
decided to write a gang rape storyline, he started to transition Marty from being primarily bad to being primarily sympathetic. Through further development, the writers "explained her cynicism and self-destructive behavior as the result of her being orphaned: Her parents had died when she was quite young, leaving her to be raised by a selfish aunt". The series continued Marty's redemption, to where she eventually became the show's main heroine through seeking justice for her gang rape.
Portrayals
Haskell stated of Marty, "She's strong and tough, and she really doesn't trust anyone. She just wants to love and be loved, but that hasn't worked for her yet." Haskell compared Marty to herself. "I always think if she'd had the life I had, we'd probably be very similar," she said.In 2006, Chambers stepped into the role (Haskell was unavailable at the time due to her real-life pregnancy). When asked if she thought "fans had a little trouble separating how the character was written this time around from the fact that this is a new face playing the character," she said, "Whenever you do a recast, it's always going to be a little bit of a struggle. It's unfortunate that they picked up with Marty 15 years in soap time down the road." Chambers stated, "I think the fans were ready to pick up 15 years ago with the character with her traits and that's not what was given to them."
Haskell later returned as Marty on June 11, 2008. When asked what was it like to start portraying the character again, she stated, "It’s great. I was a little nervous. It’s been a long time... But I’ve gotta say that everyone’s made it so easy there. They’ve been very accommodating." She said, "It’s like going home.... And now the role is even more complex. What a gift. It’s a great character. She’s not your run-of-the-mill character. Her life has been up and down. Now it’s even more complicated."
Frank Valentini, the show's executive producer, helped to come up with a schedule for Haskell's return, since she was initially busy taking care of her newborn child. "[He] knew that from the beginning. When he contacted me I was like, 'This is the deal.' He knew this wasn’t a full-time thing for me this time," she said. "And the way they shoot the shows now, it’s easier. It wasn’t like when I was there before and you had all day for one show." Haskell stated they had "a fantastic nanny who’s been with me since the baby was born. And Thorsten’s
Thorsten Kaye
Thorsten Kaye is a German-British actor.-Early life:...
mom is also nearby, so when I’m gone for the day, both of them are here".
Haskell said she decided to return to the series for longer this time because she trusted Valentini and knew that Ron Carlivati
Ron Carlivati
Ron Carlivati is an American soap opera writer born on November 25, 1968 .-Career:It was announced in the February 27 edition of Soap Opera Digest that Carlivati was promoted to Co-Head Writer of the ABC Daytime serial One Life to Live alongside Dena Higley. On June 4, 2007, Frank Valentini...
was back in charge as head writer. "And I knew that he was aware of the character. That was one of the concerns about the previous head writer [ Dena Higley
Dena Higley
Dena Higley is an American television soap opera writer who lives in Los Angeles, California. She was head writer of Days of our Lives...
]," stated Haskell. "She really didn’t seem to. But you know, I feel safe there and it’s not my first time around, so if I’ve got questions or ideas, we’ll all just figure them out together." Haskell felt that an amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
-stricken Marty was a good idea, and was interested in working with Trevor St. John
Trevor St. John
Trevor Marshall St. John is an American actor. He portrayed Todd Manning/Victor Lord Jr. on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live, and has starred in various prime time shows and film.-Career:...
(current Todd) and Michael Easton
Michael Easton
Michael Easton is an American television actor, poet, author and photographer.-Career:Easton has made appearances on television shows such as Ally McBeal and The Practice. He had a recurring role on the science fiction television series Mutant X...
as John McBain
John McBain (One Life to Live)
John McBain is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Michael Easton since October 1, 2003.-Natalie and Evangeline:...
.
Haskell asked Valentini to send her information on what her character had done since she last portrayed the role. "...[H]e said, 'Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. She doesn’t remember.' Okay! Great! You don’t even know how much help that was for me," stated Haskell. She said she did "put a lot of thought into" how her character would be now, but that "it comes back to you, it really does. The most prep I did was learning my stinking lines. That was where I was the most out of practice. Gotta get that muscle going again".
Storyline
Marty Saybrooke is the scion of one of LlanviewLlanview, Pennsylvania
Llanview, Pennsylvania is the fictional setting for the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The city exists in the same fictional universe as cities from other existing or defunct ABC daytime dramas, including Pine Valley from All My Children, Port Charles from General Hospital, and...
's oldest and most prestigious families. Orphaned at an early age, "poor little rich girl" Marty grows up alone in her family's mansion and is the sole heiress to her parent's fortune. Marty comes to be a troubled young woman who resorts to binge-drinking to garner attention.
Marty is introduced as the roommate of the ailing Megan Harrison during her stay at Llanview Hospital. Both Megan and Marty are diagnosed with lupus, but Marty has chosen to ignore the consequences of her hard-partying lifestyle, which has exacerbated the symptoms of her dangerous disease. Despite her rough exterior, it is clear that deep down, Marty has a wounded heart. After Megan passes away, Marty becomes close to one of her neighbors, Megan's mother Viki Buchanan
Victoria Lord
Victoria "Viki" Lord is the principal fictional character and matriarch of the Lord family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
. She also becomes infatuated with Reverend Andrew Carpenter. When Andrew rebuffs Marty's advances, the spurned young woman launches a smear campaign
Smear campaign
A smear campaign, smear tactic or simply smear is a metaphor for activity that can harm an individual or group's reputation by conflation with a stigmatized group...
across Llanview, using her knowledge of classmate Billy Douglas' homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
against him, claiming that Andrew is gay and has been having "illicit relations" with young Billy. The rumor is squelched, and Marty's credibility is severely tarnished.
Todd Manning, rape and early years following
Marty's life is forever changed when she meets cocky Llanview University quarterback Todd ManningTodd Manning
Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. Created by writer Michael Malone, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. In 2003, Howarth departed from the series and the role was recast with actor Trevor St. John as Todd, initially written...
, and has a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
with him. "Ladies' man" Todd learns he has met his match when the flighty Marty rejects him the next day. Todd still pursues her, but Marty does not give in to his boorish and chauvinistic advances. Over time, a bitter resentment and rivalry develops between the two, particularly after Marty agrees to be Todd's tutor. Todd fails a crucial course due to lack of studying, and irrationally blames Marty for his failure, while still stung by her romantic rejection of him. His anger having reached a boiling point, Todd begins to plot the ultimate revenge on Marty.
On May 13, 1993, when Marty becomes drunk at the "Spring Fling" party on campus, she is gang raped by ringleader Todd and two of his fraternity brothers, Zach Rosen and Powell Lord III. Marty eventually reports the rape, and Todd is arrested along with Zach, Powell, and Powell's distant cousin Kevin Buchanan
Kevin Buchanan
Kevin Lord Riley Buchanan is a fictional character on the soap opera One Life to Live. The character is the first child born to original characters Victoria Lord and Joe Riley.-Casting:...
(whom Marty mistakenly believes has also raped her). Placed on trial, the four men are represented by attorney Nora Gannon
Nora Hanen
Nora Hanen Buchanan is a fictional character on the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated by Hillary B. Smith in September 1992.-Casting:...
, ex-wife of District Attorney Hank Gannon
Hank Gannon
Henry "Hank" Gannon is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated the role in February 1992 by Nathan Purdee...
and mother of Kevin's girlfriend Rachel Gannon
Rachel Gannon
Rachel Gannon is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The daughter of attorneys Nora Hanen and Hank Gannon, the role was originated and most notably portrayed by actress Ellen Bethea.-Casting:...
. Nora believes in the innocence of Todd and the others, and is clearly winning the trial, especially after Marty remembers that Kevin had nothing to do with the attack and exonerates him, which damages Marty's case even further. Kevin, however, grateful for Marty's confession, decides to help Marty. He and Jason Webb (Dorian Lord's boyfriend at the time) found another young woman named Carol Swift, who reveals that Todd raped her as well. Disgusted, Nora intentionally causes a mistrial.
A furious Todd declares revenge on Marty. He corners her in an alley and threatens to rape her again, but Luna Moody comes to Marty's rescue and scars Todd's face in the process. Powell witnesses the incident and tells the police. In addition, Marty manages to trick Todd into confessing to the rape, which she tape records. Todd is sent to jail, determined to get revenge on Marty, Nora, and Powell (whom Todd will learn years later is his biological cousin). Later Todd briefly escapes from jail, again threatens to rape Marty at gunpoint, resulting in Marty's boyfriend, Suede Pruitt, attempting to come to her rescue and being killed during his struggle with Todd.
Marty's life remains turbulent even after Todd is convicted of his crimes; after finishing medical school, she revisits the past in a brief, foolhardy flirtation with Andrew Carpenter, who is tempted away from his new wife Cassie. Then, Marty grows close to Luna's brother Dylan Moody. After the fugitive Todd saves Marty, Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
, and C.J. and Sarah Roberts
Sarah Roberts
Sarah Victoria Roberts is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She is the daughter of Tina Lord and Cord Roberts.-Casting:...
from a car crash, he is pardoned and set free, enraging his former victim. Nonetheless, over time, Todd and Marty forge a strange kind of understanding, and attempt to gain some closure. Todd encourages Marty to confront her aunt, Kiki, who is her guardian. Kiki, a society friend of Dorian's, has been raiding Marty's immense trust fund to finance her jet-set lifestyle. Marty travels to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
where her aunt is staying and succeeds in severing ties with her. While in Ireland, Marty meets and falls in love with former Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
terrorist-turned-poet Patrick Thornhart
Patrick Thornhart
Patrick Thornhart is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera, One Life to Live. He was played by Thorsten Kaye from October 1995 to September 16, 1997, and an unknown actor by June 3, 2011 to June 6, 2011.-Storylines:...
, who is trying to escape some former criminal "associates". However, back in Llanview, a young AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
patient whom Marty has cared for is dying. Todd travels to Ireland and lends Marty his private jet to fly back while he helps her newfound love, only to be mistaken for Patrick and allegedly killed by the assassins. Todd's pregnant wife, Blair Cramer
Blair Cramer
Blair Cramer is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live...
, harbors great resentment toward Marty for her part in Todd's "death".
Upon her return to the States, Marty works with Patrick to help Bo Buchanan
Bo Buchanan
Beaufort Oglethorpe "Bo" Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.-Casting and awards:The role was originated in 1979 by Robert S. Woods, who briefly left the series in 1986 but returned in 1988, and currently portrays the role...
and the Llanview Police Department foil the plans of the Irish terrorist cell "the Men of 21". After an ill-advised marriage to the paralyzed Dylan, Marty admits her true love for Patrick and they finally reunite. Unfortunately, while still single, Patrick has already spent the night with a lonely Blair, conceiving a child. Tragically, Blair loses the baby in a car accident, but Todd, now back from the dead, blames Patrick for Blair's loss, and contacts another of Patrick's old foes, IRA terrorist Mahoney. On the day of Patrick and Marty's wedding, Mahoney shoots Patrick, who appears to "die" in Marty's arms at Todd's penthouse. Marty sobs as she clutches her husband's lifeless body, and tells Todd that Todd is not a man, but a curse. While in the ambulance with Patrick, however, Marty is shocked to discover Patrick is, in fact, still alive. Together, Marty and Patrick flee the country to live happily ever after, telling only friends Nora, Bo, and Mel Hayes of their fate, fearing reprisal from Patrick's enemies. In her cryptic letter, the newly-pregnant Marty tells Bo and Nora that they are expecting a daughter.
Brief reappearances and official return
Years later, Marty briefly reappears in early 2004 to testify on Todd's behalf when he is on trial for supposedly raping Blair; she explains that she is now openly living in California as a practicing psychiatrist working with sex offenders, and tells the court that she believes Todd is a "changed man". Despite never forgiving Todd for her rape, Marty believes that Todd is so traumatized, that he will never commit the crime of rape again. She urges Blair, who is unaware that she is suffering from a brain tumor, to reconsider her recollection of the night Todd "raped" her. Marty makes no mention of Patrick or their child, or how they have eluded the terrorists hunting the Thornharts. The following year, Marty appears again, as a hallucination of Todd's, taunting him after his rape and torture at the hands of Margaret CochranMargaret Cochran
Margaret Cochran is a fictional character on the soap opera, One Life to Live. The character was played by Rebecca Mader from March 26 to June 8, 2004...
. This spectre comments on the irony of "Margaret [raping] Todd", due to Marty's birth name also being Margaret.
Marty returns to Llanview on November 17, 2006 (now played by Christina Chambers
Christina Chambers
Christina Mae Chambers is an American actress and model.-Private life:Chambers was born into a family of academics, both parents holding doctorates . She is the next-to-youngest of four siblings...
). Marty is shocked to learn that her son, high school quarterback Cole
Cole Thornhart
Cole Patrick Thornhart is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. He was played by Brandon Buddy from October 10, 2006 to November 10, 2010. He is also the nephew of Ian Thornhart, Patrick's identical twin brother from the now-defunct series Port Charles...
(her child by Patrick), is being accused of attacking Todd and Blair's daughter, Starr
Starr Manning
Starr Irene Manning is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Portrayed by Kristen Alderson since 1998, Starr is the oldest child of Todd Manning and Blair Cramer, and was originally known for her mischievous behavior, exacerbated by her parents' volatile...
. Marty reveals that she has just recently moved back to Llanview and has set up her practice, and that she and Cole are still reeling from Patrick's mysterious death. Todd, Blair, and Marty are all determined to keep their children apart.
Spencer Truman
Marty serves as psychiatric consult in the court case against the nefarious Dr. Spencer TrumanSpencer Truman
Dr. Spencer Truman was a fictional character on the soap opera One Life to Live. He was played by Paul Satterfield from May 25, 2005 to January 30, 2007. Satterfield has reprised the role, in the form of Ghost by characters Miles Laurence and John McBain, several times in 2007...
, declaring him mentally unfit and thus sparing him a prison sentence, outraging Todd, Blair, and Llanview Chief of Detectives John McBain
John McBain (One Life to Live)
John McBain is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Michael Easton since October 1, 2003.-Natalie and Evangeline:...
, whose father was killed by Spencer in Atlantic City. Later, when Spencer is killed while attempting to abduct and rape a hospitalized Blair, McBain is determined to find the culprit. Marty, meanwhile, begins having disturbing visions of being in Blair's hospital room on the night of the murder, and seeing a scalpel.
Marty confesses her fears of having killed Spencer to her therapist, but can not fully remember what her mind has blocked out from that fateful night. When the lovestruck Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence
Miles Laurence is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. He was portrayed by David Chisum from February 12, 2007 to April 22, 2008.-Storylines:...
is determined to win Marty's heart, he takes extreme measures, stealing Marty's audiotaped "confession" from her therapist's office and blackmailing her with it, forcing Marty to marry him in order to retain custody of her son. Marty finally tells John McBain about her precarious situation, and John becomes determined to exonerate Marty, find Spencer's true murderer, and end Miles' sick game with Marty's life. Before John can learn the truth, however, the evidence against Marty becomes overwhelming, and she is arrested as the prime suspect in Truman's murder. John and Marty struggle to uncover the hazy details surrounding the night Spencer was killed, and eventually Marty remembers that she was never able to strike Spencer; instead, he assaulted her and left her in a vacant hospital room, leaving her with a head injury. Soon thereafter, John deduces that Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport is a fictional character from the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Catherine Hickland from May 1998 to October 2008. Hickland briefly reprised the role in July 2009. Hickland is set to reprise her role as Lindsay in late 2011...
is the real murderer, and Marty is released from prison.
Freedom and apparent death
After being exonerated, Marty is determined to move forward with her life and end her marriage to Miles. A guilt-ridden Miles, having seen the error of his ways, helps the process along by confessing in open court to having blackmailed Marty into their marriage. Weeks later, Marty's marriage is annulled. Cole and Jessica BuchananJessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
urge Marty to consider a romantic future with John McBain, but a bashful and unsure Marty refuses to consider it. Regardless, Marty seeks John out, and the two spend an afternoon walking the Llanview docks. At the close of the evening, Marty impulsively kisses John. Marty instantly apologizes, but an intrigued John tells her not to be sorry. They share a romantic kiss again soon after.
John and Marty continue to bond during the custody trial for Tommy McBain, but after Marcie McBain goes on the run with her adoptive son, John leaves Llanview to pursue his sister-in-law, along with Todd Manning. After John starts a barfight in Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, he and Todd are arrested. Marty and Blair go down to Decatur and bail them out. Marty and Blair insist on joining John and Todd as they search for Marcie in the hopes of preventing the two enemies from killing each other. After the group hits the road, John's car breaks down, and the quartet is forced to get a room at a local motel. Initially there is only one room available but Todd uses his "charm" and money to obtain a room from one of the other guests. Marty and John spend the night together in the first room. During the evening, John opens up to Marty about the murder of his former fiancee, Caitlin Fitzgerald, and explains that Lee Ramsey, the FBI agent pursuing Marcie, holds a grudge against him because of Caitlin's death. Marty in turn confides in John about Patrick's murder. She reveals that Patrick was killed by old enemies from Ireland, and that his old friend Simon Ryerson came to her door to give her the news. Having bonded by unburdening themselves, John and Marty end up making love.
After Cole is abducted back in Llanview by a mysterious man in a "Death" costume, another unseen figure shows up at John and Marty's motel room and grabs her just as she gets a call from Starr on Cole's cell phone. Marty and Cole are taken to Ireland and held hostage by none other than Patrick's "old friend" Simon, who was actually the terrorist who killed Patrick. Simon is determined to get an incriminating "list of names" which Patrick kept from his days with the "Men of 21", but is frustrated to discover that Marty has no knowledge of the list; in reality, Patrick hid the list on a microchip
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
inside one of his own poetry books. John finds the chip, and he and Lee Ramsey pursue Marty and Cole overseas and make contact with Simon in Ireland. They set a time and meeting for an exchange: Marty and Cole for Patrick's microchip. Things seem to be going as planned, until Ramsey fires upon the van which contains Marty and Cole in an attempt to apprehend the terrorists. The van spins out of control and goes careening over a cliff. Racing to the bottom of the rock quarry, John struggles to free Marty from the wrecked van, but she insists that he find Cole first, saying she has no life without her son. John reluctantly leaves her side and is able to rescue Cole, who was thrown from the van in the crash, but watches helplessly as the van explodes. Marty is presumed dead, and the bereaved John and Cole return to Llanview.
In the aftermath of Marty's death, her loved (and not-so-loved) ones deal with her loss in their own way: John discovers her posthumous Christmas gift, a dartboard with Todd's face on it; Cole undertakes grief counseling
Grief counseling
Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help people cope with grief and mourning following the death of loved ones, or with major life changes that trigger feelings of grief ....
with friend Langston Wilde
Langston Wilde
Langston Wilde Cramer is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. She has been played by Brittany Underwood from May 17, 2006 til April 12, 2011...
; and Todd quietly orders a lavish flower arrangement for her memorial service, without leaving his name.
Resurrection
In the spring of 2008, John becomes suspicious about Ramsey's shady activities since becoming Police CommissionerPolice commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
of Llanview. Banding together with fellow police officers Antonio Vega
Antonio Vega
Antonio Vega is a fictional character on the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated on July 10, 1995 by Kamar de los Reyes, who left in August 1997 and made an appearance in 1998. De los Reyes returned in February 2000 and portrayed the character until March 25,...
and Talia Sahid
Talia Sahid
Talia Cosima Sahid is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live played by BethAnn Bonner from December 21, 2006 to April 22, 2009.-Casting:...
, John works to expose Ramsey as a dirty cop and avenge Marty's death. During the course of their investigation, the trio learn about a mysterious woman Ramsey is keeping hidden away in his high-rise penthouse, tended to by a private nurse. John becomes convinced that this woman is key to unraveling the mystery behind Ramsey's double dealings. As it happens, John's suspicions are correct: Ramsey masterminds the theft of the crown jewels of Mendorra from Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport
Lindsay Rappaport is a fictional character from the American daytime drama One Life to Live, portrayed by Catherine Hickland from May 1998 to October 2008. Hickland briefly reprised the role in July 2009. Hickland is set to reprise her role as Lindsay in late 2011...
's art gallery in order to fence them and pay for his houseguest's costly medical care. It becomes clear that the mystery woman is not merely bedridden, but also mentally impaired due to her unknown ailments. Meanwhile, John's curiosity deepens when he discovers X-rays in Ramsey's office which detail the severe physical trauma of an unidentified female patient.
John has a surveillance device planted inside Ramsey's penthouse. John, Antonio, and Talia stake out the building, waiting for Ramsey or his guest to come into audio range of their "bug." On June 11, 2008, the officers listen in as Ramsey speaks to the woman, who says only two words on tape before the surveillance device goes out of range: "Help me." As John struggles to identify the familiar voice, it is revealed that the mystery woman being cared for by Lee Ramsey is none other than Marty.
Ramsey is working with con artist Tina Lord
Tina Lord
Tina Lord Roberts is a fictional character on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live, originated and most notably portrayed by Andrea Evans...
, the Crown Princess of Mendorra, who he plans to sell the Mendorran crown jewels to in order to provide for the crippled Marty's medical treatment. During an exchange between Ramsey and Tina for the jewels, two thugs hired by Jonas Chamberlain enter the penthouse. While Tina hides in another room, Ramsey is murdered by the two thugs, who are then shot and killed by John when he arrives on the scene. Seizing the opportunity, Tina flees the penthouse, distracting John from going upstairs and finding Marty. Later, Todd arrives, having followed Tina, and discovers Marty, who has been left with amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
after the explosion in Ireland and has no idea who Todd is. Todd brings Marty to his new home, where he keeps her as his 'guest,' hiding the traumatized woman from her family and friends while telling her that she has no family or friends.
Tabula Rasa
Marty has a photograph of herself with John, whom she feels a connection to, and when Marty asks about who the man in the picture is, Todd feeds Marty several lies, telling her that John is the man who left her to die. Todd begins to feed Marty a slanted, selective version of their shared history, claiming that they were friends in college, and colorfully embroidering the truth to claim that John stole his wife and family from him. When Marty pressures Todd for more information about the past, Todd tells Marty that she was gang raped in college, while not letting on that he was involved. Marty comes to rely on Todd as a caretaker during her slow rehabilitation, and finds herself growing close to the man he represents himself to be. Todd begins telling Marty that she is his only confidant during his estrangement from Blair and his daughter Starr. When Blair becomes suspicious of Todd "mystery woman" in his house, he claims that the unidentified woman is his new girlfriend and that their connection is "deeper than sex." Todd nonetheless allows himself to enjoy his and Marty's "friendship" while he deceives her. On August 18, 2008, Marty has a nightmare, in which she begins remembering her rape. Later that night, she dreams of John, who warns her that Todd is lying to her.When Todd learns that his niece, Jessica
Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
, who has had a mental breakdown in the wake of her husband's death, is operating under an alternate personality "Tess," he's cornered into a stalemate where 'Tess' threatens to reveal that he's hiding Marty if he reveals that Jessica has had a psychiatric meltdown. 'Tess' then backed-up Todd's lies to the unsuspecting Marty.
Over time, Marty and Todd's "relationship" intensifies, and Marty begins to express romantic feelings for her 'caretaker.' On the outs with his family and increasingly delusional, Todd kisses Marty passionately then pulls away. Todd begins to fantasize about a "clean slate", free of all the "mistakes of the past." In a manic outburst, Todd offers Marty a shocking proposition: Run away with him, and raise his daughter's unborn child. Todd claims that his daughter, Starr, wants him to have her baby, when in reality Starr wants nothing to do with her father. Starr intends to give the baby up for adoption to Marcie McBain. Marty is shaken by Todd's request to run away and start a family with him, but, still unknowing of the truth, she agrees; however, when Marty continues to dream about John McBain and regains her ability to walk, Todd fears that his lies will be exposed. As Marty grows physically stronger, the unstable Todd grows eager to whisk Marty away to their "new life" before she can remember the truth. Meanwhile, John continues to investigate the "mystery woman" Blair told him about and begins to suspect that Marty may be alive and imprisoned by Todd.
Growing increasingly obsessed with the idea of "erasing their past," Todd describes himself as 'falling in love' with Marty and proposes marriage to her. Marty refuses, saying she needs to understand who she was before she can move forward into the future. But, when Marty accesses the internet on Todd's laptop and begins to research her past, Todd convinces her to abandon her search for her previous life, 'let go of the past', and move on with him. Marty's memories are stirred when she babysits Jessica's daughter Bree and flashes back to caring for an infant (her son, Cole). Marty pleads with Todd to help her understand what the strange images of a child mean, but Todd lies, insisting that Marty never had children and that she is thinking only of "the son she never had," further encouraging her to join him in raising his daughter's soon-to-be-stolen child.
When Starr goes into labor on October 31, 2008, Todd and Marty finalize their plans to leave Llanview forever, with Todd buying them a large home in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and making plans for Marty and he to marry. Todd also sends Marty's private nurse, con artist Lee Halpern, to assist in his plan to steal Starr's baby; Marty remains unaware of any wrongdoing. When Todd buys Marty a new wardrobe, she models his purchases and the situation culminates in Marty telling Todd that she's falling in love with him and wants make love. As things heat up, he flashes back to the night of the rape. Unaware of the true impact or significance of her words, or how Todd has manipulated her, Marty tells him that he is 'not the man he once was,' and that she is 'healed and new, not the woman she used to be.' She insists that all that matters in the present is their "love." And on November 6, 2008, Todd and the amnesiac and housebound Marty have "consensual" sexual intercourse.
After the act, Todd has second thoughts about stealing his daughter's newborn. Before rushing to the hospital, he tells Marty he will be back soon, leaving her to write in her new diary about her "passionate night" with Todd and their newfound "love." As Marty lies in her bed, John McBain comes crashing through her bedroom window on a rope. When John comes in, Todd appears in the doorway. Confronted with his lies, Todd has to confess everything that he did to Marty. Marty bitterly informs Todd that he has essentially raped her all over again. John beats Todd up and Todd is charged with kidnapping, unlawful restraint, and rape. Todd and Marty are taken to the hospital. While there, Cole sees Marty who she still doesn't recognize. He's the first to tell her that she had children and that he is her son. When alone with Nora, Marty angrily tells Nora that she "willingly" had sex with Todd but she is horrified by what has been done to her. Marty starts to feel nauseous at the thought of having had sex with the man who was the ringleader in her gang rape. Nora advises her to take the morning-after pill
Emergency contraception
Emergency contraception , or emergency postcoital contraception, refers to birth control measures that, if taken after sexual intercourse, may prevent pregnancy.Forms of EC include:...
to prevent pregnancy due to her sexual encounter with Todd. She does, and later tells Todd with satisfaction.
In December 2008, Téa Delgado
Téa Delgado
Téa Delgado is a fictional character from the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. The role was portrayed by Florencia Lozano from January 27, 1997 to March 2, 2000 and briefly in 2002; Lozano returned to the role once again on December 5, 2008.A stern but passionate personality, the character has...
(Todd's former wife) returns to defend Todd in the subsequent rape trial, and this time Nora, Todd's lawyer from the college gang rape, is the prosecution. The rape charges, as well as the other charges, are dropped when in a scathing cross-examination Téa corners Marty into saying that, regardless of her mental state and diagnosable brain damage done to her in the car accident that caused her amnesia, Marty had invited Todd's 'lovemaking.'
Devastated when the rape and kidnapping charges are then dropped, an unraveling Marty sets a plan in motion; professing to still 'love' Todd—who still delusively believes that even cognizant of their history that Marty could still 'love' him—Marti lures Todd to a private New Year's celebration for two. On the roof of the Palace Hotel on January 2, 2009, she urges him to do the one thing that will make her happy: jump. Todd steps off the edge, and plummets into the water below. His ex-wife Blair drags him out of the river.
Later, Marty's other rapists, Powell Lord and Zach Rosen returned to town. During a series of events, Marty is recaptured by Powell who claims that he's 'helping her' and who blames Todd for having destroyed all of their lives. After Marty and Todd are rescued from Powell Lord, by John McBain, Marty finally remembers her past.
Miscarriage and nervous breakdown
Marty and John finally get together, and she soon discovers that she is pregnant with John's child. However, Natalie's feelings for John resurface just as Marty and John begin to celebrate their baby. Tragedy strikes, however, when Marty suffers a miscarriage after being pushed down a flight of stairs by a mystery assailant, who is later revealed to be Eli Clarke. Shortly after, John leaves Marty for Natalie.Several months later, Cole is led to believe that Eli Clarke has murdered Starr and their daughter Hope, which results in Cole shooting Eli, killing him. Marty tries to take the blame, but Natalie soon squanders that plan and Cole is sent to prison. It is discovered that Starr and Hope had escaped Eli, but then had been kidnapped by Hannah O'Connor, a troubled young woman whom Marty had taken in to keep the girl from being sent into foster care. Hannah had become obsessed with Cole and had kidnapped Starr in order to kill her so that she (Hannah) could have Cole all to herself, but James Ford
James Ford (One Life to Live)
James Ford is a fictional character from the ABC original soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated by Nic Robuck on June 9, 2010.-Casting and character creation:...
managed to thwart her plans. Both shocked and furious that she had never noticed that Hannah wasn't getting any better, Marty disowns her, coldly informing Hannah that she is unfixable and that it was a mistake to ever trust her before she is dragged away by the police. Marty vows revenge against a now-pregnant Natalie, who claims the baby is John's. Meanwhile, Todd tricks Starr into signing a restraining order forbidding Marty any visitation to Hope, Marty's grandchild, leaving Marty even more devastated.
Marty becomes suspicious of Natalie's friendship with Jessica's fiance and John's friend, Brody Lovett
Brody Lovett
Brody Lovett is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live portrayed by Mark Lawson since April 24, 2008.-Arrival:Brody is a former Navy SEAL brought to Llanview by Adriana Cramer to distract Gigi Morasco from Adriana's fiancé Rex Balsom...
and wonders if perhaps Natalie's unborn child is really Brody's--- not John's. Upon obtaining a copy of Natalie's amnioplasty results, which claim that Brody is the father of Natalie's child, Marty uses it as an opportunity to exact her revenge. She confronts Natalie and attempts to blackmail her into springing Cole from jail, threatening to tell John about the DNA test if she does not. However, after discovering that John has proposed to Natalie, Marty seemingly promises not to do so, but in fact plans to tell Jessica at the ceremony and have her inform John. To this end, she crashes the ceremony, but her plan derails when Jessica is rushed to the hospital due to pregnancy complications. In the ensuing argument between herself and Natalie, Marty falls and strikes her head.
Natalie subsequently takes Marty to the Buchanan lodge, holding her at gunpoint and planning to leave her stranded at the lodge with no way to get help, and also to ensure that Marty loses her job as a psychologist after informing the cops that Marty stole her medical records. However, when Natalie's water breaks before she can leave, Marty turns the tables on her, turning a deaf ear to Natalie's pleas and departing, leaving the laboring
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
Natalie alone with no way to send for help.
However, Marty has a pang of conscience and returns to help Natalie give birth. John tracks her and Marty to the lodge and walks in moments after Natalie has given birth to a baby boy. When Marty holds Natalie's baby, she suffers a complete nervous breakdown, believing it to be her and John's baby. At the hospital, it becomes clear to all that Marty is completely insane, as she is convinced that it was Natalie and not Eli who pushed her down the stairs. After bursting in on John and Natalie, sobbing that the baby is hers and that Natalie is trying to steal it, Marty is committed and sedated.
The truth about Natalie's baby eventually comes out, and a betrayed John calls off their engagement. As he begins dating Kelly Cramer
Kelly Cramer
Kelly Cramer is a fictional character on the long-running daytime soap opera One Life to Live, most notably portrayed by Gina Tognoni, who first appeared in the role February 17, 1995 and left on August 24, 2011.-Casting:...
, a seemingly recovered Marty is released from St. Anne's; soon after, she confesses to her psychiatrist, Dr. Buhari, that she switched Natalie's paternity test results--- and that John is indeed the father of little Liam. However, instead of going to Natalie and John with the truth, Marty keeps it to herself in the hopes that she will be able to reconcile with John. Showing that she is still deranged, Marty threatens both Natalie and Kelly, prompting John to feign interest in a reconciliation with Marty just so he can keep an eye on her. In May 2011, Marty becomes even more unhinged and sees not only Natalie but Kelly as a threat to her reunion with John. When Marty arrives at John's to prepare him dinner, she has a confrontation with Kelly, who pick up a knife in defense. Off screen Marty stabs Kelly twice, who is later discovered bleeding in the bathroom by John.
Later, Natalie, having acquired Marty's session tape, confronts Marty on the roof of the Angels Square Hotel. After a brief struggle Marty ends up hanging on for dear life, saved by Natalie. Marty thanks Natalie for saving her life, but then pushes Natalie off of the roof. Natalie miraculously survives the fall and is discovered by John and Brody. When Brody goes to the roof searching for Marty, Marty knocks him out and leaves, taking Liam with her. Todd shares the news with Marty that her husband Patrick is still alive. He then takes her to the airport where he tells her that she's going to see her husband, but before Marty leaves she tells Todd that she forgot to tell John that Liam is his son. Marty gets Todd to promise that he will indeed tell John the truth, and afterwards Marty leaves town with Patrick on the plane.
Reception and impact
Marty's impact on daytime television has been substantial. The 1993 gang rape storylineinspired feminist studies
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
, and Haskell won a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
for the role in 1994. In 2009, she won for Outstanding Lead Actress
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award which has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys ceremony since 1974...
.
Though the rape storyline was well-received, it was also criticized. Opinions were given that it polarized "the gap between rapists and the raped". There was concern that the show departed from the rape paradigm
Paradigm
The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek...
by not only insisting the essential "goodness" of Powell Lord, who had also raped Marty, but that it implied peer pressure
Peer pressure
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member , or a social clique...
"could be an adequate (or even physiologically possible) excuse for rape". Analyst Mary Buhl Dutta reasoned the storyline invokes "rape myths" cataloged by scholar Martha R. Burt, such as "only bad girls get raped," "women ask for it," and "women 'cry rape' only when they've been jilted or have something to cover up". Burt said such myths "deny or reduce perceived injury, or ... blame the victims for their own victimization".
At the time of Haskell's return to the role in 2008, Marty was called "one of those tentpole characters [characters who hold enormous sway with viewers] that everyone who has watched One Life to Live at some point remembers".
Further reading
- Story of Marty and Patrick ThornhartPatrick ThornhartPatrick Thornhart is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera, One Life to Live. He was played by Thorsten Kaye from October 1995 to September 16, 1997, and an unknown actor by June 3, 2011 to June 6, 2011.-Storylines:...
, written from fictional character Patrick Thornhart's point of view.
External links