FIRED from writing about the boys because this took FOREVER sodjfnfkdkd sorry sometimes the brain just. Doesn't. 😅

Ahem. So. (Also disclaimer; this is in terms of their MCU counterparts, comics characterization has some similarities to this in my mind but it's not quite the same.)

I love exploring Marc and Jake's relationship because really.. we don't know a whole lot just yet, so there's plenty of room to play around with, right? Five minutes of a scene of Jake along with six episodes with varying degrees of Marc involvement doesn't really leave a lot of room for canon characterization, but to me, there's really only one way that it works.

The way the show ended left Marc and Steven living as a sort of cohesive, brotherly relationship. Things are bumpy, but they're more aware and are beginning to learn to live in tandem with each other. But it didn't start out that way. We went from Steven not knowing of Marc at all, to confusion, to misunderstanding, frustration, resentment caused by Marc's lies and anger from Steven once he realized how many decisions Marc had been making without his input. A ton of work had to be done and processing needed to happen to an extent so that the two could understand each other. And in that dynamic, Marc held the most information.

So what happens when Marc falls into Steven's shoes?

Honestly, I think it would be incredibly funny.. eventually. The point we're at right now, we've got a pushpin right in the dead center of Steven's timeline in season one. Marc is confused. Marc is missing things. Marc is realizing that this time, he's not the one with the upperhand, he's not seeing all the pieces on the board. I don't think he'd react in quite the same way because he's not Steven; Steven had this intense fear of the unknown, was horrified at the existence of someone he didn't understand. He just wanted his little life with his own things and wanted to be content with that, somehow. Until a certain Mr. Marc Spector threw a nuke in the whole thing.

Marc I think would be more.. frustrated initially. Quick to anger. At first, I think he'd be entirely unwilling to acknowledge Jake at all, assuming that if he just ignores the problem, it will go away. Because Marc knows how their brain works, he would've known if there was someone else. And Jake would just laugh. He'd giggle and chortle and it would drive Marc insane. Like, buddy. You really thought you had this under control, all by yourself? Weren't gonna acknowledge all the missing time that couldn't possibly have been accounted for during Steven's waking hours? The bodies? The near impossible escapes that he had no recollection of? The hazy timelines that Steven seemed to sideeye him for just a little too long during his explanations?

Eventually that anger would still come, in the same way it had with Steven but from Marc's perspective. He doesn't always agree with Jake's violence, but Jake knows Marc had never been entirely above hurting people and isn't afraid to call him out on his hypocrisy. He's saved the lot of them more times than he can count and he won't apologize for it, but Marc Knows Best and is constantly picking a fight regarding Jake's methods, his attitude, his blatant refusal to follow Marc's plans. Again, Marc has always (lol) been the one in control, and giving up the reigns will be. Well. Near impossible.

I could talk about this all day, but the way their habits and personalities bounce off of each other has always been so fun to play with for me. The relationships between the three of them are a kaleidoscope of colors, reflections of each other but varying hues that shine in unique ways.