Family Speculation

[HailStorm]

you all know how much i love to over-analyse things and speculate and how much I love dragging you all down with me getting other people involved too. So what do you reckon the rest of marshall's (not Noah's, Marshall's) family is like, judging by his relatinship with Grant?

[YellowRoses]

The average family?

[YellowRoses]

You know, average mom and dad....how can I explain it... But anywho, I'm rethinking my decision anyways. Whoever raised Grant can't as well be average. Marshall likes money alot so maybe the parents like money too and Grant is a great athlete so maybe one of them is a great athlete. Hmm. I wonder if Marshall has any more siblings?...

[HailStorm]

Well, by his jealousy of Grant it would suggest to me that maybe it seems to him that one or both of his parents favour Grant over him (along with, in his view, the rest of the world ) - especially as, in the bit in chemistry where Marshall explains to grant about his preciousss keyboard it doesn't seem as though Grant is sorry and therefore I might guess that he hadn't been punished or even reprimanded for the willful destrucion of Marshall's property. As they're both musical, this would suggest to me that at least one of their parents was too.

[YellowRoses]

That's a better speculation than mine.

[HailStorm]

It's not about how 'good' a speculation is, it's about starting a discussion - agreeing on points, not agreeing on points, making wild guesses and looking at what the evidence suggests.
For example: There is no actual evidence than Marshall has a sybling other than grant, however, there was no evidence of Grant until he appeared. So do you think Marshall has any more brothers or sisters? (just guessing now). And as suggested by Corrine's comment "You didn't tell me you have a brother" I would say that Marshall doesn't really talk about his home life much, what would that suggest about the harmony (or lack thereof) within his family?

[Noahsgirl]

I know, all of them could have siblings but we just don't know it, cause none of them ever talk about them.

[HailStorm]

Hence the word speculation...
As in thinking about it, guesing, spotting (or indeed making up...) valuable evidence for and against. Say it with me, darlings, speculation... speculate...

[HailStorm]

*weeps at the general lack of imagination*

[Laura]

well.I thinks their basic..you know an average famioly.etc etc...but with the usual sibling rivalry ot of hand.....Sorry I cant think up anything more interesting

[talismaniac]

Woo hoo, it worked! Lol, sorry, if you couldn't tell, I'm a new user... I joined this board like ten minutes ago just so I could reply to your call for speculations, Hailstorm

So, yeah, I love speculation too, especially when it's about my favorite character, which is [of course] Marshall ;D

I've done quite a bit of thinking about his personal life too, mostly because I really want to write a BHH fanfiction, and I sort of have ideas, but not enough knowledge of the BHH conspiracy and Pearadyne Labs to write an accurate one

In any case, speculation does not require specific knowledge, so here're my theories -- there are two, sort of:

For a while I kind of thought that Marshall had a pretty happy home life, maybe a little bit competitive because his parents seemed to favor the older sibling (but most families are like that so it's not too unusual). I kinda felt that maybe his parents were a bit smothering, because Marshall seemed to be very jealous of Vaughn in the first season (particularly in "Invisible") Perhaps he kind of wished he had the freedom he thought that Vaughn had, but now he doesn't resent Vaughn so much after catching the meeting between the latter and his father and seeing how cold Victor Pearson was to his son. It could kind of help him appreciate his own family life a bit more...

Anyway, that was my original theory, but my crazy, angsty mind kind of developed another one as well. Maybe he was resentful of Vaughn because their home lives are similar, and he doesn't really see how he and Vaughn are all that dissimilar (and thus, can't understand why Vaughn's so popular while he's not). I noticed that he doesn't seem to resent Vaughn as much after "Invisible" -- perhaps because he now understands and empathizes with the latter's situation, perhaps because he's lived it himself... (?)

And in addition to that, it might explain why he never talks about his private life (not even to Corrine, who btw I think should get together with Marshall ). Maybe he's just like Vaughn, and he feels uncomfortable talking about his [supposedly] cold home life... Eh, just a theory, anyway.

Yeah, in case you couldn't tell, I really focus on the friendship between Marshall and Vaughn because while it's certainly not addressed much in the show, I think it should be because I think the two would make a really cool pair if they continue to get along. I like seeing two entirely different people find something in common and overcome their differences to become friends. It's kind of the main theme I wanted to use in my potential fanfiction.

Anyway, maybe that'll give you guys more to mull over, maybe form some more speculations of your own. I hope Grant comes back for more episodes because I love brotherly relationships too... They're so fun, and in this case, both brothers are too cute ;D

Cheers, all. I'm out.

[HailStorm]

Hiya! Welcome to Strangedays (People fond of lengthy ramblings and speculation are always more than welcome, from my POV).
I find your concentration on the relationship between Vaughn and Marshall very interesting. It's true that after invisible Marshall seemd to gain some sort of regard for Vaughn (I wouldn't call it liking, exactly, or even a lot of sympathy but there is something. Maybe a willingness to be sympathetic and a willingness to get along, if Vaughn was willing too). And it is an aspect we don't see in the show very much. Marshall hangs out with Corrine (whom I think he sould not go out with, I will try to express why in a logical and articulate way one day but for now just expect me to randomly wave anti-C/M banners), Lucas and sometimes Josie. Vaughn hangs out with the 'populars', Josie, Lucas and very occasionally Corrine (the relationship between thes two is v. interesting too, but that's inexcusably off topic). But you don't ever see Marshall and Vaughn hanging out together unless any of the other parties mentioned are present. I can see them both wanting to get along and both having a friendly regard for the other but neither of them seem to be able to find things to bond over - there's no relationship 'glue' to stick them together. If they found something, which I hope they will, they really could make a good team. It's just finding something that's the problem. And maybe, like you suggested, that thing could be family-angst (a bit like it is w/ Josie and Vaughn).

and he doesn't really see how he and Vaughn are all that dissimilar (and thus, can't understand why Vaughn's so popular while he's not)

Yes, an interesting point. Possibly supported by Marshall's little rant in Invisible ("Maybe if I were 'Mr Popularity', Vaughn Pearson...") - he does seem to have some jealousy issues (he hides them better than Lucas though) - but it's also possible that he was just angry that all his friends were paying more attention to EVERYTHING but him and his mind settled on one thing that would deffinitely be drawing everybody's attention. There's another possibility there, too. In Storm, cute moment, when Vaughn invites Lucas into his room, and Lucas says "It's just like I imagined it..." before realising (horrified) what he said and changing it to "*cough* Sweet pad." implies that Marshall has picked up on the fact (weather they discussed it or Marshall is quite intuitive or both) that Lucas is a bit jealous of Vaughn and romanticises the idea of being like him - a sort of hero-worship (even though, up to the point of joining the Science Club, V isn't particularly pleasant to L) and Marshall is angry that others (particularly his own best friend) admire somebody he would see as inferior (due to not seeming v. clever) to himslef (as he is v. clever) just because they're good-looking, popular and athletic. Wow, that was probably the tangent of the decade... Linking it back in with Marshall's family: Could Marshall consider Vaughn, at that point, as being a bit like Grant - he's got everybody eating out of his hand and in comparison, Marshall feels ignored and inadequate?
btw, I hope you do write a fanfic, I'll look forward to reading it!

[talismaniac]

Wow, Hailstorm, you answered my post very promptly, and I’m impressed. Sorry I did not answer you sooner. I did read this post about two days ago, but I was holding off answering you because immediately after I read your post I went upstairs to bed and was suddenly inspired with a completely new idea for a fanfiction… Lol, so anyway, thanks for that, by the way. Heh heh. I was trying not to post this until I had a good portion of the story done… but knowing how lazy I am about that, it might not be anytime soon. In any case, I do have the prologue and I know where I’m going with it, so we’ll see, I suppose…

Anyway, yeah, I agree that Marshall and Vaughn have a “willingness to get along” even if they don’t yet… That’s why I want to write about it. Try to figure out how a friendship between them will come about, because I really want them all to get along. My fanfic – God help me, should it ever be completed – will definitely focus on that, but I refuse to post any of it until I’m done… I have personal issues with people reading stuff that I haven’t finished. I don’t know, really, but I refuse to post it until then.

Lol, Hailstorm, after reading this post of yours, I’ve kind of been floating around the boards and reading some other stuff you’ve said and I see now how much you really don’t like Corrine and Marshall together. To be honest, I’m not totally crazy about the two of them. I never really thought about them being a couple until some of the more recent episodes, and I think my willingness for them to be together stems more from the fact that I really wish Marshall could get a cool girl than any kind of status as a shipper… Lol. Honestly, I think if he had to choose any girl, that Marshall and Josie would actually be kind of cute together… because they’re so different, but I’m sticking with my firm belief that Josie and Vaughn are great for each other and will end up together anyway at some point… Not to mention the fact that I am not really much of a shipper for any TV show in the first place. I watch friendship and family relation stuff more… Though some day I would like to hear your detailed explanation about why M and C should not be together

But back to family angst, I’m not really sure we’ll ever get much about Marshall’s home life, if we get anything at all. It’s not really a focus of the show, at least not as much as Josie and Vaughn’s parents. Their involvement is crucial to the scientific part of the show, so they get more air time. Then again, with the addition of Grant, and the assumption that he’ll show up more, you never know. Maybe we will learn more about him. ::shrugs::

Oh yeah, and regarding the Vaughn-Lucas friendship, I find that really interesting too, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen when they both find out they like the same girl. I wonder how much Lucas will worship Vaughn when he sees that he’s competition for the girl he likes... But as for their relationship right now, I can conceive that Marshall is having difficulty liking Vaughn because his own best friend (in Hailstorm’s words) “hero-worships” the guy and doesn’t think as highly of Marshall, even though the latter sees himself as intellectually superior to Vaughn. There’s definitely some tension there, which I wish to resolve through fanfiction, because I’m too impatient to wait for them to address it in the show…

OK, so now that I’m done with that, I’m gonna go work on my fanfiction more… ::Sighs:: I really need a title for this thing, but I’m bad with thinking up titles for stuff I’ve already written, I have to have it beforehand or else it takes forever for me to decide on a title I think fits. Ah well, I’m out. ;D

[HailStorm]

but I refuse to post any of it until I’m done… I have personal issues with people reading stuff that I haven’t finished. I don’t know, really, but I refuse to post it until then.

I totally understand. I used to be like that myself but I have moments of impatience when I just post all I have and go off in a sulk That usually leads to unfinished fics, which is a pain

I think my willingness for them to be together stems more from the fact that I really wish Marshall could get a cool girl than any kind of status as a shipper…

I think that's you and pretty much everybody else ;D (and the natural 'pair everyone-up' mechanism that seems rampant in the world :. I'm glad you're not a die-hard C/M shipper, it would probably lead to snarking and other such unpleasantries (not what I want, life is stressful enough).

Lol. Honestly, I think if he had to choose any girl, that Marshall and Josie would actually be kind of cute together… because they’re so different, but I’m sticking with my firm belief that Josie and Vaughn are great for each other and will end up together anyway at some point

Hmmmm, I've hyad this thought before and come to this conclusion: It could happen, but not in the series. Like Corrine/Vaughn, it's something that might work its way into happening later in life (post-university, most likely). I can't really see it happening though, as there seems to be no 'spark' between them. If they were 'together' it would probably be for reasons of comfort and convenience - not because they were madly in love or anything. They'd have fun, I think, but it would all be rather light and insubstantial.

Though some day I would like to hear your detailed explanation about why M and C should not be together

One day... I'll probably end up putting it on my site too (so I don't have to repeat it again and again - I can just put the link and say 'go see!'). Most of it is my sense of impending doom and insistence that certain things WILL bring about the end of the world (or at least the science club). I'll probably make it into an all-encompasing essayette about shipping the science club.

[quoteThen again, with the addition of Grant, and the assumption that he’ll show up more, you never know. Maybe we will learn more about him. ::shrugs::
][/quote]
Ah, yes. It strikes me as very sad, actually, that just after Marshall and Grant have made-up and settled their differences, Grant goes and takes his position on the opposite team, so to speak. It is understandable that little else of his home-life gets screen-time as it doesn't directly affect the storyline. But I like to think about what makes characters tick, what shapes their personality, behaviours and little idiosyncracies and home-life plays an important part in that. So even if they don't get screen time, it still exists, you know? And I'm just doing my best to encourage everybody to think and discuss. (Thankyou for joining in by the way - it's wonderful finding fellow speculators, it really is)

Oh yeah, and regarding the Vaughn-Lucas friendship, I find that really interesting too, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen when they both find out they like the same girl. I wonder how much Lucas will worship Vaughn when he sees that he’s competition for the girl he likes... But as for their relationship right now, I can conceive that Marshall is having difficulty liking Vaughn because his own best friend (in Hailstorm’s words) “hero-worships” the guy and doesn’t think as highly of Marshall, even though the latter sees himself as intellectually superior to Vaughn. There’s definitely some tension there, which I wish to resolve through fanfiction, because I’m too impatient to wait for them to address it in the show

Well, they kind of do by now (I've seen 13 episodes of the new series due to being a UK dweller - I take it you haven't). Lucas, amazingly, is a bit resentfull of Vaughn (especially noticeable in 'Nutrition') but for the most part they're both coping quite well - they seem to not let it affect their freindship too much, but you can sense a sort of awkwardness between them and the occasional snide comment does slip out. I think Marshall is doing his best to not let it affect him too - it would be easy for him to start disliking J and V - J because she's treating him [Lucas] rather shabbily and be a bit annoyed at Vaughn (as having stolen Marshall's thunder he's now contributing to Lucas's pain by being the object of Josie's affections - and Lucas still admires him). But Marshall seems to be a reasonable kind of guy and knows that it isn't Vaughn's fault. Instead he concentrates on the Lucas side of things and is being supportive of him. As a result of this, things are holding together, just... but if the situation gets much worse I think it will spell trouble.

Marshall's ability to 'switch off' his own feelings in order to look after others and try to, if not resolve then at least stabilise, the situation is a remarkable contrast to Josie's huge flares of temper and Lucas's tendencies to take things very personally: but was he taught directly to do this by his parents/family members, did he learn it through having an emotionally overbearing family, or is it innate?