The Americans: Did Philip ever love Martha?

[@canuck21]

I never felt Philip was in love with Martha, but certainly he cared about her and didn't want her to be hurt.

[@raineyj560]

Agree because you can tell how nuts he was about Elizabeth especially when she confronted him about Marta. Plus, Clark worked w her for so long and he saw she had no one except her parents and her getting killed or imprisoned would have hurt Philip more so he rather she get sent away.

[@user-pk1ix1lb3y]

he was feeling extremely guilty as well, it’s a turning point for his career, the whole thing with martha unraveling. philip’s conscience had been tormenting him for a while but the end of everything with martha made it all even more tangled and complicated. so he’s trying to do what he can to lessen the blow and the pain, and he’s also fighting his mind and his wish for a more normal life. he did come to care for her in a way i think, but he cared even more about the symbol she was, what she represented, as a normal life and also as a lifeline for his sanity. he definitely wouldn’t have been the same at all for the rest of the show had they not extraded martha

[@boudicca9807]

The way I've always seen it is that Philip doesn't love Martha, or certainly isn't 'in love' with her, but he is fond of her.

[@raymondsims7042]

@@boudicca9807agreed that makes the most sense. He likes her as a person but was never in love with her in anyway

[@bikedawg]

Philip had empathy. One of his greatest characteristics.

[@Bootmahoy88]

Yes, he did, and as a KGB operative that was a hindrance. Liz had none. She could play the KGB game perfectly.

[@metro121482]

I never thought Philip loved Martha. He obviously grew to care about her, he was definitely protective of her, and felt incredible guilt about ruining her life. But I thought it was obvious that he was never in love with her.

[@ellenspear50]

Precisely, Philip cared about Martha, as anyone would who had such a close, complex relationship. Philip is shown to be a complex human being, not a psychopath, despite some of the horrible things his job demands. The story of Martha and Clark was, for me, the most compelling one on the show.

[@BatmanHQYT]

It's all in that look of horror he gives while having sex with her for the last time... the mix of crushing guilt as well as shock/confusion/pity that she's still in love with him even after he revealed the terrible truth of who he really was

[@darkphoenix2]

It's kind of obvious he didn't, dunno why anyone would think he did It's also obvious he cared about her, but that doesn't need to mean he loved her

[@thestormlscoming]

Everyone has different definitions of love, and there are different types of love. I think he loved her as you love a friend, and part of love is this sense of responsibility and duty to care for her, which stems from his guilt

[@mikester420]

The truth of knowing that he didn’t love her was the root of his guilt.

[@marshhen]

Mathew has great clarity here. He was wracked with guilt and was indeed dissociating as a character. American sentimentality projects love on every character. But he played it as more complex. I love his candour here and he then holds back out of polite restraint to contradict the director-writer. It is too simplistic to call it love. He could not afford to feel that for his characters and was emotionally attached to her in a way that the character could not process after he destroyed her life completely.

[@nobus2meg211]

Since he's very emotional for a KGB agent, I thought Martha's devotion, love and trust towards Philip touched him first, then his attachment/love for Martha grew inside him.

[@andreajarvis4299]

Elizabeth was his love. Martha he grew to care about her and what happened to her.

[@svendbosanvovski4241]

My reading is that Phil was empathetic and understood what he had done to a lonely, vulnerable woman who fell for him. He had a capacity for shame. But he, like Elizabeth and Gabriel, were true believers and accepted that bad things had to be done for the greater good. Wasn't British actress, Alison Wright, brilliant as Martha.

[@thisismaria27]

I think Philip obviously cared about Martha's well-being and felt enormous guilt about causing her so much harm, but in that scene where Elizabeth asks him it truly comes across that whatever Philip has to do, however much it weighs on his conscience there is nothing he loves as much as Elizabeth and he would choose being with her no matter what.

[@fpbimbim]

Matthew needs to be in a comedy show!

[@christinemiller8723]

Brothers & Sisters was comedy drama...

[@frankenviews4069]

It was the guilt of doing horrible things over and over again to someone who clearly has nothing but love for his character.

[@fiorellacedres]

I wanted to believe he loved her, but if he did what he did to her, he obviously didn't.

[@queenmaoasada8447]

Fiorella Cs He didn’t know her in the beginning, and by the time he sent her to the Soviet Union he was saving her from a life in prison

[@jamesdrynan]

The best scene for Martha, ( Alison Wright, ) was with Gabriel, ( Frank Langella, ) when he visited her in her Russian domicile. Her entire life path was crushed like a coke can by getting involved with Philip. No histrionics, just dreadful acceptance of her new existence.

[@netia2]

I never got the impression that he loved her. He cared about her n was really guilty about how he negatively effected her life. He definitely didn't love her though

[@thestormlscoming]

I can’t believe Matthew said Philip never loved Martha. I definitely think he did. Not in love but a deep caring love even if it stems out of guilt. But I think the point we realize he does love her is when Elizabeth called Martha simple and Philip said no, she was complicated and everyone underestimated her. He respected her. And he respected her enough to not keep lying to her, at least not completely. He did lie about Jennifer and being in love obviously

[@canuck21]

It goes without saying that when Matthew said Philip never loved Martha, he was talking about romantic love and in that regard he's right, Philip never loved Martha that way. He obviously cared and respected Mather and felt guilt for hurting her. It's a platonic love and Matthew was talking about romantic love.

[@thestormlscoming]

@@canuck21 I absolutely do not think that goes without saying. He didn’t specify that and the word love does not innately mean romantic love. You could be right at the end of the day that’s what he meant, but disagree on the supposed obvious nature of it all

[@canuck21]

@@thestormlscoming When I watched this panel, it was obvious to me Matthew was talking about romantic love but I didn't remember why I thought so. Since you're questioning this, I re-watched it and I have pinpointed the moment that made me sure he was talking about romantic love. Watch at the 0:52 mark. He asked "Did you write him as... was he in love?" Indeed it does not go without saying because he actually did say and specify what he meant. Where I got right is Matthew was in fact talking about romantic love.

[@Chris-cd2cn]

Keri, stop playing with yout hair! Im falling in love...

[@ggletv]

i believe it 100%. one of the biggest reasons is that martha is the woman you DON'T fall in love with. not conventionally attractive, a bit on the strange side, used by men. that's exactly why phil picked her after all. but martha eventually getting a man to not only genuinely care for her but fall in love with her is the package that no-one would expect to happen to a woman like her. "Everything I'm about to tell you is the truth. I didn't want to fall in love with you, but I did." philip was telling the truth here 100% and just because he fell in love with martha doesn't change his love for liz.

[@just4music687]

I think Martha's adorable. She is my favorite character and her scenes and some of the best ones in the show. And she also had a very healthy sex drive which many men would find wonderful. She also had a beautiful smile, pretty eyes, hair, and a nice figure. Agent Amador was starting to fall for her again, also, before he was killed. I guess I liked her so much I wanted to believe Phillip loved her a little.

[@rlouie05]

Did those who voiced disappointment or shock at Matthew Rhys’ candid comment seriously think otherwise or something?

[@Gsoup83]

philip has to care about her because he questioned his actions. it made sense. sometimes i wished i would have never watch this show.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Leahcim76]

I think feelings come and go. But it is a decision to actually do the right thing. When he saved her from going to prison, it just showed that even though he was a spy and can easily kill people, he did develop feelings for Martha. To a degree, he did care and love her but not to the point where he would actually give his life for her. This is the complexity of emotions and relationships sometimes.

[@iamlinda100]

He never loved her, though he did grew to care about her, but he certainly was not in love with her. I think Philip will always be IN love with Elizabeth

[@raineyj560]

@@iamlinda100 to me it was the duration of time Clark / Philip spent with Marta and she had nothing else meaningful in her life except her parents and her job. Having her killed or in prison was something Philip couldn't let happen

[@canuck21]

@@iamlinda100 Exactly my thought.

[@laramalbran2391]

I think he cared for her and ended up enjoying her company. I don't think it was heavy for him to be with her, unlike what we see with other women. He was so at easy with Martha because she adored him...maybe that was refreshing for him since Elizabeth was always so icy. But he certainly wasn't "in love" with her and I don't even think he loved her, since he never expressed any concern for her later on.

[@spinalc0rds]

i definitely think he cared for her and he felt guilty for putting her through so much over the years. most of all, i think he did not want her to end up like annelise, who he also cared for out of guilt. but philip says it best in season 3, he was struck when he met elizabeth and never once since

[@mtphill71]

Summary of Philip’s & Martha relationship: Philip was the frat boy and Martha was the naive freshman.

[@bigal25938]

No. He felt guilty as he did more and more with things they did to people.

[@Rob-eo5ql]

No. When she was in the safe house, Philip gets her ice for her ribs from the freezer that has the frozen rat contaminated with Glanders in it. He pauses when he sees the rat but still gives her the ice wrap.

[@SweetSirenia]

That is such a good point. I'd totally forgotten that.

[@michael_c2]

I'm not sure I agree with him. I mean obviously he's more equipped to answer than me but certainly trusted her, he wasn't in love with her but I think he loved her in a way.

[@jeromerizzo423]

No. He just felt bad for her. He didn't plan on putting her in the situation she now faced with the FBI. The same thing happened when Elizabeth had to eliminate an old woman, that was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

[@rosyaruta3698]

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[@TheArrowedKnee]

I thought it was rather obvious that Philip didn't have romantic feelings towards Martha. He did have some sort of feelings towards her yes, but i think that was more towards guilt or pity considering he ruined her life.

[@fannybuster]

For a guy who could kill someone at a heart beat ,I don't think Phillip could love anyone.

[@leeeastwood6368]

Phillip was working an asset! from that perspective, he would appear to have feelings for her!!

[@cathywhelan2157]

He loved Elizabeth

[@canuck21]

There is no doubt Philip loved his wife and children and he was in love with this Elizabeth. He would leave the KGB for his family.

[@debbiedoodiedandi]

I don't think that's true. I actually believe he loved Stan like a friend or brother after all those years, eventhough he was hiding a huge secret the entire time

[@Sampleador]

With all the trash elizabeth character throw to Phillip for being emotional , she was the one who crossed lines with Gregory and Ben and feel more than caring .

[@flabuloza]

no

[@Anonymous-ik2rc]

I did think he loved her tbh.

[@barbiquearea]

I have no doubt he did but he just loved Elizabeth more.

[@iamlinda100]

nah he was always IN love with Elizabeth, with Martha he grew to care for her, but he didn't love her

[@goscott444]

_Martha got a royal screw!_

[@yokie52]

I love that they had her adopt that little girl at the end..so at least she got one thing she wanted.

[@1altruisticsoul]

No matter what Rhys says, it's clear he loved her. Love has many hues. Anyone with a shred of humanity couldn't help, but to love a character as rare n great as the Martha character. Even when she did wrong, it wasnt for self. It was due to her vulnerability, which also makes a strong person care more for someone. Strong skilled people are made to help those in need. Or else your traits go to waste. If he & the Center hadnt helped her, theyd have been hypocrites. No matter if greater good trumps, things like Martha n the teen girl suffering the worst outcome shouldnt be allowed...

[@iamlinda100]

Philip grew to care for Martha, but he didn't "love" her

[@canuck21]

It depends what you mean by love. If by love you mean like loving a close friend or a family member, then yes he loved her. But if you mean love as IN LOVE, then no he was not in love with Martha.

[@greenleo111]

He was never "in love" with Martha, though. That's very clear. He always loved Elizabeth the most. I think you can care about other people and be considerate of them. But that's not the same thing as being "in love."

[@TheArrowedKnee]

The problem is very rooted in that love has many meanings in the english language. Did he have romantic feelings for her? No, i don't think so, not the way that Philip had towards Elizabeth. But he certainly did have some sort of feelings, towards here, more out of pity or guilt, or even in a platonic way.

[@je06365]

Kind of weird that he didn't know how the writers had intended it? They wouldn't convey that?

[@ashimavivek]

Guess that's the beauty of talented actors. And writers/directors probably keep things hidden to get the best out of them. Ofcourse, if they were not happy, they would have probably told him exactly.

[@canuck21]

The writers didn't say Philip was in love with Martha. They did say the love is not the same as being in love with somebody. So with that notion, Matthew played that exactly as it should. When he answered quickly no, I'm sure in his mind when he heard love, he thought of in love.

[@kennethsteinfield6104]

Seems like a very stupid question with an obvious answer.