I've started listening to TMA because of your posts and the Shadowgast parallels and LET ME TELL YOU I should block the tag for spoilers but I am weak and I can't I need the juicy hints of what awaits me.
oHHH i am so excited for you!! godspeed because Jonny Sims is going to make you suffer so much and you’re going to enjoy it but... there is so much suffering and i think jonny sims (the archivist character but also the writer) and alex j newman (who plays martin) said in an interview that jon and martin were supposed to be the antithesis of each other, martin was supposed to be the narrative foil with a hopeless crush on jon but jonny sims (the writer) saw the potential in that relationship and turned it into a full-on romance to rival greek tragedies of yore and I respect (and fear) him so much for that
as for the essek/archivist parallels... once you start seeing it you wont be able to stop, his wholeass s1 attitude mirrors Essek’s so much and even going forward as how we get to see jon soften and... knowing that Essek softened for the m9 too... and how... Jon responds to Martin... and how Jon saves martin...there’s those not blatant but underlying tones of jonmartin/shadowgast parallels esp in how they save each other... often from themselves. it’s. god. its the sad juice tbh... all in all tma is good its SO GOOD and despite knowing that nothing good can ever come from being associated to the institute, you still hope so bad...and I am honestly so very excited for you!!