“Ashes to Ashes” – Thoughts on Martin Summers diary (Potential for Spoilers)
Spoiler Warning: While this article is largely speculation based on official material on the BBC website, some of the material is spoilerish in nature as of Season 2 Episode 5 of Ashes to Ashes
Original Source Material: Martin Summers Character Page
On the BBC “Ashes to Ashes” site there are several ones with character information present, including one for Martin Summers which is in the form of his diary. As some of the information in the diary is new and throws light on his motivations and potential future plot twists I have decided to do an analysis of his “diary” to see what insights can be gleaned.
Diary Entry 1
Why am I keeping this journal? A metaphysical diary written with a metaphysical Corona typewriter in a metaphysical flat in metaphysical East London.
You know, I’m not even sure what “metaphysical” means. Will have to look it up.
When did I really begin to suspect that this world could be real? When a sparrow landed on my window ledge and pecked the woodlice from under my sill. But that wasn’t it. I noticed a little tuft of feathers missing from the bird’s back. And I thought, “Martin, how can this level of detail exist in a bloody dream?!”
He was a big help to me, that wee sparrow. Because I felt so lost and alone. And so frightened. Was I dead? Was I mad? Was I dreaming in a hospital bed somewhere far away? Am I the first to ever experience this?
Well, today I know for sure that I’m not the first. Alex Drake is in here with me.
DI Alex Drake of Fenchurch East CID. But formally of …? Do I dare hope?
Don’t think Martin! Type!!!!! Blood through the fingers. My blood. I must get in contact with her. I must tell her my plan. I must introduce her to Operation Rose. She’s very beautiful.
The content of this entry suggests it is meant to be written either just before Summers kidnapped Alex in episode 1 or just after as he has just realised that she is from the real world, and has yet to make contact which could be considered to occur in the kidnapping or in the phone call at the end of the episode.The start of the entry shows that Martin Summers (assuming that is his real name) went through the same initial confusion and learning experience that Sam Tyler and Alex Drake went through when they first entered the Ashes world.
The next part is unclear, since while it is clear that he is not alone, I am not sure if he thinks or knows that Alex was in the LOM/A2A world before he was, as it is also possible that Martin is assuming that as Alex is in the world with him, that other people have had similar experiences in the past. If it is the former (Alex in the world first), one possible way for him to know that, is if he has access to police records and can see that Alex “transferred” into Fenchurch East before he arrived in the world.
The final comment about Operation Rose, suggests that if we did not know already that Summers is probably the main antagonist of this series, and if not responsible for Operation Rose is deeply involved with it.
Diary Entry 2
Mac is dead.
Good.
Good actually.
He was out of control. He couldn’t maintain it like he once did. Hunt had him on the ropes and he was too stupid and arrogant to notice it. But nothing has changed. Operation Rose still exists. Of course! So much bigger than one greedy, stupid Superintendent in a Moss Bros suit. Supermac. Supersized eejit. Good riddance.
Hunt is a force of nature, to be admired and feared and ultimately destroyed. Alex is the real brains. She’s forensic and she never lets up. In the end I think it was Alex who brought Mac down. I think I love her for that. It’s time to pay her a visit ….
The content of this entry places it firmly after the end of episode 4 but before Viv gives Alex the note/card in Episode 5.
This entry demonstrates that Summers was associated in some fashion with Supermac, and also suggests that Supermac was an important part of Operation Rose until he committed suicide. What is curious is that Summers is apparantly happy that Supermac was brought down, and the tone suggests that even if Supermac was a part of Operation Rose, his actions were starting to impede it in some way.
The final paragraph also suggests that Summers is planning to get rid of Gene in some way, or at least anticipates that Gene will need to be removed at some point. As the ending of Season 1 of A2A paralled LOM in that it hinged on a critical moment in the protagonists childhood, it is possible that the ending of Season 2 of A2A will parallel that of LOM with Alex being put in a position where she will have to choose between saving Gene or going home.
Diary Entry 3
The look on Alex’s face when I walked in to the station. Bold as bloody brass! The colour draining from her face. She looked half-dead. And she probably is.
I knew that asking her to join me was probably laying too much on her plate in one go. Too much fine food for that delicate constitution. I’m not surprised she rebuffed me. But only for now, I’m sure. Let her sleep on it.
I have watched her sleep.
I have stood and watched.
I can do this without her. Operation Rose will reach its conclusion. Will find its raison d’etre if you pardon my ruddy French. But how much easier things would be with Alex Drake by my side.
Yes, I have fantasies. I’m still a man.
Took charge of the vehicles today. It was tricky. I needed a diversion. Phoned my man on the inside at Fenchurch East. My pet. He managed to “lose” the dockets that would have traced the vehicles back to me and my team.
I have a Team now. Feel quite the big man.
Not long to go.
I’m sorry for you Alex. If you can’t finally understand what I’m trying to do then I’m sorry for you.
This entry is placed either in the middle of Episode 5 when Alex and Martin met face to face, or after the end of episode 5 when Alex officially turns Martin down. The difficulty in placement arises as while Alex “officially” turns Martin down at the end of the episode, her lack of a positive response to his offer in the middle of the episode when they meet could also fit the entry.
The main reveal from this entry though is that Summers has a man working for him at Fenchurch East, and the question then becomes who is it. Now while it is possible that it will be one of the nameless members of CID or uniform that we see in the background, there is a good chance that it could be one of the team.
If this is the case, then I think we can exclude Gene straight away and Chris being a traitor and corrupt does not fit with his character development. Assuming that the diary entry is honest about the sex of the character then Shaz is also excluded. This then leaves us with Ray and Viv.
Up until the events of episode 5, Ray would have been the prime candidate as he is a Free Mason (as Supermac was and Summers probably is), and is the one member of the team most likely to do something bent. Episode 5 however showed that unless we are fundamentally misreading Rays motivation for wanting to join the army, that he is at heart honest and loyal to Gene, he is still a stong candidate for being a traitor to Gene though.
This then leaves us with Viv, who we dont really know all that much about, he would also be in a position to have left the Roses on Alex’s desk unnoticed and Uniform is probably the department best placed to deal with vehicle dockets. There would also not be as big a potential backlash in using Viv as a traitor than in using Chris or Ray, especially if they want there to be a third season of Ashes to Ashes. It is of course possible though that it will turn out to be a yet to be introduced character if the “traitor” angle is used in the series proper.
What is interesting is that they Summers needs vehicles that cannot be traced back to him, this suggests that Operation Rose is more that an administrative or otherwise passive ongoing scheme, but is instead going to be an active job of some kind that uses police vehicles. I assume police vehicles as Summers needed his man to lose the dockets that trace it back to his team, though it is possible he is using impounded vehicles instead.
My current entirely speculative theory based on this diary entry and the constant references through the series is that Operation Rose is a plot to kidnap and hold to ransom Princess Diana.
UPDATE: Just read the official press release for episode 8 and it appears that I am wrong,(Link: Warning major spoilers)
Concluding Remarks
Looking at the entries as a whole, Summers comes across as slightly unhinged and obsessive, he also has an unhealthy interest in Alex as demonstrated by his actions towards her. Assuming that Summers doesn’t suceed in whatever he plans it may turn out that his desire to get Alex on side may turn out to be his undoing, as well of course as his underestimation of Gene Hunt.
On a more personal level, I think these entries have been really well designed to fuel speculation of the more diehard fans of the series while giving very little of substance away. Even the revelation of a “mole” at Fenchurch East is a logical assumption given that Supermac was in charge and probably had people in his pocket who now work for Summers
[...] Thoughts on Diary Entries 1-3 [...]
Leave your response!