Junior Marsh

## Season 2

Junior Marsh at Eli's Mansion

Glendon Marsh, Jr., or better known as just "Junior" Marsh, is an old colleague of Eli Gemstone. Before Eli became a born-again Christian and pastor (circa 1968), he was a semi-professional wrestler and part-time enforcer for Junior's father, Glendon Marsh Sr. Junior frequently went along with Glendon and Eli on small-time criminal jobs, befriending the young Eli, whose ring-name was "Maniac Kid". On one particular job where Eli was brought along to enforce extortion on a local, Eli performed a wrestling finishing move that involved breaking his opponents' thumbs simultaneously. This would be Eli's specialty as a wrestler and enforcer.

In 2022, Junior would appear in Charleston and confront Eli. At first, Eli is suspicious and treats Junior with skepticism. However, this softens and they agree to get dinner and drinks at a local bar. At said bar, a man and woman start getting frisky, where all the patrons can see them. Eli calls them out and asks for them to leave, given the families present. The man taunts Eli and they eventually leave, where they continue shenanigans outside. When Eli and Junior leave, the man taunts Eli again. He baits Eli and Junior into fighting him, and Eli needs egging on from Junior before fully engaging the man. Eli eventually lets his former self out, and bests the man before putting him into position to break his thumbs. Junior encourages Eli to perform his old finishing move, which he does. Junior then tells the man, "We're from fuckin' Memphis!"

Junior spends the night at Eli's mansion, where Eli's kids discover them bruised and bloodied from the night before. Assuming something potentially homosexual occurred, the kids make fun of their dad a bit. Junior joins the family at their next Sunday service, even coming along to their post service meal. He brings up some of Eli's past to the family, where the kids are entertained, but Eli is clearly uncomfortable. He even notes the similarities between church ministry and professional wrestling - to the point where they have to keep within storyline, or "kayfabe" as it's called in the wrestling industry. Eventually, Junior wears out his welcome with the Gemstones, where Eli eventually tells him to leave and not continue contacting him or the others. Junior threatens Eli, stating that if they aren't friends, then they're essentially enemies and Eli will get what's coming to him.

Meanwhile, the family is attacked multiple times by the Cycle Ninjas, whom Jesse believes to be associated with Junior given his odd appearance and falling out with Eli. Jesse eventually gets a group of men from his relationship self-help group to try and intimidate Junior at his wrestling school in Memphis. During the ridiculous attempt, Junior is befuddled the entire time as he actually had no connection or association with the Ninjas, whom were revealed to be working for Lyle Lissons.

Eventually, after Eli's recovery from being shot by the Cycle Ninjas, Eli reaches back out to Junior and confronts him in Memphis. At first, Junior threatens to have his wrestlers beat Eli into a pulp, over Jesse's nonsensical attack. Eli only wants to come clean with Junior regarding Junior's father. Eli explains what happened to Glendon Sr.: Glendon approached Eli wanting to launder his illegal cash through the Gemstones because of their religious organization, where the IRS typically doesn't pry due to their tax free status. Eli tells Junior about how he refused to engage in money laundering, and how Glendon Sr. kidnapped Martin at gunpoint, where Eli's father would then shoot Glendon dead. Junior actually forgives Eli for this, and admits that he respects Eli for turning his father down. Junior mentions that his father liquidated all of their businesses, legal or illegal, and then tried to launder that money through Eli, without giving Junior a cent. Junior and Eli rekindle their friendship, and Junior is spotted in the crowd at the next Gemstone service where Eli is preaching.