Martin Morán

* Season 1
* Rif Raf

**Martín Morán**, portrayed by Gabriel Conrado, is a main character and protagonist of the First Story (season 1) of *Chiquititas*.

## History

### Backstory

Martín has a very difficult and troubled relationship with his family, specially with his father, and despises his aristocratic, prejudiced, elite ill-spirited values. Martín blames Ramiro for his mother's death. When he was 10 years old, he was playing in the garden when he hears screaming inside, he witnessed his parents having an argument and his mother crying, when finally she couldn't take it anymore and stormed out of the house, being run over and killed by a car. He thinks his father married his mother for her money, but deep down he despised her, as he couldn't stand the fact that she was a generous woman with genuine class, and felt the constant need to belittle and humiliate her, torturing her psychologically and making her cry in front of the children. He thinks his father is a miserable man and wants to destroy him as a powerful business man an make him disappear as an important figure.

When he becomes of age, he decides to cut ties and moves to London to thrive on his own and not depend on his family's fortune anymore.

### Season 1

#### Return to Buenos Aires

In the pilot episode, Valentina informs Ramiro Morán, who his estranged soon is returning to Buenos Aires from Europe. When Martín arrives in Buenos Aires and is greeted by work friend Armando, we learn that he doesn't get along with his father, but longs to see his sister Gabriela, who he hasn't spoken in many years. In Buenos Aires, Martín is offered the position of CEO of Pureza by Aguero, with the condition that he moves back to Buenos Aires.

##### Meeting Mili

When Martín goes to this family's home to visit Gabriela, Mili hides in his car hoping to speak with Ramiro to plead so that Saverio doesn't get fired, for the episode with the cake. When Martin reunites with Gabriela, she is sick with depression and apathy and doesn't seem to recognize him. Valentina reveals that has been like this for the past 12 years, ever since he got away. He's in chock when Mili appears, asking why he is crying. He asks his aunt Carmen to forgive Saverio, his childhood family's cook, who he has great affection for, and then pays him a visit ar the orphanage.

##### Learning about Gabi's condition

After learning about Martin's visit, Ramiro goes to his hotel and explains him that 12 years ago, after Martín moved to London, Gabi passed out into a deep coma state and was never the same. He claims to have taken her to see many doctors and specialists in the US, but they couldn't figure out a treatment. Later on, he receives an old mysterious letter from Gabi send anonymously that sparks his curiosity and puts him on a mission to find out what happened. He decides to accept the job offer because of this reason.

"*Querido Martín,*
Sé que debes estar muy enojado conmigo porque no te inscribe todo este tiempo desde que te fuiste de casa, pero te juro que tengo mis motivos. Estoy pasando el peor momento de toda mi vida. No te puedo explicar en esta carta lo que me está pasando, pero sé que cuando te lo cuente me vas a entender. Por favor, vuelve a Buenos Aires y protege me como hiciste siempre. No te demores. Cada minuto que pasa es excesivo y tengo mucho miedo. Te espero y te quiero muchísimo hermanito.
Tuya, Gabi*"*

##### Belén's first impression of Martín

Belén, Letícia, Clarita, Piojo and Sol are reunited for super, when they see Martín giving an interview for the local tv news about the economy, She's very skeptical towards his discourse, saying that economy is apart from politics, to which she answers that that's the typical neo-liberal discourse. He says that the only solution is the capacitation of workers to new technology, to what she answers ironically:

"*Ah, claro, porque la gente tiene todo el tiempo y la plata en mondo para capacitarse mientras sus hijos se mueren de hambre.*"
— Belén about Martín interview on TV, for the pilot episode.

##### As the new director of Pureza

The next day at La pureza, Letícia informs the other workers that Rolando betrayed them, and 11 employees were not rehired, including Clarita. Martín overhears their conversation while Belén seys that they are all bloodsuckers as she repeats what he said on TV passing criticism. She explains that the company lied in keeping with their agreement and he justifies by saying he was just hired and will look into this matter. Martin brings this matter to Aguedo, who introduces Martín to his daughter Dolores Aguero, she works for the factory, they both pretend not to know what he's talking about. Martín asks Belén to explain the situation, and Dolores says she's unaware of this agreement and snaps at Belén for saying she doesn't believe her. Dolores asks for the papers proving the fact of her argument, and Belén says it was a word agreement. Dolores says that this is ridiculous, and Martín says they were naive. Belén tells him that if she believes that Dolores didn't knew, he might be stupid.

##### When it's revealed of Ramiro's plan to attract his son back to Buenos Aires

Hernán is angry that Martin was hired as CEO of La Pureza., as he was under the impression that he was going to be hired for the position. Ramiro tells him not to worry, that he has bigger plans for his son to take over all of the family business and that La Pureza is only a learning tool for Martín. He asks Hernán to be Martíns right hand and he will have his moment. Ramiro says that martin can never find out that he is the real owner of La Pureza, and he has to believe that Aguero is the one who hired him.

##### Belén and Martin meet again by coincidente at Rincón de Luz

They meet again at Rincón de luz when Belén is telling her godfather Saverio about what happened at the factory. After she leaves, Martin confides in Saverio and shows him Gabi's letter. Belén forgets her social worker theory books at Rincón de Luz and Martín takes them back to her for Saverio. In there, he sees Mili again as they befriend each other. While Martín return the books to Belén, Piojo "borrows"by stealing temporarily his car to go on a date and is caught by the police. As Belén goes to jail to pay his fee and free him, she discovers that it's Martín's car that were stolen, and feels ashamed and indebted to him as he drops all changes.

##### Living in Dolores' Loft

Aguero offers Ramiro, his daughter Dolores' loft to use as his residence, with infuriates her, as she does not understand why Martín is being treated with so many regalities. She reluctantly agrees but shows him the apartment. Martín has a talk with Dolores, where he says that even though he's not the most experienced person to take over as CEO of La Pureza, he's not going to fail. He's gonna make the company into a first level company and she two choices, to either stop boycotting him and join him on this enterprise, or to resign right away. Martín hopes Dolores will join him as she is a talented professional. They start to get along and he proposes they start over. Tobias, Dolores' fiancé walks into the apartment as they share a hug. The moment is a little awkward.

##### The mystery regarding Gabi's letter

Martin asks for permission to take Gabi for a walk and Ramiro authorizes. Later, he questions Gabi about her letter, she tries to go back home and is almost run over, by a car, but is saved by Piojo, who was coming to apologize por stealing his car. They befriend each other and Piojo starts working as Martin's house keeper. Martín shows Valentina and Ramiro the letter from Gabi. He asks what happened to her. Ramiro says he doesn't know, as she was just a teenager. Valentina acts nervously and says she knows nothing about it. Martín asks Ramiro permission to take Gabi to a doctor, which he authorizes by saying that's his right as his brother. Later on on La Pureza, he finds Belén, who he became closer on the account of the orphanage, reading her university teacher, a book about psychology, and asks her for a recommendation for Gabi.

##### Gabi's Hypnosis section

The doctor, upon seeing Gabriela for a consultation, diagnoses her with Deep Psychotic Depression and proposes a hypnosis treatment to access old memories that led to her state. In accessing those traumatic events. Gabi she goes back to her memories of her days in school, she remembers her friend Alicia, whom Martín was also acquainted as a teenager. He asks her about the farm during the session and she gets desperate in facing those memories, saying "not the farm, not the farm" while screaming for Miguel, but Martín doesn't know who that is. Martin then asks Piojo to call every single Alicia Gomes in the phonebook. When he finally finds her, Alicia tells Martin she doesn't know what was going with Gabi or who Miguel is, but was having trouble at school even though she used to be an excellent student,. **He also learns that Gabi had a hidden boyfriend.** Martin doesn't understand, as he doesn't know who's this man. Later, Martín asks Valentina if she knows who Miguel is, which she denies. However, upon talking to Saverio, who says he wasn't working for the Morán's anymore at the time, he mention that Valentina and Gabi were very close, and that she must know who he is. Puzzled, Martín goes back to the Moráns and finds a pension letter from a man named Miguel Pereira addressed to Valentina Pereira. He pressures her for answers, concluding the man is her son. Valentina promises to talk to him when they are alone.

##### Martín confronts Ramiro

Angry at the things he found, Martín asks Ramiro when he's with Gabriela if he's contemplating his work. They started a heated argument.

> **SCENE**
> MARTÍN - Contemplating your work, father?
>
> RAMIRO - What did you say?
>
> MARTÍN: - Have you never asked yourself what happened to Gabriela for her to end up like this?
>
> RAMIRO – Who's telling you these things? Valentina?
>
> MARTÍN - I see with my own eyes.
>
> RAMIRO - Are you gonna blame me for this too? To be sarcastic with me. You blame me for your mother's death and that's why you despise me.
>
> MARTÍN - I'm not saying anything, you are.
>
> RAMIRO - I am not to blame for her death, much less about this.
>
> MARTÍN - Then why haven't you allowed Gabi to marry Valentina's son?
>
> RAMIRO - Are you mad? Gabriela was a brilliant girl with many good pretedents lining up for her.
>
> MARTÍN - Gabriela was in love, father! Can't you understand that? She was in love and expecting Miguel's child and you destroyed her life!
>
> RAMIRO - It's not my fault this boy got himself killed during this war. That Gabriela couldn't stand it.
>
> MARTÍN - This is a lie, you took her far away to a farm long before that!
>
> RAMIRO - It's easy for you to say! You run away to live abroad, dissapear when things don't work out the way you want it and comes back with all this rage, looking for someone to blame.
>
> MARTÍN - Nothing about this is easy. Coming home to learn what has happened and that I didn't do anything to stop this.
>
> *(Martín leaves)*
>
>
>
>
> scene ends.**...**

## Relationships

### Romantic

#### Belén

##### Belén's first impression of Martín

Belén, Letícia, Clarita, Piojo and Sol are reunited for dinner, when they see Martín giving an interview for the local tv news about the economy, She's very skeptical towards his discourse, saying that economy is apart from politics, to which she answers that that's the typical neo-liberal discourse. He says that the only solution is the capacitation of workers to new technology, to what she answers ironically:

"*Ah, claro, porque la gente tiene todo el tiempo y la plata en mondo para capacitarse mientras sus hijos se mueren de hambre.*"
— Belén about Martín interview on TV, for the pilot episode.

### Non-Familial

#### Piojo

While Martín return the books to Belén, Piojo borrows (by stealing temporarily) his car to go on a date and is caught by the police. Martín learn that he is Belén's brother and decides not to press changes. Later on, as Piojo is coming to apologize, he saves a disoriented Gabi from being run over by a car, and by doing this, they befriend each other. Later on, Piojo, unwilling to do a manual job in construction, asks Martín for a job, who feeling overwhelmed with work to care for his house shores, ends up hiring him as a housekeeper, a fact that angers Belén, elevating the tension between her and Martin.

Sees him on TV

## Quotes

* "La esperanza es lo último que se pierde." (Martin to Mili, in S1\_E003)
* "I don't know your father very well, but I imagine he behaves just like this." (Belén to Martin, when he says he is willing to help Mili financially, but is unsure about being emotionally responsible for her.S1\_E\_)