Character Relationship Map: Black Rainbow

Characters

• Martha Travis (played by Rosanna Arquette) — protagonist

  Martha Travis is a medium who tours with her alcoholic father, helping audience members contact deceased relatives. After foretelling the violent death of a factory whistleblower, she becomes the kill...

• Walter Travis (played by Jason Robards) — protagonist

  Walter Travis is Martha's alcoholic father and her partner in the touring clairvoyant show. He travels with her while she conducts séances and makes contact with the dead, forming the closest family a...

• Gary Wallace (played by Tom Hulce) — supporting

  Gary Wallace is a skeptical local journalist investigating the death of a factory employee linked to corporate malpractice. He begins following Martha and Walter, examining the circumstances behind Ma...

• Lieutenant Irving Weinberg (played by Ron Rosenthal) — supporting
• Editor, Jay Chatwin (played by Rick Warner) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Editor, Jay Chatwin → Gary Wallace (Professional Editor And Reporter) — The editor assigns Gary to cover Martha's work, placing the reporter near her public appearances.

  The reference says Gary is sent to cover Martha's work in Ironsboro by an editor. The character list identifies the editor as Editor, Jay Chatwin.

• Gary Wallace → Martha Travis (Professional Investigative Journalist) — Gary investigates Martha's predictions and disappearance, moving from skeptical observer to someone closely involved in the events around her.

  Gary says he interviewed Martha and her father before she disappeared, has spent ten years trying to find her, and wants to know what happened on the...

• Walter Travis → Martha Travis (Family Father And Daughter) — Walter is Martha's father and touring partner; his protectiveness and concern are evident when he resists Gary's involvement and later searches for her.

  The reference identifies Walter as Martha's father and describes their travels together. Walter defends Martha's work as a medium and demands to know...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Lieutenant Irving Weinberg → Martha Travis (Narrative Police Inquiry) — Weinberg's inquiry connects the police investigation to Martha's unresolved disappearance.

  Weinberg is told that Martha has not been seen since earlier that day while she is missing.

• Gary Wallace → Walter Travis (Conflict Skeptical Reporter And Resistant Subject) — Gary's investigation brings him into direct disagreement with Walter, who resists the reporter's scrutiny of Martha.

  On the train, Gary warns Walter that police are waiting to question Martha after a prediction. Walter rejects Gary's involvement and insists that Mart...

Story Analysis

A journalist's search for Martha connects her public mediumship, family tensions, and disappearance to an unresolved threat.

Plot Progression

1. The Search for Martha — Gary arrives in a rural area seeking Martha, who has not spoken since arriving there. He asks about the night Walter was murdered, then the story follows Martha and Walter's earlier public life.
2. Visions and Resistance — Martha's apparent visions bring attention to her and Walter. Gary warns Walter about police interest, but Walter defends Martha's mediumship and resists the reporter.
3. A Public Session Unravels — In Ironsboro, Gary witnesses Martha deliver messages at a public gathering. Audience members challenge some of her statements, and Martha ends the session when the voices seem to stop.
4. Loss and Unresolved Danger — Walter angrily demands to know where Martha is, and a grieving man confronts her after a fatal incident. Martha later goes missing, while Weinberg hears that a killer connected to the Kuron case is in...