What is Martin’s deep dark secret on Beyond the Gates?

While Beyond the Gates has many plotlines currently playing out, one that has had fans speculating since the very beginning is that of Martin's (Brandon Claybon) nightmares and what they allude to. It’s safe to say that the secret must be pretty damning, given that Anita (Tamara Tunie) and Vernon (Clifton Davis) agreed to attend Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) and Hayley's (Marquita Goings) wedding in order to continue to keep the secret. However, what they're hiding has still not been shared, causing fans to wonder when and how it will finally be revealed, and what it will mean for Martin’s family, current political career, and future plans for the presidency.

Is Beyond the Gates’ Martin a murderer?

In, seemingly, true Beyond the Gates fashion, a character has a big secret that has been hinted at repeatedly but has not been revealed publicly or privately. (Looking at you, Ted) One secret that has plagued several key characters from the start of the show is the cause of Martin’s nightmares and the real reason the Dupree family was forced to attend Hayley and Bill’s nuptials.

But, just what is this big secret that they’re keeping? What will be the effects of it? In one of Martin’s nightmare sequences, there are lights and what appears to be a car. Could Martin have been involved in a car crash, or could he have hit someone while driving — and if so, was he drunk driving and killed someone and called Anita and Vernon to help? Was there a murder that was actually an accident? And most of all, how does Bill factor into this equation? It would appear that he clearly knows quite a bit about the situation. Anytime Smitty (Mike Manning) tries to talk to Martin about his incessant nightmares, he shuts him down and changes the subject. Martin’s subconscious is working overtime to keep this secret under control. Just what happened all those years ago? How long will we be waiting to find out what it is?

If Martin is a murderer, how will it affect him and his family?

From a career standpoint, Martin’s secret must be being kept under pretty tight wraps since he was able to secure a seat in Congress and has held that seat for some time now. However, once this secret is out, will his career be over, along with his dreams of running for president? If it is found out that Martin’s nightmares are the covering up of a murder, this will surely affect him negatively, as well as his family.

How will Martin react to finding out that he has caused someone else's life to end? Will he spiral? Will the character have to go through a trial — or will he go on the run and disappear? Would Smitty honor his wedding vows and stick by Martin’s side once the truth is revealed, or would murder prove to be too much to bear? And then there is how their children would take the news. The Dupree family needs to be prepared for all of these secrets to come to light, and most likely, in succession.

With so many questions buzzing around our heads, BTG fans are itching for just as many answers, if not more. For now, we are forced to take the minuscule breadcrumbs that we are given in each episode about Martin’s big secret.

Catch all-new episodes of Beyond the Gates weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus.