FBI pulled back the curtain on Eva Ramos’ past after a tough domestic violence-focused case — and actress Juliana Aidén Martinez says they are just getting started.
Warning: Spoilers below from season 9, episode 6, of FBI.
“We will see some of her past relationship history, specifically, her ex partner come into play,” Martinez, 34, exclusively told Us of what to expect from her character, Eva, the remainder of the season.
During the Monday, November 9, episode of the hit CBS series, fans discovered that Eva’s mother is in an abusive relationship. Despite Eva’s desire to help her mom break free from the relationship, she realized that sometimes the best way to help is just by being there for the ones you love.
The episode also shined a light on Eva’s own personal relationships while she tried to connect with a woman named Jess, who threatened to jump off a ferry she was on from Staten Island to Manhattan.
While trying to talk Jess down, Eva revealed that her last boyfriend “never hit me,” but he “hurt me, betrayed me” and “lied” after she trusted him with her life.
“I didn’t see it, because I loved him too much,” Eva told the woman, after learning that Jess was in a controlling relationship — similar to Eva’s mother — with a man named Lewis that led her to assist in commandeering a bio weapon that he planned to unleash at the docks.
According to Martinez, Eva’s revelation about her ex will be further explored this season.
“In her first episode, she mentions to [FBI partner] Scola that there was a relationship she had in the past with her partner, and that kind of is why she understands Scola in a way, but why trust doesn’t come easy for her because of that betrayal she has,” the actress told Us.
As the season continues, Martinez said fans will “see a bit of that relationship in the past come to haunt her.”
She noted that Eva’s dynamic with men in general — and her partners — stems in part from her relationship with her mother, who has a history of letting men walk all over her.
“She’s maybe someone that doesn’t even know what a healthy male relationship is,” Martinez explained. “But she’s learning to heal that with Scola [played by John Boyd] and even what she sees like with [his wife], Nina, it’s something really interesting of like, ‘Oh, those types of relationships do exist.’”
During Monday’s episode, Eva was able to successfully talk Jess down, and get her help to stop her boyfriend from launching the radiological attack.
After the victory — Eva fought Lewis on the ferry and convinced Jess to press a blue button to disarm the attack on the city — she realized loving her mother was the only way she could truly be supportive of her amid her own unhealthy romance.
When it comes to next steps for Eva’s personal life, Martinez told Us, the “aftermath of this episode and the evolution of her trust in her heart and her partner” is something viewers will see unfold.
“We’ll just see that blossom more and more,” she confirmed, adding that Eva’s inability to provide protection for her mother “really gives her the drive” to control other aspects of her life and her job.
In addition to fans’ continued interest in Eva’s story, Martinez told Us she hopes viewers who are struggling with a similar relationship dynamic understand they are not alone.
Martinez explained that through Monday’s episode, she connected with Crime Victims Treatment Center, New York State’s first program that was created to assist victims of sexual assault and violence.
“It’s completely free for anyone that’s experiencing that [type of violence or fear]. There are resources and support out there for you,” Martinez said. “I have such respect for people doing that healing. And there’s incredible organizations doing great work.”
FBI airs on CBS Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
