Martha Huber

"Martha Huber waited her whole life for something to happen to her. Something exciting! As a child, she hoped to be kidnapped by a band of pirates. As a teenager, she dreamt of being discovered by a Hollywood talent scout. As a young woman, she fantasized that a handsome millionaire would sweep her off her feet. But the years had flown by and still nothing exciting had ever happened to Martha Huber. Until the night she was murdered."

- Mary Alice Young

Martha Huber is the overarching antagonist of the series. She was the cruel, and nosy neighbor of Wisteria Lane and sister of Felicia Tilman, who started blackmailing Mary Alice. Eventually, Mary Alice's husband found out that she was the one responsible for the blackmail letter, Paul killed Martha in a fit of rage on December 12th, 2004, just about three months after his wife’s suicide.

Early life
Martha was born in 1956. She is of German origins. ("Move On") She always hoped for something exciting to happen in her life. As a child, she hoped to be kidnapped by a band of pirates, as a teenager she dreamt of being discovered by a Hollywood talent scout, and as a young woman she fantasized she’d be married to a handsome millionaire. She felt that life is boring and cruel. ("Every Day a Little Death") It has been referenced and mentioned that her sister, Felicia, was the "popular one" and was given more attention by her mother, presumably leaving Martha to raise herself. ("Who's That Woman?")

Martha's mother had strict ways, and she told Lynette the story of how once, when she was a child, she was in the car with her mother, and she was not listening to her. In order to make her behave, her mother made her get out of the car left her on the side of the road and drove away to teach her lesson. Her mom came back to get her right away, and a fearful Martha never misbehaved again. Her mother is later placed in a nursing home because her mind had just about turned to "mush". ("Ah, But Underneath")

At some point in her adulthood, Martha met her husband, Mason, who proposed to her while at Torch Lake. The two had no children. They later moved to Wisteria Lane, and live at 4350 Wisteria Lane. Later, Mason died because of a heart attack. ("Move On"/"Guilty") Martha Huber went missing from Wisteria Lane on December 12th, 2004. After her body was discovered buried in the woods, her story was published on the front page of every newspaper of the Eagle State, and Martha Huber finally got her exciting life moment. ("Every Day a Little Death") Her ashes were later scattered at Torch Lake, a decision made by her close friend, Edie.

"This is how it started. The woman who had lived on the street for years came outside and introduced herself to the woman who was moving in next door."

When Mary Alice moved to Wisteria Lane, Martha was the first person to welcome her. Being her nosy-self, Martha asks Mary Alice where she comes from. Mary Alice doesn't answer precisely, so Martha tries to get an answer out of her. However, when Mary Alice refuses to answer, Martha finally understands that Mary Alice has a secret. She then walks away, determined to find out what she's hiding. ("Finishing the Hat")

"And just like that, Martha Huber figured out I was hiding something. And my new neighbor made it her mission to find out what my secret was. And this was the beginning of the end."

- Mary Alice Young

During a local BBQ, Martha eats sweetcorn at a table with Karen McCluskey, whilst most of the neighborhood socializes around them. ("Remember Paul?") During a get-together with her sister, Felicia, Martha learns a secret about Mary Alice Young. She learns that many years ago, Mary Alice stole a child from a woman named Deirdre. Martha then decides to send a blackmail note to Mary Alice in hopes to get money to help her financial issues. ("Fear No More")

At 4350 Wisteria Lane, Martha hears a strange noise coming from Mary Alice's house. She decides to return the blender she had borrowed from her six months before. She goes to the back of the house and sees Mary Alice dead on the floor. She screams and starts running home. She calls the police and tells them to come as fast as they can. After mourning for a moment, she shrugs the situation off and puts the blender back in her cupboard, claiming it as her own. ("Pilot")

After Mary Alice's suicide, an ambulance arrives and the neighbourhood shows up in force to find out what happened to Mary Alice. Martha gossips with other women about Mary Alice's suicide and she tells them about how she found the body. ("The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened")

Season 1
'''"I was desperate for money, and it's better to take it from a bad person than a good one. How was I supposed to know she'd shoot herself?" '''

At Mary Alice's wake, Martha tells Lynette that her boys are out of control. Later, at a restaurant, Martha is there and asks Bree how she is, distracting Bree, who almost kills Rex by putting onions in the salad. The next day, Susan encounters Martha at the supermarket; Martha tells her that she had a stomach problem. She then tells her that Edie's son is spending the night tonight because she has a gentleman over for a dinner, who Susan assumes to be Mike. ("Pilot")

Edie and Martha pick up what is left of her house. Martha finds something that can be used again, a measuring cup. Edie tells her that is not her. Martha asks how did it get here and Edie doesn't care but Martha does. Later, when Lynette has many problems with her sons, Martha tells her that her mother had the worst time with her in the car and once she pulled over and threw her out of the car and walked away. She returned after couple of minutes but she never behaved in the car. Later, Martha comes to Susan's house for old clothes but Susan isn't home and Julie goes upstairs to see if Susan found anything. Martha then goes into the house and looks inside of the bags from supermarket and finds a measuring cup. Julie comes back and says that Susan didn't leave anything and Martha said that she found everything she needed. ("Ah, But Underneath")

Edie goes back into Martha's kitchen where she tells Martha how angered she is that she is competing with Susan over Mike. Martha uses this as an advantage since she is broke knowing that Susan was involved in Edie's house fire. Martha visits Susan and warns her that she knows what happened and that she won't say anything if Susan agrees to help her. At the supermarket, Martha puts her items next to Susan. That evening, Martha leaves a message on her answering machine stating she needs plumbing done at her home but can't afford it. Susan thinks she is being blackmailed. The next day while Martha is away, Julie and Susan play frisbee which flies into Martha's yard. Julie puts gloves on, slips through the doggy door and grabs the measuring cup. Later, Martha goes see Susan because she noticed the mesuring cup has disappeared. ("Who's That Woman?")

Martha was everytime in competition with Bree, for the better lawn. She never succeeds to surpass Bree's lawn. But, one day, Victor approaches her and she asks him how he is today. Martha goes to bring him over the hose but he collapses. She tells him that she will call the ambulance. However, she puts Victor in a sidecar and brings him over to the Bree's lawn and throws him out on Bree's flowers. She hides the sidecar and then starts screaming for help. Bree comes out of the house and Martha tells her that Victor collapsed on her hydrangeas and tells her to call 911. Ambulance comes and picks Victor up but they completely devastate her lawn and flowers are ruined and grass destroyed. Martha waters her lawn and just smiles to Bree. ("Anything You Can Do")

Martha wants Edie out of the house by the time she is back from her sister. Edie tells her that she will leave today and she leaves the house. Later, Mr. Shaw understands Martha sent the note to Mary Alice. That evening, Martha is back from shopping and Paul gives her a helping hand and they go inside her house. Paul puts the note on the table. He wants to know why. Martha tells Paul that her husband died and left her with a worthless pension and it was better to take it from a bad person. Paul tells her that Mary Alice was a good person and asks her if she is feeling any guilt and she tells him that she didn't kill herself. Paul hits her in the head, with the blender. Martha falls down. Paul starts strangling Martha and she tries to release herself but she is unable to. Paul Young buries her alive. ("Guilty")

Season 1
Edie begins to be worried about Martha's disappearance. ("Come Back to Me") Felicia arrives in Wisteria Lane. She is sure her sister is dead. But, she decides to investigate for discover the truth about her sister's death. After a public reunion about Martha's disappearance, with the police, Paul recovers Martha's jewels and hides them in Mike's garage. Later, a man and his dog find Martha's cadaver, in the forest. ("Move On")

The police discover Martha's body. Later, Felicia says what she learns from the police about her sister's death. She projects to organize an estate sale day for sell Martha's things, in lieu of a memorial service. But, Edie and Susan go disband Martha's ashes at Torch Lake. Over there, Susan tells the true to Edie about her burnt house, and Edie throwed Martha's ashes on Susan. Later, at Susan's house, Edie waters her with a pipe. Martha's ashes finish on Susan's lawn. ("Every Day a Little Death")

Felicia denies that Mike had anything to do with Martha's murder as it seems very implausible. ("The Ladies Who Lunch") Felicia recalls a conversation she had with her sister, Martha, that Angela Forrest - the name Mary Alice used to go by - disappeared from Utah with a drug addict's baby boy. And that Zach must clearly be that boy. Finally, Felicia understands Paul must be her sister's killer, and she plans to avenge Martha. ("Fear No More")

Season 2
After having caused lot of problems for Paul, Felicia decides to help at the Paul's arrest. Later, at his house, Paul slips up on blood which has been daubed all around the house and then the police turn up on Wisteria Lane - they had gotten an anonymous call from Felicia. The blood in the house leads straight to Paul's car and inside they find two of Felicia's fingers. Felicia goes into hiding in a cabin on a mountain. She had cut her fingers off and emptied all the blood bags she had been keeping, all over the house to get Paul into jail, for her murder. She renamed herself as "Martha Huber". ("No One is Alone")

Season 7
After Beth's death, Felicia is liberated from jail. She goes see Karen for gives her Martha's brooch. Karen remembers seeing Felicia on the night that she cut off her fingers to frame Paul. Felicia explains what she has done and says that Paul will spend the rest of his life in prison if Karen says that she never saw Felicia. Karen is reluctant and begs Felicia not to make her do this, but eventually she agrees. ("Moments in the Woods")

Few days later, Paul is taken hostage by Felicia. She finally gets the proof that Paul is Martha's killer : when Felicia asks him why he doesn't have any remorse, he confesses the murder, and Felicia has filmed the scene, with a hided camera. But, Susan helps Paul to break free and he attacks Felicia. He attempts to strangle her, but Felicia runs away, before the police's arrival. Finally, Paul decides to confess his crime and he is arrested for Martha's murder. The next day, Felicia is killed in a car crash. ("And Lots of Security...")

Season 8
When Susan Delfino decides to leave Wisteria Lane with her children, MJ Delfino and Julie Mayer, and granddaughter, Martha's ghost appeared alongside Alma Hodge and Bradley Scott, in front of 4351 Wisteria Lane, and they watched the family as they drove away from the lane and began their new lives together. ("Finishing the Hat")

Trivia

 * Martha was originally planned to be called 'Edith Huber'.
 * After the first draft of the pilot was written, Marc decided to make the nosy neighbor Asian. Her name would be Mrs. Chang. After that didn't work out, Marc went back to his original idea and made her Caucasian and named her 'Martha Huber.'
 * As revealed in the Desperate Housewives Season One companion book, the character of Martha was not originally intended to die, instead she was going to be 'murdered' by Paul only to return later on in the season alive and well. This idea was scrapped after the network felt that it was unrealistic and the network didn't approve of making Martha a regular in season 2. However a similar storyline took place with her Martha's sister, Felicia, who set Paul up by creating evidence that Paul murdered her at the end of season 2, and was found not to be dead.
 * 'Martha', was given the name of Marc Cherry's mother.
 * On the Series One Commentary, Marc Cherry claims that he wrote the role of Martha Huber especially for Christine Estabrook. All other characters had open auditions, leaving the roles open for debate.
 * Martha wears a "Viva Las Vegas" shirt, which was originally a prop in the box of clothes she collects after Edie's house burns down.
 * Martha used dentures, and according to Felicia, had dental problems from a young age.
 * Martha has a mole on her arm, which is stated on her "Missing" poster in the episode "Every Day a Little Death".

Martha Huber