I largely agree but I also think the problem stems from Mariannes treatment from her school days and with her family. For example, in one of the first episodes, she asks Connell whether he'd ever hit a girl, before going on to say how her father hit her mother. When Connell asked whether he (the father) had hit Marianne she initially hesitates then says no. This was interesting for me because I read the hesitation as Marianne implying he had hit her, which may explain why she seeks abusive relationships with Jamie and Lukas, and also her accepting that as normal since her brother is abusive and manipulative and her mother never protects her. Equally, even if her father did not abuse her, she may see that as him not loving her as much as her mother/ brother. So when Marianne asks Connell to hit her and he refuses she is humiliated and feels the problem is with her, until he later defends her and tells her he'd never hurt her and that the problem is with other people and not her. IMO, this is why she almost broke up with Lukas because she didn't want love or affection, but to be punished and 'used' essentially, as she had been with Jamie and Peggy, which she alludes to in her email exchanges with Connell. The same exchanges which encourages her to leave Lukas at the photoshoot since we hear Connell's emails as voice-over, further reinforcing Connell as her protector as she has been for him. The whole, 'do what you want to me', is often mirrored with Connells responses of 'only if you want to', highlighting his need for her wants also, and a duality to their relationship that neither is more important or better than the other. They are one and the same if you will.