Signs Christine And Kody Brown's Marriage Was Never Going To Last

We can thank the TLC network for several programs opening our perspectives on various niche topics. Ever wonder what it must be like to date internationally and go through the lengthy K-1 visa process? Tuning into "90 Day Fiancé" is all the education you need (and the drama that ensues is icing on the cake). Curious about a fundamentalist Christian family dynamic and what goes on behind closed doors? The "19 Kids and Counting" show and spin-off "Counting On" fit the bill, providing an equally intriguing experience for viewers. Ever been interested in what a polygamist marriage is truly like and what complications its participants experience? TLC's "Sister Wives" is the show to set on your DVR, having documented Kody Brown and his four wives since 2010.

When we first met Kody, the devout Mormon polygamist had three wives — Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, and Christine Brown. Legally married to Meri only but "spiritually" married to Janelle and Christine, the polygamist family navigated life in Utah, occupying the spotlight and facing some legal proceedings. When fourth wife, Robyn Brown, was brought onto the scene, cracks began to surface, and Christine found herself conflicted. Years of taking a back seat took a toll, and Christine ultimately decided to leave Kody and the polygamist life behind — but was her decision predictable? Over the seasons of "Sister Wives" and the media shared by Christine herself, it became inevitable to fans that she would be flying solo sooner rather than later.

Christine Brown made it clear that she felt a certain level of inferiority compared to her other sister wives. Still, that self-doubt became even more severe when Kody Brown took on a fourth wife. In the first season of "Sister Wives," Kody starts to pursue Robyn Brown and eventually brings her into the fold as his fourth wife — he even legally divorced Meri Brown to marry Robyn, indicating that a power dynamic might be at play. And, as noted by TV Showcase, the timing of Robyn's arrival came at an incredibly vulnerable time for Christine. Pregnant with her and Kody's sixth child at the time, Christine was in labor when Kody and Robyn kissed for the first time — a controversial thing, given that they weren't married at the time.

Things got even more tense between the four sister wives when they went wedding dress shopping together as Robyn was preparing for the special day with Kody. As Meri, Janelle Brown, and Christine later found out, Kody was the one who chose Robyn's wedding dress. While this may not sound like a huge issue, Christine and Janelle were devastated by the admission, as Kody "did not care" what they chose to wear on their wedding days. It was clear that the cracks were starting to emerge in Christine's dynamic with Kody and the other sister wives.

As Season 15 of "Sister Wives" rolled around, it became abundantly clear that the feelings of insecurity and inadequacy that Christine Brown had felt earlier on in the show — and in her marriage to Kody Brown — had not gone away. In Season 15 Episode 4, aptly titled "The Basement Wife," Christine spoke candidly about the feelings she was experiencing, and while out to lunch with Kody and her sister wives, she finally confessed what she was going through.

"I'm sure everybody hates me all the time," Christine told her husband, Meri, Janelle, and Robyn Brown, before revealing how she felt about accepting invitations from her sister wives to go over to their houses to spend time with them. "When we get together for family gatherings, I'm like, 'Why would I want to go? Because it's just going to be a hostile environment, and no one there even likes me,'" she said.

Robyn balked, telling Christine that they are "sharing the role of mother constantly," making it difficult to navigate social and familial situations. After the episode, Robyn took to social media to share that she appreciated Christine expressing how she felt amid rising tension. "I was glad Christine was willing to speak with me," Robyn wrote on Twitter. "I know it is hard to talk about vulnerable things, but it is important to do if you want to have a stronger relationship."

Amid Season 16 of "Sister Wives," it became clear that Christine and Kody Brown were on different pages and had different priorities. Season 16 Episode 5, for example, showed Ysabel Brown — one of Christine and Kody's children — undergoing a rather complex spinal surgery. She had to travel to New Jersey for the procedure amid the COVID-19 pandemic when the health crisis was at an all-time high. Christine made it abundantly clear how disappointed she was that Kody was absent for the procedure. By the time the Season 16 finale rolled around, Christine was about done with her husband, asserting herself in a way that left Kody "dumbfounded."

Kody told the camera that Christine didn't mince her words about her space and their shared bedroom, an admission that left him bereft.

"She's like, 'My room is a special place for me, and nothing special happens there for us," Kody confessed, further revealing that Christine rejected the idea of having a "romance-free" marriage. Kody wanted to engage in a relationship free from intimacy because Christine had "murdered" that element of their marriage by telling the other sister wives that she wanted to leave. But in response, Christine shared on-camera that she wasn't interested in having a shattered dynamic with Kody for the rest of her life. "My heart's shattered, to be honest with you [but I'm] not interested in a half marriage or a partial marriage or whatever we have."

One of the most impactful aspects of a marriage comes with combining assets. Whether that comes as monetary interests, retirement plans, or — most notably at times — homes, married couples tend to share these aspects in equal parts. But when Christine Brown (who was still married to Kody Brown at the time) put her Arizona home on the market, beady-eyed watchers took it as a sign that things were finally falling apart for the couple. As noted by The Sun, Christine's home in Flagstaff, Arizona, was a three-bedroom, three-bathroom property that sat on about two acres. The kitchen had been customized and had beautiful stainless steel appliances, and of course, had that kitchen island that we would like to have in our homes one day to entertain. With upstairs features like a beautiful stone fireplace, a bar, and unbeatable mountain views, it seemed like Christine's home was a little oasis. Realtor.com even described it as "perfect for those Flagstaff nights" — where else in the country can you sit outside every evening and take in the view without the threat of wild weather?

Given Christine's seemingly perfect home, her decision to sell it certainly indicated that her marriage to Kody was essentially over. After listing the house in August, she sold the property for $700,000 in October. While she received about $25,000 less than she initially asked for, Christine successfully walked away from the property.

When Christine and Kody Brown announced that they were finally separating after years of marriage, tension, and not seeing eye-to-eye, Christine also had to navigate telling her sister wives she'd be leaving. A polygamist marriage is something that not many people engage with or understand, but we can imagine that the conversation was an incredibly emotional one. After breaking the news to Meri, Janelle, and Robyn Brown, Christine told People that the sister wives were upset.

"When I told Meri, Robyn, and Janelle, Janelle actually cried," Christine shared. "That was so hard. It was not only am I deciding to leave Kody, I was leaving them as well." But Christine's needs were not being met in her marriage, she shared with People, saying, "I needed more communication, more trust, and I realized we didn't really have a partnership." Her decision to leave wasn't without any support, however. Janelle stepped up in a meaningful way for Christine, with the former sister wife telling People that Janelle had "been supportive from the get-go."

"Janelle and I have stayed close through the whole thing," Christine further shared. "She's wonderful."