| "Tempted": Allure and Menace in Port Charles' "Tempted,"An Analysis (c) by Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Tempted" episodes of the show "Port Charles," formerly of ABC-TV. This site will focus on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley (portrayed by actor Michael Easton). The character of Caleb Morley and any other characters relating to Port Charles are the property of ABC and their creators. This is a fan-run site and is not an official site, nor is it affiliated in any way with ABC, Port Charles, or the actors portraying any of the Port Charles characters. No copyright infringement is intended. The writings on this site are copyrighted by the author, Alison Armstrong, and may not be reproduced without the author's express permission. |
| "Tempted" Episodes 41-42 (cont.) As Rafe foolishly turns his attention to the woman, whose injured leg prevents her escape, Caleb slinks towards her, fixing her with his mesmerizing gaze. “That’s it. Keep your eyes right here,” he commands. “No. No. Whatever you do, don’t look in his eyes,” Rafe pleads with the woman. “I said get the hell out of here now!” he yells as Caleb overtakes them both. Hovering above them like a shadowy figure of doom, Caleb plunges a stake into the Slayer’s chest, an ironically appropriate demise for a man who made a living out of impaling vampires. “Give your God my regards,” Caleb sneers. “Tell Him thanks for the exercise.” |
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| By using the words “your God,” Caleb seems to imply that Rafe’s god is not the same as Caleb’s. As is later developed in the "Naked Eyes" and subsequent arcs of Port Charles, there seem to be two types of gods--the Judeo-Christian God vs. the "dark" gods of the vampires. (In fact, in "Naked Eyes," Caleb even refers to the god Chaos.) Whereas Caleb's alter-ego "Father Michael," like the rest of the Port Charles characters, worships the Judeo-Christian God, Caleb and his vampire kindred seem to have their own gods, ancient, primeval deities representing forces of energy that existed before humanity and its moral systems were created.
In the world of Port Charles, for every action there is a counteraction, an opposing, thwarting force. Although Caleb has triumphed over Rafe in the past and is on the way to achieving victory once more, he cannot avoid the inevitable pendulum swing towards defeat. By placing his soulmate in the role of his pawn, using her to achieve vengeance against all those she loves, Caleb has transformed into his nemesis. Now that Livvie has remembered how Caleb has used her mind and body, she is filled with anger. Determined to make Caleb pay for violating her soul, Livvie goes to his cave and threatens to destroy him. "All right, Caleb. Where are you?" she growls. "Come out and show yourself, you coward." "Olivia, I didn't call for you," he answers, his voice cold and wary. |
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| "Too bad," she bristles.
"I don't understand," he says with unconvincing innocence. "Oh no? Well, I do now," she replies defiantly. |
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| When Caleb asks her how she suddenly regained her memory, Livvie lashes out at him for manipulating and deceiving her. "You lied to me, Caleb," she hisses. "You said you had a friend help you."
"And I did," Caleb admits. "But it was me!" Livvie yells with indignation. "You crawled inside me. You made me do things, say things, be things. You made me hurt the people I love, and I'm going to kill you for that. You hear me? I swear to God, Caleb, I'm going to kill you." Having escaped his judgment and execution at the hands of the Slayer, Caleb now faces retribution at the hands of his beloved. Using Livvie to plants his seeds of deceit, distrust, and enmity, Caleb must taste the poisoned succulence of their fruit. |
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| Snappies of "Tempted" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |