| "The Gift": Analysis of "The Gift" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "The Gift" episodes of the show Port Charles, formerly of ABC-TV. This site will focus on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley/Stephen Clay (portrayed by actor Michael Easton). The character of Caleb Morley/Stephen Clay 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. |
| "Gift" #1 (cont.) “I didn’t know what I was doing, but I . . . I still did do it,” Alison, waveringly, confides. “I didn’t mean to.” “Well, I mean, he did set you up. But you’re right, you did do it,” Livvie rather cruelly agrees, as if resisting any show of compassion or empathy. She knows that Alison was brainwashed, yet she wants to make Alison feel guilty for carrying out the murderous assignment Joshua programmed her to do. The more empathetic side of herself, however, also surfaces, and, with a gently chiding warning that Alison is “right on the edge,” Livvie gets her a glass of water. With Livvie’s semblance of concern, Alison’s defensiveness abates. She admits that even though Rafe says he doesn’t hold her responsible for stabbing him, she doesn’t believe him. “He says he forgives me,” Alison says sadly, “but, I mean, honestly, how could he? How could anyone after something like that?” “Don’t be a jerk, please,” Livvie scoffs. “You guys are, like, the love story of the century. Of course, he forgives you.” |
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| Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| “But what if he doesn’t?” Alison persists. “I don’t even know why I’m asking you this. Like you even care. You’re only happy when. . . ”
“No, no, no,” Livvie interrupts. “Alison, I do. I do care. I mean, I think you guys should, you know, work this out, make everything right between you.” “Why?” Alison, skeptical, probes. “Why do you care?” “I don’t know,” Livvie replies, her tone uneasy, as if she is worried that her relationship with Caleb is linked to Alison’s with Rafe. “It’s just that it kind of balances everything out, you know?” she tries to explain. “I just think that you should probably trust what he’s telling you. And, remember, his stab wounds, they’re going to heal.” Alison then asks about the issue of trust. Although his physical injuries will heal, his trust in her, despite what he tells her to the contrary, may not. She fears that Rafe is covering up his true emotions, not wanting to confront them and even trying to avoid talking about them with her. She believes it is for these reasons that Rafe decided to leave their apartment as soon as she fell asleep. “Oh, God, get over it!” Livvie gripes in response to Alison’s doubt-filled musings. “If that’s the worst of your problems, then you’re halfway home.” She hides her own worries beneath a mask of scorn, for she, like Alison, has been abandoned in the middle of the night by her lover. She, too, has been left alone in the dark as her man searches in an obsessive quest for the ring. “What about the other half?” Alison, perhaps sensing evasiveness, inquires. “Well, just don’t give him room to question how you feel,” Livvie replies. “Love him 1000% and make sure he gets that. That’s all that matters right now.” With this advice, Livvie leaves, returning to the apartment she shares with Caleb, a place that, without him, seems much more cold and dreary than his cave ever used to be when she was there beside him. The death of Joshua should have brought triumph and joy for them. Instead, she and Caleb seem even further apart. The ring is becoming her competitor for Caleb’s attention, a new threat more formidable than any female rival, including Alison, could ever be. |