"The Gift": Analysis of "The Gift" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(c) Alison Armstrong
(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.
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.
"The Gift" #26 (cont.)
Alison’s professed confidence in her friendship tactics is unconvincing. She knows that Caleb is unwilling to
give up the ring. Since he did not give it to her the first time she tried the honest approach, why would she
expect him to do so now? Does she actually think Caleb would be taken in by her sappy attempts to befriend
him, especially now that she so obviously planted the charm at his house? Although Alison hopes she can
persuade Rafe with her illogical assumptions, she does not even seem to believe them herself.
Her arguments against Rafe’s proposed expedition to Hell are far more persuasive, but Rafe is too stubborn and
obsessed to be swayed from his idiotic mission. Undeterred by her dire misgivings about his subterranean
journey, Rafe waits until Alison has momentarily left the room and then begins chanting the incantation he
memorized from Caleb’s book of magic. “Father, I’m here,” he intones, addressing Caleb’s father (Roderick) in
Hell. “Share with me your legacy.” Thunder echoes in response to his plea. A red light flashes, and as Alison
re-enters the room, she helplessly watches Rafe disappear into an annihilating vortex. He is gone from her
world, swept into a nightmarish realm she is terrified to imagine.
Rafe has travelled into a world of darkness and ferocity familiar to Caleb, Roderick, and others of the Morleys’
vampire minions. It is a world against which Rafe and his kind, the Slayers and angels, continually battle but
which he has willingly chosen to enter. He has allowed himself to become one with the enemy, forfeiting his
earthly happiness and invoking wicked forces in order to attain knowledge that may damn him forever.
Like Rafe, Livvie decides to pry into dangerous mysteries she has no business or experience probing. Perceiving
the ring as a way to neutralize any threats to her relationship with Caleb, she schemes to take control of it. His
secrecy about the ring, as well as his evasiveness about Alison, angers her. He seems to be intentionally trying to
provoke her jealousy, all the while chastising her for expressing it.
Standing outside of the Elixir after Alison has left, Livvie confronts Caleb with her suspicions. “Is this a test or
something?” she asks. “It seems like any time Alison’s around, you find some way to throw it in my face.”
“Really? Is that what I’m doing?” he replies nonchalantly.
Alison’s professed confidence in her friendship tactics is unconvincing. She knows that Caleb is unwilling to
give up the ring. Since he did not give it to her the first time she tried the honest approach, why would she
expect him to do so now? Does she actually think Caleb would be taken in by her sappy attempts to befriend
him, especially now that she so obviously planted the charm at his house? Although Alison hopes she can
persuade Rafe with her illogical assumptions, she does not even seem to believe them herself.
Her arguments against Rafe’s proposed expedition to Hell are far more persuasive, but Rafe is too stubborn and
obsessed to be swayed from his idiotic mission. Undeterred by her dire misgivings about his subterranean
journey, Rafe waits until Alison has momentarily left the room and then begins chanting the incantation he
memorized from Caleb’s book of magic. “Father, I’m here,” he intones, addressing Caleb’s father (Roderick) in
Hell. “Share with me your legacy.” Thunder echoes in response to his plea. A red light flashes, and as Alison
re-enters the room, she helplessly watches Rafe disappear into an annihilating vortex. He is gone from her
world, swept into a nightmarish realm she is terrified to imagine.
Rafe has travelled into a world of darkness and ferocity familiar to Caleb, Roderick, and others of the Morleys’
vampire minions. It is a world against which Rafe and his kind, the Slayers and angels, continually battle but
which he has willingly chosen to enter. He has allowed himself to become one with the enemy, forfeiting his
earthly happiness and invoking wicked forces in order to attain knowledge that may damn him forever.
Like Rafe, Livvie decides to pry into dangerous mysteries she has no business or experience probing. Perceiving
the ring as a way to neutralize any threats to her relationship with Caleb, she schemes to take control of it. His
secrecy about the ring, as well as his evasiveness about Alison, angers her. He seems to be intentionally trying to
provoke her jealousy, all the while chastising her for expressing it.
Standing outside of the Elixir after Alison has left, Livvie confronts Caleb with her suspicions. “Is this a test or
something?” she asks. “It seems like any time Alison’s around, you find some way to throw it in my face.”
“Really? Is that what I’m doing?” he replies nonchalantly.
Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken
by A. Armstrong
by A. Armstrong
“What? Are you guys friends?” she demands, referring to Alison’s apparent buddy-buddy bond with him.
“Maybe we’re friends,” he responds with an enigmatic smile. “Or maybe I have my own reasons for keeping
her close by.”
“Which are?” she probes.
“My own reasons,” he evades.
her close by.”
“Which are?” she probes.
“My own reasons,” he evades.
