"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" #32 (cont.)
“Alison?” she gasps, gripped by terror. “No. Caleb, no, you weren’t with her. Please don’t tell me you were
with her.”
“Alison?” she gasps, gripped by terror. “No. Caleb, no, you weren’t with her. Please don’t tell me you were
with her.”
Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken
by A. Armstrong
by A. Armstrong
The one thing she most feared would happen now confronts her. She had accused Caleb of wanting Alison,
and now here he is hinting that her accusations could have been true. Yet it seemed too horrible to be true.
Her accusations had been silly, unreasonable; surely, he could never have hurt her like this. She couldn’t let
herself believe this, for even he could not be this cruel.
“What a brilliant way to get revenge on all three of you,” he smirks. “You, Rafe, and Alison—three birds, one
wish. . . .I can’t think of a better way to teach you a lesson—me and your best friend together because of your
wish.”
and now here he is hinting that her accusations could have been true. Yet it seemed too horrible to be true.
Her accusations had been silly, unreasonable; surely, he could never have hurt her like this. She couldn’t let
herself believe this, for even he could not be this cruel.
“What a brilliant way to get revenge on all three of you,” he smirks. “You, Rafe, and Alison—three birds, one
wish. . . .I can’t think of a better way to teach you a lesson—me and your best friend together because of your
wish.”
“Please!” she sobs. “Caleb, please tell me it’s not true. No, it’s not true. Please!”
He gazes at her tear-stained face. She is so terrified of rejection, of being alone. Yet he needs to teach her a
lesson, even though the “lesson” was not something he had planned on giving. She had brought about her own
lesson, and he had willingly assisted in carrying it out. He couldn’t have thought of a better form of revenge, but
the revenge wasn’t of his planning. It just happened, and he took advantage of it even though it was not as
satisfying as he had thought it might be. Despite his anger towards her, he is unable to ignore her sobs. The
truth is too much for her to bear, and her sorrow hurts him more than he cares to acknowledge.
“OK, it’s not true,” he says matter-of-factly as Livvie, relieved by his reassuring lie, stops sobbing. “I wasn’t
with anyone. . . I sensed your wish. I knew what you were doing. I resisted.”
“Because it wasn’t with me?” she asks. “Because there wasn’t anyone else? Why? Why did you resist?”
“It does always seem that I always come back to you, don’t I?” he replies, his voice still flat, unfeeling. “No
matter what you do. But even I have a limit to my patience, Olivia.”
He gazes at her tear-stained face. She is so terrified of rejection, of being alone. Yet he needs to teach her a
lesson, even though the “lesson” was not something he had planned on giving. She had brought about her own
lesson, and he had willingly assisted in carrying it out. He couldn’t have thought of a better form of revenge, but
the revenge wasn’t of his planning. It just happened, and he took advantage of it even though it was not as
satisfying as he had thought it might be. Despite his anger towards her, he is unable to ignore her sobs. The
truth is too much for her to bear, and her sorrow hurts him more than he cares to acknowledge.
“OK, it’s not true,” he says matter-of-factly as Livvie, relieved by his reassuring lie, stops sobbing. “I wasn’t
with anyone. . . I sensed your wish. I knew what you were doing. I resisted.”
“Because it wasn’t with me?” she asks. “Because there wasn’t anyone else? Why? Why did you resist?”
“It does always seem that I always come back to you, don’t I?” he replies, his voice still flat, unfeeling. “No
matter what you do. But even I have a limit to my patience, Olivia.”
