"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.
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.
"The Gift" #33 (cont.)
“Today is your lucky day,” Rafe smiles, responding to Caleb’s petulance with condescending calm as if he were
trying to soothe a bratty little boy. “And if you are smart, you will accept this little peace offering and forget
everything else.”
“Today is your lucky day,” Rafe smiles, responding to Caleb’s petulance with condescending calm as if he were
trying to soothe a bratty little boy. “And if you are smart, you will accept this little peace offering and forget
everything else.”
Snappies of "The
Gift" scenes taken by
A. Armstrong
Gift" scenes taken by
A. Armstrong
“I’d like to, I would,” Caleb, regaining his poise, replies. “But there’s just one thing I can’t forget, one thing I
could never forget because I live with it every day, what you did to me, what you took from me. . . . When you
pushed me into that spring, when you turned me into a mortal, you had no right to do that. You know it, and I
know it.”
could never forget because I live with it every day, what you did to me, what you took from me. . . . When you
pushed me into that spring, when you turned me into a mortal, you had no right to do that. You know it, and I
know it.”
“What are you worried about? You got your fangs back,” Rafe points out, not understanding Caleb’s deep sense
of betrayal.
“It will never be the same,” Caleb grimly explains. “It can never be the same again. Once you’ve had a taste of
what it’s like to be human.”
of betrayal.
“It will never be the same,” Caleb grimly explains. “It can never be the same again. Once you’ve had a taste of
what it’s like to be human.”
Caleb’s remark is rather puzzling. Even though Caleb was originally turned into a vampire against his will, he
grew to embrace his fanged immortality, and, when robbed of it by being pushed into the “healing” spring,
constantly plotted to regain his stolen legacy. For a brief moment, as he later confessed to Livvie, he tried to
accept his mortal status but discovered that he could never be happy again as a human. Yet Caleb’s statement
that his vampire existence would “never be the same” afterwards reveals the possible reawakening of a human
conscience. Having re-experienced the vulnerability of being human, he can never again so callously trample
upon human lives. The pleasures of cruelty have been tarnished by his temporary “fall” back into human flesh.
He has tasted of the fruit of mortality and never again can he regain the ruthless innocence he once had as a
godlike amoral being.
“I can’t believe this,” Rafe comments. “You’re grieving over the fact that you’ve possibly grown some
semblance of a conscience? I mean, if that’s what you’re worried about, look, please don’t worry because from
where I’m standing, your soul’s still pretty dark.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” Caleb menacingly responds.
“OK, OK, this is great,” Rafe, getting frustrated now, sputters. “You want to hold a grudge? Go ahead. But I’
m moving on. Alison and I, we’re getting married, all right? We’re starting a life together, and there’s no place
for this ancient, stupid war in that life.”
grew to embrace his fanged immortality, and, when robbed of it by being pushed into the “healing” spring,
constantly plotted to regain his stolen legacy. For a brief moment, as he later confessed to Livvie, he tried to
accept his mortal status but discovered that he could never be happy again as a human. Yet Caleb’s statement
that his vampire existence would “never be the same” afterwards reveals the possible reawakening of a human
conscience. Having re-experienced the vulnerability of being human, he can never again so callously trample
upon human lives. The pleasures of cruelty have been tarnished by his temporary “fall” back into human flesh.
He has tasted of the fruit of mortality and never again can he regain the ruthless innocence he once had as a
godlike amoral being.
“I can’t believe this,” Rafe comments. “You’re grieving over the fact that you’ve possibly grown some
semblance of a conscience? I mean, if that’s what you’re worried about, look, please don’t worry because from
where I’m standing, your soul’s still pretty dark.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” Caleb menacingly responds.
“OK, OK, this is great,” Rafe, getting frustrated now, sputters. “You want to hold a grudge? Go ahead. But I’
m moving on. Alison and I, we’re getting married, all right? We’re starting a life together, and there’s no place
for this ancient, stupid war in that life.”