| "Surrender" : Analysis of the "Surrender" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Surrender" 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. |
| "Surrender" Analysis #1 The darkness at the heart of Caleb Morley corrodes the “Stephen Clay” mask, turning the hard-edged, metallic rock star glamour into venomous verdigris. Shunning the vision of his hollow loneliness, Caleb, like Dorian Gray, avoids looking at the pain and guilt hidden beneath the hedonistic persona he displays towards his moralistic foes. However, the brazenly amoral disguise is beginning to betray signs of vulnerability. As he sits smugly in the church, waiting with his enemies for Alison in her bridal gown to walk down the aisle, he suddenly experiences sharp pangs in his head, agonizing alarms signaling that Livvie is in danger. He blinks, his eyes glazing with dread, then, trembling, leaves the room. Falling to his knees, he looks up at the ceiling of the church, as if stricken by the divine, and calls out the name of his beloved. “Olivia,” he cries, sensing her peril. |
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| The camera, like the eyes of an indifferent god, looks down upon him as the walls seem to spin, whirling around this desperate, tormented figure in black. Meanwhile, Livvie and Tess are caught up in their own whirlwind, two sisters in identical white sweaters clutching each other as they spin in the drowning current, engulfed in the maelstrom Caleb’s turbulent soul has set into motion. |
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| Snappies of "Surrender" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| Alison and Rafe are caught up in a maelstrom also, their lives spiraling out of control as events, manipulated by Caleb, reach their denouement and shatter the couple’s vision of a contented, “normal” future together. With each step down the aisle, Alison’s hope for happiness begins to waver. Nervously, she touches the gift Rafe gave her, a locket containing the picture of his mother. The clasp, at first, resists her prying fingers, but when it does yield, Alison, like the mythic Pandora, wishes she had never glimpsed the hidden contents. Within the locket is the image of a familiar face, the face in a photo she had seen amongst her deceased father’s belongings, the face of a woman she believes is her missing sibling’s mother. Memories of her sweetly magical romance with Rafe flood her mind as she realizes that the man she loves may be her own half-brother. Tears streaming down her face, she tells Rafe “I love you. I’m sorry,” and runs from the room.
As the audience gasps in shock and bewilderment, Elizabeth leaves the aborted ceremony and joins Caleb in another part of the church. “Stephen? What’s wrong?” she asks, glancing at him worriedly while he stares at a candle, a sad, faraway look in his eyes. “What’s wrong with everybody? Alison called off the wedding. Did you hear me? What happened? What is it?” “I just need to get some air,” he tells her. “Who’s Olivia?” she demands. “She’s somebody that . . . ” He pauses, his words, like the locket’s clasp, reluctant to reveal the enigma. |
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| “You loved? Do you still love her?” she pressures. He looks confused, stricken by his anguished love for Livvie yet desperately trying to steel his heart against her. |