| "Tempted": Allure and Menace in Port Charles' "Tempted,"An Analysis (c) by Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Tempted" episodes of the show "Port Charles," formerly of ABC-TV. This site will focus on the scenes featuring the vampire character Caleb Morley (portrayed by actor Michael Easton). The character of Caleb Morley 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. |
| "Tempted" Episodes 25-27 (cont.) “Laugh while you can, Caleb,” Rafe chides. “Oh, I will,” Caleb brags. “I’m going to be laughing right up until Judgment Day. That’s when the dead are supposed to come to life, isn’t it?” “Take care, Vampire,” Rafe warns, his somber tone in stark contrast to Caleb’s mocking wit. “I knew I killed you. Yet here you are,” Caleb smiles, amused by Rafe’s plight. “A dead man standing right in front of me. You’re one of them, aren’t you?” He scrutinizes Rafe, examining his longtime enemy with condescending mirth. “You’re an angel. Just a puny little angel, for God’s sake.” “With powers you’ve only dreamed of,” Rafe bluffs with poorly disguised humiliation. |
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| “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me, Rafe,” Caleb mocks. “Man, I know all about all your rules and regulations. Tell me something . . . . You really think you can save a place like this from someone like me with your . . . your little wings tied behind your back, so to speak?”
“If you give me a chance, I might even save you,” Rafe exclaims with the self-enhancing fervor of an evangelist eager to save another soul, collect another bounty. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Caleb asks skeptically. “It means I’m here to offer you redemption, Caleb,” Rafe boasts, smugly sanctimonious. “Redemption?” Caleb repeats. “Yeah. A way to escape the nightmare you’ve suffered for centuries,” Rafe offers. “Freedom from misery and thirst.” |
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| Although Rafe seems sincere in his belief that he can grant redemption, his proposal to save Caleb is tainted with arrogance. If, according to traditional Christian belief, only God can grant salvation, then Rafe is acting as if he is God, a tendency Rafe continually displays throughout subsequent arcs. He perceives himself to be an agent of God, with the power to resurrect the dead (as he did with Alison), exterminate the evildoers, grant absolution or consign to damnation. “How?” Caleb inquires. “Just open your heart to me,” Rafe proclaims. “Just like that?” Caleb laughs. “Turn on your dark ways,” Rafe exhorts with messianic zeal. “Let the warmth I bring flood through you. Cross over, Caleb, but this time cross over to my side. Don’t worry. It’s not too late. If you come with an open heart, it’s never too late.” |
| Snappies of "Tempted" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |