| "Desire": Analysis of the "Desire" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Desire" 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. |
| "Desire" #1 (cont.) “Caleb? Why won’t you answer me?” she wails, fangs shining moonlight-white. “Why can’t I feel you? I have to find you, whatever it takes.” |
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| She stretches out her arms, the darkness penetrating her soul. She surrenders to it, feeling it flood her, lift her like a tidal wave as she flings herself off from the balcony. Buoyed by the fearlessness of desperation, she swoops downward, flying to the ground, and goes to confront Joshua at the studio. |
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| When she arrives at the studio, demanding to know where Caleb is, Joshua tells her that Caleb, as well as the other vampire band members, were lured into the springs, rendered mortal, and then killed by the Slayers. (Although Joshua is, of course, lying to Livvie about the Slayers, he assumes that the explosion he caused has actually killed Caleb, Caz, and Reese. It is not until later, when he receives a phone call at his apartment confirming Caleb's survival, that he realizes his plans to eliminate the other vampires has failed.) Livvie, trusting her instincts, at first staunchly refuses to believe that Caleb is gone to her forever, but as she begins succumbing to Joshua's treachery, her belief in Caleb's survival wavers. "There's only you and me now," Joshua confides. "It's up to us. We have to avenge him. And I will protect you, Livvie. I promise you." "No, I don't need your protection. I have this," she insists, showing Joshua the ring she wears on a chain around her neck, Caleb's ring, given to her as protection against other vampires. When Joshua tries to touch the ring, it gives him a painful jolt. Realizing that in order to get the ring and be shielded by its protective power he must somehow trick Livvie into relinquishing it, Joshua oozes an extra dose of unctuous charm as he tries to win her trust. With suave deceit, he convinces Livvie that he will take care of her, keep her safe from the Slayers, and even "serve" her as he did Caleb. He holds her in his arms, feeling the despair and futility sapping her strength, then takes her to his apartment. At Joshua's apartment Livvie still clings to her ever-dwindling faith that Caleb is alive, sensing from deep within her heart that he is "out there somewhere waiting" for her. Nevertheless, when Joshua receives a phone call and tells her it has been confirmed that Caleb is dead, Livvie seems to abandon her hope. (Ironically, the phone call was actually confirmation that Caleb had survived the explosion, but Joshua, wanting to use Livvie for his own purposes, lies to her.) "Why do I still feel his presence?" Livvie, stricken by despair, gasps. Overcome by grief, she begins to doubt her deep psychic connection to Caleb, the soul-bond intuition assuring her that Caleb is alive. Desperately, she asks Joshua if there is some magical spell that they "conjure up" to bring Caleb back, but Joshua, feigning sympathy, says he has no such power and, in a gentle, oily-smooth voice, suggests she try to get some rest. He gives her a drink of water and, when she falls asleep on his couch, tries again unsuccessfully to steal the ring. As Livvie falls victim to Joshua's deceit, Caleb, injured, immobilized, and unhappily mortal, is prey to his persecutors. Now that Caleb is fangless, Rafe is determined to preserve the former vampire's life while denying him the opportunity to regain his immortality. Jack, in contrast, desires Caleb's death and refuses to give Rafe a hand in extricating Caleb from the rubble. Although Jack eventually half-heartedly helps Rafe remove a boulder from Caleb's chest, the minute Rafe's back is turned Jack puts the boulder back on top of Caleb and tries to stab Caleb with a knife. |