| "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" Analysis #2 From the spinning tumult of colors and shapes, his drug-hazed eyes discern the blurry outline of Joshua, his nemesis and would-be murderer, lurking in the doorway. Caleb knows that to survive, he must use his natural intelligence, cunning, and seductiveness to disarm his enemies as well as charm potential allies. Though defanged, he is far from defenseless and refuses to surrender to those who seek to humble his proud, rebellious spirit. Caleb’s resilience and perseverance are among the few inspiring aspects of “Desire.” Lacking the rich, evocative symbolism, mythic overtones, and magic sensuality of the previous Caleb arcs, “Desire” is a rather bleak storyline of survival— the survival of hope, courage, and love amidst the annihilating forces of repression. In this arc we see the gradual development of Joshua’s totalitarian regime, the creation of a dispiriting, devitalizing dictatorship where creativity and desire are thwarted or else twisted into tools of manipulation. Caleb, the former villain, becomes an antihero, a symbol of liberation from Joshua’s soul-deadening dystopia. Whether in mortal or immortal form, Caleb is a trickster, depending on his deviousness and charm to obtain what he needs or desires. Lying in the hospital bed, seeing Joshua staring down at him, Caleb is too proud and resourceful to give into feelings of vulnerability. He looks upon his usurping minion with an expression of scorn. “What do you want?” he growls. “Do you want to guess?” Joshua sneers. “You failed on your first attempt to kill me, so now you’re here to finish the job,” Caleb calmly replies. “Yeah, but this time I’m really going to enjoy it,” Joshua gloats. “I’m going to get to watch it. I’m going to feel the life draining out of you.” Before Joshua can make good on his threat, however, Rafe rushes into the room and angrily confronts him. Rafe’s blustery entrance is soon followed by a giggling bevy of girls, three teenaged Stephen Clay fans awe-struck by their hospitalized idol. “I told you. It’s Stephen Clay!” one of the girls exclaims. “They’re using some other name on your chart, but I knew it was just a disguise.” “Yeah, it’s me,” Caleb says, entrancing her with his coyly seductive smile. “Are you sick?” one of his fans inquires in a worried tone. “I’m a little under the weather,” he says with a mischievous grin. “But I’ll be feeling like myself real soon.” “Aw, well, can you sign this for us, please?” a fan asks bashfully. “Sure,” he obliges. However, as the teens walk towards Caleb, Joshua, quickly grabbing one of the girls, runs out into the hallway. While Rafe races after Joshua, Caleb signs autographs. Using the fans’ adoration to his advantage, Caleb slyly asks if one of them would “be willing” to do him a “favor.” Only later, after the girls and all his other uninvited visitors have left, do we find out what the favor involved. When Rafe, having failed to capture Joshua, returns, Caleb mocks the pompous Slayer’s lack of success. “Used me as bait and still you couldn’t get Joshua,” he taunts. “Quite a dilemma for you, having to protect me. And your job wouldn’t be so hard if I wasn’t such a sitting duck,” he points out, jerking the restraints that encircle his wrists. “Maybe untie me, at least give me a chance to defend myself.” Seeing through Caleb’s ploy, Rafe, of course, refuses to release his prisoner. “I’ll be arranging for security now. The great Stephen Clay won’t be receiving visitors any time soon,” Rafe gloats, smug with victory, as he walks out the door. “Really?” Caleb smirks, slipping his hands out of the restraints once Rafe has left. Caleb, as usual, has outsmarted his long-time foe. While Rafe had been trying unsuccessfully to catch Joshua, Caleb had persuaded his teenage fans to do him a “favor” by loosening the restraints so that he could escape when no one was looking. Rafe had been tricked into believing he had control over Caleb, tricked into believing his own arrogant delusions of power. Escaping from his hospital bed and putting on his clothes, Caleb sneaks out into the hallway, where he runs into another obstacle—Elizabeth. Vengeful over being dumped by Caleb yet still desiring him, Elizabeth lashes out at him while coquettishly responding to his irresistible allure. |
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| Snappies of "Desire" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |