| "The Gift": Analysis of "The Gift" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(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. |
| "The Gift" #10 (cont.) Jamal (this time, at least) is telling the truth. Somehow during the tense confrontation, probably when the crowd rushed outside, Jack had managed to take possession of the ring. At some point Jamal’s lie about not having the ring was no longer a lie, and he was genuinely surprised not to find the ring in his pocket. Leaving Jamal and the other people gathered inside and outside the gym, Jack gazes happily at his shiny new possession. “Well, well, well,” he gloats. “Things are going to be a little bit different around here. The Elixir’s all mine, and so is Caleb’s ring.” He has stolen his former rival’s family heirloom and power object. He has tricked his best friend, Jamal. He has the magic to make his wishes come true. |
 |
| Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| Unaware that Jack has the ring, Caleb, Rafe, and Jamal remain deadlocked. Alison has joined Rafe in defending Jamal, while Livvie teams with Caleb in badgering Jamal. Frustrated and defeated, Jamal finally confides that he “took the ring for protection” and “to keep it safe” from Rafe, as well as Caleb. “I told you I would have thrown the damn thing in the ocean. Why didn’t you come to me about it?” Rafe angrily demands. “You and the big man over there have this mano-a-mano thing going on,” Jamal points out. “I was the one that couldn’t trust you two because you two would just end up fighting like you’re doing right now. Me, I’m all about peace, OK? . . . I took the ring to keep you two idiots from killing each other.” “And I guess that makes you some kind of hero,” Caleb sneers. “You know how heroes usually end up, Jamal? They end up dead.” |
 |
 |
| Alison begs Caleb not to hurt Jamal, but Caleb, unswayed by her pleas and Rafe’s pole-wielding threats, does not intend to let Jamal get away unpunished. “You look after yours,” he warns Rafe. “I look after mine. And the way I see it, Jamal’s one of my tribe.” “Look, Caleb, I wasn’t trying to jack you for your ring, OK?” Jamal tries to explain. “It just kind of fell into my hands.” He then relates how he managed to seize the ring the day Joshua was killed. “There was smoke everywhere,” he recalls. “Joshua was about to get iced, and that’s when I saw the ring fall to the floor, and I just grabbed it.” |
 |
 |
| “You expect me to believe all that?” Caleb scoffs. |
 |
 |
| “Whatever,” Jamal responds with sullen defiance. “You believe whatever you want, OK? I’m out of here.” “Oh, you’re not going anywhere,” Caleb growls. As he lunges towards Jamal, grabbing him by the neck, Rafe retaliates by clutching Livvie in a stranglehold. |
 |
 |