"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" Analysis #12

Armed with secrets gleaned from his descent in Hell, Caleb devises a plan to take back the ring and safeguard its magic from prying, foolhardy, unworthy hands.  Although Jack and Jamal convince themselves they are protecting their fellow townspeople by throwing the ring into the river, they do not realize that an object that powerful and alluring cannot be disposed of so easily.  Its supernatural capacities intensified by each generation of Morleys, the ring has become a capricious genii-like entity causing sorrow as well as bestowing fortune. 

Rafe and Lucy sense that something ominous has happened to potentially upset the metaphysical balance between good and evil, but they do not know that Caleb has successfully completed his underworld journey, bringing back wisdom that will restore his power.  Pulsing with pitbull puppy feistiness, Lucy is eager to resume her Slayer mission, and she urges Rafe to follow his instincts by joining her in another battle against Caleb.  Not knowing that Caleb gave Ian the knowledge that ultimately saved her life, she recklessly, manically persists in her bloodthirsty anti-vampire vendetta.   But Rafe, for once, struggles to resist the thrill of the hunt.  He strives to fulfill his promise to Alison, his vow to give her the “normal,” contented life she longs to have with him. 

Caleb, meanwhile, vows to fulfill the promise he made to his father by regaining the ring.  Taking his father’s advice, Caleb decides to use his rock star charisma and mesmerizing music as a way to draw the wearer of the ring to him.  In order to do this, though, he needs an audience likely to include the person who has the ring, an audience such as that expected to attend the upcoming fashion show at Rafe and Alison’s new gym.

Sensing that Alison is visiting her mother, Caleb makes a sudden appearance outside the door of Elizabeth ’s hotel room.  He sits on a table in the hallway, idly pulling petals off a rose.  His casual ravagement of the rose indicates his tendency to destroy beauty and taint the soul; it also seems to foreshadow Caleb’s eventual ravagement of Alison.
Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong
“What do you want, Caleb?  Why are you here?” Alison, startled by Caleb’s unwelcome visit, exclaims.  “I don’t really care to see you, and . . . if you’re here to see my mother, I don’t think she wants to see you either.”

Reminding her of the “real strides” he thought they had made during their cozy conversation together on the Fourth of July, he explains that he no longer has any interest in Elizabeth but he does have a “proposition” for her, his rather lewd expression giving the word “proposition” a connotation Alison finds distasteful. 

“I promise you, whatever it is, the answer is absolutely no,” she says, unsettled by the subtle sexual insinuation of his words and tone. 
 
“You want to hear me out before you make up your mind?” he challenges.  He places his arm on the wall behind her, trapping her between his body and the wall.
“You attacked one of my very good friends the other night,” she accuses. 
 
“You have so many very good friends, it’s sometimes hard to keep track,” he grins condescendingly while fondling and plucking at the rose.    “I assume you’re talking about Jamal.”
"The Gift" #12 (cont.)