| "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" #1 (cont.) “No, no, no, Caleb wouldn’t do that, not after . . . ” Livvvie hesitantly replies, not wanting to believe what her fears, her sharpest instincts, are telling her must be true. “Not after what?” Alison prompts. “Well, we talked about it, and he said that I am the only thing that matters to him,” Livvie, a tremble in her voice, confides. “Oh, you can’t honestly, honestly,” Alison emphasizes sarcastically, “tell me that you think that he thinks that love is enough? . . . After all the lying and cheating that you’ve been through you can’t tell me you haven’t learned a damn thing about men and power and what they’ll do to get it. . . . You’re in a great state of denial, Livvie, and I think you just want to believe that love is enough.” Sneering and embittered, Alison is assuming Livvie’s customary role as surly skeptic, while Livvie clings to an idealistic belief in unconditional love. Shocked by Alison’s abrupt personality shift, Livvie exclaims, “God, Alison, when did you become such a cynic?” “When did I become such a cynic?” Alison shoots back. “When I thought that love was enough to defeat you and Caleb, when I was willing to sacrifice myself to Joshua, that monster, and give him everything he wanted, all to save the man that I love, when I almost killed Rafe myself, and, in the end, he ended up saving me anyway.” “Yeah, in the end,” Livvie sighs desolately. “Now the two of you can life your happily-ever-after, that stupid storybook love of yours. What is your problem, Alison?” “My problem is the same as yours,” Alison tells her. “Rafe and Caleb, they are off together. They didn’t tell either one of us, which means that this ring means more to them than we do.” |
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| Snappies of "The Gift" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| “Oh, God, this is going to be one huge pity party, isn’t it, Alison?” Livvie complains. However, as she glares with exasperation at her familiar foe, she notices that Alison’s face seems to have grown suddenly paler and her knees have begun to buckle. Alison collapses, losing consciousness in Livvie’s arms.
Grasping the semi-conscious Alison, Livvie experiences perplexing emotions. Although Livvie has, on several occasions, attempted to murder Alison, she also used to be Alison’s best friend. They shared their thoughts and feelings about love, relationships, goals; they helped each other out during moments of turmoil, celebrated each other’s success. Then, after Caleb began to taint her soul, sabotaging her relationship with her friends, Livvie, succumbing to jealous delusions, started to perceive Alison as a threat. Yet memories of the closeness she and Alison shared remained, vestiges of a simpler, more innocent, yet less passionate, youth. She helps Alison to the bed, then, somewhat sarcastically, asks her if she is “done” with her “raving.” “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Alison says in a worried tone. “I just keep feeling so dizzy and I can’t focus.” “You’re going through withdrawal symptoms,” Livvie tersely informs her. “What do you know?” Alison sneers defensively. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Don’t I?” Livvie challenges. “Little Miss Alison on a rant about how useless love is? I don’t think so. Please! You’re coming down from the drugs Joshua gave you.” “I’m not some sort of junkie!” Alison, insulted, asserts. “Look, you listed your symptoms,” Livvie snidely replies. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think something was wrong, that something didn’t make you stab your boyfriend in the chest and in the face. Hello? Am I talking to a brick wall here?” |