| "Surrender" : Analysis of the "Surrender" Arc of ABC-TV's Port Charles
(c) Alison Armstrong |
| An analysis of the "Surrender" 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. |
| "Surrender" #3 (cont.) “You know, if I would have known you liked dirty pictures so much, I would have downloaded a few of my own,” Caleb quips. His clever wit shields his anguished soul and perceptively points out Rafe’s rather prurient voyeurism. |
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| Snappies of "Surrender" scenes taken by A. Armstrong |
| “Oh, you don’t like these? How about these? They’re a little more personal,” Rafe teases, showing the next clip—the scene at the end of “Tainted Love,” in which Caleb, lured onto the rooftop by Livvie and her friends, is struck by lightning.
“How did it feel the first time, Caleb? When you were lured onto the roof, when the lightning seared your flesh and turned your bones to dust?” Rafe taunts, exulting in Caleb’s emotional torment and waxing poetic in the description of Caleb’s physical agony. “Was it fascinating then, the joy of joys? Where was your bride-to-be then?” Rafe then goes on to show the next clip of his Livvie retrospective, the scene at the end of “Tempted,” in which Livvie plunges the stake into Caleb’s heart. |
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| “When you opened your soul to your vampire bride and the stake tore through your chest,” Rafe probes, “was she beautiful then, through your skeleton eyes when she killed you for the second time?”
Licking his lips and swallowing nervously, Caleb watches the scenes of his betrayal and death replayed with Rafe’s mocking commentary. “That’s enough,” he mutters, looking away. “Uh, memorable, huh?” Rafe laughs maliciously. “I’ve got more.” “I think you made your point, Rafe,” Caleb growls. “And your point is precisely nothing. Nada. You know what this proves?” His voice becomes impassioned. “It proves how beautiful Olivia is, how passionate she is. And the only thing that stood between us was human frailty. And no matter how hard you study, you will never understand our world.” |
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| “And you’ll never be able to live in ours,” Rafe counters. “Because your frailty is to love someone who will betray you again and again and again and again.”
Rafe’s observation is surprisingly perceptive. Although most of the time Rafe is too concerned with demonizing Caleb to even try to understand him, this remark shows a rare moment of insight. Caleb’s “frailty” is linked to his love for Livvie, a woman who has continually betrayed him. Idealistically, Caleb clings to his belief in Livvie and the possibility of undying, unconditional love. While acknowledging Livvie’s past betrayals, Caleb attributes them to Livvie’s humanity, implying that once Livvie becomes a vampire she will be able to live up to his idealistic standards. “Huhh,” Caleb grunts, gritting his teeth. “Is the show over now, Slayer?” “No, I’m just getting warmed up,” Rafe tells him. |