The Secret

[Luciaphile]

So I've seen this part of the show multiple times, but I'm watching it today and there's all the gabble about Edith Collins telling what "the secret" is.

Suddenly I had this image:

Edward:  (eagerly) Yes, Grandmama?  Grandmother, I'm here.
Edith: Edward?  Edward, is that you?
Edward: (a touch impatiently) I'm here, Grandmama, what is the secret?
Edward: What is the secret?  Grandmama, please tell me.
Edith: (sits bolt upright in the bed, leans over confidentially.  Strains of Mrs. Robinson begin to air in the background) Plastics.

Luciaphil

[jennifer]

LOL Luciaphil
always wondered if when anyone heard the secret why they didn't go and open him up!

jennifer

[onyx_treasure]

    I have always disliked this plot angle.  I think Joshua laid his son to rest and that would have been the end of it.  I cannot see him having a warm fuzzy heart to heart with Daniel about this subject.  Wasn't the will and who inherits enough intrigue without " The Secret"?

[kuanyin]

    I have always disliked this plot angle.  I think Joshua laid his son to rest and that would have been the end of it.  I cannot see him having a warm fuzzy heart to heart with Daniel about this subject.  Wasn't the will and who inherits enough intrigue without " The Secret"?

SPOILER

Better that than to have to spend the night in the room!

[petofi]

I just love old Isabella Hoopes delivery of that fabled line-

"The SEEEEECRET!!"

This storyline is my absolute favorite and it inspired many happy hours of Dark Shadows Improv with my grade-school friends, back in the day!

petofi

[Connie]

Edward: What is the secret?  Grandmama, please tell me.
Edith: (sits bolt upright in the bed, leans over confidentially.  Strains of Mrs. Robinson begin to air in the background) Plastics.

YES!  YES!  ROFLMAO.
That's it!  I buy it 100%.  (And then after she utters the secret word, she heaves a sigh and expires).

-CLC  

[dom]

always wondered if when anyone heard the secret why they didn't go and open him up!

jennifer

And I'd like to know; if the secret is passed down from generation to generation, why wasn't Liz told from her father about the secret?

Dom

[Cassandra]

And I'd like to know; if the secret is passed down from generation to generation, why wasn't Liz told from her father about the secret?

Dom

SPOILER....SPOILER....SPOILER....SPOILER...SPOILER..

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Because Grandmama takes the "secret" to her grave with her.  :-)

[Luciaphile]

And I'd like to know; if the secret is passed down from generation to generation, why wasn't Liz told from her father about the secret?

Dom

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I hate, hate, absolutely hate, but really and truly hate time paradoxes.  Because as it stands, Elizabeth would have learned the secret from dear old Daddy and theoretically should have known damn well who "cousin Barnabas" was when he came knocking on her door.

But I suppose it goes something like this: Barnabas shows up and alters the past (1897).  Edith has a massive coronary and dies before she can pass on this little family heirloom.  Edward, Jamison and therefore Elizabeth never learn the secret.  However, there's also an argument that she would theoretically have known it because until he starts messing around with Quentin's I-Ching wands, history went like this: he got into his coffin in 1795/6 and didn't get out of it until 1966.

Of course, then there are those who argue that well, no, he did.  By travelling back in time Barnabas screwed up the time continuum (sp?) but good and by stepping out of the box (really, almost like the TARDIS in a weird way) in 1840 and in 1897 really and truly altered the fabric of history.

Did I mention how much I hate time paradoxes?

Luciaphil
(who is only ever able to explain the whole Tasha Yar thing after she's had a couple of vodka gimlets)

[onyx_treasure]

      This whole "The Secret" plot makes no sense.  First, Grandmamama was only a Collins by marriage so why would she know about " The Secret". SPOILER************************ Second, Daniel was crazier than a bedbug when we see him in 1840 so how could he tell anything to anyone and why would Ben let him.  Lastly, I don't think Joshua would have told anyone.

[Luciaphile]

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      This whole "The Secret" plot makes no sense.  First, Grandmamama was only a Collins by marriage so why would she know about " The Secret". SPOILER************************ Second, Daniel was crazier than a bedbug when we see him in 1840 so how could he tell anything to anyone and why would Ben let him.  Lastly, I don't think Joshua would have told anyone.

I think it would go like this (and I'm theorizing here because Barnabas and his time-traveling screw everything up but good for our purposes here ).  Joshua tells Daniel.  Daniel tells either Quentin or Gabriel.  Presumably Quentin.  Edith either overhears (entirely possible, given her character) or is told by Quentin.  Perhaps because Tad is a)dead, b)not around--he could conceivably have been fighting the civil war if he reached adulthood or c) her own children were not of age.

Luciaphil

[Birdie]

It is possible that even if Barnabas had not gone back in time Edith could have passed on without spitting out the secret to Edward.  

Birdie

[onyx_treasure]

    Someone refresh my memory, please.  How was "The Secret" handled during the 1840 segment?  I still can't suspend my disbelief about tight-lipped Joshua spilling his guts to Daniel.  I don't mind spoilers.  Thanks.

[Philippe Cordier]

I've wondered how each person possessing the secret is fortunate enough to be of sound mind and body and knows just when to transmit the secret right before conveniently expiring.

Dom wondered why it is that Elizabeth wasn't told the Secret by her father.  For those who don't like the "changed history" theories whereby the secret died with Grandmama (although I personally feel we have to accept that history *is* changed), here's an explanation that works well with my latest idea in "another thread": Jamison Collins (Roger and Elizabeth's father) may have known the Secret -- but died rather, er, unexpectedly before being able to transmit it to Liz ... (though he may have whispered it with his last breath to Betty Hanscomb!).

[Eleanor_Rigby]

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This is for onyx treasure.  I don't believe the secret came up at all during the 1840 storyline.

The time travel paradoxes are too much for me to try and comprehend so I just assume that the inconsistences are caused by parallel worlds occurying every single time there is time travel and back.

So ... for me, the secret doesn't come in 1840 because of all the changes in 1795 (or 1797 as they sometimes say) and 1895 travels back.

OR ... Daniel maybe told Samantha since Quentin was lost at sea and Edith overheard and kept it to herself.  OR Daniel told Edith because Gabriel was too "sick" and Quentin was lost at sea.  Edith didn't bring it up once Barnabas showed up because she would prefer that the whole family be wiped out anyway...except for her and her children.

Well that was fun.