Taking issue with Joshua Collins and Angelique's Curse.

[A.C.]

A lot of people mark the 1795 storyline as the highwater mark of the series (I know I do) it was near perfection...the only problem I have is the notion that Joshua escapes dying from Angelique's curse that anyone who loves Barnabas shall die.

At the end of the storyline they present the notion that Joshua doesn't love his son but c'mon his actions don't add up to that idea. All he did to try and help Barnabas...summoning Bathia Mapes (poor woman...I felt sorry for her) and ultimately chaining Barnabas up rather than destroying him. Sounds like love to me.

[David]

At their last 1795 scene together, Joshua and Barnabas clearly did love each other, but neither was able to say it. Everyone who died as the result of Angelique's curse actually said the words " I Love You Barnabas" out loud. Ditto Julia, she loved him but never said it and was spared.

[Lydia]

Here's what I said back in March of 2008, applicable to Joshua as well as to Julia:

Somewhere in the Watching Project I threw in a rationalization for Julia not being toast.  The rationalization took an anthropomorphic view of Barnabas's Curse, and said that, being a Curse, it didn't understand this thing called love, and so it decided to base its actions on whether a person actually confessed to loving Barnabas.

Unless you're worried about spoilers, I recommend you look at that whole topic.  It's a lot of fun.

[Miss_Winthrop]

If to say 'I love you, Barnabas' means certain death, then Angelique actually cursed herself since she was in love with him.

[PennyDreadful]

If to say 'I love you, Barnabas' means certain death, then Angelique actually cursed herself since she was in love with him.

Right.  Indeed, she was the first to fall victim to the curse, as Barnabas points out before he throttles her.  Of course, like all wicked witches she came back with a vengeance.

~Penny~