Barnabas in 1897

[murph]

I don't remember the specifics of this storyline.  It'll be my first viewing since it originally aired in 1969.  

In yesterday's episode they had Magda instruct Sandor to go to the Mausaleum to find the jewels.  This is where Sandor opens Barnabas' coffin.  

Do the writers eventually explain why they changed history by having Sandor open his coffin.  Obviously it never happened in 1897 because Barnabas was chained in his coffin for almost 200 years and was never released from his coffin in the 1800's.   Now I do realize  they need to get the Barnabas character into this storyline but I'm wondering if they properly explain why he's there since he wouldn't have been a part of the original history since he was chained in his coffin.  

Thanks,

Murph

[Raineypark]

Murph, I think having Barnabas come out of the chained coffin is actually the most "reasonable" way of getting him into the story.  Wouldn't it have made less sense to have him just 'arrive' in town.....that would mean he was in the coffin AND walking around Collinwood.  At least this way he's not in 2 places in the same time period at once!

What it DOES change is FUTURE history.  Why was he still in the coffin in 1960-what-ever if he'd been released in 1897?  I have no idea, as I've never seen any of these episodes.  Maybe someone else can tell us if they every explain that.

Raineypark

[dom]

Do the writers eventually explain why they changed history by having Sandor open his coffin.  Obviously it never happened in 1897 because Barnabas was chained in his coffin for almost 200 years and was never released from his coffin in the 1800's.

I'm not sure if my reply is exactly answering your question. But my guess is that the writers are having Barnabas change history. While in his coffin he was thinking that he had to use his powers to have someone release him from his coffin as Willie did in the 60s. Basically he used the same approach he did in the future - someone's greed. Like Willie was on a search for jewels, Barnabas could sense (I guess) Magda's greed to steal the family's hidden jewels. So he "planted" the vision of the mausoleum and secret room in Magda's crystal ball, resulting in her eventually sending Sandor to retrieve them, thus freeing Barnabas into the world of 1897, and changing history from that point on.

dom

[Gerard]

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Technically, history has still not been changed regarding Barnabas being in the coffin, since only his consciousness has been sent back, occupying his body which existed back then.  His physical body is still in 1969.  Of course, as the story progresses, his physical body is also shot back into time, "melding" with his body back then.  Most likely, if that would not have happened, once he resolved the situation (which creates another paradox anyway, but we won't go into that now), I would surmise that his consciousness would return to his 1969 physical body, while his body back then would find itself once more back in the coffin.  Now don't ask me exactly how.

Gerard

[Joeytrom]

Actually, it would have been less confusing had they used the double Barnabas idea and have his present time self appear in 1897 while his 1897 self still remained chained in the coffin.

I think originally, the writers used the releasing of Barnabas to change the course of Quentin's history When he was to be done with his mission, they would have him rechained again so his present time spirit reunites with his present time body.

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They do not really resolve the issue of his being rechained.

His present time self goes back in time and apparently his 1897 and 1969 bodies, as well as his 1897 and 1969 spirit selves, all merge together (I have a headache now).