Angelique's Change of Heart

[Philippe Cordier]

Julia is right to mistrust Angelique -- that's how I feel at this point in our current viewing.

And while Barnabas is rightly skeptical, he does seem convinced that Angelique is genuine.

She does hesitate when Barnabas asks her if the cure is for good.  Is she not sure whether her lifting the spell will be successful permanently?  Or is she trying to resolve her own doubts in her own mind, not sure if she really and truly means for Barnabas to be free once and for all?

If she does mean to have set Barnabas free, how could Angelique have changed so completely?

We are prepared for this possible change of heart not once, but twice, in the series -- in 1897 and again during the Leviathan storyline, both where Angelique agrees to help Barnabas.  She obviously had not changed as much as she seems to have in 1840, but the glimmer of a less selfish side to her personality was evident.

A change of heart like Angelique's is possible ... It is possible for people to grow and to learn, and I think the idea of redemption may actually be the central theme of Dark Shadows.

But at the same time, what might have happened had Angelique not
[spoiler]died[/spoiler]
at the end of the 1840 storyline?  I suspect that she might eventually have gone back to her old ways.  The temptations -- the jealous nature, the delight in having power over others -- may not be so easily shirked off.

Angelique redeemed -- a change of heart and mind (which is the literal meaning of "repentance") -- does not necessarily equal Angelique the saint.

[Julia99]

I honestly think Angie would've soon gotten bored with Barnabas. . .she seemed quite the spitfire .. .nights at home reading by the fire would not go over for very long.  .She'd get a serious itch for some merriment and nightlife. . . There is actually a rather good fanfic piece written with that in mind . . .  its at JuliaHoffman.com.  It's called Memories of You. 

[dom]

[spoiler]I think Barn & Ange would have remained together had she not died. What I'm wondering is how much the future would have changed. I think that they would have taken the stairway thru time and returned to 1971 together. Julia would have severed her close ties with Barn and returned to work. That's probably how they should have ended the seres. B & A would have grown old together (Julia/Barn fans, forgive me)[/spoiler]

BTW, I don't think Ange would have got bored with Barn & I do think Ange had changed for good. Especially considering the turn of evnts coming up in this storyline. I think it would be a lot easier for Ange to change in a shorter time span (1797-1840) than she would have after a lengthy time period (1797-1968). She seemed pretty happy with Sky and the change was evident. If she was content with Sky she would have been deliriously happy with Barn, IMHO.

[Cassandra]

I think the question now should be can Barnabas really change?   He may seem content with her now, but what would happen  when the next syt comes along and he decides to get friendly with her?  We all know that even on a "friendship" level, Angelique would never stand for that.  And then of course, she would be back to her old tricks again just like she was at the end of the Leviathan storyline when she just had to place that love spell on Quentin & Maggie just to keep Maggie away from Barnabas.

For a couple such as they to stay together happily ever after, they both would need to undergo some serious changes in their whole make up, and I somehow don't think that would be too easy, for them anyway.


Cassandra

[TERRY308]

I agree with you Dom.  Especially what you wrote in the Spoiler Text.  That is exactly what I pictured the whole thing.

Now I don't feel so alone.

[Cassandra Blair]

I have the hardest time believing the witch has truly changed.  Come on, she just got done offing Roxanne like two weeks ago, and for little more than getting a bit too cozy with Barnabas!

True, she has helped out on occasion when Barnabas and Julia were up against it, but she always had some ulterior motive.  Her apparent lack of desire for personal gain this time around makes the whole scenario less in character, considering she and Barnabas were so recently sworn enemies.  And while her change of heart as written appears genuine, it's so out of character with everything we've seen before from Angelique in this storyline that it is really hard to credit.

It would have made more sense if the Angelique of 1970 had somehow travelled back through time to help out Barnabas and Julia in 1840.  After all, the Angelique we last saw in 1970 had lots more time and exposure to the kinder, gentler Barnabas to soften towards him, and she had done so gradually.  If this was the Angelique presented by the writers as undergoing a change of heart and lifting the curse, the whole scenario would work much better. The way it's presented is (IMHO) cheap and none too believable.

[Joeytrom]

This brings up another gripe- in 1840, when barnabas first sees her, he is shocked and hates her.  I thought he would have been more happy to see her as when they last were together, they were on friendly terms.

Too bad Angelique wasn't used in the 1970 story.  She is never around when ghosts haunt Collinwood!

[ProfStokes]

This brings up another gripe- in 1840, when barnabas first sees her, he is shocked and hates her.  I thought he would have been more happy to see her as when they last were together, they were on friendly terms.

That's exactly what I was expecting, Joeytrom.  The last time they saw Angelique, Barnabas and Julia were both on fairly good terms with her, yet they both looked shocked and dismayed when she strolled into the Old House in 1840.  Either they anticipated that this was the original, shrewish version of Angelique and not their ally from 1970, or the writers had another memory lapse.

ProfStokes

[Philippe Cordier]

I think the question now should be can Barnabas really change?   He may seem content with her now, but what would happen  when the next syt comes along and he decides to get friendly with her?  We all know that even on a "friendship" level, Angelique would never stand for that.  And then of course, she would be back to her old tricks again just like she was at the end of the Leviathan storyline when she just had to place that love spell on Quentin & Maggie just to keep Maggie away from Barnabas.

For a couple such as they to stay together happily ever after, they both would need to undergo some serious changes in their whole make up, and I somehow don't think that would be too easy, for them anyway.

Very interesting, original perspective on this, Cassandra!

[Julia99]

well regardless of how we **think** it should've ended. .the series Creators have concluded it differently . .[spoiler]Angie died (temporarily, again) and Barnabas and Julia went East . ..together.  'nuff said.[/spoiler]   

[Patti Feinberg]

[spoiler]Julia would have severed her close ties with Barn and returned to work.[/spoiler]

If that'd happened...I think:
[spoiler]Julia would've severed Barn's, uh, head![/spoiler]

 ;)Patti