A subtle issue in the 1897 plot

[Garth Blackwood]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Recall late in the 1897 plot where Barnabas is staked by Charity, and several episodes later Barnabas reappears claiming to be a different person from the vampire who was destroyed. Later on we find out that, in fact, he is the original Barnabas, and the one who was staked was a twin of Barnabas summoned by Angelique. The problem crops up when:

Quentin(Petofi) brings in Charity and asks her whether the "new" Barnabas is actually the same person who originally showed up at Collinwood several months before. For some reason, Charity says "I've never see this man before". This implies one of two things: the Barnabas who Charity met in the first place was the twin, meaning that the twin had actually been around for quite a while ... Where was the real Barnabas all that time??? The other possibility is that the "new" Barnabas is not the original Barnabas, and the original Barnabas is actually dead ... Of course, I'm assuming that Charity's psychic powers are infallable (which we are basically lead to believe).

Any thought on this apparent problem?

[Garth Blackwood]

I guess one possible explanation is that Barnabas or (more likely) Angelique disrupted her psychic powers temporarily, but I was hoping for a more satisfactory explanation supported by things actually said on the show

[Julianka7]

Or Charity/ Pansy Faye could see that Barnabas was less evil then Petofi/ Quentin.
So she lied to Petofi. That is what I always thought.

[Garth Blackwood]

Good point-- particularly since we know Charity knows Quentin is Petofi. Thanks!! 

[Josette]

Garth, I see you managed to find your picture!!  Meanwhile, welcome to the Board! 

[Garth Blackwood]

Thanks Josette. RachelDrummand was kind enough to help me find some pics of the Master of Dartmoor 

[Lydia]

I don't remember that scene, but I imagine that Barnabas's transformation from vampire to human confused the psychic issue.  If Pansy indeed said, "I've never see this man before" then it would be sort of true, because previously in 1897 Barnabas wasn't technically a man.

[Doug]

Edward believed it was not the same Barnabas. But Quentin/Petofi believed it was the same
Barnabas.

[IluvBarnabas]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Recall late in the 1897 plot where Barnabas is staked by Charity, and several episodes later Barnabas reappears claiming to be a different person from the vampire who was destroyed. Later on we find out that, in fact, he is the original Barnabas, and the one who was staked was a twin of Barnabas summoned by Angelique. The problem crops up when:

Quentin(Petofi) brings in Charity and asks her whether the "new" Barnabas is actually the same person who originally showed up at Collinwood several months before. For some reason, Charity says "I've never see this man before". This implies one of two things: the Barnabas who Charity met in the first place was the twin, meaning that the twin had actually been around for quite a while ... Where was the real Barnabas all that time??? The other possibility is that the "new" Barnabas is not the original Barnabas, and the original Barnabas is actually dead ... Of course, I'm assuming that Charity's psychic powers are infallable (which we are basically lead to believe).

Any thought on this apparent problem?

This is a very good question and I've wondered about it myself. Here's what I've come up with:

The Charity who first met Barnabas as a vampire was the real Charity Trask.....the uptight, self-righteous minister's daughter. After Barnabas was exposed as a vampire, she was free from his power and never saw him again until AFTER she was possessed by Pansy....Pansy only knew the "vampire" Barnabas, the one she staked in the cave. That was the doppelganger....then when the real Barnabas shows up again, this time as a human, she knew it was not the same man she had killed.

[Cassandra Blair]

You know, it never occurred to me that Charity/Pansy might be lying to Quentin/Petofi because she knew he was evil, but that's a good take on it.

I just always figured either a) Charity/Pansy knew it was the same person, but was being technical about it - e.g. she'd never seen this man before, because previously he wasn't human, or that 2) She really didn't know it was the same guy - she "saw" Barnabas differently because he wasn't a vampire. 

[MagnusTrask]

I don't remember that scene, but I imagine that Barnabas's transformation from vampire to human confused the psychic issue.  If Pansy indeed said, "I've never see this man before" then it would be sort of true, because previously in 1897 Barnabas wasn't technically a man.

That's what I was thinking.   Becoming human=becoming a different creature.    That might overwhelm her impressions.

Real Pansy did meet Barnabas for what little it's worth...

"Charity-Pansy" didn't meet Barnabas before staking him?    Doesn't that breach 19th century etiquette?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

"Charity-Pansy" didn't meet Barnabas before staking him?    Doesn't that breach 19th century etiquette?

   One would have thought she would have waited for a formal introduction, wouldn't one? But no! Shame on her! 

But seriously, the Pansy part of Charity-Pansy had certainly met Barnabas (who can forget THAT hilarious encounter ) - and she blamed Barnabas for Carl's death. That was her whole point in staking him.