Dark Shadows Episode 459 - 3/28/68

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Barnabas tells Ben that his mother can't die. Ben blames Forbes, and Barnabas says he will pay for it. Barnabas tells Ben that Angelique's curse was that anyone who loved him will die. Joshua enters and tells Barnabas that his mother is dead.

Joshua asks Ben to leave them. Barnabas says she died because of the curse, and Joshua explains that he too is responsible. She would not have taken her own life if she felt she could turn to him. He says she told him she loved him, and he thought she had stopped years ago. Barnabas says his father's being incapable to love is sparing him the curse. Joshua says he must destroy him. Barnabas asks if he plans to drive a stake through his heart, and Joshua says that in Boston he read that he can destroy him by shooting a silver bullet through a vampire's heart. Joshua explains that he sent Riggs to a silversmith to have the bullets made, and when he returns, he will fire them into Barnabas' heart. Barnabas asks where Nathan is, and Ben enters saying that Vicki is gone. Barnabas asks if there's a price on Vicki's head, and Joshua says yes, realizing that Forbes must be responsible. Barnabas says he must die, and Joshua says the murder must end. Barnabas tells his father that no one can stop him from carrying out this one last task.

Nathan counts his money at the Eagle. A barmaid flirts with him when a squeaky bat appears at the window.

Nathan tells the barmaid that the bat has gone away. She tells him he knows where to find her if he wants company. She leaves, and Barnabas appears. Nathan is surprised to see him. Barnabas asks if Nathan knows what happened to his mother. He tells him she's dead, having committed suicide after finding out about him. He then asks Nathan about Daniel, and about Millicent, and suggests Nathan will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Barnabas blames him for his mother's death.

Nathan draws his pistol and says he's captured the Collinsport strangler. He threatens to shoot him, and Barnabas dares him to, approaching him.

Nathan fires, and Barnabas tells him that he is already dead. He says he doesn't plan to kill Nathan yet. Barnabas tells him when the clock strikes nine, he will die. The barmaid returns and Nathan is alone. She asks if he's drunk, and Nathan runs out of the bar.

At quarter to nine, Joshua sits in the drawing room. He tells Ben to bring him the revolver, and the silver bullets when Riggs returns. He tells Ben to move Barnabas' coffin to the secret room in the mausoleum. He will take care of his son in the morning. Nathan bursts in, claiming to have seen Barnabas. He says he shot him, but Barnabas didn't die. He just disappeared. He asks what Barnabas is, and Joshua tells him that he's a vampire. Nathan says he threatened to kill him, and Joshua says he's surprised that he didn't. Nathan says that he told him when the clock strikes nine, he would die. Joshua says he's almost sorry for him, but there's nothing he can do. He leaves Nathan to his fate.

Nathan asks if Ben knows, and Ben tells him he's known for a long time. Ben says he tried to destroy him, in one of the few ways he could be destroyed. Nathan pleads with Ben to know the way to destroy him. Ben tells him he needs to drive a wooden stake through his heart. Ben adds that by tomorrow morning, he'll be dead, because he can't escape Barnabas.

They hear dogs howling, and Ben tells him that means Barnabas is near. He also leaves Nathan to his fate. Nathan thinks that Barnabas might not harm him if he's with Joshua.

Joshua sits in his study when Nathan bursts in. Joshua says he cannot help him. Nathan spots a crossbow on the wall. He tells Joshua it was unfair to ask him to remain. He says he doesn't want to die a cowards death. He tells Joshua it's almost nine, and suggests that he leave. He does, and Nathan takes the crossbow off the wall. He grabs an arrow, thinking that if he pierces Barnabas' heart with it, it will destroy him.

Barnabas enters the main house.

Nathan is in the study, crossbow in hand. He aims it at the door and fires.

Barnabas approaches the study.

The clock begins to chime nine. Nathan has reloaded the crossbow. He aims at the door.

Barnabas reaches the study door.

The study door opens and Barnabas steps in. Nathan fires, and the arrow strikes Barnabas in the chest.

Our thoughts

John: What a lovely father-son relationship. Joshua is spared Angelique's curse because he's incapable of loving his son!

Christine: I have to wonder at the logic of Barnabas telling Nathan exactly when he was planning on killing him. Why 9 o'clock? Is it because he's got a date with a floozy down at the docks at 11:00, or because he wants to get the job done before his dad gets hold of the silver bullets? Incidentally, the Eagle has a rather interesting clock.

John: At least Joshua's trip to Boston wasn't a complete loss. Who would have thought he'd come away with a copy of Tips and Tricks for Ridding Your Bloodline of Pesky Vampires and Other Household Tips.

Christine: I guess he was unable to find the tomes on How to Dyspel Complex Curses and What to Do When Your Son Marries a Vengeful Wytch. I never noticed all the weaponry Joshua has displayed in his study before. He's got quite an impressive collection.

John: So will Nathan find out too late that the stake piercing the vampire's heart needed to be a particular kind of wood from a particular kind of tree?

Christine: Fortunately, Ben left out the important bit of information that he needed to get a stake from a holly tree, as instructed by Angelique in Episode 410, when gleefully telling Nathan how to destroy Barnabas. Another exciting episode that has me rushing to watch tomorrow's!

Some interesting shots: