Sanctuary Discussion (Spoilers for the most recent episode)

[EH-T]

When did you order yours? (If you don't mind my asking...?) I've got an order in also and I'm hoping it will make it before xmas but I'm in the states. I ordered Nov. 24th.

I believe I ordered mine on Nov 26th but I'm in Canada so it would be a bit quicker. I'm sure you will get yours before Christmas.

Maybe the sound is just muffled by all the snow.

Well, the snow must have blown off the roof as last night's version was just fine I'm happy to report. You know what? With sound this episode was really good!

Thanks again to all the kind individuals who offered to help when I couldn't see a proper version of the episode. Much appreciated.

[rderoch]

you know it could be

requiem spoilers

Spoiler:

that there's a part of helen that desperately wants to cut loose. she wants to act without worrying about consequences or the fall out, just act and not worry about what will happen.

but it's a part that was trained out of her, first in victorian england, then as the years have gone on and she grew into a lifestyle and occupation that depends totally on discretion and 'lying low', thus every action now is measured and precise.

i wonder if there's a part of her that envies ashely and her exuberance and verve.

Doesn't everyone have that urge from time to time?

[jckfan55]

Spoiler:

I loved that moment as well, Helen going from reassuring to accusatory so quickly. But I think it really was Helen that we saw throughout the episode, just a Helen that was slowly losing control of her emotions because of the parasite's effect on her limbic system.

Will said Magnus was one of the most controlled and rational person he knew, which I think comes from the all the history she's lived through. By the end, I think we saw a Helen who had lost most of that control and rationality, and was dominated by the darker aspects of her personality that she can usually keep under control, like her bitterness and anger about all the people she's outlived.

That's part of what I really liked about AT's performance, that it wasn't just Helen going completely insane, but Helen going insane while still retaining or revealing parts of her personality.

I'm clearly spending far too much time thinking about this episode...

Well, If you're thinking about it too much, so am I. I think that's probably what made it so powerful. And why it was something really meaty for AT to play. Lot's of backstory & personality involved. Did I say I loved it?

[EvenstarSRV]

you know it could be

requiem spoilers

Spoiler:

that there's a part of helen that desperately wants to cut loose. she wants to act without worrying about consequences or the fall out, just act and not worry about what will happen.

but it's a part that was trained out of her, first in victorian england, then as the years have gone on and she grew into a lifestyle and occupation that depends totally on discretion and 'lying low', thus every action now is measured and precise.

i wonder if there's a part of her that envies ashely and her exuberance and verve.

Exactly, that's part of what I was trying to say, though you've put it far more clearly and concisely than I did.

Spoiler:

Helen's has spent so much of her life worrying about the consequences of her actions because she's had the time to seen their long term effects. From the The Five I got the sense that while in college she indulged in a lot more risk-taking (like injecting herself with vampire blood), and has since not allowed herself to act that impulsively.

I think the Helen we saw in Requiem was starting to lose that control and thus started expressing emotions she would normally repress, frustration at not being able to relate to Ashley, bitterness at outliving everyone, anger at being seen as an oddity because of her longevity, and even fear for her own life and her inability to find a way to save herself. And I think giving way to those emotions also allowed her to cut loose more with her actions and be far more aggressive and reckless than she normally would have been.

I think a part of her does envy Ashley's exuberance, but I also think that's a part of Ashley's personality that really worries Helen, because she's seen first-hand what that impulsiveness can lead to.

Sigh, ok, stopping now, back to studying.....why can't it be Friday already?

[Egle01]

Okay. I've loved every episode so far. For how long is this possible?

[Mandysg1]

Okay. I've loved every episode so far. For how long is this possible?

Til the end of the season...then you start all over again

[EH-T]

Doesn't everyone have that urge from time to time?

I thought you acted on that urge all the time.

[Mandysg1]

Doesn't everyone have that urge from time to time?

I thought you acted on that urge all the time.

I ah, wasn't going to say anything

[rderoch]

Exactly, that's part of what I was trying to say, though you've put it far more clearly and concisely than I did.

Spoiler:

Helen's has spent so much of her life worrying about the consequences of her actions because she's had the time to seen their long term effects. From the The Five I got the sense that while in college she indulged in a lot more risk-taking (like injecting herself with vampire blood), and has since not allowed herself to act that impulsively.

I think the Helen we saw in Requiem was starting to lose that control and thus started expressing emotions she would normally repress, frustration at not being able to relate to Ashley, bitterness at outliving everyone, anger at being seen as an oddity because of her longevity, and even fear for her own life and her inability to find a way to save herself. And I think giving way to those emotions also allowed her to cut loose more with her actions and be far more aggressive and reckless than she normally would have been.

I think a part of her does envy Ashley's exuberance, but I also think that's a part of Ashley's personality that really worries Helen, because she's seen first-hand what that impulsiveness can lead to.

Spoiler:

I think you put it quite clearly and concisely. And I think you summed up each of her emotional conflicts quite accurately.

I thought you acted on that urge all the time.

I ah, wasn't going to say anything

Ya know, I almost deleted my comment after I posted it. I just KNEW that one of you would have something to say.

[LilFerret]

Spoiler:

I didn't catch onto the change in accent other than when she said "Friends don't do that to each other"...it sounded more cockney than anything else. And when she said her name "Helen"...it almost sounded aussie! But other than that I don't recall it ever sounding American.

That's exactly what I thought. I never ONCE heard her use

Spoiler:

an American (or Canadian) accent. It was simply VERY cockney.

[morjana]

I posted an article about Martin Wood appearing at the Whistler Film Festival in Canada speaking on Sanctuary on December 5...apparently Amanda was there too!


http://forum.gateworld.net/showpost....82&postcount=2

And day passes could be had for $125.

Did anyone go to this?

I'm checking for photos, but haven't found any as yet.

[jckfan55]

That's exactly what I thought. I never ONCE heard her use

Spoiler:

an American (or Canadian) accent. It was simply VERY cockney.

I can buy that.

Spoiler:

I wasn't sure about only the word "Helen" though. Otherwise I could tell it was cockney.

Requiem really gave us some good insights into Magnus because of

Spoiler:

the parasite. Under most circumstances she wouldn't admit in such a direct way that she's been lonely or that her gift has been a curse. "Do you think I wanted this life?" I think is what she yells at Will. In the webisodes & in ep 1 I think she says she had Ashley when she couldn't stand the loneliness anymore. But of course she knows she'll probably outlive her. Talk about angst.

On another note, do you think the parasite was already lowering her inhibitions when she she made the comment to Will about him seeing her as some kind of curiosity?

[Chelle DB]

Thanks again to all the kind individuals who offered to help when I couldn't see a proper version of the episode. Much appreciated.

Didn't you know??...that's what friends do for each other!!!

Doesn't everyone have that urge from time to time?

I thought you acted on that urge all the time.

Ahh...but which urge?? There are but many urges!!

That's exactly what I thought. I never ONCE heard her use

Spoiler:

an American (or Canadian) accent. It was simply VERY cockney.

I was getting a little concerned that maybe I had to get my ears checked or something...I thought I was only the only one who heard the cockney twang.

I can buy that.

Spoiler:

I wasn't sure about only the word "Helen" though. Otherwise I could tell it was cockney.

Requiem really gave us some good insights into Magnus because of

Spoiler:

the parasite. Under most circumstances she wouldn't admit in such a direct way that she's been lonely or that her gift has been a curse. "Do you think I wanted this life?" I think is what she yells at Will. In the webisodes & in ep 1 I think she says she had Ashley when she couldn't stand the loneliness anymore. But of course she knows she'll probably outlive her. Talk about angst.
On another note, do you think the parasite was already lowering her inhibitions when she she made the comment to Will about him seeing her as some kind of curiosity?

I have a question...

Spoiler:

could it have been the parasite itself that was saying those things...particularly about being alone??? I mean we can take it as being Helen but could it be possible that the parasite was speaking through Helen? I just don't get why she would threaten Will with infection...I didn't buy the whole "I had to convince you" thing. I just can't see Helen ever doing that...but the parasite is a different matter. So maybe she had no control?? Maybe??

[rderoch]

Requiem really gave us some good insights into Magnus because of

Spoiler:

the parasite. Under most circumstances she wouldn't admit in such a direct way that she's been lonely or that her gift has been a curse. "Do you think I wanted this life?" I think is what she yells at Will. In the webisodes & in ep 1 I think she says she had Ashley when she couldn't stand the loneliness anymore. But of course she knows she'll probably outlive her. Talk about angst.

On another note, do you think the parasite was already lowering her inhibitions when she she made the comment to Will about him seeing her as some kind of curiosity?

Spoiler:

I think she was definitely being affected already. "Normal" Helen wouldn't accuse Will of thinking of her as entertainment. I don't think that would even cross her mind. It acted pretty quickly on her emotions. Though this makes me wonder now if the things closest to the surface in her psyche were the first to emerge under the parasite's influence. If so, then her fears, losing her relationship with Ashley and not having Will's respect, are the closest to the surface. Her anger and resentment are emotions that are much deeper. Not sure what that means, but this episode definitely gets ya to thinking. The more I watch it, think about it, the more I love it.

[Tittamiire]

I have a question...

Spoiler:

could it have been the parasite itself that was saying those things...particularly about being alone??? I mean we can take it as being Helen but could it be possible that the parasite was speaking through Helen? I just don't get why she would threaten Will with infection...I didn't buy the whole "I had to convince you" thing. I just can't see Helen ever doing that...but the parasite is a different matter. So maybe she had no control?? Maybe??

Spoiler:

I think it was all Helen. I don't think the parasite could speak, or do anything, all it did was use her as a host and in doing so attack her limbic system. I think Helen without control is a scary person. She's been around for a long time, she's had a lot of power and influence over extremely significant people in her lifetime, which could all go to her head very easily. She's also spent a lot of time getting her own way, both through independence and through it being the right way and having proteges and followers etc. I think without the control she resorted to threats she wouldn't usually employ in order to get things done her way and because of the pain, which affects everyones ability to think rationally anyway. But I think it was all Helen. I don't think the parasite was intelligent, or had a voice at all.