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Gerard describes how Quentin and Tad died in a storm at sea.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: Collinwood in the year 1840. Barnabas Collins and Julia Hoffman have come to this time hoping to change history, and avert the tragedy that occurred at Collinwood in the year 1970. But they have found that somehow history has undergone a tragic change. Quentin Collins and his son Tad are already dead, lost at sea. There has been no sign of the governess, Daphne. But the evil Gerard is there, as an intimate of the family. They know there is intrigue and evil within the house, and must find a way to cope with it. They do not know that in a house not far away, a young man recently returned from the Orient has brought with him an object of absolute evil.
The eyes of the head close before Desmond can notice, and he places the cover back over the box. Ben shows up and scolds Desmond for scaring Flora, but Desmond just laughs it off and shows Ben the head.
Act I
Ben is frightened by the head and tells Desmond he must get rid of it immediately. He runs out of the house in fear and Desmond places the cover back over the box.
Barnabas meets with Ben in the drawing room at Collinwood and asks for everything Ben knows about Gerard. Ben admits he doesn't know much other than he was a friend of Quentin, but he doesn't trust him and isn't sure exactly what he wants at Collinwood. Barnabas also requests to meet Daniel. Ben isn't sure if that's a good idea since Daniel might realize he is the same Barnabas from 1795 when he was a child, but Barnabas desperately wants to get him on his side.
In the tower room, Daniel is feverishly writing a note when Ben walks in. Daniel says he is writing a note to Quentin, but Ben reminds him that he is dead. Ben reveals that a relative has come to visit Daniel, but Daniel wants no part of dealing with any members of the family, because all they want is money. Ben says it's Barnabas, and Daniel is immediately intrigued.
Act II
Barnabas is sitting by the fireplace in the drawing room when Desmond walks in. Desmond asks many questions about Roxanne's condition, and he feels that she wasn't attacked by an animal. Barnabas dodges his questions about his life in England long enough for Ben to bring Daniel downstairs. Daniel looks at Barnabas and is shocked at his appearance. He claims he looks exactly the same as when he was just a boy.
Act III
Barnabas tells Daniel that he is mistaken and that it was really "his father" who went to England in 1795. Daniel believes him and he talks about growing up in the Old House when he was a child. He offers Barnabas the option to live in the Old House for as long as he wants, for which Barnabas is very grateful. As they talk, Gerard walks in through the front door and Barnabas immediately recognizes him, but holds his ground. Gerard is very kind towards Barnabas, but Daniel gets aggressive and forgets why he lives at Collinwood. Gerard explains to Daniel that he was Quentin's friend and saw him die along with Tad. Ben tries to take Daniel back to the tower room, but Daniel wants to learn how Quentin died at sea. Gerard tells him there isn't much to the story, but their ship was caught in a fierce storm and they were thrown overboard by a giant wave. Daniel appreciates Gerard's attempt to save Quentin and Tad, but Ben tells him it's time to return to his room. Once they leave, along with Barnabas, Gerard smiles and enjoys a drink by himself.
Barnabas and Ben take Daniel back to the tower room and Daniel starts to recount events of 1797, including the attacks in the village and how Angelique tormented the family. Daniel fears history is soon going to repeat itself. Ben switches the topic to a series of murders revolving around a disembodied head, and Daniel also remembers them. He tells Ben that Millicent would know all about those murders and asks to speak with her, but Ben reminds her that Millicent is also dead. Daniel becomes sad over Millicent, saying she never had a happy day in her life. He soon falls asleep.
Once Daniel is asleep, Ben goes to the attic and finds a book that once belonged to Millicent, detailing the murders caused by the head. Ben vows to destroy the head before it destroys everyone at Collinwood.
Act IV
Barnabas walks downstairs and finds Gerard still in the drawing room. He asks Gerard how long he has been at Collinwood. Gerard informs him that he has been living at the house ever since Quentin died, and was invited to stay as a gratitude. Barnabas starts talking about his story of Quentin's death and wonders if Quentin and Tad actually died at sea. Gerard gets offended, but Barnabas reminds him that he never actually saw the bodies being thrown overboard. Gerard bickers at his questions and excuses himself. Moments later, Barnabas catches Ben sneaking out of the house. Ben says there is something he has to do, but doesn't say what it is.
Ben shows up at Rose Cottage, but the house is apparently empty. He finds the box behind a curtain and takes off the cover, becoming frightened by the head. Ben sits down at a nearby table and quickly writes a letter. Once he is finished, he approaches the head and says he knows all about the powers it possesses, and vows to destroy it.
While heading back to Collinwood, Ben sees the head approaching him in the woods and he screams.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Daniel: We're a family born to tragedy. We seem somehow to invite it, and then thrive on it. What's wrong with us?
----
: Daniel: I know my relatives only too well. They all come to me with outstretched palms.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* James Storm as Gerard Stiles
* Louis Edmonds as Daniel Collins
* Thayer David as Ben Stokes
* John Karlen as Desmond Collins
* Michael McGuire as Judah Zachery
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* The Collinsport Afghan makes an appearance on the bed in Daniel's room.
* Closing credits scene: Collinwood foyer.
* There are no closing credits.
=== Story ===
* Barnabas gives the cover story that he's arrived from Cadogan Square in London.
* Desmond's conversation with Barnabas regarding where he lived in England mirrors that given in 703 when Barnabas first arrived in the year 1897.
* Gerard recounts the story of Quentin's demise: He was with Quentin the night he died. They were the best of friends. Gerard was first mate aboard the China Sea. They had just maneuvered the vessel through the Straits of Magellan when a storm peculiar to the area struck very hard. Quentin was at the bow; from where Gerard was standing, he could see he was in grave danger; the water was coming over the decks. Gerard shouted at him to get below, but Quentin paid no attention. As Gerard attempted to reach Quentin, he was forever being knocked down by the waves and strong winds. When finally Gerard was nearly twenty feet from him, he saw Quentin's son, Tad, who had somehow gotten to his father and was forcing him to get below when one of the biggest waves Gerard had ever seen struck. Gerard believed it big enough to make the bow of the ship go under. When he looked again, they were both gone. He claims he tried everything he could to save them including bringing a lifeboat down. Gerard hates himself for failing. (It should be noted that some or all of this story may be a falsehood on Gerard's part in order to insinuate his way into the Collins family.)
* The newspapers reported a series of murders in Bedford involving a petrified head known as the Bedford Atrocity. Several murders were committed, and there was a legend about the strange disembodied head. Daniel read about it a few months later in a book Millicent showed him, Relics of the Anti-Saints. The book is kept in an attic storeroom at Collinwood.
* Millicent, Daniel's sister, is dead; according to Daniel, she never had a happy day in her life.
* Barnabas went to England in 1797. In the winter of 1797, strange, vicious attacks occurred in Collinsport; there were rumors about Angelique, and Barnabas' mother, Naomi Collins, committed suicide.
* Collinsport is referred to as a village.
* TIMELINE: 8:35pm at the start of the episode.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* The boom mic appears twice in scenes in the drawing room: when Ben and David enter in Act II, then later when Barnabas enters and finds Gerard in Act IV.
* Daniel still has his shoes on when Ben puts him into bed in Act III.
* In the penultimate scene the glass box steams up due to the actor's breathing.
== External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 1118 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 1118 - Getting Ahead
The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 1118
== Gallery () ==
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