417

Angelique stops Ben from killing Barnabas, intending that the curse will last forever.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: A séance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and space, and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each member of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. One member of the Collins family has been cursed and must walk the earth as one of the living dead. He seeks to end the curse, and after this night, perhaps he will.
Ben Stokes agrees to drive a stake through Barnabas Collins' heart so that Barnabas can escape his torment and find peace. Even though Ben is against the idea, he tells Barnabas he will do as he asks.
Act I
Ben repeats his opposition to the plan to put a stake through Barnabas' heart. Barnabas believes Ben will be giving him a gift: the gift of peace. Barnabas asks Ben to help Victoria Winters to escape and to remember the good in him when he is gone. Barnabas plans to see Josette one last time. Ben tries to talk him out of seeing Josette for fear that Barnabas will attack her as he did the women in the village. Barnabas assures him that Josette is different and that he could never harm her.
Act II
Barnabas becomes a bat and visits Josette's room. He turns into human form, stands by her bedside, and gazes at her lovingly while she sleeps. He feels it is impossible to say good-bye to her but he knows he must. Natalie du Prés enters Josette's room unexpectedly and sees Barnabas standing at Josette's bedside.
Act III
Natalie is shocked as Barnabas fades into thin air. Josette awakens. Natalie tries to convince her that they must leave town for their own safety, but Josette protests because she wants to wait for Barnabas to return to her as he promised before he died. Natalie proceeds to tell Josette that she saw the event of her own death in the tarot cards if she remains at Collinwood. Josette finally agrees to leave in order to save her aunt's life. Josette goes for a walk in the garden, and Ben shows up and asks if she is alright. He has been worried about her and the women in the area after the attacks that have occurred lately. Josette informs Ben that she and Natalie are leaving soon to return to Martinique, but she tells him that she has not wanted to leave before now because Barnabas had promised before he died that he would return to her. Josette tells Ben that she awoke from sleeping earlier and thought she had heard Barnabas calling to her. Ben tells her it is her imagination. He encourages her to leave Collinwood and for her own good to forget everything that has happened there. Josette looks disturbed and says that she heard something that sounded like faraway laughter. A rooster crows and Ben realizes it is almost time for him to drive the stake through Barnabas' heart.
Act IV
At sunrise, Ben returns to the mausoleum with a stake and mallet in hand and makes his way to the secret room where Barnabas lays in his coffin. After a false start, he finally brings himself to drive the stake through Barnabas' heart. He hears maniacal laughter, then Angelique Collins' spirit appears to him. She still has power over him and will never allow Ben to kill Barnabas. If he tries again, she will return from her grave to deal with him. She then orders Ben to leave the mausoleum. After Ben leaves, Angelique speaks to the sleeping Barnabas, gloating that he shall never escape her curse, and neither will Josette.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Angelique: Ben, did you really think that I would allow you to end my curse?
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: Barnabas: The gift of peace...I long for it. I long to escape from the thing that I have become. My destruction will be the only way to save me, my only salvation.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Natalie du Prés
* Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard Collins
* Thayer David as Ben Stokes
* Kathryn Leigh Scott as Josette du Prés Collins
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* The effect of Angelique's head appearing is a duplicate of a previous appearance by Laura Collins.
=== Story ===
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Barnabas: Goodbye, Josette; Ben: Staking Barnabas
* TAROT CARDS: Natalie saw her own death foretold in the cards (no cards named, although presumably the Death card appeared).
* TIMELINE: Barnabas attacked "a girl" last night. Day 168 begins, and will end in 420. 12:05am: Barnabas visits Josette.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* As Ben and Josette talk, Josette says she hears a laugh, which is probably meant to be Angelique; however, the laugh is not dubbed in.
*The creaking sound effect for the opening of Barnabas's coffin begins before Ben starts lifting the cover.
* When Ben leaves the secret room after Angelique chases him away, the door doesn't shut all the way at first. As Angelique taunts Barnabas, the door is slowly pulled closed from behind.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 417 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 417 - Too Soon
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 417: Distant laughter
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 417: 1/30/68
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