Moonlight Episode Discussion - Ep 9: Fleur de Lis

[news]

I think a lot of it has to to with the situations they where in also. When I think about things, I remember that Beth never got the opportunity to work a case like this with Mick. Every case Beth was involved in with Mick related back to vamps in some way and it was about keeping a secret at all times. The case that Morgan and Mick worked was a human case - nothing for Mick to have to hide and nothing for Morgan to discover. Beth is always going to come across differently in this situation - she takes it seriously and I liked that about her. I have to say that I found Beth much, much fun on the show. There was a definite serious side to her but also a down to earth side that I related to.

coco...meant to add to my previous post. IMHO, Beth would undoubtly always work cases differently with Mick, unless she became freelance, working on her own. Beth was an investigative reporter. She would have been limited as to how deeply involved in cases she was able to work with Mick. She did truly take her job VERY seriously, as that was a great part of her professional persona, and I too love that about her, every aspect of her.

She was working for Buzzwire, and I really don't think Mo would have allowed her to become heavily involved with a PI on cases other than the ones she was working with for the company. If however, she had decided to work out of the confines of her regular job, she would then have been able to become more deeply involved with Mick in working cases. Morgan, however was a photographer. The two jobs, quite different in every aspect giving her more room to work cases with whomever she liked. Photographers tend to have more ease of that aspect in their life. Hence the difference I believe quite possibly being seen between Beth&Mick vs. Morgan&Mick.

[GuardianAngel]

Since Mick told her he'd be keeping Morgan busy, Beth head to Morgan's place to check it out. Her VO tells us that she learned to pick locks from a boyfriend in college. Then she muses that it's one thing to be in a person's space when they invite you in - they hide what they don't want you to see and try to make a good impression (I thought 'they hide the bong' was cute). It's something else when it's unexpected - they you see how they REALLY live.




Beth walks through Morgan's living room, noting the empty cup and leftover food.



She moves on to her bedroom and bathroom. Her VO says she wants to see how Morgan really lives. She pulls out a prescription from the medicine cabinet. It's Naproxen prescribed for Morgan Vincent.



Meanwhile, as Mick said, he heads over to see Mr. Haggans. He strides the the office looking like he's on a mission.



As he gets to Haggan's personal office, his assistant blocks Mick and tells him that Haggans isn't there.



Looking past the assistant it's clear that Mr. Haggans IS in his office, sitting at his desk on the phone. Yes, he's there, but he isn't to be disturbed. Mick wants him to tell the businessman that he's there to see him. Mick has to get all up in his face. If the guy doesn't tell him, Mick will tell him himself.



So, of course the guy goes in. Haggans doesn't look happy. The guy comes out and tells Mick that he has the surveillance that was requested he's to leave it and take the rest of the money the assistant was holding in an envelope. Mick's not giving it to anyone except Mr. Haggans. Personally. The assistant tries to snatch Mick's envelope but it aint' happening.



Mick has to get in the guys face again, and tells him to tell Haggans that he'll get his surveillance when he's ready to see him - not before.



Mick takes his leave. Morgan is waiting for him in the hall and asks him how it went. He tells her that Haggans wouldn't see him. He's not releasing the goods until he does. Both of them get on the elevator and step to the back.



It stops at a floor and the guy that Haggan's wife met in the plaza gets on. Uh oh. They look at each other in surprise.



The elvator stops again and Tina Haggans gets on! Now Mick turns away because she might have seen him in the plaza when he was tailing her.



He faces the back of the elevator and pulls Morgan in close.



Mmmmmm.



They get to the lobby. Mrs. Haggans whispers something to her lover as she passes him.



Morgan says they should follow them. Mick says there's no need. They'll be at the Biltmore Hotel in an hour. She wants to know how he knows.



He says for her to trust him. You know, Mick says that a lot. LOL


From the previous scenes, the thing that sticks in my head and runs around is that bottle of naproxen. Did it belong to the real Morgan? If so, Coraline *hasn't been Morgan for very long. Or is it for Coraline since she's been human? If so, she's really had a taste of being human. What are your thoughts?


*Changed 'has' to 'hasn't' - makes a big difference.

[librarian_7]

Not necessarily all that long. The date on the prescription is 12/14/07, which is very recent (for the date FdL aired, that is!).

Lucky

[allegrita]

I wondered myself about the Naproxen. My husband was prescribed that stuff for plantar fasciitis. It's a strong anti-inflammatory drug. What could be the problem Morgan (Coraline) has that she needs it???? Hmmm...

[librarian_7]

Toothache in her canines?

Lucky

[allegrita]

Now STOP that!!!!

[GuardianAngel]

Not necessarily all that long. The date on the prescription is 12/14/07, which is very recent (for the date FdL aired, that is!).

Lucky

You are right. I meant to say Coraline hasn't been Morgan for very long.

[wondergirl9847]

I'm sorry but that picture of Haggans' assistant trying to grab that envelope and Mick's face...HILARIOUS! I can hear Mick's inner voice, "Um, I KNOW you didn't think you could grab this envelope."

[allegrita]

Seriously! DUDE. You are NOT getting this envelope from me!!

[Phoenix]

The popular opinion seems to be that Coraline murdered the "real" Morgan Vincent, but I think that Cora is the "real" Morgan. (In the same sense that Josef was Charles Fitzgerald.) After all, we did see her taking photographs, and we know that she really did know how to use the camera. She was a talented photographer. And vampires - apart from Mick - do change their names / identities from time to time.

As for the drug, when Mick took the cure, he found being in pain confronting ... so perhaps Coraline / Morgan was feeling "normal" human aches and pains, and needed something to suppress them?

[allegrita]

Phoenix, I agree that Coraline (as Morgan) was obviously a very good photographer. I like the fact that they left Morgan's "fate" vague, because it causes people to go, hmm.... and those "hmmm..." moments are one of the wonderful things about Moonlight that caught my interest (OK, obsession) in the first place.

To me, there are two main scenarios.

1) Coraline used some vampire relocation service to "create" the persona of Morgan Vincent quite some time ago, complete with background, family, school records, etc. She may or may not have had Mick in mind when she did...after all, she really does seem to love photography, and she's good enough to get a job as a stringer, and have her stuff in reputable publications. And the quality of Morgan's photos did not diminish recently (as it might if an amateur, even a good one, replaced a pro)--she's still getting her stuff bought.

2) After she realized that Mick was starting to fall for Beth, Coraline went looking for someone to murder and replace, and since she was a good photographer, she chose Morgan. She started selling stuff to BuzzWire in order to get close to Beth.

So, if option 2 is the right one, why would Coraline pick someone in Chicago to kill? The fact that Morgan's from Chicago doesn't protect Coraline from Beth's scrutiny, once she starts to dig for answers. And how did she find out about Morgan in the first place?

If option 1 is the right one, did she just choose a profession she liked, and it just conveniently happened to mesh with Beth's? After all, Beth hasn't been a reporter for that long, so if Coraline created the persona of Morgan, she must have done it before Mick met Beth (again). Did she choose a profession that would allow her to travel easily, so she could go to LA when she wanted to get closer to Mick? One that would allow her to be seen in public with long-lens cameras, so stalking Mick (and later, Beth) would be easier? And was she living in Chicago for some time?

Hmm...either way, I smell fanfic opportunities...

[Phoenix]

Allegrita, there is a - very long and involved - fan fic in the works.

Remember that Cynthia went to college, so it's entirely possible that Coraline did as well. If you had forever - or something close to it - wouldn't you change careers from time to time? So I tend to agree with your option 1. How hard would it be for someone with Coraline's considerable wealth and experience to get someone to agree to pose as her father, if anyone called looking for info?

[GuardianAngel]

I like the fact that they left Morgan's "fate" vague, because it causes people to go, hmm.... and those "hmmm..." moments are one of the wonderful things about Moonlight that caught my interest (OK, obsession) in the first place.

Yes, I agree, Alle. I like that they left this open enough to speculate. Maybe, if we had a second season, they would have answered these questions. I think Mick would have wanted to know.


Beth continues to looks through Morgan's place. She checks closets and draws. Finds some really nice shoes.



She's inturrupted by her phone. Mick sends her a message. He and Morgan are just about to come in. He wants to know where she is.



Beth has just enough time to turn off the lights, relock the front door and hide before they enter.



When she enteres, Morgan heads straight upstairs, saying that she has the perfect lens for the job they're on. Mick tells her she's enjoying this way to much. As soon as Morgan is out of sight, Mick picks up a sent. He looks incredulous and calls out for Beth.



He's right, of course and she sticks her head out and waves to him.



Morgan starts down the stairs asking Mick if he said something. He says he was saying to hurry up, they don't want to miss anything.



She descends and means to go into her bedroom. But Beth is in there. Mick blocks her.



They do a little dance - Mick keeping her from passing.



He tells her that what she has it good. They don't have much time - they don't want to miss anything. She laughs, saying that he's really getting into the spirit. They leave.



When they're gone, Beth continues to scope out the place, settling at Morgan's desk and looks through some photographs.

[darkstarrising]

One of the things I loved about this sequence was the cute looks that Mick and Beth had for each other as they all converge in Morgan's loft. (Your screen caps capture them perfectly.) They're the kind of looks that lovers have, or at least people who are so very comfortable with each other have.

[librarian_7]

I've always thought that Mick texting Beth with "we're on our way" seconds before they hit the door...was a little late. Thanks sooo much for the advance warning, dude.

Lucky