After reading your post, I began to think about something. I began to think about the "innocence vs. experience (intelligence aside)" themes running throughout this relationship. For awhile, I forgot about the themes in this story, because I wanted to see what I expected to see based solely on what I am so use to from just watching soaps over the years. And, in getting lost in my expectations, I somehow lost track of the intricacies throughout Manny.

Michelle represents "innocence," while Danny represents "experience." Together, they represent "life," because life is a balance of the two. You really can't have one without the other. You can't even define one without the other. Manny's relationship is a journey throughout life. As a result of their journey together, the viewers will witness Michelle slowly move toward that "experience," while Danny moves toward that "innocence" or "vulnerability," neither one of them losing their individual respective rooted themes (this also plays out very much so in the sex issue, which I'll get to ). In gaining some of the other's rooted themes, each of them becomes complete or a whole person. In other words, Michelle reaches total womanhood as Danny reaches total manhood, allowing both to reach total humanhood (is that a word?).

How do I see these themes being played out?? Well, let's look at Michelle. When I saw Danny and Michelle see Josh and Reva at the restaurant, I looked at Michelle and realized that she was no longer in some teen storyline. She was in a storyline with the veteran group of actors or rather an "adult" storyline. There is a noticable difference from watching Michelle go from hanging with her friends, Bill, Jesse, and Drew, to seeing her in a story involving Josh and Reva. It's like she's moving to a different level or a higher level, maybe, what I mean to say is on a mature level. And, Danny, who represents the experience throughout, sort of symbolizes the transition from one level to the next for her.

When Joie Lenz took over the role of Michelle, I immediately noticed this aura of maturity about her. If no one had told me that she was eighteen, I never would have guessed. I'm serious. She has a presence about her as an actress that immediately would convey someone of experience as well as that aura of innocence. The character of Michelle from what I understand has existed on this show since she was a little girl vs. being someone of age just being brought on. In other words, the character grew up on the show. In knowing that, the issue of innocence seems to always loom over that young performer/character, not as a bad thing, mind you; however, it is very prevalent.

For example, seeing Robin on General Hospital or Jessica on One Life to Live -- young female characters who started off as little girls basicly maturing before the viewers' eyes -- can make one wonder where did the time go. Granted that Joie Lenz isn't the original Michelle and we didn't watch her grow up per se in the traditional sense, but the "character Michelle" is somewhat of a different story as she's been written on Guiding Light. All the childhood references and her fantasies as a litte girl are constant reminders to me that Michelle is still being viewed as someone who's still young, innocent, and Ed Bauer's little girl. What I'm trying to say is that innocence in reference to time doesn't get lost, but it does change. It has to gradually reach experience, or so that's how it's expected to work.

Placing Michelle in a storyline that is going to put her on the level of the older characters, like Josh, Reva, and even Cassie, essentially is putting her character on a newer level of experience among the Springfield residents. She's no longer just that young Bauer girl, or Rick Bauer's "little sister" or Ed's "little girl." Michelle is coming into her own womanhood. And, Danny is standing by her side.

Now, Danny, is the other side of the coin. He's experienced, because he's seen so many things. Not to say that Michelle hasn't seen things, but she clearly hasn't experienced the sense of danger that Danny has. Danny can sense it from a mile away. And, he's quick enough to head it off before it does any damage. He'll protect Michelle at any and every cost even at the expense of his own life. Danny is a deeply complicated man who has a good heart (vulnerable), but he is not above resorting to dangerous methods if necessary.

Have any of you ever heard that if a man opens up or if he cries, that he's weak, or that he's not a man?? There is a sad notion in society that if a man cries or is vulnerable, then he is not considered to be a man. On top of that, a man is only viewed to be a man if he's the one who is in charge in every sense. The same goes for a woman being aggressive or assertive. Now, this is clearly veering off into gender stereotypes and roles that play in society and/or in relationships. And, I don't want to do that. I just want to point out that Danny showing vulnerability to some, depending on who you are, might be thought to weaken his manhood (as if that's possible).

Personally, I think it shows just how strong a man he really is. And, Danny has been vulnerable or rather open with Michelle on early occasions about his physical desires ("I am a Man speech.") But, he hasn't quite done it yet with all the emotional desires or wishes or what his dreams are. However, once he does, Michelle and Danny will reach even another level or plateau.

Viewing both Danny and Michelle from their respective themes, I see Danny as the one who is sexually forward, while Michelle, still representing that line of innocence, is maturing into that sexual forwardness. She, without question has it in her, but she's still growing. I'm not sure my thoughts are making any sense, but I had to put them down so I can see if they are playing out in this story like that in any way.

The reason I've been thinking about this is because I've had to rationalize why there has not been any physical overt love scenes of Danny and Michelle in the traditional sense. Why would the show focus on Danny wanting to fulfill Michelle's fantasy as a little girl when the viewers expected the mature love making scene for the Big Consummation episode? Though the gestures on Danny's part were sweet, romantic, loving, and very thoughtful, the viewers were expecting a climactic, passionate, traditional moment of desire onscreen, because this was Manny's first time together in the expected sense. But, in retrospect, I'm thinking that Rauch and the writers, felt it was important to focus on the themes of innocence reaching experience and vice versa.

That Big "C" was about their themes continuing to play throughout their story. Apparently, the show wasn't ready to depict Michelle's "experience" onscreen, because she still wears a veil of innocence. Not in the "virgin" sense, but in the "life" sense. When she experiences more and more danger and grows more and more independent as she clearly already is, she will begin to show more forwardness in more ways, including sexually.

Just as Danny is being introduced into Springfield society, so is Michelle Bauer (Santos), the "new and experienced" one.

Airpoet