"You've Got This Strange Effect On Me"

16 October 2009

 by KalikeCA, Esq

Marianne Williamson once described charisma as "a sparkle in people that money can't buy. It's an invisible energy with visible effects." Pepa certainly has charisma. Maybe her "invisible energy" is due to her independent, free spirit, or perhaps it's due to to the fact that she's a "shameless lunatic." Whatever it is, her energy creates what I like to call "The Pepa Effect," where people just seem to be drawn to her.

The degree to which a person is affected by Pepa's charms varies, but it always starts the same way - with a glimpse of her natural beauty and million-watt smile, and exposure to her friendly personality. Even Lucas admitted that Pepa is hot, because her gorgeous, supermodel looks are undeniable. Her smile and personality only add to the spark that she gives off; they are bright, friendly, and infectious. This energy often results in others developing deep feelings for Pepa, feelings that Pepa, for the most part, remains oblivious to (unless your name happens to be Silvia Castro Leon).

Montoya was one of the people who was visibly effected by Pepa. He was immediately smitten with the elite agent and used any excuse possible in order to spend more time with her: he made coffee for her, offered to show her around the precinct, brought desserts to Paco's family dinner, flirted with her during a commercial shoot, and pleaded with Curtis - his subordinate - to join an undercover mission simply because it involved Pepa stripping. "The Pepa Effect" blinded Montoya to the obvious fact that Pepa is a lesbian. He couldn't tell that while Pepa was friendly to everyone, she was clearly interested in Silvia, and only Silvia. In fact, it wasn't until he saw the way Pepa reassured Silvia while they were on their way to apprehend El Kaiser that he finally understood that he was not as special to Pepa as Silvia was.

"The Pepa Effect" was more serious in Curtis' case. Like Montoya, Curtis was infatuated with Pepa ever since she arrived in San Antonio, but he was "branded" by Pepa when she kissed him in an attempt to make Silvia jealous. The fact that Curtis knew that Pepa is a lesbian didn't stop him from trying to win her heart, nor did Pepa's explanation that it was "an impulse" and nothing more than "a dumb kiss." Granted, Pepa didn't help matters when she pretended to be his girlfriend, but even after she tried to break up with Curtis and he found out that she and Silvia had reconciled, he still tried to have a relationship with her (and Silvia). It wasn't until Curtis overheard Silvia mention that Pepa lied to him because he was dying and Pepa mention that she felt sorry for him that he finally realized he could never have Pepa's love the way that Silvia did.

And that brings us to Silvia. Silvia definitely suffered from "The Pepa Effect," although she had been branded years ago at Sara's communion. Time may have separated Pepa and Silvia, but the effect that Pepa had on her never really left; it was just buried and didn't resurface until Pepa returned to San Antonio. Like the others, it caused Silvia to make numerous excuses just to be near Pepa: she followed Pepa around the precinct; she left Rocio's bachelorette party because she was jealous upon seeing the stripper give Pepa a lapdance; she pretended that she didn't know how to dance so that she could feel Pepa's hands on her hips; and she approved the undercover striptease mission probably for the same reasons Montoya wanted to join it. The difference between Montoya, Curtis and Silvia was that while they were all affected by Pepa, the only person who affected Pepa was Silvia. And at the end of the day, that's all that really mattered.

Perhaps "The Pepa Effect" is a composite of everything that makes Pepa who she is: her beauty, her smile, her warm personality, the fact that she's free-spirited, and the fact that she's slightly crazy. Regardless of the reasons behind her "invisible energy," I think it's safe to say that Pepa tends to have a strange effect on everyone, and they like it.

kalike

*The title for this lecture is based on lyrics from the song "This Strange Effect" by Hooverphonic.