The most touching moment of the novel is Christine’s kiss on Erik’s forehead. The musical simplified Erik’s ultimatum, by demanding Christine choose between becoming his bride, or Raoul’s life. Fortunately, it did not come to that, and Christine turned neither. The dynamite was designed to blow up the opera house, “sky-high.” Erik presented Christine with the ultimatum of turning the Scorpion or the grasshopper as a refusal. This destructive detail is also omitted from the musical. If she turns the scorpion, she must marry Erik, if she turns the grasshopper, “It will jump Jolly High.” The Persian and Raoul discovered that the grasshopper was connected to a load of dynamite in the cellar. The sinister ornament of the scorpion and of the grasshopper is placed before Christine to make a choice. It is one of the most frightening plot points of the novel.
The ultimatum of the Scorpion is never mentioned in the musical.
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