Charmed Again

"Charmed Again"
Charmed episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 1-2
Directed by	Michael Schultz
Written by	Brad Kern
Production code	4301801
Original air date	October 4, 2001
Guest appearance(s)
Finola Hughes as Patty Halliwell James Read as Victor Bennett Jennifer Rhodes as Penny Halliwell Jordan Bridges as Shane Yancey Arias as Inspector Cortez Krista Allen as The Source's Oracle Ben Guillory as The Source

Charmed Again is a two-part episode and season opening of the fourth season of the American supernatural-drama television series Charmed, and the 67th and 68th overall. The episode was originally broadcast in the United States on October 4, 2001 on The WB. It was written by Brad Kern and directed by Michael Schultz. The episode marked the first appearance of Rose McGowan as Paige Matthews following the departure of Shannen Doherty. In the episode, The Charmed Ones deal with the aftermath of the events in "All Hell Breaks Loose" and the reconstruction of the Power of Three.

Plot

Background

Charmed focuses on the lives of three sisters, Piper Halliwell, Phoebe Halliwell and Prue Halliwell, as they live their everyday lives, battling demons and warlocks while still trying have a normal life. The episode carries on from the previous series finale ("All Hell Breaks Loose") where a demonic hit man called Shax, who had target an innocent, battled the sisters. As a consequence Shax, Piper and Prue are caught twice on the news battling thus exposing magic. Meanwhile, Phoebe was trying to save her boyfriend and ex-demon Cole Turner who had been turned by his mentor back to evil. Phoebe broke the spell that was on Cole and the sisters whitelighter Leo Wyatt requested that Cole spoke to the Source of all evil to get Tempus to reverse time following the consequences of exposing magic. Phoebe agrees to the demands that she crosses to the darkside in order to save Piper who had died. The source after being informed of her decision tells his hitmen to kill her and to capture Cole. Time is reversed to the start of the episode where Piper and Prue are first attacked by Shax.

Part 1

"Charmed Again" is Rose McGowan's first appearance on Charmed as Paige Matthews.

The episode reveals that Cole (Julian McMahon) and Leo (Brian Krause) managed to save Phoebe from the Source and escape the underworld, but Leo was only able to save Piper, unlike earlier in the "All Hell Breaks Loose" when Phoebe was in the Manor and was able to call him to save Prue as well. As a result of saving Phoebe the Source has sent demonic bounty hunters after Cole. Piper, who is distraught at losing Prue, casts different spells to call a lost witch. The spell works but not as hoped, since she wanted to call Prue, but calls a woman called Paige Matthews instead. Paige, who works for social services notices some supernatural things such as a candle going out on her desk and then a newspaper article of Prue's obituary magically appears next to her. Paige attends the funeral of Prue where Phoebe gets a premonition of her being attacked by Shax. Once all the guests have gone demonic bounty hunters attack Cole. Whilst on a date with a man named Shane, Paige explains her life story, saying that she was adopted and is a reformed alcoholic who thought that she was related to the Halliwell sisters, but had dismissed it due to Patty dying young. Paige and Shane venture to a roof top where they are attacked by Shax. Cole and Phoebe who had been waiting for the attack to save Paige and are able to wound Shax. Leo and Cole do some investigating after Phoebe reports back that they saw her orb and Cole states that the Source thinks that Paige may be their sister - hence why he sent Shax after her. Piper then calls Grams to get her to explain, but as the truth is revealed they are exposed. Inspector Darryl Morris arrives with Inspector Cortez the man in charge of Prue's murder investigation. Cortez threatens to expose them before Morris knocks him out. The four witches send Cortez to Timbuktu and Cole goes to find him to take him home. Paige arrives at the house and the three realise that they are sisters when Shax attacks. The reformed Charmed ones are able to finally vanquish Shax.

Part 2

Shax died in his attempt on Paige's life, but the Oracle tells the Source that she hasn't solidified her bond with Piper and Phoebe yet. He thus still has a chance to shatter the Power of Three. The Oracle says that it was agreed years ago that every newly minted witch should have 48 hours to decide whether to use her powers for good or evil, the so-called "Window of Opportunity." She suggests that the Source seduce Paige into turning evil. This would be an even greater victory than killing her; not only will the Power of Three be permanently shattered, but he'd have a powerful evil witch on his side. To that end, the Source goes to Shane, still in the hospital recovering from Shax' attack, and possesses him. Paige comes to visit him, still badly shaken. They embrace, and Shane's eyes turn black.

Darryl comes to the manor, asking after Inspector Cortez. Cole shimmers in, and after blasting a couple of bounty hunters, tells that he found Cortez. He also says that he heard gargoyles stirring; he thinks they may be trying to ward off the Source. Leo thinks that if they can find Paige, they should be able to ward him off. However, he still can't sense her. "Shane" goes to Paige's apartment. Her parakeet, Oscar, seems oddly agitated. "Shane" mentions the case that Paige is working on. Jake Grisanti is suspected of abusing his young son; abusive parents are one of Paige's pet peeves. As Paige turns to leave, "Shane" sends Oscar up in flames. Cole and Leo find Cortez about to fall into a lava pit. Cole put him there to make sure he doesn't expose the sisters. Cole is unwilling to bring him back, but Leo insists that they let him go. Leo demands that Cortez keep quiet about the Halliwells, and then orbs him back to San Francisco. Jake arrives at South Bay Social Services with his wife, Carol, and their son. Jake goes to the bathroom, where the Source leaves Shane's body and possesses him. Meanwhile, Paige is asking after the church she was placed, and argues with her boss, Bob Cowan. She is worried about the boy. Piper walks into Prue's room to find Phoebe standing at the window, crying bitterly. It's the first time she's really broken down since Prue's death; she's held it together for both of them. Cowan hasn't made a final decision yet on the Grisantis, much to Paige's frustration. "Jake" briefly argues with Paige. Paige heads out for the church. "Jake" goes back to the bathroom, where a custodian is bending over an unconscious Shane. The Source sends the man up in flames and repossesses Shane.

Paige finds Sister Agnes, who placed her for adoption. Sister Agnes tells Paige of her birth parents; they came to her in a swirl of blue lights. Sister Agnes shows Paige her blanket in which she was wrapped, showing the letter P. Her mother had requested that her name begin with P. Piper has also found the church where Paige was left. She and Phoebe find Paige there and Piper freezes Sister Agnes. Paige walks away angrily, but Piper and Phoebe tell her that she has a power, and needs to learn how to use it to protect herself. Piper tells Paige that in all likelihood, she's a telekinetic like Prue. Paige tries to practice on a candle, but can't move it by waving her hand or squinting her eyes (the ways Prue channeled her power). Paige grumbles that she must be of little account as a witch if she can't move a candle. Just then, the candle disappears in a swirl of orbs and reappears in a shocked Paige's hand. Piper and Phoebe think Paige's telekinesis works differently due to her being half-Whitelighter. The Source has again possessed Shane and tries to enter the church, but a gargoyle repels him. He falls down in front of the door, but Paige goes to him and they leave. "Shane" blasts Phoebe and Piper as he and Paige walk away. Cortez is still determined to expose the sisters, despite threats from Cole and Darryl. He calls a surveillance team.

Piper and Phoebe realize the Source was at the church, but don't know why he didn't try to kill Paige. Cole doesn't understand either. Leo speculates that the Source isn't trying to kill her anymore, but instead turn her evil. Cole remembers the window of opportunity, which has less than 24 hours to run. "Shane" is back at Paige's apartment and is comforting her. Paige is still confused by all that's happening. Piper and Phoebe search the Book of Shadows to help find Paige; Phoebe calls for "a little help" and the Book opens to a spell that can reveal evil. They don't know where to find the Source, but Leo thinks Cole can find him. Phoebe doesn't understand how that's possible. Cole points out that all demons can sense the Source's presence; it's how he reminds them of his power. He thinks that if he can focus on the Source's aura, they'll be able to find him. Phoebe and Piper cast the spell on a pair of sunglasses. Phoebe puts the shades on and they reveal Cole as Belthazor, startling her. Phoebe thanks Grams for helping them, but Piper thinks "somebody else" may have actually flipped the page. "Shane" tries to persuade Paige to use her powers for her own desires. He suggests that she use her power to kill Jake. She ends up smashing a mirror. Later that day, Jake and Carol storm out of Cowan's office. Paige follows them, with "Shane" looking on. As they head outside, Paige holds out her hand and calls for Jake's heart. Jake doubles over in pain. Phoebe, Piper, Cole and Leo pull up; Cole sensed the Source was there. Phoebe puts on the sunglasses and sees a black aura around Paige. They rush to Paige and try to snap her back to herself. Paige won't back down, but Piper knocks her hand down and Leo orbs her away. Jake recovers, and it turns out that Carol is the one beating their child.

Piper and Phoebe head home while Cole stays behind to hold off the Source. "Shane" comes up behind Cole, but flames away before Cole spots him. Cole shimmers after him, but before he can make a move "Shane" runs him through with a sword. Piper and Phoebe find Paige and Leo at the manor. Leo is trying to convince Paige she isn't evil, but Paige is pitching a fit and orbing things at him while trying to escape. Piper tackles Paige to immobilize her, and Phoebe and Leo take her place holding Paige down. Just as Piper is about to check the Book, "Shane" flames in and flings Piper through the banister. "Shane" throws an energy ball at Phoebe, but Phoebe levitates out of the way. While still in the air, she tries to kick "Shane," but he disappears and Phoebe crashes into the grandfather clock. "Shane" reappears, and Piper blasts him. Just as "Shane" reconstitutes, Phoebe puts on the sunglasses and sees the Source. Paige gets back to her feet. The Source tries again to sway Paige, changing in rapid succession into Cowan, then Carol, then the little boy. Phoebe cries out, and the "boy" blasts Phoebe with electricity. Paige shoves the "boy" down just as the clock chimes; the window of opportunity has closed. The Source implies that he attacked Cole. Just then, he spots Cortez with a camcorder, blasts him with an plasma ball and flames away. Leo immediately heals Cortez, replying to Paige's wonder at how he did that by stating that whitelighters heal good people. Both Paige and Cortez realize fully who the good guys are. The sisters, with Paige, and Leo find Cole. Leo can only heal his human half, but Paige offers to use her power as well. Together, the two heal Cole. Cortez goes to Darryl and wordlessly hands over the tape from the camcorder, ending his pursuit of the sisters. The sisters meet at P3, Paige now joining them. Phoebe curiously asks why she attended Prue's funeral. She explains that a part of her felt like she'd lost her too, and somehow felt drawn all three of them. Piper and Phoebe take her to the attic and cast the summoning spell; Paige and Patty meet for the first time.

References