Cole as part of Forever Charmed...

[Esmeralda]

A thread at another site started by discussing Cole, then got to discussing about a better ending for Cole as compared to what we saw in The Seven Year Witch. Very curious to see what you guys think of this:

One member wrote:

I'm just glad Julian came back for the 150th episode, as it ended Cole's character on a high note.

Another member wrote:

Imo it ended on a low note.

Tht wasn't the ending I wanted for Cole at all.

A third member wrote:

For how phoebe treated cole I would rather he still be indistructible and return to permanently rule the underworld.

A fourth member (Me) wrote:

I'd much rather have Cole be the final Big Bad who got the pleasure of vanquishing the Charmed Ones over the Charmed Ones vanquishing fellow witches.

The third member replied:

I like the Cole vanquishing the charmed ones idea. As the series finale he manages to escape from where he is, comes back enraged, bashes through the front door of the manor like the warlock inspector Rodriguez did in "deja vu all over again" as well as shax, and take out the charmed ones including Leo before they can make a move. He then has the look he had after taking out the triad in season 2 screams aaarhhhhh, then exists like shax smashing the door as it slams and then the series ends.

The fourth member (Me) replied:

I'd definitely prefer that over what we got.

Who knows?? Maybe that's what will happen at the end of the Charmed movie...

The third member replied:

Would have been nice if it happened right at the end of forever charmed after they wrote their stuff in the book and thought it was all over. It would end up being the real battle they never saw coming that they weren't prepared for.

Whatcha think???

[ljones]

Great ideas, most of them.

[iamthesun]

Cole could have been the ultimate power instead of Billie and Christy. That would of made for an epic season finale.

[thepowerofnicki]

Anybody besides Billie and Christy could have made a better ultimate power.

[Chrisaholic]

So true, so true. ThePowerofNicki, your first blessing!!

[merry71]

AGREED! The whole Billie Christy thing took away from what the season could have been to say the least

[merry71]

and P.S. i still find myself cheering for Cole even after seeing what happens to him 12 times like i want it to change

[Esmeralda]

Definitely a shame that Julian McMahon was busy with Nip Tuck and couldn't be part of Season 8. It would've made it so much better!

[Astral Alex]

I am currently rewatching the series and watched The Seven Year Witch two days ago. Cole could definitely have been utilised better, he hardly featured tbh and I thought the only good twist was having him associated with Drake - who I did like as a character.

I think he would've been used in Forever Charmed somehow, I think it was more to do with Julian having other work commitments that Kern's decisions, he brought him back for the 150th after all.

[Esmeralda]

Kern said in the Charmed magazine that he had already used up all of his favors with Julian McMahon by getting him to agree on the 150th, so he never even Julian if he wanted to be part of the finale. Just like he never asked Shannen Doherty.

Best to just check out the fanfiction versions of the finale - they do a much better job and don't have to worry about whether the actor wanted to be part of the finale or not.

[Astral Alex]

Hmm, but would a Cole return have worked for the finale? Personally I thought the finale wasn't bad. And from doing this rewatch, I'm currently halfway through Season Seven and with only the odd weak episode I am still thoroughly enjoying the series. Cole's story was dead and buried at the end of Season Four, and bringing him back for Season Five was a mistake - I think his appearance in Seven Year Witch was not necessary but a nice nod to 150 episodes. I think he wouldn't fit in with the finale, he was their past - much like an Andy return wouldn't have made sense. Obviously a Prue return would've been amazing, but for one reason or another it didn't happen and I don't feel like her presence was hugely missed - I think people's criticism for the finale comes from their bitterness for Kern.

[Esmeralda]

You haven't read a lot of fanfiction versions of the finale! Everyone wants closure for Phoebe and Cole - specifically having Phoebe find out that Cole was possessed so she can figure out how dreadfully she treated him. IMOHO, the one who handled that problem the best is Fourever Charmed's Fourever Charmed. As usual for hers, it's Paige-centric, with Paige as her MarySue and not much like Paige on the show, but if you just look for Phoebe and Cole....WOW!!!

[Esmeralda]

Decided to go ahead and just copy over the Coop-Phoebe-Cole parts of 4Ever's "Fourever Charmed". See if you don't agree that this should've been part of "Forever Charmed"...

“I should be out, helping my sisters.”

Coop folded his arms. “We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“Us. Our loves. What’s at stake.” Coop moved near Phoebe. “Love.”

“We can’t.” The Charmed One pushed him away.

“Why?”

“You know why,” Phoebe whispered. “It’s against the rules.”

“That didn’t stop Piper and Leo.” Coop frowned. “Or your Mother and Sam, for that matter.”

“Yes, exactly! And look what happened for Paige. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to go through the hurt that Piper and Leo went through, especially if there’s a chance that we might not even end up like them!”

“I love you, Phoebe! Why can’t you take a chance for love?”

“I did!” Phoebe growled. “I took so many chances, and they all ended badly. Everyone I’ve ever loved just keeps leaving me.” She wiped her wet eyes. “My Dad, Grams, Mom, Prue.” Her voice cracked. “Clay, Jason, Drake…” She sunk to the ground, pulling her legs to her chest. “Cole.”

Coop felt a twinge in heart. “But this is what Cole wanted.”

Phoebe looked confused. “What? Are you insane? Cole wanted me. He didn’t want me to fall for some other guy.”

“That’s not true, Phoebe.” Coop swallowed. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but I’m going to anyway. If They want to punish me, then They can. To hell with them.” He sat down on the floor next to Phoebe. “Do you remember when The Elders wanted to test Leo, to see if he was meant to be with Piper or Them?”

The Charmed One nodded. “Yeah, she had to sort of die before he could sense her.”

“Right.” Coop placed his hand on her knee. “And do you know how she found that out?”

Still not knowing where he was going with his story, Phoebe shook her head.

“It was Cole.”

“I don’t understand.”

“After Cole was vanquished in Paige’s alternate reality, he was banished to a permanent limbo. He can watch everything from there, but he can’t leave. He stuck there for eternity.”

“So how did he help Piper?” Phoebe asked skeptically.

“When her physical body lost consciousness, her spirit became locked in limbo, with Cole. He explained to her that he she had to die in order to get Leo back. He also had an ulterior motive.”

Phoebe scowled. “Of course.”

“It’s not like that,” Coop defended. “His ulterior motive was to get you to believe in love again.”

Phoebe blinked in surprise. “No. He’d never-”

“But he did. He was the one who sent Drake to you.”

“What?”

“It’s true! He and Drake were old friends, and he sent him to you, to make sure you could find that you could love again.”

Phoebe began to cry quietly. “I can’t believe it.”

“It’s true, I swear it.” Coop touched the side of her face. “He’ll never stop loving you, Phoebe. But his goal in life, and in his afterlife, is to make sure you’re happy. He wants you to find true love.” Cupid pulled the witch to her feet, leaning in gently. “To find me.”

Before Phoebe has a chance to respond, a loud knock at the door startles her. She quickly pulls away from Coop, running to the door and swinging it open to find Piper standing there.

“We’re ready for you.”

“You saw Cole?”

“What? Who told you that?”

“When you were dying. The day that Drake died. You saw him and you didn’t tell me?”

Piper’s face blanched. “What? Who told you-” Her eyes landed on Coop. “Oh, you didn’t!” She shook her head. “How the hell did you even know about that?”

“I’m Cupid,” Coop defended. “I know everything about her love life, and those that affect it!”

“How dare you-”

“Piper!” Phoebe shoved her sister outside. “We’ll call you when we need the ring back,” Phoebe said, glancing over her shoulder. She shut the door.

And then later, after the Ultimate Battle, one of my absolutely all-time favorite scene in all of Charmed fandom:

A red haze filled the air, outlining the shape of a woman. When the haze vanished, Phoebe Halliwell stood in its place. She wore a simple pair of white hip hugging bell bottoms, a peachy-pink satin camisole, gold stiletto sandals, and gold dangle earrings. Her hair was pulled into a bun, and a golden satin choker was wrapped around her neck. A small white leather purse hung on her shoulder. Cupid’s ring was on her finger.

The Charmed One gazed around for a moment, inspecting her surroundings. She was standing on a beautiful, white sand beach. The sky was a gorgeous robin’s egg blue, and silver-cerulean waves were lapping softly at the mouth of the beach. She could hear birds chirping peacefully, and smell the salty air.

Then she saw him. Phoebe swallowed hard. Never in her life had she imagined doing what she was about to do. Or wanting to, for that matter. She moved near quietly over the beach. She could barely hear the sand crunch under her shoes. Everything was overpowered by the sound of her heart slamming against her ribcage. She could hear it right between her ears.

“Phoebe.”

The witch froze. Her body was tingling, like a thousand pins and needles shooting through her.

“I know it’s you. I can always tell it’s you. There’s a certain way you shuffle your feet, and it used to drive me crazy.”

“I didn’t know I shuffled.”

“Now you do.” The man at the edge of the water turned around. He was dressed in a black suit with a satin red dress shirt underneath, and shiny black dress shoes. His face appeared cleanly shaven, and his blue eyes were still as piercing as ever. Cole Turner smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Phoebe replied slowly.

“I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Likewise.”

“Why did you come?”

“I’m not in love with you anymore, Cole.”

“I know.” Cole moved near his ex. “So why did you come?”

“Because I heard you were here,” Phoebe whispered. She salty breeze flew across her face, fluttering the hairs around her. “I heard you were stuck in limbo.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” The ex-demon splayed his fingers outwards, pointing towards the water.

“It is when you’re watching me, but you can tell me yourself that you want me to find love. You have to go through my sister…and Drake.”

Cole cringed. “You found out about that?”

“Yes.”

“From who, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Cupid.”

“Cupid?” Cole looked surprised. “How did you get to know Cupid?”

“He’s actually one of many Cupids,” Phoebe explained. “But The Elders sent him to me so that he could help me find love.” Her brow creased. “I thought, seeing as how you’ve obviously been watching me, that you would’ve known that.”

“I don’t watch everything, Phoebe. Only when I sense that you’re feeling at your worst about love.”

“Oh.” She looked down at the sand, digging the toe of her shoe into it. “I’ve found true love.”

“You have?” Cole smiled brightly, for the first time in years. “What’s his name?”

“Coop, the Cupid I told you about.”

“Coop,” Cole repeated. He laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“His name,” the ex-demon chuckled.

“Why?”

“It begins with a ‘C,’ that why.”

“And?”

Cole crossed his eyes, surprised that she didn’t remember. “Do you remember the day you went back in time to save Charlotte Warren?”

Phoebe nodded.

“And do you remember when someone asked you if wanted to know what the first letter of your true love’s name would be?”

Phoebe’s eyes flickered in realization. “With the apple peel,” she gasped. “It was the letter ‘C.’”

Cole grinned. “I always thought I was that person. But I guess I was wrong. It was pointing you to ‘Cupid,’ to ‘Coop.’”

Phoebe narrowed her eyes. “How did you know about that?”

Cole waved his arm. “Long story. It doesn’t matter now anyway.” He shrugged, again moving towards Phoebe. “So, why did you come here?”

“I wanted to free you.”

“Free me?”

“Yes. I want you to be able to pass on to your afterlife. To be able to finally get over me.”

Cole frowned. “I can’t do that.”

“You can’t keep loving me Cole-”

“It’s not that!” He interjected. “It’s, well…I have something I need to show you, and then you’ll understand.”

Phoebe stood hesitantly.

“Oh come on, Phoebe. I won’t hurt you. I never could. Besides, I don’t have powers anymore anyway. And even when I did, you could still kick my behind.”

Phoebe chuckled, startling herself.

“That’s more like it,” Cole smiled. He moved to Phoebe, taking her hand in his. “Come on.” Together they walked in silence, moving down the beach.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Several minutes passed, and then Phoebe heard the giggling of what sounded to her like a child. “Cole,” she whispered alarmed, “is there a child here?”

“Shh.” Cole placed his fingers to her lips as they walked further down the beach. Then he stopped abruptly, pulling her with him. “That’s why.”

Several yards ahead of them, a beautiful brown haired boy about Wyatt’s age, possibly a little older by not much more than a year, played on the sand. He had on blue swim trunks with little sharks on them. And even from as far away as they were, his bright blue eyes were unmistakable.

In his hands he had a large, plastic yellow bucket in his hands. He kept running from the edge of the beach back to the middle with a bucket of wet down, and dumping it down to create sand cones. He was building a sand castle. The little boy was squealing with delight as he ran back to the water, with his yellow bucket swinging at his side.

“Who is that?” Phoebe gasped. “And why is that sweet little boy trapped in limbo?”

Cole didn’t get a chance to answer, because the little boy spotted both of them and squealed in delight. He dropped the yellow bucket and came barreling up the beach, running straight for Cole.

Cole bent down and caught the little boy as he ran into his arms. “Hey buddy,” he cooed enthusiastically. “How’s it going?”

“Great!” The little boy giggled, hugging Cole’s neck. He stopped, turning to face Phoebe with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. “Who’s your friend, Daddy?”

Phoebe’s heart skipped a beat. “Daddy?” She repeated, looking curiously at her ex-husband.

Cole knelt down, placing the little boy back on the ground. He beckoned for Phoebe to kneel down with him. “Turner,” he announced, “this is a very dear friend of mine.”

“Turner,” Phoebe breathed. She held out her hand, to which the little boy immediately grabbed and shook. “It’s nice to meet you, Turner. My name’s Phoebe.”

“Phoebe?” Turner beamed. “My Mommy’s name is Phoebe too!”

Phoebe’s body stiffened. “O-oh r-really,” she stuttered. “Wow.”

“Turner,” Cole said slowly. “Why don’t you go back to building your sand castle? Phoebe and I some important things to discuss, okay?”

Turner nodded in understanding. “Okay, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, son.”

As the little boy turned to run off, he peeked over his shoulder and waved to Phoebe. “It was nice to meet you, Phoebe!”

Phoebe choked as she waved. “It was nice meeting you too, Turner.” She watched as he ran back over to his sand castle, and then turned sharply to her ex. “What’s going on?”

Cole placed his hand to his head. “You were never supposed to find out,” Cole sighed.

“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”

“That little boy over there,” Cole said as he pointed to Turner. “He’s our son.”

“Our son? Cole, I don’t know if you recall or not, but we never had children.”

“Yes we did,” Cole countered. “You were pregnant, just before Piper was. Remember when The Source took me over?”

“Yes.” Phoebe wiped the corner of her eye. “I remember that very clearly.”

“Well, that’s the son that was vanquished with The Seer.”

“But he was The Source’s son.”

“No.” Cole’s voice was sharp. “He was our son, Phoebe. He may have had The Source’s powers, but he was still our flesh and blood.”

Phoebe looked back at the little boy. “How did you get him?”

“I asked The Elders to bring him here.”

“You talked to Them?”

“They were the ones who sent me to eternal limbo. I asked them about our son when I was banished. They didn’t budge.”

“So how did he come to be here?”

“After I sent Drake to you, and got you to believe in love again, They came to me and wanted to reward me for making you see that love was possible. They said I couldn’t leave limbo, but They wanted to know if there was anything I wanted. I told Them that I wanted our son.”

“And just like that, They sent him?”

“Yeah. He was a baby at first, but he grew up in literally a matter of days. Until he was about the age he would’ve been, you know?” Cole gazed back at their son, his eyes getting ever so slightly misty. “I named him Turner Warren Halliwell.”

Phoebe leaned into Cole’s side. She was no longer in love with Cole, she knew that. But as a friend, a companion, she still loved him and always would. He’d always be her first true love, and she knew that. Then she felt his hand on her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping away her tears. “He’s just…so beautiful.”

“I know.” Cole smiled, beaming with pride for their son.

“You know, I also asked The Elders for a favor.”

“You did?” Cole looked surprised.

“I did.”

“And what was it?”

“I asked Them if they’d consider granting you a reprieve from limbo. I asked Them if They could allow you to help people, like you helped me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I asked them if They could make you a Cupid.”

Cole stepped back, shocked. “W-what did They say?”

Phoebe reached into her pocket, pulling out a small golden ring with a red ruby in the shape of a heart in the center. She held the ring out to Cole. “The inside is inscribed,” she added.

Cole held up the ring to the sunlight, examining the inner ring. “’To Coleridge Turner, I wish you the best. Love forever and always, Phoebe Halliwell.’” He curled his fist, cupping the ring within it. “Thank you, Phoebe. But you know I can’t accept this. I’ve got to stay with him.” He motioned toward their son, Turner.

“I guess that’s why They gave me this too,” Phoebe whispered. She slid her leather purse off her shoulder, reached into the bag, and pulled out a small golden bow, complete with a white arrow with a red, heart shaped point.” Phoebe handed the bow over to Cole, and then turned her head towards her son. “A little cliché, huh?”

Cole wrapped his arms around Phoebe, literally lifting her into the air. “I love you, Phoebe. Always have and always will. I know it can never work between us, but I still have the uttermost respect for you. And what you’ve done…” He put her down, and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. Thank you, so much.”

Phoebe blinked back the tears. “Go give him that for me, will you?” She placed her hand on his arm. “And tell him that his Mother loves him, okay?”

Cole slid the ring onto his finger. He glowed pink for a moment, and then walked over to his son. He knelt down, handing the little boy the Cupid’s bow and arrow.

From afar, she could see her ex-husband’s lips moving as he spoke something she couldn’t hear to her son. Then she saw Turner glanced around his Father, with tears glistening in her eyes. Phoebe’s heart was beginning to break.

She couldn’t hear him, but she could see his lips moving and she knew what he was saying. ‘I love you too.’ She wiped her eyes as Turner and Cole both waved to her, and then faded into a red puff of smoke that hung in the shape of a heart for a moment, and disappeared.

Phoebe closed her eyes, breathing in the salty see air. She wiped her cheek one last time, wiping away all her tears. The witch slid her purse back onto her shoulder, tucked her hand with Coop’s ring to her chest, and faded away in a red haze.

*sigh* If only...

If you want to read the rest, it's here

[Deleted]

Jun 2, 2013 12:26:35 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Definitely a shame that Julian McMahon was busy with Nip Tuck and couldn't be part of Season 8. It would've made it so much better!

I disagree with your statement. Having Julian in season 8 wouldn't have made it better. The writing had become such an atrocity at that point I'm baffled that people would want to see Cole suffer the same fate as the three main lead actress'. His character was so poorly handled in season 5, I'm glad he never returned to the show, well he did in season 7, but that was another episode poorly written with poor utilization of his character. Seven year Witch should've been the episode that provided the audience with much needed closure but did absolutely nothing. Unless you think having Cole in season 8 would detract the audience from the Billy and Christy arc? Because in my mind it wouldn't have. The network wanted new things for the show, so whether Cole was part of the final season or just the finale the overall presentation of that year still would've sucked.

[BriannaWarren2.0]

I love the idea of Cole in spirit guiding Phoebe through the vanquishing of Christy and Billie.

Maybe she has a dream that he is featured in with him saying that he believes in her ability to do the right thing for the greater good and if that means having to vanquish people who you tried to help, so be it, maybe making a joke about him being someone who she should have vanquished rather than saved and after the dream, throughout the following days till the Ultimate Battle he is dropping hints and ideas to her about how to go fight them. 

Maybe Piper goes back to the time where Cole is still alive with Piper having to convince him to save Phoebe and as his sacrifice saves her from dying again, leading to Cole's final redemption.