Why kill him? (Hyde School Reunion)

[ljones]

And while Paige has done questionable things as well I wouldn't classify her as unlikable simply for the fact that she's the only one left with a sense of morality.

Paige's sense of morality went out the window when she assisted Phoebe in their murder of Rick Gittridge without any hesitation. She doesn't a pass anymore than Phoebe does.

Because it seemed her main issue with Cole was with all the evil powers he had accumulated.

What evil powers? Cole's powers were magical powers - nothing more or less. I can say the same about the Halliwells and other magical beings. What counted was how the characters used their powers. And the Halliwells and Leo eventually proved their use of magic could occasionally be evil.

[BewitchingBeauties87]

I hated Hyde School reunion for the reasons already covered. IMO It's still not as bad as Prince Charmed in my book in terms of the worst episode I've seen this season. However, the absolute nadir of the season so far (in terms of moments) is Phoebe blabbing to Leo that Chris is her son (which happens in Spin City). I literally threw a pillow at the T.V. in disgust. Phoebe's idiotic grin throughout the scene and her cathartic release after showing the maturity of kindergartener and revealing this information to an unsuspecting Leo (when it wasn't her place to do this) made me start wondering if this whole season is all supposed to be an alternative time line where the Charmed ones are actually slowing becoming evil??? Maybe the season finale will reveal this??

[Aaeiyn]

The Charmed Ones have or (worse) indirectly killed non-magical beings, before. The first person they (indirectly) killed was Tony Wong, from Dead Man Dating. Sure, the Charmed Ones didn't specifically kill Tony Wong (similarly to Rick, in this episode), but their involvement with him lead to his death, and his soul was coerced to be with Yama. Tony Wong and Rick share similar personality traits via cold-hearted/blooded murderers and kidnappers. Ofc, there's (also) Andy's death. In S2, they self-defended themselves against Ms. Hellfire because she legit was going to kill them. It was either their lives or her's. OFC, Dr. Williamson was already mentioned. In S3, Death Takes a Halliwell irks me because I didn't quite understand the message, and an innocent life was lost, in the process due to the Angel of Death's weird speech, and Prue just accepting that she "couldn't have" saved Reece, bull! Also, there was the Ice Cream Man.  In S4, the killer Ghosts (despite being ghosts) were technically, mortal. They weren't Jackson Ward but actual innocent mortals, who made the choice (similar to Tony Wong and Rick) to kill innocent lives. They had to get rid of them. In S5, Piper had to indirectly allow Miles (a complete and total innocent) to die, as well. In S6, we already know about Rick. In S7, there was Brody. In S8, there was J.D. So, I'm just used to a once in a blue moon, they bring in a dose of reality, from time to time, that they're gonna have to go against non-magical beings, too. And, these non-magical beings are not always a force of good.

[fallingsnow6136]

You bring up a very good point, Aaeiyn. Another thing I was thinking was that it wasn't punishing the guilty like people had said. Phoebe was burnt at the stake because she used her powers for revenge for someone she loved and was punished. Tony Wong and Rick are very similar and I'm surprised people aren't bringing that up. Also, Rick was also a murderer. He said so himself that it wasn't like he hadn't murdered before. They can't save every innocent.

[prueislove]

This felt like Phoebe and Paige were punishing the guilty rather than protecting the innocent. It may not have been for revenge but they used their powers to punish a criminal. It's the same with the baseball player. As Piper in s2 Morality Bites tries to excuse "You killed a killer" and Phoebe's response "Wrong things done for the right reason is still the wrong thing. Our job is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty". Paige and Phoebe's reasons for killing Rick are not wrong but its for the wrong reason. There are other solutions.

[Aaeiyn]

Nov 13, 2024 11:51:47 GMT -5 prueislove said:

This felt like Phoebe and Paige were punishing the guilty rather than protecting the innocent. It may not have been for revenge but they used their powers to punish a criminal. It's the same with the baseball player. As Piper in s2 Morality Bites tries to excuse "You killed a killer" and Phoebe's response "Wrong things done for the right reason is still the wrong thing. Our job is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty". Paige and Phoebe's reasons for killing Rick are not wrong but its for the wrong reason. There are other solutions.

If Piper was there to freeze the scene, I would agree with you, but that's just not the story the writers wanted to tell. You can tell they knew Piper's freezing power would be the perfect solution because they specifically wrote her out of the scene, on purpose.

I don't think Paige TK-Orbing the gun would've helped because Phoebe already tried that (disarming Rick), earlier in the episode and failed. I still think Paige TK-Orbing the gun would've failed, similarly. And, apparently Phoebe's Martial Arts didn't seem to be operating, in this episode, either. And, Paige wasn't TK-Orbing like you see her do in S6E19 "Crimes & Witch Demeanors", S7E8 "Charmed Noir", S8E9 "Hulkus Pocus", etc., yet. She hadn't quite learned to just TK-Orb Rick back in jail.

That being said, I feel the Rick situation is different than the baseball player situation seen in S2E2 "Morality Bites". The Charmed Ones didn't actively go out and hunt down Rick just to kill him, like Phoebe did to the baseball player, as seen in S2E2 "Morality Bites". They kept giving Rick every opportunity to stop, but he didn't. Now, my issue with the episode isn't because Rick was set-up to die. It was how the Scabber Demons were able to "sense Chris" even though Rick isn't Chris. Rick was made to LOOK like Chris and NOT get his magical presence, but I digress.

If Piper was present, I would be team freeze Rick, but she wasn't. And, the writers were smart enough to think about that and purposefully wrote her out of the scene, on purpose, so she wouldn't be around to freeze the scene. As we see Piper do with Nance in S8E3 "Run, Piper, Run".

[prueislove]

It was bad writing if you ask me. Like I said I get why he needed to die and it wasn't revenge but at the same time, it was still the wrong thing. The reasons were right, the action was wrong. Tell me that Prue would do the same had she been alive.

[Aaeiyn]

Nov 13, 2024 12:05:39 GMT -5 prueislove said:

It was bad writing if you ask me. Like I said I get why he needed to die and it wasn't revenge but at the same time, it was still the wrong thing. The reasons were right, the action was wrong. Tell me that Prue would do the same had she been alive.

Prue would've been strong enough to TK him up against a wall or back out the door, if she was around. I agree about the terrible writing, but I don't think it was the wrong thing done for the right reason. It was the right thing done for the right reason. They kept giving him chance after chance to stop, but he didn't. He's a very different situation than the baseball player who was HUNTED down vs Rick who was NOT hunted down. I think HUNTING down bad people plays a pivotal role in determining the S2E2 "Morality Bites" lesson.

[prueislove]

I respect that but respectfully disagree. He may not have been an innocent but they were punishing the guilty just to mostly protect Chris I might add, which was another selfish reason.

[Aaeiyn]

Nov 13, 2024 12:26:47 GMT -5 prueislove said:

I respect that but respectfully disagree. He may not have been an innocent but they were punishing the guilty just to mostly protect Chris I might add, which was another selfish reason.

I disagree with punishing the guilty. Ramona was MIA, and Rick admitted she didn't have long to live, so they were racing against the clock in trying to figure out where she was, protecting Chris & trying to help Rick who didn't want to be helped. I think Piper's freezing would've been the best scenario. Just freeze Rick & unfreeze his head and interrogate him on where he hid Ramona. He would NOT have the power in that situation, at all.

[prueislove]

I respect it but respectfully disagree with your viewpoint You're more than welcome to think that way. As a fan of Morality Bites, I hate any episode that contradicts it.

[Aaeiyn]

Nov 13, 2024 12:39:17 GMT -5 prueislove said:

I respect it but respectfully disagree with your viewpoint You're more than welcome to think that way. As a fan of Morality Bites, I hate any episode that contradicts it.

Oh, IK. There are MANY fans like that LOL Unfortunately, the S2E2 "Morality Bites" stans (not necessarily fans) have ruined that episode, for me. I actively detest it because of it. I'm a fan of episodes as they are and not necessarily because of episodes before or after it. When, an episode doesn't make sense it annoys me, like S2E15 "Give Me a Sign", when Litvack can see through people's intentions couldn't tell that Bane was going to double cross him? I don't buy it. Things like that.