Loves a Witch - Phoebe's empathy and reading her sisters

[gzv969]

This was one of my favorite season 6 episodes apart from the sad ending moment where piper asks Leo for a divorce. But in this episode phoebe had reached the point of being out of control with her empathy and intrusions on Paige and pipers feelings. But in spite of all that does anyone think it was a bad idea that Piper and Paige took the empathy blocking potion Chris had gotten made? I know she was being annoying reading the sisters all the time and being extremely vocal, but on the other hand Leo did say he didn't think they should drink it. He said phoebe was given the powers for a reason. And when you kind of think about it, if they had given phoebe time to grow into her powers, having an empath around that could help them get through their personal, emotional and physiological issues occasionally could have helped the girls bond better as sisters and keep themselves well balanced emotionally

Also during the time phoebe was able to read her sisters, (these first five season 6 episodes), she was more engaged in charmed stuff than she ever was before since season 5. Any time phoebe felt fear or pain etc from her sisters she was compelled to help, whether it was demonic, magical or personal. Eventually phoebe would have mastered the power and had been able to read her sisters without being so vocal and annoying.

I think that if Piper and Paige didn't take the potion, phoebe would have been compelled to focus more on being a charmed one and less on her column. If not for anything else but at least to protect her sisters.

[Scene: Manor. Parlor. Piper and Phoebe are there. Piper is vacuuming while Phoebe is meditating and levitating up in the air.]

Phoebe: Piper, do you mind? I'm trying to meditate up here if you haven't noticed.

Piper: Well, can't you block out the noise?

Phoebe: Yeah, the vacuum cleaner I can block out, your nerves I can't.

Piper: My nerves? ...Oh, for god sakes, woman.

Phoebe: I'm sorry, you're anxious, I'm anxious.

Piper: But it's my first date, it's not yours.

Phoebe: But unfortunately, it feels as though it's my first date.

Piper: Well, can't you control it?

Phoebe: What do you think I'm doing up here? Cleaning the chandelier?

Piper: Now that would be helpful.

(Paige walks in through the front door. Phoebe loses her concentration and falls to the floor.)

Phoebe: Talk about your psychic hit.

Paige: Hi, how's it going, don't ask.

Piper: Are you hurt? What happened?

Paige: It's nothing, I'm fine.

Phoebe: You're not fine, Paige, you're scared to death. Why don't people in this family own their emotions.

Paige: Okay, this empath thing, very annoying.

Piper: Copy that.

(Paige goes into the kitchen.)

Piper: Hey.

(Piper follows Paige. Chris orbs in.)

Chris: You haven't seen Leo, have you?

Phoebe: Oh, Chris, not now.

[Cut to the kitchen. Paige is pressing a towel against her wound. Piper walks in.]

Piper: Paige.

Paige: It's nothing, I'm fine.

Piper: It doesn't look like nothing to me. Was that an energy ball?

Paige: I don't know, I was playing pinochle, I didn't see. I'm temping Grandma, she's got some deep dark secrets, let me tell you that.

(Phoebe walks in.)

Piper: Uh, another temp job involving magic?

Paige: Yeah, right, I'm never gonna get away.

Phoebe: But you want to.

Piper: Shush.

Phoebe: Sorry.

Piper: Do you want me to get the book?

Paige: No, actually, I don't. I wanna follow this one through all by myself.

Piper: Oh.

Phoebe: She's feeling a little suppressed by us.

Piper: You are?

Paige: You know, what I was talking about, the temp job thing. Why I am trying to find my own path, just separate from...

Piper: From us?

(Chris walks in.)

Chris: So I checked the house, no sign of...

Piper: I should cancel my date.

Phoebe: What? Why?

Piper: Because we're having issues.

Phoebe: No, the issue is you're afraid to date, Piper. But you can't let your fear stop you. (to Paige) You on the other hand should.

Paige: Gee, I wonder why I'm feeling suppressed.

Piper: Phoebe, this is ridiculous. It's just getting worse.

Phoebe: I know. So what should I do? Should I just keep all your feelings to myself? Would that make you guys happy?

Piper, Paige: Yes.

Phoebe: Okay, then that's what I'll do. Someone's hiding something from me.

Chris: Just let me know if anyone sees Leo, okay?

(Chris leaves.)

Paige: I've gotta go back and check on grandma.

Phoebe: Wait, you're still going? Paige, you're scared to death...

Paige: Apple!

(An apple orbs out of the fruit bowl and into Phoebe's mouth. Paige throws the towel on the table and leaves the kitchen.)

Piper: Well, that's one way to do it.

(Phoebe bites into the apple. Piper smiles and leaves the kitchen.)

Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Piper is there making a potion. Phoebe walks in.]

Phoebe: Hey, what are you doing? Making soup?

Piper: Um, not exactly.

(Phoebe looks at the page the Book of Shadows is turned to.)

Phoebe: "Banishing a ghost." Wait a minute, I thought we weren't gonna try and help Paige anymore.

Piper: We're not, we're assisting.

Phoebe: Oh, we're assisting.

Piper: Mm-hm. We're just giving her a little ammo should she need it. (Piper pours the blue potion into a vial.) You know, that was one really pissed off ghost.

Phoebe: That was also one very pissed off sister.

Piper: Which is why we're not helping her, not directly. We're just giving her an option.

Phoebe: You're worried.

Piper: So?

Phoebe: So you can actually worry and really you're just worried, where as if I worry, people think I'm psychically intruding.

Piper: Precisely. Now I need to call Leo so he can baby-sit.

Piper: "Blood to blood I summon thee, blood to blood return to me." It's not working.

Phoebe: Neither is scrying. I knew I should have followed my instincts, I knew that she was in over her head.

Piper: Phoebe.

Phoebe: What? I know I am driving everyone crazy with my power but doesn't mean I'm not right.

Leo: We're all understandably tense, but that's not gonna help us get Paige back any faster

Scene: Manor. Attic. Phoebe is there sitting at a desk. The door is locked. Piper and Paige are standing outside the door.]

Paige: Come on, Phoebe, you can't stay in there forever.

Phoebe: Yes, I can.

Piper: Phoebe, this is nuts. Open the door.

Phoebe: No.

Piper: Phoebe.

Phoebe: Okay, let's see if this one works. "In the name of the Halliwell line, bind my sisters from this power of mine."

Piper: Phoebe.

(Phoebe turns to the door.)

Phoebe: It's not working, I can still feel your frustration. (Piper, Paige and Chris orb in.) I don't know what else to do, I've tried everything.

Piper: Hi!

(Phoebe turns around.)

Phoebe: You know, people lock doors for a reason.

Paige: Yes, well, I figure if you can use your powers to intrude on my life, then I can use mine to intrude on yours.

Piper: Come on, Phoebe. None of us like this new power of yours anymore than you do, but it's pointless to isolate yourself.

Phoebe: Well, if I can't read you, I can't hurt you.

Paige: Well, how about instead of trying to control your power, maybe you try to, I didn't know, control yourself?

Phoebe: Because, Paige, I can't. And I can sense how annoyed you are right now and that's hurting me.

Paige: Well, what's annoying me if I've discovered I have this magical destiny and I can't trust you to leave me alone for me to follow it.

Phoebe: What do you think I'm trying to do up here?

Piper: Okay, let's look at the bright side. We settled a family feud, we set free a tortured soul, maybe your new power and Paige's new solo path away from the sisterhood, is some kind of synergy, that it's all working together in some kind of divine way.

Phoebe, Paige: Nah.

Chris: I don't get it. Leo didn't give you the empath blocking potion?

Piper: What potion? Leo! (Leo orbs in.) Where is it?

Phoebe: Give me, give me, give me. Faster.

Piper: Come on, come on, come on.

Chris: They're really anxious about that potion you got for them.

Leo: Yeah, only I think you should wait to take it. Phoebe was given her power for a reason.

Piper: Forget that.

(Leo hands Piper the potion. She drinks some of it and then passes it to Paige. Paige drinks some.)

Phoebe: Nothing, nada, zilch!

Paige: Yes!

Piper: Hallelujah!

aige: Well, I have to go finish a game of pinochle with grandma Callaway.

Phoebe: Maybe you'll run into Richard.

Paige: I'm sorry?

Phoebe: That was a sister thing, not an empath thing. (Phoebe gets up.) Come on.

 

[Melinda Halliwell]

And in learning how to master empathy Phoebe would've learned the real reason about Chris's mission who he was and Wyatt being evil which he didn't want her, Piper, Leo or Paige knowing about at the time hence why he had the blocking potion made.

Hiding Piper and Paige's feelings from Phoebe was just an added bonus.

[adzpower]

Also it could have had a good practical effect of letting Phoebe sense where her sisters were, al she'd have to do is search for their emotions and she'd be able to track them. Could have been useful for when one went missing.

Though I suppose that and her being able to sense when one of her sisters had been replaced by a demon would have removed a lot of storylines from the show.

[Chrisaholic]

It'd have been nice to know how long such a poison would last. I mean, that was never said and we never know if Chris went to the alchemist again. It looks like one dose was enough what I don't believe, by the way.

In Charmed all powers grew with time, yet here empathy was blocked all of a sudden. Maybe in the future, Phoebe will be a good empath.

[Melinda Halliwell]

Yeah I think the potion wasn't long lasting either and would've meant Chris had to have gone back to the Alchemist sometime future wise.

[ljones]

Phoebe should have learned to control her empathy and not blurt out everyone's feelings the moment she sensed it.

[imdb lives on]

I don't think the writers were invested or the budget. Half 21st through the season they took her other two powers

[Aaeiyn]

I think it's fine for them to drink the potion. This allowed for Chris to subtlety do the same, to block Phoebe from empathetically reading who he really was. Their annoyance was a means to an end, for him, and a way for the writers to get him to drink the potion, as well. Especially, since Leo was following him around, the sister's annoyance was an excuse for Chris to deter Leo off of his trail.