Phoebe's just Pure Evil - We're Off To See The Wizard

[gzv969]

I always get that cringe worry feelings every time I watch phoebe turn pure evil in this episode. When she approaches the grim-ware and is able to pick it up. I can just see pure evil in her eyes. Even Cole is shocked. I think this is why phoebe was so mad with Cole in season 5 for allowing her to tap into the full potential of the evil in her. With the help of the demonic seed of course

Paige: Hey! eeee... I though only evil can touch the book?

Phoebe: that's right

And Pipers reaction after phoebe and Cole flame out

"What the hell was That!!!"

[Sadrick]

Yet in the next episode she's all conflicted and trying to straddle the line between good and evil. I would have liked to have seen if this "neither one" middle ground Phoebe could pick up the grimoire and the book of shadows at the same time. Charmed was never clear on the whole notion of neutral or unaligned magical beings picking up morally slanted magical objects.

[Elle Em]

It would have been nice to have seen this duality in Phoebe acknowledged at some point in the series. She acted like she had been completely manipulated from start to finish. It was Cole's fault, the baby's fault, the tonic's fault, etc. I think it was as much Phoebe herself as any one of those things, and that's why she crashed and burned as a character in my eyes after season 4. At least during season 4, there was still the potential for her to recognize and deal with her obvious attraction to being evil.

[gzv969]

And seeing as she was evil in her past life with evil flame throwing powers, you notice that she always got really carried away whenever she got them in the present. In This episode when she killed the wizard and the showdown with Coles secretary “phoebe: home wrecker!!!”.

Then there was “witch wars” when she extracted the demonic powers from the athame and ended up with once again flame throwing demonic powers and shimmering. Then she went all crazy on the demons. And She was really eager to get those demonic powers and even said it felt so good to have those powers again.

I recall in “be careful what you witch for”. Phoebe wished for powers and the genie stole the flying powers from the demon, who also could breath fire. Later on in next season 3 opener phoebe suddenly finds out she can levitate. Which Is a lighter form of flying. Who knows maybe after the genies wishes were reversed, phoebe didn’t really fully loose the flying powers, since the demon was already dead, it had to go some where. And maybe the fire breathing was something she could do from her hands now but only when she had the right demonic triggers. Like becoming influenced or taken over by evil

[cyma]

Apr 27, 2018 17:50:48 GMT -5 gzv969 said:

I recall in “be careful what you witch for”. Phoebe wished for powers and the genie stole the flying powers from the demon, who also could breath fire. Later on in next season 3 opener phoebe suddenly finds out she can levitate. Which Is a lighter form of flying. Who knows maybe after the genies wishes were reversed, phoebe didn’t really fully loose the flying powers, since the demon was already dead, it had to go some where.

That's a very good theory. The other time Phoebe got telekinetic type abilities was when Woogy granted her those powers. Also levitation made no sense for Phoebe in terms of power advancement. Prue had telekinesis which would naturally allow her to lift herself and other people and objects. So this felt just randomly thrown in for Phoebe to quickly give her an active power.

Had levitation been some kind of side effect of another power like channeling some ghost or demon or other evil entity or even a mere premonition about them it would've made sense.

We didn't see the Seer or Kira the Seer randomly floating around. Seer only levitated when she accepted the position and power of Source. The Dark Priest quoted the during the cornation, the world's evil would flow through the soul and grant it eternal darkness. Also it would get access to the full powers of the Underworld.

So I could buy that with such an immense power and darkness transfer to one being, the being, if weak, will explode. If not then he or she will float off the floor in immense....umm..pleasure as he transforms?

Or in immense pain in Cole's case because when he was transferring his Source powers to the Wizard, both of them floated up. Wizard seemed okay but Cole seemed like he was in pain. I guess half of his soul holding the Source's powers was being ripped out of him.

While Phoebe killed Cal Greene and managed to levitate herself and Cal off the floor while doing it, I wasn't convinced it was a sign she had telekinetic powers or flight. But rather the side effect of a combination of intense emotions of rage and hatred and the use of her electricity powers to their maximum capacity to fry Cal's brain and make sure he suffers instead of simply dying from one electric jolt to the head.

[rebooted]

Phoebe was definitely the most interesting character. Her sway over good and evil and also not being as close as Prue and Piper really made Charmed interesting.

[Granny Charmed]

Apr 28, 2018 11:04:29 GMT -5 rebooted said:

Phoebe was definitely the most interesting character. Her sway over good and evil and also not being as close as Prue and Piper really made Charmed interesting.

It's too bad dear they didn't do more with it. It would have made a very great long-term arc over many episodes, not just one. 

[imdb lives on]

I wonder how Phoebe's rationalized it in her head or her sisters. Cole nor the baby did anything to make her the Queen. She chose it by her own actions.

[Elle Em]

Sept 10, 2018 21:06:19 GMT -5 imdb lives on said:

I wonder how Phoebe's rationalized it in her head or her sisters. Cole nor the baby did anything to make her the Queen. She chose it by her own actions.

I think Phoebe couldn't stand the idea that she had such qualities, and chose to be in denial about it. She had the perfect setup to blame Cole, as her sisters hated him by this point. The more she blamed Cole and was angry with him, the better she looked by comparison. It's part of the reason why those two were so awful together. He would be good or evil, as long as he had Phoebe. And she'd turn on him as quickly as she fell for him when she did something she was later ashamed of.

I think Piper rationalized it by just being happy she had her sister back. Phoebe was the only member of her family she had left that she had grown up with. She would forgive Phoebe for anything at this point. Plus she was able to distract herself with being pregnant and let any leftover anger she may have had for Phoebe disappear. 

I think Paige had a stronger moral compass at this point, and should have recognized Phoebe as having some serious faults. Plus she didn't grow up with her and didn't have the bond with her that Piper did. But she was also somewhat new to being a witch at this point, and also a new member of the family. Maybe for the sake of peace and getting back to normal, she let it go.