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Post by CharmedFaith on Nov 4, 2020 0:19:30 GMT -5
The Book of Shadows is the deus ex-machine of Charmed, it is able to figure out practically any problem the sisters encounter. So in that sense...how do you make sense of it? The book has been passed down through generations of Warrens/Halliwells with each adding to the book. When it comes to the Halliwell sisters it is practically one giant dictionary. With all of the spells and demons that are in the book do we think that former family members encountered all of the demons? Or borrowed the spells from other witches? Heard stories of other demons and added it in just in case? Is it enchanted to the point where its a glorified autofill? Do the Elders help? |
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Post by Maite Halliwell on Nov 4, 2020 6:44:37 GMT -5
The problem with the Book of Shadows is that it was wrote very inconsistently, when it came to what it knew and what it didn't. Although, how I make sense of it, when it comes to the vast amount of information in it, is that the Warren witches before them didn't necessarily come up against all the evils in the book, but heard about them, knew their MO. Especially because a lot of these demons could only be vanquished with the power of three, so it probably was entered as warning to future witches to try to avoid these demons, for the time when the power of three came about.
The spells is a more difficult matter, when the spell is individualised to the demon, because that implies a witch went up against it, but if they did, then they should be vanquished. That's why I liked the pilot's vanquish, the first thing they did to Jeremy was not specifically for him, just a general spell, and I wish they kept more to that.
I also think there's probably a high chance some of the spells were borrowed from other witches, or improved upon, especially in the times pre-1900s, as that's probably the last time the witch community was a community,so spells would be probably shared, or at least knowledge would be.
I think another problem is that it just became a glossary of all demons, instead of general witch information, and other spells. But I also think it's safe to assume that the elders may have had a hand in it, occasionally. But what I think is more likely is that Grams adds things in, if she can turn the pages.
But honestly, you can't really make sense of the Book if Shadows because it was very inconsistent in it's portrayal, and realistically, for a show, they couldn't really explain it too much beyond it being past down through generations because if they created solid rules, they'd have to obey by them.
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Post by Elle Em on Nov 4, 2020 7:39:18 GMT -5
Maybe the witches who came before the sisters wrote spells to vanquish specific demons because they knew that the Power of Three would be able to vanquish them no matter what spell they said, but the spell was there so if the sisters were under immediate attack, they wouldn't have to take time to write their own spell.
If the Power of Three wasn't required, though, I guess maybe there were other demons similar enough that their ancestors won against to know that the same spell would work on another closely related evil.
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Esmeralda
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Post by Esmeralda on Nov 4, 2020 7:52:34 GMT -5
Remember what Melinda Warren (who knew the Book best) told them:
I think the Book added the Power of Three spells.
The other possibility would be Warren witches who had premonitions like Melinda saw the Charmed Ones using those spells and wrote them, but I like the idea of the Book adding the spells they needed more.
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Post by Maite Halliwell on Nov 4, 2020 9:18:57 GMT -5
Remember what Melinda Warren (who knew the Book best) told them: I think the Book added the Power of Three spells. The other possibility would be Warren witches who had premonitions like Melinda saw the Charmed Ones using those spells and wrote them, but I like the idea of the Book adding the spells they needed more. I forgot about that line! Which is surprising since that's my favourite line in reference to the Book of Shadows. I too really like the idea of the Book guiding them. And if the show did Phoebe's premonitions better, I would also like the idea that some of their Warren ancestors had premonitions of spells they'd need. |
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Post by CharmedFaith on Nov 4, 2020 11:21:21 GMT -5
When it comes to demons that have vanquishing spells my only thought is that these spells temporarily banish the demon from the mortal world but it doesnt kill them since the witches just arent strong enough. Just like Barbas, you can get rid of him but for only so long, and with Piper blowing up Shax. It got rid of him temporarily but he returned and even Prue/Piper werent strong enough to truly vanquish him but slow him down.
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Post by Maite Halliwell on Nov 4, 2020 13:14:11 GMT -5
When it comes to demons that have vanquishing spells my only thought is that these spells temporarily banish the demon from the mortal world but it doesnt kill them since the witches just arent strong enough. Just like Barbas, you can get rid of him but for only so long, and with Piper blowing up Shax. It got rid of him temporarily but he returned and even Prue/Piper werent strong enough to truly vanquish him but slow him down. That's a good explanation. That's probably the explanation that I'd go for. |
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on Nov 4, 2020 15:56:49 GMT -5
In terms of Barbas I always had the impression because his power worked on fear i.e. reading whatever someone was afraid off so long as people were afraid of things he could come back then which he did the same as what I thought about Tempus also because his power worked on time being why Prue, Piper, and Phoebe only defeated him the first after Leo told them about that.
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Post by BriannaWarren2.0 on Jan 25, 2021 13:32:14 GMT -5
My issue with the Book Of Shadows is there was always a demon the sisters faced that was in the Book, so in that regard it became pretty repetitive, I was hoping that there was a demon they couldn't rush to the Book for and then they would have to go to the library and research up on topics, even using the internet (which I liked in the Wedding From Hell episode).
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Granny Charmed
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Post by Granny Charmed on Jan 25, 2021 18:08:08 GMT -5
When it comes to demons that have vanquishing spells my only thought is that these spells temporarily banish the demon from the mortal world but it doesnt kill them since the witches just arent strong enough. Just like Barbas, you can get rid of him but for only so long, and with Piper blowing up Shax. It got rid of him temporarily but he returned and even Prue/Piper werent strong enough to truly vanquish him but slow him down. I really like this theory dear, that they are not strong enough to completely vanquish them, only banish them. And the Power of Three are the only ones who can do that. My issue with the Book Of Shadows is there was always a demon the sisters faced that was in the Book, so in that regard it became pretty repetitive, I was hoping that there was a demon they couldn't rush to the Book for and then they would have to go to the library and research up on topics, even using the internet (which I liked in the Wedding From Hell episode). And Phoebe did research going to Occult and Wicca shop dear in 'Witch Trial' when they lost the book, and she did do research online a number of times in S1 as well. I still prefer the book or them doing their own research online or going to occult/wicca shops verses Leo telling them everything they need to know, as happened often. |
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Post by BriannaWarren2.0 on Jan 25, 2021 18:49:37 GMT -5
When it comes to demons that have vanquishing spells my only thought is that these spells temporarily banish the demon from the mortal world but it doesnt kill them since the witches just arent strong enough. Just like Barbas, you can get rid of him but for only so long, and with Piper blowing up Shax. It got rid of him temporarily but he returned and even Prue/Piper werent strong enough to truly vanquish him but slow him down. I really like this theory dear, that they are not strong enough to completely vanquish them, only banish them. And the Power of Three are the only ones who can do that. My issue with the Book Of Shadows is there was always a demon the sisters faced that was in the Book, so in that regard it became pretty repetitive, I was hoping that there was a demon they couldn't rush to the Book for and then they would have to go to the library and research up on topics, even using the internet (which I liked in the Wedding From Hell episode). And Phoebe did research going to Occult and Wicca shop dear in 'Witch Trial' when they lost the book, and she did do research online a number of times in S1 as well. I still prefer the book or them doing their own research online or going to occult/wicca shops verses Leo telling them everything they need to know, as happened often. Leo did bail them out a lot, it seemed like he was their personal messenger, which isn't what Whitelighters are supposed to do. |
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Post by Too Much Coffee on Jan 25, 2021 18:54:46 GMT -5
I really like this theory dear, that they are not strong enough to completely vanquish them, only banish them. And the Power of Three are the only ones who can do that. And Phoebe did research going to Occult and Wicca shop dear in 'Witch Trial' when they lost the book, and she did do research online a number of times in S1 as well. I still prefer the book or them doing their own research online or going to occult/wicca shops verses Leo telling them everything they need to know, as happened often. Leo did bail them out a lot, it seemed like he was their personal messenger, which isn't what Whitelighters are supposed to do. That bored me so much, I hated when Leo just told them what they needed to know. The episodes got boring and dull when Leo told them all they needed to know, healed them or orbed the entire family away from harm's way. Now he could point them in the right direction. Or even better, not let him have all the answers, he can tell them something, but not enough, that they have to figure the rest out on their own. |
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Post by BriannaWarren2.0 on Jan 25, 2021 19:14:34 GMT -5
Leo did bail them out a lot, it seemed like he was their personal messenger, which isn't what Whitelighters are supposed to do. That bored me so much, I hated when Leo just told them what they needed to know. The episodes got boring and dull when Leo told them all they needed to know, healed them or orbed the entire family away from harm's way. Now he could point them in the right direction. Or even better, not let him have all the answers, he can tell them something, but not enough, that they have to figure the rest out on their own. Exactly or have them speak in riddles and have the Charmed Ones decipher what the meaning is. That means while Phoebe is unemployed she is constantly working on her craft, reading up on mythology and reading the Book, so she isn't at home being their errand runner, she is actively working towards being knowledgeable in witchcraft. |
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Post by Too Much Coffee on Jan 26, 2021 17:14:29 GMT -5
That bored me so much, I hated when Leo just told them what they needed to know. The episodes got boring and dull when Leo told them all they needed to know, healed them or orbed the entire family away from harm's way. Now he could point them in the right direction. Or even better, not let him have all the answers, he can tell them something, but not enough, that they have to figure the rest out on their own. Exactly or have them speak in riddles and have the Charmed Ones decipher what the meaning is. That means while Phoebe is unemployed she is constantly working on her craft, reading up on mythology and reading the Book, so she isn't at home being their errand runner, she is actively working towards being knowledgeable in witchcraft. Now that could work as well. Yeah, I really like that for Phoebe while she is unemployed. I always loved when Phoebe uses her street smarts and such to figure things out. She was always my favorite sister when it came to embracing magic and wanting to learn more. |
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Post by BriannaWarren2.0 on Jan 27, 2021 8:32:33 GMT -5
Exactly or have them speak in riddles and have the Charmed Ones decipher what the meaning is. That means while Phoebe is unemployed she is constantly working on her craft, reading up on mythology and reading the Book, so she isn't at home being their errand runner, she is actively working towards being knowledgeable in witchcraft. Now that could work as well. Yeah, I really like that for Phoebe while she is unemployed. I always loved when Phoebe uses her street smarts and such to figure things out. She was always my favorite sister when it came to embracing magic and wanting to learn more. I am happy that you like it. I can't believe that someone like Prue who is responsible wouldn't be down Phoebe's throat to make sure she was studying everything she could. |
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Post by Astral Echo on Jan 28, 2021 16:39:46 GMT -5
I don't like the idea that the Book is some kind of sentient being as Es seems to suggest. I think the better explanation is that former Warren witches wrote the spells or learnt them from others. As CharmedFaith suggests, some demons might require the Power of Three to vanquish but casting a spell on them would surely have some effect. For example, when Phoebe used the spell on Shax, it was enough to temporarily banish him from the house.
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Aaeiyn
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Post by Aaeiyn on Mar 27, 2023 11:32:49 GMT -5
My issue with the Book Of Shadows is there was always a demon the sisters faced that was in the Book, so in that regard it became pretty repetitive, I was hoping that there was a demon they couldn't rush to the Book for and then they would have to go to the library and research up on topics, even using the internet (which I liked in the Wedding From Hell episode). IK other members mentioned other examples (mostly earlier seasons), but I wanted to mention later season examples like Magic School seemed to serve as a secondary "BOS", as well. I remember them going there and talking about the pirate being cursed by a witch and whatnot, in S7E4 "Charrrmed!". There is another example, in S8, where Leo had to be invisible to grab a certain spell (at Magic School), for the Charmed Ones, to remove the belt, off of Billie, in S8E8 "Battle of the Hexes". I'm fine with outside of the BOS research, BUT the point of the BOS is to reinstate their lineage, as Warrens. So, I like a little bit of outside references, but I much prefer the BOS being the main source of research. |
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Post by aggiefan12 on Aug 8, 2023 9:02:05 GMT -5
It's possible they may have learned about other demons and warlocks from either their ancestors who may have cross paths with them or other powerful witches or other magical beings who have faced them before and then wrote them all down in the BOS what they knew about them for future generations. Same with spells they learned from others plus maybe some creativity in crafting spells .
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Esmeralda
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Post by Esmeralda on Aug 8, 2023 19:24:43 GMT -5
I don't like the idea that the Book is some kind of sentient being as Es seems to suggest. I think the better explanation is that former Warren witches wrote the spells or learnt them from others. As CharmedFaith suggests, some demons might require the Power of Three to vanquish but casting a spell on them would surely have some effect. For example, when Phoebe used the spell on Shax, it was enough to temporarily banish him from the house. I don't really like the idea of the Book being a sentient being, but that's what Melinda Warren said, and since she started it, she should know. But personally I prefer the idea of earlier Warrens adding spells to the Book that didn't let them vanquish the baddie because they didn't have the Power of Three. |
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Post by zachary on Aug 8, 2023 21:03:33 GMT -5
I don't like the idea that the Book is some kind of sentient being as Es seems to suggest. I think the better explanation is that former Warren witches wrote the spells or learnt them from others. As CharmedFaith suggests, some demons might require the Power of Three to vanquish but casting a spell on them would surely have some effect. For example, when Phoebe used the spell on Shax, it was enough to temporarily banish him from the house. I don't really like the idea of the Book being a sentient being, but that's what Melinda Warren said, and since she started it, she should know. But personally I prefer the idea of earlier Warrens adding spells to the Book that didn't let them vanquish the baddie because they didn't have the Power of Three. I will say though that the dialogue itself can be interpreted based on perception. When I hear "Sometimes it teaches you" I assumed that she meant the Book would, sometimes, carry the information needed, information that was added by prior witches, which storybooks what she said prior "Sometimes you add to it", as other witches have.
For what its worth though, I like thinking that the book might be sentient in some way. At least when it threw its shield up for Drake until he apologized to it  |
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