Paige's "Basic" Power, Not What We Think

[Aaeiyn]

Discussing their "basic" powers got me thinking about Paige's. Just to be clear, when I use the word "basic", I mean their original/first power. Now, that we know what I mean about "basic", Paige's "basic" power is not what we think.

As she's supposed to be a unique "sub in", for Prue's TK, it's NOT the first power to be displayed. Granted, S4E10 "A Paige from the Past", (kind of) S5E12 "Centennial Charmed", S6E4 "The Power of Three Blondes", etc., explain why she couldn't TK-Orb, initially, but S4E1 "Charmed Again, Pt 1", S4E10 "A Paige from the Past", S6E4 "The Power of Three Blondes" goes out of its way to explain a power, she's ALWAYS had: Orbing.

The show NEVER really distinguishes the difference between Paige's "Still Orbing" (which was initially but hardly used), and her Travel Orbing (upgraded to and used often). It's ALL considered "orbing". S6E4 "The Power of Three Blondes" is the only episode I can think of where BOTH methods of Still and Traveling Orbing were in the SAME episode, but the show (and episode) NEVER really distinguishes the difference between them. MAYBE S4E14 "The Three Faces of Phoebe" distinguishes the differences a little bit but not by much.

So, what am I saying? That our gripes towards Paige being the "cosmic taxi" IS her "basic power" and NOT TK-Orb. And, that TK-Orb is an extension/upgrade to her "basic" Orbing power. In fact, whenever the S4 Intro DOES display their powers (timestamp 37s), it shows Paige's Orbing, alongside Phoebe's premonitions & Piper's freezes. Until S5-S6 displays her TK-Orb, but I digress.

Anyone interested in knowing which episodes Paige "Still Orbs" in, is in the following:

S4E1 "Charmed Again, Pt 1"
S4E3 "Hell Hath No Fury"
S4E5 "Size Matters"
S4E7 "Brain Drain"
S4E9 "Muse to My Ears"
S5E3 "Happily Ever After"
S6E4 "The Power of Three Blondes"

Not counting S4E10 "A Paige from the Past", since that seemed more like "traveling out" rather than "remaining in", but that's exactly my point. This episode conflates the two, but I digress.

Outside of these episodes, she's either Travel Orbing or not at all with the occasional TK-Orb.

[goldeneye049]

I think she can also orb without telekinesis. But as a witch, Warren has divination as a power since she draws cards in one episode and knows how to read teacups. Maybe she also has premonitory dreams (of titans). Ultimately, these are weaker powers than premonition. But she "receives" Prue's telekinesis to supplement the Power of Three.

[Aaeiyn]

Apr 5, 2024 23:54:08 GMT -5 goldeneye049 said:

I think she can also orb without telekinesis. But as a witch, Warren has divination as a power since she draws cards in one episode and knows how to read teacups. Maybe she also has premonitory dreams (of titans). Ultimately, these are weaker powers than premonition. But she "receives" Prue's telekinesis to supplement the Power of Three.

I understand all of this, not really my point, though.

[goldeneye049]

Oh excuse me so I'm not sure I understand 🤔 you mean her real power is just orbing? Like a whitelighter ? but the series does not differentiate between orbs or for example call a paper and a pen ? Or something else?

[Aaeiyn]

Apr 6, 2024 15:25:52 GMT -5 goldeneye049 said:

Oh excuse me so I'm not sure I understand 🤔 you mean her real power is just orbing? Like a whitelighter ? but the series does not differentiate between orbs or for example call a paper and a pen ? Or something else?

No, not her "real" power. But just like her "basic"/"first" power is orbing. Though, the show hardly differentiates between her "Still Orbing" and/or "Travel Orbing".

A "Still Orbing" example would be how she dodged Shax's energy ball. And, a "Travel Orbing" example would be her "travel orbing" in something like S5E6 "The Eyes Have it" but never uses her TK-Orbing ability. Two different kinds of Orbing, but the show conflates the two, as if they're same thing -_-

[goldeneye049]

🙂 an eclipse where she disappears "between two" to survive and not from point a to point b. Without teleporting anywhere. (Maybe if she didn't have a whitelighter side, she could disappear more discreetly without the orbs?) This is what happens in the hundredth episode she disappears nowhere to reappear in the new world. If it was simply an eclipse, many whitelighters would have been transported to the new world by chance

[Aaeiyn]

Apr 7, 2024 1:54:59 GMT -5 goldeneye049 said:

🙂 an eclipse where she disappears "between two" to survive and not from point a to point b. Without teleporting anywhere. (Maybe if she didn't have a whitelighter side, she could disappear more discreetly without the orbs?) This is what happens in the hundredth episode she disappears nowhere to reappear in the new world. If it was simply an eclipse, many whitelighters would have been transported to the new world by chance

Right, I forgot she, technically, "Still Orbs" in S5E12 "Centennial Charmed", as well. But, anyway, are we in agreement that her "basic"/"first" power is orbing and NOT TK-Orb?

[goldeneye049]

Apr 7, 2024 19:39:28 GMT -5 Aaeiyn said:

Apr 7, 2024 1:54:59 GMT -5 goldeneye049 said:

🙂 an eclipse where she disappears "between two" to survive and not from point a to point b. Without teleporting anywhere. (Maybe if she didn't have a whitelighter side, she could disappear more discreetly without the orbs?) This is what happens in the hundredth episode she disappears nowhere to reappear in the new world. If it was simply an eclipse, many whitelighters would have been transported to the new world by chance

Right, I forgot she, technically, "Still Orbs" in S5E12 "Centennial Charmed", as well. But, anyway, are we in agreement that her "basic"/"first" power is orbing and NOT TK-Orb?

Totally agree

[cyma]

If Grams bound Prue, Piper and Phoebe powers, then Paige, who was supposed to be a security risk for other sisters receiving their destiny(according to Grams and Patty) and maybe even taken away by the Elders would definitely have her powers binded by Grams as well. Especially considering she was gonna live with a normal human family.

But since Grams was a witch, she was unable to bind Paige's whitelighter powers. Which resulted her in orbing out of car and saved her from fatal accident which killed her adoptive parents.

But even after Grams' death, Prue, Piper and Phoebe didn't suddenly start exhibiting powers until Phoebe read from the Book of Shadows which perhaps the Angel of Destiny lead her to? Perhaps Angel manipulated the events to lead to all three sisters under the same roof before guiding Phoebe to the book.

So this means Paige's witchy powers still remain dormant. Because the Power of Three meant only for three sisters and those three sisters get their powers unlocked according to heavenly light from above and chandelir shaking.

Paige's witch side remains locked.

Enter Shax with an energyball after Prue's death, Paige orbs yet again(and then later in season 6 escapes as well after the evil three blondes steal the Charmed Ones witch powers). Then when she gathers under the chandelier with her sisters, heavenly lights, shaking chandelier, this means Paige's witch side finally...finally after twenty something years became unlocked. And drumroll please, her unlocked witchy power is...telekinesis! With orbs!

Does this mean if Grams didn't bind Paige's witch's side, Paige's basic witch powers would've been TK? So this would make orbing in panic her basic whitelighter power and telekinesis her witch side. But it manifests with a cloud of orbs because her whitelighter side was never bound and has more influence compared to her dormant witch side.

Compared to Chris, who wasn't given up for adoption or his witch powers bound at birth like Paige's must have, he has absolutely normal TK like Prue.

But maybe depending on which sister died, Paige's witch side would've adapted to create a variation of freezing or preminition power just like telekenisis? Which would then make what? Adaptability her basic witch power?

It's too bad we never got to learn what would've happened if Paige ended up in an alternate reality where Phoebe was dead instead of Prue. What powers would Paige unlock after forming Power of Three? Would the other sisters powers changed instead to adapt to Paige's TK orbing?