STEALING THE BOOK OF SHADOWS

[vandergraafk]

If we accept your - and Fourever Charmed's - premise that the Book of Shadows will grow not just in volume, but in power, in lock step with the sisters' growth as witches, then it becomes even more difficult to accept what Zankou was able to do. By Season 7, these were experienced, powerful witches who had each experienced her share of disappointment, dismay and development. What Zankou attempts is perfectly logical and is certainly in keeping with what Cole discovered during his various attempts to undermine the sisters. What disappoints is the inability of Hollywood, of broadcast television, or of individual writing teams to take its viewership seriously enough to take the time to develop plots with the requisite rigor and depth.

I can perhaps gloss over the Season 7 debacle, given the inability of the WB to say nay or yea to a Season 8 and the desire on the part of the writing team to provide us with some sort of closure, however rushed that might have been. What irks is Season 8's Ultimate Battle that is neither. Certainly, there the writing team knew what was coming, i.e., the series end. Surely, the plot that led to the ulimate battle could have been fleshed out more. Instead, we have two sisters whose powers negate the vastly improving powers of the sisters over the course of 8 years and lead to a draw. We are witness to one witch, Billie, who buys into an ultimate battle scenario for the flimsiest of reasons.

Yes, it was entertaining, if only because of the sisters. Was it satisfying from a literary standpoint? Hardly!

Now, back on task and topic!

[spiritsas]

vandergraafk said:

If we accept your - and Fourever Charmed's - premise that the Book of Shadows will grow not just in volume, but in power, in lock step with the sisters' growth as witches, then it becomes even more difficult to accept what Zankou was able to do. By Season 7, these were experienced, powerful witches who had each experienced her share of disappointment, dismay and development. What Zankou attempts is perfectly logical and is certainly in keeping with what Cole discovered during his various attempts to undermine the sisters. What disappoints is the inability of Hollywood, of broadcast television, or of individual writing teams to take its viewership seriously enough to take the time to develop plots with the requisite rigor and depth.

Very true, but that's Hollywood for you. It's very rare to see the type of plots you're talking about on TV in the US. Given that half the prime time shows on TV today are reality based, shows the direction TV is taking as it appeals to the mass audience. Actors, real actors, who seek to entertain us, like on excellent shows like Sutdio 60, are cut due to lack of ratings (yes, it's all about the money).

Back on topic: I do agree with what you're saying about the BOS and Zankou. The book grew stronger, so much so, that he couldn't touch it, even as powerful a demon as he was. He had to employ an elaborate plan to weaken the sister's connection, thereby reducing it's ability to hold him off. They didn't show it, but perhaps a weaker demon might still not be able to touch the book. Just a theory based on past episodes of stronger demons overcoming various protection devices (crystals, talismans, etc).
His plan and his power allowed him access to the book, something he obviously craved immensely, as was his desire to kill TCO and take their powers. Isn't that what any demon wants really? That the desire to spread loss in the world.

[whitelightertony]

It could be that whitelightertony has something else in mine. Zankou did not corrupt the Book - meaning its contents - but altered its aura recognition ability.

Yes, that's more along the lines of what I was thinking.

First, I don't know how Zankou could do that unless one argues that touching the Book in and of itself alters the aura recognition process.

I think that once Zankou weakened the sisters' bond and gained access to the Book, he desensitized the Book to the presence of Evil. The BoS didn't regain its defenses until Zankou was vanquished.

However, that undermines what was presented in Thank You for Not Morphing when a warlock actually manages to latch onto the Book but cannot remove it from the Manor. The sisters should not have been able to touch it afterwards without perhaps chanting the power of three spell or by casting some other spell. I don't think the sisters were lacking in confidence in that episode. So, casting a confidence spell won't help.

What someone suggested earlier is likely...that the sisters' magic was still fledgling, so the Book was vulnerable to the touch of Evil. As the Power of Three strengthened over time, so did the Book's defenses.

Second, how then do the sisters recover the book? Do they have to cast a spell to undo Zankou's mojo? It doesn't make a lot of sense to me!

I assumed that when Zankou was vanquished, his influence over the Book was rendered null and void, and the Book reverted back to adherence of Warren magic.

[vandergraafk]

Yes, but the sisters regained access to the Book of Shadows BEFORE Zankou was vanquished.

[whitelightertony]

Hmmm, that is true. But they also regained their confidence before vanquishing Zankou, so once they believed in themselves again the Book had no reason to repel them.

[vandergraafk]

But, Zankou still would have had influence over the Book as your postings suggest.

Well, since I'm on break from teaching for a bit, I've had the opportunity to watch Season 4 on TNT. (I'm now transferring my Season 8 videos to DVD and enjoying them in their original entirety: commericial free.) In the event, according to the Grand Design, if balance were to be maintained between Good and Evil, there should have been balance with respect to their respective compendia of spells. Unfortunately, the Grimoire is relatively easy to steal and deposit deep inside a mountain in the West Andes (Womb Raider) or to orb inside a sack (We're Off to See the Wizard). Boy, the demonic Underworld is at a severe disadvantage if the Grimoire cannot protect itself from Good! No wonder they are always trying to steal the Book of Shadows!

[whitelightertony]

But, Zankou still would have had influence over the Book as your postings suggest.

The implication I was trying to make was that, once the girls gained their confidence back, their connection to the Book neutralized Zankou's influence. Zankou could still access it, but so could they.

[vandergraafk]

I'm so confused! So should they have had access to the full Book of Shadows? Did Zankou and the sisters share access, even if only hypothetically? Would we really wanted Zankou to know about the SUXEM spell, especially since he had Phoebe's power of premonition already?

[foxfire]

I think it was a little silly how Zankou was able to steal the book of shadows. What's worse is, I don't understand how Zankou could have reversed the spell the Charmed Ones did on him (to turn him into a pig). By gaining the BOS, how could he automatically become a witch? It doesn't make sense. Unless of course he was a warlock.

I really don't know why it was such a big deal for Zankou to get the BOS. I always felt it was a little overrated at times. But it was definitely better than the season 6/7 "Oh, well if it's not in the Book of Shadows, it's got to be at Magic School."

[whitelightertony]

Would we really wanted Zankou to know about the SUXEM spell, especially since he had Phoebe's power of premonition already?

Zankou may have just overlooked the "Suxen" spell, having no idea what it meant. Obviously, the Charmed Ones had overlooked it for seven years, since Sandra was the one who had to reveal its significance to them.

[vandergraafk]

Or, if we accept the "fluid" nature of the Book of Shadows, then the SUXEN spell was not in the book when Zankou took it. The Elders added that spell, as they had previously added others.

[whitelightertony]

Or, if we accept the "fluid" nature of the Book of Shadows, then the SUXEN spell was not in the book when Zankou took it. The Elders added that spell, as they had previously added others.

How would the Elders have been able to add the SUXEN spell to the Book once it was already in Zankou's possession?

[vandergraafk]

I don't believe Sandra intended to mean that the spell was already in the Book when Zankou possessed it. As I have argued in my own forum site, there is an ethereal Book of Shadows (a sort of super compendium akin to perhaps a Wiccan Wikipedia without the authenticity related issues associated with that site). The actual Book of Shadows, the one that can be clasped by witch or warlock (perhaps), is an ever-changing sample of the ethereal Book of Shadows. The SUXEN spell was in the ethereal book when Sandra mentioned this and was placed in the real Book after the sisters regained control. How else can we make sense of her statement that mere possession of the Book does not yet give Zankou access to its entire contents.

[whitelightertony]

*scratches head*
"Ethereal" book....?

Could you please elaborate?

[vandergraafk]

Let me compare it to the Internet. Let's say there is a large compendium of spells that would take a really long time to download, were I to try to do it. Instead, I could select for download a compact edition with the most useful spells. The Book of Shadows that the sisters have is like a compact edition. True, it changes ever so often, but that's simply because the "downloading" occurs magically.

So, Sandra knew of a SUXEN spell, one the sisters had never encountered (since it wasn't in the Book and we know Phoebe read the entire book the first night she found it and she didn't recall the spell!). It existed in the great Book of Shadows in the sky. The Elders inserted it into the Book the moment the sisters regained possession.

[whitelightertony]

Hmmm, intriguing possibility! I'd never even considered that.

[~B@MeLiSsA30@B~]

That is quite interesting.

[~:*Destiny*:~]

verrrrrrrrrrryyyy interestingg

[~B@MeLiSsA30@B~]

Yes, very. very interesting.

[vandergraafk]

I like to use big words. It's very sesquipedalian!

ses·qui·pe·da·li·an

–adjective Also, ses·quip·e·dal

1. given to using long words.
2. (of a word) containing many syllables.

–noun

3. a sesquipedalian word.

[Origin: 1605–15; < L sésquipedâlis measuring a foot and a half (see sesqui-, pedal) + -an]



"Do ya get it now? Do ya?" Paige demanded to know.

"Oh, I don't know. It's a bit too ethereal for my taste!" replied vandergraafk.