Post by vandergraafk on Feb 16, 2009 23:58:19 GMT -5
No episode - perhaps - addresses the issue of personal gain more than Season 4's "The Three Faces of Phoebe". Of course, the way the issue is addressed is far from convincing and, indeed, is fraught with difficulties. However, there is an attempt to explain what person gain is.
Piper starts the ball rolling when she allows - nay, encourages - Phoebe to cast a spell in order to learn more about the suddenly mysterious Cole Turner. Phoebe hesitates - a trait not typical of Phoebe in seasons one through three. What about the personal gain consequences, she openly wonders. Piper reassures Phoebe by pointing out that she (Phoebe) is casting the spell for reasons of the heart. Yet, Piper warns Phoebe not to let Paige in on the deal since the Charmed Two have already had to deal with Paige's wanton use of spells in Hell Hath No Fury. Phoebe casts the spell and discovers that she has inadvertently summoned future and past Phoebe to learn secrets of present-day Phoebe's heart.
In the meantime, Paige learns - to her dismay - that she has been promoted in large measure as a result of her efforts on behalf of Carolyn in Charmed and Dangerous. Scott, a co-worker, is the odd man out, as he was next in line for promotion, but lost out to Paige after her success with Carolyn. Paige, of course, blames her use of witchcraft and abuse of the personal gain proviso for the qualms she has. She even confesses to Piper that she (Paige) "hates it when you (Piper) are right". Smugly, Piper appreciates the lesson that Paige has learnt.
It is true that Paige has achieved a promotion in large measure because she assisted Carolyn, a client with a chequered past who was trying to re-gain custody of her son. However, Paige worked hard to gain a hearing to revisit custody issues and - without the intervention of Carolyn's ex - we might presume that Carolyn would have regained custody without the use of any witchcraft.
And what did Paige actually do? In the face of almost certain death, she chose to help an innocent even if it was "the last thing" she would do. Her dogged determination did not sit well with Piper and may have contributed to the loss of her power to the Hollow as well as the darklighter's success in attacking Leo. Yet, all Paige did was restore what had been. She used a spell to hide Carolyn's wounds lest her appearance intrude upon an otherwise straightforward legal finding, namely, that Carolyn had, at Paige's prodding, straightened out her life, stayed free of drugs and alcohol and even found work at a police precinct. None of these successes, as far as we know, was the direct result of magic. They were fairly earned and achieved in Paige's capacity as an assistant at South Bay Social Services. In and of themselves, these results ought to have vaulted her ahead of Scott.
Paige used magic to level the playing field. That is, her actions made it impossible for any judge to use physical appearance of the plaintiff to rule against her claim for custody by imagining that Carolyn's life was not as portrayed - sober, stable and responsible, conditions conducive to rearing a child - but rather plagued by her irresponsible past. Indeed, we are assured that Carolyn's ex has been apprehended and will serve time for the assault on his ex-wife.
Had Paige done nothing, Carolyn still ought to have won custody. Her wounds were not self-inflicted, but the result of an assault on her person. In no way could they or should they have altered what should have been a logical decision for the presiding judge.
Unfortunately, Charmed dropped the ball in this instance. Instead of dispensing with a useless concept - personal gain - Charmed only superficially establishes a prima facie case in favor of the personal gain provision. Alas, the case melts upon inspection and there really is no there there!
Piper starts the ball rolling when she allows - nay, encourages - Phoebe to cast a spell in order to learn more about the suddenly mysterious Cole Turner. Phoebe hesitates - a trait not typical of Phoebe in seasons one through three. What about the personal gain consequences, she openly wonders. Piper reassures Phoebe by pointing out that she (Phoebe) is casting the spell for reasons of the heart. Yet, Piper warns Phoebe not to let Paige in on the deal since the Charmed Two have already had to deal with Paige's wanton use of spells in Hell Hath No Fury. Phoebe casts the spell and discovers that she has inadvertently summoned future and past Phoebe to learn secrets of present-day Phoebe's heart.
In the meantime, Paige learns - to her dismay - that she has been promoted in large measure as a result of her efforts on behalf of Carolyn in Charmed and Dangerous. Scott, a co-worker, is the odd man out, as he was next in line for promotion, but lost out to Paige after her success with Carolyn. Paige, of course, blames her use of witchcraft and abuse of the personal gain proviso for the qualms she has. She even confesses to Piper that she (Paige) "hates it when you (Piper) are right". Smugly, Piper appreciates the lesson that Paige has learnt.
It is true that Paige has achieved a promotion in large measure because she assisted Carolyn, a client with a chequered past who was trying to re-gain custody of her son. However, Paige worked hard to gain a hearing to revisit custody issues and - without the intervention of Carolyn's ex - we might presume that Carolyn would have regained custody without the use of any witchcraft.
And what did Paige actually do? In the face of almost certain death, she chose to help an innocent even if it was "the last thing" she would do. Her dogged determination did not sit well with Piper and may have contributed to the loss of her power to the Hollow as well as the darklighter's success in attacking Leo. Yet, all Paige did was restore what had been. She used a spell to hide Carolyn's wounds lest her appearance intrude upon an otherwise straightforward legal finding, namely, that Carolyn had, at Paige's prodding, straightened out her life, stayed free of drugs and alcohol and even found work at a police precinct. None of these successes, as far as we know, was the direct result of magic. They were fairly earned and achieved in Paige's capacity as an assistant at South Bay Social Services. In and of themselves, these results ought to have vaulted her ahead of Scott.
Paige used magic to level the playing field. That is, her actions made it impossible for any judge to use physical appearance of the plaintiff to rule against her claim for custody by imagining that Carolyn's life was not as portrayed - sober, stable and responsible, conditions conducive to rearing a child - but rather plagued by her irresponsible past. Indeed, we are assured that Carolyn's ex has been apprehended and will serve time for the assault on his ex-wife.
Had Paige done nothing, Carolyn still ought to have won custody. Her wounds were not self-inflicted, but the result of an assault on her person. In no way could they or should they have altered what should have been a logical decision for the presiding judge.
Unfortunately, Charmed dropped the ball in this instance. Instead of dispensing with a useless concept - personal gain - Charmed only superficially establishes a prima facie case in favor of the personal gain provision. Alas, the case melts upon inspection and there really is no there there!