Post by Scott on Feb 28, 2007 19:16:46 GMT -5
Describing the Source as "the Source of all Evil" strongly suggests that this demon is truly powerful, perhaps as powerful as the devil itself. The Charmed writers seemed only too happy to allow this impression to wallow during late season 2 and early to mid Season 3. The inherent difficulty with this is of course when you decide to kill off the Source. If he is truly all powerful, then good has not just one a significant battle, but probably a definitive one as well. Then, the whole raison d'etre of Charmed would be finished.
Still, the writers did seem to become aware of the awful bind they were locking themselves into by slowly unraveling the true story. We learn in early season 3 that the TRIAD are a rival organization to the Source, an organization that presumably the Source had never been able to defeat, contain, imprison or isolate. Indeed, the TRIAD were powerful enough to recruit Belthazor to pursue the TRIAD's agenda, even though Belthazor was a member of the Brotherhood, an elite gang whose members had been hand selected by the Source. True, the goals of the TRIAD and the Source seemed to overlap: both wanted to vanquish the Charmed Ones. But, as we finally saw in Season 8, the TRIAD neither possessed as much power as the Source nor exuded the arrogance to believe that lesser demons could succeed in vanquishing the Charmed Ones.
In Charmed and Dangerous, we learn from Cole how the Source came to power. He was victorious in a battle that left his face half-scarred. The victory was not complete; there were rivals who had been banished, imprisoned or otherwise kept in check. In Long Live the Queen, we learn further that the Source needs a coronation ceremony to validate his claim to be the head of the demonic underworld. Whether that crown allows the Source to sense his underlings or the uppermost demons to sense his aura, as Cole claimed in Charmed Again is uncertain.
From the Seer we learn of the existence of rivals: Kurzon, for one. Later, we are introduced to Zankou. Clearly, then, the Source is primus unter pares: a sort of demonic prime minister. Maybe he is more powerful; maybe he is more skilled in battle; maybe he is more charismatic. Who knows? What is certain is that he clearly is not an all-powerful entity. He may have to borrow powers, e.g., to reverse time, from other demons (Tempus, in our example). He may even depend on other demons for crucial aid: the Seer or even the Oracle for instance. In short, the Source was certainly not the Source of all Evil. He was at best the source of a lengthy story arc that arguably lasted four seasons. Once gone, the demonic underworld was a bit messy. Not until Zankou emerged did we get a demon worth battling!
Still, the writers did seem to become aware of the awful bind they were locking themselves into by slowly unraveling the true story. We learn in early season 3 that the TRIAD are a rival organization to the Source, an organization that presumably the Source had never been able to defeat, contain, imprison or isolate. Indeed, the TRIAD were powerful enough to recruit Belthazor to pursue the TRIAD's agenda, even though Belthazor was a member of the Brotherhood, an elite gang whose members had been hand selected by the Source. True, the goals of the TRIAD and the Source seemed to overlap: both wanted to vanquish the Charmed Ones. But, as we finally saw in Season 8, the TRIAD neither possessed as much power as the Source nor exuded the arrogance to believe that lesser demons could succeed in vanquishing the Charmed Ones.
In Charmed and Dangerous, we learn from Cole how the Source came to power. He was victorious in a battle that left his face half-scarred. The victory was not complete; there were rivals who had been banished, imprisoned or otherwise kept in check. In Long Live the Queen, we learn further that the Source needs a coronation ceremony to validate his claim to be the head of the demonic underworld. Whether that crown allows the Source to sense his underlings or the uppermost demons to sense his aura, as Cole claimed in Charmed Again is uncertain.
From the Seer we learn of the existence of rivals: Kurzon, for one. Later, we are introduced to Zankou. Clearly, then, the Source is primus unter pares: a sort of demonic prime minister. Maybe he is more powerful; maybe he is more skilled in battle; maybe he is more charismatic. Who knows? What is certain is that he clearly is not an all-powerful entity. He may have to borrow powers, e.g., to reverse time, from other demons (Tempus, in our example). He may even depend on other demons for crucial aid: the Seer or even the Oracle for instance. In short, the Source was certainly not the Source of all Evil. He was at best the source of a lengthy story arc that arguably lasted four seasons. Once gone, the demonic underworld was a bit messy. Not until Zankou emerged did we get a demon worth battling!