Post by Scott on Nov 23, 2006 13:30:08 GMT -5
The 48 hour rule was agreed upon eons ago to preserve free will. A nascent witch, especially one who has not yet decided to use her powers for good or evil, is vulnerable to seduction by evil. If the witch uses the magical gift for evil purposes, then the witch will turn evil and forever remain so. The oracle, as well as Cole and Leo, describe this as the essence of the 48 hour rule. Paige, a newly aware witch, is hardly aware of her abilities. Nor has she any idea how to employ her powers once Piper and Phoebe clue in her about the ability of the third sister (the power to move things with the mind, the eye, or a swipe of the hand). The Source has a window of 48 hours to seduce Paige to the dark side. He surfaces to the real world and possesses the body of boyfriend Shane in order to succeed in his quest.
It is a testament to Charmed that the show always had the ability to laugh at itself. Piper, when learning of the 48 rule, asked quizzically, "Who makes up such thingyamamie rules?" Leo looks upward, while Cole dazes downward. Piper shrugs and expresses viscerally her discontent with this rule. She already dislikes the Elders and since the Elders were party to this rule, it surely is deserving of her contempt. Nevertheless, she and Phoebe have to deal with the consequences of this rule, however idiotic the rule appears to be.
At this point, Charmed fans should ask themselves where the 48 hour rule was when the three sisters - Prue, Piper and Phoebe - received their powers. Each was just as vulnerable as Paige was upon receiving her powers. Yet, the Source did not find it worthy to attack the original P3.
True, the original P3 were subject to attack. The warlock Jeremy has waited six months to acquire the powers of the Charmed Ones. He insinuated himself into the lives of the sisters by becoming the boyfriend of Piper. He will use his relationship with her as the venue by which he can acquire all three of the Charmed Ones powers. The return of Phoebe from New York is the signal for Jeremy to set in motion his diabolical plot.
Yet, Jeremy is either unaware of the 48 hour rule nor interested in applying it to his own situation. He seems blinded by his own greed to the benefit of turning Piper or the other Charmed ones evil for eternity. Put simply, Jeremy just wants their powers to become more powerful. Thus, the fact that Jeremy either does not know the 48 hour rule nor endeavors to take advantage of it bears no impact upon the rule itself and one could argue at this point that Charmed Again Part 2 has not yet introduced a logical contradiction into the series.
The Source, however, cannot be excused. From Season 4, we learn that he has access to an Oracle who is able to discern future possibilities. She is able to see other magic being used and alert the Source. In addition, the Source has an ally in the Seer whose visions of the future are even clearer than those of the Oracle. She has been around for thousands of years. Finally, the demonic Underworld has equally been apprised of the appearance of three sisters, the Charmed Ones, who together would constitute the most powerful force for Good. The Source must surely have been aware of this.
Yet, the Source takes no action to undermine the original P3 upon the reception of their powers. Surely, the Oracle or the Seer would have warned him that the prophecy was soon to be realized and could have alerted him as to their identity. Unlike the implication that Rex and Hannah, two warlocks who soon will go after the Charmed Ones, are carrying out their activities on behalf of the Source, there is not even the slightest notion that Jeremy is working on anyone's behalf.
As a result, the 48 hour rule does become a problem for Charmed. It seems to be an ad hoc plot device used to move along a crucial part of the Charmed Again's story. Its very existence either contradicts the mythology introduced at the beginning of the series or undermines the premise of the series put forth in Something Wicca This Way Comes. The only way to salvage the use of the 48 hour rule and to justify its inclusion in Charmed Again Part 2 would have been to have the Piper not just suggest her disdain for the rule but to actively query why it had not been invoked when the original P3 received their powers. That the series chose silence speaks volumes and leaves us with a powerful distaste for the 48 hour rule.
Still, I don't see what is wrong - per se - with a 48 hour rule. Sure, one might quibble over the time deadline and the notion of an absolute window, as I will make note of below. Yet, since free will is a critical element in the mythology of Charmed, there is no reason not to presuppose the existence of a 48 hour rule. The only problem derives from the failure of the series to reconcile the invocation of this rule at this time with the absence of the rule when the original P3 came into being.
To be sure, the creators of the series, Constance M. Burge and others who gradually assumed control over the series, could not have foreseen the eviction of Shannen Doherty from the series. Nor could they have foreseen that the show would last four, let alone eight seasons. To presuppose that the mythology of Charmed was worked out long before the initial four episodes were produced is idiocy at worst and a ludicrous expectation at best, one that is beyond the scope of any series in production. Characters, story arcs, plot devices, etc. - indeed anything that constitutes the mythology of a series - are not set in stone. Yet, when changes are made and new rules or characters introduced, there should be some attempt made to place this new addition into the overall history of the series. None was made in Charmed, and therein hangs the problem.
Suppose, however, that the creators had done such an explanation and placed the 48 hour rule into the context of the series and offered a credible explanation of its non-appearance in Something Wicca This Way Comes. What are to we make of this rule, nevertheless. As defined, the 48 hour rule provides an absolute window of choice. A nascent witch can choose to use his or her power for good or evil. If the witch chooses evil, he or she will be doomed to being an evil witch forever. Does this make sense?
One of the major weaknesses of Charmed was its pigeonholing of good and evil. Either a character was good or evil. There was no blurring between the two. True, the character of Cole does indeed manage to blur the two. That is one reason why the character lasted so long and a powerful reason why the character was so popular among fans. Yet, repeatedly, the series sought to undermine this blurring between good and evil. Phoebe is reprimanded by both Cole and Leo in Long Live the Queen that she cannot have it both ways. She must choose either good or evil. Her attempts to blur the two cannot stand and will undermine the ability of both good and evil to do what they have to do. Still, Cole managed to blur that line for two and one-half seasons before ultimately being vanquished. On balance, though, the series then did force a choice to be made between good and evil. Certainly, then, the 48 hour rule fits - in a general way - with the logic of the series.
Yet, in another sense, the 48 hour rule is completely ridiculous in light of the series. Why should this window be absolute? Isn't it possible for an evil witch to have second thoughts? Is there no opportunity for a witch who has chosen evil to reconsider? Worse, the 48 hour rule does not seem to apply at all in terms of a witch who has chosen good. If a nascent witch, during this window, chooses not to use his or her powers for nefarious ends, this in no way guarantees a happy outcome. A good witch is always tempted by the dark side. Succombing to the temptation repeatedly over an extended period of time may result in the witch becoming a warlock. Thus, a good witch can go bad. Phoebe certainly demonstrated this in Long Live the Queen. Past Phoebe showed us this as well in Season 2's Pardon My Past. Richard was clearly on the path of becoming a warlock before Paige bound his powers during Season 6. So, what exactly does the 48 hour rule do?
By allowing a nascent witch the opportunity to choose by his or her actions between good and evil, the 48 hour rule seemingly preserves free will. Yet, choosing evil seems to d**n the witch for eternity. Thus, the 48 rule eliminates the possibility of redemption. Yet, at the same time, the 48 rule does not guarantee that a good witch will remain good. Therefore, it injects an imbalance between good and evil. Evil is free of self-doubt and remorse, while good is constantly subject to the temptations of the dark side.
But, wait. Cole is full of self-doubt and remorse. Yet, his is a special situation. He is half-human. His human half is able to overcome his demonic tendencies. On the other hand, Drake is a demon who has never chosen to exercise his demonic powers. He, too, remains trapped as a demon until he makes a bargain with a sorcerer. Even here, however, his ascendancy to the status of human is constrained. He does not get to enjoy a full life as a human. If he uses his demonic powers at all during his period of trial as a human, his powers will be acquired by the sorcerer and presumably his experiment as a human will end prematurely. Thus, even if a demon behaves perfectly non-demonic, his reward is little and fraught with peril. Could it be any better for a witch gone bad? Clearly, the demonic Underworld got the better of the 48 hour rule bargain.
It is a testament to Charmed that the show always had the ability to laugh at itself. Piper, when learning of the 48 rule, asked quizzically, "Who makes up such thingyamamie rules?" Leo looks upward, while Cole dazes downward. Piper shrugs and expresses viscerally her discontent with this rule. She already dislikes the Elders and since the Elders were party to this rule, it surely is deserving of her contempt. Nevertheless, she and Phoebe have to deal with the consequences of this rule, however idiotic the rule appears to be.
At this point, Charmed fans should ask themselves where the 48 hour rule was when the three sisters - Prue, Piper and Phoebe - received their powers. Each was just as vulnerable as Paige was upon receiving her powers. Yet, the Source did not find it worthy to attack the original P3.
True, the original P3 were subject to attack. The warlock Jeremy has waited six months to acquire the powers of the Charmed Ones. He insinuated himself into the lives of the sisters by becoming the boyfriend of Piper. He will use his relationship with her as the venue by which he can acquire all three of the Charmed Ones powers. The return of Phoebe from New York is the signal for Jeremy to set in motion his diabolical plot.
Yet, Jeremy is either unaware of the 48 hour rule nor interested in applying it to his own situation. He seems blinded by his own greed to the benefit of turning Piper or the other Charmed ones evil for eternity. Put simply, Jeremy just wants their powers to become more powerful. Thus, the fact that Jeremy either does not know the 48 hour rule nor endeavors to take advantage of it bears no impact upon the rule itself and one could argue at this point that Charmed Again Part 2 has not yet introduced a logical contradiction into the series.
The Source, however, cannot be excused. From Season 4, we learn that he has access to an Oracle who is able to discern future possibilities. She is able to see other magic being used and alert the Source. In addition, the Source has an ally in the Seer whose visions of the future are even clearer than those of the Oracle. She has been around for thousands of years. Finally, the demonic Underworld has equally been apprised of the appearance of three sisters, the Charmed Ones, who together would constitute the most powerful force for Good. The Source must surely have been aware of this.
Yet, the Source takes no action to undermine the original P3 upon the reception of their powers. Surely, the Oracle or the Seer would have warned him that the prophecy was soon to be realized and could have alerted him as to their identity. Unlike the implication that Rex and Hannah, two warlocks who soon will go after the Charmed Ones, are carrying out their activities on behalf of the Source, there is not even the slightest notion that Jeremy is working on anyone's behalf.
As a result, the 48 hour rule does become a problem for Charmed. It seems to be an ad hoc plot device used to move along a crucial part of the Charmed Again's story. Its very existence either contradicts the mythology introduced at the beginning of the series or undermines the premise of the series put forth in Something Wicca This Way Comes. The only way to salvage the use of the 48 hour rule and to justify its inclusion in Charmed Again Part 2 would have been to have the Piper not just suggest her disdain for the rule but to actively query why it had not been invoked when the original P3 received their powers. That the series chose silence speaks volumes and leaves us with a powerful distaste for the 48 hour rule.
Still, I don't see what is wrong - per se - with a 48 hour rule. Sure, one might quibble over the time deadline and the notion of an absolute window, as I will make note of below. Yet, since free will is a critical element in the mythology of Charmed, there is no reason not to presuppose the existence of a 48 hour rule. The only problem derives from the failure of the series to reconcile the invocation of this rule at this time with the absence of the rule when the original P3 came into being.
To be sure, the creators of the series, Constance M. Burge and others who gradually assumed control over the series, could not have foreseen the eviction of Shannen Doherty from the series. Nor could they have foreseen that the show would last four, let alone eight seasons. To presuppose that the mythology of Charmed was worked out long before the initial four episodes were produced is idiocy at worst and a ludicrous expectation at best, one that is beyond the scope of any series in production. Characters, story arcs, plot devices, etc. - indeed anything that constitutes the mythology of a series - are not set in stone. Yet, when changes are made and new rules or characters introduced, there should be some attempt made to place this new addition into the overall history of the series. None was made in Charmed, and therein hangs the problem.
Suppose, however, that the creators had done such an explanation and placed the 48 hour rule into the context of the series and offered a credible explanation of its non-appearance in Something Wicca This Way Comes. What are to we make of this rule, nevertheless. As defined, the 48 hour rule provides an absolute window of choice. A nascent witch can choose to use his or her power for good or evil. If the witch chooses evil, he or she will be doomed to being an evil witch forever. Does this make sense?
One of the major weaknesses of Charmed was its pigeonholing of good and evil. Either a character was good or evil. There was no blurring between the two. True, the character of Cole does indeed manage to blur the two. That is one reason why the character lasted so long and a powerful reason why the character was so popular among fans. Yet, repeatedly, the series sought to undermine this blurring between good and evil. Phoebe is reprimanded by both Cole and Leo in Long Live the Queen that she cannot have it both ways. She must choose either good or evil. Her attempts to blur the two cannot stand and will undermine the ability of both good and evil to do what they have to do. Still, Cole managed to blur that line for two and one-half seasons before ultimately being vanquished. On balance, though, the series then did force a choice to be made between good and evil. Certainly, then, the 48 hour rule fits - in a general way - with the logic of the series.
Yet, in another sense, the 48 hour rule is completely ridiculous in light of the series. Why should this window be absolute? Isn't it possible for an evil witch to have second thoughts? Is there no opportunity for a witch who has chosen evil to reconsider? Worse, the 48 hour rule does not seem to apply at all in terms of a witch who has chosen good. If a nascent witch, during this window, chooses not to use his or her powers for nefarious ends, this in no way guarantees a happy outcome. A good witch is always tempted by the dark side. Succombing to the temptation repeatedly over an extended period of time may result in the witch becoming a warlock. Thus, a good witch can go bad. Phoebe certainly demonstrated this in Long Live the Queen. Past Phoebe showed us this as well in Season 2's Pardon My Past. Richard was clearly on the path of becoming a warlock before Paige bound his powers during Season 6. So, what exactly does the 48 hour rule do?
By allowing a nascent witch the opportunity to choose by his or her actions between good and evil, the 48 hour rule seemingly preserves free will. Yet, choosing evil seems to d**n the witch for eternity. Thus, the 48 rule eliminates the possibility of redemption. Yet, at the same time, the 48 rule does not guarantee that a good witch will remain good. Therefore, it injects an imbalance between good and evil. Evil is free of self-doubt and remorse, while good is constantly subject to the temptations of the dark side.
But, wait. Cole is full of self-doubt and remorse. Yet, his is a special situation. He is half-human. His human half is able to overcome his demonic tendencies. On the other hand, Drake is a demon who has never chosen to exercise his demonic powers. He, too, remains trapped as a demon until he makes a bargain with a sorcerer. Even here, however, his ascendancy to the status of human is constrained. He does not get to enjoy a full life as a human. If he uses his demonic powers at all during his period of trial as a human, his powers will be acquired by the sorcerer and presumably his experiment as a human will end prematurely. Thus, even if a demon behaves perfectly non-demonic, his reward is little and fraught with peril. Could it be any better for a witch gone bad? Clearly, the demonic Underworld got the better of the 48 hour rule bargain.
)- he had learnt that the Charmed ones were quite hardy.