Alastair and Fiona finally realise the prophecy and it’s up to the Charmed Ones to stop them.
“Ambush”
Starring Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, Sarah Jeffery, Ser’Darius Blain, Ellen Tamaki, Rupert Evans and Nick Hargrove
To summarise from the previous episode, the Charmed Ones are currently working against the combined machinations of both Fiona and Alastair, who are attempting to fulfil an apocalyptic prophecy to raise the Source of all Evil. Having killed what they believe to be all of the great sages, this prophecy is almost fulfilled.
With this in mind, Harry is keen that the Charmed Ones have a plan before they approach Alastair to try and free Parker from him. It seems a questionable tactic, especially when Maggie starts receiving messages from him using her telepathic abilities. However, the revelation that a huge portion of Hilltowne have come down with a mystery virus that has left them bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth leads Harry to rethink this strategy.
Niko is also in the hospital, though she doesn’t appear to be affected by the same virus as the other patients (it appears to be something to do with the Harbinger demon). Maggie hears that her brain is being flooded with memories so Mel thinks it is something to do with her revealing the history rewriting spell to her in the previous episode.
Mel, Maggie and Harry head off to the address that Niko sourced for Maggie, to discover it abandoned, but Maggie uses her powers to discover that Parker is close to taking on the Source. Meanwhile, Galvin and Macy investigate the blood and reveal that it is indeed the Harbinger of Hell infecting the patients. Macy phones the others with this information, suggesting that it is their fault for killing Hunter as she believes that the Harbinger was concealed within him. Slightly sadistic for Alastair to bank upon the death of one of his children, but what do we expect at this point?
Maggie uses her powers to communicate with Parker on a different plane. He beseeches her to find and protect Charity as she is the final Sage, despite being stripped of her powers. Harry and Maggie head off to find her, and she requires their help in maturing a flower so that she can cast a spell to conceal herself permanently. Despite Mel’s reluctance to do so, she attempts the feat in order to avoid the prophecy. A demonic-looking Parker appears, revealing that he tricked Maggie into leading him to Charity. While Harry takes Charity to safety, Maggie and Mel face off against Parker, though Maggie hesitates when she has a opportunity to deliver a killing blow.
Galvin has worked out that one of the rituals that he had researched to rid Macy of her Ibi might be successful in ridding the patients of the Harbinger, and the pair are working together on the hospital roof to achieve it. Meanwhile, Fiona has used her Evil Sight to see Parker’s failure and heads off to find Harry and Charity herself. They are in a relatively predictable location of the Vortex Viribus, where Harry is attempting to mature the plant to conceal Charity.
In a somewhat abrupt confrontation (considering Charity has been a fairly significant character for most of this season with redemption arc potential), Fiona delivers a lethal blow and Charity dies in Harry’s arms, professing her love to him.
The sky turns an ominous red and Maggie, Mel and Harry prepare to assist Galvin and Macy as the final line of defence against the prophecy being realised. At that moment, Alastair appears and kidnaps Maggie.
On the roof, Galvin has started the ritual and reveals that there must be a sacrifice. Macy desperately tries to get to him but there is magical protection around him. Harry appears and also tries to help Galvin but cannot get through. The ritual is completed and the patients are healed.
Harry orbs Macy home, though the storm has not yet abated, revealing that even though the Harbinger virus was stopped it was not enough to tip the scales back towards good. The Source is still coming. Teleporting to the eye of the storm, the trio discover Fiona and Alastair casting a spell and Maggie tied to a tree.
Alastair reveals that if they try to interrupt the ceremony then Maggie will be killed. Fiona casts the spell to light the Sacred Flame, but the power is clearly too much for her due to Macy having stripped her immortality away. Panicked, she reveals her plan to destroy magic once and for all by destroying the Source and begs Harry to heal her. He refuses, and Fiona dies, but not without lighting the Sacred Flame.
Parker appears and is blackmailed by his father to step into the circle and accept the Source or Maggie will be killed. However, Macy summons the Origin Dagger from within Parker and places it within herself. She steps into the Sacred Flame and takes on the Source. As her first act as the Source of all…Evil?…Magic?…Macy destroys Alastair. Despite the happy ending, Parker still does not feel in control of his demonic side and he disappears, leaving Maggie devastated.
Macy transports the group home, revealing that she has wiped the memories of all involved with the situation as if nothing has happened at all, as well as curing Niko. Though the others want to discuss with her the consequences of the immense decision, Macy says that she has something that she needs to do first. She appears on the roof and brings Galvin back to life, with the promise to “fix everything”.
Musings
I don’t think I realised until I actually wrote this entire synopsis down just how much stuff went down in this episode. I feel like I have whiplash right now.
It’s a bold move to kill off the main antagonists in the penultimate episode, as it leaves it very uncertain what the finale will cover. Presumably curing Macy of whatever insane powers she now has, but I did quite like Fiona as a villain, I do have to say.
Another character who I felt was short-changed in this episode was Charity. I really liked Charity, and I feel like her whole story was never fully explored. She did some bad things, but she never had an opportunity to defend herself to the sisters who interpreted her actions in a very black-and-white way.
Considering the Source was close to being summoned, you would think there would be a touch more urgency at the beginning of the episode than just saying “oh but we need a plan”. Make a plan, Harold. Honestly!
One thing that could have been much more successful was the explaining of this whole Source prophecy thing. The prophecy itself is quite vague, and they’ve attributed it to a billion different things so far this season. I’m still confused as to the whole role of the Harbinger. It hardly matters now, but it’s difficult to feel the sense of danger when it’s confusing.
The trailer for next week shows Maggie and Mel concerned for Macy as she continues to be the Source.
Mark My Words 