Tag: villains

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Once Upon a Time” season 7 episode 19: “Flower Child”

After watching ABC’s Once Upon a Time season 7 episode 19 last night, Tilly got it absolutely right when she said that “it’s cruel really to be so close to happiness and kept so far away from it.”  Revelations are finally breaking through the curse, however; but will our favorite characters get their chance at a happily ever after before the witches cast their spell?  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, “Flower Child,” we learn about Mother Gothel’s past and her motives.  Meanwhile, Tilly finds out the truth about who her parents are and Lucy desperately looks for something that can save her father and bring her parents back together again.  My top 5 moments from Once Upon a Time season 7 episode 19 are:

5

“Now you are the Mother.  Remember what you were destined to blossom into.”

While it didn’t initially seem like Mother Gothel had any redeemable qualities, this glimpse into her past actually revealed a heartbreaking story filled with betrayal and loss.  We learn that Gothel is a tree nymph and comes from a magical grove, but she is curious about humanity and wants to know what it’s like to be mortal.  Gothel envies the pretty dresses the girls get to wear and the freedom they can explore, but lets her guard down when she is invited to teach some of her new mortal friends how to do magic.  Gothel’s naivete prevents her from seeing the cruel and wicked intentions of her new “sisters,” who tell her she is an “abomination” and destroy her grove.  Gothel is horrified to find her family dead and no longer feels like she belongs in any world.  Gothel is not able to take her mother’s advice and turns her destiny of being the “Mother” of nature into a quest for vengeance against humanity.  She recruits the first true member of her coven and it’s clear that she will not be finished until all of humanity pays for what they have done.  While we know that Gothel must be stopped, this glimpse into her past allows us to understand why she became so cold and broken along the way, making her story that much more complicated.  While we have seen other villains choose the path of good, Gothel only seems interested in furthering her revenge and confuses her coven with “family,” not fully grasping what this term actually means.

4

Lucy visits Dr. Facilier.

Lucy is not about to give up on her parents even though the magic that Dr. Facilier gave to Regina is gone.  She asks if there is any more magic to help her father and proves to be “quite the blackmailer,” which amuses Dr. Facilier.  He agrees to help her and explains that the first step is for her to find a symbol of Henry and Jacinda’s love.  Dr. Facilier is not helping Lucy out of the mere goodness of his heart, however.  He reveals that “a storm of witches is brewing” and that they will need magic to survive.  Whatever his intentions are, he is willing to help and Lucy sets off to find a symbol.  She goes through boxes of Jacinda’s old things and finds one box labeled “BL,” which means “Before Lucy.”  In the box, she finds a bag from Granny’s Diner and for a minute I was worried that she might find some rotten food that Jacinda forgot about, but the broken glass slipper is inside, shocking both Jacinda and Lucy.  While Jacinda tries to grasp the reality that she really is Cinderella, Lucy rushes off to Dr. Facilier so that her father can be saved.

3

“No matter how crazy…we’ll figure it out together.”

Gothel approaches Tilly and tells her that she is her mother.  Tilly doesn’t welcome her with open arms, however; and tells her “you’re either a liar or a monster.”  Gothel tries to feed her a story about wanting to change and looking for forgiveness, but Tilly walks away from Gothel and her false promises.  She goes to the only real “family” she knows right now and Rogers/Nook tells her that they will figure it out together.  Meanwhile, Gothel pays Margot a visit and takes some of her blood, refusing to abandon her plan now that she knows that Tilly contains the magic within her that will complete her coven.

2

“When I met you I loved you immediately…maybe because I already loved you.”

Henry and Jacinda have been getting closer and closer after realizing that Henry’s book might be real after all and that they did meet in another world in a fairy-tale.  It’s surprising that these two haven’t shared a kiss yet, but they do hold out with perfect timing, as Dr. Facilier breaks the curse on Henry.  The two finally kiss but Lucy is beyond disappointed when it doesn’t break the curse.  Has Gothel’s magic interfered with true love’s kiss?  Is there another way to break the curse and wake everyone up?

1

Tilly learns that Rogers is her father.

After Gothel takes some of Margot’s blood, she captures Rogers/Nook and lures Tilly to her.  She tells her that she is her real family, but Tilly will not help her.  She finally reveals that Rogers is her real father and offers her a choice.  Tillly can join the coven or watch her father die.  Even though Rogers tries to do the noble thing and tells Tilly not to give in, she cannot live in a world without her father.  Tilly has felt alone and unwanted up until now and she finally has a chance at new love with Margot and old love with her father.  She reluctantly joins hands with the coven and the spell is cast.  Did she make the right decision? What has the coven unleashed?  Will anyone be able to stop Gothel?  Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Once Upon a Time in the comments section below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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Throw-Back Thursday: Ranking the top 5 episodes of “Charmed.”

It’s Throw-Back Thursday TV Fans!  For today, I am going to be counting down the top 5 episodes from Charmed.  Out of the 178 episodes of the series, it was extremely difficult to narrow this list down to just 5 episodes.  Over my many re-watches of the show, these episodes have stood the test of time.  As I re-watch the series each time, I find myself looking forward to them because they truly make an impact with me.  There have been different points in my life where many episodes of Charmed have gotten me through some really tough times and that just goes to show you how amazing this show is.

It’s not just about witchcraft and magic.  It’s about family, loyalty, and how to deal with the everyday demons in our lives, not just the supernatural.  The entire series is filled with great episodes, all connecting to create a believable story and providing us with some great entertainment, while keeping our favorite characters real, empathetic, funny, and significant in the process.  It’s hard not to feel like part of the Halliwell family when you invest so much time watching these powerful and amazing women.  These stand-out episodes below take it a step further, however; surpassing our expectations as fans and surprising us with unforgettable moments.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not yet watched the series.

My top 5 episodes from Charmed are:

5

“From Fear to Eternity.” (Season 1, episode 13)

Fear 4 12

“Prue.  Prue. You must face your fears, Prue.  You must trust in the greatest of all powers.  Love.” (Patty Halliwell)

So for me this episode has to be the one that hooked me onto Charmed for good.  This episode was in the middle of the first season and really elevated the show to an entirely new level.  It’s Friday the 13th and we are first introduced to one of the greatest villains on the show, Barbas, the Demon of Fear.  I have to say that it was very clever to have episode 13 be the Friday the 13th one, which really made this episode that much more haunting.  The Demon of Fear has to murder 13 witches before midnight so that he can be freed, which is alarming enough for those of you who are superstitious.

What makes Barbas so frightening is that he brings a victim’s greatest fear to the surface.  The victim appears to die from a heart attack and their hair turns bright white from fright, which gets the police involved, but there is something so bone-chilling about this.  Just imagining this happening makes my skin crawl, which is why Barbas was such a genius villain and so difficult for the sisters to face.  This episode stood out to me as well because the sisters could not just rely on their magical powers to defeat him.  Phoebe is held captive by him and he lures Prue to the scene to get two witches for the price of one.  We learn in the episode that Prue is very fearful of drowning, as Barbas initially attacks her in the shower.

When Prue is in the pool, the spirit of her mother, Patty appears before her and tells her to trust in the power of love.  Prue is able to overcome her fear, which banishes Barbas.  It took Prue conquering her inner demons to be able to defeat this one and it finally allows her to open up to her sisters and let them into her heart, while still having plenty of room to remember and love her mother.

4

“Chick Flick.” (Season 2, episode 18)

Kill it before it dies 4 12

“You’re my hero Billy.”

“And I think you’re swell, Sally Mae.”

My top 5 list would not be complete without including “Chick Flick.”  I typically refer to this episode as “Kill It Before It Dies,” which is the old movie that Phoebe is obsessed with, currently playing down at the local theater.  In this episode, the Demon of Illusion flees from the Charmed ones and hides right in the movie.  The demon is not afraid to change the script and even recruits other psycho killers from different movies to attack the sisters.  Phoebe’s dream man, Billy, comes out of the movie and is still in black-and-white.  Phoebe is beyond thrilled and bonds with Billy.  I mean how many times have we thought about hanging out with one of our favorite characters?  Phoebe actually gets to do this which is beyond cool.

The sisters team up with Billy to fight the Demon of Illusion, but not before they get trapped in the film.  The Demon of Illusion explains that if they are stuck in there when the movie ends, they will never get out.  Luckily, Prue is quite the photographer and is able to rewind the film and vanquish the Demon of Illusion by leaving his frame under the light for too long.  Phoebe is forced to say goodbye to Billy, but is thrilled when she gets her own copy of the movie.  “Kill It Before it Dies” actually appears in three episodes of Charmed and even Cole tries to give her a message through the movie.  I mean you can’t knock him for lack of effort.

Either way, this episode is absolutely hilarious and fun.  If you’re having a bad day, I strongly recommend you grab your popcorn and watch this one.  And whatever you do…don’t hide from a psycho killer in the shower like poor Piper.

3

“The Seven Year Witch.” (Season 7, episode 16)

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“Leo and Piper’s love, it’s epic, it’s massive.  It’s Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra, Brad and Jennifer.”   (Drake)

There are a few reasons why I absolutely adore this episode.  First off, my absolute favorite character, Cole Turner is back.  Well not back to the land of the living, but he does act as a sort of mentor and guide for Piper who is currently trapped in limbo.  Meanwhile, the elders decide to test Leo and strip him of his memory and leave him out on an abandoned highway so that he can choose his path once and for all.  The path is not so clear-cut, however; as the elders do try to manipulate him by focusing on his love to help others.  Cole finally gets through to Piper and she realizes that she must let go and die and call out to Leo in order to reach him and the plan is a success.  While Drake should have probably picked couples in history that actually ended up together…or ended up surviving, the intent is there.

When I think about epic couples, Piper and Leo always come to mind and it’s because of moments like this.  Piper and Leo’s love transcends everything else around them and they are able to fight for each other and support each other through it all.  At the end of the episode, Drake’s life ends at midnight when he says, “Alas…pumpkin time.”  Fans learn that Cole sent him there to help Phoebe believe in love again, which is absolutely swoon-worthy.  Even though Cole can’t be with Phoebe, her happiness is all that keeps him going in the other plane and he will forever love her.  Phoebe even feels his presence in the house, which proves that they are still connected on some level.  Now that’s romantic.

2

“Centennial Charmed.” (Season 5, episode 12)

Centennial charmed 4 12

“We’ve been through so much together…haven’t we?  Our love’s so strong, nothing can destroy it, not even this.  We’re meant to be together.” (Cole)

So even though Phoebe says, “I don’t think so,” it’s hard to fully believe this can be true.  I absolutely believe that Phoebe and Cole were meant to be together, but unlike Piper and Leo, they are unable to defeat everything that gets in their way.  Cole’s path toward self-destruction is beyond difficult to control and Phoebe will always choose her family over her love for him simply because she is selfless.  It’s a sacrifice and something that will always be with her, but it’s hard to agree that their love was not meant to be.  While I do think that her love with Coop later on in the series is a healthy and stable relationship for her, it comes as a close second to her passionate and messy romance with Cole.  This episode is the 100th episode of the show and I think that they really hit home with it.  Cole has been vanquished before, but he always finds some way back.  However, this time is different.

Cole reveals that it is his birthday but all he wants is a chance at love and happiness, which is heart-breaking and empathetic.   The Avatars approach Cole, which prove to be a greater threat later down the road with Leo, and Cole decides to use his new powers to cast a spell to alter reality so that he can win Phoebe back.  Only this has unforeseen consequences, as Phoebe does not love him in this reality anymore than she does now.  Cole’s plan back-fires when Paige sneezes and orbs out when the spell is cast, as he had anticipated her being dead in this reality.  Paige is able to convince Piper to help her, which is no easy task and the power of 3 is alive again.  Cole is not indestructible in this reality and when he is vanquished, it’s for good this time.  The end of the episode is bitter sweet, as Cole’s place is found empty and abandoned, revealing that he’s not coming back anytime soon.

Paige wishes him a happy birthday before she exits, which always brings me to tears.  The sisters did not want to vanquish Cole, but he made it impossible for them to live in a world with him.  Perhaps his path could have been different or perhaps it would end just the same, but it’s clear that he impacted more than just Phoebe, which makes his departure from the show that much more heart-breaking.

Some honorable mentions before revealing my number one episode of Charmed are:

  • “The Wendigo”
  • “Is There a Woogy in the House?”
  • “Déjà Vu All Over Again”
  • “P3 H20”
  • “Ms. Hellfire”
  • “Awakened”
  • “The Good, The Bad, and the Cursed”
  • “Just Harried”
  • “All Hell Breaks Loose”
  • “Brain Drain”
  • “A Paige from the Past”
  • “Charmed and Dangerous”
  • “Marry-Go-Round”
  • “Long Live the Queen”
  • “The Day the Magic Died”
  • “Sense and Sense Ability”
  • “Witchstock”
  • “The Courtship of Wyatt’s Father”
  • “Hyde School Reunion”
  • “Witch Wars”
  • “Charmageddon”
  • “Show Ghouls”
  • “The Torn Identity”
  • “Kill Billy: Volume 2”

1

“Forever Charmed.” (Season 8, episode 22)

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“And although we certainly had our struggles and heart aches over the years we’re a family of survivors and we always will be.  Which is why we’ve truly been Charmed.” (Piper Halliwell)

So I absolutely have to give the series finale of the show the number one spot.  Mostly because it truly sums up everything the way I would have liked.  I would say that the only thing missing was the presence of Prue but they did mention her.  The episode focuses on Piper using Coop’s ring to travel through time to save her sisters, which allows some of our favorite characters from the past and future to get involved to help save the day.  When the threat is over, we get a glimpse into the future of the lives of our favorite Halliwell sisters and everything is as it should be.  Piper’s words to her future grand-daughter remind us what the show is all about.  While the Halliwell sisters are powerful witches, they are much more than that.

They are survivors and they are a family that sticks together no matter what.  It’s hard not to fall in love with this show and every time I watch the series finale, it inspires hope and love.  While it’s always hard to say goodbye to the Charmed ones, you can always start the series over again, but knowing that they obtained the future that they deserved provides us with closure and satisfaction.  “The power of 3 will set us free!”

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post some of your own favorite episodes from Charmed below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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I am so excited to announce that my book, The Search for Alice, is now available!  If you enjoy fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery, then this might be the book for you or someone you know!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I hope you enjoy!

When Kallie Bennett, a jaded teenage girl plagued by her alcoholic mother and her peers molded out of sheer bubble gum perfection, chases after Alice in Wonderland herself, she ends up lost in her own version of Wonderland, which forces her to face her utmost fears and introduces her to familiar characters with a dark twist. Among these characters is Ches, a gorgeous vampire with a conflicted conscience, who becomes Kallie’s guide and blossoming love interest. She also crosses paths with Queen Hartley, a manipulative witch who has the power to strip away one’s memories and imagination, which brings a bone chilling new meaning to “off with their heads.” In The Search for Alice, Kallie starts to realize that her Wonderland is just as frightening as her own reality and that she cannot always run away from her problems. She must figure out a way to defeat Queen Hartley and return home before it is too late, but she soon learns that escaping Wonderland means leaving Ches behind forever.

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Once Upon a Time” season 7 episode 11: Love is Stronger than Magic

So I am thrilled that ABC’s Once Upon a Time has finally returned from its long winter hiatus, bringing us new episodes.  While it was recently announced that this will be the final season for OUAT, it really gives the show the opportunity to sum up its new story line.  When fan-favorite characters left the show and we found out about that season 7 would focus on a new story with only some of our favorite characters still sprinkled in to keep us hooked…pun intended, I had some doubts about how much longer the series would last for.  Now that we know the series is ending, however; this could actually be a great thing.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore this show and will miss it, but I’d rather see it go out strong than continue to grasp at straws and unconvincing story-lines just to be able to produce new episodes.  Either way, I’m looking forward to see how it all ends and I hope the Lost Easter eggs keep coming!  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, “Secret Garden,” Zelena learns a hard lesson about parenting from Hook, Henry refuses to sit by without trying to help Lucy, and Regina opens her heart to her sister.  Meanwhile, Mother Gothel has her own agenda and Victoria/Lady Tremaine makes the ultimate sacrifice.  My top 5 moments from Once Upon a Time season 7 episode 11 are:

5

Lost Easter Egg:  The Apollo Bar.

So my top 5 moments would not be complete if I didn’t dedicate one to our favorite candy bar, the Apollo Bar.  For those of you who are Lost fans like myself, I am sure you jumped out of your chair with this Easter egg.  While the Apollo Bar has made appearances before on OUAT, I was thrilled that it was actually in a hospital vending machine this time.  In Lost, Jack is seen getting an Apollo Bar from the hospital vending machine and fans swooned over the “vending machine scene” featuring Juliet and Sawyer reuniting in the series finale.  It was great to see our favorite candy bar make another appearance, keeping fans satisfied with a much needed sugar rush.

4

“Test me too.”

After watching the mid-season finale of OUAT, it was clear that Henry was in great pain over Lucy’s condition.  While he hasn’t made the connection yet that he is her real father, he is not about to just sit around and pray that she gets better.  When Lucy’s parents are blood tested, Henry asks the doctor to test him too.  While she explains that the match would be much higher if he was blood related to Lucy, Henry is willing to try anything, even if there is the slightest chance that he could help her.  Little does he know, his test results prove that he is a match to Lucy, bringing to light his relation to her.  When the doctor looks over the results, an unknown threat poisons her and takes the results along with a lock of her hair.  While we don’t know who is behind this just yet, I’m thinking that Rumpel has to be involved somehow.  We’ll have to stay tuned to find out more, however.

3

“We’re going to do it together.”

We’ve seen so many ups and downs for our favorite sisters, Zelena and Regina, but it looks like Regina is ready to put all of their differences aside for good.  When she suggests that they team up to take down Mother Gothel and help Lucy and Henry, Regina suggests that they do it together.  Zelena says “wicked and evil,” but Regina corrects her with “no…sisters.”  These two are a powerful force and now that they have truly embraced their sisterly bond, there will be no stopping them.  Mother Gothel is no match for them, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to take her down.  When Mother Gothel approaches Zelena, she asks her to bring her the resurrection amulet, but Zelena immediately recognizes that there will be a catch.  Mother Gothel will certainly not go down without a fight, but let’s hope Zelena and Regina’s bond doesn’t shatter like the sign of their bar.  They need to stick together and fight the good fight.

2

“Piss off Nook.”

Zelena finds an unlikely source of help in Hook…or “nook.”  She comically comments on how she forgets that there are two Hooks and gives him her new nickname, meaning “new Hook.”  Zelena is distraught over her daughter, Robin’s decision to go to Mother Gothel to learn about magic, but Hook reminds her not to give up.  He tells her that love is stronger than magic and he is absolutely right.  Even though Zelena initially claims that “I don’t need a parenting lesson from a pirate,” she quickly realizes that her unconditional love for her daughter is the only thing that can save her.  Hook tells Zelena that her love for her daughter makes her “so daring, so brave, so utterly fearless,” and I can’t think of a better description for our former wicked witch.  Zelena is able to save Robin by taking her place as the sacrifice, allowing Robin to truly see that her mother cares for her.  It looks like Zelena has found a calling far greater than ultimate magic and power.  Good thing she had Hook…or Nook along to help her see it.

1

Victoria/Lady Tremaine redeems herself.

While it initially seemed like Victoria/Lady Tremaine was a villain without a soul, we now get to see her walls come down, as she finally does the right thing.  She has a lot to make up for and even tries to come clean to Anastasia with all of her horrible deeds.  The truth hurts, but Victoria knows that she needs to make amends, especially after what she did to Lucy.  She refuses to let Mother Gothel keep her held captive, using her Louis Vuitton shoe to get her out of the well.  Who said that fashion couldn’t be useful?  When the power of the resurrection amulet is unleashed, Victoria quickly learns that the sacrifice is now her other daughter, Ivy/Drizella.  Victoria makes the same decision as Zelena and takes the place of her daughter, sacrificing herself in the process to save her.  This act of kindness and unconditional love is truly touching.  Even though one cannot deny all of the horrible things Victoria has done in the past, her sacrifice shows her daughter that love can conquer evil.  Let’s hope that this is enough to bring Ivy/Drizella to the side of good.  We’re going to need all the help we can get against Mother Gothel.

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Once Upon a Time below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Throw-back Sunday: Ranking the top 5 villains from “Charmed”

It’s Throw-Back Sunday TV Fans!  For today, I have returned to one of my old favorites, Charmed, as I am currently on the last season of my re-watch.  The Halliwell sisters are always fun to watch and truly know how to protect their innocents from the forces of evil with good magic.  Even though most of their everyday foes are easily conquered with a Power of 3 spell, there are some villains on the show who just won’t go away…no matter how many times they vanquish them.

These villains become worthy opponents who continue to threaten the sisters over the seasons, trying desperately to bring down the infamous Charmed Ones.  While some villains are just completely terrifying, others take the time for a well-thought out pun, while others are tormented by the darkness that continues to incessantly creep in, wiping out any goodness that may be inside.

Either way, these villains have paved their way into my top 5, refusing to sit back and let good conquer evil.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the series yet.

My top 5 villains from Charmed are:

5

Christy Jenkins

In the final season of Charmed, we are introduced to the character of Billie, who is a young witch eager to take on demons and excited to have the Charmed Ones as her mentors.  We find out that Billie has a complicated past, however; and has unresolved memories about her older sister, Christy being kidnapped by a demon when they were children.  We later learn that former villains, The Triad, are responsible for this and have been training and raising Christy to be an unstoppable force of evil.

The Triad anticipated that sister witches could be the ultimate power to take down the Charmed Ones.  Christy initially pretends to be good to lure Billie to her side, but her childhood and innocence were corrupted long ago when she was taken, as she is unable to step away from the darkness.  Billie has to ultimately kill her sister in an act of defense, which is unbelievably heart-breaking.

The very idea of putting sisters against sisters is a genius move of the Triad, but they are unable to predict that Billie’s goodness combined with the Halliwell sisters is too powerful for evil to tip the scale.

4

Zankou

An upper level demon who is after great power, Zankou initially appears to be on the side of the Charmed Ones, when he teams up with them and Agent Brody to stop the Avatars.  He bids the Charmed Ones adieu, but they know this is not the last they will see of him.  Zankou begins to re-organize the underworld in an attempt to steal the power from the Nexus, which is beneath the Halliwell manor.

He also tries to obtain the Book of Shadows, which he successfully manages to steal.  Zankou stands out from other demons because he learns to anticipate their humanity, which so many other demons have failed to do in the past.  He spies on them in their home and even reads Piper’s diary to get the full inside scoop on the Charmed Ones and their human emotions giving the term “know thy enemy” new meaning.   This comes in handy later on when he causes the sisters to shake their bond, making the book and them vulnerable in the process.

Ultimately, the Charmed Ones are able to defeat Zankou by tricking him into absorbing the power of the Nexus so that they can cast a spell to destroy it and everything else in their path, causing the Charmed Ones to fake their own deaths in the process.

3

The Source

The Source is probably one of the scariest demons I have ever seen on Charmed.  He initially cloaks his face with a dark hood, but later reveals his half-face which had been mutilated from his many battles in the past.  The Source is the big bad that has been mentioned since the beginning of Charmed.  Even Rex, Prue’s demonic boss, mentions that he won’t be pleased without revealing his name.

The Source is always after power and is no longer interested in sharing a balance between good and evil.  He even takes in the power of the Hollow, which is forbidden, to try and kill the Charmed ones.  The Source is also responsible for the death of the oldest Halliwell sister, Prue.  His demon for hire, Shax is the one who kills her, shattering the lives of the Halliwell family.  Later, he tries to corrupt Paige to his side, but he is no match for the power of family and love.

Even though The Source is beyond scary, he does take a few moments to toy with his enemy, taunting the sisters to “say hello to Prue for him.”  However, this only enrages the sisters even further, using the magic of their entire ancestry line to stop him.

2

Barbas aka The Demon of Fear

Barbas first appeared in season one in one of my favorite episodes of all time where he appears on Friday the 13th to take out 13 witches to free himself.  He reads the fears of his victims and then uses that fear against them, causing them to die from what looks like a heart attack, as their hair turns completely white from the panic and fear.  The victims truly believe that their fear is coming to life, which makes him a very dangerous demon to say the least.

Barbas targets the Charmed Ones and comes very close to killing Prue, preying on her fear of drowning.  However, Prue is able to overcome her fear with love.  Barbas is banished as he is unable to obtain the 13 witches he needs for freedom but he is never gone for good.  Barbas has appeared as a recurring demon over the seasons, teaming up with other forces of evil to bring down the Charmed Ones.  When the Charmed Ones go on trial, he leads the prosecution, bringing up evidence against the Charmed Ones in quite the compelling argument.

When the Charmed Ones get trapped in a parallel world where everything evil is good, they have to go to Barbas as the source of all good to help them.  He is clearly one of the toughest enemies for the Charmed Ones and he is quite entertaining as well in the process.

Some honorable mentions before revealing my number one pick are:

  • Inspector Rodriguez
  • Bane
  • Shax
  • The Woogyman
  • Gideon
  • Evil Wyatt
  • Evil Charmed Ones
  • The Seer
  • The Triad
  • Agent Jackman

1

Cole Turner

It should be no surprise that my favorite villain has to be Cole Turner.  Cole first appears on Charmed in season 3 and is the love interest of Phoebe.  Cole reveals that he is half-demon and half-human, which causes quite the internal conflict.  His demon-side, Belthazor is an upper-level demon who is absolutely terrifying.  However, his human side is tall, dark, and handsome, proving to be quite the charmer and an excellent lawyer.

Later in the series, Cole becomes the source of all evil, taking in the hollow to protect Phoebe and her sisters from the original source.  When the sisters ask what happened to the powers of the source, the Seer says “into the void” with a knowing smile, as her plan to make Cole the new source has sprung into action.  Cole cannot control the powers of the source but he refuses to give up Phoebe in the process, his love remaining true to her.  He even corrupts Phoebe to darkness, tricking her into a dark wedding and impregnating her with the spawn of Satan.

The Charmed Ones are able to vanquish Cole but one learns that he is never gone for too long.  Cole remains trapped in limbo, collecting powers of vanquished demons along the way to become an even greater threat with more powers than the sisters thought possible.  Through it all, Cole tries to continue to change for Phoebe and hold on to their love, but he ends up being his own worst enemy.  In an effort to change his fate and be with Phoebe, he tries to create a new world and goes back in time.  This plan back-fires, however; as he is now in a time when it was possible for him to be vanquished as Belthazor.

Cole is vanquished on his 118th birthday in the 100th episode of Charmed and it seems like this one is for good.  He makes a special appearance when Piper is trapped in limbo later on in season 7, however.  Cole comes to her rescue and even sends Drake to Phoebe, to remind her about the importance of loving again, even though he will always be loving her just a little out of reach.

Either way, Cole is my favorite villain of all time on the series, proving that villains can find love too.  Unfortunately for Cole, his own inner-conflict and pride get in the way, preventing him from ever finding the happy ending he so desperately wanted for him and Phoebe.

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to share some of your own thoughts and comments on your favorite villains from Charmed.  Thanks for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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Throw-back Sunday: Ranking the top 5 villains from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

It’s Throw-Back Sunday TV Fans!  For today, I have returned to one of my old favorites, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Buffy and her friends are a blast to watch and are always trying to ensure that goodness prevails in order to protect Sunnydale and the rest of the world.  But this would get boring if Buffy could always easily save the day against countless vampires. 

What makes the show surpass this is the introduction of formidable foes that cross her path.  Ranging from the geeks she went to high school with to the first evil that existed in the world, there is a lot of evil and chaos thrown at the Scoobies. 

Let’s not forget that some of Buffy’s closest friends have turned on her and mortal enemies have become great allies along the way.  Buffy is the Chosen One for sure, but these villains are not only worthy of an all out battle, they are more complex and smarter than your average vampire turned to dust.   Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the series yet.

My top 5 villains from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are:

5

Drusilla

Drusilla was introduced to Buffy in season 2 along with her boyfriend, Spike.  When she first came to town she was weakened from a mob, but was revealed to possess psychic abilities.  When Drusilla is at her full strength she proves to be extremely dangerous and even kills another slayer who gets in her way.  What makes Drusilla such a stand-out villain is that she is completely insane. 

She has an innocent girl-like quality at first and manipulates Spike to do her bidding, all while having a tea party with her dolls.  One of my favorite scenes with Drusilla is when she blindfolds one of the dolls and says she’s not allowed to watch with the rest, as she kills someone brutally in front of them.  There is a haunting quality about Drusilla that makes her beyond scary and a real threat to Buffy.

4

Glory

The best way to define her I suppose is if Cordelia had god-like powers with no sense of remorse.  Glory is revealed to be a god and Buffy’s sister, Dawn, is the key that she is desperately looking for.  In one of the first fights with Glory, Buffy is beaten not just badly, but to a bloody pulp, making fans wonder about how she would be able to defeat her.

Glory is an entertaining villain, keeping her manicure and lip gloss in check while continuing on her quest, refusing to allow anyone to get in her way.

3

The Master

The Master is introduced as the first main villain that Buffy must face in the first season.  His face has no humanity left in it, different from other vampires, because of his age.  There is a cringe-worthy factor here for sure, but the Master hasn’t left his sense of humor behind either.  He is ruthless and powerful and even is able to kill Buffy initially.  Thankfully Xander is able to revive her, but he proved to be a dangerous foe and an influence on other vampires nearby.

2

Evil Willow

Everyone loves Willow and she is a great friend to Buffy.  When she begins experimenting with witchcraft, it naturally seems like a great way to help Buffy fight the forces of evil.  But when Willow loses the love of her life, Tara, she is consumed by rage and evil magic corrupts her.

Willow becomes so powerful that it seems like no one will be able to defeat her.  If not for her best friend, Xander, who has no powers or supernatural strength, she would have been lost for good and the world might have been destroyed.  Xander uses love to remind Willow that he will always be there for her and it brings her goodness back to the surface.

Some honorable mentions before revealing my number one pick are:

  • Spike
  • Faith
  • The Mayor
  • The Judge
  • Mr. Trick
  • Anyanka
  • Darla
  • The First
  • The Gorch family
  • The Gentlemen
  • Kralik
  • Caleb
  • The Trio
  • Harmony

1

Angelus

Buffy and Angel’s love is so passionate and real throughout the beginning episodes.  There is something very romantic about the idea of a vampire with a soul and Angel has been trying to do good and make up for the monster he used to be.  However, when he is with Buffy, he loses his soul because he experiences true happiness, and Angelus is unleashed on the world once more as a result.  Not only is he a vicious killer, but he targets on Buffy’s weakness and mocks their love, making it seem like he did not care for her in the slightest.

He goes after her friends and family and toys with Buffy in a stalker-like way.  When Angelus unleashes a demon on the world to swallow it whole, Buffy knows that she must kill him to close the portal.  She has pushed her feelings aside and knows that she must defeat him for the greater good.  However, this becomes an almost impossible task when Angel’s soul is restored right at the moment she is about to kill him.

Buffy must follow through with this, sacrificing her love to save the world.  Her love for Angelus is what makes him such a dangerous villain.  Buffy is the Chosen One, but she is also human and a teenage girl with feelings.  Her strength is truly tested when Angelus is introduced, but she is able to do what is necessary to defeat him.

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to share some of your own favorite villains from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Thanks for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would hit the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!