Ex Libris

Ex Libris is the 19th episode of the second season and the 41st overall episode of Charmed.

Summary
Phoebe tries to help the ghost of Charlene, a fellow student who was killed by a demon known as Libris, prevent the publication of her thesis proving the existence of demons. With Prue’s help, Phoebe and Charlene try to vanquish Libris before he can kill Phoebe, but are surprised to learn that Charlene’s ghost cannot move on to the next plane of existence until she helps Prue solve the murder of another young woman. Meanwhile, Piper’s efforts to get the nightclub ready for a performance by the Goo Goo Dolls are interrupted when Dan reveals unsettling news about Leo’s past.

Characters
Characters in bold appear for the first time in the series.
 * Prue Halliwell
 * Piper Halliwell
 * Phoebe Halliwell
 * Darryl Morris
 * Leo Wyatt
 * Dan Gordon
 * Charlene
 * Cleavant Wilson
 * Lillian Wyatt
 * Libris
 * Gibbs

Plot
Piper is planning a romantic evening with Leo. Prue walks in, having thought this event was to be the next day; but Leo has not arrived, so she seeks Piper's opinion on some photos she has developed in Haight-Asbury. She sees the same man in many of the photos, "sad and determined". Leo orbs in and Prue leaves, having refused to sign her father's birthday card. Since Prue is downstairs, Piper and Leo decide to go upstairs, by the "faster way".

Phoebe is studying in the library and notices Charlene Hughes at the next table. They had carpooled previously, and are in the same metaphysics class. Charlene believes that demons exist and that she has proof. Charlene notes that Phoebe seems to believe in demons, and Phoebe becomes uncomfortable and excuses herself. Charlene goes to the stacks and finds the Encyclopedia of Demons. She pulls it out and sees a grotesque face on the other side. A figure shimmers from the stack and pulls Charlene into it.



Prue goes to the bathroom and sees the shower going. Thinking Piper is in there, she starts talking away. Just then, Piper enters, dried and fully dressed. The shower door opens--and it's Leo, naked. Piper shoos Prue out the door.

Phoebe has fallen asleep with her head in her book. Piper wakes her up and she panics, thinking she's late for her final. She hasn't been doing well in the class due to a rash number of magical emergencies; she'll flunk out if she doesn't pass the final. However, Piper and Leo tell her that the final is tomorrow. Phoebe asks Leo if it's possible to prove demons exist. Leo says that any mortal with that proof wouldn't live to tell about it, since evil has a way of covering its tracks. Phoebe goes back to the library, refusing to sign their father's birthday card. Only Piper ever signs this card--and only reluctantly, since he never sends one. Piper leaves for a dental appointment.

Prue goes back to Haight-Asbury, where she meets the man in her photos and introduces herself. He doesn't want to be photographed, but gives his name as Cleavant Wilson and hands her a flyer. It bears a portrait of his murdered daughter, Tyra. He sits on this bus bench every day, looking for a witness to Tyra's murder. He knows who killed her as well--a pawn-shop owner named Gibbs. Cleavant says that it's an open secret that Gibbs killed Tyra, but Gibbs has scared the entire neighborhood into silence.

Leo brawls with Dan at P3. Piper walks in and freezes him. She unfreezes Leo and wants to know what happened. He says Dan attacked him. Leo moves back into position as Dan unfreezes, but dodges Dan's punch, so he hits the wall. Piper wants Dan's side of the story, but Dan leaves without saying anything. Piper tries to get more information from Leo, but the Elders call him away.



Phoebe is heading to the library, when she sees the police gathered around a body. Darryl tells her it's Charlene; she was decapitated the night before. She denies being there just for this, but says that she saw Charlene in the library the night before. Phoebe then sees Charlene's ghost in the library and doesn't know what to say. Charlene seems unaware that she's dead, though she complains of a splitting headache.

Prue goes to Darryl and he thinks she's there about Charlene, but Prue is there about Tyra. Darryl tells her that Gibbs is the prime suspect, but without a witness or a confession, he cannot make an arrest.

Phoebe goes to P3 and tells Piper about Charlene.

Dan goes to Piper and admits he started the fight. He gives her Leo's Army records. Leo was married before he was a Whitelighter--something he never told Piper before. Piper calls Prue for advice.

Prue walks into the pawnshop and Gibbs says the shop is closed. She stands up to him, and he thinks she's a reporter or works for the DA. He tells her that no one will ever testify against him. She warns him that he may be "haunted" by his crime--and to prove her point, drops an accordion on Gibbs' shoulder by twitching her finger.

An overly perky ghost of Charlene startles Phoebe at the library, drawing nasty looks from the librarian. Phoebe leads Charlene into the stacks and tells Charlene that she's a ghost. Phoebe points out that Charlene hasn't eaten or slept lately. Charlene does not believe Phoebe, and runs off. Phoebe finds Charlene's notebook, and has a premonition of her own death at the hand of a sickle-wielding demon.

Phoebe has found the demon in the Book of Shadows. It is a Libris, a demon who attacks humans who have found proof of demons. Prue walks in and mentions Tyra. She wants to cast the truth spell on Gibbs, but Phoebe talks her out of it, since that borders on using their powers to punish the guilty. Phoebe and Prue talk about Cleavant, and the pain of a father's loss. They wonder if their own father misses them as much. Charlene passes through a window and tells them that she saw her own funeral. She had never seen her father cry so much.

Piper meets Lillian, Leo's widow. Lillian shows Piper the Purple Heart that he had earned. He had been studying to be a doctor; he was tending a wounded soldier when he died. Shortly after his death, Leo had appeared to Lillian in a dream, bathed in white light. He told her not to worry about him, that there was someone else out there for her. Lillian did eventually marry another doctor and go on to have children, grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Piper excuses herself with a smile.

Piper returns to the manor, just as Prue, Phoebe, and Charlene are heading to the library. Phoebe notes the accuracy of Charlene's notes. Charlene leads Phoebe to the spot where she was taken. With Piper and Prue watching, Phoebe pulls down the Encyclopedia of Demons. Nothing happens at first -- and then Libris appears and pulls Phoebe into the stack. Charlene dives in after her, but Prue and Piper are too far away. The two find themselves in the basement, where Libris conjures a sickle. Charlene distracts Libris and grabs his sickle. Her scream leads Piper and Prue to place them in the basement. Prue astral-projects and says a spell to vanquish Libris, who leaves his sickle behind.

Libris's death should have enabled Charlene to move on. However, she's still there and is getting frustrated. She finds the Tyra Wilson flyer, though, and Prue has an idea--apparently, Charlene is supposed to help get justice for Tyra as well.

Gibbs opens up his shop and finds the flyer stuck in his door. He discards it. Charlene comes in, locks the door, and turns the CLOSED sign out. She starts taunting Gibbs, playing taps on a guitar and typing TYRATYRATYRA on a typewriter. She warns him that she's Tyra's ghost, and she plans to haunt him, unless he confesses having killed her. Gibbs, frightened out of his wits, runs out of his shop, crashing through the locked door. Charlene, again, demands that Gibbs confess. He does with Darryl, Cleavant and the sisters standing nearby. Darryl gets the confession on tape, cuffs Gibbs and takes him away. Cleavant is grateful, though, he has no idea how this happened. Charlene is finally able to move on.

The Goo Goo Dolls play at P3. Phoebe announced that she aced her final. She has signed her father's card, but Prue still declines. Leo comes in, having not told the bouncer he doesn't work here anymore. Piper asks Leo about his wife; she is not mad, but wants him to be more open with her in the future.

Featured Music

 * "That's How Love Moves" by Faith Hill 219.jpg
 * "January Friend" by The Goo Goo Dolls
 * "Broadway" by The Goo Goo Dolls

Book of Shadows/Spells

 * those who belong to this
 * order...for the work of the Libris
 * is to keep the world in Darkness
 * and Ignorance. The haunting
 * grounds of these monsters are
 * found wherever humans have the
 * potential to find unequivocal proof
 * of the existence of Demons.
 * To vanquish one of their ranks, a witch
 * must keep this rhyme close to her heart:
 * Demon hide your evil face
 * Libris die and leave no trace

Lost

 * 1) Charlene Hughes; she was killed by a Libris demon.

Saved

 * 1) Cleavant Wilson; Prue saved him by getting his daughter's murderer to confess.

Evil Beings

 * 1) Libris : Demons that keep the world in Darkness and ignorance of the existence of Demons. They hunt wherever humans can find the proof of the existence of Demons.
 * 2) Gibbs : The murderer of Tyra Wilson.

Glitches

 * When Prue is in the pawn shop, it's the evening outside and when she leaves, it's morning again.

Quotes

 * Phoebe: Hey, hi, I'm Phoebe.
 * Charlene: I'm Charlene. Actually we've met. We even carpooled. Metaphysics 301, remember?
 * Phoebe: Oh, that's right and your dad is the professor of that class, right?
 * Charlene: Yeah, dirty rat, he gave me a C. We don't get along in anything. Even metaphysics. But I'm hoping that'll change when I finish my thesis, get published, he'll finally have to take me seriously. I'll quit before I start telling you about my mother.
 * Phoebe: No, it's okay. I've been studying here for so long it's nice to have someone to talk to. So what's your thesis about?
 * Charlene: It's about the existence of demons in our world.
 * Phoebe: Demons?


 * (Scene: Manor. Prue walks in the bathroom. Someone's in the shower. She walks over to the sink and wipes the fog off the mirror.)
 * Prue: Hey, Piper, will you do me a favor and feed the cat? I want to get down to the haight. (She gets her toothbrush and toothpaste.) You know, I wanna see if that guy is still on that bus bench. You know, I just couldn't stop thinking about him all night. I mean, there's no guarantee that he'll actually be there but if he is I wanna get a better shot. (She starts brushing her teeth and then Piper walks in.)
 * Piper: Prue, wh-what are you doing in here?
 * Leo: Piper, can you hand me a towel? (Leo pulls across the shower curtain and sees Prue.) Prue!
 * (Prue's eyes widen.)
 * Prue: Leo. (Piper throws him a towel.) Nice orbs.
 * Piper: Bye. (Prue continues to look at Leo.) Bye.
 * (Prue walks backwards into the door.)
 * Prue: Ow.
 * Piper: Let me help you, let me help you. (Piper opens the door and Prue walks outside.) Alright, go on, sicko.


 * Piper: Still Phoebe, you have to take care of yourself. You have to get some rest.
 * Phoebe: After. Piper, I did not go back to college to fail at it, okay. So what do I have to do? Okay, I'm gonna go change and then I'm gonna go to the library. Now, if any demon or warlock attacks, please just fend them off till Saturday. (to Leo) I have a question for you. Is it possible for someone to find proof that demons really do exist?
 * Leo: Mmm, I don't know, maybe. But even if anybody did, nobody would ever know about it anyway.
 * Phoebe: What do you mean?
 * Leo: Well, evil doesn't want anybody to know. It has a system for covering its tracks, protecting its identity. That's why demons disappear when you guys vanquish them.
 * Piper: Why do you ask?
 * Phoebe: Just curious. Okay, adios.


 * Piper: Were you close to you dad?
 * Leo: Uhh, well, that was long time ago. A different life time. I prefer to focus on the present.
 * Piper: So do I, which means I have to go, I have a dentist appointment. How long can you stay?
 * Leo: Uh, until they call.
 * Piper: Well, if they don't call before lunch, why don't you meet me at the club. I'll buy.
 * Leo: Well, you'll have to. Whitelighter pay sucks.
 * (They kiss and Piper leaves.)


 * (Scene: P3. Dan and Leo are punching each other up. Piper comes down the stairs.)
 * Piper: Hey! Hey! Hey! (Dan pushes Leo up against the wall. Dan gets ready to punch Leo in the face but Piper freezes them before he can.) Alright, you first. (She unfreezes Leo. Leo moves out of the way.) What the hell is going on here?
 * Leo: Don't ask me, he just came in here punching.
 * Piper: Dan did? Well, what did you do to him?
 * Leo: What did I do? Nothing.
 * Piper: Oh, come on, Leo, he had to have a reason.
 * Leo: Like losing you isn't an enough reason.
 * Piper: Alright, back to your position. Go on.
 * Leo: Are you kidding me? He's about to clock me.
 * Piper: I'm sorry, I can't help you with that. Let's go, let's go.
 * (Leo stands back where he was. Piper unfreezes Dan, Leo moves his head and Dan hits the wall instead.)
 * Dan: Ow! (He holds his hand in pain.) Piper, where'd you come from?
 * Piper: I'll be the one asking the questions. What the hell is going on?
 * Dan: I don't know, why don't you ask him.
 * Piper: I did, I mean, I will. I'm asking you first.
 * Dan: You know, what? I just gotta go. (He leaves.)
 * Piper: Dan, wait. (The Whitelighters call Leo.) Oh, no you don't. They can wait.
 * Leo: I'm sorry, I have to go.
 * Piper: Leo! (He orbs out.)


 * (Phoebe's on the chair reading the Book Of Shadows.)
 * Prue: (from the other room) Anybody here?
 * Phoebe: In here. (Prue walks in.)
 * Prue: Hey. Oh, good, I was looking for that. Wait, what are you doing with the book?
 * Phoebe: Oh, I'm looking for the demon that's gonna kill me. I just love getting those premonitions.
 * Prue: Oh, okay, what premonition? When?
 * Phoebe: About an hour ago. Right after I was trying to tell Charlene that she's dead.
 * Prue: I'm lost.
 * (Prue sits down.)
 * Phoebe: Oh, sorry, (laughs) wrong sister.


 * (Piper walks in the front door.)
 * Piper: I'm home!
 * (Prue and Phoebe start to usher her back out.)
 * Prue: Come on.
 * Piper: Where we going?
 * Phoebe: We'll explain on the way there.
 * (Charlene joins them.)
 * Piper: Who's that?
 * Phoebe: Let's go, let's go. That's my dead friend.

International Titles

 * French: Examen de Conscience (Examination of Conscience)
 * Polish: Ex Libris
 * Czech: Ex Libris
 * Slovak: Ex Libris
 * Italian: Il segreto di Leo (The Secret of Leo)
 * Brazilian Portuguese: Ex Libris
 * Spanish (Spain and Latin America): Ex-Libris
 * Hungarian: Ex Libris
 * Russian: Tsena istiny (Price of Truth)
 * Finnish: Exlibris
 * German: Ex Libris
 * Serbian: Libris, knjiški demon