Be Careful What You Witch For

Be Careful What You Witch For is the 44th episode of Charmed and the Season 2 Finale.

Episode Information

 * Season          2
 * Episode No.     22
 * Teleplay By     Brad Kern, Zack Estrin and Chris Levinson
 * Story By        Brad Kern
 * Directed By     Shannen Doherty
 * Production No.  4399043
 * Original Airdate May 18, 2000

Summary
Tired of losing countless warlocks and demons to the powerful Charmed Ones, an Infernal Council sends a fast-talking genie to destroy the Power of Three by granting each sister a wish. Prue’s wish for the thrill of first love turns her into a rebellious 17-year-old; Phoebe’s wish for an active power gives her the ability to fly; while Piper’s wish that Dan get over her turns him into an old man.

Plot
A council of five robed demons, noting the large number of demons killed in San Francisco, speaks to a dragon warlock. The dragon warlock wants to take on the Charmed Ones; but force has proved useless against them. One of the councilors snaps his fingers and opens an ornate bottle. A genie comes out and suggests giving the sisters exactly what they want.

Piper wraps Phoebe's sprained ankle. Phoebe had been attacked by a beast. Dan is back in town and Piper doesn't know how to face him. Prue has a third date with "dull Dick" but feels that she's had too much demon hunting and no play. The sisters and Leo find a package with the bottle in it. Phoebe wipes a bit of dust off and releases the genie.

The Genie has offered each sister a wish. Phoebe wants to know who sent the bottle. The Genie claims not to know. Leo doesn't trust him. The Genie makes a pest of himself and says he's not leaving until the sisters wish. Leo says that a wish always carries a catch. Prue leaves to see Dick.

Prue is at lunch with Dick, and is bored to tears. The Genie appears miniature, balancing on Dick's menu and jumps in his body. "Dick" says that Prue really knows that he's not the one for her. Prue's wish: "I wish it was like it was the first time."

The Genie pesters Phoebe as she flips through the Book of Shadows. She still refuses him.

Piper talks with Leo at P3 before opening. Dan comes in and sees the two together. The Genie hides nearby. Piper assures Dan that she knows who Leo really is. Dan goes away dejected. Piper's wish: "I wish there was somehow he could move on with his life" -- ungrammatical but effective.

The Genie startles Phoebe in the attic. He continues to pester her, but then offers to help her sprained ankle. After some pain, she feels better -- "a little something a sultan taught me". The Genie would wish for the feeling of a suntan, the taste of ice cream, and such -- to be human. The Genie learns that Phoebe has no active power. Phoebe's wish: "I would love an active power, but what can you do?" Three wishes made, the Genie finally leaves.

Dan has put his house up for sale. He has a job offer in Portland and is ready to move on.

Prue squeals the tires as she drives up to the manor in bangs and braces and tells Piper and Leo that they look "kinda -- old". Phoebe calls for help from the attic. The others go there and find Phoebe helpless against the ceiling. Leo levitates up and brings her down. Prue claims to be 17 years old and has no memory of being older. She did not have her powers at that age. This appears to be the bad consequence of a wish.

The dragon warlock kicks the door in and demands the return of his power. Piper, Phoebe and Leo confront him. Prue comes down after and Leo urges her back up. The dragon warlock breathes fire and Piper freezes him. Phoebe, with little control of her new power, carries the dragon warlock out of the manor and dumps him at a farm. As Leo and Piper check out the page on the dragon warlock, Phoebe flies around outside the manor and finally crashes through the window.

Phoebe cites the Book as saying that putting the Genie back in the bottle will undo the wishes. She notes that the Genie has a thing for food and that he might be at the cafe where he found Prue. Piper and Leo confront the Genie. They drag him from the table, and suddenly he disappears.

The dragon warlock and the Genie are before the Council again and the dragon warlock accuses the Genie of betrayal. He says the Genie used the wishes to free himself rather than destroy the witches. In time, the Genie says to go after the witch without any powers.

Prue rifles through her wallet, finding what at 17 must have been a large amount of money, and slips out the bedroom window.

Darryl calls Phoebe with a report of a woman flying without a plane. Piper and Leo return without the Genie. Piper notes what a headache Prue was at 17. Leo and Phoebe go upstairs and find Prue missing. Dan comes to the door -- aged more than 50 years.

Prue drives down the street and the dragon warlock appears as a hitchhiker. Piper and Phoebe try to call her, and Prue doesn't answer. Piper feels guilty about Dan. Prue is in Golden Gate Park; the dragon warlock turns her phone off and tries to kiss her. She runs off into the night. The Genie was hiding in the SUV all along.

Piper tells Dan the truth: the sisters are witches. This accounts for all the "family emergencies" she had. Leo says he is the same Leo Wyatt who died in 1942. Leo orbs to convince him.

Phoebe has a premonition of the bottle being knocked under some furniture.

Prue at last calls the house and says the dragon warlock is after her. Piper tells her where to hide and go after her. They reach the park and Phoebe flies. Prue, panicking, runs out of the woods. The dragon warlock grabs Prue and the Genie grabs Piper. The dragon warlock stabs Prue as Phoebe crash-lands. The dragon warlock goes after Phoebe, but Piper escapes and freezes him.

Phoebe goes for the car and she and Piper return Prue to the manor -- but it is too late, and Leo cannot heal the dead. The Genie offers to go back into the bottle and undo the wishes, but they are unsure if Prue will revive. Piper and Phoebe agree. The Genie claps and returns to the bottle. Dan is restored, Phoebe can no longer fly, and Prue is an adult again; but Prue is still dead.

With the Genie back in the bottle, though, the sisters can get three more wishes. Piper takes the bottle. The dragon warlock attacks and tackles Piper, causing her to drop the bottle. Leo and Phoebe take cover, and Phoebe remembers her premonition which told her where the bottle was. Leo orbs behind the dragon warlock and distracts him. Phoebe opens the bottle, releasing the Genie, and wishes Prue alive. She joins the others, and chanting "the Power of Three will set us free", the three sisters vanquish the dragon warlock.

Piper visits Dan and he looks bedraggled. He has a wish of his own: to have never learned of magic. He tells Piper to go.

The Genie tells Leo, Phoebe and Prue about the Council. They have two more wishes. The first is to make the Genie human, and he has the sense not to grant that one yet. Piper rejoins them and her wish is for Dan to forget about magic and make a clean break, without consequences. The Genie walks away, free of the Council and the bottle. Leo gets a call from "Up There" and Piper asks to go with him.

Special Appearance By

 * French Stewart as Genie

Guest Stars

 * Marcus Graham as Dragon Warlock
 * Jeff Corey as Council Member
 * J.G. Hertzler as Council Member
 * Zitto Kazann as Council Member
 * Joshua Hutchinson as Dick

Featured Music

 * "Delicious Surprise" by Beth Hart
 * "I'm Not The Only One" by Filter
 * "I Melt With You" by Modern English

Quotes

 * Leo: Phoebe...
 * Phoebe: What? We’ve had a great year, we’ve wiped out a tonne of nasties. I just wanna know if we’ve tripped some supernatural alarm or anything. Owie! And are we ever gonna learn what it really means?
 * Leo: Well, not to sound all whitelightery but everything happens in its own time. You can’t rush what’s to be.
 * Piper: Okay, how about what already is. Dan is back in town.
 * Leo: So?
 * Piper: So what am I gonna tell him? The last time I saw him he handed me proof that you were killed in 1942. He’s gonna expect a reaction from me.
 * Phoebe: How about "Hey Dan, you're right, I am a necrophiliac."
 * Piper: Phoebe.
 * Phoebe: Ow! Why does everyone always Phoebe me?




 * Phoebe: I don’t get it. You’ve been stuck in that bottle for 200 years, someone finally sends you to us and you have no idea who licked the stamp? I kinda find that hard to believe.
 * Prue: What, and a genie man standing in our living room wearing that offering to each grant a wish isn't?
 * Genie: Well, I don't get it. You win the lotto and you're asking for explanations?
 * Piper: Actually, we'd just like to know who to send the thank you note to.




 * Dick/Genie: The question is what are you looking for? I mean come on, how did we make it to date three and you really know I'm not the guy.
 * Prue: I don't know, you know, I mean, at this point I feel like dating's kind of a job, you know. I mean, you get none but you feel like it's your duty to stay out there. I just want to feel excited by love again. I wish it was like it the first time.
 * Dick/Genie: (chuckles) Your wish, my command.
 * (He clicks his fingers and a chime is heard.)




 * Piper: Dan, I know who Leo is. I always have.
 * Dan: What?
 * Piper: It's not that I don't appreciate everything you...
 * Dan: Wait, I've spent all this time worrying about you, worrying about who he is and you've known all along?
 * Piper: Well, uh, it's very complicated.
 * Dan: Complicated. Complicated.
 * (He leaves. Leo comes back.)
 * Piper: He's right, he deserves to know but what am I gonna tell him, what am I gonna do? I wish there was somehow he could just move on with his life.
 * Genie: Your wish is my command.
 * (He clicks his fingers and disappears.)




 * Genie: So, uh, did you finish them off with your scary witchy power?
 * Phoebe: No, that, that is my power.
 * Genie: That's it?
 * Phoebe: That and premonitions.
 * Genie: You're a witch with no real powers? I mean, no, you know, premonitions, those are, those are great but...
 * Phoebe: I know, I know. I mean, I would love an active power but what can you do?
 * (The genie stands up.)
 * Genie: You just done it. (Phoebe throws down the book, stands up and covers her mouth.) And I know exactly where to get one.
 * Phoebe: Was that a...?
 * Genie: A wish? Yeah, yeah it was. (He clicks his fingers and a choker disappears from around his neck.) And that's three and I'm free.
 * Phoebe: Three? That wasn't even one.
 * Genie: That's three. I'm gone.




 * Phoebe: Hello?
 * Darryl: When I first got the call, I naturally dismissed as a crank. But I realised it was Deputy Marrow on the other end.
 * Phoebe: Okay, Darryl, can you speed this up because I'm kinda busy right now.
 * Darryl: What, flying? (There's silence.) Now, see I've learned to interpret those pauses as admission.
 * Phoebe: What did he see?
 * Darryl: Actually it was his wife. She swore she saw a brown hair, young woman fly over the house earlier... without a plane.
 * Phoebe: How about a broomstick?
 * Darryl: Phoebe, this isn't funny.




 * Piper: Prue where are you going?
 * Prue: I got a date with Dick (sound of distatusified in her voice).
 * Phoebe: Doll Dick, Prue you are to hot to duty date.
 * Prue: I need to find a way to but more balance in my life.
 * Piper: Yah but Prue you don't need dick.

(Prue, Phoebe and Leo all start to giggle, and it dons on Piper of what she said)