Lost and Bound

From Charmed

Phoebe flashes black and white after wearing Grams' ring, turning her into the sterotypical 1950's housewife.

Lost and Bound is the 78th episode of Charmed.

[edit] Episode Information

First Airdate: January 31, 2002

Episode number 78
Episode 4.12

Written by: Nell Scovell
Directed by:

Guest Stars:

[edit] Episode Summary

A eleven year old boy named Tyler runs away from home after discovering he can set fire to things with his mind. He turns up at the social services office where Paige works. He sets fire to a wastepaper bucket while angry at Mr. Cowan and runs off. Paige follows him and takes him back to the Manor. After opening up to Piper, Tyler feels better but sets fire to a chair. Meanwhile, Cole proposes to Phoebe again with Grams' old engagement ring, not knowing that it is cursed. Phoebe starts acting like a traditional 50s housewife and seems more interested in making Cole's dinner than saving Tyler. Cole begins working at the social services office when Paige recommends him but he gets fired on his first day. It turns out that Tyler's foster parents are bounty hunter demons who have been hired to capture Tyler for an upper level demon called Ludlow. They sense him blowing up Piper's chair and come to the Manor, where they attack Piper but are vanquished by Tyler's firestarting powers. Piper and Leo pose as bounty hunters to get to Ludlow, whilst Piper takes Grams' ring off Phoebe to return her to normal. After Tyler is captured by Ludlow to be prepared for the Source, Piper and Leo are thrown out of his castle, but burst back in and vanquish Ludlow with a spell written by Paige. He dies and Tyler is revived. Piper binds his powers to help him and Phoebe throws Grams' ring down the drain after realizing that Grams hexed the ring to stop her getting engaged for a seventh time.

[edit] Plot

Phoebe tells Cole of her favorite old TV show, Bewitched. She loves this show, but is concerned with becoming an old-fashioned housewife. Cole asks Phoebe to marry him and offers her Grams's ring. Phoebe puts on the ring, and it glows ominously.

A young boy, Tyler, is about to be sent to an academy. He does not want to go, and as he becomes angry, his bed catches fire.

Leo and Piper are having a small spat; Leo wants to bind their future child's powers, while Piper does not.

Paige has recommended Cole for a job at social services; his first assignment is to deal with a slumlord. Tyler, meanwhile, has been brought in; he is unwilling to talk, and he ends up setting fire to a wastebasket. His foster parents appear, and it turns out that they are demons. Paige brings Tyler to the manor, where Piper explains that he is a magical being.

Phoebe acts more and more like an old-fashioned housewife.

The foster parents appear at the manor. They attack with energy balls, but Tyler sets them on fire. Piper shows Tyler the Book of Shadows and finds the entry for demonic bounty hunters--his foster parents. They then find the entry for a firestarter--Tyler. The foster parents were going to send Tyler to serve the Source.

Another bounty hunter appears in the kitchen, but Phoebe is unwilling to fight him. Piper blasts him to bits.

Cole attacks the slumlord, and ends up getting fired.

Phoebe flashes into black and white, to everyone's surprise.

Leo and Piper orb to the academy, and Tyler jumps on to them as they go. They are confronted by demons. Piper blasts one of them, and the others let them in.

Phoebe continues to flash into black and white. Paige realizes the connection to Bewitched, a black and white show in its first season.

Leo, Piper and Tyler meet with Ludlow, who runs the academy. Tyler attempts to set Ludlow on fire, but Ludlow survives. Ludlow magically freezes Tyler and then flings Leo and Piper out of the academy gate.

Phoebe is now black and white full time. Cole realizes that she became so when she put on Grams's ring. Paige orbs the ring into her hand and Phoebe returns to normal. Paige finds an inscription that Grams used to curse the ring. The sisters and Leo return to the academy and vanquish Ludlow. Leo heals Tyler.

Piper offers Tyler a potion to bind his powers.

Phoebe tosses the ring into the bathtub drain.

[edit] Book of Shadows

Demonic Bounty Hunter

Driven by greed, these heartless low-level demons

will stop at nothing to obtain their bounty.

They have the power to fire energy balls

and or lightning bolts and can materialize at will.

Bounty hunters track down fugitive demons,

but if the price is right they will go after anyone.

Firestarter

An extremely rare and coveted magical creature, usually a mortal.

The power is linked to their emotions.

It first manifests itself in adolescence with the onset of puberty.

If subjugated while still impressionable

They can be persuaded. to use their power for evil.

Because of this, they are often trained to be bodyguards of the source.

[edit] Notes

• This is the first episode to feature a firestarter, though a similar power was displayed on the series premiere. Another firestarter wouldn't be featured on the show until the final season.
• Piper showed love and compassion for Tyler which was remarked by Phoebe and Paige when the Power of 3 couldn't break the gate but a combination of 3 hate filled blasts of Piper blew it up, Phoebe says "What was that?" and Paige remarks "I think you just saw a mother lift a car off her child."