Orbing
From Charmed
Orbing is the ability to transport yourself with orbs. This power is only possessed by whitelighters, darklighters, Elders, and Whitelighter-Witches such as Paige. The being (dis)appears in the usual glow of blue and white lights, called orbs; however, there are some cases when the orbs will have a different color, such as Gideon's are purple, and Paige's orbs were once green when her spell and the luck of leprechauns were combined.
When someone orbs, they turn into blue and white orbs and lose most corporeal form. They can go from place to place almost instantly. Even someone with only half-whitelighter heritage can orb, as displayed by Paige Matthews, Wyatt and Chris Halliwell.
Whitelighters transport either by becoming a silhouette comprised of orbs which rises out of sight, like Leo, or by turning into sparkles of orbs which dissipate, like Paige. It is interesting to note that Wyatt and Chris orb in a similar fashion to his father (as a rising silhouette) while Paige teleports by dissolving orbs (however, as the series progresses, Paige's orbing style varies slightly). Some Whitelighters display both even though most prefer a certain way of transportation. Another hybrid Whitelighter/Witch, Simon Marks, orbed in and out in a swirling, whirlpool-like fashion. As stated by Leo when someone orbs they go through a "neutral zone".
As a protection from evil, orbing is the only way to get into the Heavens where the Elders convene and assign their whitelighters. On at least two occasions, the warlock Eames and the Titans, stole the orbing power from whitelighters to attack the Elders. ("Blinded by the Whitelighter", "Oh My Goddess! Part 1")
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[edit] Telekinetic orbing
This power manifests itself as a hybrid version of two combined powers: telekinesis and orbing. The ability is defined as accessing telekinesis, the ability to move objects with your mind, through orbing. Paige Matthews must use a vocal command to cause the intended object to orb from one location and appear within another. Although some with more experience with the power do not need a vocal trigger to use the ability. Others with this power have been seen to channel their power in other ways, such as their eyes.
Not just anyone can develop this power. For instance, for hybrids to be the bearer of telekinetic orbing they must be the child of a Whitelighter parent and a witch parent stemming from a line of telekinetics. In Season 7, Paige later developed the ability to send an object or person to a vocally expressed location, when she remotely orbed Phoebe home after vocally commanding her "home".
[edit] Remote orbing
When the power has been used by Elders, it has always shown their actions (usually a hand wave) causing remote orbing to another location. This could mean that it fundamentally works differently to that seen in hybrids and is not merely telekinetically moving someone from one place to another. Remote orbing was used for the first time by the Elders from the Heavens when they orbed Leo away from Piper, when he tried to marry her in (Magic Hour).
[edit] Witches Orbing
When a Whitelighter takes a witch with him and orbs out/in, special orbs can be seen flying around the witch. They are the same orbs as when a witch would summon someone or glamours, ("Be Careful What You Witch For") and ("The Honeymoon's Over"); however, after The Honeymoon's Over, it was never seen again.
[edit] Notes
- The orbing power has gotten a lot of make overs throughout the first and second season. Paige's orbing changes as well, although less noticeable.
- While Whitelighters and Elders have blue/white orbs, Darklighters have black orbs.
- The Source possessed orbing after stealing it from Paige in Charmed and Dangerous.
- Billie and Christy Jenkins possessed orbing after they stole it from Wyatt in Kill Billie Vol. 2.
- In the beginning of the series Leo would always orb in the same manner going upwards in a rising silhouette no matter where he was going. Even if it was to the Underworld which was generally beneath him he would still orb upwards. However as the series progressed he began orbing in the direction he was going, if he was going to the underworld he would orb downwards in a silhouette.
[edit] Orbing Throughout the Years
 Leo Wyatt orbs into the Manor ("Bride and Gloom") |
 Natalie orbs into the Manor ("Blinded by the Whitelighter") |
 Paige orbs Phoebe and Piper away from the Manor |
 Paige, after she becomes very accustomed to orbing |
 Paige orbs Darcy to the Manor |
 Simon Marks orbs |
 Leo and Piper orb in Be Careful What You Witch For. Witch orbs are seen to represent Piper |
