Zankou was an ancient, ruthless, and extremely powerful upper-level demon who was feared, even by his own kind. Intelligent and cunning, his understanding of the human thought made him able to perceive, manipulate and prey on the weaknesses of his enemies.
His greatest feats include the Crusades, the September Massacres, and the Black Plague. His abilities and ambition became so great that he eventually contested the Source of All Evil for control over the Underworld. However, the Source was able to imprison Zankou within a magical barrier deep within the Underworld, unable to break free.
Zankou formed one of the biggest threats ever to the Charmed Ones but his reign of terror came to an end in 2005 with the destruction of the Nexus beneath the Halliwell Manor, which took him along with it.
History
Freed from Imprisonment
Zankou was released from his prison by a group of demons who believed he was the only one who could prevent the impending attack of the Avatars. Although several demons were opposed to his release, it was eventually decided that he must be released because he was their only hope. Reluctantly, several demons went to his prison and freed him. Zankou then revealed he was aware of everything that had happened in the world and proceeded to absorb the powers of a Shapeshifter. He then used this power to get close the Seer Kyra, who was planning on betraying the demons, and vanquished her for her betrayal.
Fight against the Avatars
Originally, he helped the Charmed Ones in their fight with the Avatars along with Leo Wyatt and Kyle Brody, realizing that their Utopia threatened the very survival of demonic existence (as well as the free will of all others, which he used to gain allies).
Encounters with the Charmed Ones
Attempt to control the Nexus
Zankou wanted to control the Nexus, however, his attempts failed. The first time was in Scry Hard, when he tried to get the sisters to cast a spell so that he could get the Nexus, but his attempt failed because the Nexus could not choose between the Power of Three and Zankou. Instead, it went to Leo. The second attempt was in Something Wicca This Way Goes...?, when he took over the Halliwell Manor, while the Charmed Ones were at Magic School, and took in the Nexus. However, the Charmed Ones were spying and used a spell to draw it out of him.
Stealing the Book of Shadows
After the threat of the Avatars had passed, Zankou began to mobilize the Underworld in hopes to control it. He attempted to steal the Book of Shadows on various occasions. He even hired a demonic alchemist to brainwash resurrected zombie innocents that the Charmed Ones were previously unable to save into attacking them (two of which he had killed that same week, one by his own hand, just for the occasion).
Stealing Piper and Phoebe's Powers
Zankou absorbs Phoebe's power. Template:CFA
After breaking through the protective barrier that the Book of Shadows wields due to weakening the sister's bond as well as their confidence in themselves and in their magic, Zankou retrieved the Book and created the potion To Separate a Witch from Her Powers in a diabolical plan to steal the Charmed Ones' powers. He then attacked the sisters in the Attic and distracted the girls by firing an energy ball at Piper Halliwell, who Paige and Phoebe then tended to. With their backs turned towards Zankou, he threw the potion at Phoebe and absorbed her power of Premonition. After the acquisition of this power, he was able to foresee the sisters going to seek help from the Vampire Queen and he got to her first. The power also enhanced his prescience and sensing abilities.
Zankou absorbs Piper's powers.Template:CFA
The sisters went to the Queen for assistance and she feigned being on the girls' side. Thinking the Queen was on their side, they then orbed to the Manor where Zankou was waiting for them; he told them he got to the Queen first. He attacked and threw the potion at Piper and absorbed her powers of Molecular Immobilization and Combustion. Zankou then used the Combustion power on Piper sending her flying backwards. The only powers he wasn't able to absorb from the sisters were Paige's powers, because she was in astral mode at the time he threw the potion at her.
The Charmed Ones destroy Zankou
He was vanquished in the episode "Something Wicca This Way Goes...?" when he absorbed the Nexus into his body and the Charmed Ones cast a banishing spell to destroy it, thus destroying Zankou in the process.
Powers and Abilities
Zankou attacks Phoebe and Piper with Energy Balls that blast their powers into local neighbors.
Zankou and an Alchemist resurrecting a dead body.
Zankou shapeshifting from Piper into himself.
Basic Powers
- Spell Casting: The ability to cast spells and perform rituals.
- Potion Making: The ability to brew potions.
Active Powers
- Energy Balls: The ability to throw spheres of magical energy resembling electrical discharges.
- Fireballs: The ability to throw balls of fire, capable of vanquishing other beings.
- Flaming: The ability to teleport through intense flames.
- Apportation: The ability to transport an object or person across planes from place to place. Zankou has done this using both Flaming and Shimmering effects.
- Particle Swarm: The ability to fire a stream of burning orange and black particles from the hands in order to inflict pain on and eventually incinerate a victim.
- Power Absorption: The ability to absorb the powers of other beings. Zankou was able to take the powers of other beings by absorbing their essence completely.
- Resurrection: The ability to reanimate the dead. Zankou possessed the power to bring the deceased back as the undead. However, he needed an Alchemist to control them.
- Telekinesis: The ability to move objects and beings with the mind.
- Deviation: The ability to use a power to deflect magical energies and objects back in the direction they came from. Zankuo used this to redirect potions being thrown at him, into the path of his minions instead.
- Force Blasts: The ability to unleash a blast of great concussive force. Zankou once used this ability on Leo Wyatt, blasting him against a wall.
- Molecular Immobilization: The ability to slow down molecules to the point where they move so slowly that objects and people appear completely motionless. Zankou once used this to freeze a demon as he shimmered into the Underworld while being vanquished.
- Portal Creation: The ability to create openings in space capable of sending people to other places, planes or worlds.
Other Powers
- High Resistance: The ability to be highly resistant to physical and magical harm.
- Immortality: The ability to have an infinite lifespan and an arrested aging process.
- Prescience: The ability to observe the world and be aware of upcoming danger and events. Zankou possessed an advanced form of this awareness, allowing him to observe world events during his imprisonment and anticipate the actions of his enemies.
- Teleportation: When shapeshifted into different beings, Zankou was shown teleporting in a similar manner to that being. When shapeshifted into the Avatar Beta, he teleported through Fading and when impersonating another demon, he teleported through Smoking.
Through spell, potion, power stealing, etc.
- Shapeshifting: The ability to alter one's physical shape into that of another person. Zankou stole this power from a demon shortly after he was released.
Book of Shadows
A close-up from the entry.
The entry seen from afar next to the "Leo, the Lion"-entry.
Only this piece of the entry is known, the other part was never revealed and thus remains unknown. It can be assumed that the rest of the entry discusses Zankou's powers and great defeats throughout history.
- Zankou
- One of the
- most powerful Demons of
- the Underworld,
- Zankou is a threat
- to all that is good
- and feared even by his
- own kind. So great
- were his abilities
- and ambitions, he
- once contested
- The Source for
- control of the
- Underworld.
- ...
Spells
Spell to Release Zankou
The following incantation was used by an old wizard to release Zankou from his prison.
- Lexanero bestia!
- Lexanero!
Spell that destroyed Zankou
Zankou being destroyed as the Nexus is banished.
This spell was put in the Book of Shadows a long time ago by the Elders. In 2005, when Zankou got a hold of the Nexus beneath the Halliwell Manor, the Elders advised the Charmed Ones to let Zankou take in the shadow and then cast this spell. It would not only destroy the Nexus but Zankou as well. However since the force of the spell would be so great, the Charmed Ones' astral selves cast the spell so that their real bodies wouldn't be harmed during the vanquish.
- From ancient time, this power came,
- For all to have, but none to reign.
- Take it now, show no mercy,
- For this power can no longer be!
Notes
- It's possible that Zankou rose to power by stealing the powers of other demons. This would justify why the Source viewed him as a threat, as he could grow strong enough to overthrow him.
- It is hinted in "Witchness Protection" that Zankou and the seer Kyra had a relationship.
- Zankou has successfully managed to gain control of Halliwell Manor and the Nexus, a feat only accomplished by the Woogyman and Cole Turner.
- Curiously, Zankou stole Phoebe's power of Premonition in order to predict the Charmed Ones' moves, while he was shown to possess this power already earlier in the season.
Trivia
- Zankou Chicken is a small, family-owned chain of Middle-Eastern fast casual restaurants within the Los Angeles area that is specialized in rotisserie chicken. In "Charmageddon", Phoebe makes a reference to the restaurant by saying to Zankou, "What's the matter Zankou, chicken?"
- In "Charmageddon", Zankou mentions Anubis. The jackal-headed god was also referenced in The Mummy Returns, which co-starred Oded Fehr.
- In the episode "Death Becomes Them", Zankou gets an Alchemist to use deceased former innocents to take away their confidence. Oded Fehr starred in the Resident Evil films (Apocalypse, Extinction, & Retribution) which also feature zombies.
Gallery
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References
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