A year ago I covered Charmed as a whole- check it out here! I've done a deep dive of Charmed in the past- here it is! th-cam.com/video/uSdU123MdHc/w-d-xo.html It got a lot of views, but some of newer subscribers didn't know I had posted it!
You didn't fully go in deeper details about Belthazor. Because he could've saved Prue from Shax and killing Shax which means Prue would still be alive physically and that would've been a plot twist then they wouldn't have done Cole dirty at all. Because Belthazor is far stronger than Shax and that's why.
Omg yes!!!!! Even as a kid I never understood wtf happened to Cole and why everyone just...hated him??? Most of what happened wasn't even his fault? The source possessed him and somehow Cole is just too EeeeeEvvviiiiIIIILLllll to forgive???
@@SerenaSkybourne Yes obviously since he was a full time demon before Phoebe I understood the initial skepticism hahaha! But like you said, it was just so over the top with how much hate he got! The narrative just treated him so badly, almost without the nuance that the sisters (and Leo) often got. It all just got down to "nah he's just so evil that's why he does things". I could understand why Phoebe would be quick to say so, since she just associates him with too many painful memories and that would be easier than to let him in again, but when the others are so quick to agree, it just never seems like anyone (writers included) understood what Cole's character was/could be :( It's all a shame, really.
@@SerenaSkybourneI can get the hate if he never got with Phoebe and changed. But everyone loved Cole and he was actually being good. Then the Source possesses and even though he was free everyone just acted like mid-season 3 - mid-season 4 Cole just didn’t exist. They literally drove him mad and my man deserved better.
@@tobennaokoli4450 The issue is that in season 5, the show kind of retconned the whole Cole being possessed by the Source to Cole just being the Source. I've heard that the Cole and Phoebe ruling the underworld plot was supposed to continue into season 5 originally but the studio told the writers to resolve that plot for the season finale. Having Cole come back from the wasteland and attempt to take over the underworld again was a sloppy attempt to salvage some of that plot.
He was easily the best character and the writers just ruined him. They also ruined Phoebe in the process. It could have been amazing if they had either kept him human (maybe killed him when Julian wanted to leave) or they acknowledge the source bs was through no fault of his own and he and Phoebe make peace (he leaves or dies or something).
Cole is one of my favorite characters. It's a shame what happened to him at the end of the series. I always see "the seer" as big bad. Who manipulated Cole, who was possessed by "source of all evil".
Where else should they have sent the Source of All Evil? Valhalla maybe? Or the heavens to chill with the Elders...? Actually, hold up, he would probably fit quite well with those useless Elders, no?
@@TCt83067695 "Where else should they have sent the Source of All Evil? [...] the heavens to chill with the Elders...?": To be fair I'm sure Piper would have loved that idea, lol. After all, the elders were nothing but a technocratic apparatus of bureaucracy in a world that didn't need them. The charmed ones were fine without them during season 1.
Cole could have been a better plot point for Phoebe since she had a tendency of going after evil . Cole going through his journey to become good should have inspired her to grow and not repeat mistakes from her past life and actually realize how much her selfishness put her sisters in danger. Cole story could have ended by him realizing his life only had the purpose of being with phoebe and not actually living has human so him leaving to found a real purpose could have been a final good for his character
Well, I loved the posessed Cole storyline. To me, his vainquishing felt like the end of a very tragic star-crossed lovers type plot. It seems to me like the huge mistake they made was to have him come back at all (especialy if they knew Julian didn't want to come back for a whole season). I would've loved to see Phoebe dealing with his mourning and the loss of (what she'd been imagining being) their child. They could've have gone in so many directions and interesting storylines instead of the shit show that was season 5. I'll never get over that character assassination, perhaps this show's greatest sin.
Jumping onto your comment about the loss of her child, it was really crappy that the show didn't focus on this at all! Miscarriages can be really traumatic, or you'd at least be a little upset, but it was as though the writers completely forgot about it as soon as the seer took the baby.
@@Frogface91yes I agree they made it seem so simple that it was just enough for Phoebe to know that the child wasn't actually theirs and it was just like the next source of evil. Like she could have at least mourn the idea of having a child she thought was theirs and the life she imagined. I mean they never even addressed it in the later episodes either like it would have been nice if later on she said that it was unresolved and that she had suppress those feelings and then she was actually trying to work on them but they never went back to that. Actually that also reminds me of what they did to Blair's character in Gossip Girl. She went from being pregnant to losing the baby and never talking about it again.
Clever title! I couldn't verbalise any of these feelings when I was younger but after rewatching Charmed as an adult, I agree that Cole's arc was bizarre. Even as a child seeing random season 5 Cole episodes on TV, like the one where Phoebe turned into a mermaid and he showed up to... warm her heart, or something?, I couldn't understand why they would spend so much time on Cole and keep him so present in the show if he wasn't going to be Phoebe's final love interest. This is a television show! It just feels like they're wasting our time. I'm commenting before I've finished watching the video, so I'm not sure if you talk about this, but in universe, this relationship is kind of why Prue died. Phoebe went into the demon world, where she was basically unreachable, to help Cole. The power of three wasn't all together to vanquish the demon who killed Prue. That's such a big loss for a romance that isn't THE romance, and if Prue's DEATH didn't make Phoebe want to stop dating Cole how could anything else? Edit: Yes! Evil Phoebe! This is my favourite concept in the entire show and I'm so disappointed that they never explored it in depth. It could have been such an interesting series-long arc for her.
My favorite is right as he betrays the triad up until he loses his powers in season 4. (I don't really like the brotherhood storyline though, so I skip that. I really like when he fights with the sisters. He's so cool.
OKAY but thank you for this videa. It's so funny, because in more recent shows ( PLL, Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, whatever ) we had some truly, truly iredeemable assholes as love interests, that the show kinda forgave without even making them suffer any consequences, but with Cole it's the complete opposite ? He was trying so hard to be good, and the Charmeds ( and the show ) just didn't... allow it ? It's a pretty depressing message in my eyes, something like 'you can't EVER escape what you are' :(
Buffy did a better job with the Angel/Angelius dicotomy. Making it not a choice to send angel to the hell demension and someone always being on Angel's side, knowing he is not Angelus. And even when others can't get passed it, it is made clear it's mainly because he is the face, voice, and body that caused so much torture and death and still see what he contributes to the group when Angel/with a soul. What I don't like about Angel vs Cole is that they clearly show Angel as a complete asshat as a human in the olden days haha
Cole's story when he became the source happened at the time of season 6 of Buffy. That's when they had Buffy and Spike storyline. Who also was treated as a villian by the story. And they made Phoebe be with Cole and go to the dark side at the same time when Buffy started sleeping with Spike, while they tried to use this 'going to the dark side' idea too. The connection of both couples and their attitude was introduced as dark, evil one. Both broke up closer to the end of the season. They made Cole kill a person and give Phoebe a tonic, so eventually she had to choose whether she wanted to be with him or not and be part of his world. And they also tried to ruin Spike's character with that attempt and to show the same way that he can't be with her because he is a demon. So it has really lot of parallels there. That I don't see in Angel story. Yes, Buffy loved Angel but for me that's the only big enough similarity besides him being a vampire so a demon. But love for someone is not such an unusual thing. Millions of couples on tv love each other. And there were other demons and vamps there too. So for me it's not enough to see it as the same. I also see the difference in how they treated Cole and Angel. The buffy show loved Angel way more. They showed Angel a lot more respect, constantly was defending him, like 'he is good, he has a soul' and eventually gave him his own show even. Where he was the boss and was saving the day and everyone. That's absolutely not what they did with Cole. Cole has remained a controversial character more like Spike. So for me it's clear who this reminds me of.
@@Junejane4 it’s definitely not a 1:1 comparison as far as their character arcs but both did the “former bad guy trying to be a good guy for love” trope with the added complexity of sometimes embodying a demon. it can be difficult to maintain the good guy part without taking away from the main protagonist after becoming a fan favorite so he has to die or move away. buffy just did it better.
@@Junejane4 I agree with @tinakills3586 That is a very intersting view! I dont see cole being paralelled to Spike at all. Spike is terrible and Buffy never does anything "bad-side" for him other than let him live haha! He is only given a chance at "good guy" because of the chip in his head and then goes to get a soul to make Buffy love him.... he then tries to r*pe her despite having a soul and suposedly feeling his past crimes. Spike was never actually a good guy, nor did he flip flop in a way that was fighting his "demon" side, just pretended and was obsessed with slayers. Spike is controversial but I don't think it is for the same reasons as Cole.
Do you think you'll do a video on Page herself? I really enjoyed her character early in her run before show went all male gazey, but I think its interesting becuase her arrival kind of unintentionally signaled the shows quality decline, just thinks its an interesting topic. Plus theres also Prues departure which people found grating and already had Page's character at disadvantage right at the start of her character being introduced.
Initially, I didn’t like Paige in season 4 because it felt like the writers were replacing Prue and expected us to accept her as a Charmed One. However, she was a good addition to the show. She was always reliable and a great aunt.
Coop didn't come in til season 8. Cole's last appearance was in season 7, when he sent the thorn demons after Piper and Paige to get Piper to the same realm he was on. He wanted to make sure Piper and Leo stayed together so Phoebe didn't give up on love. Phoebe was with Drake at the time, the demon who only had a few months to live. That scene in the kitchen in I think Saving Private Leo really pissed me off. Every time I watch it. Phoebe could have gone to literally any other room in the house and had plenty of quiet. Her bedroom, the attic, maybe even the conservatory. You can't cook or get food in any other room besides the kitchen. I've heard that Brad Kern quote about Phoebe a few times and I think he was either high when he said it or he had forgotten about 99.9% of what happened on this show.
I completely agree with this. I didn't like how they handled Cole. He was a great "grey" character and they should have kept him that way. I keep thinking what if he wasn't processed with the Source. And they could have waited to make him "human" and that way he continued as a demon but an ally.
FINALLY!!! Justice for Cole! He was finally about to move on in season 5 (after the sisters just rejected him though he took on the Source to save their lives), then Paige casts that spell to force Cole to feel Phoebe’s love for him and that pulls him back in all over again. Then after he tries to win her back - which he only does due to their meddling - they just kill him and that’s it. Cole was done so dirty and honestly that is the most evil things the Charmed Ones ever did.
I just watched the ep with Barbas in Season 5. And seeing the girls giving Cole dirty looks after he killed Barnas , a demon that they would've killed too just pissed me off.
Especially since he was free and human and he reluctantly agreed to take his powers back to save them. What was also disgusting, was when he first came to them for help, and they dismissed him. Cole was an innocent they failed to protect.
Thank you for this video, which does Cole justice. If I may add an element that you forgot to mention and that seems very important to me: in episode 13 of season 3, Prue was forcibly married to a warlock by a priestess in order to make the three sisters evil and recover their power. If you remember, it was Cole who warned Phoebe about this. She was already "infected" by the time he came to warn her and she said "Isn't that the you want me (evil)?" and he replied "No. This is not how I want you to be. It's not how I want us to be. Our only chance is if e're both good". So the idea that afterwards (in season 4) Cole wants to make Phoebe evil is completely ridiculous. They've really messed with him. That's why, for me, I don't take into account what they did with him at that point. After what they did with his character (making him good then bad etc...) Charmed has lost its flavor. For me, he was one of the best characters because he wasn't all black and white, he was more of a Grey character. As for the part where you talk about the co-dependency between Phoebe and Cole, I think it's a bit unfair to put it solely in perspective with her relationship with Cole. I think Phoebe is co-dependent with all her boyfriends in the show, she often put them first. So I don't think it's roaming Cole but rather Phoebe. I really wanted Pheobe to end up with Cole and stay human. I found it insulting to him that he would introduce Coop and pass him off as the true love of his life while erasing Cole. I don't see how in the writing Coop is the true love of his life opposite Cole. I mean, she's completely under Cole's spell from the moment she sees him. The fact that she's more likely to be bad I find even more real and coherent. The fact that they completely eradicated their baby really bothered me, and especially that they never spoke about it afterwards. I absolutely agree with you on the part that they used Cole at their convenience and then rejected him at their convenience too I'd also like to make a second parallel: in an episode where the girls take in a demon baby (half demon half human) that the father is trying to save and for a while Prue, Phoebe and Piper take care of the baby. At the time, they didn't mind that it was half-demon. However, when it comes to Cole, who is himself half-human half-demon, something he didn't choose, it must condemn him to being something evil. Or when Pure saves one of his friends who's about to become a demon, the person can change, but Cole is condemned?
thank for speaking out on this very important topic. I always hated the way they ended Cole. he ended up representing one of our biggest fears, being judged by the worst version of ourselves. charmed is in my rewatch rotation and the older I get, the more problematic my faves become.
Yep cole was treated badly his character deserved better i think brad kerns did that to the character because julian had already decided to leave the show to do Ryan Murphy tv series nip/tuck 🙁🤔
I'm so glad you covered this because it's one of my favourite shows and I'm still angry about the way the writers treated Cole 😂 I just can't get my head around why Cole was irredeemable compared to others. Prue could see the good in other side characters before Cole like Brendan and Bane that had ties to warlocks/demons. Plus the sisters themselves were under evil's influence many times and were forgiven despite doing horrible things like shattering and killing Leo or hurting each other. Why does Cole being half demon at first make any difference especially when he was human at one point only becoming the source by accident to help Phoebe, not to mention he proved he could be good countless times and only gained all them invincible powers to escape the hell he was trapped in when the sisters turned their backs on him. He was only ever acting evil due to force, trying to get his father's soul, being possessed, or by embracing his demon side to try and defeat another evil and do a good deed. Just because he was born half demon doesn't mean he shouldn't be able to choose his path and overcome evil. In later seasons Leo went off the rails killing elders and joining avatars and he was able to be redeemed. In season 7 Phoebe saw the good in the evil Seer as well. For some reason with Cole, it's like the writers needed to get rid of him and thought making him inherently evil was the best way to do that. Unfortunately it just made no sense because of all the sympathy they created and times he tried to be good.
From Season 4 on, Phoebe became the worst. She used to be my favorite in the first seasons. She was flawed but likeable but after season 4, charned became the "Phoebe-Boyfriends-Weird outfits" Show and it went downhill from there.
Cole was a character with so much potential. I loved how he fought his bad side. The relationship could have been a message about boundaries, what toxic behavior is and how people may be able to change - or not. :) It could have been a metaphor for a lot of things. But the writers weren't able to go through with one direct storyline. Most of the time he's added on as if the writers forgot he was there. Not a way to treat a SO of some main character. He and Leo weren't treated the same and it shows.
the thing thats most weird about the set up for phoebe being evil. they did a episode before the dark wedding, with a dark wedding with prue and the moment one of them went dark. all went dark and so did the book so. the minute cole and her got married they all shouldve started changing and going evil. but instead they do what they are great at, forgetting theyre own lore and just handling situations differently on case by case bases.
Cole was always one of my favourite characters, and I would've written him so differently if its up to me. Love your chose of topic, and your vids in general. 💙
Justice for Cole Turner! I'm so glad other people were frustrated with what the writers did with Cole. I honestly rather they had just killed the character. It could have been interesting if his death was related in some way to the fact that he had been redeemed. Then, as Phoebe mourned him maybe she could start to wish he had never turned good, because at least then he'd still be alive (grief does weird things to people, so it's a possible direction). Then they could have explored her dark side through her grief. And they could have gotten the actor off the show so he could do other things without completely butchering the character
I HATE it when people say oh its just a fictional show with magic as if that's a defense. But then you talk about something like the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Seeing Red suddenly it's not JUST a fictional magic show.
I like Cole very much. It's such a shame that Cole ended like that. He is a very potential character and really suits Phoebe. I also like how Cole evolved throughout the series, but I am so sorry about his downfall. His demise is what saddened me the most.
Cole is season 3 was perfection and in season 4 almost perfect. I personally really love him being possessed by The Source storyline. It provided a really good conflict for the rest of season 4. The only changes i would´ve made is to show how he´s actively trying to fight The Source within himself, like in Coyote Piper he breaks free for few seconds and shows that the real Cole is still there somewhere. My problem comes with season 5, the writers not only completely destroyed my man but they also kinda destroyed the Charmed Ones. They turned him into an obsessed weirdo, stalker, psychopath and lastly pure evil. And it´s the Charmed Ones that put him on this path, especially Phoebe. They were his family for almost 2 years and then they were completely mean and hostile to him and made him believe he´ll always be evil no matter what he does and then on top of that refused to vanquish him after taking basically his life purpose, like i´m not surprised he went crazy. I understand Charmed Ones and especially Phoebe were very traumatized by everything that happened but they were horrible to him. Instead of that horrible retcon the writers should´ve worked with Phoebe´s fear of becoming evil being the reason she doesn´t want to be near him. Either they should´ve let him dead in season 4 or give him a proper ending in season 5. The ending of 4x21 with letter that was such a perfect way how to end his character. I think they could´ve made that scene bit longer with Cole explaining in that letter everything that happened and also that he´ll always love her and will watch over her. I hate how they brought him back in 4x22 and how Phoebe refused to save him even though The Source was gone, i understand you have trauma and don´t want him to be around but after everything you owe him to bring him back from this horrible place, after all he´s an innocent who needs help. If you don´t want to use black magic ok, but there´s surely a way how to bring him back with white magic too. The episode should´ve focused on Phoebe being conflicted about whether she should bring him back and her deciding being interrupted by what was going on and once she decides she wants to help him he already escapes himself. And in season 5 Cole should be searching for his purpose in life outside of the Charmed Ones but still being attached to his family and both sides trying to move on and try to live without each other. And then in 5x12 Cole should´ve died as a hero while trying to save his family against whatever evil being writers would come up with. It´s not a big problem but i kinda wish we got more bonding moments between Cole and Piper, Paige, Leo and even Darryl. I think it would be incredible to see his individual friendships with rest of the cast and make him more than just Phoebe´s boyfriend but establish him as a true part of the family. We got some moments and interaction here and there but it´s not enough. This would make it much more impactful for season 5 and when he returns as guest in season 7. It would be heartwarming to see that he isn´t just trying to make Phoebe believe in love but that he´s helping Piper (& Leo) because he loves and cares about them.
No hate, I'm just a psycho, but it was Pheobe and Cole that went to save Paige and it was Piper and Cole saving a rando from a flaming car outside the police station. Paige froze because the car accident triggered her trauma from her parents deaths. I've watched this series all the way through SEVERAL times and I can basically recite the entire thing. Cole deserved so much better.
I like Cole’s story through season 3-4. I’m ok with the plot line that he was the source and couldn’t be saved. I don’t like how they bring him back from the dead after he’s vanquished. If he’s not going to be with Phoebe, he doesn’t need to be on the show. I get that Phoebe is flawed which is why they would both turn evil and fall out of love eventually. They bring him back because he’s a fan favorite. Also it doesn’t make sense because if all that was needed to save Cole was to vanquish the Source why didn’t the Phoebe from the future just take him back then?
I’m sorry to be so surface level but Cole is such a gorgeous man. It’s been years since watching Charmed and he was bamboozled me today. Now I’m gonna watch Nip Tuck!
I disagree! he only gets the chance because of the chip in his brain and later tries to r*pe buffy and everyone gets over it?? Still a great topic, not a good arc imo 🤘
Yes!!! Cole was set up for the PERFECT redemption arc! It could have even tied back to the very first episode when Piper was engaged to a warlock who tried to kill them. It would have showed that his and Phoebe's love for each other was so great that it overcame all expectations. It would have even set an example for the viewers that CHOICE matters. No matter what you were born as, that is not the only thing tbat will dictate your life. Your choices, the people you meet, things you do, these are nore impactful to your story. Instead, we got this rubbish. And I get it, Julian was leaving so they had to write Cole out. Couple of suggestions as to how that could have been written: A) why not have him die in Phoebe's arms either trying to protect them or an innocent. His last act on earth was one of ultimate goodness. Could even follow that up with Leo promising Phoebe to check and see if Cole made it to heaven. And then confirmation that he did, then we see Phoebe devastated by his death but ultimately happy that he overcame his demonic side. B) Clearly show him being possessed by the Source. Show him fighting for control and at times breaking through. Show his struggle. When Phoebe announced she was pregnant, show Cole being filled with so much love that for a moment, one moment he was able to completelt overthrow the Source long enough to call Leo or write a letter. But both things don't work because the Source is quick to take back control. And then, as he's being vanquished, show the Source trying to leave his body after realizing that a vanquish was imminent. Then Cole forces the Source back inside him so the sisters could vanquish him for good. He looks at Phoebe, who now realizes what was happening, tells her he loves her and that this wasn't her fault. That she is not allowed to feel guilty for this. And then he thanks the sisters for being his family. MOST IMPORTANTLY, do NOT have him come back from the Wasteland for more character assassination! Srsly! Either of these could have worked with freeing Julian from his contract without undoing all the growth Cole and Phoebe got. This could have even opened up a chance for him to come back in later seasons as a Whitelighter in training or something. The final proof that he is fully good now. #justiceforcole
Thank you so much for this video! I love Cole, but even as a kid, I could see how much the writers abused his character, depending on the needs of the episode/season. I loved his journey in s3, but from s4 onwards it was such a tragedy. By making him so fixated on Phoebe, they made him more of an asset/plot device than his own character. It never sat well with me that Cole seemed motivated solely by his feelings for Phoebe. Like, in season 3, you could see him trying to win Prue to his side or becoming potential friends with Leo, but later on, it's like the rest of the family is just an add-on to Phoebe, even when he's not written as evil. And he did have great potential storylines of his own the writers never resolved - such as his father's soul (not to mention they could have explored his past more, his demon mother, his place within the demon hierarchy, etc.). As a kid, I was so relieved when he came back in s5 because I didn't want to lose my favourite character, but the way they basically retconned his tragic possession storyline pissed me off so much. And his death in s5 was a pointless rehash of his death in s4, but without the same emotional impact. The official comics sooort of fixed his situation, from what I remember, but I'm still mad he never got a proper resolution on screen. One thing I do appreciate about his episode in s7 is that he was helping Piper, not Phoebe, so we at least got to see him interacting with another family member for a change (though the idea of him stalking Phoebe even after death and sending guys to her is so cringeworthy!).
youre so real for thinking that guy Cole killed when he and Prue went to the past was funny. It was! And that guy was a dick. Most of what Cole went through wasn't even his fault, especially in the end. They HATED him for no reason! I heard they were supposed to do a Paige/Cole affair thing but the actors hated that so they went down the unredeemable cole route instead. Neither of those plots make any sense to me, he could have died in a demon battle, in a finale like Prue. If Julien the actor wanted to leave, they could have done ANYTHING ELSE!!! Col's exit from Charmed and George's exit from Greys Anatomy will haunt me forever.
The way they treated him becoming the source never sat right with me. Like number one he was possessed, number two he tried to get rid of it but Phoebe stopped him. And his attempts to get Phoebe back leading to his final death in season 5 was pathetic, they should have let him go after season 4. And every time he killed a demon they treated him like trash. Like they throw around the sentence we have to vanquish. Well vanquishing means getting rid/killing!
Cole's mistreatment is what i hated the most. I love the show. but it just wasn't the fact that Cole was mistreated. but Cole's actor Julian McMahon was mistreated. the writers create this exciting character only to give Cole the shaft. I can see why Julian McMahon wanted to leave. who wouldn't want to leave after such mistreatment!
After the source was vanquished in season 4 Phoebe became the worst character on the show, and how Cole gets treated in season 5 is the main reason the first half of that season is hard to watch, among the other tonal shift issues. Everyone ignores that he was possessed against his will by the source, this was showcased in the episode where they fought the source, he just took the hollow in, took an attack that would've killed Phoebe, and the next episode is pissed because the seer never mentioned he'd become the source if he helped the charmed ones vanquish the previous one. Cole's character in season 3 planted the seed that would sprout the most annoying aspects of Phoebe highlighted in the second half of the show, dates over danger and being self-involved. Even her premonitions by Season 8 had no longer had anything to do with saving innocents or warn them of any kind of circumstance, they were all just magic 8 balls she had just to project her desire of a man or kids. Phoebe's attitude toward Cole in season 5 is downright abusive. From the moment he shows up she assaults him multiple times and then spends the season gaslighting him into thinking evil is all he's good for while using a lot of manipulative and damaging logic that not only ruins Cole but makes the Charmed Ones hypocrites. It also ruins all the development Cole had and just turns him into an obsessed stalker. They frame Phoebe as the victim when she's the abuser and Cole as the abuser when he's the victim. I agree that if Phoebe doesn't want to take Cole back and move on with her life, she has the right to do that for both of their sakes, however, any time Cole plans to leave them alone they bring him back just to berate him again. And everyone acts like the source drama was his fault when it was Phoebe who vanquished the wizard as he was taking the source out of Cole at Cole's request. Nothing on Phoebe's part is ever acknowledged. I also don't like how she randomly comes off we a big celebrity, despite her skills and advice on love never really being shown to us, it not only felt like an excuse to turn her into Carrie Bradshaw, but she also uses works as an excuse to avoid her duties as a Charmed One, which further adds to her increased self-centered behavior, this was showcased in how she treats Miley at the beginning where she dismisses, her pride her ego of the paper, then blames them losing Miley on Pipers panic attack when she ditched them just to divorce Cole. What's even worse is Phoebe suffers NO consequences for her treatment of Cole, she instead gets rewarded with a boyfriend, who she cheats on TWICE shortly after dating him. Season 4b was where she declined, season 5 onward is where she didn't come back, and outsight of a couple of notable highlights doesn't recover as a character for me. In fact, what I also found frustrating is how everyone acts like any morally questionable thing Cole does is proof that he's predisposed to evil, yet in Season 6 they have Chris who becomes two different characters within the same season, does morally questionable things and the COs forgive him, but not Cole. I'd even argue the things the COs abuse their magic for or general actions make them almost as bad as the attitudes they had bashing Cole.
Every time I see one of these videos, I feel validated as a youth LOL I saw this show when I was young, and my favorite character by far was Cole. Still is. And one of the biggest reasons why is because of how misunderstood he was. And later on as I grew up and watched it again with adult, more intelligent eyes, I liked Cole even more, and was even MORE upset with every character in the show and the writers themselves for how badly they did him. Cole, ever since he met Phoebe, was not only a good person despite what EVERYONE said, he was the most exploited, and most USEFUL, person throughout his arcs. Once Cole denounced his demonic side and sided with them, they wouldnt have been able to accomplish ANYTHING in the next 2 years without him. And yet they still acted squeamish toward him. They saved Phoebe from the time loop because of Cole. They found Paige when Prue died with Cole's help. They VANQUISHED THE SOURCE thanks to Cole. Then when he gets possesed by the Source, people forget he actually DOES eventually win the internal battle for a minute and try to get the sorcerer to get the spirit out of him. PHOEBE is the one who killed him before the process was complete, and took the role of the Queen of the Underworld. When they finally vanquish him (as the Source) and Phoebe sees him again in the underworld, he wasn't even upset. He agreed it was the right thing to do and thanked her for freeing him. Now he wants her to save his human soul, and she denies it because she doesn't want to ever use dark magic again. Wbich would have been easier to swallow if she didn't use dark magic the VERY NEXT SEASON 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ and when he found a way to get HIMSELF out, now he's a pariah to them, acting like he's a demon again (he was NOT), even though they STILL use him every chance they get. They couldn't beat the siren without him. They couldn't beat Barbus without him either. But every time he saved them, they immediately treat him like shxt again the minute it's over. Literally immediately 🤣 it's ridiculous. When he finally just went mad, I couldn't even blame him anymore. And when he finally got vanquished permanently, I felt more happy he finally got peace. Apparently they have some comics that continue after the show, and he comes back and does get a true redemption. Even sacrifices himself properly and approves of her husband, gives them his blessing. I want to read this and get personal penance in my own soul for this, because THIS storyline makes me not trust humans at this point LOL Thank you so much for this, yet another perspective that gives me satisfaction of my internal rage at this 🤣💯💯
Cole doesn't even get a break in the comics. Last I checked he can't even get an afterlife for his human side, he just stays as a specter protecting Pheobe.
Love this video. Your analysis is awesome. It's too bad that I don't think the showrunners gave it a second thought. They loved to keep things as shallow as possible.
I always viewed it as his demonic powers corrupting him in season 5, since the series showed that it was specifically the demonic powers that made people evil, paige got a demonic power in one episode and she went mad, the woman that ran the advice column got a demonic power too iirc and she went crazy, but cole, as a mortal, gets lots of powers that he wasn't born with, and weren't his, suddenly that's his fault? Prue got empathy and almost went insane because she wasn't destined to have it. Season 5 has some of the worst writing in the entire series
I also think that in the mermaid episode, yes they emphasized true love that Phoebe had for Cole but at the same time the writers may have wanted to touch base on reality and show that even when a person is in love they can become fed up with their boyfriend or girlfriend in relationships, and that feeling of being "fed up" or angry can over take their personality and make that character (Phoebe) more assertive and decide not to go back to old ways. Not to take certain things from Cole (like abuse) and leave that in the past, essentially moving on. It would be growth for Phoebe despite the true reasons for Cole's actions being unclear by the writers. So this means in the show if the writers didn't explain well why Cole did certain things, it really didn't matter because at that point Phoebe doesn't know and she is simply acting off how she feels based on the info she has.
Honestly, with Julian Mcmahon, needing to leave the show to work on other projects inside the timeframe of season 5, the writers really should have written him out after Phoebe's ultimatum in the 2-part mermaid premier, or perhaps a few episodes after as the sisters do rely on him to get them out of a few binds early in the season before he settles into sad stalker Cole. He escaped the wasteland, he's no longer the source and he is receptive to Phoebe's thoughts on their inability to be together. They'd have the opportunity to bring him back to guest star in the occasional episode and his arc being a regular cast member for two seasons could wrap up with him ultimately changed for the better despite the trails and tribulations he underwent.
not watched the video yet but for me the last naik in the coffin is when in his last appearence on the show he admits being in the wrong and wishing pheobe to not give up on love.I was ok assuming he was abused to that point and that the authors unintentionally left it vague enough to let us assume he was a grey character who was wronged and brushed unter the carpet. By having him aknowledge his "wrong doing" they truly retconned him into being the bad guy
You’ve raised some crucial points, especially about Phoebe and Cole’s toxic relationship, which tragically contributed to Prue’s demise. Cole’s demise wasn’t that difficult for me, given how toxic their bond was. It’s true that the charmed ones often used him, and Prue clearly disliked him, while Paige and Piper merely tolerated him. Phoebe’s relationship to him was selfish considering how much they exploited him. It would have been understandable if Prue had stepped away from this dynamic, especially given Phoebe’s demon romance. Their anger towards him was justified, as Cole often sought to harm them. Despite helping Phoebe, his motives were selfish. Piper’s pregnancy intensified their fear, and Leo’s experiences reinforced their distrust. Despite the pressure the sisters exerted on Cole, he also inflicted physical harm. Demon love is perilous, as exemplified by Cole. His actions, like impregnating Phoebe without consent, were abusive. It’s important to acknowledge these points, albeit in a condensed form. However, there was a silver lining to this ordeal: how it strengthened Piper and Paige’s relationship.”
One of the best things the show did (intentional or not!) was put her with Coop whose name starts with a C! I hope it was an intentional nod to the episode from the past when it's revealed the first letter of her love would be a C.
Idk i get why people liked Phoebe and cole, but i felt like it distracted and literally leads to the sisterhood element being dismantled. It was literally the catalyst to Prue's death. Phoebe always put him over her sister's and it leads to one of them dying permanently, so i have a love hate relationship with that relationship. Just like she put the guy clay I think his name is, from season 1 over prue when she was trying to tell Phoebe that clay stole the art smh.
I believe they were gonna have Cole and Paige become an item but it was shot down by Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs because "they didn't think breaking up the sisterhood was good for the show" which was code for "we don't want to give Rose more screen time than us". Since they were the executive producers, they *had* to do what they said and the idea was scrapped which is a shame. I would've loved Cole to have a different romantic relationship than being obsessed with Phoebe and seeing more opportunities for character growth but it was the ego of the leads that ruined Cole.
With the possessions maybe it’s because they’re family and sisters and Cole did have a history of being evil, I do agree with what you’re saying but just a thought, in some cases it can be easier to forgive family rather then romantic partners (not in all cases but sometimes)
I have been deep diving and I really think they should have kept Phoebe’s and Cole’s child. They should have had them be divorced and co-parenting their little girl. I think it would have fixed Cole plot and Phoebe’s later seasons too.
Well even though I don't agree with it, one can argue if Cole was a demon or is a demon and is possessed the girls know he is evil and so it is expected he will do evil things, he will eventually revert back to his old ways and in their mind maybe he did want to go back to that way of being, his nature.
unpopular opinion: i was never a fan of cole/phoebe. especially in season 3. she fell too hard and too fast for him, before she even really knew him. and he spent so much time lying and hiding things from her. this always bothered me and made me not really take their relationship seriously.
If you think the series treatment of Cole is BAD…. Then you should check out/review the graphic novels!!!! They represent seasons 9 & 10.!!!7 You’ll be in for something!!!
Cole is too good for Phoebe, he saved her life over and over and got vanquished for it. I'm a male and charmed was my favorite show, that was until I learned how toxic Alyssa Milano really is. Cole briefly had the power to go to parallel universes when he joined the Avatars, he should have used it to escape from toxic Phoebe forever.
I dont think cole the character was done dirty, it kind of made sense cuz we know cole or belthazar was an evil demon for over a century, so him having issues is more than understandable, to me he had spend so much time being a literal demon that the first time he had any good emotions with phoebe it’s basically like a sociopath that somehow falls in love with someone, his understanding of love was twisted from the very start, yes he loved her but cuz he was a demon or half demon it is very much a person who feel love but doesn’t understand how to love someone, that sometimes loving someone is putting their happiness as a priority, a good loving relationship has bout try to improve eachother, and help eachother out and if you love someone that doesn’t love you then you want the best for them regardless of its with you or not, and cole in my opinion never understood that aspect of love not until after the whole invincible cole, once he realizes that phoebe would never love him again he started to understand that she needs love that isn’t him and thats why he orchestrated the thing we see in season 7
I realize I'm only 13mins into the video and my views might change towards the end but I'm am truly disturbed by this romanticizing of a literal demon that has vanquished 100s of innocents. Are we just supposed to forget that because he luuurves Phoebe? What is wrong with ppl?😅 Prue was 1000% right to not trust him. And don't get me started on the fact that Prue would still be alive today if not for that toxic relationship. #JustSayin
Liked the commentary more towards the end, esp around the codependency conversation. I had no problem with the writing. My problem was the sisters never faced any consequences for the roles they played in Cole's eventual demise - which to me is very realistic. Ppl hurt others all the time in real life and never face any consequences. Everything else ofcourse I strongly disagree. Cole WAS the source. The powers entered the void that used to be Belthazor. He was FULLY responsible for his actions. You see some of those actions, the smart and cunning way Cole always was, in S5. No one says he was "possessed" by the powers from the wasteland there. Yet they say it all the time for Source Cole. So wild. Anyway, all in good fun. Interesting video. 👍🏾
I agree with you, bit I think what ppl are trying to say he help the sisters when he was turned into human and got possessed by the source, I think that's what they're referring to because remember Balthazar was vanquish and they all know cole was human.. but I think they could handle it a bit better because tbh it does kinda make Phoebe looks bad for real , he same her ass so many times even in season 5 with fairy tale episodes in the season 4x22 episode when she was about to get shot, but I agree with you otherwise
A year ago I covered Charmed as a whole- check it out here! I've done a deep dive of Charmed in the past- here it is!
th-cam.com/video/uSdU123MdHc/w-d-xo.html
It got a lot of views, but some of newer subscribers didn't know I had posted it!
You didn't fully go in deeper details about Belthazor. Because he could've saved Prue from Shax and killing Shax which means Prue would still be alive physically and that would've been a plot twist then they wouldn't have done Cole dirty at all. Because Belthazor is far stronger than Shax and that's why.
Omg yes!!!!! Even as a kid I never understood wtf happened to Cole and why everyone just...hated him??? Most of what happened wasn't even his fault? The source possessed him and somehow Cole is just too EeeeeEvvviiiiIIIILLllll to forgive???
he was definitely evil in the past before he met Phoebe, but after a point the hate for him was a little overboard hahaha
@@SerenaSkybourne Yes obviously since he was a full time demon before Phoebe I understood the initial skepticism hahaha! But like you said, it was just so over the top with how much hate he got! The narrative just treated him so badly, almost without the nuance that the sisters (and Leo) often got. It all just got down to "nah he's just so evil that's why he does things". I could understand why Phoebe would be quick to say so, since she just associates him with too many painful memories and that would be easier than to let him in again, but when the others are so quick to agree, it just never seems like anyone (writers included) understood what Cole's character was/could be :(
It's all a shame, really.
i agree, it would make sense if just Phoebe was hurt and doubtful, but everyone else was condemning him as well@@Nami608
@@SerenaSkybourneI can get the hate if he never got with Phoebe and changed. But everyone loved Cole and he was actually being good. Then the Source possesses and even though he was free everyone just acted like mid-season 3 - mid-season 4 Cole just didn’t exist. They literally drove him mad and my man deserved better.
@@tobennaokoli4450 The issue is that in season 5, the show kind of retconned the whole Cole being possessed by the Source to Cole just being the Source. I've heard that the Cole and Phoebe ruling the underworld plot was supposed to continue into season 5 originally but the studio told the writers to resolve that plot for the season finale. Having Cole come back from the wasteland and attempt to take over the underworld again was a sloppy attempt to salvage some of that plot.
I have been screaming Justice For Cole from the rooftops for years 😂😂
yaaas!! Justice For Cole!! 🤣😅
Justice for Cole!
Small correction, Cole had nothing to do with Phoebe meeting Cupid, that was the Elders. The person you're thinking of is Drake De Mon.
i think it was revealed that he was the mastermind (and basically a cuck)
He was easily the best character and the writers just ruined him. They also ruined Phoebe in the process. It could have been amazing if they had either kept him human (maybe killed him when Julian wanted to leave) or they acknowledge the source bs was through no fault of his own and he and Phoebe make peace (he leaves or dies or something).
Cole is one of my favorite characters.
It's a shame what happened to him at the end of the series.
I always see "the seer" as big bad.
Who manipulated Cole, who was possessed by "source of all evil".
i agree, i always say "the seer" and "the source", and the brotherhood as the most evil ones, not Cole as an individual
Same
Exactly!
Banishing him to the wasteland was an act of evil by the Charmed. Ironic.
this show has very questionable moments of 'good and evil'
Where else should they have sent the Source of All Evil?
Valhalla maybe? Or the heavens to chill with the Elders...?
Actually, hold up, he would probably fit quite well with those useless Elders, no?
@@TCt83067695 "Where else should they have sent the Source of All Evil? [...] the heavens to chill with the Elders...?": To be fair I'm sure Piper would have loved that idea, lol. After all, the elders were nothing but a technocratic apparatus of bureaucracy in a world that didn't need them. The charmed ones were fine without them during season 1.
Cole could have been a better plot point for Phoebe since she had a tendency of going after evil . Cole going through his journey to become good should have inspired her to grow and not repeat mistakes from her past life and actually realize how much her selfishness put her sisters in danger. Cole story could have ended by him realizing his life only had the purpose of being with phoebe and not actually living has human so him leaving to found a real purpose could have been a final good for his character
His ending could have been so much better, but his storyline is still one of the most interesting. Hes definitely my favourite character of the show
Well, I loved the posessed Cole storyline. To me, his vainquishing felt like the end of a very tragic star-crossed lovers type plot. It seems to me like the huge mistake they made was to have him come back at all (especialy if they knew Julian didn't want to come back for a whole season). I would've loved to see Phoebe dealing with his mourning and the loss of (what she'd been imagining being) their child. They could've have gone in so many directions and interesting storylines instead of the shit show that was season 5. I'll never get over that character assassination, perhaps this show's greatest sin.
Jumping onto your comment about the loss of her child, it was really crappy that the show didn't focus on this at all! Miscarriages can be really traumatic, or you'd at least be a little upset, but it was as though the writers completely forgot about it as soon as the seer took the baby.
@@Frogface91yes I agree they made it seem so simple that it was just enough for Phoebe to know that the child wasn't actually theirs and it was just like the next source of evil. Like she could have at least mourn the idea of having a child she thought was theirs and the life she imagined. I mean they never even addressed it in the later episodes either like it would have been nice if later on she said that it was unresolved and that she had suppress those feelings and then she was actually trying to work on them but they never went back to that. Actually that also reminds me of what they did to Blair's character in Gossip Girl. She went from being pregnant to losing the baby and never talking about it again.
Clever title! I couldn't verbalise any of these feelings when I was younger but after rewatching Charmed as an adult, I agree that Cole's arc was bizarre. Even as a child seeing random season 5 Cole episodes on TV, like the one where Phoebe turned into a mermaid and he showed up to... warm her heart, or something?, I couldn't understand why they would spend so much time on Cole and keep him so present in the show if he wasn't going to be Phoebe's final love interest. This is a television show! It just feels like they're wasting our time.
I'm commenting before I've finished watching the video, so I'm not sure if you talk about this, but in universe, this relationship is kind of why Prue died. Phoebe went into the demon world, where she was basically unreachable, to help Cole. The power of three wasn't all together to vanquish the demon who killed Prue. That's such a big loss for a romance that isn't THE romance, and if Prue's DEATH didn't make Phoebe want to stop dating Cole how could anything else?
Edit: Yes! Evil Phoebe! This is my favourite concept in the entire show and I'm so disappointed that they never explored it in depth. It could have been such an interesting series-long arc for her.
what was your favourite "phase" of Cole's? Mine was in Season 3 where he's first introduced and kind of fighting his feelings for Phoebe
I really enjoyed human cole I liked seeing him in that phase because he lost his powers and had to deal with being human
The moment where phoebe has to finish him off was so emotional, we literally cried buckets
That was my favorite as well as season 4 when he’s helping the sisters after Prue dies. I love seeing him fight alongside the girls
The beginning of season 4. When he still has his powers and is fighting demons with Piper & Phoebe.
My favorite is right as he betrays the triad up until he loses his powers in season 4. (I don't really like the brotherhood storyline though, so I skip that. I really like when he fights with the sisters. He's so cool.
OKAY but thank you for this videa. It's so funny, because in more recent shows ( PLL, Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, whatever ) we had some truly, truly iredeemable assholes as love interests, that the show kinda forgave without even making them suffer any consequences, but with Cole it's the complete opposite ? He was trying so hard to be good, and the Charmeds ( and the show ) just didn't... allow it ? It's a pretty depressing message in my eyes, something like 'you can't EVER escape what you are' :(
Finally, someone says it!!! Cole was such an interesting character and so was his relationship with Phoebe, the wasted potential haunts me still
Buffy did a better job with the Angel/Angelius dicotomy. Making it not a choice to send angel to the hell demension and someone always being on Angel's side, knowing he is not Angelus. And even when others can't get passed it, it is made clear it's mainly because he is the face, voice, and body that caused so much torture and death and still see what he contributes to the group when Angel/with a soul. What I don't like about Angel vs Cole is that they clearly show Angel as a complete asshat as a human in the olden days haha
agreed! Cole is def the Charmed version of Angel. maybe the extreme competition between the 2 shows played a role in how they destroyed Cole.
Good comparison
Cole's story when he became the source happened at the time of season 6 of Buffy. That's when they had Buffy and Spike storyline. Who also was treated as a villian by the story. And they made Phoebe be with Cole and go to the dark side at the same time when Buffy started sleeping with Spike, while they tried to use this 'going to the dark side' idea too.
The connection of both couples and their attitude was introduced as dark, evil one. Both broke up closer to the end of the season. They made Cole kill a person and give Phoebe a tonic, so eventually she had to choose whether she wanted to be with him or not and be part of his world. And they also tried to ruin Spike's character with that attempt and to show the same way that he can't be with her because he is a demon.
So it has really lot of parallels there. That I don't see in Angel story. Yes, Buffy loved Angel but for me that's the only big enough similarity besides him being a vampire so a demon. But love for someone is not such an unusual thing. Millions of couples on tv love each other. And there were other demons and vamps there too. So for me it's not enough to see it as the same.
I also see the difference in how they treated Cole and Angel. The buffy show loved Angel way more. They showed Angel a lot more respect, constantly was defending him, like 'he is good, he has a soul' and eventually gave him his own show even. Where he was the boss and was saving the day and everyone. That's absolutely not what they did with Cole. Cole has remained a controversial character more like Spike. So for me it's clear who this reminds me of.
@@Junejane4 it’s definitely not a 1:1 comparison as far as their character arcs but both did the “former bad guy trying to be a good guy for love” trope with the added complexity of sometimes embodying a demon. it can be difficult to maintain the good guy part without taking away from the main protagonist after becoming a fan favorite so he has to die or move away. buffy just did it better.
@@Junejane4 I agree with @tinakills3586
That is a very intersting view! I dont see cole being paralelled to Spike at all. Spike is terrible and Buffy never does anything "bad-side" for him other than let him live haha! He is only given a chance at "good guy" because of the chip in his head and then goes to get a soul to make Buffy love him.... he then tries to r*pe her despite having a soul and suposedly feeling his past crimes.
Spike was never actually a good guy, nor did he flip flop in a way that was fighting his "demon" side, just pretended and was obsessed with slayers. Spike is controversial but I don't think it is for the same reasons as Cole.
oh my gosh i've never seen anyone talk abt charmed !!! if u ever do another one on this show i'm there 100%🥺❤
Wow i can't believe that charmed aired 25 years ago i feel old now 😳
Do you think you'll do a video on Page herself? I really enjoyed her character early in her run before show went all male gazey, but I think its interesting becuase her arrival kind of unintentionally signaled the shows quality decline, just thinks its an interesting topic.
Plus theres also Prues departure which people found grating and already had Page's character at disadvantage right at the start of her character being introduced.
Interesting request thankyou! There’s a lot here for sure
Initially, I didn’t like Paige in season 4 because it felt like the writers were replacing Prue and expected us to accept her as a Charmed One. However, she was a good addition to the show. She was always reliable and a great aunt.
Coop didn't come in til season 8. Cole's last appearance was in season 7, when he sent the thorn demons after Piper and Paige to get Piper to the same realm he was on. He wanted to make sure Piper and Leo stayed together so Phoebe didn't give up on love. Phoebe was with Drake at the time, the demon who only had a few months to live.
That scene in the kitchen in I think Saving Private Leo really pissed me off. Every time I watch it. Phoebe could have gone to literally any other room in the house and had plenty of quiet. Her bedroom, the attic, maybe even the conservatory. You can't cook or get food in any other room besides the kitchen.
I've heard that Brad Kern quote about Phoebe a few times and I think he was either high when he said it or he had forgotten about 99.9% of what happened on this show.
I completely agree with this. I didn't like how they handled Cole. He was a great "grey" character and they should have kept him that way. I keep thinking what if he wasn't processed with the Source. And they could have waited to make him "human" and that way he continued as a demon but an ally.
FINALLY!!! Justice for Cole! He was finally about to move on in season 5 (after the sisters just rejected him though he took on the Source to save their lives), then Paige casts that spell to force Cole to feel Phoebe’s love for him and that pulls him back in all over again. Then after he tries to win her back - which he only does due to their meddling - they just kill him and that’s it.
Cole was done so dirty and honestly that is the most evil things the Charmed Ones ever did.
I just watched the ep with Barbas in Season 5. And seeing the girls giving Cole dirty looks after he killed Barnas , a demon that they would've killed too just pissed me off.
Side note: I'd love to see more videos on charmed.
Especially since he was free and human and he reluctantly agreed to take his powers back to save them.
What was also disgusting, was when he first came to them for help, and they dismissed him.
Cole was an innocent they failed to protect.
Thank you for this video, which does Cole justice.
If I may add an element that you forgot to mention and that seems very important to me: in episode 13 of season 3, Prue was forcibly married to a warlock by a priestess in order to make the three sisters evil and recover their power. If you remember, it was Cole who warned Phoebe about this. She was already "infected" by the time he came to warn her and she said "Isn't that the you want me (evil)?" and he replied "No. This is not how I want you to be. It's not how I want us to be. Our only chance is if e're both good". So the idea that afterwards (in season 4) Cole wants to make Phoebe evil is completely ridiculous. They've really messed with him. That's why, for me, I don't take into account what they did with him at that point. After what they did with his character (making him good then bad etc...) Charmed has lost its flavor. For me, he was one of the best characters because he wasn't all black and white, he was more of a Grey character.
As for the part where you talk about the co-dependency between Phoebe and Cole, I think it's a bit unfair to put it solely in perspective with her relationship with Cole. I think Phoebe is co-dependent with all her boyfriends in the show, she often put them first. So I don't think it's roaming Cole but rather Phoebe.
I really wanted Pheobe to end up with Cole and stay human. I found it insulting to him that he would introduce Coop and pass him off as the true love of his life while erasing Cole. I don't see how in the writing Coop is the true love of his life opposite Cole. I mean, she's completely under Cole's spell from the moment she sees him. The fact that she's more likely to be bad I find even more real and coherent. The fact that they completely eradicated their baby really bothered me, and especially that they never spoke about it afterwards.
I absolutely agree with you on the part that they used Cole at their convenience and then rejected him at their convenience too
I'd also like to make a second parallel: in an episode where the girls take in a demon baby (half demon half human) that the father is trying to save and for a while Prue, Phoebe and Piper take care of the baby. At the time, they didn't mind that it was half-demon. However, when it comes to Cole, who is himself half-human half-demon, something he didn't choose, it must condemn him to being something evil. Or when Pure saves one of his friends who's about to become a demon, the person can change, but Cole is condemned?
thank for speaking out on this very important topic. I always hated the way they ended Cole. he ended up representing one of our biggest fears, being judged by the worst version of ourselves. charmed is in my rewatch rotation and the older I get, the more problematic my faves become.
I was rewatching it now, but I can’t be bothered to watch anything past Cole getting vanquished in season 5 because he was done so dirty.
Yep cole was treated badly his character deserved better i think brad kerns did that to the character because julian had already decided to leave the show to do Ryan Murphy tv series nip/tuck 🙁🤔
I'm so glad you covered this because it's one of my favourite shows and I'm still angry about the way the writers treated Cole 😂 I just can't get my head around why Cole was irredeemable compared to others. Prue could see the good in other side characters before Cole like Brendan and Bane that had ties to warlocks/demons. Plus the sisters themselves were under evil's influence many times and were forgiven despite doing horrible things like shattering and killing Leo or hurting each other. Why does Cole being half demon at first make any difference especially when he was human at one point only becoming the source by accident to help Phoebe, not to mention he proved he could be good countless times and only gained all them invincible powers to escape the hell he was trapped in when the sisters turned their backs on him. He was only ever acting evil due to force, trying to get his father's soul, being possessed, or by embracing his demon side to try and defeat another evil and do a good deed. Just because he was born half demon doesn't mean he shouldn't be able to choose his path and overcome evil. In later seasons Leo went off the rails killing elders and joining avatars and he was able to be redeemed. In season 7 Phoebe saw the good in the evil Seer as well. For some reason with Cole, it's like the writers needed to get rid of him and thought making him inherently evil was the best way to do that. Unfortunately it just made no sense because of all the sympathy they created and times he tried to be good.
He was an innocent they failed to protect.
From Season 4 on, Phoebe became the worst. She used to be my favorite in the first seasons. She was flawed but likeable but after season 4, charned became the "Phoebe-Boyfriends-Weird outfits" Show and it went downhill from there.
Cole was a character with so much potential.
I loved how he fought his bad side. The relationship could have been a message about boundaries, what toxic behavior is and how people may be able to change - or not. :)
It could have been a metaphor for a lot of things. But the writers weren't able to go through with one direct storyline. Most of the time he's added on as if the writers forgot he was there.
Not a way to treat a SO of some main character. He and Leo weren't treated the same and it shows.
Also the reason he was working for the triad was to free his fathers soul.Wich I feel often gets ignored.
I agree! He wasn’t just doing it for funsies
I hated what they did to his character arc when I watched the show years ago and I'm glad someone has finally verbalized and analyzed this in a video.
Cole is a great example of wasted potential.
the thing thats most weird about the set up for phoebe being evil. they did a episode before the dark wedding, with a dark wedding with prue and the moment one of them went dark. all went dark and so did the book so. the minute cole and her got married they all shouldve started changing and going evil. but instead they do what they are great at, forgetting theyre own lore and just handling situations differently on case by case bases.
That show has so many continuity errors!
This video is giving me flashbacks to Allison Pregler's Charmed Retrospectives. "Thanks, Colebama!"
I liked cole when he was in limbo helping piper
same
Omgosh 😭😭😭 I needed this video so bad. The moment I saw it, I was so excited. Thank you for doing this!
You are so welcome!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS OMFG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH SERENA!!!!
I love YOU!
I hated Cole and Phoebe as a pair but Cole as a stand alone character is very complex and interesting, he brought different layers to the show.
Cole was always one of my favourite characters, and I would've written him so differently if its up to me. Love your chose of topic, and your vids in general. 💙
Justice for Cole Turner! I'm so glad other people were frustrated with what the writers did with Cole. I honestly rather they had just killed the character. It could have been interesting if his death was related in some way to the fact that he had been redeemed. Then, as Phoebe mourned him maybe she could start to wish he had never turned good, because at least then he'd still be alive (grief does weird things to people, so it's a possible direction). Then they could have explored her dark side through her grief. And they could have gotten the actor off the show so he could do other things without completely butchering the character
I HATE it when people say oh its just a fictional show with magic as if that's a defense. But then you talk about something like the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Seeing Red suddenly it's not JUST a fictional magic show.
I like Cole very much. It's such a shame that Cole ended like that. He is a very potential character and really suits Phoebe. I also like how Cole evolved throughout the series, but I am so sorry about his downfall. His demise is what saddened me the most.
My sister and I have been talking about this for years!!!!!! I feel so validated you made this 😂
Cole is season 3 was perfection and in season 4 almost perfect. I personally really love him being possessed by The Source storyline. It provided a really good conflict for the rest of season 4. The only changes i would´ve made is to show how he´s actively trying to fight The Source within himself, like in Coyote Piper he breaks free for few seconds and shows that the real Cole is still there somewhere. My problem comes with season 5, the writers not only completely destroyed my man but they also kinda destroyed the Charmed Ones. They turned him into an obsessed weirdo, stalker, psychopath and lastly pure evil. And it´s the Charmed Ones that put him on this path, especially Phoebe. They were his family for almost 2 years and then they were completely mean and hostile to him and made him believe he´ll always be evil no matter what he does and then on top of that refused to vanquish him after taking basically his life purpose, like i´m not surprised he went crazy. I understand Charmed Ones and especially Phoebe were very traumatized by everything that happened but they were horrible to him. Instead of that horrible retcon the writers should´ve worked with Phoebe´s fear of becoming evil being the reason she doesn´t want to be near him. Either they should´ve let him dead in season 4 or give him a proper ending in season 5. The ending of 4x21 with letter that was such a perfect way how to end his character. I think they could´ve made that scene bit longer with Cole explaining in that letter everything that happened and also that he´ll always love her and will watch over her. I hate how they brought him back in 4x22 and how Phoebe refused to save him even though The Source was gone, i understand you have trauma and don´t want him to be around but after everything you owe him to bring him back from this horrible place, after all he´s an innocent who needs help. If you don´t want to use black magic ok, but there´s surely a way how to bring him back with white magic too. The episode should´ve focused on Phoebe being conflicted about whether she should bring him back and her deciding being interrupted by what was going on and once she decides she wants to help him he already escapes himself. And in season 5 Cole should be searching for his purpose in life outside of the Charmed Ones but still being attached to his family and both sides trying to move on and try to live without each other. And then in 5x12 Cole should´ve died as a hero while trying to save his family against whatever evil being writers would come up with. It´s not a big problem but i kinda wish we got more bonding moments between Cole and Piper, Paige, Leo and even Darryl. I think it would be incredible to see his individual friendships with rest of the cast and make him more than just Phoebe´s boyfriend but establish him as a true part of the family. We got some moments and interaction here and there but it´s not enough. This would make it much more impactful for season 5 and when he returns as guest in season 7. It would be heartwarming to see that he isn´t just trying to make Phoebe believe in love but that he´s helping Piper (& Leo) because he loves and cares about them.
No hate, I'm just a psycho, but it was Pheobe and Cole that went to save Paige and it was Piper and Cole saving a rando from a flaming car outside the police station. Paige froze because the car accident triggered her trauma from her parents deaths. I've watched this series all the way through SEVERAL times and I can basically recite the entire thing. Cole deserved so much better.
piper in particular believes that demons are inherently evil and have no free will, and yet she also tortures them for information.
I like Cole’s story through season 3-4. I’m ok with the plot line that he was the source and couldn’t be saved. I don’t like how they bring him back from the dead after he’s vanquished. If he’s not going to be with Phoebe, he doesn’t need to be on the show. I get that Phoebe is flawed which is why they would both turn evil and fall out of love eventually. They bring him back because he’s a fan favorite. Also it doesn’t make sense because if all that was needed to save Cole was to vanquish the Source why didn’t the Phoebe from the future just take him back then?
I’m sorry to be so surface level but Cole is such a gorgeous man. It’s been years since watching Charmed and he was bamboozled me today. Now I’m gonna watch Nip Tuck!
I was so happy when he got stripped from his powers and became full human. I love those episodes with him as a human. I wanted him to stay human. 😔
Next is Spike from Buffy! His redemption arc is amazing
Love that idea, so many similarities between coke and spike
I disagree! he only gets the chance because of the chip in his brain and later tries to r*pe buffy and everyone gets over it??
Still a great topic, not a good arc imo 🤘
Yes!!!
Cole was set up for the PERFECT redemption arc! It could have even tied back to the very first episode when Piper was engaged to a warlock who tried to kill them. It would have showed that his and Phoebe's love for each other was so great that it overcame all expectations. It would have even set an example for the viewers that CHOICE matters. No matter what you were born as, that is not the only thing tbat will dictate your life. Your choices, the people you meet, things you do, these are nore impactful to your story.
Instead, we got this rubbish.
And I get it, Julian was leaving so they had to write Cole out. Couple of suggestions as to how that could have been written:
A) why not have him die in Phoebe's arms either trying to protect them or an innocent. His last act on earth was one of ultimate goodness. Could even follow that up with Leo promising Phoebe to check and see if Cole made it to heaven. And then confirmation that he did, then we see Phoebe devastated by his death but ultimately happy that he overcame his demonic side.
B) Clearly show him being possessed by the Source. Show him fighting for control and at times breaking through. Show his struggle. When Phoebe announced she was pregnant, show Cole being filled with so much love that for a moment, one moment he was able to completelt overthrow the Source long enough to call Leo or write a letter. But both things don't work because the Source is quick to take back control. And then, as he's being vanquished, show the Source trying to leave his body after realizing that a vanquish was imminent. Then Cole forces the Source back inside him so the sisters could vanquish him for good. He looks at Phoebe, who now realizes what was happening, tells her he loves her and that this wasn't her fault. That she is not allowed to feel guilty for this. And then he thanks the sisters for being his family. MOST IMPORTANTLY, do NOT have him come back from the Wasteland for more character assassination!
Srsly! Either of these could have worked with freeing Julian from his contract without undoing all the growth Cole and Phoebe got. This could have even opened up a chance for him to come back in later seasons as a Whitelighter in training or something. The final proof that he is fully good now.
#justiceforcole
Thank you so much for this video! I love Cole, but even as a kid, I could see how much the writers abused his character, depending on the needs of the episode/season. I loved his journey in s3, but from s4 onwards it was such a tragedy. By making him so fixated on Phoebe, they made him more of an asset/plot device than his own character. It never sat well with me that Cole seemed motivated solely by his feelings for Phoebe. Like, in season 3, you could see him trying to win Prue to his side or becoming potential friends with Leo, but later on, it's like the rest of the family is just an add-on to Phoebe, even when he's not written as evil. And he did have great potential storylines of his own the writers never resolved - such as his father's soul (not to mention they could have explored his past more, his demon mother, his place within the demon hierarchy, etc.). As a kid, I was so relieved when he came back in s5 because I didn't want to lose my favourite character, but the way they basically retconned his tragic possession storyline pissed me off so much. And his death in s5 was a pointless rehash of his death in s4, but without the same emotional impact. The official comics sooort of fixed his situation, from what I remember, but I'm still mad he never got a proper resolution on screen. One thing I do appreciate about his episode in s7 is that he was helping Piper, not Phoebe, so we at least got to see him interacting with another family member for a change (though the idea of him stalking Phoebe even after death and sending guys to her is so cringeworthy!).
Finally, a thoughtful analysis of Cole Turner! You said exactly what I thought. Thank you!
youre so real for thinking that guy Cole killed when he and Prue went to the past was funny. It was! And that guy was a dick. Most of what Cole went through wasn't even his fault, especially in the end. They HATED him for no reason! I heard they were supposed to do a Paige/Cole affair thing but the actors hated that so they went down the unredeemable cole route instead. Neither of those plots make any sense to me, he could have died in a demon battle, in a finale like Prue. If Julien the actor wanted to leave, they could have done ANYTHING ELSE!!! Col's exit from Charmed and George's exit from Greys Anatomy will haunt me forever.
it was a hilarious death scene and i have zero shame admitting that hahaha
oh my gawd i'm so happy!
The way they treated him becoming the source never sat right with me. Like number one he was possessed, number two he tried to get rid of it but Phoebe stopped him. And his attempts to get Phoebe back leading to his final death in season 5 was pathetic, they should have let him go after season 4. And every time he killed a demon they treated him like trash. Like they throw around the sentence we have to vanquish. Well vanquishing means getting rid/killing!
Cole's mistreatment is what i hated the most. I love the show. but it just wasn't the fact that Cole was mistreated. but Cole's actor Julian McMahon was mistreated. the writers create this exciting character only to give Cole the shaft. I can see why Julian McMahon wanted to leave. who wouldn't want to leave after such mistreatment!
After the source was vanquished in season 4 Phoebe became the worst character on the show, and how Cole gets treated in season 5 is the main reason the first half of that season is hard to watch, among the other tonal shift issues. Everyone ignores that he was possessed against his will by the source, this was showcased in the episode where they fought the source, he just took the hollow in, took an attack that would've killed Phoebe, and the next episode is pissed because the seer never mentioned he'd become the source if he helped the charmed ones vanquish the previous one. Cole's character in season 3 planted the seed that would sprout the most annoying aspects of Phoebe highlighted in the second half of the show, dates over danger and being self-involved. Even her premonitions by Season 8 had no longer had anything to do with saving innocents or warn them of any kind of circumstance, they were all just magic 8 balls she had just to project her desire of a man or kids.
Phoebe's attitude toward Cole in season 5 is downright abusive. From the moment he shows up she assaults him multiple times and then spends the season gaslighting him into thinking evil is all he's good for while using a lot of manipulative and damaging logic that not only ruins Cole but makes the Charmed Ones hypocrites. It also ruins all the development Cole had and just turns him into an obsessed stalker. They frame Phoebe as the victim when she's the abuser and Cole as the abuser when he's the victim.
I agree that if Phoebe doesn't want to take Cole back and move on with her life, she has the right to do that for both of their sakes, however, any time Cole plans to leave them alone they bring him back just to berate him again. And everyone acts like the source drama was his fault when it was Phoebe who vanquished the wizard as he was taking the source out of Cole at Cole's request. Nothing on Phoebe's part is ever acknowledged. I also don't like how she randomly comes off we a big celebrity, despite her skills and advice on love never really being shown to us, it not only felt like an excuse to turn her into Carrie Bradshaw, but she also uses works as an excuse to avoid her duties as a Charmed One, which further adds to her increased self-centered behavior, this was showcased in how she treats Miley at the beginning where she dismisses, her pride her ego of the paper, then blames them losing Miley on Pipers panic attack when she ditched them just to divorce Cole. What's even worse is Phoebe suffers NO consequences for her treatment of Cole, she instead gets rewarded with a boyfriend, who she cheats on TWICE shortly after dating him.
Season 4b was where she declined, season 5 onward is where she didn't come back, and outsight of a couple of notable highlights doesn't recover as a character for me. In fact, what I also found frustrating is how everyone acts like any morally questionable thing Cole does is proof that he's predisposed to evil, yet in Season 6 they have Chris who becomes two different characters within the same season, does morally questionable things and the COs forgive him, but not Cole. I'd even argue the things the COs abuse their magic for or general actions make them almost as bad as the attitudes they had bashing Cole.
25:26 Best line ever: It is normal and expected to get possessed. 😂
💀😂
Every time I see one of these videos, I feel validated as a youth LOL I saw this show when I was young, and my favorite character by far was Cole. Still is. And one of the biggest reasons why is because of how misunderstood he was. And later on as I grew up and watched it again with adult, more intelligent eyes, I liked Cole even more, and was even MORE upset with every character in the show and the writers themselves for how badly they did him.
Cole, ever since he met Phoebe, was not only a good person despite what EVERYONE said, he was the most exploited, and most USEFUL, person throughout his arcs.
Once Cole denounced his demonic side and sided with them, they wouldnt have been able to accomplish ANYTHING in the next 2 years without him. And yet they still acted squeamish toward him.
They saved Phoebe from the time loop because of Cole.
They found Paige when Prue died with Cole's help.
They VANQUISHED THE SOURCE thanks to Cole.
Then when he gets possesed by the Source, people forget he actually DOES eventually win the internal battle for a minute and try to get the sorcerer to get the spirit out of him. PHOEBE is the one who killed him before the process was complete, and took the role of the Queen of the Underworld.
When they finally vanquish him (as the Source) and Phoebe sees him again in the underworld, he wasn't even upset. He agreed it was the right thing to do and thanked her for freeing him. Now he wants her to save his human soul, and she denies it because she doesn't want to ever use dark magic again. Wbich would have been easier to swallow if she didn't use dark magic the VERY NEXT SEASON 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ and when he found a way to get HIMSELF out, now he's a pariah to them, acting like he's a demon again (he was NOT), even though they STILL use him every chance they get.
They couldn't beat the siren without him.
They couldn't beat Barbus without him either.
But every time he saved them, they immediately treat him like shxt again the minute it's over. Literally immediately 🤣 it's ridiculous.
When he finally just went mad, I couldn't even blame him anymore. And when he finally got vanquished permanently, I felt more happy he finally got peace.
Apparently they have some comics that continue after the show, and he comes back and does get a true redemption. Even sacrifices himself properly and approves of her husband, gives them his blessing. I want to read this and get personal penance in my own soul for this, because THIS storyline makes me not trust humans at this point LOL
Thank you so much for this, yet another perspective that gives me satisfaction of my internal rage at this 🤣💯💯
Cole doesn't even get a break in the comics.
Last I checked he can't even get an afterlife for his human side, he just stays as a specter protecting Pheobe.
You should look up what they did to him in the comics. 🤦🏻♀️
Love this video. Your analysis is awesome. It's too bad that I don't think the showrunners gave it a second thought. They loved to keep things as shallow as possible.
“If you’re interested so stay tuned” babe I swear I am going NO WHERE 👀🍿
Babe I know I just have to sound modest 😜
How'd they make a vanquishing potion? He had already transmuted his blood, the Belthazor potion shouldn't work even in an alternate timeline.
Was his being cast on Nip/Tuck perhaps a reason for certain later changes to the character before his exit?
cole suffered badddd
And for what 😂😭
I always viewed it as his demonic powers corrupting him in season 5, since the series showed that it was specifically the demonic powers that made people evil, paige got a demonic power in one episode and she went mad, the woman that ran the advice column got a demonic power too iirc and she went crazy, but cole, as a mortal, gets lots of powers that he wasn't born with, and weren't his, suddenly that's his fault? Prue got empathy and almost went insane because she wasn't destined to have it. Season 5 has some of the worst writing in the entire series
hii, love this, could you maybe do a Chris video?? I would love to know your opinion about him 🤍
Oh my god I’m so excited about this video bc he was done so fucking dirty i loved Cole so much
I also think that in the mermaid episode, yes they emphasized true love that Phoebe had for Cole but at the same time the writers may have wanted to touch base on reality and show that even when a person is in love they can become fed up with their boyfriend or girlfriend in relationships, and that feeling of being "fed up" or angry can over take their personality and make that character (Phoebe) more assertive and decide not to go back to old ways. Not to take certain things from Cole (like abuse) and leave that in the past, essentially moving on. It would be growth for Phoebe despite the true reasons for Cole's actions being unclear by the writers. So this means in the show if the writers didn't explain well why Cole did certain things, it really didn't matter because at that point Phoebe doesn't know and she is simply acting off how she feels based on the info she has.
Honestly, with Julian Mcmahon, needing to leave the show to work on other projects inside the timeframe of season 5, the writers really should have written him out after Phoebe's ultimatum in the 2-part mermaid premier, or perhaps a few episodes after as the sisters do rely on him to get them out of a few binds early in the season before he settles into sad stalker Cole. He escaped the wasteland, he's no longer the source and he is receptive to Phoebe's thoughts on their inability to be together. They'd have the opportunity to bring him back to guest star in the occasional episode and his arc being a regular cast member for two seasons could wrap up with him ultimately changed for the better despite the trails and tribulations he underwent.
not watched the video yet but for me the last naik in the coffin is when in his last appearence on the show he admits being in the wrong and wishing pheobe to not give up on love.I was ok assuming he was abused to that point and that the authors unintentionally left it vague enough to let us assume he was a grey character who was wronged and brushed unter the carpet. By having him aknowledge his "wrong doing" they truly retconned him into being the bad guy
You’ve raised some crucial points, especially about Phoebe and Cole’s toxic relationship, which tragically contributed to Prue’s demise. Cole’s demise wasn’t that difficult for me, given how toxic their bond was. It’s true that the charmed ones often used him, and Prue clearly disliked him, while Paige and Piper merely tolerated him. Phoebe’s relationship to him was selfish considering how much they exploited him. It would have been understandable if Prue had stepped away from this dynamic, especially given Phoebe’s demon romance. Their anger towards him was justified, as Cole often sought to harm them. Despite helping Phoebe, his motives were selfish. Piper’s pregnancy intensified their fear, and Leo’s experiences reinforced their distrust. Despite the pressure the sisters exerted on Cole, he also inflicted physical harm. Demon love is perilous, as exemplified by Cole. His actions, like impregnating Phoebe without consent, were abusive. It’s important to acknowledge these points, albeit in a condensed form. However, there was a silver lining to this ordeal: how it strengthened Piper and Paige’s relationship.”
i didn't really like cole but honestly you're completely right. you've changed my mind
Cole, Daryl and Jack Sheridan were my favorite recurring male characters !
One of the best things the show did (intentional or not!) was put her with Coop whose name starts with a C! I hope it was an intentional nod to the episode from the past when it's revealed the first letter of her love would be a C.
Idk i get why people liked Phoebe and cole, but i felt like it distracted and literally leads to the sisterhood element being dismantled. It was literally the catalyst to Prue's death. Phoebe always put him over her sister's and it leads to one of them dying permanently, so i have a love hate relationship with that relationship. Just like she put the guy clay I think his name is, from season 1 over prue when she was trying to tell Phoebe that clay stole the art smh.
It was actually season 5 I stopped liking Phoebe, not season 3. Sleuthing with the enemy was my favorite episode. Sounds like it was one of yours too.
I loved Cole!. but you messed up. Cole had nothing to do with Coop, that was the elders. It was Drake who Cole brought into her life.
Nice more Charmed content!!!
I believe they were gonna have Cole and Paige become an item but it was shot down by Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs because "they didn't think breaking up the sisterhood was good for the show" which was code for "we don't want to give Rose more screen time than us". Since they were the executive producers, they *had* to do what they said and the idea was scrapped which is a shame. I would've loved Cole to have a different romantic relationship than being obsessed with Phoebe and seeing more opportunities for character growth but it was the ego of the leads that ruined Cole.
The elders sent coop to phoebe not Cole. He did send drake her way as a way to help her let a little love back into her heart.
With the possessions maybe it’s because they’re family and sisters and Cole did have a history of being evil, I do agree with what you’re saying but just a thought, in some cases it can be easier to forgive family rather then romantic partners (not in all cases but sometimes)
I love charmed content 🎉🎉🎉
Cole was an innocent they failed to save.
Great show
Yes it is!
JUSTICE FOR COLE
Louder for the people in the back haha
He was supposed to be a short lived character. They didn’t how well he would work with Phoebe.
I have been deep diving and I really think they should have kept Phoebe’s and Cole’s child. They should have had them be divorced and co-parenting their little girl. I think it would have fixed Cole plot and Phoebe’s later seasons too.
Cole was my favorite character
You should do a video about Mr. Robot
Honestly, The Seer was the BEST villain of charmed.
They did to him what Game of Thrones did to Daenerys Targaryen.
I read it as demonetization 😂
Well even though I don't agree with it, one can argue if Cole was a demon or is a demon and is possessed the girls know he is evil and so it is expected he will do evil things, he will eventually revert back to his old ways and in their mind maybe he did want to go back to that way of being, his nature.
unpopular opinion: i was never a fan of cole/phoebe. especially in season 3. she fell too hard and too fast for him, before she even really knew him. and he spent so much time lying and hiding things from her. this always bothered me and made me not really take their relationship seriously.
If you think the series treatment of Cole is BAD…. Then you should check out/review the graphic novels!!!! They represent seasons 9 & 10.!!!7
You’ll be in for something!!!
Cole is too good for Phoebe, he saved her life over and over and got vanquished for it. I'm a male and charmed was my favorite show, that was until I learned how toxic Alyssa Milano really is. Cole briefly had the power to go to parallel universes when he joined the Avatars, he should have used it to escape from toxic Phoebe forever.
He should have used that to rid himself of his feelings for her and then went off with the Avatars.
I dont think cole the character was done dirty, it kind of made sense cuz we know cole or belthazar was an evil demon for over a century, so him having issues is more than understandable, to me he had spend so much time being a literal demon that the first time he had any good emotions with phoebe it’s basically like a sociopath that somehow falls in love with someone, his understanding of love was twisted from the very start, yes he loved her but cuz he was a demon or half demon it is very much a person who feel love but doesn’t understand how to love someone, that sometimes loving someone is putting their happiness as a priority, a good loving relationship has bout try to improve eachother, and help eachother out and if you love someone that doesn’t love you then you want the best for them regardless of its with you or not, and cole in my opinion never understood that aspect of love not until after the whole invincible cole, once he realizes that phoebe would never love him again he started to understand that she needs love that isn’t him and thats why he orchestrated the thing we see in season 7
If you watched Buffy could you please do one like this for Riley
I realize I'm only 13mins into the video and my views might change towards the end but I'm am truly disturbed by this romanticizing of a literal demon that has vanquished 100s of innocents. Are we just supposed to forget that because he luuurves Phoebe?
What is wrong with ppl?😅
Prue was 1000% right to not trust him.
And don't get me started on the fact that Prue would still be alive today if not for that toxic relationship. #JustSayin
Liked the commentary more towards the end, esp around the codependency conversation.
I had no problem with the writing. My problem was the sisters never faced any consequences for the roles they played in Cole's eventual demise - which to me is very realistic. Ppl hurt others all the time in real life and never face any consequences.
Everything else ofcourse I strongly disagree. Cole WAS the source. The powers entered the void that used to be Belthazor. He was FULLY responsible for his actions. You see some of those actions, the smart and cunning way Cole always was, in S5. No one says he was "possessed" by the powers from the wasteland there. Yet they say it all the time for Source Cole. So wild.
Anyway, all in good fun. Interesting video. 👍🏾
I agree with you, bit I think what ppl are trying to say he help the sisters when he was turned into human and got possessed by the source, I think that's what they're referring to because remember Balthazar was vanquish and they all know cole was human.. but I think they could handle it a bit better because tbh it does kinda make Phoebe looks bad for real , he same her ass so many times even in season 5 with fairy tale episodes in the season 4x22 episode when she was about to get shot, but I agree with you otherwise
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He wasn’t the source. The source took over Cole.