All Hell Breaks Loose

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The Source plans his strategy in "All Hell Breaks Loose".

1 General information
2 Synopsis
3 Continuity Gap
4 Book of Shadows
- 4.1 Enemies
- 4.2 Spells
5 Guest stars
6 Trivia
7 Memorable Quotes
8 International titles

[edit] General information

Episode of the popular U.S. television series, Charmed
Episode Number: 22
Season: 3
Production Code: 4300066
Airdate: May 17th, 2001
Writer: Brad Kern
Director: Shannen Doherty

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Piper and Prue have to protect a doctor, who is followed by a demon assassin named Shax for having saved too many lives. The doctor can't believe demons exist and thinks all this is a joke... until Shax enters and throws Piper and Prue through a wall, shattering it and almost killing the sisters. Luckily, Phoebe arrives, hurts the demon with a spell, scares him away and calls for Leo to heal Piper and Prue.

Phoebe then goes to the Underworld to help Cole fight the evil he holds within, and Leo consults the Elders about whether or not Phoebe vanquished Shax. Piper and Prue have a suspicion that she did not, and walk the streets in an attempt to find and vanquish a weakened Shax. They finally find him, Prue deflects one of his attacks at him, and Piper blasts him, not killing him, but Shax disappears. The sisters feel they weren't seen, however a news reporter shooting a story not far from there captures and live broadcasts the battle.

The story follows the footage back to the TV station, where it's decided to check out the sisters and air the footage again. It then goes to Darryl at the police station where a superior tells him the rumors about the Halliwells must be true, alluding to the news broadcast seen across the room. Darryl is shocked and immediately phones Prue and Piper about their exposure.

The girls keep in mind that Shax is still alive and might be a danger to the doctor. They join him in the hospital, but when they come out, Shax appears, and Piper and Prue have no other option than reciting the vanquishing spell in front of the hospital and several people. They all applaud when the demon is dead. Once again, the battle is captured by video camera.

Both video records are shown on TV and cause a sensation. A large crowd forms in front of the Manor which consist of journalists, believers, curious people, and a girl named Alice who believes herself to be a witch (though she isn't one). While Piper and Prue discuss what they will do about all this, Alice blasts into the house looking to join their coven, but Prue throws her out with her powers. Alice claims that Piper and Prue are bad witches to the reporter outside. Some time later, Piper suddenly bleeds and falls. We then discover that Alice has shot her with a rifle and she is captured by the SFPD. Prue has to take her to the hospital, but the crowd holds her back. She has to use her powers to throw people out of her way. Piper finally dies in the hospital emergency room under the care of the doctor they saved earlier.

The Source learns about all of this and informs Cole when he comes to see him. The Source is in trouble too: by exposing themselves, evil is also exposed. Cole, Leo and Phoebe end by finding a risky solution: they have to contact Tempus and have him rewind time. The Source tells them that Tempus is weak now and could die in process. The Source finally accepts, but with one condition: Phoebe will not be affected, but must remain in the underworld for all time.

In the hospital, special forces break in. Prue blocks the door to the operating room where her sister's dead body lies. She's about to be shot the minute later, but just as a bullet is about to strike her, time then rewinds to Shax's initial attack. He manages to throw Piper and Prue through a wall again, shattering it and almost killing the sisters. Unfortunately with Phoebe in the Underworld and unable to summon Leo, the sisters are unable to defeat Shax and heal Piper and Prue. Shax then kills the doctor and leaves the Manor, breaking the door as he flies out in a whirlwind. Final words spoken on the episode were Shax's "The End".

[edit] Continuity Gap

As is well known, Shannen Doherty was fired from the show between this episode and season 4's premiere, which led to her being replaced by Rose McGowan. In the show's continuity, however, there is a storyline gap between the end of this episode and the opening of Charmed Again, Pt 1. The Source tells Phoebe that no one in the Underworld will be affected by the time reset, implying that everyone present will remember things as they unfolded in the previous timeline. Dialogue in the next episode, however, doesn't consistently support this. During the wake, Cole states that the Source now has "every demonic bounty hunter available" looking for him since he saved Phoebe, presumably from the Source's clutches after the end of this episode. This suggests that they remember the events of the time reset. Also, Leo states explicitly that "time reset itself." However, Piper then states that Leo "saved the wrong sister." Since Leo remembers the original events, he must remember that he healed Piper and Prue at the same time, using both hands. This time, however, it is implied that Leo attempted to heal one at a time and Prue died during this period. Leo doesn't state that there was an unusual event or precondition (such as the interference of the Elders) that prevented him from healing Prue, so ultimately the storyline gap is never adequately reconciled.

[edit] Book of Shadows

[edit] Enemies

Shax: see Shax.

[edit] Spells

To Vanquish Shax: Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell, death takes you with this spell

[edit] Trivia

This was actress Shannen Doherty's final episode in the series. She is never shown again, except for her back in Cat House and her body covering her face with a mirror in a Forever Charmed episode trailer.
This episode ranked #1 of Favorite Episodes by the fans, with Something Wicca This Way Goes? in the second place.
Actor Michael Bailey Smith, who played Belthazor and Grimlocks in the series prior, expanded his creature resume in this episode to include Shax and The Source.
The episode's ending made it seem that all three sisters were killed. Prue and Piper were thrown through a wall with no one there to heal them, and Phoebe was to be killed in the Underworld by the Source's minions once time was reversed.
The Source's sword would later be used in the episodes Charmed Again, Pt 2, Enter the Demon, Sword and the City and Crimes and Witch Demeanors.
Piper dies in this episode from a gun shot wound, but time is reset at the end of episode.
Prue dies by brain damage when thrown through a wall, along with Piper, who doesn't die.
This was the first cliffhanger season finale.
It was announced two weeks after Shannen Doherty announced her departure from the series, that Charmed was renewed for three more seasons, making it to where Charmed was guaranteed that they would have a 4th, 5th, and 6th seasons.
This was the first and last time Prue used her telekinetic powers on innocent people, she threw the newscaster and many spectators away from the house so she could drive Piper to the hospital.
Prue dies for the third and final time in this episode.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

1.Prue Halliwell: They think we're the demons now.

2.Piper Halliwell: Prue, I'm cold. I can't - I can't - I can't feel my legs. Don't go. I love you

[edit] International titles

French : Adieux
German: Das Ende (the end)
Spanish: El Infierno Se Revela

Preceded by: Look Who's Barking	Charmed episodes	Followed by: Charmed Again, Pt 1

Charmed
Main: Season summaries \| Episode guide \| Broadcasters, DVDs & other media \| Terms \| Trivia
Locations and Artifacts: San Francisco Bay Area \| Halliwell Manor \| Magic School \| The Nexus \| Book of Shadows
Good beings: Charmed Ones \| Close friends \| Family and friends \| Whitelighters \| Elders
Evil beings: Darklighters \| Warlocks
Neutral: Avatars \| The Hollow \| Firestarters