Synopsis of The Day the Magic Died
The episode starts with Paige walking out to the patio, where Phoebe and Piper sitting on deck chairs, waiting for her. They are going to sit at look at something called aurora borealis. Phoebe describes it as "magic and science and fairy tales all rolled up into one." We see a shot of the night sky and Paige corrects her with the technical description. It's really "ions speeding into the Earth's magnetic field, and then they collide with air molecules." Paige also mentions she finds it odd "that the aurora borealis is happening the night before the Wiccan Festival of Lights."
They discuss how much the baby has grown and the negative side effects of pregnancy, but they are interrupted when a white goose honks. The goose stops on the walkway to lay a golden egg. Piper mentions this is the third goose they have received and she wishes the "magical community" would think of something else to send the baby. As the goose walks back into the house, Paige gets up to retrieve the egg. Leo tries to catch the goose without success. Piper wants to return the geese before their father arrives the next day. Phoebe agrees that Victor gets "very Darrin Stephens when it comes to magic." Paige suggests that Leo should check with the Elders about "magical gift returns" because they don't want anyone to curse the family. The Elders call Leo and he wonders what they could want this time of night. Piper stands up, telling Leo to be quiet when he gets back because she's going to bed. Before he can orb to the Elders, Piper groans and her vision gets blurry. She loses her balance and collapses back onto the lounge chair, unconscious. Leo hurries over to heal her but it doesn't work. Phoebe insists hey take Piper to the hospital. Opening credits start.
When the show returns, Piper is in a hospital bed wearing an oxygen tube up her nose. Everyone feels guilty for not taking better care of Piper, including Piper herself. Leo reminds them that they are in "uncharted territory." A female doctor enters holding Piper's test results but she can't find Piper's and asks who Piper's regular doctor is. Piper admits she doesn't have a regular. The doctor claims to be "open to all forms of healing" but also scolds her for it, pointing out that "a medical doctor could have caught your condition earlier." The doctor continues, explaining that Piper has developed toxemia, which is a form of high blood pressure in pregnant women. She tells Piper that for the rest of the pregnancy, (which is supposed to be six more weeks), she needs to eliminate stress and have lots of bed rest. After the doctor leaves the room, Leo explains that's why he couldn't heal her because high blood pressure is "a state of mind." Piper tearfully says she will "do anything" for the baby.
In a forest somewhere, a sorcerer named Cronyn stands near a campfire talking to his apprentice Stanley. Cronyn explains that his mentor kept an ancient prophecy that he hopes will be coming true soon because the signs are converging. Cronyn orders Stanley to attack the Charmed Ones the next day using fireballs. Stanley worries that it will be suicide but Cronyn calls it sacrifice. He assures Stanley that his name will "be remembered in infamy" and tells him to "go down fighting" to "secure his legacy."
In Piper's bedroom, the windows have been covered and a trickling fountain has been added. Phoebe lights scented candles when Paige orbs in with a bucket of mud. Paige is just returning from the Dead Sea. Phoebe comments on the horrible smell. Paige claims people travel across the world for it because the high mineral content has healing properties. Phoebe points out that it still stinks and they don't want Piper to feel like she is in a sewer. Paige decides Phoebe might be right and they agree to "take good care of" both Piper and the baby. They hear Leo and Piper return from the hospital and go downstairs to meet them.
Paige and Phoebe call themselves Piper's "loyal subjects" and tell her they have turned her room into a "royal throne room." Piper tells them she doesn't want special treatment. Three geese honk and walk past. Piper claims she is not going to let the geese or anything else bother her for the sake of her daughter. Leo helps Piper go upstairs. Phoebe thought Paige had tied up the geese. Paige claims the "little flockers" escaped. Phoebe and Paige talk about how they "need to do better than this for Piper", because if they "can't keep geese away" then how will they "protect her from demons." They are interrupted by what sounds like a horse. They hurry to the kitchen to find a white unicorn standing there. Paige claims it is the best baby gift ever. Phoebe claims it is not "appropriate for a baby" and there is no way to baby-proof the horn. Paige reads the card hanging from the unicorn's neck and it says "To Baby Halliwell, From El..." part of the card is torn off so they can't read the whole name. Phoebe doesn't care who it's from, it's "too much stress for Piper" so she orders Paige to "orb it away." Paige doesn't know where to orb it to, since unicorns are "mythical beasts from another world."
Phoebe doesn't care where Paige takes it, just wants it to go away. Paige plans to find a secluded spot to tie it up for the time being. She touches the unicorn and begins to orb but the little blue lights fizzle out. Paige claims she can't orb. Phoebe makes up a spell off the top of her head but nothing happens:
"Take this beast before I end her
Ship her back, return to sender."
Paige calls for an apple, nothing happens. Phoebe tries to levitate, nothing happens. Leo enters and excitedly tells them he was going to ask the Elders how to get rid of the geese but he couldn't orb. He questions about the unicorn, but they tell him it's not important right now because their "magic is down too." Phoebe points out that Piper's magic is probably down also but they can't let her know that because it would be too stressful for her. They hear Piper coming down the stairs, calling out, asking "where is everybody?" Leo rushes to escort Piper back upstairs. Phoebe tells Paige to take the animals down to the basement while she goes upstairs to get the Book Of Shadows.
In the bedroom, Piper tells Leo that her instincts were right all along; that she needs to have the baby in a hospital. Leo agrees to plan for that. Leo knocks over the water fountain and Piper motions to freeze it. Leo stops her, claiming it's too stressful on her body. She tells him the mess will stress her out and he starts to clean it but then the phone rings. It's one of Leo's other charges calling; he uses the excuse that he's been ignoring them to care for Piper. Leo takes the phone and leaves the room.
In the basement, Paige accidentally steps on and breaks one of the golden eggs. Phoebe enters with the Book Of Shadows and shows Paige that the all the pages of the book are empty. Phoebe says that someone has "wiped out the magic of our entire family" to which Paige motions to the broken egg and points out it's affecting more than just them. Paige comments that the problems started when the unicorn arrived. Phoebe says "unicorns are the essence of good magic, if anything, it would amplify our magic." They realize that mystical signs come in groups of three and they had the "Northern Lights on the eve of a Sabbat" along with "a planetary conjunction" which only happens "once every 300 years." Paige says she has research in the attic and she will go check. Phoebe stays behind to find a way to "corral the geese" and she sees a baby playpen.
Paige comes around the corner and sees Stanley (the apprentice) walking up the stairs. He conjures a fireball but it quickly disappears. He throws a vase at her, then they begin hand-to-hand fighting. Piper watches a soap opera while lying on the bed. Leo finishes cleaning the mess. They hear a thud and Piper wonders what that was. Leo tells her it must be the geese and goes to check, pausing to turn up the volume on the TV before he goes.
Stanley is about the hit Paige with a piece of marble table when Phoebe throws a knife and it stabs him in the chest. Stanley falls to the floor. Phoebe is confused why he didn't disappear and Paige explains that he didn't have magic either. Leo arrives downstairs and explains one of his charges called on the phone, and he unplugged the phone so Piper won't get suspicious. Paige announces it's official, that "magic is down everywhere." The doorbell rings and they realize it's probably Victor arriving for his scheduled visit. Leo goes to take care of the unicorn, which has gotten loose, while Paige and Phoebe hide Stanley's body in the closet. Phoebe and Paige answer the door to find Victor with a blonde woman. Victor introduces her as Doris, his new wife. Phoebe looks shocked. Paige looks confused. The show goes to commercial.
When the show returns, Victor and Doris explain that they met on a singles cruise to Mexico. Victor asks where Piper is; he wants to share his news. Paige explains to them that she was diagnosed last night with "a blood pressure condition." Paige quickly tosses Doris and Victor's coats into the closet. Piper has come downstairs and Victor tells her that he got married. While they are talking, Stanley's leg falls out of the closet and Paige hurries to push it back in, then leans against the door so it doesn't open again. Piper is surprised at Victor's announcement but welcomes Doris to the family. Paige notices Stanley's yellow blood seeping from under the closet door, so she pulls a rug back with her foot to cover it. Leo returns upstairs and gets introduced to Doris. Phoebe tries to get Victor and Doris out of the house by suggesting they go check into their hotel but Doris insists that they are staying. She claims to have done volunteer work in a hospital so she can help take care of Piper. The doorbell rings. Paige urges everyone to just get Piper off her feet. Piper doesn't want to be left with Doris, but Phoebe points out that it could be another magical baby gift arriving. Leo ushers her up the stairs.
Phoebe and Paige answer the door to find it's Cronyn at the door. He says he is there for their help to get magic back. They lead him out to the patio. Once there, Cronyn explains that he sent Stanley so they would know that everyone has lost their magic. He states that "without gnomes and garden nymphs to spin their delicate magic" their flowers will fade. He explains that "mortals don't know it, but magic infuses all their hopes and dreams." He continues that he would love it if all things good things were to disappear from the world, but he wants his own power back even more. He wants their help to "interpret the signs." Phoebe asks what he has in mind. He tells her he things they should have a meeting so good and evil can "sit down and address the crisis." He mentions there should be no guns or knives. Paige tells him they'll think about it and Cronyn gives her a business card with his cell phone on it. He comments that if "you think that's bad? I got a taxi waiting out front." Cronyn leaves.
Back inside, Paige refuses to "help evil" while Phoebe is considering the meeting. Leo enters and they explain it to him. Leo reminds Paige to go because "without magic Piper and the baby are vulnerable" and they can't protect them. Paige agrees, but says they should still arm themselves in case it's a trap. She asks Leo for "cayenne pepper and salt peter" and tells Phoebe to find an aerosol can. She explains that she is going to make a "home-made arsenal."
Piper sits in bed while Doris and Victor sit nearby. Doris is unpacking a gift-basket that she brought. She is talking about when she and Victor met. He dripped steak sauce on his shirt and she had stain remover in her purse. She also comments that she licked the sauce off Victor's chin, and Piper is disgusted. Leo walks past the door carrying several bottles and Piper asks what he is doing. He pretends that Paige wants to make a homeopathic remedy to help Piper relax. Leo quickly excuses himself. Doris is happy that they are open to homeopathic medicine and begins talking about Victor's diet. Phoebe enters and Piper is relieved. Phoebe is looking for a can of aerosol hair-spray, claiming it's for "a big meeting" at work because she needs "extra firm hold." Doris gets to the bottom of the basket and tells Victor that there is no knife for the cheese. She asks him to go get a knife. After he's gone, Doris comments that Victor is "the most exciting lover" and both Phoebe and Piper are disgusted. Despite Piper's request to stay, phoebe leaves the room with the hair-spray.
Phoebe enters the attic just as Paige finishes a phone call with Cronyn. They are meeting at Manny's Pizzeria. Paige finishes making a pipe bomb in the disguise of a lotion bottle, while Leo has been making a smoke-causing-candle. They have also sharpened two fingernail files and made some cayenne pepper spray straws. Paige comments that since Phoebe is best at the hand-to-hand fighting, she has brought her some things: "chain-mail top from my club days, steel-toed boots from my mosh days and handcuffs, from Friday." Phoebe wonders if they should tell Piper what they are doing. Paige assures Phoebe that they are doing the right thing. Leo agrees because "Piper's not just carrying the next generation of Halliwell, she's carrying the next generation of magic." Phoebe and Paige get read to leave.
Victor and Doris continue to be overly romantic in front of Piper while taking a romance quiz. As Leo, Paige and Phoebe walk past the bedroom, Piper sees Phoebe wearing the boots and chain-main top. Piper calls out to them, Leo enters the room and Piper tells him that she "may be stuck in bed" but she is "not stuck on stupid." She comments on the strange behavior and noises all day. She knows they are hiding something from her and she wants to know what. Leo tells Victor they need a "magic moment" alone. Victor takes the hint and escorts Doris from the room. Once alone, Leo admits to Piper that there is no magic. He also tells her that Phoebe and Paige have gone to "a summit meeting with evil to fix the problem." Piper is angry and tries to blow-up Leo but nothing happens. Piper immediately says "oh no" and Leo tries to calm her, but Piper tells him that her water just broke.
At the restaurant, Cronyn introduces Paige and Phoebe to the others at the table. There is Merrill, who is a high-ranking wizard and Kane, who is a top advisor to the warlocks. Kane suggests they search Paige and Phoebe's purses. Cronyn questions the candle and Phoebe pretends they had planned to try a ritual. Paige questions them about having weapons and Kane reveals a knife. Phoebe realizes it's gotten very quiet in the room and everyone is watching them. Everyone else stands and we realize they are not customers; they are all demons and warlocks. Cronyn explains that they were not willing to neglect the opportunity to kill the Charmed Ones.
The show returns from commercial with Phoebe and Paige being thrown across the room. Phoebe asks how they got rid of all the customers. Cronyn explains that they paid the customers to leave, but the owner wanted to stay, so they killed him by putting him in the oven. Phoebe and Paige are backed against a wall. Phoebe announces that they came prepared and she pulls out the aerosol hair-spray and a lighter. She uses them to create a home-made blow-torch, setting a demon on fire. Paige lights the fuse on the lotion bottle-bomb and tosses it toward the demons. The two sisters hide behind and over-turned table. After the explosion, several demons are now dead or unconscious. Cronyn orders Kane to make sure the witches don't get out alive, then sneaks out. Paige tells Phoebe they are going to have to fight their way out. Phoebe lights the (smoke causing) candle and tosses it toward the demons. As smoke fills the room, demons begin coughing. Paige has picked up a baseball bat and the two sisters come out from behind the table and start the fight.
Piper is getting nervous and asks why they are not getting ready to go to the hospital. Leo tries to calm her, saying there is no need to panic. Piper tells him he is wrong because the baby is not suppose to be born for another six weeks. She insists it is not time for the baby to come out and wants to go to the hospital. Doris enters and claims to have just finished talking to Piper's doctor on the phone. Doris tells them the doctor said to wait for her at the house. Piper is surprised that the doctor is making a house-call. Piper says she misses Phoebe and Paige, especially since they trained for this. Leo tells her that Phoebe doesn't answer her cell phone. Victor asks if Leo can just go get them in that "special way" of his. Leo says no, they have problems with it, but before he can say anything else, he's interrupted when Piper getting another contraction. Doris tells Leo that he should really go get Phoebe and Paige because Piper needs all the support she can get right now. Piper agrees. Leo kisses her and leaves to get them. Doris claims they need to change the wet sheets and blankets. She asks Victor for help and he follows Doris into the hallway.
Victor asks her if she knows what to do if the baby arrives before the doctor. Doris claims to know what she is doing and stabs Victor in the stomach. His eyes go wide in pain and disbelief, then he falls to the floor. Doris enters the bedroom as Piper exits her bathroom, wearing a new nightgown. Piper asks where Victor is and Doris tells her that he "decided to go with Leo."
Back at the restaurant, the fight is over; Phoebe and Paige have won. Phoebe finds the injured Merrill lying on the ground and she asks him where Cronyn is. He claims that Cronyn "had business to attend to." Phoebe handcuffs Merrill to the nearby table and Paige holds it to his throat. To get tot he point, Merrill explains he discovered prophecy in the tomb of an apothecary. It said "when three planets burn as one, over a sky of dancing lights, magic will rest on a holy day, to welcome a twice blessed child." Paige and Phoebe realize that Cronyn is after Piper's baby. Phoebe tries to call home, but the line is dead. Merrill explains that "magic won't return until the baby is born" which should be any time now. Paige and Phoebe hurry to leave, pausing to flip the sign on the door to CLOSED.
Piper hears someone approaching and looks up, expecting Leo. But it's Cronyn who enters and announces he is there for the baby. Piper gets a contraction and can't speak, but shakes her head no. Doris tells Cronyn that Piper is fully dilated and "it won't be long" and Piper gets another contraction.
Phoebe and Paige sneak into the house. Phoebe wants to rush to Piper, but Paige reminds her that they won't hurt Piper "while she's in labor." Phoebe points out that Leo or Victor could be hurt and Paige says there is only one way to save them. She pulls Phoebe to the basement, picking up a knife on the way. Paige gently scrapes the unicorn's horn. She explains that a unicorn's horn is "pure, concentrated magic." She continues that the wizard said he stole the prophecy from an apothecary, who is "an agent of GOOD magic." She points out the card that came with the unicorn and says *From El* and it must have meant from Elders. She doesn't understand why the Elders didn't just tell them about it. Phoebe reminds Paige that they had tried to warn Leo the night before, but Piper passed out and Leo took her to the hospital instead of going to see what the Elders wanted. Paige states that the unicorn's magic must not be affected "by what happens on Earth."
Upstairs, they hear the unicorn and goes to investigate. Piper asks Doris what she did to Victor. Doris answers that Piper should not "think about such things" because "childbirth is painful enough." Piper threatens Doris, claiming she will kill Doris if she does anything to the baby, even if it means coming back from the dead. Doris informs Piper of the plan: they don't want to hurt the baby. They want to raise her as their own to be a great leader and "a powerful force of evil." Doris turns to dip and cloth into a bowl of water. Piper uses this opportunity to hit Doris on the head with a vase from the nightstand. Piper hurries from the room as best she can.
Paige finishes writing a vanquishing spell as Phoebe pours the unicorn-horn-powder into a pouch. Cronyn is in the kitchen, about to enter the basement, when he hears a grunt of pain and a loud thump. He returns to the other room and finds Piper breathing heavily and lying on the landing of the stairs. Doris comes down the stairs, holding her head. He orders Doris to examine Piper, which she does. Doris announces that the contractions are less than a minute apart. They briefly show Victor waking up.
Phoebe and Paige come around the corner and tell Doris to "step aside bitch" because that is their job. Cronyn immediately holds his knife to Piper's neck and threatens to kill her. Piper begs Phoebe to kill him, but Phoebe hesitates because Cronyn threatens Piper again. Piper insists to Phoebe that "if you love me, you will send this crazy bastard straight to hell." Suddenly, Victor tackles Cronyn and they fall the rest of the way down the stairs. Phoebe tosses a handful of the unicorn's horn dust into the air and says the spell:
Beast of legend, myth and lore
Give my words power to soar
And kill this evil ever more
Cronyn and Doris start to run away but they explode once the spell is completed. Stanley's body in the closet also explodes. Paige and Phoebe help Piper into a partially upright position, (on the dining room table). Phoebe checks Piper's progress and announces that she sees a "head of dark hair" and Leo returns home. Phoebe tosses the bag of unicorn's horn dust to Leo and tells him Victor needs help. Leo sprinkles some dust over Victor's wound and it heals. Victor has a sad smile and Piper is sorry about his "demon wife." Leo is standing next to Piper now. As another contraction hits, Phoebe tells her to push and make it "a big one." Piper starts to push and the chandelier above starts to shake. A white light appears, shining down on them. Phoebe announces that the baby's shoulder's are out, then the arms and... "something else" as she takes the baby and begins to suction it's nose and mouth. She cuts the umbilical cord and holds the baby up for everyone to see that it's a boy. Everyone is shocked. Piper recovers first, smiling and reaching out for the baby. Everyone is proud, happy and crying as they watch Piper hold her son.