Previously: Galvin got a new girlfriend, and Niko was erased.
—
Kappa Spirit
Marines: Happy Halloween, witches! Ready for this?
Rebecca: Alright, I’m drunk again, let’s see how this goes.
Mari: Macy and Maggie try to get Mel out of bed, since she’s been sleeping for the last 10 hours and her room smells like gym socks. Mel swears she was doing research. She shows them her laptop and some results on Lichtenberg figures, patterns found on people or places struck by lightening. This all ties back to their mother’s mysterious death. Unfortunately, there are 800+ demons associated with electricity and lightening. Maggie wonders why there are never, like, five. Anyway, this mystery won’t be solved tonight, and Mel really does have to get out of the house. Macy suggests mojito night at The Haunt. While I’m plenty comfy on my couch as I write this, if someone called to invite me to mojito night at some place called The Haunt, I would highly consider putting pants back on.
Rebecca: In my mind I’m already there. No pants though. No bra either.
Mari: Scandalous.
That night, the girls all toast. Maggie gives them a “cheers, bitches!” but explains that it’s code for the “w-word.” Have I mentioned how much more I like Maggie than Phoebe? I mean, granted, I hate Phoebe passionately, but also Maggie feels like the kid sister Phoebe never felt like. Harry is out with the girls too, oh my gosh I love it. He tells Maggie he’ll miss her chatter when The Powers That Be (Contriving) tell him to move out of the MMManor. Whenever that is.
Harry gets in on the toast, too, and wishes Mel congratulations for getting out of the house. Maggie notes that Mel’s shirt is inside out, but she isn’t fussed. At least she showered. (R: Honestly, she’s doing great.) Maggie, for her part, is happy to be out of the house because she’s been hiding out since Lucy kicked her out of Kappa. Mel tells her she’ll find another group to join in no time. A better one, because Greek life is toxic. Macy is happy to be out, too. She’s been worrying about the mark on Galvin. Harry has news on that front: word is that a few mortals have been marked in the same way, and it could be part of a larger plan to get to the 3M’s. The waitress brings the check, and Mel asks someone to spot her. No job, no money. Harry has some news there, too: he got her an interview in the administrative department. Mel isn’t thrilled, but it’s something.
Rebecca: Girrrrl as someone who has worked retail for 13 years, please take that administrative job. Could be much worse.
Mari: Just then, Lucy arrives. There’s an awkward stare down. Maggie somehow thinks that maybe this is a good chance to clear the air, even though Lucy just looked at her like she was Satan. Maggie makes her way over, apologizes again, and offers a pitcher of mojito in peace offering. Lucy grabs the drink and promptly tries to pour it over Maggie’s head. Mel freezes time. Maggie turns to her sisters and tells them she deserves this, after kissing Flavorless Parker and lying about it. Macy gently tells her that no one deserves this. (R: I can think of several people who deserve this.) Macy telekinesises the drink out of the way, and Mel unfreezes time. The mojito lands on Maggie’s boots.
Lucy claims that she meant to do that, because the boots are “trag.” Mel grabs her sister and they leave. The girls that are with Lucy actually call her out? They tell her she’s forgetting their motto: WWGPD. Lucy says even Gwenyth Paltrow has her limits. Still, her friends say her vibe is off and she needs to find her zen.
Rebecca: Dammit Lucy. Gwenyth Paltrow? I can no longer stan you.
Mari: Fair, but her friends are fine by me.
Lucy searches a closet for a candle, saying she needs to find serenity. She picks up a very weird looking candle and goes with it. In her room, Lucy lights the candle and yells for the other “betches” to keep quiet. She’s finding her zen. And then a spirit flies out of the candles, bounces around the room, and then flies into the TV. It goes all static-y and give us our title card:
Macy spots Galvin who apparently is really fond of showing his lower back and abdomen, because he’s just like lifting his shirt and scratching. (R: I’ve seen his back more than mine at this point.) Macy sees the mark again, and it’s brighter this time. She texts Harry about it, but all he has to offer is for her to keep watching, stay close, and report unusual behavior. Macy braces herself and inserts herself into Galvin’s conversation, basically inviting herself to his birthday party. He says she can come, but Summer will be there, too. Macy insists she’s cool with it. She even offers to bake.
Rebecca: Why do I feel like you’re going to be fleeing the room from secondhand embarrassment again, Mari?
Mari: Because that is always a good guess but also because this is awkward.
Maggie shows up at the Kappa house. Lucy answers with another sister behind her. Maggie wants to know if there is anything she can do, but the other sister says Lucy doesn’t want to talk. Maggie asks who the girl with the pink and blue eyeshadow even is. Lucy tells Maggie she’s losing it– that’s Brenda, a very important Kappa sister. They shut the door on Maggie. Inside, we get a better look at Brenda’s 80’s outfit. And then when Lucy tries to give her a high five, she just walks right through her. So, spirit, yeah?
Rebecca: Lucy seems very indifferent to walking through her new friend. I feel like that would make me ask some questions…
Mari: MMManor. Maggie is supposed to be helping Mel pick out an interview outfit, but she’s preoccupied with whatever is going on at Kappa house. Mel thinks this is maybe another “Summer the Succubus” situation, but Maggie is sure something is really happening. She had to memorize all the sisters while pledging, and there was no Brenda. She finds proof in the form of a newspaper article about the death of a Kappa sister named Brenda who drank too many wine coolers and fell off the roof… in 1989.
Rebecca: What an embarrassing way to die. Also Maggie’s google skills are ON POINT. How tf did she find Brenda so fast?
Mari: Too obvious if I say magic?
Later, in the kitchen, Harry is concerned about their potential ghost. The severity of the case depends on what kind of ghost it is. Maggie hopefully asks if there are fives kinds, but Harry assures her there are hundreds. Mel’s smile at this whole exchange is the best. Meanwhile, Macy is burning her pie. What’s the point of being a witch if you can’t even bake perfectly, you know? (R: IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO BAKE WHY WOULD YOU TRY A PIE?!) She freaks out about having to go to this birthday party at all and wonders if she can just… not go. She has to help identify a ghost! Mel offers to help Maggie do that. Harry gets everyone back on track: Mel has to prepare for her interview, but she can help consult the Book of Shadows [BoS] in the meanwhile. Macy can’t ignore the glowy demon mark on Galvin, and has to go to the party. But! He offers to go with her. She’ll look less like the jealous crazy lady if she’s got “a chap on her arm.” Plus, Harry boasts about his recipe for Welsh rarebit. The sisters all exchange teasing looks and smiles, but Macy agrees to go with Harry.
Witch/Whitelighter? IS IT HAPPENING?
Rebecca: uugghhhghhghhhhhhh. Although I do like Harry more now. If this goes at the pace of most tv shows though, it’ll be 6 seasons before they’re together.
Mari: So… you are saying it’s happening?
Attic. Maggie asks the BoS how to identify a ghost. It opens up to a spell for calling to a restless spirit. Mel lights candles and together they recite the spell. At the end, they get spirited away… to campus in the 80’s. No one can see or touch them. They get distracted for a second watching an aerobics fundraiser, and I mean fair.
Rebecca: I am so fucking excited rn.
Mari: The girls spot Brenda walking up to the Kappa table, ready to join her shift for Aerobics for Alzheimers. The Kappa in charge, Jenna, tells Brenda that she’s been kicked out of Kappa. Brenda thought they were friends. Jenna picks up a bullhorn and announces to everyone that Brenda is definitely not a Kappa.
Next, Mel spots their mother. They head over and see that their mom is pregnant with Macy. She’s talking with another woman, expressing worry about being pregnant. She thinks something is wrong with the baby. Before they can hear anymore, Mel and Maggie are returned to the attic.
Rebecca: This all felt very fake and forced. Although I guess a lot of this show does. Gotta get the backstory somehow, I suppose. Mostly I’m disappointed we’re leaving the 80’s so soon. Let’s go back!!!
Mari: You were so excited and it ended so quickly.
Maggie thinks the flashback points toward Brenda being a banshee, spreading sorrow and misery. Maggie takes a picture of the vanquishing spell. They can learn it in the car.
Birthday party. Harry and Macy greet Galvin and Summer. Summer is really excited for the rarebit and tells Macy that Harry is a keeper. Macy quickly clarifies that they are just friends. (R: That’s never convincing.) Summer pulls Galvin away. Macy doesn’t think that was too awkward, but Harry doesn’t know because he’s British. Galvin is reaching for something for Summer, and his shirt lifts again. The glowing mark is there, but Harry can’t see it. Summer catches Macy seemingly checking Galvin out, though, and is not happy.
Rebecca: Just pull your shirt down, Galvin. MY GOD.
Mari: Later, Macy is looking at some family photos Galvin brought to this party, idk. Specifically, he’s standing next to a woman in one and her necklace looks like the same symbol as Galvin’s glowy mark. He comes over says that’s his grandma in the picture. Macy says she looks sweet, and Galvin says she was, but she could also cut a bitch. She had to be tough, growing up poor in Haiti. Macy didn’t know Galvin was Haitian.
Rebecca: But also who just has giant pictures of themselves around their house? I look at my face enough. I don’t need framed photos of me staring at me.
Mari: Summer comes over to interrupt their chats, and sends Galvin off to fix a clogged toilet. Alone, Summer tells Macy to drop the games. Summer tried being cool, but she saw Macy checking Galvin out. Summer tells her to back off and leaves. Harry comes over with an empty dish, his rarebit all gone. Macy tells him it’s time to leave.
Rebecca: Harry adorably argues that they’re about to start karaoke. Really, Harry. You just want me to love you.
Mari: Kappa house. Mel picks the lock to get inside.
Mari: Inside, Mel and Maggie find all of the pledges, bound, gagged and locked in a closet. They free like two of them. But! It’s the two with the lines, so we learn that Brenda and Lucy did this. None of these girls are under Brenda’s spell, so she must just be haunting Lucy. Brenda kept talking about a treacherous friend. Mel freezes all the pledges and tells Maggie that Brenda must want revenge on Jenna. Maggie runs back through the Kappa house and finds a old pledge class photo from 1989 with Jenna’s last name on it. Maggie calls for Harry and asks him to track Jenna down and wipe the memories of the pledges in the closet.
Macy is in the attic, doing research on cowrie shells. Harry apparates in and explains that the missing M’s are tracking down a banshee. Macy shares with him that cowrie shells are supposed to protect the bearer from magic. Harry thinks this is good news– at least it isn’t demonic in origin. If Macy activated the protective spell with her Halloween kiss, it could explain why she and Galvin have been wedged apart since then. Macy doesn’t think she can blame the cowrie shell. She’s pretty unapproachable. Harry tells her that she really isn’t. (R: STAHHP.) Macy thanks him for being a good friend, and Harry admits that he considers the 3M’s his friends, too. In fact, The Powers That Be (Contriving) gave him permission to move out, but he’s been hesitant to. It’s lonely, being a white lighter and the M’s are his friends. Macy thinks this is all very sweet. (R: STAAAAHHHHPPPPPPP.)
Is it me or does Harry have FEELINGS in his eyes? Am I imagining this? ARE THEY DOING THIS?
Rebecca: HE DEFINITELY HAS FEELINGS AND SO DO I. I’VE HAD TOO MUCH WINE FOR THIS SHIT. THEY’RE GONNA MAKE ME SHIP EM I KNOW IT
Mari: IT’S HAPPENING.
Macy changes the subject because she does not have any feelings in her eyes. (R: TAKE MINE.) She remembers that Galvin mentioned being Haitian. After a quick search, she finds a Haitian Yoruba priestess they can consult.
Mel and Maggie pose as Buzzfeed reporters interviewing Jenna for a 10 Spookiest Deaths in the Greek System article. (R: Sounds like something Buzzfeed would do.) Jenna shares that through the years, lots of Kappas have died in the same way as Brenda, but the alumni board covers it up. Mel asks why Brenda was bullied and kicked out of Kappa, but Jenna says that Kappas don’t bully. Brenda was the awful one. She slept with other pledge’s boyfriends, and when she was kicked out, broke back into the house and climbed onto the room to hang a banner with nasty things written about the sisters. She was drunk, though, so she fell and died.
Mel freezes time and tells Maggie that they got this all wrong. Brenda died in anger, so she’s a revenant. She’s going to kill Lucy next.
Roof. Brenda is haunting Lucy into drinking.
Rebecca: Brenda is haunting me into drinking as well.
Mari: A likely story.
Priestess. She also does nails, which Macy notes hesitantly. Harry says people need day jobs, and I heard that. He has to go again, though, because Mel and Maggie are calling him. Macy says she can do this alone, so he disapparates.
Macy forks over the $20 the priestess (Mama Roz) asks for and hands her the symbol. Mama Roz confirms that it is a protection ward, activated if the wearer gets too close. Mama Roz doesn’t want to say more, so Macy slams more money down. Mama Roz says that Macy activated the ward because she’s got darkness in her. She’s not like her sisters, and the pillar of her path holds the key to her darkness. Macy rushes out.
Rebecca: I hate this vague crap. Just say what you know, damn.
Mari: Roof. Brenda is still haunting Lucy. Harry apparates with Mel and Maggie, and they see Lucy and Brenda on the roof. Mel does the revenant vanquishing spell, but it doesn’t work. Meanwhile, Lucy gets emotional about how hard it is for her every time Maggie shows back up, reminding her of the betrayal. Maggie starts apologizing again, but Brenda tells Lucy to jump. She does, and we cut to black.
Rebecca: There’s literally someone here who can freeze time, like. Come on.
Mari: When we come back from the commercial break, Mel does indeed freeze Lucy mid jump. Brenda spazzes and starts ghosting and shrieking around, trying to break Mel’s concentration. Harry and Maggie quickly work out that Brenda was conjured, so maybe it’s Lucy’s heart that needs to be healed, not Brenda’s. Harry apparates into mid-air, grabs Lucy and brings her back down to the ground. Maggie starts apologizing, but Brenda tells Lucy to kill her. Maggie barrels ahead, though, saying that she kept trying to force her apology on Lucy, when what she really needed was space. Lucy thanks her and that vanquishes Breanda. Lucy passes out.
Rebecca: All this over a mediocre white boy. Classic.
Mari: Lucy comes to on the couch in the kappa house with a splitting headache. She asks what Maggie is doing there and why she feels less mad. Maggie says they had a chat while Lucy was drunk. She’s going to give Luce space and hope that one day in the future they can be friends again. Lucy nods.
Outside, Mel is waiting for Maggie. They walk together and Mel apologizes for not hearing how important Kappa was to Maggie. They all need to have lives outside of being witches. Mel needs to rebuild hers. Even though letting go is hard, if you don’t, you end up a ghost trapped in 80’s clothes. Something like that. (R: Could be worse???) The girls get a text from Macy. She’s at The Haunt.
Mel and Maggie remember that they saw their mom. They decide to tell Macy about it, but when they reach her, Macy wants to share her news first: a priestess said she has darkness in her. She’s always been rational, disconnected and dispassionate. She thought it was okay to kill Angela. Her sisters reassure her that she’s totes not dark, and the priestess was a quack. But then they decide not to share they whole “our mother thought something was wrong with you” thing. They do tell her the Kappa ghost is gone, and a sad Maggie thinks about how initiation must be just about over. Mel has an idea.
Rebecca: I am curious where they’re gonna go with this whole Macy is different thing. Being rational isn’t bad? I’m mostly confused. Might be the wine.
Mari: I’m honestly already tired of a dark!Macy storyline.
MMManor. Mel is doing an initiation for Maggie into the “Vera-Vera-Vaughn sisterhood.”
Rebecca: They’re so very cute. They are all my beautiful beans now. I must protect them.
Mari: Agreed,
Hunter steals Macy’s blood from the lab and kills her boss.
Rebecca: He will be missed by literally no one.
Later, Macy looks at a picture of Marisol and notices the pillars in front of the house. Remembering the words of the priestess, she investigates one of the pillars and finds a box with a creepy key inside. Some people find money or antiques to sell in old homes. Sorry, Macy.
Next time on Charmed: An underworld prison and stolen artifacts in S01 E07 – Out of Scythe.
I'm a 30-something south Floridan who loves the beach but cannot swim. Such is my life, full of small contradictions and little trivialities. My main life goals are never to take life too seriously, but to do everything I attempt seriously well. After that, my life goals devolve into things like not wearing pants and eating all of the Zebra Cakes in the world. THE WORLD.
I am a book, movie, and TV fanatic over the age of 30. I love baking, video games, and D&D. Legally I must tell you I am a disaster. I've written like 6 novels but haven't had the real courage to query agents yet, and also I don't know how to make decisions (DISASTER). So please send me wine for Courage. Maybe a heart too. Oh and also a brain.
