9.09 – Which Witch Did Switch? (a.k.a. Witch Swap)
In San Francisco the weather is starting to change from good to worse; the climate is mysteriously changing dramatically with major storms one day and scorching heat waves the next. But the weather is the least of everybody's problems, and the events following Christmas day resulted in a quiet week for the Charmed Ones. Piper (Holly Marie Combs) had finally found time to go with her family on day trips and she even had some much needed romantic nights with her husband Leo (Brian Krause). Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) got back to working full-time on her advice column at the Bay Mirror and the desire for her absent boyfriend has at last gone. Paige (Rose McGowan) and Henry's (Ivan Sergei) relationship has been going ultimately strong and they've been having a lot of affectionate moments recently. The lives of these adults are currently seamless. The children, however, aren't having such joy. On the first day of January 2007, the Halliwell Manor is once again disturbed by another demon who attempts to overpower the almighty Charmed Ones. Mabius (guest star Jake Siegel) silently attacks both Wyatt and Chris while Piper is in the kitchen with Paige. Wyatt's instincts warn him that danger is around so he immediately puts up his Forcefield, which draws Piper's attention thus she comes out to investigate. When a spell is cast to reveal all, Mabius is exposed to the witches. Alarmed, Mabius unknowingly switches a few identities in the room before disappearing. As Paige jokes, "What a way to bring in the New Year", Piper is quick to notice a sudden change in her boys.
Downtown at the Bay Mirror, things aren't looking too bright. The bullpen is in chaos whilst accommodating the heated weather; everyone is bustling about, air conditioning is on full, computers are working overdrive, and nobody really wants to be there. Phoebe is exhausted and she sits behind her desk swallowing cups of cold water while she fans her face with envelopes. If all of this wasn't enough, the electricity unexpectedly goes and most of San Francisco is left in a power blackout. Phoebe rolls her eyes and mutters, "What a way to bring in the New Year". Across the street at the police station, Henry is in a similar situation. Several policemen think it's best to stay in for the time being, rather than leave, because the road traffic may be turmoil.
At the Halliwell Manor, the electrical power is also out but the supernatural power seems to be very much alive. Wyatt is somehow using Telekinesis- which is not in his ability- to move objects about, and Chris is frighteningly lying in a crouched position unmoving. In a panicked state, Piper and Paige instantly rummage the Book Of Shadows for the demon. They soon find their answer, describing Mabius as a member of an elite faction of demons that capture magical children to feed on their power and then leave their powerless bodies left to die in an Underworld cage. Considering themselves lucky, the sisters are sure that since Mabius wasn't expecting them to show up he must have done something else to the boys. Outside it begins to pour with rain, adding to the unusual weather, as a car pulls up in the driveway; Piper and Phoebe's father, Victor (guest star James Read), has come visiting.
In Magic School, Leo is having trouble when a student is refusing to learn and even demands to be freed from the school. Many teachers, including Leo, are working with the situation whilst the student is also using magic on others. The boy, Eric (guest star Ross Thomas), is fed up with school- like most teenagers nowadays- and is doing anything to get out of it. Leo tries to talk to Eric but his efforts go to waste when he's thrown right out the room magically. After a couple of hours, the teachers are finally able to get through to Eric and they show him how great school can be- especially when magic is involved. Eric later personally thanks Leo and asks him if he could be his personal tutor for the year. Leo gladly accepts.
Phoebe has managed to get away from work, and she's rushing into the Halliwell Manor where her sisters and Victor are waiting. Victor has decided to visit because he was forlorn when San Francisco's power was cut earlier. When Wyatt suddenly uses Telekinesis again, Piper explains to Phoebe what they've learned from Mabius' attack; the demon switched Wyatt and Chris' bodies. Victor is confused because he is unsure as to why Chris is curled up, but nobody knows the answer. Then Mabius attacks once again, this time throwing magic bolts towards Paige but before they can hit her, a Forcefield shields her. Piper has realized something, and she quickly blows Mabius up using her power. She looks from Wyatt to Chris to Paige and announces that Paige must be pregnant. When Mabius switched the bodies, he changed the bodies of all the babies in the room- including Paige's unborn child in her womb. Paige's child was switched into Chris, Chris was switched into Wyatt, and Wyatt was inside Paige replacing the unborn infant. Paige is stunned and, after congratulations from her sisters, calls her husband to tell him the great news.
It's the end of the day and all the bodies have been switched to normal again. San Francisco's electricity is back and the weather has finally settled at last. The adults have met up at P3 where they're all celebrating Paige's pregnancy. Henry is totally surprised at the news and declares that this is officially better than winning the lottery. Piper discusses her feelings towards everything and reveals that she hasn't been herself lately. For weeks, Piper's been keeping something from everyone and she tells them that she's been secretly demon-hunting alone. With it reaching six years to the day her sister died, Piper still doesn't feel she's got the satisfaction she's needed to get over her sister's death, or her grandmother's death, or even her mother's death. She believes she'll need some kind of closure soon, and hopefully it'll fulfil her motives. The Charmed Ones share a quick hug before they dance with Leo and Henry on the dance floor.
In the Underworld, five cloaked figures are surrounding a golden pentagram which is lit up on the ground. One of the figures announces that their plans are working and the Charmed Ones haven't suspected anything. Another figure lowers his hands and tells the others that they've accomplished San Francisco's variable weather today. A third figure also declares that they should try to do more to obtain the girls, maybe bring more demons back from the dead like they did with Medusa. Another warns that they should also try to make the Charmed Ones trust them, like they did when they helped the girls by making the portal appear which stopped them from being affected by a time rift months ago. All in all, it seems that these beings have been amongst the Charmed Ones all year but have never been noticed; they sent the portal to help the sisters from the time rift, one of their minions was ordered to tell the girls about them, they reconstituted the Gorgons, and produced the bad weather. Finally, the last cloaked figure whispers, "I don't see them being forever charmed. Do you?"