Monitoring magic ensure it is never exposed to the human world, the Tribunal is a council of four magical beings, two Elders and two Upper-Level Demons that exist as part of the Grand Design to allow magic to influence but not effect or take over free will. Their sole purpose and responsibility is to the protection of the existance of magic at all costs.
Quick Facts[]
Also Known As: The Council
Species: Elders, Demons
Gender: Male
Notable Powers: Reality Warping, Summoning, Sensing, Immunity, Invincibility, Immortality, Power Striping, Power Granting, Telepathy
The Circle of Truth[]
Using the Circle of Truth, an powerful enchanted circle that shows what needs to be seen by reading thoughts, however painful, sad or difficult the memories may be and are judged by the Tribunal in order to establish if a magical being poses a threat to the sanctity and secrecy of all things magical.
The Cleaners[]
Wielding the power to fold the fabric of both reality and time, the Cleaners were created and imbued with power and authority by the Tribunal for the very purpose of allowing magic to influece but not effect free will. The Cleaners are neutral beings that do not take their responsibility lightly and will appear at any time magic is exposed to mortals, cleaning up, folding the fabric of time and reality, erasing memories, creating new ones and will even remove magical entities if necessary to ensure the magical world is protected from exposure. They follow strict orders from the Tribunal and will go whereever asked to go by the Council.
- See The Cleaners for more information.
The immortal Appear Before the Tribunal[]
After Charmed Ones Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews located a criminal possessed by a Phantasm, they proceeded to seek out the man, with the help of Darrly Morris, and tracked him to a warehouse late one night. But unbeknownst to the Darryl and the sisters, Inspector Sheridan was parked on the side of street not too far away, videotaping the whole event transpiring, which would not have been harmful, if the sisters, hadn't have had to use a magical wand to suck the Phantasm out of the man. The Phantasm lunged out of the man, in a spectacle of light and spirit and was sucked into the wand held by Paige, all recorded by Sheridan.
With magic exposed, the Cleaners acted quickly under the orders of the Tribunal, undisclosed to the sisters, and cleaned up the exposure by altering reality to make it appear as Darryl killed the man; Phoebe and Piper were removed from the event, as was the Phantasm, and on the tape, Darryl appeared himself, killing the man. The Cleaners were then placed under strict orders not to work with the three sisters like they had previously.
Sheila Morris, Darryl's wife travelled to Halliwell Manor where she revealed to the sisters that Darryl had been arrested for murder. Immediately Phoebe and Paige went to Darryl and he told them that he didn't quite remember what happened the previous night. The sisters thought maybe he hit his head and as a lawyer came in, Phoebe tried to say that she was there and saw what happened, the lawyer then told her not to perjur herself. Darryl told him to show a taping of the event to the two women; the video showed the criminal begging Darryl not to kill him but Darryl, holding his gun, fired three shots at the man, killing him.
Phoebe saw Sheridan sitting at her desk and went to her, asking if she had a personal grudge against Darryl, asking her how she faked the images on the tape. Paige told her not to mind Phoebe because she was a little upset and Sheridan asked who the two women were. Phoebe told her her name and Sheridan recognized the name Halliwell because it popped up in several files. She told the two sisters that she was there and saw the event transpiring where Darryl shot the man. Sheridan walked away and told Paige that she couldn't sense if she was lying or not.
Contacting the Cleaners[]
Paige and Phoebe then orbed into a street full of mortals and Paige orbed a coffee cart away as Phoebe cast a spell that caused flowers to burst into flames. People began to scream and the entire place froze as the Cleaners appeared and asked the sisters what they were doing.
The sisters asked why the Cleaners manipulated reality to make it appear that Darryl was responsible for the man death and they explained that magic was exposed and they had to clean it up because they sisters didn't know they were being taped and exposed. As Phoebe and Paige told them they would have took care of it like they have before, the Cleaners interjected telling them that they wouldn't have, and that it was anticipated. They then told the women that they were under strict orders not to negotiate with them. Phoebe asked by who and it was revealed by the Tribunal.
Phoebe and Paige Go to the Tribunal[]
The two sisters then went to Magic School where Leo Wyatt and Gideon filled them in on who the Tribunal was and their purpose for existing. Phoebe then told them that there was only one thing that could be done, to go to the Tribunal themselves.
As Paige, Phoebe, Leo and Gideon orbed to the Tribunal, Paige asked where they were and Gideon responded, telling her they were anywhere, no where and that she didn't want to know. He warned them that the Tribunal is unlike anything they have ever face before, a force that is not to be trifled with. He then proceeded to summon the members of the Council. After reciting the Latin spell, the heads of four non-corporeal beings appeared above them.
Crill, one of the demons, asked their reason for summoning them and Gideon explained to challenge the actions of the Cleaners on behalf of the Charmed Ones. Thrask looked at the witches and asked where the third was. Aramis responded that she was with child and wa sure the sisters would talk for her in her absence. Adair then granted their request for a hearing and then the Demon of Fear, Barbas materialized in flames. Phoebe and Paige then asked what he was doing there, and Barbas explained he was granted leave from the fires of hell to act as their opposing counsel. Crill told them they liked his pitch and Thrask said they had the right to choose anyone they wished and their choice was the Demon of Fear, to which Gideon opposed, but Adair told them it was done, he would be the opposition.
Recalling Past Events and Defending Their Case[]
As a hologram appeared within the Circle of Truth, Darryl and Sheila could be seen in a jail cell as a lawyer approached telling them that the judge had denied the stay of execution. Crill and Adair explained they have accelerated time, but only for the execution, giving the sisters until midnight to convince them they could clean up their own exposure. Aramis then told them that magic would be protected one way or another.
The sisters debated the fact that Barbas was called on with Gideon and they told the Council they called for justice, not the Demon of Fear and Aramis asked Gideon to present their case. Phoebe told them their was a conflict of interest and that she believed they were being set up, to which Adair responded telling Phoebe how dare she question their integrity. Phoebe told him that they weren't questioning Adair or Aramis but rather Crill and Thrask, telling them Barbas had tried to kill them three times in the past. After which a hologram appeared showing Barbas' first attack where he tried to kidnapped Phoebe at an open house and saw that her greatest fear was losing a sister. The hologram then disappeared as Phoebe asked what the heck they just saw. Gideon explained it was the Circle of Truth, enchanted, that it shows what must be seen.
Barbas told the Tribunal that it was not his past that were in question, it is the Charmed Ones perpetual right to clean up after their own magical messes. Paige told her sister, Leo and Gideo that it didn't matter if they were set up, what mattered is that they were exposed but Leo explained that if Barbas somehow orchestrated the entire thing, it could help them. He then orbed away to try to find something out. Gideon then asked the Tribunal if it was truly their case to present, he should be able to discuss all the times that the Charmed Ones long, successful history of preventing magical exposure and fixing magical mistakes.
Another hologram appeared showing how Paige cast the Vanishing Spell to conceal what happened after Cole Turner was vanquished two years prior and clean up his apartment to ensure the police didn't suspect any foul play or exposure of magic. The hologram ended but then Barbas asked for the hologram to be played out a bit longer, showing how Phoebe punched Paige in the face, while she was under the influence of the Source of All Evil's unborn spawn's power. Phoebe tried to explain the situation, telling them she was under the influence of evil, but Barbas argued that she and her sisters were always under the influence of one thing or another and another hologram appeared.
The hologram first showed how Phoebe created a fire ball at the police station when an inspector called Cole a deadbeat dad, causing her to have to blast it into a trash can. Another appeared showing how Phoebe and Piper were under the influece of Dantalian's dark magic causing them to turn a wedding planner into a pig. Gideon told the Tribunal he didn't see any relevance of those situations but Barba interrupted and said the Charmed Ones are so influence by outside forces so how can it even be expected that they clean up any possible exposure. Phoebe told the Council that they cleaned up after each of those situations and Aramis told Gideon to continue.
Leo and Christopher Seek the Truth[]
Leo and his future son Christopher Halliwell then travelled to the Underworld where they found a demon known as Phinks who explained to them that he and Barbas used Phantasms to manipulate the situation so he could be resurrected and released from hell. Leo and Christopher then realized that they needed to find proof to discredit Barbas somehow. Christopher then accidently dropped Phinks into the fiery pits of hell, destroying him.
Gideon Continues to Defend the Charmed Ones as Barbas Condemns Them[]
As Leo and Christopher investigated futher, Gideon presented a hologram showing how after being infected by a Witch Doctor's hex the sisters cleaned up the situation using a vanishing spell. But Barbas then recalled how while the sisters were transformed into superheroes, Phoebe dangled a slum lord from a roof top to convince him to help his tenants. And then asked where the Charmed Ones were to clean up when Cole Turner blasted two mortals at a bar with his energy balls, killing them. Phoebe told Barbas that they had nothing to do with it, but Barbas told them it was in fact Phoebe's fault because it was caused by her rejection of Cole and continued to tell the Tribunal that with all the hexes, possessions, evil influences, and affairs of the heart they are lucky magic hasn't been exposed beyond repair. He told the Coucil that to protect all that they are, for all that the Tribunal stands for, they should make a decision as to whether or not the sisters should be able to practice magic. Aramis then said so be it.
Barbas then asked the Council if they could summon one of the Cleaners for questioning and they agreed to it. Barbas asked the Cleaner how long he was watching over the Charmed Ones, revealing that he has been there since they first acquired their powers. Barbas asked if Darryl was the first inspector that lost his life because of the Charmed Ones and holograms appeared showing how Andy Trudeau was killed, Inspector Reece Davidson lost his life as well as Agent Jackman.
Barbas asked the Council how many more inspectors have to die before something is done and Gideon questioned him, Barbas told them it should end with Darryl to which Phoebe objected asking who cared what Barbas thought. Crll said that he did and Phoebe said of course he did, he was a demon, but then Adair told her he cared as well, to which Phoebe sustained her objection.
The Cleaner told them it should end with Morris because their will always be an inspector for Sheridan to find. And he vanished as Barbas told him that was all. But the Gideon told him he had questions for the Cleaner but it was too late, he was gone. Barbas then rested his case but not before telling the council that the magical exposure should end with Darryl because it solves all their problems of the past. He called the Charmed Ones wreckless and told them something needed to be done before it was too late to prevent magical exposure. Aramis asked Gideon if he had anything further but he didn't and Crill told them they will return with their verdict and the four beings vanished.
The Truth is Revealed[]
Paige then called for Leo and he and Chistopher orbed in. Leo told them they discovered that the Phantasm they found was sent by Barbas and that there was another one that has yet to be found. Paige said that it must be in Sheridan and Leo and Christopher orbed to Sheridan and brought her back to the Tribunal.
Piper then appeared in the Tribunal as the Council returned, telling them that she should be present for the verdict. Aramis revealed that the judgment is in favor of the sisters, allowing them to maintain their powers, but it was against Darryl, who is to be put to death.
Phoebe and Paige then told the Tribunal not only did Barbas set the sisters up but he also sent them up as well because all he cared about was getting out of purgatory. They then offered to have their powers removed if Darryl could live. But Leo and Christopher orbed in with Sheridan and Christopher pushed her onto the Circle of Truth causing a hologram to appear.
The hologram showed Sheridan sitting at her desk in the police station as a Phantasm appeared behind her and entered her body. Sheridan then got up and walked over to a cabinet where she pulled out Darryl's file. The hologram ended and Leo threw a potion at the Inspector causing the Phantasm to leave her body. Christopher then sucked the Phantasm into a wand and Phoebe told them that their is some cleaning up to do there.
As Darryl was seconds from being executed, the Tribunal decided to let him live but they would relinquish Phoebe's active powers, returning them to her only after she earned them back, but only if she was careful with her magiic. They then vanished allowing Barbas to remain alive. The sisters then orbed out of the Tribunal, leaving Barbas with Gideon, where he saw that Gideon's greatest fear was that he feared being exposed as the threat that was after Wyatt Halliwell, but Barbas told Gideon that he had nothing to worry about, he won't tell nary a soul.
Notes[]
- The Latin spell Gideon used to summon the Tribunal, "Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit!", which translate in English to "God, look at the time! My wife will kill me!"
- When the Tribunal members appear and ask where Piper is, Aramis said "I assume the sisters will speak for her in abstentia", the proper word used should have been "absentia", which is the proper Latin word meaninig "in absence".