The Bare Witch Project
Phoebe is supposedly on sabbatical, but still frets over her column. She still doesn't believe that a man can write her column properly. She and Piper are kicked out of a restaurant because Piper had been breast-feeding Chris.
Paige goes to Magic School and tries to convince the Elders to keep it open. Several students become restless and one casts a spell on a history book, conjuring Lady Godiva and, unknowingly, a ghostly demon, Lord Dyson. The boy, Duncan, is apologetic to Paige but the other students are delighted to see a naked woman. The Elders are worried about this incident altering of history and use it as part of their fight to close Magic School. Paige uses it to prove the necessity of guidance.
Lord Dyson is a demon who feeds on repressed emotions. He attacks Duncan, who then starts a small fight.
Phoebe sneaks into the office to plant a letter about the incident at the restaurant. Leslie walks in and Phoebe claims to be looking for a fountain pen. She suggests the letter that she planted, but Leslie isn't willing to answer it.
Paige casts a spell to try to send Lady Godiva back, but the spell doesn't work. In that moment, a small riot erupts at Magic School. An Elder scolds Paige and Lord Dyson attacks him, becoming solid. Godiva recognizes Dyson and he shimmers away. She tells the sisters about Dyson. They ask Leo to ask the Elders, but he is reluctant to face them; the Elders do indeed suspect him.
The sisters cast a spell to summon Dyson, and then another to send him and Godiva back. The lights go out, and they find the world has changed. Everyone is very conservatively dressed, and all the women are wearing headscarves. Ask Phoebe has become Ask Leslie. They find themselves in jail for talking in public. They conclude that Dyson went back stronger than when he was summoned.
Magic-users, even demons, are in hiding. Paige and Leo orb out of jail and find Duncan. He is suspicious, but Paige talks him into revealing his summoning spell. They go to Magic School, in this time closed for years. They re-conjure Godiva and Duncan and the world changes back, but Dyson feeds on Piper and brings out her anger towards Leo. The sisters fight him off and he shimmers away.
Dyson attacks at the manor, and Paige orbs Godiva away. He feeds on Leo, who is carrying much anger at Gideon's betrayal and this causes Dyson to overdose and explode.
Duncan, at Paige's urging, casts a spell and sends Godiva back. The Elder who scolded Paige earlier offers to let Paige run Magic School.
The episode closes with Phoebe wearing a long blond wig and nothing else, riding a horse outside the restaurant where she and Piper had been kicked out. She protests the manager's decision. Shortly after, Leslie starts writing his response to Phoebe's letter.
Tropes
- Achievements in Ignorance: Lady Godiva's ride was such an unrepressed act that it ended up vanquishing Lord Dyson. Godiva was only trying to protest taxes and she had no knowledge of magic or demons.
- Alternate History: When Lord Dyson succeeds in killing Godiva, a whole new reality ocurrs in which all famous women (Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great etc) never came to power resulting in a massively conservative society where everyone is repressed, including people from the magical world.Leo: Magic School? Magic School's been shut for years. Everyone's in hiding here, even demons. No one dares using magic.
- Artistic License – History: There has been some debate as to whether Lady Godiva's nude ride actually happened; the explanation considered most likely is that she rode through Coventry wearing her shift like a penitent. By modern standards, that would be like appearing in her underwear, and it would have been highly unusual to see a noblewoman publicly present herself so unadorned. She was also likely much older when the ride supposedly happened. It could possibly be hand waved as a history book merely recapping the legend, and Duncan's conjuring powers bringing her to life.
- Artistic License – Law: How Phoebe wasn't arrested for indecent exposure is anyone's guess.
- Being Good Sucks: When Dyson feeds on his repressed rage, Leo vents how demons and the like get to do whatever they please and not think twice about it, whereas a good person has to live with the consequences and guilt.
- Big "WHAT?!":Piper: Actually, you're gonna let him feed on you. See ya. [runs for cover]
Phoebe: Good luck, man! [follows her]
Leo: WHAT?!´ - Butterfly of Doom: Godiva's death results in in a nasty Alternate Timeline.
- Cover Innocent Eyes and Ears: Leo gestures for Piper to cover Wyatt's eyes before he vanquishes a demon. Wyatt pushes his mother's hand away and sees it anyway.
- Crapsack World: The alternate reality where everyone is repressed.
- Defiant Strip: When a student at magic school conjures up Lady Godiva from the past, she takes her clothes off whenever she feels ignored.Lady Godiva: Apparently it's still the only way I can get anyone to listen to me.
- Dress Hits Floor: They make a Running Gag out of it whenever Godiva strips.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: According to Peacock's captions, Odin is named Rex in this episode.
- Godiva Hair: Done by Godiva herself, much to the Charmed Ones' consternation (Piper especially). Phoebe also does it at the end of the episode.
- Godzilla Threshold: Out of options, Piper and Phoebe decide to let Dyson feed off Leo's repressed anger in the hopes that he'll overdose.
- Grass is Greener: Paige admits she feels repressed by being the youngest sister, as it puts her on the bottom of the totem pole and frequently told what to do. Piper retorts that it's no picnic being the oldest and having to take the lead.
- Hate Plague: Dyson has this effect when he's feeding. The targeted person temporarily loses control to their anger and starts venting about whatever's bothering them.
- Hope Spot: Once the timeline is restored, Dyson tries for a power boost, but he gets nothing from Phoebe and Paige. Everything seems settled, but then he starts tapping into Piper's repressed anger towards Leo.
- Irony: The sisters observe how, despite what the altered reality is generally like, Leo is more like his old self than the obsessive, angsty demon hunter.
- Loss of Inhibitions: The effect of Lord Dyson feeding on someone's repression. They lose control of their temper and begin ranting and lashing out over whatever emotional issues they're dealing with.
- Modesty Bedsheet: When Godiva appears and is surrounded by a bunch of horny teens, she covers herself with a flag until Paige rescues her by shooing the boys away and covering her with a jacket.
- Naked on Arrival: Godiva, of course. Also naked on departure.
- No-Sell: Dyson is so powered up during the climax that a blast of Piper simply knocks him back a step or two. The others doubt even Leo's Shock and Awe could stop him.
- Not Helping Your Case: As Paige makes a case for the Magic School for the sake of the students to the Elders, the students present obnoxiously play pranks (on her) and recklessly cast spells.
- Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Kristen Miller (Lady Godiva) slips out of her English accent occasionally, although she had improved since her time on the sitcom USA High.
- Politically Correct History: Even though the Alternate Universe is a hellhole where women are flogged and magic is repressed, racial discrimination is apparently not in vogue as a black man is shown talking with white peers freely.
- Rage Breaking Point: Thanks to Lord Dyson's influence, Odin angrily says, "I've had it with you and your stupid ideas!" and attacks Paige with lighting magic.
- Straw Conservative: The alternate reality where everyone is repressed.
- Straw Misogynist: The Alternate Universe where women are flogged for speaking in public.
- Spanner in the Works: At Magic School, Dyson tries to feed off Paige and Phoebe, but he gets nothing from them. However, Piper has a lot of bottled up anger over Leo's angst. This helps make Dyson too strong to beat conventionally.
- Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: Leo has multiple decades of repressed frustration and anger, making Lord Dyson overload and explode.
