Sisterhood, unite!

It took a large chunk of the season, but Charmed (2018) Season 1 Episode 22 proved there is nothing stronger than the Power of Three. Demons, devils, and monsters beware.

"The Source Awakens" was a testament to the power of love between the Vera-Vaughn family. It bonded the sisters in a way viewers had been hoping to see since the pilot.

When dealing with the more character-driven moments, Charmed has always felt a little underdeveloped. Macy came into the family rather quickly; she didn't necessarily forge an immediately intimate bond with Mel and Maggie, but she also didn't cause too much conflict, either.

Not to be an obnoxious purist fan, but the OG Charmed dealt with the reality of new sisterhood in an extremely realistic fashion. When Paige came into the picture it was anything but smooth sailing.

It took Piper in particular seasons to warm up to her new sister. Granted, it was after the loss of Prue, but even without her death, there would have been bumpy roads ahead for the Halliwells.

The OG sisters continued to fight evil, but those small moments of discomfort and finding a new normal were cohesively woven into the storyline after Paige's debut.

Macy instantly came into the Vera house and assimilated with little issue. It was satisfying to finally witness Macy's inner struggle over joining a new family and feeling like the outside party. It's unfortunate her struggle had to wait until the finale because the fallout felt somewhat forced after 22 episodes.

The writers kept Macy so suppressed, the amount of exposition to catch viewers up was over the top. There were no clues of Macy’s fears throughout the season; it all had to come out through dialogue in the final episodes big climactic moment.

The emotional payoff still landed though, especially with the integration of Marisol's return. Combining Macy's sisterhood insecurities with the tragedy of growing up without a mother added the emotional motive the storyline needed.

The use of alternate timelines also allowed the writers to finally touch on the glaring disconnect between Mel and Macy -- a relationship that has barely been given any time to develop.

Macy sacrificing Mel so she could be with Marisol and Maggie was a perfect admission of the divide between the two sisters. Macy may love Mel, but she clearly was jealous.

Maggie is Macy's full sister, not Mel's. Mel getting to grow up with a sister and mother while Macy had neither, created underlying hostility; an obvious tension viewers have noticed from the pilot. It’s surprising it took so long to surface.

It was easily resolved once dealt with head-on. It was actually Mel's words of loyalty that allowed Macy to gain control of her power -- a poignant moment which was not missed or underappreciated.

Mantock's heartbreaking portrayal of a woman desperate to find someone that won't leave her was outstanding, while Diaz and Jeffrey delivered their pleas of unconditional love perfectly.

Previously, I claimed if Diaz was given better material to work with, her acting chops would truly have a chance to shine. It's nice to see I was right-- she was stellar.

All three actresses brought their best to the finale. Jeffrey's anguish over a departing Parker was delicate and painful to witness. Her comedic chops were just as impressive, with her social media obsessed alter-ego proving why the writers tend to turn Maggie when laughs are needed.

Mantock, of course, brought a layered performance completely unmatched. There were limitless facets to what her character had to deliver, and she delivered it all in exceptional fashion. Macy snapped from poised and powerful, to lonely and desperate, to broken and unhinged in mere seconds.

The alteration of her voice was a nice addition, but Mantock's scariest (and most successful) moments were portrayed without any CGI at all.

Her final spiral in the attic may have been the best scene of the series thus far. Watching soft Macy become sweaty and deranged, a shell of herself unable to gain control her power, was chilling.

There may be room to breath between takes, but giving so much in a single episode is a feat meant for only the most talented of thespians.

Macys' arc was far and away one of the highlights of Charmed (2018) Season 1, but hopefully Charmed (2018) Season 2 will give the same level of focus to Maggie and Mel. Their storylines fell to the wayside in lieu of Macy's.

It’s an understandable decision and not something I would change. It's just time to let Maggie and Mel grow as characters too. Both women need to have multi-episode arcs that revolve around topics beyond romantic relationships.

Even if those relationships are ones worth witnessing.

Macy may have been The Source, but the sisters becoming the new sheriffs in Magic Town feels like a perfect opportunity to give Mel some juicy material. She is the type of character who can take charge and lead. She's brave, she's headstrong and she's not afraid to take risks. She's the best person for the job.

Not that it should keep her completely away from Niko. It was a relief to see Mel admit her wrongdoings when it came to erasing Niko's memories -- stealing agency is never acceptable. Niko deserved the chance to make her own choice about involving herself with magic. Galvin got that respect.

Letting her go is a selfless decision, but after all the build-up between them, it would be a let down to watch Niko exit the series completely. There may be a long road ahead before happily ever after, but those two deserve it.

At the very least, they deserve more than a tiny wave goodbye.

As do Parker and Maggie, although their happiness may be even farther off than Mel and Niko's. A Charmed One dating a demon is a storyline I have always found interesting; Cole and Phoebe were one of my favorite dynamics in the original Charmed.

That relationship should continue, but Parker saying goodbye felt like the right move. Even if just temporarily, Maggie focusing on magic will give her a chance to grow as a character. There’s more to her than obsessing over romantic entanglements.

That rings true for all three sisters.

The writers and creators have promised a darker Charmed (2018) Season 2 with a larger focus on the supernatural aspects. Here's hoping they deliver that promise. Not in a "monster of the week" themed way, but by taking more time to develop the sisters as witches.

It's a critique I've given more than once; the sister's powers change so quickly and so often, it's difficult to remember exactly what their powers are. Let the girls train, learn and possibly even fail before getting the hang of things.

And for the love of Wicca, bring back the Book Of Shadows!

It's occasionally utilized when convenient, but the Book Of Shadows was its own entity in the original Charmed. It took on a life of its own and was the catalyst for plot points that threaded themselves throughout the series.

It's meant to be the center of their power! Let it play a bigger part.

Someone who won't be playing a bigger part? Galvin.

He's officially dead, so zombie Galvin hopefully won’t be making any more appearances. He wasn't the right fit for Macy, and whatever narrative they were pushing with his character just wasn't panning out.

Allowing him a redeemable moment before exiting the series was best for the show. It needs to move forward without him.

Forward, to a potential Harry and Macy romance. It was subtle, but clearly, Harry's feelings for Macy are growing beyond a normal Whitelighter/Charge dynamic. How that manifests in Charmed (2018) Season 2 will interesting to witness.

The entire conversation in the last act between Harry and Macy was such a subtle way to introduce the next stage of their relationship. Almost as if saying to viewers "Not now, but soon.”

As much of a #Hacy fan as I am, mourning a lost love is never easy. It doesn't need to be a large part of her character's focus, but hopefully, Macy's mourning period lasts a little longer than her walk back from the funeral.

Overall, "The Source Awakens" was the perfect season one finale. The speedbumps along the way have been significant, but the finale itself sets up a brand new exciting chapter for the Charmed Ones.

Everything that's been teased about Charmed (2018) Season 2 feels promising: a stronger sisterhood, slower paced storytelling, darker tones, and heavier magical focus.

Hopefully, that also means less "monster of the week" tropes, spiraling plot lines, and ignored disconnect between the shows main characters.

Random Thoughts:

Will the Charmed Ones now be Elders? Or will they become something else entirely?

Do WhiteLighters still exist now that the Elders are gone? I hope that's a topic tackled next season.

All three sisters were serving LOOKS this episode! So was Harry!

The underscore of this episode was phenomenal. Music isn't something I've noticed in this show often, and it rarely does anything to elevate the scene. That was not the case for "The Source Awakens." The soundtrack was flawless.

Charmed needs to work on it's "for convenience" plot devices. The alternate universes were a success, but the memory potion was a fast and cheap way out of a conflict.The show needs to think ahead so they can weave in solutions that earn their place. If there had been an earlier episode that dealt with memory potions, Mel could have easily recalled the spell. Audiences love to "connect the dots" and the callback would have made for a gratifying payoff.

Macy closing the door in the same way Prue used to at the end of each season was a perfect homage to the original Charmed. It was the type of moment I have been waiting for the show to execute. I actually got visibly emotional watching it. The show is missing out by not weaving in more

Okay, my Fanatic Witches! It's been a wild season! I've had a blast talking all things Charmed with you, and I can't wait to come back next season and see what happens next!

For now, leave your comments about the finale below! And remember you can always watch Charmed online, right here at TV Fanatic!