Leo Wyatt

Infobox Charmed Character


Title = Leo Wyatt
First = Thank You for Not Morphing
Last = Forever Charmed
Creator = Constance M. Burge
Name = Leo Wyatt
Kind = Mortal; formerly Whitelighter, Elder, and Avatar
Affiliation= The Charmed Ones, Magic School, The Elders, The Avatars, U.S. Army
Family = "Wife" Piper Halliwell
"Children" Wyatt Halliwell, Chris Halliwell, Melinda Halliwell
"Sisters-in-law" Phoebe Halliwell, Paige Matthews, Prue Halliwell
"Father" Christopher Wyatt. "Former wife" (in a previous life) a woman named Lillian.
Powers = Leo Wyatt is a mortal with various skills, including teaching, motivation, counseling, and handiwork. He formerly had all the powers of a Whitelighter, an Elder, and an Avatar.
Actor = Brian Krause, Gordon Wellscite episode |episodelink=The Jung and the Restless |title=The Jung and the Restless |series=Charmed |serieslink=Charmed |airdate=2006-04-30 |network=The WB] cite episode |episodelink=Forever Charmed |title=Forever Charmed |series=Charmed |serieslink=Charmed |airdate=2006-05-21 |network=The WB]

Leo Wyatt is a fictional character from the WB television series "Charmed", portrayed by actor Brian Krause. A breakout character, Leo is a former Whitelighter, Elder, and Avatar, but he ended the series as a normal human.

As a Whitelighter and later an Elder, Leo had the ability to "orb" (magically teleport) from place to place. He could also "sense" his charges (those he guided), that is, he could telepathically hear and locate them. Other powers included levitation, healing physical wounds, and changing his appearance ("glamoring"). He was nearly immortal, but like all Whitelighters, he was vulnerable to a Darklighter's poison arrow.cite episode|episodelink=Love Hurts (Charmed episode)|title=Love Hurts|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=1999-05-19|network=The WB]

Pre-Charmed life

Leo was born May 6, 1924 in San Francisco, California, the son of Christopher Wyatt, and grew up in Burlingame, California.

Leo was once a medic for the United States Army in World War II. He was also married during this time, to a woman named Lillian.cite episode|episodelink=Ex Libris|title=Ex Libris|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2000-04-27|network=The WB] While taking part in the Battle of Guadalcanal, two friends of his, brothers named Nathan and Rick were killed, on November 14, 1942. Upon his own death a short time later, Leo became a whitelighter for his good deeds.cite episode|episodelink=Saving Private Leo|title=Saving Private Leo|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2002-03-28|network=The WB] Leo is a pacifist, disallowed by the Elders to kill. Leo has watched over many of his charges: those who were future Whitelighters and good witches. After his death, he went to Lillian in a dream and encouraged her to move on with her life.

In the late 60s, Leo befriended Penny and Allen Halliwell, the grandmother and grandfather of the Charmed Ones.cite episode|episodelink=Witchstock|title=Witchstock|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-01-11|network=The WB] One of his fellow trainees was a woman named Natalie, with whom Leo became good friends during World War II.cite episode|episodelink=Blinded by the Whitelighter|title=Blinded by the Whitelighter|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2001-01-25|network=The WB]

Whitelighter of the Charmed Ones

Leo was sent by the Elders as the Whitelighter of the Charmed Ones. Because he wasn't supposed to reveal himself as a Whitelighter to them yet, Leo got a job from the sisters as a handyman fixing up their old house.cite episode|episodelink=Thank You for Not Morphing|title=Thank You for Not Morphing|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=1998-10-21|network=The WB] Phoebe and Piper immediately became attracted to him. As Leo worked on their house, Piper and Phoebe competed for his attention, though he found favor in Piper, and Phoebe was only attempting to make both Piper and Leo jealous. Piper invited him for lunch at Quake to look over stain samples to refinish the wood in the house.

Although Piper and Leo started dating and consummated their relationship, he had to leave her because relationships between witches and whitelighters were not allowed. Leo was forced to take another charge, but he watched over and guided the Charmed Ones on many occasions.

When Leo returned, Phoebe discovered him using his levitation to change a light bulb and he confessed the truth to her.cite episode|episodelink=Secrets and Guys|title=Secrets and Guys|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=1999-02-17|network=The WB] He was later injured by a Darklighter's poison arrow, attempting to protect his charge Daisy, and went to the manor for aid, where Piper learned he was a whitelighter. Piper used a spell to switch powers with Leo, so she could heal him while Phoebe and Prue protected Daisy and vanquished the darklighter in love with Daisy. It was in this episode that Piper found out that love was the trigger to a Whitelighter's power. Although Leo offered to give up being a whitelighter to be with Piper, she didn't want him to turn away from his calling.

Piper went to the future with Phoebe and Prue, and learned that she and Leo were divorced, and they had a daughter named Melinda Halliwell.cite episode|episodelink=Morality Bites|title=Morality Bites|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=1999-10-07|network=The WB]

Piper tried to move on, and started a romance with her new neighbor Dan Gordon.

When Piper became sick with a disease, the elders forbid Leo to heal her since it was not caused magically. Leo broke that rule when he saved Piper from the disease.cite episode|episodelink=Awakened (Charmed episode)|title=Awakened|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2000-02-03|network=The WB] Because of that, Leo was suspended from being a whitelighter for at least three months.

Marriage to Piper and their family

Leo eventually earned his 'wings' back as well as Piper's heart. He asked Piper to marry him when they got back from the Whitelighter Dimension.cite episode|episodelink=The Honeymoon's Over|title=The Honeymoon's Over|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2000-10-05|network=The WB]

A warlock named Eames was killing many witches and other supernatural beings to reach his great goal. A whitelighter named Natalie went to Leo and the Charmed Ones for help. Phoebe had confided in Leo that she didn't really vanquish Cole. The Whitelighter Elders were so happy with the Charmed Ones performance against Eames they lifted their probation on Leo and allowed him to be engaged to Piper.

The ceremony was performed by Grams, and the Elders allowed Patricia Halliwell to return from the dead for one day to witness her daughter's wedding.cite episode|episodelink=Just Harried|title=Just Harried|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2001-02-22|network=The WB] The ceremony was also attended by Phoebe Halliwell, Prue Halliwell, Victor Bennett, Cole Turner and Darryl Morris. Although the marriage was considered legal in the magical world, it was not in the mortal world, due to Leo and Grams' status as being legally dead.

Soon after, Piper became pregnant,cite episode|episodelink=Witch Way Now?|title=Witch Way Now?|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2002-05-16|network=The WB] she and Leo had their powers swapped by their unborn baby for a short time, until they learned to appreciate how hard each other's lives are.cite episode|episodelink=Siren's Song|title=Siren's Song|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2002-10-06|network=The WB] Piper gave birth to their son, Wyatt Matthew Halliwell.cite episode|episodelink=The Day the Magic Died|title=The Day the Magic Died|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2003-02-16|network=The WB] Piper named the baby Wyatt after Leo's last name for being a very protective father and to honor his past life.cite episode|episodelink=Baby's First Demon|title=Baby's First Demon|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2003-03-30|network=The WB]

When Piper and Leo's arguing began affecting Piper's powers, Phoebe suggested that they visit a marriage counselor. Piper cast a spell that allowed them to relive the good and difficult times during their relationship, which reminded them of why they got married. But as well as reaffirming their relationship, the session allowed them to realize that they had issues to work out.cite episode|episodelink=Cat House|title=Cat House|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2003-04-13|network=The WB]

Leo's marriage to Piper was turbulent, especially when he became promoted to an Elder after saving them.cite episode|episodelink=Oh My Goddess (Part 1)|title=Oh My Goddess (Part 1)|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2003-05-11|network=The WB] As an Elder, Leo was not allowed to live with his family, though he promised always to watch over them. However, Leo is highly mistrustful of the new whitelighter Chris Perry, and stays involved in the family's life as he tries to figure Chris out. Chris seems no more fond of Leo than Leo is of Chris, though later, when it is revealed that Chris is actually Leo and Piper's second son.cite episode|episodelink=The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell|title=The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-02-08|network=The WB] Chris admits that Leo was always there for Wyatt, for the Charmed Ones, but never for him, as he was often eclipsed by Wyatt's "Chosen One" and ultimate power status. Chris's presence in the past, coupled with his unerring dedication to saving little Wyatt from the evil that corrupts him, helps them mend the relationship.

Leo loses him, however, when Chris is stabbed by Gideon, a fellow Elder and the headmaster of Magic School. At that point he has realized that Gideon was the one trying to kill Wyatt. Leo also realizes that Barbas had cornered him and made him live his worst fear - killing an elder and the older (evil) Wyatt killing him. He realized that Barbas must have been working with Gideon. While he has lost Chris, he still has the opportunity to save Wyatt, and goes after Gideon, killing him and saving Wyatt from becoming evil.cite episode|episodelink=It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World (Part 2)|title=It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World (Part 2)|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-05-16|network=The WB] While on the run and hiding the truth from the other Elders, Leo becomes reunited with his family, Leo eventually clips his wingscite episode|episodelink=The Seven Year Witch|title=The Seven Year Witch|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-04-10|network=The WB] and becomes the headmaster of Magic School, staying with his family.

In season eight, Leo is taken by the Angel of Destiny in exchange for his life, so that Piper will be motivated to fulfill her ultimate destiny.cite episode|episodelink=Vaya Con Leos|title=Vaya Con Leos|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-11-27|network=The WB] He is returned to her briefly when she and Billie alone survive the great battle, taking her away to Phoebe's condo and bringing her back to rationality.cite episode|episodelink=Kill Billie Vol. 2|title=Kill Billie Vol. 2|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2006-05-14|network=The WB] He is taken away again when Piper goes back in time, but is ultimately reunited with his family, living to see his grandchildren with Piper.

Leo as an Elder

When Leo was promoted to be an Elder he had to leave his family behind. However, he managed to watch over them, especially his son, as he was given rights to visit him. However his appointment cost him his marriage to Piper. Chris Perry, the whitelighter from the future, had taken his place as the Charmed Ones' new whitelighter.cite episode|episodelink=Valhalley of the Dolls (Part 1)|title=Valhalley of the Dolls (Part 1)|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2003-09-28|network=The WB]

Since Piper and Leo's parting, Piper had become increasingly happy. Alarmed by her change in attitude, Paige and Phoebe told Chris to ask Leo about Piper, but Chris admitted that Leo had been kidnapped. When Paige and Phoebe told Piper that Leo was missing, she was oddly unaffected by the news, not really remembering their parting. But when the sisters finally found Leo, Piper's memories came flooding back. She demanded to know why she did not remember Leo leaving her, and Leo told her that he used his powers to make her forget and not feel as much pain. Not wanting to face the pain and anger she felt toward Leo, Piper became a Valkyrie. Phoebe and Paige confronted Piper, using a spell to make Piper feel her suppressed emotions. Once confronted with her pain, Piper realized that she did not belong with the Valkyries and returned home. Leo apologized to Piper for taking away her feelings. Piper said that she understood that he was only trying to help, but she told him that since he was still an Elder she would appreciate his keeping his distance so that she might move on with her life.

Even though Piper tried to distance herself from Leo, she realized how much Leo missed Wyatt and how much Wyatt missed his daddy, so she told him that he could visit as much as he wanted when she was not around. But much to Leo's disappointment, Piper asked him for a divorce when she started to date again.

When a demon used the power of a genie to wish the Charmed Ones dead, Leo's connection to Piper saved the sisters. Even though he and Piper were in a magically-induced sleep, Leo heard Piper's cries for help when her spirit began to move to the afterlife and he healed her. This incident drew Piper closer to Leo, as she was reminded of her connection to him.cite episode|episodelink=I Dream of Phoebe|title=I Dream of Phoebe|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-02-15|network=The WB]

After Leo and Piper were trapped in the Ghostly Plane, Leo revealed he still loved her and they made love and Piper got pregnant with their second child, who happened to be Chris.cite episode|episodelink=The Courtship of Wyatt's Father|title=The Courtship of Wyatt's Father|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-02-22|network=The WB]

When Leo finally found out that Piper was pregnant again and Chris was their son, he decided that his place was to stay with his family. Trying to absorb the situation, Leo took his time in approaching Piper about the impending birth of their son and the future of their relationship. While Piper admitted that she thought about them becoming a family again, she tried not to because things had not changed — Leo was still an Elder.

When Leo learned that his mentor Gideon was after Wyatt and that Gideon had killed Chris, Leo avenged his son by killing Gideon, using his powers as an Elder. He returned to be at the side of his family, possibly for good.

Leo has been hunting for Barbas since he teamed up with Gideon to find Wyatt in the Underworld, and he and the Charmed Ones suspects that Gideon may not be the only Elder who feels that Wyatt may turn evil. Leo was tricked by Barbas into killing the Elder, Zola, who once tried to reach out to Leo to help him.

Leo was not trusted by the Whitelighter Elders, however, he had to return to his status, to prepare for the "Gathering Storm". Unfortunately, he and Piper had planned for him to move back in with them, but he felt that he was too dangerous.

Leo as an Avatar

Leo then joined the Avatars, and was granted great powers. After he informed the Halliwell sisters of his new statuscite episode|episodelink=There's Something About Leo|title=There's Something About Leo|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2004-11-21|network=The WB] , Leo was a target for Agent Kyle Brody. However, Leo soon became aware that the world the Avatars wanted to make was not the nice world he had hoped for.cite episode|episodelink=Charmageddon|title=Charmageddon|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-01-30|network=The WB] To convince the sisters, Leo sacrificed himself by getting angry, thus forcing the Avatars to vanquish him (as the Avatars did to all who have negative feelings), but as he was dying, he relayed a message to Phoebe, who remembered, and then took it upon herself to make sure her sisters felt pain in order to see that what the Avatars were doing was wrong. The sisters worked with Zankou in order to get the Avatars to change the world back so that it was no longer a Utopian community. Time was then turned back to the point before the Avatars changed the world, and Leo was restored, although he no longer had his Avatar powers.cite episode|episodelink=Extreme Makeover: World Edition|title=Extreme Makeover: World Edition|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-01-23|network=The WB]

Now the Elders were left with the question of how to punish Leo for becoming an Avatar. They finally decided to relocate him on Earth and take away his memory. They said Leo would somehow find his way back and choose between rejoining his family or becoming an Elder full time. However, the Elders cheated on this test and tricked Leo into rejoining them. But when Phoebe and Paige confronted the Elders on this, Leo came with them. At that time, a dying Piper (she had been poisoned by a Thorn Demon) called out to Leo, urged on by Cole Turner. Leo heard her and chose to "fall from grace". Leo thus gave up his powers and his Elder status and became a mortal human, but he got his memory back. Leo then returned home to Piper and their two sons.

Leo as a human

Leo and Piper had a hard time adjusting to Leo being a powerless human. After some trouble with Zankou, Piper and Phoebe decided to ask Leo to become the new Headmaster of the Magic School instead of Paige, who wants to try something new. They think Leo is perfect for the position because he's a "walking Book of Shadows": he has lost his powers, but not his knowledge of magic. Paige orbs away as Leo accepts. cite episode|episodelink=|title=Scry Hard|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate= |network=The WB]

Leo "died" with the Halliwell sisters, adopting the name of Louis Bennett,cite episode|episodelink=|title=Still Charmed & Kicking|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-09-25|network=The WB] but soon got back to his old life and name.cite episode|episodelink=Rewitched|title=Rewitched|series=Charmed|serieslink=Charmed|airdate=2005-10-23|network=The WB]

Leo and Piper went to a magical marriage counselor, but things did not turn out as well as they had hoped. Their counselor needed them to see how each of their lives was in order to get them closer to each other. In order to do this, the marriage counselor had them switch bodies in order to walk a mile in each other's shoes.

The series finale and the future

In the last season of the series, Leo was the target of the Angel of Death. The sisters searched for a key to undo his death sentence. Piper summoned both an Elder and an Avatar to give Leo a new lease on life, but both were forbidden to do so. In turn the sisters summoned the Angel of Destiny, who warned them of an impending great evil force, that Leo's death would be the only motivation to give the sisters the will to fight the great evil, in the same manner that their sister Prue's death motivated them to defeat The Source. So they decided to freeze Leo promising if they beat the great evil, he would be returned to them.

After the destruction of the manor and the deaths of Phoebe, Paige, and Christy Jenkins, Leo was returned by the Angel of Destiny. Had he not intervened, Piper might have killed Billie Jenkins in an act of revenge. With the manor destroyed, Leo and Piper left the area.

Piper and Leo went back to the past to fix the present, and saved the future so that Phoebe and Paige live. However, after they change the past in order to let Phoebe and Paige live, Leo is returned to the sisters, and Piper more importantly, and able to be with them again, and Coop and Phoebe get married, in the very final episode and are shown having started a family.

In the new future, Piper and Leo have a daughter, Melinda, and Leo returns to teach in Magic School. At the end of the finale they finish the Book Of Shadows by writing about their lives so all the generations after them would be prepared to fight demons, warlocks, and other forms of evil.

References