This episode was a "Clip Show"- meaning that the plot includes scenes from previously run episodes. I'll indicate the episode each clip comes from by listing its title in *italics*
Candlelit room
A very large room is lit by hundreds of candles. Sheer cloth hangs from walls, shrouding the room in shadow. From the back of the room, a woman picks up a wooden box and walks slowly to a table, while speaking to someone unseen. She's older, with carefully styled white hair. She wears an expensive bluish grey suit with a long skirt and a necklace with strands of hematite and matching earrings. Speaking softly and persuasively she talks about the ageless struggle for power between good and evil. She tells the unseen person that the balance is precarious and the equilibrium gets pushed one way or another with each battle that is won or lost. Smiling, she recounts that it all began when the angel Lucifer was cast from heaven to rule the darkside. Battle lines were then drawn and each side believed their cause was the righteous one.
She opens the wooden box now and reaches inside saying that the struggle has caused people to go to extremes to secure power for their own cause or "sometimes, for themselves." She pulls out a black and white photograph of Winston Rayne and holds it up saying he went on a quest for 5 mystic sepulchers. "The question was, once he found them, how he would use the powers they possess."
Clip . Winston finds a sepulcher and opens it saying, "I need to find the whole truth." Azazel, a demon, comes out and attacks Winston. Young Derek runs to the sepulcher and turns the key forcing the demon back inside and then rushes back to his dying father. Winston's last act is to give him his Legacy precept ring saying, "The burden is yours now." *Pilot -Season 1*
The woman continues that Winston Rayne was a revered precept in the Legacy yet he mistakenly believed he was strong enough to meet the demons head on and draw from their power. Underestimating the "sheer domination of the darkside" cost him his life. Worse yet, "it cost him his immortal soul." The picture she still holds up spontaneously combusts and burns as she concludes smugly, "High price to pay."
Speaking seductively, she tells the unseen person that souls are the thing at stake in the ongoing war and it's very important that people choose sides carefully. One side offers power, strength and happiness for life and the other is shrouded in lies and misery. She concludes, "The question is, which side is which?"
Her eyes glow an otherworldly luminescent green as she talks. She's watched the battle rage on for centuries and notes that it's been intensifying recently. She surmises it may be due to the coming millennium or perhaps its due to Derek Rayne being the precept of the San Francisco house. She holds up a black and white photo of Derek as she says, "Fathers and sons, there is no stronger bond." The darkside sent a demon to fulfill Derek's wish for a son and he accepted the youth as his without question. He eventually realized that the darkside was feeding on his longing for a son and repelled him. She says wistfully that if the demon had won he could have brought down the Legacy.
Clip . A young man, Lucas Dumond, appears on Angel Island claiming to be Derek's son. He accepts him and they go on a rafting trip to bond. The demon attempts to overtake Derek so he can impersonate him with the intention of destroying the Legacy from within. Derek fights him off and the demon leaves. *Lives in the Balance -Season 2*
The white haired woman is now holding a photograph of Lucas and it spontaneously burns up.
She continues saying that that no one in the Legacy wants to believe some its members are beyond reproach and yet the darkside has been successful in recruiting some of them to their side., Vlad Dracul, Henry the XIII and Napoleon were all unable to resist the lure of unadulterated power.
Smiling sweetly, she tells her guest that no one is immune to the seductive power of the Darkside. She takes out a picture of Angelyne D'Arcy, the Precept of the Montreal House who turned to the darkside.
Clip . As Derek searches for his sister Ingrid, he is confronted by Angelyne who tells him the dark will always be more interesting than the light. She tries to make him understand the allure and the power she found there, "When you embrace it, it becomes you." She reminds Derek that his family is his weakness and tries to kill his sister. He defeats her and rescues Ingrid. *Ransom -Season 2*
The woman smiles wryly as the photograph of Angelyne burns up in her hand.
Matter-of-factly the woman says that Derek killed Angelyne without remorse. She continues that "the age old question of right vs wrong is murky when examined under the cold light of reality."
The darkside wanted to strike at the core of the San Francisco house so they decided to focus their energy on the child, Katharine Corrigan.
Clip . A banshee from the middle depths comes and impersonates Rachel to kidnap her daughter, Katharine. As she tries to leave with the child, Rachel, in a fury, intercedes and gets her daughter back and the banshee leaves. *Stolen Hearts -Season 3*
The banshee's photograph burns up. The woman notes that the darkside underestimates human sometimes, especially when they test familial bonds. Her eyes again glow with luminescent green.
She then holds up a photograph of Joshua Cantwell, Rachel's grandfather. She recalls Joshua Cantwell gladly came over to the darkside long ago. Since the darkside likes to use agents they can count on, they sent him after Kat Corrigan. Joshua was "most eager to convert his great-granddaughter."
Clip . Joshua Cantwell has Kat and refuses to let her go. Derek and the Legacy struggle against his powers in order to regain her. Derek tries to kill him with a sword but Joshua turns it on Derek instead and stabs him. As Joshua returns to get Kat, Derek pulls the sword out of his own chest and uses it to kill Joshua. *The Reckoning -Season 1*
Joshua's photograph self-destructs in flames like the others. Seductively, the woman then tells the unseen visitor that when her own plans are carried out, the Darkside will succeed in "wiping the Legacy off the face of the earth." With a beckoning voice she adds, "Perhaps you'll be there by my side."
She then holds up Philip Callahan's photograph and notes that the Legacy hides behind a veil of purity and self-righteousness. Philip hid behind his faith when he refused Eric Ravenwood absolution. However, when he took Ravenwood's soul into his, he became an enemy within his own house. Philip had mistakenly believed that his own virtue was enough to go against the darkside.
Clip . Ravenwood wanted absolution but Philip denied him that so he turned to the darkside. He kills a member of the parish and vows to kill all the members of the San Francisco house. Philip tries to destroy him by trading his own body and soul. This doesn't work out the way he planned and Ravenwood's spirit takes control of Philip instead. Evil Philip then tries to kill Alex, Rachel and Nick. Derek comes to the rescue by demanding that Ravenwood leave Philips body and go to hell where he belongs. He does and the San Francisco house is saved. *Repentance -Season 2*
The woman is now holding Eric Ravenwood's photograph and it burns up like the others. She tells her guest that each time the darkside strikes, it gets a step closer to ultimate victory. "The balance of power is slowly shifting and the outcome is inevitable." She asks her visitor who sits across from her if "she'd like to be on the winning side."
Alexandra Moreau is revealed to be the visitor. Wearing a white silk pantsuit she listens to the white haired woman as if in a trance. The woman continues telling Alex that she holds the key in the struggle. She encourages her to join them by promising that bloodshed will end and peace will reign if she comes with them. She also assures her that by joining them she'd be assuring the safety and well being of her friends in the Legacy, not to mention the rewards the darkside has to offer.
The woman smiles and encourages her to remember how right it felt when she met Daniel Euwara. She holds up his photo now.
Clip . Daniel Euwara, a Mindoki witch doctor, appears in Alex's bedroom and murmurs an incantation over her as she sleeps. He also controls Alex's sister, Tanya and wants Alex for her psychic powers. She falls under his influence in order to save her sister and is nearly taken herself, but Derek saves her and destroys Euwara. Once again, Derek intones an incantation and sends him back. *The Spirit Thief -Season 2*
Euwara's picture burns up like the others.
Alex recalls that at the time she felt Euwara was evil and turned her back to his seductive power. The woman clarifies that the Legacy turned against Daniel because he didn't fit in their mold. The darkside was very close to pulling Alex to their side then but her associates in the Legacy pulled her back to them. Smiling she reminds Alex, "that was then. This is now. Derek and the others aren't here. It's just you and me."
She then promises Alex that when the darkside wins the battle, they will reign as a benevolent force and won't hide behind self-righteousness. She promises strength, power and happiness and a chance at immortality. She asks Alex if she'd like to be the one that makes the difference. Alex, transfixed by the woman's words, listens intently as she concludes, "You can tip the balance in the right direction. Join us Alex. It's the right thing to do."
Alex thinks then slowly smiles and replies, "I believe you."
The table is now covered with photographs of the individual members in the San Francisco house (including Philip!) Upon Alex's words, they all spontaneously burst into flames. Alex smiles at this and the woman laughs out loud.