Molecular Immobilization

**Category:** | Defensive Power

**Molecular Immobilization**, more commonly referred to as *freezing*, is the ability to slow down molecules to the point where they move so slowly that objects and people appear completely motionless, simulating stopping time in a localized range.

## Channeling

This power is always channelled through the use of one's hands, usually by stretching forward one or both arms at the target and extending one's fingers. However, pointing only one finger also worked. When Piper's hands were bound, she was rendered powerless. Unfreezing was usually done by waving one's fingers inwards at the frozen subject, as if physically pulling off the freeze.

Examples include:

* Waving one's hand. Piper taught Denise how to unfreeze using a simple hand gesture; gently waving one's hand diagonally upwards.
* Pointing at the subject with all digits extended. When Curtis Williamson gained this power, he unfroze a doctor by simply pointing his hand forward.
* Flicking one's wrists. Piper unfroze a busy hospital by simply turning her wrists very slightly. She also unfroze a loud restraught by twisting her wrist with her index finger pointed.
* Moving only one's digits. Piper once unfroze Bane Jessup by tapping her fingers together while both her hands were joined. Piper also unfroze a Genie, while keeping the area frozen, by spinning her index finger at him in a circular motion.
* Nodding one's head. When Piper was a child before having her powers bound, she could unfreeze by nodding her head.

## Personal Gain

Piper attempted to use this power a number of times for personal gain. When at a beverage supply store, Josh takes the last bottle of Calera Jensen which Piper needs for a coq au vin recipe. She freezes him and is tempted to take it but then decides it's the wrong thing to do. Piper used the power to freeze a noisy restaurant when she was on a date with Leo

She also froze a hallway full of people, because they kept touching her stomach, Paige even chastised her for it. Piper also uses the power to freeze regular humans a few times throughout the course of the series rather than for magical threats, but most of the time it is so she can think things through or prevent accidents, thus it can't be considered personal gain. She also uses this power for sexual purposes, as mentioned by Leo Wyatt.

Melinda often would often use this power for her own needs when she was a teenager. Every now and then she still does though.

## List of Users

**Original power**

* Melinda Warren
* Patty Halliwell
* Piper Halliwell
* Melinda Halliwell

**Temporarily**

* The Source of All Evil
* Mabel Stillman
* Matthew Tate
* Curtis Williamson
* Zankou
* Pilar
* Penny Halliwell (*Casting the Freezing Spell*)
* Prue Halliwell

## Notes

* This is one of the three original powers of Melinda Warren.
* Witches cannot freeze other witches.
* While dressed as Glinda, the Good Witch, was able to channel her power through her toy wand and freeze the Grimlocks by waving it at them.
* Piper hascreates a potion to duplicate this power.
* Of all the non-Warren beings to have possessed Molecular Immobilization, Zahn is the only being who didn't acquire this power through Piper Halliwell.
* Even though Piper cannot freeze something if it's behind a physical barrier, she can still use her power successfully while wearing gloves.