The question now is: Can the series itself do the same thing?

TNT canceled Witchblade last summer, but rumors persist that it will return, perhaps as a television movie on TNT or as a series on another network.

Top Cow honcho Marc Silvestri confirms talks have taken place, but doesn't feel chances are great for Witchblade to return. "You never know, though," Silvestri says.

One thing is for certain: Kenneth Irons wants back.

Appearing at his own panel at MegaCon on Sunday, Anthony Cistaro, who played the enigmatic billionaire, says he would "definitely" be interested in reprising his role.

"There was something really unfinished about it," Cistaro says. "It felt that way for the viewers and it felt that way for the actors.

"Everybody is still interested in doing it. The fan and viewer response has been so intense; I would have never expected such support and loyalty. I've been talking with Eric (Etebari, who played Ian Nottingham) and John (Hensley, who played Gabriel Bowman) and they're amazed at the fans' loyalty."

The second season of Witchblade did pretty much the same ratings as the first, but wasn't received quite as well critically. According to Cistaro, Witchblade might been a victim of its own success.

"After it did so well the first season, it fell under a lot more scrutiny from the network," Cistaro says. "There were some decisions made that some felt hindered the second season.

"Some people said the big loss of the second season was the idea of a through line that the first season had. There was some concerns with the serial aspect, that it was too much for new viewers to understand what's going on."

Cistaro says he thinks a third season would have gotten the show back toward the sensibilities of the first.

"I had heard bits and pieces of what Ralph (Hemecker, executive producer) had planned for a third season," Cistaro says. "He was really going to open it back up."

Cistaro knew a thing or two about Witchblade going into the pilot movie three years ago. His college roommate, Brian Haberlin, helped created the character for Top Cow. Cistaro said he based his take on Irons as a combination of Donald Trump and a book that Hemecker gave hi about Robert Moses, a former parks commissioner who was instrumental in much of the development of New York City.

But no matter how powerful and wealthy Irons became, he could not get what he desired the most.

"The true obsession of Irons is that Witchblade," Cistaro says. "He's just courting it like a lover. He just wants that blade. Really my only way of possible having any dealings with it is through Sara, so she is the conduit."

While Irons was a menace throughout the first season, he was killed early in the second season by Sara, only to return at the end.

For his panel at MegaCon on Sunday, Cistaro brought along a special treat, a "lost episode" of sorts called "Electropop" that had never been shown to the public before. It is believed the episode was put together during a production hiatus for the second season while series star Yancy Butler had alcohol rehabilitation.

The episode, which would have been a perfect introduction to new viewers, basically has the Gabriel Bowman character talking about his experiences - and dreams - about the Witchblade and Sara Pezzini. As Gabriel talks into his own video camera, viewers are shown clips from the show's first season and early second season.

"It's kind of a photo album for the show," Cistaro says. "It may never be seen again."

And whether it is the mysterious, final chapter of Witchblade on television remains to be seen.