Heroes: The Villain Round-up

Well, well, well.  Heroes is reinforcing what it began last episode, a return to the novel and intriguing.  As of late, the plot development has been rapid, the characters are overly abundant and passive and the character development has halted.  Sure, we never lost that Heroes razzle-dazzle, but I’ve missed the show’s insightfulness.  Episode six was on track.  Each Hero got a piece of action and there was even greater clarity between the lines of good and evil.  There’s a lot to recap, so let’s jump in.

This was a very Daphne-centric episode.  Since she’s the fastest woman in the known universe, she spends her time darting around the world and linking potential villains with Pinehearst.  She, in essence, played Pinehearst’s gatekeeper.

We’re treated to the trick Hiro used to save and not kill Ando.  Had he, it would have definitely been a jump the shark moment.  Hiro would never kill someone in cold blood, let alone his BFF.  Instead he paused time, switched the sword with a fake, grabbed some fake blood and jumped to the past where he informed Ando of the plan.  He convinced Knox, but Daphne is upset with Hiro and herself for turning him into a killer.  She gives him an assignment, the African pre-cog painter. (Thanks Heroes writers for making it clear that he’s not the turtle.) They try to sneak up on the African, but it’s tricky to sneak up on a man who can see you coming.  I enjoyed the humor of Hiro, seeing the paintings of himself being hit with a shovel seconds before it happens.  And twice at that!  Ando and Hiro finally decide to go the old-fashioned route and wait until dark, in real time.  When they arrive, they’re congratulated on finally using their brains and not relying on powers. (It was a test!) I like this African painter more than Isaac as he’s a wise sage and Isaac was a hot, druggy mess.  He shows them a painting of four villains that they must capture: Knox, Flint, Arthur and someone else.

Daphne also liberates Flint and attempts to bust Sylar out of Level 5.  He’s staying put, though, because he wants to control himself, and he’s found a makeshift home with a mother who accepts him as he is.  This strengthens the picture of the future Gabriel.  I, now, believe that Sylar can be good, and I see he wants to be.  He takes Peter out of his drug-induced coma and bids him to help their mother, who seems to be in a coma of her own. (Drugs not included.) After scouring her mind, all Peter can get is the Pinehearst symbol.  Could this be a Maury-induced coma?  Peter wants to attack immediately but Sylar’s against it.  A brotherly battle ensues, much worse than a fight for the remote in the living room, and Peter essentially kicks Sylar’s butt. (That hunger makes Peter fight like a wild banshee!) After putting Sylar in a coma, he’s off to Pinehearst.  There, Peter’s greeted by Arthur Petrelli, his “should be dead” father.  He embraces his son but drains him of all of his powers. (I never thought there’d be a Petrelli more evil than Angela.  I was so wrong.)

Another Daphne mission includes Parkman who’s arrived at JFK with turtle in tow. (Parkman’s cute with his new friend.) He knows her from his visions, but to Daphne, Parkman is acting more like a stalker than a future lover.  However, she begins to believe him after mentioning that their future baby is named after her grandmother. (I would find this even MORE stalker-ish with anyone but Parkman.) After gallivanting around the world and finding villains, she realizes he’s different and warns him not to work with Pinehearst.  He doesn’t want her to either as it gets her killed, but she owes them for something and can’t escape it.

Elsewhere in Heroes-verse:

We’re treated to an astounding visual of Arthur sucking out the regenerative powers from the 400-year-old Adam who’s reduced to ashes. (RIP.  I’ll miss you.)

Tracy and Nathan find Mohinder and enlist him to help rid them of their man-made powers. (Watch out!  We know how that quest turned out for Maya.) Mohinder, who’s more interested in their blood than a cure, drugs and captures them.  In a gutsy move, Tracy appeals to what little humanity Mohinder has left and when he gets close, freezes him and releases Nathan.  Super Mohinder defrosts in time to let them, and us, know the game’s not over yet.

Creepy Puppetmaster Eric makes Claire, Sandra and Meredith play a game of Russian roulette.  Luckily as fate would have it, one person in the group can’t die.  The acting was top-notch between Claire and her two mothers.  When Sandra shoots her daughter, Eric releases his hold on Claire, believing her to be dead.  Claire whips around and takes him down and without the taser! (High five for finally stepping it up.) Noah’s called to take Eric back to Level 5 and solicits Meredith to join his team.

This was an extra fine episode indeed.  I hope these improvements continue exponentially.  So who’ll get Angela and Sylar out of their comas?  What made Arthur so crazy, and what will he do to no-powers Peter?  Are Tracy and Nathan Mohinder’s new web victims?  Will Parkman and Daphne make babies?  I can’t wait to find out.

Quotables:

Hiro: Hello? Mr. African Isaac?

Eric: So, what’s it gonna be?  PTA mom who tucks you in every night?  Or cool aunt with flame-throwing action?

Parkman: Okay, turtle, you got me home so now we just need to find Daphne, save her life and get her to fall in love with me.  So you could just give me a sign… I can’t believe I’m talking to a turtle. (Sees Daphne.) High five, turtle!

Season 3, Episode 6: Dying of the Light (originally aired October 20, 2008)

For another take on this episode, check out The Puppet Show by Paul Secrest.

For more on Heroes, click here.

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Photographs courtesy of NBC