Heroes: Timeline Twister

Before I shift into full recapping mode, there’s a message I really must convey to the creative forces behind the serialized dramas that I love so very, very much.  There are few things as exciting as the surprising return of a character long gone.  However, any fans pop culturally savvy enough to know the actors by name are robbed of that excitement when their return is displayed like a freakin’ headline during the opening credits.  I’ve seen it happen on Buffy, Angel, Alias, Smallville, heck, as embarrassing as this sounds, I often feel the need to cover the lower 3^rd of the screen with my hand for the first 5 minutes of Lost.  Not.  Cool.  Hence, when “DAVID ANDERS” popped up around the 2-minute mark of Monday’s Heroes with no subsequent sign of villainous alter ego Adam Monroe for the next 40, I found myself watching what would have been a surprising cliffhanger with the false enthusiasm of a kid opening presents he’s already seen.

That said, this might have been one of Heroes‘ best episodes ever.  Each season has featured a visit to an alternatively wretched vision of 4 years into the future, giving insight into how that season’s calamity will change the lives of everyone involved.  This time, it means Angry Peter taking Nice Peter on a trip to his world where anyone can get powers (cue an awesome scene depicting folks using flight and super speed to circumvent all that pesky commuting), and a line has been drawn between those who came by their powers by birth and those who got them from a syringe.  We get another visit from Claire, the pissed off, gun-toting brunette, who this time succeeds in putting a few rounds into mean Uncle Petey’s noggin, but not before he tells his younger self to go see Sylar.  Nice Peter escapes to Mohinder’s place to gather intel only to find that Mo, who readily admits to injecting himself with a flawed version of the formula, has devolved into a gooey, scaly mess reluctant to show his face.  At least he pulls himself together well enough to point the way towards Sylar, mysteriously taking up residence at the Bennet’s California abode.  What transpires there is an absolute triumph of character, action, special effects, and storytelling.

Pete finds the former Gabriel Gray living as the friendly suburban father of a 3-year-old son (but who’s the baby mama?!?!) who fully regrets the actions of the psycho he used to be.  Peter expresses the need to take on his terrifying power, now defined as an intimate hunger to understand how things work.  Still not sure what he does with the brains, though.  After Pete acquires the hunger, Claire shows up with baddie buddies Knox and Daphne, who proceed to rain destruction upon the Gray household.  Peter decks Claire, Daph whales on Peter with a torrent of lightning quick punches, and Knox gets pumped on little Noah Gray’s fear, leading to a showdown with daddy.  Noah dies in the struggle, causing Sylar to go all Season 1 by unleashing a grief-fueled nuclear apocalypse.  Peter survives, only to be tortured by Claire when President Nathan walks in to inform his brother that said apocalypse will lead to the creation of an all superpowered army.  Consumed by his new skill, Pete snaps and kills his big bro in classic bloody forehead fashion before regaining his composure and escaping back to the past.  And that’s how you pull off an epic vision of a future gone wrong.

Side plot role call!

Future Daphne tries to flee the blast, but winds up dying in husband Matt’s arms, thus fulfilling a painting and sending Matt further along his vision quest.  Tracy discovers that she, Nikki, and the unseen Barbara were triplets juiced by The Company at birth.  Despondent over her lack of control, she jumps off a bridge only to be saved by Nathan.  The two kiss, setting up a 3^rd act reveal that they are president and first lady of the alterna-future.  Hiro finally begins to get over his trust issues with Ando during a weak attempt at a prison break.  And finally, bringing this recap full circle, Angela stifles said attempt and instead sends Hiro to retrieve the supervillain he left six feet under because, cue ominous music, Adam could be the key to everything!  I’m pretty sure that everyone on this show has been “the key to everything” at least once, but no matter.  Adam’s back, and the future looks bright.

Season 3, Episode 4: I Am Become Death (originally aired October 6, 2008)

For another take on this episode, check out The Future Looks Bleak by Inisia Lewis.

Mondays at 9/8C on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC