Heroes: Cold War

Someone reminded the Heroes writers about how to focus on storytelling and character development, and I thank them profusely. Before all the critic and fan fallout, they would have jammed together last week’s and this week’s episode into one confusing, rushed piece. Instead, we pick up moments before Noah’s kidnapping as we see Peter, Mohinder and Matt decide what they’re going to do to get the answer they need. Who’s the man behind the plan? Why are they doing that to our heroes? And answers to things they didn’t even know they were searching for. Of course Noah would be the one man who could give them everything they need.

From the onset of the plan, Peter, Matt and Mohinder squabbled over everything from should they kidnap Noah in the first place to the ethics of drugging him and rifling through his mind. The fighting would not end there either.

FIVE WEEKS AGO

Noah meets with Angela to discuss the end of the Company. We see Noah’s endless dedication to his job, but Angela’s ready with his pension and severance, as well as a beautiful parting gift, a watch. She tells him it’s his chance to have what he’s fought for, time with his family.

We see a different side of Matt who says he’s willing to push as far as he needs to get the answers they want. It’s at this point that the Hunter notifies Nathan that Noah’s off the grid. It’s time to put the team to high alert.

On the other hand, Matt and Mohinder go at it because Mohinder believes that Matt is only torturing Noah because of Daphne’s death, but they continue to push on.

FOUR WEEKS AGO

The Company Man is doing a crossword puzzle and planning dinner with the other PTA parents. It’s clear that he’s bored in his action-less life. Luckily Nathan shows up to chat. Nathan clues him in to his powers roundup plan, but lets him know that Claire will be safe if Noah’s on the right side. Noah’s not too sure that putting all the secrets he fought 20 years to protect into the government’s hands is the right thing. He also tells Nathan he will be seen as a villain by everyone, but Nathan just wants a chance to make things right. He saw how far his powers pushed him.

Noah takes him to a storage locker and shows Nathan everything he’s worked on in his career. He even has a weapons arsenal and hard cash! But he didn’t bring him here to give him stuff, he brought Nathan there to show that this is his life. “There’s only so many crossword puzzles I can do,” Noah says.

Again the fellas fall into squabbling. Matt believes Mohinder thinks they should get caught for their powers. Peter doesn’t say much, but Matt gives him the location to the storage locker to get supplies and prove that what they’re finding out in Noah’s mind is true. Unfortunately, Peter doesn’t know the storage locker’s being watched. He’s greeted with a whole team of SWAT Ninjas but he uses a flash bomb to distract them and escape.

THREE WEEKS AGO

Noah meets the Hunter for the first time in their headquarters, Building 26. He wants to implement the one of us, one of them policy, but Hunter is not too keen on that idea. Noah finally sees that he does not discriminate against the good or bad people they’re hunting.

Noah tracks down Mohinder and tries to convince him to help him “save lives.” When Matt finds this out he flips a lid. Noah came to Mohinder and knew about the government roundup and didn’t tell anyone! But, I think this is exactly what Noah wanted Matt to find out. He can finally use Matt and Mohinder’s endless squabbling to plan and escape, which almost works, but Peter comes back just in time.

ONE WEEK AGO

Noah visits Hunter in D.C. with a bottle of Scotch in tow. Hunter believes that Noah is split between dedication to his job and his family which he sees as a weakness. “To win this war for good, it takes focus and yours is just a little split right now,” says Hunter. Noah says he’s done his research too. He also knows his real name is Mr. Danko. He says he’s too focused. They’re not hunting terrorists; they’re hunting people. They need to understand their humanity. They finally agree, however, to see each other’s side. Danko can see Noah’s value if Noah can be 100% dedicated.

Now with the name and address of the guy in charge, Peter flies off (again!) to take out the Hunter, even though Noah warns them that they don’t understand the extent of what they’re doing.

When Peter arrives, we realize that this is exactly what Danko wants. If Peter kills him, this justifies the government’s extermination of everyone with powers. Nathan arrives and backs this up. (Loved Danko asking how he got there so fast.) So after just shooting Danko in the arm (way to go, Peter!), he flies away.

Matt and Mohinder realize that the SWAT Ninjas are closing in on them, but Noah has one more trick up his sleeve. He tells Matt that Daphne’s still alive, but is this the truth? Mohinder says he’ll hold them off, which basically means taking a lot of shocks before being captured, but Matt gets what he wants.

TWO DAYS AGO

We see Daphne in extreme pain, and Noah ordering a sedative for her. But he told the truth; she is alive.

PRESENT

Noah convinces Matt to not pull the trigger, and he’s captured as well. Noah begs to walk him out. Why? I’m not so sure, but just as they get outside, Peter sets off another flash bomb and swoops him away. Too bad he couldn’t do the same for Mohinder.

Back at Building 26, Nathan visits Mohinder and tries to convince him to help them rid everyone of their powers. Nathan believes, without Mohinder’s help, they’ll all just be executed.

And with Noah back and his family behind him, it seems Danko can really trust him now. He even asks Noah to help him get Nathan and his ideals out of the way as well.

After Danko leaves, Noah meets up with Angela one more time. It’s now that we see the true side that Noah’s on. The plan was to gain Danko’s trust, but Angela warns him that he’ll have to make tough choices that prove he’s dedicated to the cause. To this Noah answers, “You know me. I’ve always been comfortable with morally gray.”

So did we get the answers we needed? I think so. And what did you think about those final scenes that show Matt in Isaac’s old loft painting lots of pictures of TNT and him strapped with TNT and a big mushroom cloud over D.C.? Hmmmm……..

Season 3, Episode 17: Cold War (originally aired February 23, 2009)

For another take on this episode, check out Horn-Rimmed Motivations by Paul Secrest.

For more on Heroes, click here.

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Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal, Trae Patton