HEROES / VILIANS (Spoilers Welcome)

So here are my initial comments about tonight's episode of Heroes. Don't read if you haven't seen the episode yet and are avoiding being spoiled.

This episode was better in that it controlled having the multitude of things going on. I guess what I'm saying is that it made sense more than last week did. I still find Nathan's turn to God to be lame. I'm still tired of Claire.

I find it really stupid that they hyped up this whole big Villains plot of these guys breaking out of Level 5 only to have two of them killed in this episode and one of them recaptured and imprisoned. Way to overhype the story NBC.

So, it seems Niki truly is dead. Even if they're going down this road of them being "created" by this Dr Zimmerman guy, it still makes Niki's character feel wasted and the whole big Jessica arc seem superfluous only used for boogedy boogedy purposes in the first season. Disappointing.

I'm still not thrilled with this show like I used to be, but this week was better than last.

I finally saw episode three and I have to say, it was a lot better than the first two.

Sylar, what can I say. I just dig him. I hope he's around forever. I still don't believe that Mama Petrelli is his bio-mother. I think she's lying to get him to trust her. Maybe I'm wrong. But she's creepy in her own way. I guess it wouldn't be a stretch that he's related. Then again, he's always just wanted someone to understand that he's special. He's always felt different. Her telling him, "did you really think you were the son of a watch maker?" would validate his need to be special.

I'm also tired of Claire. She's the most hyped actress on the show because Hayden P. is all over the magazines (style magazines, gossip rags.) Since the actress has become so popular, it seems they're stretching to find something FUN for her to do, something NEAT. Oooo, teach me how to fight and be bad-ass! Ugh. I do enjoy watching her mother. That woman is just wicked awesome. I don't trust her and I love that.

Yeah, I was looking forward to this big, huge showdown between the Villains and good-guy camp, but it felt more like premature ejaculation in a sense (sorry to be so graphic!) It's almost like these new heroes/villains are just there for Sylar to suck the powers from and therefore giving him the creative freedom to look super badass. Not necessarily a bad thing (Go Sylar!) but it just feels forced and a bit contrived.

I don't think Nikki is dead. I think miss Ice-queen will look in the mirror someday and see Nikki looking back. Just my prediction. I think being around Micah will bring this out in her. By the way, where is Micah's cousin? She was an extremely interesting piece of last season--a character I really and truly enjoyed.

Hiro and Ando are annoying me. Hiro is too "oopsie" and "cutesy" now. There's nothing serious about this. It's all a farce and a mockery. What I liked about Hiro was his gentle quirks. I didn't want that part of him to dominate though. Speedster girl is ok. Not sure. Seems "annoying to be annoying" in a sense.

Oh, you're so totally right. Claire's birth mom -- hell, her adoptive mom too -- are both far more interesting characters than Claire herself is.

I liked Micah's cousin a good deal too; I wonder if they're even going to bring her back this season. I was annoyed at several of the new characters last season, but Micah's cousin was not one of them.

I think what makes Hiro's current display annoying is that it seems to have been a bit of a personality reset. He began the show a bit lighthearted and fun, then went back in time and went through all he did there, and then in dealing with his father's death displayed a progression of maturity for the character. Now, it's like none of that happened in terms of his personality in character development.

vacantlook said:

Oh, you're so totally right. Claire's birth mom -- hell, her adoptive mom too -- are both far more interesting characters than Claire herself is.

I liked Micah's cousin a good deal too; I wonder if they're even going to bring her back this season. I was annoyed at several of the new characters last season, but Micah's cousin was not one of them.

I think what makes Hiro's current display annoying is that it seems to have been a bit of a personality reset. He began the show a bit lighthearted and fun, then went back in time and went through all he did there, and then in dealing with his father's death displayed a progression of maturity for the character. Now, it's like none of that happened in terms of his personality in character development.

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Your analysis of Hiro is spot on. I mean, if he was taking on a "devil may care" attitude in regard to things because he thought he could go back and save all he loved, that's one thing, but they're not engaging any reason in why he's being such a goof now.

Claire's adopted mom is awesome. I love her. But seriously? Where the frack is Mr. Mugglesworth!

Maya is still annoying and I agree, she was one of the characters from last season that just annoyed me. Whine whine whine. Mohinder! Help me! Wahh wahhh..... Oh shut up and control it, woman. You have the scariest power so far, imho, and you're just a big, fat, blithering crybaby.

The dude in Africa is interesting. I like him, actually. But, I'm not sure he's real. I keep thinking Parkman is in "la la land" thanks to his father or Peter.

Plot hole?

At the end of last season, Sylar had Maya, Molly and Mohinder in his possession. At the start of this season, Sylar finds Claire, which seemd to be bad news for Molly. Instead, we find out that Molly is safe and Maya and Mohinder are aardvarking t his apartment. So Sylar didn't wan't the black eyes of death or ability to find any "hero" on the planet?

The writers have definitely been drinking too much Red Bull and are suffering from ADHD.

Well he said something to Claire about his powers not being fully reasserted... the healing he received wasn't complete. So perhaps he sought her out in order to be fully up to strength before going after anyone else.

But it does seem like a lame idea for Mohinder and Maya to stay in the same location now that it has been totally compromised.

Here's an example of why I think the writers aren't writing a story but just a series of "ooo!", surprise, twist, call them what you will moments.

At the end of last season, we get a mystery person shooting Nathan during the press conference. The big twist is that it's Peter who shot him -- Peter from the future. FuturePeter's rational is that things went horribly bad after Nathan told the world about the existance of people with super powers. Peter, who's absorbed many significant powers now, decides the solution is to shoot Nathan? Are you telling me that he couldn't just freeze time during the press conference, walk over to Nathan, unfreeze him, and tell him, don't do this you'll fuck everything up and make the world a horrible place?

The writers were more interested in having that "ooo!" moment of revelation that the shooter was Peter than they were on consistent, logical reactions from a character that has enough powers that he wouldn't have thought that he needed to shoot Nathan to stop him.

vacantlook said:

Are you telling me that he couldn't just freeze time during the press conference, walk over to Nathan, unfreeze him, and tell him, don't do this you'll fuck everything up and make the world a horrible place?

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I don't think we've ever seen that power used in that way. The only way Peter could "unfreeze" Nathan would be to take Nathan with him to the future. We've only seen people travel through time and space with the relevant powered person, we've not seen them released from time freeze. Maybe it is possible....I'm just going on what we've seen.

If Peter did take Nathan out of the time frame, he'd have to do it in the past, as removing Nathan from the present would affect the future.

But aside from splitting hairs on specific actions, your point is taken.

vacantlook said:

Here's an example of why I think the writers aren't writing a story but just a series of "ooo!", surprise, twist, call them what you will moments.

At the end of last season, we get a mystery person shooting Nathan during the press conference. The big twist is that it's Peter who shot him -- Peter from the future. FuturePeter's rational is that things went horribly bad after Nathan told the world about the existance of people with super powers. Peter, who's absorbed many significant powers now, decides the solution is to shoot Nathan? Are you telling me that he couldn't just freeze time during the press conference, walk over to Nathan, unfreeze him, and tell him, don't do this you'll fuck everything up and make the world a horrible place?

The writers were more interested in having that "ooo!" moment of revelation that the shooter was Peter than they were on consistent, logical reactions from a character that has enough powers that he wouldn't have thought that he needed to shoot Nathan to stop him.

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Consider the fact that you have one good guy with every super-power, including the abilities to travel and freeze time, along with another good guy with that ability, and there really should be no problems left. They could conceivably just zip around time and space, assassinating all the real bad people. The only guy they'd have to avoid is the Haitian, which should be relatively easy, especially since he's not a bad guy.

Galahad said:

I don't think we've ever seen that power used in that way. The only way Peter could "unfreeze" Nathan would be to take Nathan with him to the future. We've only seen people travel through time and space with the relevant powered person, we've not seen them released from time freeze. Maybe it is possible....I'm just going on what we've seen.

If Peter did take Nathan out of the time frame, he'd have to do it in the past, as removing Nathan from the present would affect the future.

But aside from splitting hairs on specific actions, your point is taken.

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No, we've seen it. Back in season one, FutureHiro froze time for everyone but Peter on the subway train when he popped in to tell Peter to "save the cheerleader".

vacantlook said:

Here's an example of why I think the writers aren't writing a story but just a series of "ooo!", surprise, twist, call them what you will moments.

At the end of last season, we get a mystery person shooting Nathan during the press conference. The big twist is that it's Peter who shot him -- Peter from the future. FuturePeter's rational is that things went horribly bad after Nathan told the world about the existance of people with super powers. Peter, who's absorbed many significant powers now, decides the solution is to shoot Nathan? Are you telling me that he couldn't just freeze time during the press conference, walk over to Nathan, unfreeze him, and tell him, don't do this you'll fuck everything up and make the world a horrible place?

The writers were more interested in having that "ooo!" moment of revelation that the shooter was Peter than they were on consistent, logical reactions from a character that has enough powers that he wouldn't have thought that he needed to shoot Nathan to stop him.

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This.

I also have issues with Kiro. The fast chick that stole the first forumla. She made some comment that he can't always stop time? First off....WHY?!? Answer: Because it happens to be convenient for the plot. Second...OK, so just time travel back AGAIN, tell yourself not to open the safe, and thats the end of that entire plot thread.

Yea, its sorta lame for someone to have a power like that which COULD solve almost any problem..but too bad, you created it. Its even more lame to put that character in a place where he doesnt put his power to the obvious use to stop a serious problem.

This show is || close to being removed from the old "Seaosn Pass" in the DVR

vacantlook said:

No, we've seen it. Back in season one, FutureHiro froze time for everyone but Peter on the subway train when he popped in to tell Peter to "save the cheerleader".

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Doesn't strictly count because Peter was unconsciously sharing the power and was immune to the freeze.

GKarsEye said:

Consider the fact that you have one good guy with every super-power, including the abilities to travel and freeze time, along with another good guy with that ability, and there really should be no problems left. They could conceivably just zip around time and space, assassinating all the real bad people. The only guy they'd have to avoid is the Haitian, which should be relatively easy, especially since he's not a bad guy.

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What makes the first part of that statement more true, is the fact that now Peter has encountered the Haitian and recalls the incident, thanks to being healed; he should now be able to access the dampening powers for himself... and surely that would cancel the effect of the Haitian's power out in a similar way with what happens between Peter and Parkman. If that's true then not even the Haitian is a threat.

Galahad said:

What makes the first part of that statement more true, is the fact that now Peter has encountered the Haitian and recalls the incident, thanks to being healed; he should now be able to access the dampening powers for himself... and surely that would cancel the effect of the Haitian's power out in a similar way with what happens between Peter and Parkman. If that's true then not even the Haitian is a threat.

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I was discussing this with a coworker, and how Peter is potentially unstoppable due to this. But he brought up a really good point.

Peter's power to 'absorb/mimic' powers would have be disabled during his encounters with the Haitian, therefore, he would never be able to perform the Haitian's ability ...

Granted, that doesn't stop Peter from logging a nice nuclear fire ball over the Haitian's way as it has been established the Haitian has a effective range.

S.

Either way it doesn't matter too much- the ability to travel time has to be the single most powerful ability possible. Once you know what happens, you can just keep going back as much as you need to "fix" it. Heck- just find out where Sylar was born, time travel to when he was a baby and murder the infant, for example.

The battle in last night's episode was rediculous. Speed Girl and Fear Boy vs Peter and Sylar, and Peter and Sylar end up getting their butts whooped? Puhfuckinglease!

Well if I had powers, time travel would be second on my list... I happen to think invulnerable immortality (not just regeneration), is my personal top choice.

It's the most useful... you could go into any hostile situation with absolute confidence that you wouldn't even take a scratch.

Of course then... you aren't really a hero... because the things that make heroes truly heroic, is not the power... but the fact that they are prepared to place themselves in harm's way for the greater good... that and their ideals.

When their is no real risk of harm to the hero... it somewhat diminishes their heroism - that's why if they are not damageable in the traditional sense, they all have an Achilles heel.

If I had powers, I'd want (in order of desirability):
healing of others -- like Linderman on Heroes or Elixir from the X-Men
duplication -- like Multiple Man from X-Men
shapeshifting -- like Morph from X-Men

vacantlook said:

If I had powers, I'd want (in order of desirability):
healing of others -- like Linderman on Heroes or Elixir from the X-Men
duplication -- like Multiple Man from X-Men
shapeshifting -- like Morph from X-Men

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Yeah... healing would be an excellent one too!

Now... when you say "Morph" us Brits will only think of one thing...

Morph

I think last night's episode started to address my problem with having characters that can time travel- they're going with the whole Butterfly Effect thing, where the very act of trying to change something makes that thing happen.

Meh. All I know is Claire is way cuter as a blonde.