Heroes #3--One of Us, One of Them/Sept 2008

[GoodKingJayIII]

Wow, surprised by the negative reactions. I enjoyed this episode. Already this season is several steps up from what we got last year. I'm not quite understanding the "plot based on the stupidity of character" complaints, but to each their own I guess.

I will say that I don't like the way Claire is turning out; she is a caricature of teenage angst. It's not that interesting. And I felt that Nikki's storyline was cut so abruptly that I want some closure with that. Perhaps Tracy's character will give us that, perhaps not. It's like a reversal of the Dr. Who thing (same actor, different character) and is really not so stupid as some claim. If the story is done well, we can get some answers.

I'm glad The Haitian's back. He's my favorite.

 

[Darkwolf71]

Anyways I'm beginning to think the Nikki is very much like Peter or Sylar, in that she can have other powers, but her personality changes when she manifests them.

Wha...

Have you watched this weeks episode?

Spoiler

Nikki is dead. Cold, hard and in a box. () Nikki/Tracey/etc are clones or something. Each having their own power.

Edit:Haha, smilies don't get [spoilered] that's ammusing.

 

[F5]

What they needed to do was fast forward a bit, show the heroes as heroes.

Interestingly, when we had the episode from the first season that did exactly that, it was one of my favorite episodes. Peter and Hiro just wading through waves of mooks..."Should we stop time?" "Naw...I could use the work-out" This was cool stuff.

Problem is, the whole premise of the show is the journey these folks take from regular shcmoe to "Hero" (or villain). Once they stop being stupid, and start doing everything they're capable of...the show's done.

Hiro, by way of example, is incredibly powerful. They keep up dramatic tension with the character by making him do stupid things. You know how he fixes this situation with the speedster? He goes back in time, about a week before everything went down, and replaces the formula in the safe with a fake. Or, when Daphne told him that she's just in it for the money, he can say "I'm the head of my fathers' corporation. I cam pay you off...how much will it take?" But, they feel the need to stretch this out over multiple episodes...so he plays silly games with "tracking devices" and costume changes.

In their defense, Hiro and Ando, as they are, make great comic relief. Ando had the best lines of the episode;

Ando: "Holy crap, it worked!"
Hiro: "What are you doing?"
Ando: "Being awesome!"

You know what's finally occured to me about this show? It would be much, much improved if they didn't put everyone in the same episode. The Hiro/Ando/Daphne storyline might have made an amusing episode all on its' own. The same with the HRG/Sylar team-up. Same with Parkman's spirit-walk. We won't forget the other characters exist, if we don't see them for a few weeks. Honest, we won't...

 

[DonTadow]

Well, I'm hardly Sylar's advocate, but I do have to say that I don't see that he pulled a complete 360 over the course of last night's episode. He did actually give in to his impulses and kill Jessie, after all. I don't think he'll become a full-blown hero, but antihero is a distant possibility (he's butchered a few too many innocent people IMHO).

But the turn was not "not" getting the bad guys. the instant turn was not slicing over mama petreli at an instant, which he normally does with super villians. The turn was him going along with it to begin with. Sylar was so defiant last year, but one woman says he's his mother and in 20 minutes he's in a new suit and working for. That is too fast for me, and way too fast for the casual viewer.

I wrote a columist Monday because she wrote how disjointed she felt watching the season premier, and I kindly told her that she was not watching well. But looking at this from a casual viewers eyes, I can see her point. The show has so many characters who don't know how or what they are it steadily writes a different role for them every episode depending on convinence. One minute Hiro is bad enough to entomb someone forever in a coffin, the next minute he can not bring himself to save the world at any cost. One minute Peter's using multiple powers and is in full control, the next he seems clueless when chasing down the then surprise killer. One second Nicki dies a hero bravely risking her life for her son, the next minute she's ressurected as a government fluzy with ice powers... oh and she was a clone all the time. One minute Sylar had a cool backstory of being a neglected child who never felt important and is a serial killer because of it and now he's a top agent for the company.

Interestingly, when we had the episode from the first season that did exactly that, it was one of my favorite episodes. Peter and Hiro just wading through waves of mooks..."Should we stop time?" "Naw...I could use the work-out" This was cool stuff.

Problem is, the whole premise of the show is the journey these folks take from regular shcmoe to "Hero" (or villain). Once they stop being stupid, and start doing everything they're capable of...the show's done.

Hiro, by way of example, is incredibly powerful. They keep up dramatic tension with the character by making him do stupid things. You know how he fixes this situation with the speedster? He goes back in time, about a week before everything went down, and replaces the formula in the safe with a fake. Or, when Daphne told him that she's just in it for the money, he can say "I'm the head of my fathers' corporation. I cam pay you off...how much will it take?" But, they feel the need to stretch this out over multiple episodes...so he plays silly games with "tracking devices" and costume changes.

,

I'm not saying make them instantly super useful with their abilities, but give the characters some credit that they know how to use them somewhat now. Hero spent a year or more honing his skills in Japan. Two seasons ago, we saw him bend places in time and space, not just the whole thing. That was abandoned last season.

For the audience its been 3 years, (despite it being much less on the show) and its hard to fatham so little change and undertanding to a typical audience member in three years.

 

[Hand of Evil]

The turn was him going along with it to begin with. Sylar was so defiant last year, but one woman says he's his mother and in 20 minutes he's in a new suit and working for. That is too fast for me, and way too fast for the casual viewer.

See, I did not see this as fast, Sylar has always been quick on his feet and I thought this was harking back to season 1 and working with Suresh to locate mutants, he is doing the same thing. He knows Ma has no issues killing, she did give him a snack, she may even praise him for it, as it now means they have the power in a somewhat more favorable person.

Plus, Ma P has that voice...there is a power there.

 

[Staffan]

Plus, Ma P has that voice...there is a power there.

Yeah, I don't think prophetic dreams are her only ability. I've been suspecting ever since season 2 that she has Voice of Suggestion, kind of like Eden did.

The thing that tipped me off was when she got Nathan's wife (Heidi?) to do something just after Nathan got scorched by Nuke-Peter. Can't recall exactly what, but it was definitely a matter of very good persuasion.

 

[wolff96]

But the turn was not "not" getting the bad guys. the instant turn was not slicing over mama petreli at an instant, which he normally does with super villians. The turn was him going along with it to begin with. Sylar was so defiant last year, but one woman says he's his mother and in 20 minutes he's in a new suit and working for. That is too fast for me, and way too fast for the casual viewer.

Actually, that one felt pretty realistic to me, based on what we have seen of Sylar over the course of the show.

He felt 'special' all his life, that he was meant for more. When his real mother was horrified by his abilities and he was rejected by (apparently) the only person that ever cared for him, his reaction to that rejection was so strong that he killed her.

Enter a new mother-figure (whether she's lying to him about that or not), who immediately tells him that she's special and proud of him and that all the bad things he has done are not his fault.

So, to sum up:
1) Psychological Mommy Issues
2) Need to be "Special"
3) Excuses all his problems.

Yep, looks like Ma Patrelli manipulated him just about as perfectly as she POSSIBLY could have. Heck, she even fed him a new power! And his comment in this episode -- to Bennett, about wanting to see how things played out -- Sylar is aware that he's being manipulated, IMO. He knows what she is pushing him for.

But what's the downside to him at this point? He can be imprisoned (or killed, if it's possible) or he can go along with it for now and get a regular diet of new powers as a bonus!

[sblock](Side note: How stupid was the woman with the item powers not to run when Ma Patrelli left the room after taking the drug tube out of Sylar's nose?? Even if you DON'T know who Sylar is, you know he's imprisoned on Level 5, where they keep all the horrific psychopaths and powered freaks! And then you just wait around like a sheep to be slaughtered? She wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, IMO.[/sblock]

 

[Darkwolf71]

Yeah, I don't think prophetic dreams are her only ability. I've been suspecting ever since season 2 that she has Voice of Suggestion, kind of like Eden did.

The thing that tipped me off was when she got Nathan's wife (Heidi?) to do something just after Nathan got scorched by Nuke-Peter. Can't recall exactly what, but it was definitely a matter of very good persuasion.

I don't think that's really a power. She just has a very forceful personality and is used to people doing what she tells them.

 

[Staffan]

I looked at the scene again. Heidi had just talked to Nathan, and was ambushed by Angela outside his room. Angela tells Heidi that Nathan has been having delusions, and even talked about how he thought he could fly. She also mentions that Nathan's father also had similar delusions, before he killed himself, and asks that Heidi not mention this to anyone, in order to let Nathan keep his dignity.

Throughout this conversation, Angela is very touchy-feely with Heidi, and the camera focuses a lot on Angela touching Heidi's arm, playing with Heidi's hair, and so on. That's not the kind of thing you do if there's nothing fishy going on.

I don't think Angela has quite the Voice of Command that Eden did, but it's possible that she has some sort of projective empathy.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Speaking about the X-Men, Mohinder is now a lot like Beast.

[/vomit]
Please don't compare Dr. Hank McCoy to Mohinder Surresh. Mohinder is nowhere as smart, witty, or as wise as one of the turds in Dr. McCoy's kitty-litter box. Comparing the two is an insult to all the fans of the Marvel Universe.