This week, on Heroes …
RECAP DETAILS AHEAD (don’t read if you haven’t watched it yet) …
One thing’s for sure. Whatever this show does right or wrong every other week, the one thing it always manages to do right are the flashback episodes. It’s ironic, really. Because I think the main reason the flashback episodes are so satisfying is because they often fill in plot gaps that probably should have been covered somehow the first time around. Don’t get me wrong, the little revelations — like finding out that Meredith (Red Flame) and Flint (Blue Flame) are siblings — are a blast. But things clicking into place like this during a special episode only serve to point out how often they don’t click into place during the regular ones. Having said that, I enjoyed the episode immensely.
So what all did we (through Hiro’s spirit walk) learn about the past? …
One year ago, siblings Meredith and Flint are robbing a convenience store, which is interrupted by Company man Eric Roberts (does anybody remember his character’s name?), who then tries to recruit Meredith as an agent, and even takes her out on one assignment, in which she helps apprehend a dude who can turn his hand into metal, but she begins to regret the arrangement, breaks her brother out of Level 5, they try to escape on a train, Eric Roberts finds them, Flint escapes, and when Eric Roberts learns that Meredith is Claire’s “dead” mother, he decides to let her go — at which point, we see Claire from Season 1, rescuing somebody from the train that her mother accidentally set on fire.
One year ago, in what I have to assume is a MASSIVE retcon, we see Sylar agonizing over the first person he stole a power from (telekinesis), to the point that he’s ready to hang himself, when Electric Elle walks into the store and saves him, all sweetness and light, but it turns out she’s really working with HRG to witness exactly how Sylar’s power works, so instead of taking him into custody and trying to rehabilitate him, they actually goad him into killing somebody else, thus helping create Sylar the Monster, which Elle feels guilty about, and now I’m guessing that Elle was the mother of Sylar’s son in the future.
Eighteen months ago, Arthur decides to kill his son Nathan, because Nathan won’t let go of the case against Linderman (you know, the “dead” character who has gotten more screen time than Micah has this season), and a year ago, he makes the attempt, which is the point in Season 1 where Nathan first flies and his wife Heidi gets paralyzed, but Linderman grows a conscience and heals the “scars” in Angela’s head that have been created by Arthur’s mental meddling (not sure who he stole that power from), which opens Angela’s eyes to how evil her husband is, which motivates her to poison him, but Nathan comes home before she has time to destroy the body, and a paralyzed Arthur mind controls a doctor to fake his death.
One year later (present day), Hiro snaps out of his spirit flashback, starts telling Ando what he’s learned, hears a scream, and finds Usutu decapitated … by Arthur … who grabs Hiro by the head and …
TO BE CONTINUED
I finally watched the episode last night (along with It’s Coming – more on that later). First, I’ll take a moment to wipe off my computer screen after that Sixteen Candles reference… Long. Duck. Dong (Gong!). Giggles…
I too really enjoyed this episode, even though as a rule I tend to get frustrated with the flashback episodes, because they move the story back and not forwards. But you’re right, this episode really filled in some gaps.
Just what IS Arthur’s power, anyway? Is it to bend other people to his will or to steal other people’s powers? Very sad to see Usutu dead. I liked him alot. Off to read your recap of this week’s ep now!