Heroes: Episode 2.06

The Line

There was a lot of information given out in this episode and even some forward plot movement, and yet...not one of my favorites, I'm sorry to say. Does anyone else feel as though they're recycling some of last year's plot? Or at the very least that they're draping the story over the same frame: Future NY is in peril, Claire is a cheerleader again, Bennett is back to being ruthless and using the Haitian as a weapon, and Isaac Mendez is still producing paintings that predict the future, despite him being dead.

I love the show, but this is all feeling a little too familiar, like I'm watching a rip-off of Heroes. (Or like the movie "Eragon", which we watched last night and which was a terrible, pale imitation of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and every other coming-of-age/fantasy movie)

Just a couple more remarks before I recap: I found the characters to be kind of inconsistent this week, like they were being controlled by a lightswitch. Claire goes along with West but then suddenly has a change of heart; Mohinder says he's leaving the Company and the next scene he's in he's all mousy and remorseful; Bob is all bossy to Mohinder one moment and all apologetic, "you're right and I'm wrong", in the next and he's all fatherly to Monica after wanting to inject her with the virus; I know there were more examples of this, but these are all I can think of right now. It was just so jarring to me.

The other thing: Their green-screen effects are not cuttin' it this year.

OK, so what's everyone up to? I'll try to be brief:

Monica is brought to The Company labs for testing. Mohinder tells her she should be proud of her ability. Bob then tells Mohinder that he needs to inject Monica with an altered version of the virus, that Bob says should inhibit her ability. Mohinder tells Bob that not only should they not be inhibiting her ability, but that tinkering with the virus could alter it to a point where it could spread beyond the heroes and into the general population. Dun dun DUN.

Bob insists, but Mohinder refuses and throws the vial containing the mutated virus on the floor, where it SMASHES. Then he throws a chair into a glass cabinet full of vials of the virus, SMASHING IT. Mohinder, if you don't want this thing to spread, it's probably not a good idea to smash every vial in sight. Bob backs down, Monica goes home. Actually, Bob takes her home and gives her a video iPod filled with action-y sort of stuff so she can practice and develop her muscle-memory. Later at The Company, Nikki greets Mohinder in the lab and tells him that she's his new partner. So Nikki (or is it Jessica now?) is working for Bob. Hmm.

Oh, and Bob was carrying around a file with the name "Adam Monroe" on it.

Sylar, Maya and Alejandro find a hole in the border fence and recklessly drive right through it, doo dee doo, only to be stopped by the Militiamen who Maya, with Sylar's encouragement, kills with the bleeding black eyes. Alejandro isn't happy about Sylar's bad influence and while Maya steps away Sylar tells him, in English so he won't understand, that he's going to kill them both and take their powers as soon as he figures out what is wrong with himself. At least he's consistent!

When Hiro, Kensei and Yaeko find Yaeko's father, he doesn't want to be rescued because he needs to make sure the armory that stores all the guns he showed White Beard how to make is destroyed, or otherwise WB will take over Japan. Fine, they say, but as they are heading to the armory, all these guys are shooting at them and Hiro has to teleport himself and Yaeko out of harm's way. When he does, she realizes that Hiro was the Kensei in the cherry orchard and that it's Hiro that she loves. They kiss (really awkwardly) and guess who is watching? Kensei. How did he get there so quickly? Anyway, Kensei's not happy and despite Hiro's pledge to stay away from Yaeko, Kensei betrays him to White Beard and goes all dark side on him.

Claire and West are being really stupid. When Claire doesn't make the cheerleading squad, they decide to humiliate the stereotypically bitchy head cheerleader (another recycled plot point from last year!) and bring about her downfall so Claire can get on the squad. There's flying involved and falling and appearing to be dead and teenage alcohol consumption...it's really kind of dumb. But they accomplish their goal and Claire makes the squad. And feels badly about what she did.

Bennett and The Haitian continue their search for Isaac's paintings in Ukraine. They hold hostage and interrogate an old friend of Bennett's, who works for the company. Old friend offers Bennett a job at The Company, and Bennett looks like he's tempted, but he doesn't bite. Finally, the old friend gives in and tells Bennett where the paintings are: In a warehouse, the one where they "tagged" the "Liquid Man". Hmmm. Bennett then shoots the old friend in the head. Wow, you might have wanted to think that one through a little, Noah, like maybe check the warehouse first to make sure he's telling the truth! Luckily, Bennett and TH go to the warehouse and find the paintings, which include (according to the Heroes Wiki):

1. Claire lying on the staircase, broken and bloody
2. A hand holding a vial
3. A blonde woman banging on a door
4. Two men, one with a scar who looks like Peter, near a jail cell door that has a biohazard symbol on it
5. Hiro and Kensei fighting with swords and
6. A dark-haired man (Mohinder?) who has just fired a handgun.

Add those to the painting of Kaito's death and Bennett's apparent death, you have all 8.

Finally, Peter and Caitlin travel to Monreal, to the address that Peter painted. They enter the building and find it's filled with old objects, furniture, etc. There's a note stuck to an old mirror with Peter's name on it. It reads: "We were right about The Company. The world is in danger. It's up to us. Adam" Peter and Caitlin hug and Peter prays for guidance about the future and when he opens his eyes they are in Times Square. The streets are deserted and Peter finds an evacuation notice dated June 14, 2008. Dun dun DUN.