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'Heroes': More human than human
Many great works of art have dealt with the question, "What does it mean to be human?" I wouldn't exactly put Heroes in the upper echelon of art, but I give it props for at least trying to apply the question to its own universe. The result? As with almost everything Heroes, a mixed bag. Furthermore, tonight's episode was little more than a long setup for next week's payoffs, so those looking for answers were left in the cold. Those looking to explore age-old questions? Well, they found quite a bit to chew on.
First off: the eclipse seen in the pilot episode did NOT activate their powers. I don't know why the show wants us to believe this. It's patently untrue. So to hear Peter Petrelli talk about Nathan's first flight during that last eclipse really irks me, and should irk anyone who cares about long-term continuity. If you recall, the show devoted an entire episode (the seminal "Six Months Ago") in which they showed how many powers were already exhibiting well before that eclipse. While the last eclipse may have augmented various abilities, it did not create them. Also? There's an entire generation of superpowered people that were doing their thing well before that eclipse! We good? Good. Moon and stars above, I need a drink.
All of that continuity critique aside, the impending eclipse both lent an urgency to the proceedings at hand and gave our main cast of characters time to recognize just how much their powers factor into their sense of self. To hear Gabriel say, "We're just human," one recognizes that those on both sides of the fence–heroes and villains–see themselves as fundamentally different than their counterparts on this planet. That might sounds like an obvious point to make, but the difference seems to lie not so much in what they can do as much as how their abilities shape their self-identification. These people simply do not know who they are without their powers.
To some, this return to humanity is paralyzing. To yet others, liberating. But the eclipse forces everyone to step outside of themselves in order to evaluate what these powers mean, and what they are truly meant to achieve. Take Parkman, for instance. Without his power, he feels like a hollow shell of doughy man, unable to provide Daphne with any comfort or protection. For her part, Daphne is now the show's resident John Locke, running away from her crippled past, yet unable to sprint fast enough to avoid the eclipse. Both view themselves as fundamentally flawed as "just human," unworthy of any type of respect, admiration, or love from each other.
In Claire's case, her loss of power transformed her from an unkillable entity back into someone's daughter. That might sound like a step back to some, but provided the necessary bridge to reconnect with her estranged adoptive father. I couldn't have been the only Heroes fan to see glimpses of "Company Man" in this episode. HRG's relationship with Claire was one of Season 1's strongest components, and it's been sorely wasted over the past two years. I loved watching Claire's combo agony/elation at realizing she can once again feel something, even if it's pain. And I loved hearing the words "Claire Bear" again. Yea, I'm a sap. Sue me.
In some cases, the eclipse not only removed powers, but altered moods. How else to explain the Petrelli Brothers' Fightin' Hour, or Elle's sudden "kill 'em all" attitude towards Sylar? Both came pretty far out of left field, even for Heroes. I know the show likes to choose the dramatic importance of a scene over consistent characterization. But I'm getting whiplash trying to decide if Elle wants to save Gabriel or re-ignite Sylar, or why Nathan's fraternal relationship with Peter suddenly took a turn for the worse in Haiti. These reactions have nearly nothing to do with what's come before it, and gives the show the dreaded "we're totally winging this" vibe thats death to shows like this.
A few other tidbits from tonight's episode:
- Not sure why the show kept on upping the gross quotient on Mohinder's appearance, but by the time he was "birthed" from his webbed cocoon I cursed the heavens for making me look at things that nasty. And just when Dr. D'oh looked normal, he threatened to bring back Maya to the show. The eclipse is an unjust and merciless god.
- Loved the montage in which Arthur's drawings paralleled events around the globe. Really strong mixture of music and imagery there.
- Put Noah in a room with three other non-superpowered people? Noah emerges victorious. That felt totally and completely right.
- Was I supposed to shout out, "Hey, it's the Robot Chicken guys!" when Seth Green and Breckin Meyer popped up onscreen? Because I did. Sure, it took me completely out of the show's universe and called attention to its very artifice, but hey, least it was a cheap gag. So there's there.
- What does it say about Arthur Petrelli's status as a criminal mastermind that he couldn't wait until after the eclipse's end to start freaking out about the superpower outage? Also? He's relying on Mohinder! The man's unwittingly undone two world-ending plots already, Arthur. If anything, you want him working for the good guys. That would almost guarantee your success.
While walking with the Petrellis through the jungle, the Haitian casually notes, "“The universe has decided our fate.” I'm not entirely sure this true. If anything, the universe has afforded everyone time to basically stop, inhale, and truly think about the choices to come. These people are not mere puppets; if anything, there heroism comes from facing the inevitable and fighting anyways. After all, Heroes consistently shows how one person can alter the course of future events. While certain things are destined to happen, there are still things not written in stone. And while they may be scribbled upon a sheet of paper, it's still within the power of the parties involved to change things. Maybe they can't change them drastically, but even a small amount might be the difference between life and death.
After all, an eclipse covers the majority of the sun, but light still manages to escape along the edges.
What did you make of the eclipse's arrival: strong plot point, or unnecessary pause in the action? Which powerless hero interested you the most? And what burning questions to you have as this volume nears its conclusion?
Ryan still manages to post during eclipses over at Boob Tube Dude.
Ok I want to love heroes, I am giving it a massive margin of credit when it comes to where the show is going this season. But seriously they better have some good excuses for the flip flops of characters intent - crazy mad scientist Mohinder for one, the juvenilization of Hiro - I miss future Hiro and earnest Hiro, and the and what ever is going on with Nathan - is he good, do we care?
That being said I really enjoyed a lot of the steps in tonight's episode. I liked that the characters had to address who are they with out their powers. I liked that Peter was season one Peter, that Parkman stepped up to get things done and that Hiro was able to point it out in his earnest way. I love how Ando is the only consistent character on this show by the way. And like what they did with Daphene - better than her hiding someone, but instead that she is a much different person because of her powers and not in a manipulative way.
Here's hoping the tide is turning with the eclipse.
Sarah | Nov 24, 2008 9:38:39 PM | #I have lowered my expectations for this show and while it still is clunky (Mohinder! You're supposed to go for your true love Sylar! Not Maya! She's supposed to stay away and go do something else in this world!), it brings some good stuff.
Like Daphne being cribbled. Makes perfect scene and was beautifully done.
Elle's flip-floppiness makes me wanna scream with the eclipe thing too. Contiunity show!
I really wish that the next part with Seth Green and Breckin will be in stop-motion. Too cool?
Another thing I loved about this show? People calling Claire on her shit. Noah calling Claire selfish, Angela telling her to stay out of harms way, everything. Thank goodness. Someone has finally called Claire on her shit.
Heather | Nov 24, 2008 10:39:31 PM | #crippled, not cribbled. I have no idea what happened here
Heather | Nov 24, 2008 10:45:34 PM | #I finally figure it out
how they all got their powers during the first eclipse.
because in the heroes world the moon
is 50 times larger than our moon
how else can you explain a total eclipse that covers the
whole USA and it reaches all the way
down to Haiti....
or maybe california, new york, kansas, Haiti, Narnia,
africa are next to each other!!
come on writers a little bit of reality goes a long way!!!
-and-
seeing seth green my only thought was:
I wonder what the "Dingoes Ate My Baby" are doing this days?
My solution for heroes is to enjoy the character moments and the action and whenever they get into trying to explain something just cover my ears and wait for better times. Seems to work well...
I agree that the twist with Daphne was well done. Hopefully the second part will live up to the end of the first.
Greg | Nov 24, 2008 10:56:22 PM | #Can someone help me, my DVR did't tape the last 2 minutes of the show, it stopped right when Elle and Sylar started talking about loosing their powers and being human. Thanks
LM | Nov 25, 2008 12:32:46 AM | #I've had to stop wasting my brain power trying to figure out what's going on with this show from week to week. I remember when Heroes first came out I was glued to the television - couldn't wait for the next episode. Now? I tune in, but the show has become background noise while I read, do housework or just clip my toenails. What a waste.
ALN | Nov 25, 2008 4:25:46 AM | #LM: The same thing happened to me. I went yo www.hulu.com this morning to see the last 2 minutes. Basically it shows Sylar and Elle in someone's gunsight which turns out to be Noah.
Rick | Nov 25, 2008 5:23:15 AM | #I really loved the little moments where people did their little moves and nothing happened. Particularly Sylar's little finger skoot. I laughed really hard watching it do absolutely nothing.
Doesn't all the plotting make anyone curious? I mean, come on! you guys like it enough to watch, read a recap and post about it, yet it was the most boring thing ever? No one is wondering if HRG is the catalyst now? No one is wondering whether the people who lost their abilities from Arthur will get htem back?
Although i agree that Maya should stay gone.
HRG rocks. And i think he's got a bullet with Sylar's name on it, unfortunately I think that once the sun and moon have passed by each other everything will be reset. I don't think the eclipse causes the powers, I think that a different set of rules operate during them. We're pretty clearly being directed to look at the cheerleader as savior here.
Elizabeth | Nov 25, 2008 6:19:36 AM | #While I didn't like the idea that the eclipse gives them powers, because as the recap pointed out they had them pre-eclipse. It's a good way to signify change. And while I think taking away their powers might be a good way for the writers to force the writers to work on characterization, I worry that once they get their powers back, characterization will be gone.
eva | Nov 25, 2008 7:24:58 AM | #Is it just me, or was Ando speaking in a less-accented English in tonight's episode?
Jean-Marc | Nov 25, 2008 7:50:11 AM | #"HRG's relationship with Claire was one of Season 1's strongest components, and it's been sorely wasted over the past two years."
Boy, you got that right!
But this is just the most glaring example. I contend that the essential problem with Heroes is that there is NO wothwhile component of season 1 that is better now than it was then. Hiro, Suresh, Claire, Peter, Sylar? Forget about it.
Frank | Nov 25, 2008 7:53:28 AM | #Here's my nomination with what is wrong with Heroes"
"I know the show likes to choose the dramatic importance of a scene over consistent characterization." . . . "These reactions have nearly nothing to do with what's come before it, and gives the show the dreaded "we're totally winging this" vibe thats death to shows like this."
Either totally winging it or terrible writers, or both.
THE ECLIPSE - Maybe this has a different effect each time it happens. Sometimes it release or matures people powers, or maybe it temporaray takes it away.
Also, you could have other planets other than the moon to create an eclipse. There's also lunar eclipse too...
The World | Nov 25, 2008 8:00:39 AM | #The promo line this week was something like, "Imagine a world without Heroes."
Well, I did! It was just the push I needed not to watch, and I have to say, I did not miss it. A nice feeling of liberation came along with joining the 8 million who have abandoned this mess.
My last post here. Over and out.
Mike T. | Nov 25, 2008 8:19:11 AM | #I'm jumping on the "Elle's got a split persona worse than Sylar" bandwagon here. She's just cuckoo!
pakopako | Nov 25, 2008 9:11:36 AM | #parkman understood hiro pretty well for someone that doesnt understand japanese.
tuesday | Nov 25, 2008 9:21:42 AM | #Thank you for these recaps. They help me catch the stuff I miss when my mind wanders or I'm busy asking my husband, "WTF?" or saying things like, "I'm not sure they 'retooled the writing staff' in time."
Jen | Nov 25, 2008 9:40:46 AM | #Personally I find the use of an eclipse as a plot device rather silly. Eclipses are pretty pedestrian celestial events. They happen several times a year though most aren't visible from heavily populated areas. They are also often partial or annular eclipses, which aren't quite as dramatic as a true total eclipse. The fact that the writers called it a 'total annular' eclipse also demonstrates that they don't know that much about the phenomenon. It's also ludicrous that people in widely dispersed geographic locations would observe the same total eclipse at the same moment. The point of observation of a total eclipse is a narrow band, not an entire hemisphere.
I hope the departure of Jeph Loeb and Jesse Alexander means this show will get better. I want to like this show again.
Siansonea | Nov 25, 2008 10:22:54 AM | #"Also, you could have other planets other than the moon to create an eclipse. There's also lunar eclipse too..."
Not unless you live on another planet! Btw, a lunar eclipse is the moon, lunar means of the moon.
this shows just gotten lazy
and yeah i don't get the whole eclipse thing because thats not how they got their powers
but i did like the seth green cameo
I don't get how Claire could be the catalyst if her biological FATHER's powers are artificial, and he was obviously born before she was... are we supposed to believe the company was taking baby-Claire's blood BEFORE she manifested and before even her company man dad knew she had powers?
SK | Nov 26, 2008 9:52:24 AM | #I hated the flashback episode where they rewrote history, making Elle the one who made Sylar Sylar, among other things. Even with bryan Fuller returning, it's going to be hard to undo what has happened this year.
JT | Nov 26, 2008 2:13:06 PM | #I actually liked this episode. I think it's because of the linear storyline. All that hopping around from past, present and future usually gives me a headache.
I am fully expecting everyone to get their powers back next episode. If they're just human, why are we watching.
Tracy | Nov 26, 2008 5:04:10 PM | #hmmm... another eipsode ending with some one aiming a gun at someone else... (think back to bad niki trying to kill her husband [i forgot their names, its been so long]).
someone said that they thought the power loss is temporary and only lasting for the duration of the eclipse. while that may be true, that means they will have to stretch the eclipse across the entire next episode since the preview for it shows claire almost dying from her gunshot. this also means that sylar isnt going to get shot then heal miraculously a few seconds later because the eclipse is over. so get that idea out of your head.
i dont think heroes would allow such a serious flaw in their writing-- the fact that people had powers before the eclipse. They are probably going to explain it further in coming episodes so i wouldnt jump the gun just yet. they will probably explain that it has something to do with people who were born with abilities and those given abilities. people born with them probably had them before the eclipse or something. i dont know... im not a writer. but they had better explain that or i have finally lost faith in this show.
and why would you say that hrg is the catalyst? where did u get that from?
i agree that parkman understood hiro too well... at one point, hiro says something like "dont hurt me" (in japanese of course), and parkman responds "im not going to hurt you." also... u would think that a ten year old hiro wouldnt be able to speak english at all...
johnny blaze | Nov 27, 2008 1:52:04 PM | #
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