Heroes 3.04 I am become death

[selenak]

Said by Robert Oppenheimer when Project Manhattan, the atom bomb, was first tested successfully; if I recall correctly, the test site was called Trinity. He was quoting the Mahabaratha, and the complete quote said by him was: "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds."



Actually, there are two candidates, Peter and Mohinder, but Peter is the potential cause of the apocalypse for the third season in a row, so: the glaringly obvious solution to prevent further apocalypses seems to be for him to die, permanently. (I knew they were going to do the Dark Phoenix storyline with him.) Though not really. Apocalypse I - plan blow up Manhattan - would have happened without Peter and with Ted or Sylar in his place as well, Apocalypse II - the virus - probably would have, if Adam had gotten his hands on the virus another way; but Peter really accelerated matters. Currently, I really suspect they're going to end the season with him doing what Jean Grey did in the original Dark Phoenix story, before it got retconned, i.e. commit suicide to save the world; especially given that they've now made him guilty of fratricide in two timelines.

Which brings me to another matter: I can't say I'm happy with the retcon of Sylar's serial killerdom being due to a (nearly) uncontrollable hunger for special abilities. Not least because I loathe the very idea of Sylar redemption. But it seems we're headed this way. On the bright side of things, I will admit that the sight of Gabriel the ultra normal daddy in the casa Bennet (wearing horn-rimmed glasses, feeding Mr. Muggles, no less) was Heroes black humour at its best and almost made the Sylar redemption worth it. Though I really hope Noah Junior wasn't supposed to be Claire's kid as well because that would make me throw up.

Speaking of Claire: seems my speculation that Future!Claire (in apocalyptic future Mark III) came to terms with Angela and semi-succeeded her in the Company was on target. What I find most interesting about Apocalyptic Future Mark III, though, is that they actually did come up with a new twist. I thought we were in for a replay of Mark I - what with the talk of camps and experimentation in the season opener - i.e. mutants powered people persecuted safe those who work for the goverment. But doing something with the whole Mohinder storyline other than a lame Fly remake was a welcome surprise, because yes, I can see that: a future where everyone having superpowers ends up destroying the planet, town by town. I mean, just look at the current state of affairs and imagine superpowers accessible to the politicians and terrorists of various nations. Not pretty. While I still regret that Mohinder's personal storyline this season is so much less interesting than last season, I am coming around to it for this implication re: the world at large.

Nathan's first scene with Head!Linderman was also very welcome, because I really appreciate it Nathan himself has thought of the two possibilities fandom has figured out could be behind his current state of being: either Head!Linderman is a hallucination caused by brain damage from the shooting, or he's the product of someone with superpowers pulling the strings. Head!Linderman's reply seems to indicate the later is the case, and so does Angela's scene with Hiro and Ando near the end, though of course anything Angela says is suspect until proven otherwise. Still: loved that scene. Angela and the Japanese boys were priceless. What's more, digging Adam out immediately after made it clear he wasn't the pullstringer in question, having an iron-clad alibi, which I appreciate: no need to toy with "it was Adam again" red herrings.

So who is it? I'm currently going more with wee_warrior's old theory "Arthur Petrelli has faked his death and is behind everything" than ever. Not just because it fits the Summers pattern (though sadly Arthur will not appear as a space pirate, even if we're right), but because those conversations with Head!Linderman really do not sound anything like the ones Nathan had with real Linderman, we do need someone of the older generation other than Angela, and introducing yet another character wouldn't have the same impact. And it's usually one of his parents who are dead set on seeing Nathan become President.

No idea how the whole Tracey, Niki, Barbara as triplets retcon is reconcilable with Niki and Jessica, but maybe we'll learn more. The three of them being artificial, not natural superpowered people is interesting and might be used to explain Niki's multiple personality problem in another way than it originally was. Tracy despairing was something that on the one hand made me groan because of similarities to Niki's original reaction, not to mention Maya's, but on the other: she did kill the reporter, and I do appreciate that people dying isn't swept away but treated as something real. It would have an impact. Nathan saving her and the revelation that future!Nathan and future!Tracey are married leads me to the conclusion that the show's producers simply liked the Pasdar/Larter chemistry but saw no way of letting Nathan and Niki hook up (which I'm not sure about). We'll see. Mind you, Nathan of all the people knows how finding out about powers can throw you, so his scene with Tracey post-rescue rang very true.

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

if I recall correctly, the test site was called Trinity.

Yes, Trinity Site, here in New Mexico. Not all that far from where I live, actually.

Though I really hope Noah Junior wasn't supposed to be Claire's kid as well because that would make me throw up.

Considering that Sylar is (or at least clearly believes himself to be) her uncle, one would certainly hope not. (I mean, I know it doesn't stop fandom, but even though there's a definite crackfic vibe to that whole thing, I still think canon would draw some kind of a line there.)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity, if one lives near a test site, former or not, are you afraid of lingering radiation?

Sylar's family status: phew. You're right. *is relieved* Incidentally, by now I have read a great theory about little Noah's identity which I choose to believe until told otherwise by the show: it's actually HRG himself, de-aged by long term effects of Claire's blood. Because Sylar babysitting Noah Bennet in child form is just the type of crack to appeal to me.

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the show is going to tell us about Noah's parentage. I was terrified that Elle was going to be the mother. Still am, in fact. xD

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity, if one lives near a test site, former or not, are you afraid of lingering radiation?

Well, first of all, when I say "near," I mean something like 35 miles away. That's far enough that even when it was detonated, the only noticeable effects here were rattling windows. (Which are still common here, actually, as there's an explosives test facility just outside of town -- non-nuclear, obviously!) Even the site itself is safe now; I've been there, myself. There are little radioactive rocks lying around there, but they're very weak beta-emitters and aren't dangerous as long as you don't eat them.

And, I dunno, that's almost more cracked-out than the Sylar/Bennet mpreg theory that I somehow couldn't keep from flitting through my mind, and I'm honestly not quite sure which idea disturbs me more. :)

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

it's actually HRG himself, de-aged by long term effects of Claire's blood. Because Sylar babysitting Noah Bennet in child form is just the type of crack to appeal to me.

Now this would be awesome.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

especially given that they've now made him guilty of fratricide in two timelines.

Wait, when did he kill Nathan before? The original release of the virus couldn't have involved Peter, because he was MIA due to time travel, and in 5YG, we never saw if he actually killed Sylar.

Nope that’s right. Sylar’s starting over. Getting a whole new slate of powers as he goes. You can count Jesse’s voice powers into the mix as well.

Oh, I doubt it. If there's going to be an incest baby on the show, I'm sure it will somehow be Peter's.

No idea how the whole Tracey, Niki, Barbara as triplets retcon is reconcilable with Niki and Jessica, but maybe we'll learn more.

Well, they never claimed in canon that Niki and Jessica were twins, fans just assumed that because the personality Jessica was played by Ali Larter. But Jessica playing Mozart while Niki is still drawing with crayon and even the dates on her tombstone indicate that Jessica may have been older.

Oh, and

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

RE: Peter possibly committing suicide, I think some form of that will happen. Death or losing his powers or major time line exile. I'm not convinced he's going to be responsible for the problems of this future, though -- thus far Hiro is actually far more responsible. Sure, Claire blames Peter for Costa Verde getting blown up, but that was actually Knox's fault. Don't kick the table into the kid, and then Sylar doesn't lose it.

The issue of immediacy is what's interesting to me. There is none. Clearly, the world is still there in one year, and in two, and then in three. Year four is a bit problematic, but I'm wondering how they can get across the scope of the problem when the solution today is keeping a secret, and therefore not terribly eventful.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Wait, when did he kill Nathan before?

FPeter did. I know, Nathan was dead for all but one second, but he did die. The doctor said so!

Incest baby: good point, and I'm very relieved.

Older Jessica: point taken.

Also? After being confused for a while, I figured you had copied a sentence which belonged to another post in your reply.*g*

[47-trek-47.livejournal.com]

If there's going to be an incest baby on the show, I'm sure it will somehow be Peter's.

Who says it's not his? Sylar could have ended up with the Paire baby somehow. ;)

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

...I'm suddenly wondering whether they're going to go all onomastic about Nathan's visions of Linderman talking about angels and his mother being called Angela, or the king-who-will-return thing with *Arthur* Petrelli. (Such as with Noah Bennett having done a whole lot of tracking down and collecting of specimens.)

Totally agree with you about the retcon of Sylar's inquisitiveness as an uncontrollable hunger blah blah blah. It's very "Willow suddenly gets addicted to magic" (speaking of Dark Phoenixes!). (Or Gallifrey-go-boom.)

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

I'm annoyed by the Sylar retcon too, but it could be mitigated somewhat by having Peter respond differently to the power. We'll see.

I had very similar thoughts to you re: the end of Peter's storyline, only I thought it would end by Peter giving up his powers to save the world. But suicide is also a possibility. Meep. *covers eyes*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

On second thought, if Peter doesn't start a serial killer career now, it would save the retcon from providing an easy excuse for Sylar, yes.

Giving up his powers is also viable, but I'm not sure how he could do that. I mean, he can drug himself a la Four Months Ago, but that's only a temporary solution. If we get a character who takes powers (as the Haitian does, only permanently) but doesn't reproduce them, it would do the trick, of course, but it wouldn't be a visually dramatic gesture. So I'm more inclined to suspect suicide.

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

I always figured Adam would make a return visit. I just didn't think it would be Hiro and Ando that dug him up.

So yeah, every time Peter went back and changed things that created a new timeline. This could get a little confusing if they keep that up. How are we supposed to keep track of which timeline is which?

And they certainly did want Nathan with Niki/Tracey/(whoever she is this episode) to be together. I don't think Tracey was ever an original idea...

[47-trek-47.livejournal.com]

Currently, I really suspect they're going to end the season with him doing what Jean Grey did in the original Dark Phoenix story, before it got retconned, i.e. commit suicide to save the world; especially given that they've now made him guilty of fratricide in two timelines.

That was exactly what I was thinking. I can hear the scene play out in my head, where I think he would tell Nathan what he was going to do. I also think he'll try to take Sylar--who's also dangerously over-powered--out before he goes.

That said, I doubt that the TPTB other characters will let him do it.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know about Milo's contract? At any rate, if they're following the Jean model, they'll let him be dead for a season or so and then let him return at the end of same, presumably de-powered.

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

That was exactly what I was thinking. I can hear the scene play out in my head, where I think he would tell Nathan what he was going to do. I also think he'll try to take Sylar--who's also dangerously over-powered--out before he goes.

Nyargh. Hnnngh. *makes incoherent flaily sounds*

I'm scared! Hold me.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Nathan's first scene with Head!Linderman was also very welcome, because I really appreciate it Nathan himself has thought of the two possibilities fandom has figured out could be behind his current state of being: either Head!Linderman is a hallucination caused by brain damage from the shooting, or he's the product of someone with superpowers pulling the strings. Head!Linderman's reply seems to indicate the later is the case, and so does Angela's scene with Hiro and Ando near the end, though of course anything Angela says is suspect until proven otherwise.

I do feel that that's the case - aside from everything you've said about Head!Linderman being very different with Nathan than he was before, he also never struck me as someone very religious. Whoever is behind all this, however, definitely seems to be, if in a rather twisted way.

No idea how the whole Tracey, Niki, Barbara as triplets retcon is reconcilable with Niki and Jessica

Taking a stab at this one - it has never been made clear by canon that Niki and Jessica were twins, and in fact in the moments Niki talks about her sister it very much seems Jessica was older (let's leave aside her tomb stone for a second, which together with NikiBarbraTracy's birth certificate would make her two years younger than the triplets). So I'd say it's conceivable that Jessica was Hal Sander's biological daughter and someone saw it fit to provide the man with a foster child. That would also mean that Barbra is still on the loose, which to me fits in better with Angela's dream and even Nathan's future than Tracy actually being a bad guy.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I do feel that that's the case - aside from everything you've said about Head!Linderman being very different with Nathan than he was before, he also never struck me as someone very religious. Whoever is behind all this, however, definitely seems to be, if in a rather twisted way.

Another good point. It also amuses me that just a week before the season started, mimesh said in her "they are Italian - are they?" post that the Petrellis completely lacked any hints of being Catholics, which is otherwise a standard for the presentation of Italian-Americans on tv. So if this is Arthur, we could make a case for Nathan being raised Catholic, turning his back on it as he grew older and wiser/cynical (depending on one's pov), and now falling back on it after all that happened, encouraged by the mental messing, though also arguing against it.

I don't think they'd have mentioned Barbara twice already if she wouldn't become important later on, so yes, the Ali Larter character featured in Angela's dream is most likely her.

[47-trek-47.livejournal.com]

Whoever is behind all this, however, definitely seems to be, if in a rather twisted way.

I don't know about that. Linderman always sounds condescending and sarcastic when he references "god's plan" or prayer to Nathan, as though he knows it will work on Nathen, in his current state, but he doesn't believe it himself.

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

What do you think of Matt & Daphne? As a potential, or in the future plotline we saw? :>

Also, I am almost 90% certain that the voice I heard saying "Hello, Angela" right before she freaked was Elliot Gould's. How awesome would that be? Especially if he is Arthur.

I loved this ep even with the bits that made no sense (Mohinder, why why why? This is what Norwegian brown rats are for!).

As sick as I am of Sylar, or excusing Sylar, that future glimpse of Gabriel was hilarious.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

And? He was making waffles. That house produces a must-make-waffles mindfield, swear to dog ...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

We're of a mind re: Sylar and that glimpse.*g*

Matt & Daphne: potentially a quirky, fun pairing - what with him being a cop and her a master thief - but in the dystopia Mark III, suffering from Matt pulling a "you are a mother now, you should stop this" on her. Mind you, it's saved from being utterly sexist by the fact that in this timeline, Matt seems to have become a house husband (he says he was a cop, not that he still is, and it would make sense if he were the one to do the day to day caring for Molly and the baby if Daphne is working and Mohinder no longer around). It's also not ooc for Matt. But it still bugs.

Otoh: I was very pleased we saw Molly again, as I was afraid Mohinder sending her away would mean we've seen the last of her. But thankfully her other M-Dad still wants her. :)

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

Forgot to ask: what did you think of Peter actually killing Future Nathan? It threw me at first, but I think I'm gradually becoming more accepting of it.

And also, the more I think about Peter becoming depowered and kind of taking Mohinder's place, the more I like it. As much as I love it when he's on a power kick, it does present plot difficulties--and the essence of his character is his empathy, which doesn't need abilities to be emphasized onscreen. Plus, it offers a lovely irony in the all powerful character becoming powerless, AND it would most certainly drastically change a future that seems to be oddly stable in some ways.

Finally, what better contrast to Sylar, who responded to his "hunger" by feeding his desire and greed, than Peter giving up all his power to save the world from himself? I like it.

[thesecondevil]

I liked that Angela knew exactly how to pitch herself to Hiro and Ando in order to get them to do her dirty work, though it does make me wonder whether she intentionally left the two of them in that cell for so long to force them to patch up their relationship so they could become a functioning Company team.

A small thing I noticed: in the scene where Tracy talks to Dr Zimmerman there's a photo of him with not only what is presumably Barbara but a man who seems to be The German from Level 5. Which leads me to think that Barbara was the one standing next to Adam in Angela Petrelli's vision.

As far as decreasing Peter's power levels I do believe there was a character in one of the online comics that was capable of absorbing/stealing people's abilities. Though it had the unfortunate side effect of killing them.

[dandelionteeth.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny that everyone was their opposite in the future?

Peter is naive and trusting; future!Peter is bitter and cynical

Sylar is a bad, thieving monster; future!Gabriel is a loving nurturer

Noah Bennet is a knowledgeable, crafty father figure; future!Noah is a little boy (Yeah, the probably aren't the same Noah, but still...)

Claire is loyal, spunky (you know she is), and blonde; future!Claire is amoral, cranky, and brunette

Knox is focused entirely on pain, suffering, and revenge; future!Knox is the one who brings up that, unlike Claire, he AND Daphne can die, which implies a certain amount of value for the lives of others

Daphne is a master thief and chaos-bringer; future!Daphne works for the establishment and is a devoted parent

Matt is on the cusp of doing disturbing things with his powers; future!Matt is a stay-at-home dad and no longer gay

Mohinder is a hottie; future!Mohinder is, well, you get the idea

The only one who didn't seem to have significantly changed is Mr. Muggles...which makes me think that he is really Angela Petrelli in disguise.