Re: Heroes - Season Three
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Originally Posted by TravisR
I've been enjoying the season so far but I think a real recap episode would have been a benefit to me because I've had a few instances of not being sure of where characters ended up last year or why they were now doing x or y or z.
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What do you feel needed to be recapped? I can't think of anything *minor* from seasons 1 and 2 that would be required knowledge to understand season 3. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect viewers to remember things like what Sylar's original power was, et cetera (I'm not saying this is what you needed clarification on).
With regards to Ron's comment on the direction of the show, personally I think I can see the general way it's heading. Of course, I don't know the ultimate endgame, nor would I expect to 3 episodes in to a volume - if you recall, even "save the cheerleader," wasn't the end of volume 1, so even if something like that was used as a catchphrase (find the Haitian, save the nation?), I doubt it would be the "end."
At any rate, here is what I see is the general plot for this arc - keep in mind that there are multiple threads, and they will weave in and out of each other. Also, keep in mind these are just predictions based on three episodes
- Thread 1: The Future - A future where powers aren't just in the hands of the few, but the many; where those with abilities are hunted and experimented on, forced underground, made criminals - not unlike the future glimpsed in season one's "Five Years Gone," but kicked up a notch, with more powered-people, and obstensibly a lack of a Noah Bennett-like person as Shepherd and protector. One Peter, Future Peter, lived this as reality, and he will virtually stop at nothing, it seems, to prevent it. This Peter is very different from "our Peter," and it's reasonable to allow the shooting of his brother to fall in-character. Future Peter quickly learns that playing in the past is risky, and is now stumbling to have the best of both worlds: a better future, and a good present.
- Thread 2: Bug-Mohinder - We've seen this future where "normal" people have powers, granted through a virus. This thread is an attempt to backfill that future, acting as a microcosm of things-to-come. Why does Peter want so desperately to alter his present? Are normal people with powers really that dangerous? Were there side-effects to the virus (other than the obvious...)? These questions can be addressed with Mohinder. It seems the potential for abilities touches a hunger in someone even as smart as Mohinder (who is also sort of dumb, see seasons 1 and 2). We've seen the hunger in his eyes, on the docks, so it stands to reason Peter's future would see this amplified. We're also bearing witness to the process of rapid evolution via the virus. Thus, in effect, Peter's future showed us the end, and Mohinder is showing us how we would conceivably get there.
- Thread 3: Hiro and Ando - It's become a mainstay that Hiro's storyline exists slightly removed from the other characters, yet oddly connects with them (Vegas, Japan's past, Odessa). It seems the Company has some mysterious forumla, which is closely guarded. Also, remember in season 2 that it was revealed that they have a virus that targets and eventually kills those with powers. You'll also remember that people thought this was "lazy" story writing - that Kaito would keep such a dangerous virus around. Now note that people are also claiming it's lazy to have Katio guarding a powerful formula - why doesn't he simply destroy it? I'm going to make a prediction that the formula is the very same research Mohinder has uncovered - the ability to grant powers to normal people.
Stop and think for a moment - there is a quite simple (and brilliant) explanation. The two items are checks on each other, and on an unknown future. If the formula gets out, and people start getting powered all over the place, well the Company has a solution: the Shanti Virus. If the future sees the handful of powered humans being targetted and wiped out, well the Company has that angle too - release the formula. It may sound stupid, but to a meglomaniacal company who would presume to guide the human race, it's pretty par for the course.
Hiro and Ando are now attempting to get the formular back. Nothing else needs to be said, really - it has been established many times over that Hiro is single-minded, and wants desperately to be a "hero." If you think any of the things he's done so far are out of character, well, I personally think you don't understand the character, as established over 2 volumes.
- Thread 4: Matt on the Vision Quest - This thread is purposefully slow and plodding - the pace echoes the purpose. Matt is now on a personal quest of exploration and discovery - who he is, who he wants to be, and what his future holds. It's hard to see the endgame here, but I would posit that Matt, knowledge of the volume's climax in hand, will show up as a saviour.
- Thread 5: Nathan and Tracy - This storyline is also hard to pin down, since it hasn't really had that much time to grow. Who really healed Nathan (since Linderman appears to be a Six-like presence)? What is Tracy's next move? I think it's unfair to want anything concrete from this storyline, given that it's had like 15 minutes of screentime so far (less if you remove Nathan's angel speech). I like having some mysteries.
- Thread 6: Angela's Visions: This is a simple thread, really. Angela's power to dream the future (perhaps it has other facets), has given her a cocky reassurance, but also a unique approach to the future. Both of these have been magnified by her work in the Company. It's clear she feels the future of humanity is her domain, and she will do whatever she can to manipulate it to her liking/aspirations. Her ties to her children have been built up over 2 volumes, so her manipulations of events generally take them strongly into consideration. The love for her children has led her to do very mad things, but it's been established - take it or leave it, but it's there.
So, there you have it, 6 threads (at least) shown in 3 episodes. Some people think it's too much, but I would suggest looking back to season 1, and counting up the number of threads there were there, and noting that it wasn't until a few key events, namely the "save the cheerleader" scene on the subway, the future explosion of NY, and the reveal of Sylar, that the various threads even became remotely connected. Seriously, add them all up - there are actually more in the first 5 episodes of season 1 than there are now in season 3.
Where are all the threads going? Why, together, of course. Just as everyone came together at the end of season 1, so too will they come together in the end of volume 3. If anyone can honestly state that they knew how everything would go down in season 1, from 3 episodes (or even 8, or even 15!) in, I would find that very suspect.
Sometimes, I think this show (and to an extend, others like it, such as LOST) can't win with some people. If the show goes too slow, like it did in season 1, well it's boring. If it goes to fast, then it's confusing and ill-explained. To be honest, I don't think the show's tempo or style has changed AT ALL, since the first episode. We are given snippets of information, and then gradually given the rest over the course of the arc. Further, information is often given out of order (timeline-wise), so that we see the end, but are unclear of how we will get there. That's how it's done on Heroes, and I don't think they will change.
cheers!
Josh
