Days of Future Peter: TIC vs. Heroes 3.1 + 3.2
by Arturo R. García, also published at The Instant Callback
*Spoilers Ahead*
Continuity. It’s a beautiful thing.
By simply following up on last season, rather than ignoring it, Heroes kicked off its’ third year in a lot better shape. As ever, the world’s Going To Be Destroyed, but unlike last year, every one of the main characters is going somewhere with their storyline.
Last volume’s cliffhanger is answered within seconds, as we learn a future iteration of Peter Petrelli was responsible for shooting his brother Nathan before he could reveal the Specials’ existence to the world. After disposing of Present-Day Peter and Parkman, Future Peter later heals Nathan, who instead credits the Almighty for the save, despite the fact that Peter saved him last year. Well, the Petrelli boys were never known for their super-intellect, so that’s consistent.
Case in point: Future Pete’s save, according to the ever-EEEEVIL Mama Petrelli, leads to Sylar assaulting Claire Benett at home and stealing both her ability and a dossier of the baddest of the bad, imprisoned in the eponymous Company’s “Level 5.” We learn Future Pete somehow imprisoned Our Peter in the body of super-criminal Jesse Murphy. Jesse/Peter is last seen rolling with three murderous escapees after an attack on Level 5 by Sylar. For his trouble, Sylar appears to be the newest recruit to the Company, now headed by Mama P, and slated to partner with the understandably terrified Mr. Benett.
Meanwhile, in Japan, Hiro is shaken out of his corporate doldrums – Nakamura-sama gave him 51 percent of the family business, so Hiro really is Bruce Wayne now – by the theft of a super-secret formula his father says could endanger the world. He’s also shaken after a visit to the future shows him he gets struck down by sidekick Ando – now sporting superpowers of his own. The revelation strains the would-be Dynamic Duo’s relationship immediately, even as they trail super-fast thief Daphne Millbrook (Brea Grant, bratty without being annoying).
How could Ando get powers? The answer may lie with Suresh; he finds a way to trigger them via injection. Of course, he’s his own test subject, gaining Peter Parker’s powers, and using them to immediately bed Maya, but apparently mutating because of them. I guess The Fly never made it to India.
Back in the hospital, Nathan accepts more responsibilities, choosing to accept a Senatorial seat offered to him by NY Governor Malden (Bruce Boxleitner). As part of the deal, though, he takes Malden’s advisor, Tracy Strauss – yet another personality unlocked by the woman we know as Niki Sanders. Tracy has no memories of Niki, but has her own ability, which she uses to put a too-roving reporter (welcome back, William Katt) literally on ice.
In the midst of all this, a new, ominous painting begins to appear: the world being split in two by the series’ signature Helix. Parkman sees it on a rock after being exiled to Africa; the image is seen on a wall behind Suresh after he gains his powers. And a mysterious figure (Ntare Mwine) says it’s not happening like he painted it. Hmmm …
All in all, a welcome return for the series, harkening back to the dynamite first season. Can we get the writers to strike more?
The Racialicious Scorecard:
Hiro & Ando: Their relationship and its’ potential crumbling could decide the latest volume, if not the season. We’ll know within 13 episodes, I guess. But Hiro’s via-DVD interplay with his late father was golden.
Maya & Mohinder: Both give in. Maya initially stands up to Mohinder, arguing that a super-powered steroid would be too dangerous. However, he gives in to the want of power, and Maya ends up giving in to him. You’d think after the Sylar episode she’d be wary, right? Ah well, somebody had to provide the slashfic.
D.L.: Still dead. The guy wasn’t even named in the semi-obnoxious countdown special preceding the premiere. That’s just cold.
Micah & Monica: No mention of them in the first two episodes, either. But, Micah was name-checked on the special, so we should probably expect to see them at some point.
Jesse Murphy: This prison escapee currently houses housing the consciousness of present-day Peter Petrelli. He looks like a Latino gangbanger, but is actually played by Italian-American actor Francis Capra.
Knox: Part of the escapee group with Jesse. No power displays yet, but Mr. Benett tells Claire he takes strength from other peoples’ fear. So, he’s a Republican?
Usutu: Mentions a “spirit walk” for Parkman while leading him out of the African desert, which bears watching. Also hints at having abilities similar to the late Isaac Mendez’s.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Jus Plain Ol Me wrote:
“Malden’s advisor, Tracy Strauss – yet another personality unlocked by the woman we know as Niki Sanders”
Are we sure about that? I thought that it might be a twin?
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 8:56 am ¶
Jus Plain Ol Me wrote:
Are we sure about that? I thought that it might be a twin?
WAIT….DON’T ANSWER THAT. I recorded last night’s episode and have not watched it yet. I now realize that my comment may have invited a spoiler. Better yet, I think I will remove myself from this conversation now.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 9:01 am ¶
Reiter wrote:
So they’re doing another “magical negro” similar to the Haitian? Hmm.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 9:15 am ¶
LTP wrote:
I don’t agree with the “magical negro” clause affects the Haiitian, but I’m open to being enlightened to it.
I found his powers no more “magical” than anyone else’s, and while it seemed suspect that he was always in the background as a sort of lackey of the bad guys… now it makes sense as to why: he was once a level 5 detainee who was paired with Noah. His submission may simply be out of respect for being “used” much the way Sylar appears to have immediately calmed down in the position of having some respect.
Why are they doing this? Rehabilitation? Power? Intent to have them run amok? We’re not sure yet.
Anyway… I liked his character and found him one of the more interesting players.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 9:44 am ¶
capiz treasures wrote:
My brother had been waiting for this new episode. I bet he will jump to the ceiling when this starts.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 10:11 am ¶
Eva wrote:
I’m glad I stopped watching this show last season; I got sick of all the black characters dying.
Prison Break may be silly but it’s better than this show.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 11:34 am ¶
Yvette wrote:
I think the Magical Negro stereotype fits The Haitian. It is not so much the “magic” of the powers that makes him so. For example, see the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro
*No past–check (Heck, he doesn’t even have a name)
*Subordinate; plot device to assist White characters–check
*Disabled–maybe not, unless not having a name counts (But interesting that his power is disabling the powers of others)
*”Patient and wise”–he’s definitely a man of few words, with a similarly restricted range of emotions
BTW, the (potential) new MN character, “The African,” is listed on IMBD as having the name Usutu. But unless I have just missed it, I have not heard it actually uttered yet on the show.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 11:46 am ¶
LTP wrote:
Yvette – you do have a good point! I had not seen that article. He fits a lot of those.
That’s a disappointment. I hope they come back and flesh him out, at this point I don’t see him as 100% MN… maybe there’s hope?
At the same time, he doesn’t (yet?) fit the stereotype of sacrificing and/or existing solely for the enlightenment of the white partner (IE. Noah?). His position as subordinate is the same as other Prisoners With Power™ – but after reading that article it is clear he’s pretty laced with MN.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 12:16 pm ¶
Arturo wrote:
Yvette:
You’re not alone on Usutu; his name hasn’t even been mentioned. Neither, by the by, has Knox’s real name.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 12:41 pm ¶
Danny wrote:
“Malden’s advisor, Tracy Strauss – yet another personality unlocked by the woman we know as Niki Sanders”
Are we sure about that? I thought that it might be a twin?
I’ve only seen episodes 1 & 2 (I have have this week’s episodes on my tivo) but I have a small theory about Niki Sanders.
A cloning project. I’m thinking that maybe there was one original Niki Sanders (or whatever her name is) and she was used as the base for a series of clones, each being altered to generate different powers. Perhaps someone in the Company is in contol or maybe they were in control and some of the clones got away. Or maybe this experiment is under the control of someone who has not been revealed yet. Who knows.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 2:58 pm ¶
Philip Arthur Moore wrote:
I don’t know how much I buy into the “magical negro” gripe. As it stands right now, there are three prominent “negro” characters on the show, the Haitian, Usutu, and Knox, who is developing into an extremely interesting storyline. He was the only one who escaped the bank robbery, and he’s by far the most dangerous and powerful of the Level 5 villains. Given how many story lines the writers try to accommodate in such a short window, I’d say they are getting a fair shake. After all, we don’t know much about Daphne (Speedster), Meredith (Claire’s mom), Tracy (Ice Queen), or even Future Peter right now. In any event, Season 3 has been a major improvement over last season.
Posted 30 Sep 2008 at 3:01 pm ¶
Molly wrote:
“I’m glad I stopped watching this show last season; I got sick of all the black characters dying.”
I know what you mean (though I admit I’m still watching it). That’s one of the things I like best about Lost; they kill off white guy after white gal after white guy (although they find ways to introduce ever-more white characters). They could really stand to victimize women less, but it’s nice to see them NOT killing off all the POC one by one.
Posted 01 Oct 2008 at 9:52 am ¶
The Cruel Secretary wrote:
Of course, he’s his own test subject, gaining Peter Parker’s powers, and using them to immediately bed Maya
Hold up, Arturo. You mean to tell me Mohinder had sex?
You mean to tell me an Asian brotha *finally* had sex (with a WoC!) on primetime American broadcast television?!?
::champagne cork popped::
Posted 01 Oct 2008 at 4:07 pm ¶
Arturo wrote:
TCS,
::champagne cork popped::
that’s kinda how the scene ended, yeah …
Posted 01 Oct 2008 at 6:21 pm ¶
Jeremy Pierce wrote:
The backstory for the Haitian is in the online comic books. I don’t remember if they named him, but they do explain a little about his background and show quite a bit more depth of emotion. I think they’ve actually developed him fairly well. He’s got a very different take on powers and his role. He’s probably the only instance of anything nearing authentic religion that we’ve even seen, although I don’t think the writers are very good at developing that much more than the surface-level discussion it’s had so far. The only other instances are Nathan’s surface-level attribution of the powers to God and the treatment of Maya as demonic in Latin America in the early 2nd season.
Posted 27 Oct 2008 at 9:53 pm ¶
Jeremy Pierce wrote:
I thought it wasn’t at all clear how Nathan was healed. Peter doesn’t actually do anything to him and is surprised when he recovers. So he didn’t give him his blood, and he didn’t use some healing ability like Linderman’s that he might somehow have gotten between now and then.
Aside from that, I didn’t think Nathan even knew about Peter healing him last year, so why is it stupid that he not realize that Peter healed him this time (assuming he somehow did but was nevertheless surprised to have done so)?
Posted 27 Oct 2008 at 9:54 pm ¶