Heroes 1x22 Landslide

[oyceter]

Spoilers for the episode and the promo!

DL!!! DON'T BE DEAD! SHOW YOU CANNOT DO THIS!

I have hope though! He was in the promo! Alive looking! With Micah and Niki (right?)! Also, I feel like that was too fast of a way to go for him, but I am historically much more attached to the characters of color than the writers are (Isaac! Simone! Argh!), but still! You can't have him die like that!

Also, Ando! DON'T DIE!!!

I am horrifically afraid for Hiro or Ando now; the story about the dragon and Kensei has me worried. This episode seemed to be a bit of a retraction of Hiro's resolve in the past episode to not be like future!Hiro, and Hiro taking the story of Kensei to mean that he had to take out his own heart and emotions to save the world rings false to me. I am betting that he will be proven wrong, given past history with his trying to be a solitary hero by leaving Ando. But OMG! I don't want this realization to come with Ando dying!! Ando can't die! On the other hand, I am also terrified that taking his own heart out will equate either killing Ando or killing himself.

I am probably too paranoid; I really doubt they will kill off Hiro. But... but... Ando! SO MUCH ANDO LOVE!

On a side note, I am laughing and laughing and laughing at the sword training session, remembering how hard kendo kicked my ass back in college. On the other hand, they did set it up a little, with the reference in "Five Years Gone" to Hiro's not-kendo practice.

So... the big showdown, Peter vs. Sylar! (where are Ando and Hiro then?) jonquil notes that Sylar must have killed Claude, as he turns invisible in a scene. Also, oh, poor Ted. You were getting cool with your car-starting abilities and all! I have to say, I laughed and laughed at Sylar playing with fire on the top of a building (is that the Deveaux's building?) with the lighting and everything, but I love Sylar so much. In a psychotic, brain-eating way.

Other than that, Peter didn't have that much to do this episode.

Claire too, but the little we saw of her I loved. Superhero Claire! Yeah! Also, I love the Mr. Bennet-Claire relationship so much, from her belief that she can save the world to his love of her. And I love that the show never plays it straight with them; we end with Mr. Bennet threatening a ten-year-old girl to protect his own daughter.

Ah Mohinder. After threatening what's-his-face, you are back to being a pawn. But hopefully the standoff will create a new alliance, which will be interesting.

I loved Matt meeting up with Jessica and DL! That was great! Especially the awkward elevator music and Matt clearly thinking along the lines of "Why am I even trying to be nice to her?" Also, dude! to Mr. Bennet shooting what's-his-face in the head. "We were partners."

Audrey! You didn't get to meet Matt!

I have been a little bored with the Sanders/Hawkins storyline in the past, but this episode was great for them (um, that is, assuming that DL is alive). I loved DL and Jessica teaming up and storming the building, I loved Micah making the choice to rig the election so his family could stay together, no matter how morally bad that is, I loved DL's assurance that he and Niki being together was real, no matter how much Linderman may have manipulated it from the beginning. On the other hand, it struck me as a little off that Jessica would take the money to kill DL. I suppose not, now that I think of it a little; if she thought she could kill DL and run off with Micah, I can see that. I think I was assuming that she'd take the money and abandon both DL and Micah, which I didn't quite believe.

Also, Niki! I am glad you reappeared, but it is annoying that it was just to cry.

And DL! OMG! You are my total fictional boyfriend aside from Hiro and Ando! I love the confrontatio between him and Linderman and the implied class and race issues and that DL kills Linderman; the old (white rich) boys' club dying off one by one to clear the world for the new heroes. And along with this, I want Mr. Nakamura and Mrs. Petrelli to be on the same side; the woman and the Japanese guy going against Linderman.

Oh! I forgot about Nathan, ha, even though the episode title is about him! First of all, Nathan, you suck! You disappointed Hiro! I love Hiro standing out there yelling "Villain" at Nathan, who seems to have given up all moral scruples. Sigh. I hated the way he patronizingly explained Linderman's presence to Heidi and how he wouldn't let her walk later; sure, it makes sense politically, but something in his attitude was just smarmy. I also now want to learn more about Nathan's dad; why is he Nathan's hero? And was Mrs. Petrelli lying about his suicide or not? Because Linderman's phrasing made it sound about right. And I am also wondering if Nathan's dad's death is what prompted Mrs. Petrelli to take her path (not that we know what it is yet).

I am rather irritated that Heidi's disability is being played for Nathan's angst; on the other hand, I want to see more of her, so I was glad she was on screen. For a second, I had thought Linderman was giving her superpowers, which would have been just awesome.

And Candice! Developing personality, yay. I liked the reveal about her weight, though I am somewhat irritated that she is on the side of evil because of it (hi fictional trope #345089). But it makes her perfect schoolgirl appearance make sense. And I think the black woman thing was played off as a joke, but I want it so much to be true, and then her illusion would be social commentary and it would be great! Except it is probably not true...

In conclusion, I am not sure how I feel about this episode. Part of it is because I am severely sleep-deprived and can't think straight, but another part is that I am waiting for certain plotlines (ANDO! DL!) to resolve themselves before deciding. Next week I figure I will either be giving myself an aneurysm yelling at the TV in rage or so full of joy at the awesome that I cannot contain myself.

ETA: Argh, forgot to link to the census up at bobthehaitian. Go forth and add more details, because my brian was so dead when I was writing it!

Comments

[tyreseus.livejournal.com]

I have the same suspicion that Ando is as good as dead.

Heidi, too. TV shows just don't cure wheelchair-bound people without quickly killing them off... it's the Joss-happy-characters-die-Whedon effect.

DL might survive, but I'm not counting on it. The fake-out they gave us on Simone in the preview a few epsiodes back has me untrusting of those things.

[oyceter]

I am really, really, really desperately hoping that Ando turns out ok because a) NO MORE DEAD POC!, b) Ando! He is awesome!, and c) I am hoping that they go toward changing the "Five Years Gone" future, and I can't see it changing wrt Hiro if Ando dies, since that's what made him go all sad.

DL... woe. I have slightly more hope, because this time around, more people than just me think he's not dead.

[xwingace]

They can't kill Ando! I want *some* people without abilities in fairly major roles, for chrissakes (although it appears that Nakamura Sr doesn't have a 'special' ability, just really good swordsmanship. Or could the ability to teach that in a few hours be a talent?)

DL... hmm... the fact that he took out a part of Lindermans *brain* might provide some loopholes. Or not.

From one of the previews it looks like Matt is getting hurt too... I wouldn't want him out either, not now that he's really getting useful instead of just sympathetic.

XWA

[oyceter]

They can't kill Ando! I want *some* people without abilities in fairly major roles, for chrissakes

I know! I know! Also... Ando! I have grown to love his character so much.

Ooo, I didn't think about Linderman's brains being healing. Sort of gross, but you never know.

I yelped at that shot of Matt as well; I like him a lot now.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

We didn't actually see Sylar go invisible! Maybe he just ran away really really fast and Claude is still alive!

[almeda.livejournal.com]

Hiro got shoulder-checked by someone invisible on a streetcorner, but I didn't see any suggestion as to who it was.

[oyceter]

Yes! Maybe! Because really, it would be completely unfair to kill off Claude off-screen.

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

Ando cannot. die. He can't.

Hiro taking the story of Kensei to mean that he had to take out his own heart and emotions to save the world rings false to me.

The writers could very well have him realize that he's wrong. When Isaac died saying, "You can't change the future," I initially assumed that this was the message the writers wanted to get across. But instead, the promos show us Claire saying defiantly, "The future is NOT set in stone." (How much did I love that? Thiiiis much!) So they could go either way on this.

I love Hiro standing out there yelling "Villain" at Nathan, who seems to have given up all moral scruples. Sigh. I hated the way he patronizingly explained Linderman's presence to Heidi and how he wouldn't let her walk later; sure, it makes sense politically, but something in his attitude was just smarmy.

Hiro broke my heart in that scene. Nathan doesn't know it, but what Hiro heard from "I can't help you" is "Ando is going to die." No wonder he was crushed.

I actually liked Nathan's smarminess last night. I was worried that he was turning into too much of a good guy--I like it better when he's morally ambiguous.

Other than that, Peter didn't have that much to do this episode.

He's my favorite character, so this saddened me a little, but I did like him bonding with Claire over their superhero antics. "Why can't we fly to Nebraska?" *Off Peter's look* "I meant in a plane."

But next week: Peter vs. Sylar standoff! And it looks like Claire's going to be there too! I'm placing bets that Claire is going to save Peter somehow. But--and this is what I love about the show--I really don't know *what's* going to happen.

To be honest, I really don't care about DL. I think the actor is terrible. OTOH, I don't think it matters either way since it looks like he survives, from the promo.

One thing that worries me about the promo is that several people are looking UP into the sky, which can only mean one thing: one of the Petrelli boys is flying. Peter? Nathan? Both? One of them holding Sylar?

[oyceter]

When Isaac died saying, "You can't change the future," I initially assumed that this was the message the writers wanted to get across. But instead, the promos show us Claire saying defiantly, "The future is NOT set in stone." (How much did I love that? Thiiiis much!) So they could go either way on this.

I am very much hoping this! I had thought that they were starting to argue that people must follow their destinies or whatnot, given all the talk of destiny and fate lately, but that shot of Claire is making me very hopeful. (Also, Claire! You rock!)

I've actually grown to really like DL; I like that he is a good guy and a good dad.

And oh, Nathan! The actor is great when he's smarmy, and he's so interesting, but it still makes me want to slap him! Especially how his thinking he has to give up Peter completely parallels that smarmy bit he pulled in the beginning of the season by using Peter's purported mental illness as a campaign thing.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

DL and Ando cannot die! Not when DL is finally getting an actual purpose, and Ando is Ando.

I'd really like for Kimiko and/or Grandma Hawkins to come back, they were both so great in their brief, one episode spots. As they've already brought back Audrey and Molly, it might not be that much of a stretch?

Audrey is back! I liked Audrey, they really need to get her back with Parkman. And get Parkman off the floor, Mohinder really went for the wrong guy there.

And I love that Ando is Hiro's princess, or his heart or something.

[oyceter]

And I love that Ando is Hiro's princess, or his heart or something.

Oh I know! There was much Hiro/Ando squee. Or Hiro-Ando squee. Whatever! Squee!

I was so excited to see Audrey again! I hope she and Matt get to meet next episode.

And since Hiro has powers, I feel it's not that much of a stretch to say that Kimiko has them too. Now I want to write fic about her.

[matt-ruff.livejournal.com]

My initial guess is that DL is really dead, and the glimpse we get of him in the promo for next week is actually a glimpse of a photograph that J/N will gaze lovingly at at some point. On the other hand, DL was pressing his Linderman-brain-soaked hand against his wound as he faded, and while I will be appalled on multiple levels if it turns out that that heals him/gifts him with Linderman's powers, you never know with this show...

On a side note, I am laughing and laughing and laughing at the sword training session, remembering how hard kendo kicked my ass back in college. On the other hand, they did set it up a little, with the reference in "Five Years Gone" to Hiro's not-kendo practice.

Just to check: has Hiro had prior sword training? Or is the idea that he's so cool that one marathon training session with Dad is enough to give him the skill to take on Sylar?

[xwingace]

To be fair, Hiro doesn't need to be all *that* good with a sword to be able to beat just about anybody, as long as he uses his other abilities properly. So in that view, it might just be the confidence inspired by the training session with Daddy that allows him to get to the important point. Still, the sequence as it stood seemed a bit unrealistic, yeah.

XWA

[oyceter]

Just to check: has Hiro had prior sword training?

I'm pretty sure he has -- in "Five Years Gone" Ando mentions something about kendo practice, and Hiro corrects him and says it was something that I didn't catch that was sword-related but not kendo.

Um, not that that actually means he can really sword fight, as formal practice is probably pretty different from the real thing. But he does have more than one afternoon of training.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

:clings to Ando:

[oyceter]

Wah! Ando!

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I am horrifically afraid for Hiro or Ando now; the story about the dragon and Kensei has me worried. This episode seemed to be a bit of a retraction of Hiro's resolve in the past episode to not be like future!Hiro, and Hiro taking the story of Kensei to mean that he had to take out his own heart and emotions to save the world rings false to me.

See, I don't read the Kensei story that way at all, and it didn't seem to me that Hiro saw it thus, either. Wasn't the point of the story that Kensei sacrificed himself, rather than give his wife up to the dragon? Maybe I should rewatch that part tonight.

So, anyway, the way I see that whole bit was Hiro coming to the realization that he has, up to this point, seen only the positive and generic aspects of hero-ness: helping random people, saving the world, being awesome. What he lacked was understanding of the difficult parts, and a motivation that would drive him to keep on fighting in the face of setbacks--that is the softness that Papa Nakamura saw in him. But, he has learned that the best motivator is not some high-minded "save the world" stuff, but protecting the people he cares about. That is the only thing that can push a potential hero past their self-imposed limitations. (See also, every shonen manga ever, where the hero drives himself past the point all reasonableness in order to achieve the power to save his friends.)

Ando dying would totally go against this narrative. And while I admit that I could be totally off-base on what the underlying narrative is (I am reading it as a manga narrative, rather than e.g. a Batman-type narrative), I really hope I am not.

And really, if Hiro needs a loved one to die in order to get motivated to fight Sylar, isn't Charlie enough? Did she die for nothing?

I want Mr. Nakamura and Mrs. Petrelli to be on the same side; the woman and the Japanese guy going against Linderman.

I agree that'd be cool, but I am 90% sure that Ma Petrelli has completely signed on to the Linderman agenda, for reasons we have yet to see.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I think Linderman might be Nathan's father.

But that's completely unsupported speculation.

[vonnie-k.livejournal.com]

See, I don't read the Kensei story that way at all, and it didn't seem to me that Hiro saw it thus, either. Wasn't the point of the story that Kensei sacrificed himself, rather than give his wife up to the dragon?

That's what I got out of the Kensei story as well. He cut out his heart, not to be hardened and grim like future!Hiro, but in a gesture of supreme self-sacrifice to save the one he loved. (If Hiro wasn't such a popular character, I'd be seriously worried about him dying in the finale right now.) Kensei said, "my love is in here; take it." I didn't see that as a command for Hiro to give up his humanity but rather to embrace it.

[oyceter]

See, I don't read the Kensei story that way at all, and it didn't seem to me that Hiro saw it thus, either. Wasn't the point of the story that Kensei sacrificed himself, rather than give his wife up to the dragon?

Oh, good! I think I heard some bit on Hiro saying that he needed to harden his heart against emotion, and it sounded a lot like what he was saying before when he told Ando to go back to Tokyo.

I am all for protecting your precious people a la all shounen manga EVER. And I think Ando dying would completely go against the shounen manga storyline, except I've been saying that Hiro is a manga character for so long that I've started thinking that I am hallucinating it! I'm sort of waiting for the finale to figure out what kind of narrative it is.

I agree that'd be cool, but I am 90% sure that Ma Petrelli has completely signed on to the Linderman agenda, for reasons we have yet to see.

Urgh, yeah. I am mostly just wishful thinking, but I keep wondering -- why the double agenda with Bob? Why getting Claire out? Unless it is something like Mr. Bennet cheating the company of one thing but going along with others.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Here we go: the Internets (http://www.yamagatofellowship.org/) yield the full story of Takezo Kensei, thanks to the NBC multi-media Heroes experience. Relevant bit:

With his newfound knowledge, Kensei fought and won a great battle – thus saving his people. After the battle, the Dragon came to Kensei’s palace to collect on their deal. The Dragon demanded the life of the princess. Kensei refused and cut out his own heart, handed it to the dragon and said, “My love is in here. Take it.” And then he died. When the Dragon saw what Kensei was willing to sacrifice for his people (and his love) he was so moved that he replaced Kensei’s heart and breathed fire-life back into the swordsman.

The Takezo dynasty went on to rule Japan with valour and love for a hundred years.

Valour and love! Dude, maybe I'm wrong and Hiro is a shoujo heroine. Hiro the Magical Girl!

[evil-kat.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see what Candice looks like.

Also, I'm severely worried about hiro and Ando, too. though, I felt it might be Hiro's dad who will be definitely dying and he was the dragon--or am I off my rocker? (you know...sharing all his knowledge...)

I'm still holding out hope for Nathan. I truly believe he will finally turn towards good! He doesn't seem like a bad person--just too much like a politician. I think he'd be really cool if he acknowledged his power and aided the mutants. (x-men, what?)

Also, I was blown away by Linderman's death--though I'm sure we'll be seeing him in Heroes: Origins.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

Well, if she does get killed presumably we'll get to see her.

My theory? She's got some deformity, minor or otherwise -- I don't think it's as minor as 'being fat', though, I was thinking more like a wandering eye or a harelip or something.

[oyceter]

I'd love to see what Candice looks like.

Me too!

Other people were also reading the dragon story more closely and wondering if it meant that Hiro would somehow die and be resurrected too ... there's a bit in it afterward that mentions that the dragon ends up restoring Kensei's heart!

[maigaray.livejournal.com]

Nooo!!!! Ando and Hiro are my OTP!!


Saw your comment on another blog about liking Ai Yazawa. I'd like to invite you to the International NANA Day celebration here in the Philippines. Check out http://philnanaday.tk for more info.

[oyceter]

Wow, Intl. Nana Day! Cool!

I'd love to go, except... uh, I really doubt I will be able to go to the Philippines (I'm in the US now).