Recap: Heroes: Chapter One: "Genesis" Part 2

So far in the series premiere of Heroes, one person is immortal, one person is a clockstopper, and everybody else is still figuring things out.

Some people are just late bloomers. It's fine.

Over at the loft of New York artist Isaac Mendez (Santiago Cabrera), he's frantically busy smearing black paint over all of his latest works, much to the chagrin of Simone as she walks in. Yes, this dude is the boyfriend she mentioned to Peter earlier in the day.

Simone: "What, are you crazy?"

Isaac: "Clearly. I don't even remember painting these."

Turns out, he didn't give up drugs like he told her, to Simone's further chagrin. She wants him to sober up because he's been managing to create some beautiful artwork, but Isaac starts ranting about how his latest paintings are evil.

Oh, yeah, that's one evil glass of boiling water.

For example, a painting of a suicide bombing in Israel. He painted it three weeks ago. It happened yesterday. And before anyone claim that it's just a crazy coincidence, he included the number on the bus, too, just in case there was any doubt. Now that's attention to detail.

Simone offers to get Isaac into a program to get off the drugs, but he says it's time to go cold turkey, despite her protests. He yells at her until she leaves, and he begins to stew as news footage of the Odessa train blaze appears on the TV nearby... which he already happens to have a painting of.

Interestingly enough, the news exposits that the train is registered to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which actually has to do with a character who was dropped from the show between the unaired pilot and "Genesis."

Back at Petrelli campaign HQ, Nathan finally managed to get his mom's sock robbery buried for good as Peter enters the room.

Nathan: "Why can't she get herself a hobby like a normal person?"

Peter: "They were married 41 years. It's a plea for attention."

But Nathan's still preoccupied with the polls. Which is why he called his little brother in. Nathan wants Peter to help organize volunteer efforts, since between the two of them, he's the only one who's... well, nice.

Nathan: "I'm a shark, Pete. Everybody knows it. And it's starting to show up in the polls."

"I'm losing the seal vote like you would not believe."

Nathan: "I bring you on, and it kind of reflects well on me, you know what I mean?"

Nothing Nathan can say to Peter makes him feel any better, mostly because Nathan admits upfront that he's using Peter for his own ends. And it looks like Mama Petrelli's words about Nathan's selfishness might have sunken in, because Peter fights back and gets after his brother for not listening to him earlier.

Nathan: "About how you can fly? Yeah, I did. I'm gonna pretend for both our sakes you didn't say anything like that."

On top of that, he criticizes Peter's job as a hospice nurse.

Nathan: "Watchin' old people die? Now, there's a career."

Better than doing it and not getting paid.

Nathan: "It's not cute anymore, man. The dreamy kid, sitting in the back of the classroom, staring out the window? It's time for you to grow up."

A speech every Millennial has probably heard at some point in their life.

But Nathan still tries to tell his brother that this is good for the both of them, and that he's trying to do his bro a favor.

"Yooooouuuu... are my number one... guuuuuuyyyyyyyy."

Peter: "I don't need your pity."

So Peter heads outside, creeps on Simone for a second, and hails a cab, finding a certain philosophical Indian at the wheel.

Peter gives him an address and looks up to find a solar eclipse in progress. Because he apparently lives in a world that doesn't have a media that goes crazy over these things, he seems to be mildly surprised that there's even an eclipse today.

And apparently, Peter has developed the power to stare directly at the sun.

Peter: "I wonder if it's gonna be total."

Mohinder: "Not here, no. Some other part of the world, yes. A global event."

"You'll have to wait until 2017 for an eclipse the Americans will lay a sole claim on."

Mohinder: "Makes one appreciate just how small our planet really is. And we're all quite small, really, aren't we?"

Peter and Mohinder introduce themselves, and Peter can't help but ask if Mohinder has ever had the feeling that he was meant for something... greater.

Mohinder: "I'm driving a cab, you may have noticed."

Peter: "No, I'm not talking about what you do; I'm talking about... who you are. I'm talking about... being special."

Mohinder: "Yes, we are all special."

"Like snowflakes!"

But when he sees that Peter might be a bit of a kindred spirit, Mohinder starts waxing philosophical about evolution.

Mohinder: "Some individuals, it is true, are more special. This is natural selection. It begins as a single individual born or hatched like every other member of their species, anonymous, seemingly ordinary, except they're not. They carry inside them the genetic code that will take their species to the next evolutionary rung. It's destiny."

That's an interesting way of looking at it, actually.

I mean, that's exactly how natural selection works. Individuals with mutations that help them survive will most likely pass those genes on, spreading them. So in a way, as soon as the individual is born, it is destined to further evolution. Barring accidents, of course. Imagine how many cows with beneficial mutations have been turned into burgers before they could breed.

But with Mohinder's spiel over, we follow our various characters dealing with their current issues as the eclipse passes over them. And yes, every character stares directly at the sun, regardless of whether the eclipse is actually total. Either way, they still shouldn't be staring directly at the sun.

Yeah, a solar eclipse that happens at the exact same time all around the world. I'm sure that's how that works.

Or maybe these events are being shown out of order, explaining why the sun seems to be at the same point in the sky all around the world. Not that Isaac would know, since he's trying to go cold turkey while four feet away from the drugs he's trying not to do. I'm sure he'll succeed.

Over in Vegas, Niki goes home and watches the eclipse through her son's pinhole camera (making her the only main character to not be staring directly at the sun to watch the eclipse), completely oblivious to the thugs still in the house until they grab her and take her into her studio.

She promises to get Linderman his money, but they want a little extra "persuasion" from her. And they start up the webcam... because I guess they want camera footage of the rape they're about to attempt, which could be used against them in court.

Angrily, Niki acquiesces to their demands and begins to strip for the camera. In any other superhero story, this would be an overused plot device to put a woman in harm's way in order for her to be rescued by the hero of the day.

But nobody's coming.

Niki stops stripping when she looks in a mirror. When the thug slaps her, she starts getting angry....

Over in Japan, Hiro is discussing with Ando how Indian Yogis and the Aborigines have unique relationships with time and space. Ando, who has given up at this point, asks what Hiro would even do with such a power.

Ando: "<No one ever got laid by stopping the second hand of a clock.>"

But if it did happen to someone, I bet it'd be David Copperfield.

Hiro: "<As I develop my powers, I'll learn to bend space, too. Then I can tele-port myself anywhere on the planet.>"

"<My overpowered abilities will the the bane of the writing staff in no time!>"

Ando: "<Like Star Trek.>"

Hiro: "<Yeah, like Star Trek! Every hero must learn his purpose. Then he'll be tested and called to greatness.>")

But for now, it's time to visit a bar with the finest lip-syncing of "I Want it That Way" this side of YouTube. But Hiro is more occupied with trying to explain the finer points of time to Ando.

Hiro: "<People think of time as a straight line...>"

"<But actually, from a nonlinear, non-subjective standpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff.>"

Ando can't help but wonder where Hiro even learned all this, but it comes from a reputable source.

Hiro: "<X-Men no. 143, when Kitty Pryde time travels...>"

First of all, she didn't time travel, she projected her mind back in time into her younger body. Totally different. Second of all, you're citing the first issue after the event you're referring to, "Days of Future Past." Uncanny X-Men number 143 had nothing to do with time travel. It was a Christmas issue where Kitty Pryde fought a demon.

But Ando simply can't believe Hiro is citing a comic book as fact.

Hiro: "<Every ten-year-old wishes he had super powers. And I got them. Me, of all people. Last in my class, last on the sports field; I'm not a loser anymore.>"

Ando: "<Tell me one useful thing you could do with this power. Can you make money?>"

Hiro: "<A superhero doesn't use his power for personal gain.>"

Ando: "<Then what good is it? Can you teleport yourself into the women's bathroom?>"

And do what, watch them poop? Ew. You're nasty, Ando. I don't even want to know what you paid Niki to do online.

Ando: "<You won't learn your 'purpose' in there, but you might learn something about life.>"

So Hiro accepts the challenge as Ando grabs a couple more beers, probably in the hopes that if either he or Hiro passes out, then he won't have to endure Hiro's "I have superpowers!" nonsense.

Speaking of passing out, Niki apparently did just that, since she wakes up to a freakin' horrorshow. It's Micah's voice on the answering machine that wakes her up in the first place; he's calling because it's been quite a while since he was dumped at Tina's. And within that amount of time, the two collector guys who were harassing her seem to have died.

Blood on the walls, scenery broken, and somebody left all their guts lying on the floor.

So inconsiderate.

And judging from the relatively-intact nature of the bodies, it looks like somebody literally ripped one of these assholes a new asshole.

Niki quickly heads over to the camera to check the footage, but she stops when she sees her reflection... which has blood dripping down its face that isn't there on Niki's face.

"It's because I murdered those guys' reflections, too."

On a (relatively) lighter note, Peter gets a phone call from Simone, asking him to meet her at her dying father's apartment. So Peter pays Mohinder and hops out, allowing a rather familiar mysterious man in horn-rimmed glasses (Jack Coleman) inside.

The man with horn-rimmed glasses (who I shall be referring to by the fan-given name of "HRG"), asks to be taken to JFK, since he's on his way to catch a flight back home.

HRG: "Suresh, huh?"

Mohinder: "I'm sorry?"

HRG: "Your name. On your license, there."

Curse you, New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission for giving away Mohinder's identity!

Actually, now that I look at it, I think Mohinder might have forged his license.

That's not how you spell "limousine."

HRG: "There was a Professor Suresh at the University of Madras. A geneticist. Interesting theories. Don't think he's teaching anymore. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Okay, one of two things is happening here.

1. HRG is referring to Papa Suresh, who was a professor there until he quit to chase his theories.
2. HRG is referring to Mohinder himself, who was seen professing at the University in his first scene.

Either way, HRG's tone of voice seems to indicate that he's testing Mohinder's reactions to see if this he could be valuable, or dangerous, to HRG's investigation.

HRG: "Probably lots of Sureshes where you're from."

"You mean Chicago?"

HRG: "Like Smith. Or Anderson."

Uh huh. And this mysterious stranger in a business suit just happens to namedrop the last names of the main hero and villain from The Matrix? I think the writer here added in a nod to Agent Smith, one of the most iconic "man in a suit" villains in film history.

In response to the namedrops, Mohinder twists the wheel and speeds off into a parking lot. Then, as if he suddenly realizes that he can't drive away from the guy in the back seat, he quickly jumps out of the taxi and runs off, leaving HRG a bit puzzled.

"Can't complain about a free taxi ride, though."

Back at the home of Claire Bennet, Mrs. Bennet (Ashley Crow) and her son, Lyle (Randall Bentley), are enjoying dinner while she talks about her little prizewinning yappy dog, Mr. Muggles.

Lyle: "He still humps my leg when I watch TV."

As Claire comes to the table, Mrs. Bennet asks her kids what they did today.

"I ripped my cheerleading outfit and got bl... um, beet juice on it."

Lyle: "Doug and I saw this Mexican guy. A homeless dude, on our way to school. We thought he was dead, but he wasn't."

I'll admit that I'm not too familiar with quite a bit of the full run of Heroes, but that sounds exactly like the kind of thing they'd retcon into being important. Like, maybe this Mexican homeless man turned out to be involved with Mohinder's dad, or something? I don't know. Maybe in a tie-in comic.

Apparently, Mr. Bennet will be coming home today, but for now, it's time for Claire to say what she did today.

Claire: "I walked through fire and I didn't get burned."

Lyle makes fun of his sister's odd statement, but her mom has an entirely different reaction.

Mrs. Bennet: "I think I know exactly what you mean. Oh, here I am, talking dogs again, and you go and say something really profound. We come up against all kinds of fires in our lives, and when we test ourselves and face our fears, we usually don't get burned. You are very wise, sweetheart."

"I also jumped off a balcony, dislocated my arm, and broke my ribs. Then I reset all my bones back into place."

"...You're going to have to make a bit more sense with your metaphors, Claire."

Mrs. Bennet: "Whatever it is your did, I'm proud of you. And so is Mr. Muggles! He's just so proud of Claire! Aren't we? We're proud of Claire."

Elsewhere in the world, Ando gets those two beers, just in time to see Hiro get dragged out of the ladies' room while protesting that he's not a peeping tom. Hiro couldn't be more overjoyed that he managed to boldly go into the ladies' room, but Ando still doesn't believe him.

Ando: "<Now you're a pervert.>"

Says the guy who told him to do it in the first place. And which one of you pays Niki Sanders money to take off her clothes again?

Ando: "<There are twelve-and-a-half-million people in this city. Not one of them can bend space and time. Why do you want to be different?!>"

Hiro: "<Why do you want to be the same?!>"

Ando: "<Because that's what I am. The same.>"

"<I'm just another anonymous Japanese salaryman archetype.>"

Hiro: "<It's what we all are! Homogenous. Yogurt..>"

Ando: "<...Huh? Yogurt?>"

The metaphor might be a bit odd, but Hiro wants nothing more than to be special somehow.

Ando: "<We are not special! We are Japanese!>"

...Well, there's an oddly-racist implication. Hopefully unintentional.

Hiro: "<I wanna boldly go where no man has gone before.>"

"<What about the ladies' room?>"

"<There were already, like, five dudes in there, Ando..>"

So Hiro takes his dreams and leaves, with Ando sarcastically calling him "Super-Hiro" as they part.

Meanwhile, over with Peter, he's trying to tell Simone about his dreams and destiny and stuff, but she's more preoccupied with finding some of her dad's morphine so she can get Peter to give it to somebody else.

Back in Texas, Claire's mom tries to come up with weekend bonding ideas as her daughter does the dishes.

Mrs. Bennet: "I just... miss you, that's all. I wanna be your mom, I wanna... give you advice, but I don't wanna push you away."

Claire fiddles with her ring as she listens, accidentally dropping it down the garbage disposal. So when her mom's back is turned, she just reaches inside and pulls it out in a bit that actually got NBC sued.

Here's a picture of the garbage disposal in question. Look at the way the water travels into the drain.

Almost looks like there's some kind of indentations that the water's flowing through, huh?

Well, that's because the original version of this scene from the original airing showed the InSinkErator logo etched on the drain, and the garbage disposal manufacturers were not happy about their product chopping up a character's hand.

Or maybe they saw the scene and said "Our product's way more powerful than that! Her hand should be gone!"

Hence a quick CG fix for the DVD. Of course, Claire's hand is only an issue because she's a moron and didn't turn the garbage disposal off first.

This leads into a comedic bit where she has to hide her healing hand from her mom while Mr. Muggles licks her blood off the floor. Raising questions as to what exactly would happen to a creature that ate eternally-regenerating blood. Is Mr. Muggles about to have his insides ravaged by Claire's immortal white blood cells interpreting his stomach lining and villi as a threat?

But Mrs. Bennet talks about her broken dreams of hitchhiking across Europe and such before following it up by telling her daughter that she's a special person who should be happy with who she is. Speaking of which, Claire has something important to say to her mom. Something she's been hiding for a while now.

Claire: "I think I'm old enough for you to tell me who my real parents are."

Mrs. Bennet: "Of course you are."

"I knew I'd have to show you that Kryptonian spaceship in the barn someday."

As they hug, Claire examines her hand, which is now fully-healed and blood-free. So maybe she's got magically-disappearing blood. I guess Mr. Muggles will be just fine.

Claire's hand has healed just in time for her to hug her dad as he walks through the front door. Her dad, the man in horn-rimmed glasses, which raises a few questions regarding the timeline, since JFK to Midland, Texas is a six hour flight, not counting the ride home from the airport.

Although on that note, it's currently 11:43 AM in Tokyo...

I think so, at least. It's a bit vague.

...which would make it 8:43 PM in Texas (and still light out, somehow), which would mean that HRG boarded his 6-hour flight around 3:30 PM Eastern Time, which, for the sake of argument, we'll assume is also the approximate time Peter met up with Simone after leaving Mohinder's cab, since HRG got in right after him.

Keep this in mind for later.

Hiro spies a poster on the bullet train saying "VISIT NEW YORK." So Hiro closes his eyes and does just that.

Hiro: "Yatta! Hello, New York!"

Speaking of New York, the sun has gone down as Peter and Simone arrive at Issac's place. Meaning that since Peter first arrived at Simone's dad's place at around 3:30 PM, enough time has passed for the sun to go down before they got to Isaac's place. And remember, Simone was in a hurry.

I'll admit I haven't visited in years, but does it really take about four hours to get to the other side of New York City? Even if we give the show the benefit of the doubt and assume that Simone's dad and Issac live in opposite ends of the entire city?

Anyway, Isaac seems to have failed in his quest to go cold turkey, and he's not doing well on the floor. Some careful editing disguises the fact that in the original version of the scene, Isaac cut his own hand off to escape from the handcuffs he was using to keep himself away from the drugs.

As Simone panics and calls 911, Peter leaves the OD'd man for a bit to look at his paintings. Namely, the painting with Peter in it, leaping off a building.

Although if you ignore the visible eyebrows, it could just as easily be the Eleventh Doctor.

But Issac manages to mumble "We have to stop it," referring to the painting Simone and Peter missed when they came in.

Well. That's unfortunate.

And so, the episode ends where it began. Mohinder philosophizes as Peter stands on the edge of a rooftop.

Mohinder: "This quest, this need to solve life's mysteries. In the end, what does it matter when the human heart can only find meaning in the smallest of moments? They're here among us. In the shadows, in the light, everywhere. Do they even now yet?"

Nathan rides up into the alley below, asking Peter what he want on his phone. Peter answers when his cell phone hits the ground and shatters. Nathan looks up.

Peter: "I've been up here all night! Thinking about this! Thinking about my destiny!"

Nathan: "...Whatcha doing, Pete?"

Peter: "It's my turn to be somebody now, Nathan!"

Nathan: "Come on, Pete, quit screwing around!"

"You could cut ties with all the lies you've been living in!"

Despite Nathan's protests, Peter throws himself at the ground... but it sure doesn't look like he'll miss. But suddenly, he doesn't need to trick the laws of physics. Nathan catches him. In midair.

Peter: "How did you...."

Nathan: "I don't know."

But their midair tumble doesn't last forever as Nathan's grip fails.

Peter falls.

To be continued in Chapter Two: "Don't Look Back"!

So let's review this first outing for a new generation of heroes.