You Can't Play God
Episode Recap: "Cautionary Tales"
This episode lived up to everything
Heroes means to its' fans. It was the best of the season. I'm going to write this by character, instead of scene for scene. We'll save the best for last.
Claire: Now we know exactly how the power of cellular regeneration works. Angela Petrelli explained if the "cells continually regenerate, they stop growing old". I think many of us knew that or at least had the right thought process. We don't know how many times Adam or Claire have died. Adam has a 400 year head-start, but I'm glad to see Claire will continue to age. I think she would choose a mortal life over Adam's.
Hiro: "To eulogize him is to admit he is gone." Masi Oka was wonderful tonight! He had me in tears. His attempt at saving his father explained so much. We've all been wondering "why didn't Hiro just go back" for so many instances throughout the series. Tonight we got our answer. Mr. Nakamura (so nice to see
George Takei again!) was a proud and noble man. It took him a lifetime to learn that although he and his fellow heroes have the power of gods it does not mean they can
play God. Whether we possess super-hero powers or not, we can't change destiny. I'm a firm believer that we choose the paths we take and life doesn't always go as planned, but we cannot change the past. We can only learn from it and hope for a better future. Hiro's future holds revenge.
Elle: I think Kristen Bell is great. She makes you cringe and smile at the same time. You can't hate her, but you can't like her and feel good about it. Especially, after Noah reminisced with her. We all knew she was screwed up, but why? Bob really is her father (apparently her mother had very strong genes in the looks department). Elle was most likely one of the first to be taken in by The Company. I'm sure her father had no idea what type of damage was being inflicted upon her, but now we know that a hero can be affected, and harmed, by their own abilities. The result may only be temporary, but the memories remain. We've seen the Haitian take memories, but they can still be brought back (Peter in the future with his mother). I think Elle's memories lie within her subconscious mind. I don't think she would be strong enough to face the memories if they resurfaced. It would destroy her. She believed Noah. Deep down she knows her father stood and watched as she played the lab rat. Crazy is as crazy does.
West: Could this episode have happened without him? No. Claire has defied her father before, but this was different. I know it seemed all puppy-lovey-dovey, but Noah caused real fear within West and Claire
saw that. In the end, West put his vengeance aside to do what was right. Hiro said it best: To know the difference between right and wrong is to be a true hero. West proved that. I also noticed how much he wanted to be apart of the Bennet family. Or any family. I want to know more about him and his past. Does he have parents or did he run away? Does he have a home or does he live in his beat up SUV? By the way, was that Noah's attempt to have small talk with his daughter's boyfriend? "So, what kind of car do you drive?" I rolled my eyes with Elle.
Parkman: Worst. Power. Ever. I know so many people will disagree with me, but I would never want it. Reading someone's mind is such an invasion of privacy. Furthermore, to control someone has only been seen as evil in this series. I know Eden had the power of persuasion and she used it for good and bad, but she worked for The Company. I don't think it will ever be clear that The Company is good or bad. I think they fall into the "gray" area. I've always enjoyed the color gray, because it's so compromising. There's no white or black. That's how The Company works. They don't follow rules or laws. They compromise. Parkman had to make that same choice with Mrs. Petrelli. Obviously, Angela and Victoria Pratt (the red head in the picture) were once good friends. Angela told Matt that if he made her tell the truth he had become his father. He would never want to be his father, but he had to do it. He had to compromise right and wrong. Which brings me back to disliking his power. I would never want to be in his position or anyone around him. Poor Molly.
Noah Bennet: He lives, he dies, he lives! Don't ever do that to me again
Heroes!!! I have always loved Noah. Even when he seemed evil. I always knew he was doing what he thought was best for his family. He made the ultimate sacrifice tonight. The man went through so much. He lost his entire family at one point! His daughter said, "I hate you" and his wife pulled away in disbelief. I thought Claire was a bit dramatic, but Sandra has been a really good sport and finally had enough. I loved when Bob appeared and she said she knew him. "He was the Regional Salesman for Prima Tech Paper." Luckily, she witnessed Noah and Elle's confrontation and realized what was at stake. Noah has always put Claire first. "You'd be surprised what a father will do for his daughter." It's true. She is the reason he left The Company. I wonder if he always knew he'd never give them Claire. Noah did his job for The Company; but was it a young Elle who made him realize how important Claire's safety was?
The painting came true. Again, Suresh did what he thought was right. Of course, again, he was wrong. Thankfully, we know something else about cellular regeneration. It can bring a person back from the dead. Or perhaps, Noah wasn't entirely dead. He may have had severe damage to the brain through his cornea (Am I making any sense?) and Claire's blood healed him. I think Claire and Adam's blood type can change and manipulate itself to heal whoever it is injected into. So, HRG is alive - for those viewers who's DVR may have stopped short - and possibly has 20/20 vision!
There were so many other great moments: Hiro's eulogy about what it takes to be a true hero and the Japanese funeral were beautiful. Bob fumbling when he first meets Claire and calls her Miss Bennet. Claire spelling SORRY, as if she was stranded on an island, for West to see on his "route" to school. Hiro finding out that Kensei/Adam lived long enough for revenge and assassinated his father. Elle (driving after being shot) pulling away from her father. Finally, the
look between Claire and Elle as the exchange was made (in real life they are as tight as Batman and Robin).
Two episodes left
The WGA and networks are meeting after the Thanksgiving holiday. Maybe a Chriskwanukah miracle will occur and December 3rd won't be the finale! I'll put a call in to the north pole. The rest of you - do what you have to do.
For clips and full episodes of Heroes check out our
Online Video Guide.
Also, check out our interview with BFF's Hayden Panettierre and Kristen Bell
here.
