Heroes 1.23: How To Stop an Exploding Man
Over a montage of scenes from all over the season, Mohinder rambles on about the whys and wherefores of life, wondering at last who will share it with us.
Everything takes place in Manhattan.
Linderman's office, Kirby Plaza. In a replay from last episode, Niki/Jessica chooses family over money and D.L. chooses a bullet while Linderman chooses death by taking his eye off an injured man. The last thing on his mind is a bloody fist. D.L. crumples. Niki catches him on the way down and wonders why he'd take a bullet when he could have phased through it. D.L. demands she leave him and get out, but it's too late. They hear running feet, shouts and pounding on the office door. D.L. has to get them out of there by phasing through the wall. Although he's not sure he can do it, he takes them out just as Linderman's bodyguards bust into the room.
MedLab, Linderman Building. Last episode replay: Thompson and Mohinder catch Matt and Bennet on a monitor. Thompson catches Matt in the corridor. Bennet catches Thompson in mid-thought. Matt and Bennet catch Molly hiding behind her bed. Mohinder catches Matt by surprise, then catches Bennet in a philosophical quandary. While Mohinder and Bennet point guns at each other and argue over whether it's worth one life to save a lot of lives, Molly ducks down under her bed. She sees Matt on the floor as he groans and stirs. They recognize each other. Mohinder and Bennet are surprised at the connection. Molly explains that Matt's the hero she told Mohinder about. Matt had promised he'd protect her. Matt stands up between Mohinder and Bennet and insists no one is going to hurt her. Mohinder and Bennet reluctantly lower their weapons.
Outside Jitetsu Arms. Hiro emerges, looking for Ando who has run off to face Sylar armed only with a sword. Kaito emerges, looking for Hiro. Hiro wants to save his friend. Kaito wants to save the world. Hiro wants his father's support, which he's never had until now. Kaito relents and hands Hiro the Kensai katana in a symbolic gesture, telling him to remember his legacy. Hiro accepts the sword, then concentrates and vanishes.
Isaac's Studio, Lower Manhattan. Sylar uses Isaac's garbage can lid for a palette and prepares to paint. He then uses Isaac's power to see a flashing montage of images from the future, settling on one and beginning to paint. The images he sees form on the canvas are vague and fuzzy, and he's not happy with them. He shakes off Isaac's power and turns to the painting of Peter flying off a building (from the pilot). He spits Peter's name and waves his hand, telekinetically slicing the “Peter flying” painting in half.
Nathan's Office, Manhattan. Nathan stares out the window while a television in the background replays his victory speech. His face is troubled. Angela, his mother, enters behind him, looking wan. Heidi and the kids are moments away from a landing in Nantucket, while Nathan's expecting a chopper on the roof in an hour to take Nathan and his mother them to safety. Angela has bad news: Linderman's dead. Nathan tries not to let his feelings show: relief? concern? Linderman's death changes nothing. A lot of other people own the plan too. Nathan realizes that after the bomb, the world is going to need him. He says that with a lack of conviction Angela somehow misses. She kisses his forehead.
Linderman Building. Niki pulls D.L. out of an elevator. He's hurt bad, bleeding and panting. Their on the 42nd floor, where Micah is. He insists she go find Micah herself. He's just slowing her down. She can do it without him. She's always been strong. At first she refuses to leave, but he convinces her and she leaves him propped against a wall, promising to be back.
MedLab, Linderman Building. Mohinder and Bennet drag Thompson's body into the lab from out in the hall. If they guards find it, they'll know there's something wrong. Bennet shot him in self-defense, and Mohinder wonders what Bennet's justification for shooting Molly would have been. Bennet regards her as a threat because of what the organization intends to do with her. Mohinder won't let her be harmed. He saved her with his antibodies, and that makes him responsible for her. Mohinder clearly doesn't understand much about the organization Bennet used to work for. It used to stand for something, now it's become corrupted. They continue the argument until Matt bursts in from Molly's room. There's something wrong with her. Mohinder rushes in, and Bennet makes to follow until his phone rings. It's Claire, calling from Peter's car. She's got bad news: they're still in Manhattan, and Sylar's gotten to Sprague. Bennet asks to speak to Peter. Peter's absorbed Ted's power, and so has Sylar. That means Peter's the only one who can stop Sylar. Bennet watches Mohinder tend to Molly. There's a tracking system that can find Sylar, they're just fixing it. Peter needs to stay by Claire's phone. If they don't succeed, he has to protect Claire. Peter hangs up.
Parking Garage. Peter pulls the car into the garage and into a parking spot near Nathan, who leans against a pillar. Claire's shocked and confused. Peter lied to her. Nathan doesn't care about Peter, or about anyone, not even his own daughter. Peter's scared, and he needs his brother. She's unconvinced, and Peter hears that in her thoughts. He gets out anyway and tells Nathan about Sylar, who could be the bomb, and begs him to do something. Nathan urges him to get Claire out of the city. Peter refuses. If he stops Sylar, then he may need someone to stop him. Claire herself quietly gets out of the car and sneaks away, up a stairwell. Unfortunately, she finds Angela waiting at the top with a cold smile. Peter doesn't understand why Nathan won't do more, but hears his thoughts: the bomb can't be stopped, everyone's going to die. Peter stumbles back in horror. Claire was right. He turns to the car and finds it empty. He shouts her name, while Nathan runs after him. Before Nathan can stop or calm him, Peter fades. He runs out into the empty street where he becomes visible, shouting Claire's name. He's agitated, unfocused and realizes suddenly that his hands are flaring with Ted's power. In a panic, he tries to push the power down, but his hands only get brighter during the struggle. The effort proves too much for him and he passes out, falling to the ground as his hands continue to spark.
MedLab, Linderman Building. Bennet enters Molly's room to find Mohinder and Parkman hovering over Molly, who's pale and seemingly asleep on her bed. He needs her up and running. The transfusion Mohinder gave her will need time to work, but Bennet doesn't have time. Matt protests, but Molly herself wakes enough to say she believes she can find the bogeyman. She just has to think about someone, and she knows where they are and can pinpoint them on a map. She can find anyone, almost. The exception is someone worse than the bogeyman, someone who can see her when she thinks about him. Matt gets a map book from the other room and sets it in front of her, then hands her a push pin. She concentrates, and we see several flashes of Sylar in full Isaac mode. She pins a location on the lower east side. Bennet thinks a moment before recognizing Isaac's address. Mohinder knows Isaac too, which leaves Matt a little lost. Bennet pulls out his phone.
In the parking garage, a phone rings, and Angela Petrelli, who is walking with Claire and Nathan, answers it. It's Bennet looking for Claire. Angela tells him that she's safe and with her family. Bennet isn't her family, he's just the man they hired to take care of her. They're taking her out of the city, where she'll be safe. She agrees to let him say goodbye to Claire, and then hands over the phone. She's alright, but she's got to get away from her father and grandmother. Bennet tells her to stay with them, knowing she'll be safe, but when she's out of the city, she's got to get away. Claire agrees. Bennet needs to talk to Peter, but Claire doesn't know where he is and the family won't tell her. Angela interrupts. They've had long enough. Claire really hopes Bennet has a plan. Bennet, looking stricken, assures her he does. They exchange “I love you” and hang up.
Back in MedLab, Bennet stops Matt, who's on his way out of the room with a gun. They have a new priority, he says: finding Peter. Matt shakes his head. He's come 3000 miles and left his pregnant wife at home. Sylar's a bad guy and Matt's a cop. Bennet interrupts him: Peter's the only one powerful enough to stop Sylar. Sylar will kill him. Matt disagrees and cocks his gun before leaving the room.
A Street Outside the Parking Garage. Peter lies on the ground. He opens his eyes, but when he gets up, he's standing in the greenhouse on top of the roof of the Deveaux building. Through the glass he watches as a younger version of himself pushes in Charles Deveaux while Angela walks beside him. Peter parks Charles at a table on the rooftop and retreats to the doorway. Angela sits down at the table beside Charles. Young Peter is bumped by Simone, who enters. He introduces himself and she takes his hand, leading him into the greenhouse where Old Peter stands. They're not able to see him. Simone wants to thank him for what he's doing. He's a hero. Peter disagrees. Dying's the hard part, but if she opens herself to it, her father's last few months and his death can be a beautiful thing. Death connects everyone, reminds them that what's important is what they give and the love they leave behind. Simone stares at him in a cross between admiration and confusion, then takes him to show him the apartment they've set aside for him.
Out on the rooftop, Angela and Charles make tea. Peter hasn't manifested yet, Charles believes there's a way you can tell: a look they wear. Charles has his doubts about the plan. Linderman believes Nathan's ready. Charles wonders if Linderman's wrong, if he's betting on the wrong Petrelli. Peter's got heart and compassion. Those are important. Angela scoffs. Nathan's the strong one and although she loves Peter, she thinks he can't even get out of his own way. No. The bomb is going to explode, and Nathan will be the one the world turns to. Old Peter watches and listens in growing horror as he realizes his mother's known about his power, and the coming apocalypse all along. Angela says her good-byes and leaves the rooftop. Charles takes a sip of his tea and says hello to Old Peter. He knows Old Peter is there.
Isaac's Studio. The door opens, and Ando enters cautiously, holding his katana on guard. The loft is quiet, and there's no sign that anyone's home. Even so, he creeps slowly into the room, lowering his sword only when he catches sight of a painting showing Sylar and Petrelli facing each other with the Kirby Plaza statue behind them. He slips in some fresh red paint on the floor. He stumbles back, and right into Sylar. Sylar flicks the sword out of Ando's hand with a thought, sticking the blade in the floor. Another thought chokes Ando and throws him back against the wall, where Sylar pins him. Something has fallen from Ando's pocket. It's the Ninth Wonders issue from the future. While he holds Ando against the wall, Sylar leafs through it. It makes him laugh to realize that Isaac thought Hiro, the scared little man, would be able to kill him. Ando protests. Hiro isn't scared. He'll do it. Sylar won't take Ando's brain. Sylar scoffs. He doesn't want Ando's brain. There's nothing special about Ando. He then raises his finger to begin opening Ando's head. Hiro teleports in behind Sylar and draws Ando's sword from the floor, ordering Sylar to release Ando. Sylar refuses. He bets he can cut Ando's head off before Hiro can stop time. They stare each other down, then Hiro blinks and is gone. Sylar looks about in surprise, but Hiro is already behind Sylar. He grabs Ando, and teleports out again.
Linderman's Building. Niki calls Micah's name as she searches along a hallway looking for some sign of him. She finds an open door. Beyond it, she sees Jessica sitting on a sofa. Jessica smiles nastily and points behind the sofa. Look what Niki's done. Niki rounds the sofa to see Micah lying on the floor, not moving. She starts to cry. Jessica rises from the sofa. She's the one they needed, not Niki. Niki is weak. Jessica kicks Niki savagely.
Isaac's Studio. Matt prowls around the outside, gun raised and ready. He busts through the door, but Sylar isn't there. He cautiously checks out the room, creeping down the stairs before noticing that he's surrounded by paintings of the special people he's met. Claire, Jessica. . . He's stunned. He notices the fresh paint. It's dripping from the painting showing Sylar facing Peter. Sylar has scratched “Kirby Plaza” into the paint in one corner. Matt bolts from the room.
MedLab, Linderman Building. Mohinder hastily grabs some supplies. He and Molly have to go, now. Parkman just called. The bogeyman is on his way. Molly thinks for a moment. Matt was wrong. The bogeyman is already there.
Nathan's Office. Nathan, Claire and Angela enter. Nathan's got to get some paperwork. The helicopter is meeting them on the roof in ten minutes. Nathan gathers his papers. Claire can't believe he's going to let this happen. Angela's going to let her son die. Nathan's going to let his brother die. Nathan stares at the picture of Nathan and Peter from Nathan's wedding. Peter won't die. Thanks to Claire, he has the ability to survive the explosion. Angela insists Claire doesn't understand what's going on. She lacks the maturity. Nathan explains that the bomb is inevitable. No one can stop it. Claire doesn't believe him. The future isn't written in stone. They can't let Peter be responsible for the death of millions. Nathan trades a look with his mother. It's hard for Claire to trust him, he knows, but she has to believe him right now. Angela offers her everything she's ever wanted, a place to belong, a family. Nathan embraces Claire, who tears up. Angela looks satisfied until Claire whispers that she already has a family. Before anyone can react, Claire tears herself from Nathan's grasp and throws herself out the window. She falls several stories to the street. Nathan and Angela look on in surprised helplessness as Claire pulls herself together, stands up, and hobbles unsteadily down the street. Angela knows what Nathan is thinking, but he has to let her go. Nathan, wearing a determined expression, stares after his daughter.
Linderman Building. Niki takes a couple of shots on the chin from Jessica, who taunts her. Jessica's done everything, Niki's done nothing. One punch throws Niki back into a wall mirror, shattering it, and knocking Niki to the floor. Jessica turns away, shaking her hand. Niki, crying, glances into a shard from the mirror and is surprised to see Jessica staring back at her. The woman throwing the punches is not Jessica, and Jessica orders Niki up to fight and find Micah. Niki's confused at first, and complains that she's not the strong one, but then the fake Jessica asks who she's talking to. Niki stands up and punches the pretender, sending her across the room where she lies unconscious. A moment later, “Jessica” fades into Candace, and the body of Micah on the floor shimmers into nothingness. Niki hears Micah calling from somewhere nearby, and traces the voice to a door Micah claims is locked. Niki tears it from its hinges and confronts Micah who's unsure who's come to his rescue. Niki stares into a nearby mirror, but only her own reflection looks back. She embraces Micah and assures him she's his mom.
Outside MedLab. Mohinder leads Molly out into the hallway, keeping her behind him as though he can somehow fight the bogeyman on his own. They've only gone a short way before they find D.L. lying on the floor near the elevators. They duck back behind the corner, and Molly cautions that he could be a bad guy, but Mohinder sees someone who's hurt and he has to help. Mohinder darts over to him. Molly goes to the elevator and stabs the button, but it's no use. They've taken the elevators out of service. Mohinder has to help D.L., so he has Molly watch the stairs while he gets to work.
Yamagato Industries, Tokyo, Japan. Hiro and Ando, armed with their swords, appear in the cubicle warren. Ando's impressed. Hiro was faster than Sylar, although he touches his head and his hand comes away bloody. Now Hiro has to go back, alone. Ando protests, but he's shown Hiro what true courage is. Office workers stare at the two of them as they pass. Ando thinks that one day, children will hear stories of Hiro. Hiro takes off Kensai's katana and hands it to Ando, so that Ando will know Hiro will return. Ando is surprised, but Hiro now realizes that it is the man, not the sword, and this man is ready. Hiro takes Ando's katana and starts to concentrate. Ando manages one last word: Hiro looks bad-ass. Hiro glows at the compliment, pushes his glasses higher on his nose and blinks out of sight.
Roof of the Deveaux Building. Charles looks up at old Peter. Invisibility is a power he's always wished to have. Peter doesn't understand what's going on, whether he's dreaming, or time traveling, or Charles is doing something. Charles doesn't think it matters. All that matters is that Peter is there because he needs to be. He's got the power to save the world and he's always had it. He has to be the one to do it because there are always two of them: one good and one bad. Peter's good because he has the power to love unconditionally, and that's all that matters. Charles calls for young Peter to take him back to his room. Old Peter hears a voice calling him, and turns to. . .
. . .Find himself lying on the ground outside the parking garage, looking up at Mr. Bennet. Peter thinks he blacked out. Bennet found him using the “tracking system.” Claire's with Peter's mother and they're on their way out of town. Peter urges Bennet to go too, but Bennet will stay. He owes Peter payback for saving Claire's life. Peter worries that Bennet will die when Peter loses control. Bennet pulls out his pistol. He's a good shot, he won't miss. Peter thanks “Mr. Bennet,” and Bennet gives him permission to call Bennet “Noah.” The two of them head for Kirby Plaza.
Linderman Building. The guards are coming. Molly can hear them coming up the stairs. Mohinder begins to panic. Micah and Niki come through a door. Micah runs over to his father. Niki runs to the door and pulls the handle out, locking it before the guards can come through. Micah goes to the elevator, and when Molly tells him it's out of order, Micah uses his power and calls the elevator for them. Molly smiles as she realizes she faces someone like her. They pile in just as the guards get through the stairway door, and the elevator door closes between the fugitives and building security.
Kirby Plaza. Noah and Peter scout the plaza, but there's no sign of Sylar. Peter figures he's hiding in plain sight. Noah turns his back for a moment, and Sylar's taps him on the shoulder. He turns around as Sylar flicks his fingers and sends Bennet flying across the plaza to crash into a pillar. Bennet lands, stunned, in a heap on the ground. Peter faces Sylar. Sylar wonders what took him so long.
Sylar grabs Peter by the neck telekinetically, choking him. Sylar's not going to let Peter ruin everything. Noah tries to reach his gun on the pavement a few feet away, but he's too badly hurt to move far. Matt comes around the corner, gun blazing. Sylar stops the bullets with his free hand and sends them back at Matt, who takes five in the chest and falls. Mohinder, Molly, Micah, D.L. and Niki exit the Linderman building and start to run, but Mohinder sees another fallen soldier in Matt, and runs back to help.
With a flick of his free hand, Sylar pulls a parking meter out of the ground and knocks Peter to the ground with it. As he rears back for another blow, Niki snatches it out of his hands and hits him hard. Sylar falls to the ground. Micah calls to his mother. D.L. needs her help. Peter, on his feet now, sends her back to her family. He's got this. Before Sylar can regain his feet, Peter punches him again and again. Sylar, blood streaming from his mouth begins to laugh. Peter's hands are glowing.
Peter stands back, horrified. Sylar continues to laugh as he stands. It turns out Peter's the villain. Sylar's the hero. Peter fights his power, trying to calm himself. Hiro appears suddenly behind Sylar. He announces his presence, and when Sylar turns, Hiro charges, running him through. Sylar, astonished, collapses when Hiro pulls his blade free. Peter calls to Hiro. Hiro can stop the bomb by killing Peter. Before Hiro can react, Sylar uses his last strength to grab Hiro and send him flying across the plaza. In the moment before he slams into a far wall, Hiro concentrates and teleports away. Sylar's life and crimes pass before his eyes before they turn pearly white. Peter sinks to his knees fighting to contain Ted's radioactivity. The others watch helplessly.
Noah reaches his gun, but lacks the strength to raise and aim it. Claire runs into the plaza and over to her father. She takes his gun and strides over to Peter, crying while she tries to aim. Peter himself is glowing all over now. She has to shoot him. She begs for him to find another way, but there isn't one. She steadies the gun and takes aim. Suddenly Nathan appears in the skies, swooping down to land in front of the gun. There is another way. The future isn't written in stone. He pushes Claire's gun gently down. Peter protests. He's taken Sylar's power, and he can't control it. He can't do anything. Nathan's not leaving Peter. They both know what has to happen. Peter doesn't want to kill Nathan, but Nathan can't let Peter kill all those people. He looks at his daughter. Peter saved the cheerleader so they could save the world. The boys exchange “I love you”'s, then Nathan scoops Peter into his arms and streaks into the sky. The others look upward. Mohinder tends to Matt, who's in bad shape. D.L. has gotten on his feet again with support from his family. Noah's found enough strength to limp across the plaza and embrace Claire. They all watch as, far above, Peter flashes as bright as the sun, turning the night into daylight for a moment. Among them, Sylar lies unmoving in a pool of his own blood.
Some Time Later. Police and EMT swarm the area. Mohinder and Molly stop the ambulance from taking away Matt, pale and unconscious, long enough for Molly to beg him to survive. Matt's shoved into the ambulance while Mohinder voices over about the answer to the struggle for meaning and purpose. Claire and Noah sit by the fountain, Noah with his arm in a sling. They can go home now. Claire wonders where home is, now that their house burned down. Noah figures it's anywhere the family is. Claire smiles and wonders if her father has a plan. Noah smiles back and gives a slight nod. Mohinder's voice over continues: the answer is in the shared need to know that we are not alone. The camera closes on a blood pool where Sylar had lain. A smear leads to an open manhole. A single cockroach crawls across the cover, oblivious to the grand events around him.
End of Volume One.
Start of Volume Two: Generations.
A Field, Somewhere. A bird wheels in the summer sky until Hiro appears, falling to the ground with a grunt. He lifts himself up gingerly, pushes his glasses back onto his nose and looks around. There's a single tree nearby. Not much for a landmark. He turns and finds himself facing a small army of middle-ages Japanese soldiers dressed in red armor and carrying red banners. Archers step forward and nock arrows. Hiro turns and begins to run. He stops when another figure rides over the hill behind the tree. It wears white armor and carries a white banner on which the half-helix symbol is painted in black. The leader of the red army draws his katana, and orders the attack. The white soldier draws its katana as well. Caught between the two forces, Hiro utters and expletive. Then everyone looks up as a shadow falls over them. Far, far above, the moon is passing between the sun and the earth, blanketing this field outside Kyoto Japan in 1641, in a solar eclipse. . .
