He created NBC's Heroes, the most-watched and buzzed about new series of the season. And now Tim Kring has a problem. "This show will survive on our ability to kill of characters and repopulate," he says. "But every-thing's going so well it's been hard to pull the trigger on anyone."

Still, that's what Kring did -- literally -- to Nora Zehetner's Eden in the December 4 mid-season finale. The character had the ability to control people with her voice. But when she commanded the hero-slaying Sylar (Zachary Quinto) to kill himself, he tried to absorb her powers--so she put a bullet to her own brain. Kring tells us there'll be "other deaths before the end of the season."

So are the rest of the Heroes freaking? "We just have to accept whatever fate awaits," says Adrian Pasdar, who plays Nathan Petrelli, a politician who can fly. "You have to believe that whatever happens is what's best for the show." Others aren't so philosophical. "The fact I could get killed off at any time is sad...because I love this show so much," says Greg Grunberg, who plays mind-reading cop Matt Parkman. "Trust me, I try to butter up Tim Kring every chance I get."