# Heroes 12/15/08 "Duality" or maybe it's "Duel" (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326 "2008-12-16T01:10:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/81 "2008-12-18T17:29:13Z")
I was less than happy to see Nathan pull such a fast 180, going from being willing to kill his brother and see his father murdered to further the need for super proliferation in one scene, to authoring a plan to lock all the supers up in the next. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/82 "2008-12-18T17:54:18Z")
> [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > So… they gave the black guy the “fear” power. How delightfully racist. Heroes is not a good show to be a black person on. I think Micah is the only main character of 'em who survived. And he’s AWOL. (not that I’m complaining.) Simone: dead. DL: dead. Usutu: dead. Knox: dead. We’ve got Mohinder, Hiro, and Ando… but the remaining cast is remarkably white bread. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/83 "2008-12-18T17:56:19Z")
> [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > So… they gave the black guy the “fear” power. How delightfully racist. There has been at least one other black hero, he didn’t have a “fear” power. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/84 "2008-12-18T17:57:05Z")
So you get the power that best suits you? Call me Snooze-Man! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/85 "2008-12-18T18:06:16Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > There has been at least one other black hero, he didn’t have a “fear” power. I think he was just joking but come on, D.L.s power was breaking into houses! ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/86 "2008-12-18T19:00:11Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I think he was just joking but come on, D.L.s power was breaking into houses! Yeah, but he got the hot white girl pregnant! (continuing the stereotype) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/87 "2008-12-18T19:02:56Z")
Then there was the girl in New Orleans who acquired the ability to copy stuff she saw other people do on TV: The Eddie Murphy power! ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/88 "2008-12-18T19:09:01Z")
And – as I’ve said before – Usutu was _the_ [Magical Negro Friend](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): no backstory, speaks in pithy enigmas, has mysterious powers… and gets written out as soon as he gets the white guy set straight. I’m surprised they didn’t have Morgan Freeman playing him, really. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/89 "2008-12-18T19:30:04Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > And – as I’ve said before – Usutu was _the_ [Magical Negro Friend](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): no backstory, speaks in pithy enigmas, has mysterious powers… and gets written out as soon as he gets the white guy set straight. > > I’m surprised they didn’t have Morgan Freeman playing him, really. Well, we also have a black president, something that would NEVER happen in real li…wait, what? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/90 "2008-12-18T21:35:57Z")
So, Sylar stops the bullet from killing Papa Petrelli, saying that Peter is not a killer. Um, just cause you stopped the bullet doesn’t mean Peter didn’t want to kill his dad. He doesn’t dodge the charge of murder just because the bullet was interrupted. That line was pretty silly. And Angela is just too damn smug. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/91 "2008-12-18T22:10:05Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > So, Sylar stops the bullet from killing Papa Petrelli, saying that Peter is not a killer. Um, just cause you stopped the bullet doesn’t mean Peter didn’t want to kill his dad. He doesn’t dodge the charge of murder just because the bullet was interrupted. That line was pretty silly. And Angela is just too damn smug. Well, what he meant was, it’s not in Peter’s nature to kill, but it is in Sylar’s. The shot was kind of a reflex action on Peter’s part, but Sylar isn’t afraid to take the shot deliberately. Might be a cliche of sorts, but of all the things about the show you could call silly, I think that line isn’t high on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/92 "2008-12-18T22:26:39Z")
Or that Peter might’ve successfully killed Arthur, but while somebody like Sylar would shrug it off, Peter would be consumed by guilt and angst and “with great power comes great responsibilty”-itis. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/93 "2008-12-19T00:18:25Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Or that Peter might’ve successfully killed Arthur, but while somebody like Sylar would shrug it off, Peter would be consumed by guilt and angst and “with great power comes great responsibilty”-itis. And knowing what that did to Peter in Spiderman 3, I don’t even wanna speculate what would happen to someone that already started out as a whiny emo… ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/94 "2008-12-19T00:24:55Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Heroes is not a good show to be a black person on. Well, it’s worse if you’re gay. They wipe your brain and disappear you. At least the black characters get powers and respectable deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/95 "2008-12-19T01:28:15Z")
Eh, I just assume most of 'em are gay. It explains a lot about their weird breakups and makeups and why they’re always hanging out with each other yet have no jobs to support their fabulous lifestyles. I’m waiting for the circuit party episode. Mohinder and Matt even adopted a child together – although Mo’ didn’t quite seem over his nasty breakup with Sylar. Peter and Nathan are going through a very nasty breakup – probably because of that blond tranny that Nathan has been spending time with. And I know Noah had some vague boyfriend type things going on in Denver back in the day. Ando and Hiro have a fairly solid relationship, though… they even double dated with that cute comic boy couple a few episodes ago; really they’re the only healthy relationship on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/96 "2008-12-19T02:14:28Z")
Matt and Mohinder were so married they moved right past the sex and were firmly planted in the incessant bickering over the kid/don’t let her hear us sniping at each other /if you don’t want her to hear then quit bitching at me/what the hell was I thinking having a kid with you? stage. Still, only two beds in that apartment, and one is Molly’s. But for romantic come on lines, nothing beats Mohinder leaning over and whispering …and it’s going to \*hurt \* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/97 "2008-12-19T03:43:59Z")
A thought occurs - what if Ando eventually goes to the past, nails Hiro’s mom and then dissolves into a pile of orange goo that she, freshly impregnated with Hiro, absorbs and calls “the catalyst”? It’s roughly analogous to his new ability, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/98 "2008-12-19T03:56:49Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > And – as I’ve said before – Usutu was _the_ [Magical Negro Friend](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro): no backstory, speaks in pithy enigmas, has mysterious powers… and gets written out as soon as he gets the white guy set straight. > > I’m surprised they didn’t have Morgan Freeman playing him, really. I’m telling you guys, he isn’t gone. We are going to see more of him. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/99 "2008-12-19T03:57:23Z")
I don’t know where to start being disturbed, **Bryan**! **Featherlou** , I believe you, but does the poor guys get a body or is he just vapor-Hero? Can Matt get him a new tshirt? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326/100 "2008-12-19T06:20:13Z")
> [@Annie](#): > > \ > **Featherlou** , I believe you, but does the poor guys get a body or is he just vapor-Hero? Can Matt get him a new tshirt? He’s spirit-walking - his hero power is going to be _Deus Ex Machina Man._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-12-15-08-duality-or-maybe-its-duel-spoilers/477326.md?page=6)