# Heroes 9/29 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786 "2008-09-30T01:54:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/41 "2008-10-01T03:30:31Z")
The pacing so for this year is about 140% too fast for decent character development, but it sure is fun to watch. I guess they took last year’s bitching about the plodding pace way too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/42 "2008-10-01T03:39:22Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > I’m still enjoying this show. It just needs the same suspension of disbelief that _every other_ genre show requires to be enjoyed. Suspension of disbelief should only be required for the _premise_ of the show. A fantastical premise doesn’t give license for inconsistent characters, logical contradictions and poorly thought-out plotlines. In the case of _Heroes_, the absolute basic premise of the show is to take a “real world” setting with believable characters, and introduce one fantastic element – superpowers. Great premise, just needs better writing. ---
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/43 "2008-10-01T03:55:18Z")
I’m going to assume that Jesse’s power was more than just “scream loud.” There has to be a reason why Sylar wanted it. If I’m wrong then I am going to be supremely disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/44 "2008-10-01T04:38:00Z")
> [@Pollux\_Oil](#): > > …First of all, Sylar’s complete personality change was completely unbelievable for me. Apparently all it takes for him to be good is somebody to tell him they’re his mother and give him a new superpower? He’s completely badass for two seasons and suddenly he turns it all around? … He’s not bad, just misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/45 "2008-10-01T04:56:47Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > He’s not bad, just misunderstood. He has an ebb and flow to his evil. Like that time after he stabbed his mom? It got pretty dark for him:D ---
**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:** [October 1, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/46 "2008-10-01T11:29:58Z")
> [@teemingONE](#): > > I’m going to assume that Jesse’s power was more than just “scream loud.” There has to be a reason why Sylar wanted it. If I’m wrong then I am going to be supremely disappointed. I seem to remember that it said ‘sound manipulation’ on his file last episode when Noah leafed through them (telling Claire ‘you don’t want to know’). I could try to get a screengrab. Also, wasn’t there some talk about twelve villains having escaped? So far, we’ve only seen four. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2008, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/47 "2008-10-01T11:45:51Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > I could try to get a screengrab. Actually, [here you go](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/StephenDaedalus/Jesse.jpg). It’s too blurry to read (I had to turn off hardware acceleration to take a screengrab, because VLC just crashed when I tried to make one), but beneath ‘Sound Manipulation’, it says ‘generates destructive waves of sound’, so yeah, he just screams really loud. And it wasn’t case files as I remembered, but those of the electronic sort. :dubious: Weird how that works, I can still see Noah going through file folders in my memory quite clearly. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/48 "2008-10-01T13:32:39Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Suspension of disbelief should only be required for the _premise_ of the show. A fantastical premise doesn’t give license for inconsistent characters, logical contradictions and poorly thought-out plotlines. In the case of _Heroes_, the absolute basic premise of the show is to take a “real world” setting with believable characters, and introduce one fantastic element – superpowers. Great premise, just needs better writing. No, a fantastical premise does not give license for poor writing. But my _point_ was that despite the occasional wobble on its writing, Heroes still stands far above _other_ genre shows – Star Trek, Stargate (etc.), Dr. Who (etc.), Eureka, etc., etc., etc. There are very few well-written “genre” shows – such as BSG or Farscape – and even those throw out some stinkers (BSG fans may remember “The Woman King”?). This show is not meant to be an in-depth showcase of character profiles. It’s a nighttime drama with superpowers. The quality bar is far lower than absolute perfection. ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/49 "2008-10-01T14:35:53Z")
We just watched the full episode last night, and I have two reactions: (1) Does the lack of Niki/Jessica _and_ DL mean no more bratty kid? (Please, Og!) (2) Noah, honey, sweetie – if you want to kill Sylar, the way to do it is right in front of your face. Or, technically, standing right next to you. Get the Haitian within power-blocking distance of Sylar and use an exploding-point round in a gun. That gets Sylar down and you can then ram a rod in that part of his skull that prevents him from regenerating and dump the body in the Marianas Trench. Oh, and an observation – Mohinder’s genetic expertise would be better used in trying to find a cure or vaccine for the Peter-stupid virus that’s going around. That’s some deadly stuff. ---
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/50 "2008-10-02T04:19:03Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Actually, [here you go](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/StephenDaedalus/Jesse.jpg). It’s too blurry to read (I had to turn off hardware acceleration to take a screengrab, because VLC just crashed when I tried to make one), but beneath ‘Sound Manipulation’, it says ‘generates destructive waves of sound’, so yeah, he just screams really loud. > And it wasn’t case files as I remembered, but those of the electronic sort. :dubious: Weird how that works, I can still see Noah going through file folders in my memory quite clearly. Thanks for that. Consider me supremely disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/51 "2008-10-02T04:51:14Z")
> [@teemingONE](#): > > I’m going to assume that Jesse’s power was more than just “scream loud.” There has to be a reason why Sylar wanted it. If I’m wrong then I am going to be supremely disappointed. Maybe the reason Noah said to Claire, “Well – You don’t want to know.”, was only because his power was so lame it’s not even worth mentioning. Unless, Noah as some really profound fear of going deaf, and papers flying around the room. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/52 "2008-10-04T05:23:27Z")
> [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > The power that’s too terrible to talk about is _screaming really loud_?! Yeah I thought the same thing. But on one of the show blogs, a writer explained that it was written as him having “stomp” power - basically causing earthquakes, but that creating earthquake style damage on the bank set would have cost too much money so they changed it to sonic scream. Although I’m not sure earthquake power was that terrible to talk about either. Sylar’s power maybe. Speaking of which…ok suddenly he’s reigned in and working for the man. Oh but wait, he still can’t resist touching Weevil’s brain. Guess he can’t resist his urges after all. Oh but wait he’s back at headquarters. If he decided he can’t help being evil, why did he go back to headquarters willingly? ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/53 "2008-10-04T08:08:39Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > I am a little curious as to why only Nathan can see Clockwork Orange guy. What’s up with that? Well, Linderman is dead. I’ve been assuming that Nathan sees him because he’s hallucinating. It fits with the whole sudden born-again thing he’s going through. Nathan’s gone a little wacky. They never really explained how he came back from the dead, though. I watched it a couple times and didn’t see Peter make any attempt to bleed on him with super-healing-blood. > [@](#): > > Also, I hope Parkman’s story goes somewhere good. They kinda lost me on how easy Spirit-Walker man was able to give Parkman his power. wtf? I didn’t get the impression that Parkman got the African’s power, but that he literally is going on a Spirit Walk (which normals of various traditions have been doing for centuries). I don’t think Parkman paints. Oh, and with Mohinder… if shouting _“You nitwit!!”_ at the TV didn’t make me laugh so much, I’d probably get sick of him too. 😃 > [@simster](#): > > Fire Mom was also making another point - she specifically brought up 'water boarding" and how the recipient’s brain “thought it was drowning” and therefore acted as such, even tho there was no chance of it. > > I took that too mean that Claire ‘could’ve’ dealt with the issue, but couldnt control herself - another part of the lesson FireMom was trying to teach. I took her to be making the point that Claire could still suffer even if she couldn’t feel pain – suffocation wouldn’t kill her (for long), but her body can be made to _believe_ that it’s dying. Useful to know if you’re dealing with villainous people who might get their hands on you. IOW, don’t be reckless, even if you’re pissed. Is it that TV writers have a hard time believably sustaining a teenaged character over multiple seasons… or are teenagers really that annoying? (Jury might be out on that one…) > [@Love Rhombus](#): > > And I agree that Sylar’s power is too…powerful, I guess. Should have just given him TK or something. I’d like to see some sort of saturation effect. He collects so many powers that his brain “fills up,” “overflows,” and he starts dealing with some neurological degradation. (Especially since he pulled out the “we only use 10% of our brains” canard. What happens when he’s full-up at 100%?) I don’t think Sylar has gone all domesticated, either. He’s letting Mama P hold the leash because this amuses him and he wants to see where it goes (and it’s the Company… it’s an Ability Buffet, with financial and other kinds of support, with Mama’s approval or not). She thinks she has him under control; I’m betting she doesn’t. I’m wondering how the writing in general is going to play out. It sort of went off the rails with the writers’ strike last year, and they had to truncate what I think would have been a much more interesting storyline. So now their lead-in to the third season is completely different from what they’d planned. I think they might be needing to regain a little balance or something. I hope they pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/54 "2008-10-04T09:16:33Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I didn’t get the impression that Parkman got the African’s power, but that he literally is going on a Spirit Walk (which normals of various traditions have been doing for centuries). I don’t think Parkman paints. But they showed him with the tell-tale all-white eyes, which is how Isaac, Peter, and Parkman’s spirit guide all looked while they were painting the future. They made it pretty clear that Parkman was under the effects of the future-painting power. What I found more interesting was the spirit guide painted something that completely didn’t happen. Am I right in remembering that this is only the second time that’s happened, with the first being NYC blowing up? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/55 "2008-10-04T19:44:16Z")
So now that Current Peter has been around Future Peter, does that mean Current Peter has all of Future Peter’s abilities? ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/56 "2008-10-04T20:05:19Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > So now that Current Peter has been around Future Peter, does that mean Current Peter has all of Future Peter’s abilities? Having to even consider things like this is why I’m starting to lose interest in this show. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/57 "2008-10-04T20:24:58Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > Well, Linderman is dead. I’ve been assuming that Nathan sees him because he’s hallucinating. It fits with the whole sudden born-again thing he’s going through. Nathan’s gone a little wacky. > > They never really explained how he came back from the dead, though. I watched it a couple times and didn’t see Peter make any attempt to bleed on him with super-healing-blood. Linderman had the power to bring things back from the dead; I’m trying to remember whether Peter had been around him in the past to pick that up. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/58 "2008-10-04T20:39:25Z")
Sound manipulation could be cool, if applied properly. Unfortunately they had neither the budget or the imagination to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/59 "2008-10-04T20:46:52Z")
> [@Geobabe](#): > > Linderman had the power to bring things back from the dead; I’m trying to remember whether Peter had been around him in the past to pick that up. No, he could only heal. I believe he specifically said he could not bring anything back from death. I think we are expected to assume that Claire’s blood from his previous healing healed him again, which makes Claire’s power dangerous since it could make a bunch of immortals. OR perhaps present Peter goes back in time to heal Nathan after being taken into Furture Peter’s future and … ow! my head hurts now. As for why Nathan is seeing Linderman, I believe someone else already posited that it could be Parkman’s dad playing head games. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_In_A_Top_Hat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786/60 "2008-10-05T01:04:58Z")
> [@Shecky](#): > > And, what’s with letting Sylar cull the herd? What’s with letting him take Claire’s power? I mean, how are they suppossed to get rid of this guy, now? Isn’t he functionally indestructible. Just about the only thing that _can_ kill him is something that takes his head clean off, as per that off-the-cuff remark from Adam in season 2. Nice anti-repentance moment, tho’. “Hrm…change my ways? …nah. I like killing people.” I still think Mrs. Petrelli’s nuts for working with him at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-9-29/465786.md?page=4)