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Arguably the most talked-about television show of the 2006-2007
season, the Emmy-nominated fantasy Heroes gives viewers
blends comic book-style adventure with plotting and characters
as rich and layered as any graphic novel or drama series.
Creator Tim Kring's premise is deceptively simple – ordinary
individuals in locations around the globe discover that they
have, for lack of a better term, super powers, and wrestle with
this reality while facing challenges both global (the
destruction of New York City, for one) and personal
(indestructible cheerleader Hayden Panetierre has family issues
– serious ones, as the true identity of her adoptive father
reveals; Milo Ventimiglia's Peter Petrelli, who absorbs other
powers, must overcome his own insecurities). Add to this mix a
terrific villain – Zachary Quinto's Sylar, who hunts and kills
people with extraordinary powers like our heroes – and viewers
have a riveting series that exhibits an almost-perfect balance
of cliffhanger thrills (the action and special effects are truly
impressive for a network program) and genuine drama that sets
the show apart from most speculative fiction (save, perhaps, the
revived Battlestar Galactica, which it compares too
favorably). The seven-disc set of Heroes: Season One
offers a wealth of extras for fans, who may be familiar with
some of them through the NBC.com website, especially the cast
commentaries, which are featured on half of the episodes. Kring
is featured on the 73-minute uncut pilot episode, which for some
viewers, may be even better than the network version; the main
difference is the degree of character development, including an
entire storyline for D.L. Hawkins that isn't featured in the
broadcast version. Also on deck are some 50 deleted scenes from
the episodes, several by-the-books making-of featurettes,
including coverage of the special effects and stunt work, and a
profile of artist Tim Sale, whose illustrations are used for
Isaac Mendez's prophetic artwork. Prospective buyers should note
that while all of these supplemental features are included on
the HD-DVD version of this set, the special Web-connectivity
elements are not available here. -- Paul Gaita
In October 2006, people around the world discover that they
have
superpowers. High school student
Claire Bennet finds herself
spontaneously regenerating. Heroin addict
Isaac Mendez can
precognitively paint future events, including a nuclear
explosion in New York City. Japanese office worker
Hiro Nakamura is able to
teleport and
time travel. Nurse
Peter Petrelli experiences visions that convince him he
can fly. Indian scientist
Mohinder Suresh travels to New York to continue his
recently deceased father's work by finding these people. A
mobster named
Daniel Linderman sends two men to
Niki Sanders's home to collect a loan that she has not
repaid. Niki blacks out and later finds the men dead.
Hiro time travels more than a month into the future of New
York City; there he finds Isaac dead, and witnesses a
nuclear explosion. Politician
Nathan Petrelli tries to dismiss his recent
self-propelled flight, and lies to his brother Peter about
it. Policeman
Matt Parkman uses his
telepathic powers to find a girl named
Molly Walker, whose parents have been recently murdered
by a serial killer called
Sylar.
Peter begins to date Isaac's ex-girlfriend Simone. Hiro
returns to the present and seeks the help of his friend,
Ando Masahashi, to save New York from the upcoming
explosion. Mohinder, who has been working with his father's
neighbor Eden, discovers that Sylar was connected to his
father. Claire's classmate Brody attempts to rape her and
accidentally kills her in the process.
Matt is kidnapped by Claire's father
Noah and a
Haitian. Hiro and Ando gamble in Vegas using Hiro's
ability to freeze time, but are soon evicted from the hotel
and assaulted by their opponents. Niki's alter ego Jessica
has sex with Nathan to repay her debt to Linderman. After
she regenerates from her mortal injuries, Claire
intentionally takes Brody for a car ride into a brick wall.
A Hiro from the future—who can speak English
fluently—appears to Peter. He instructs Peter to save a
cheerleader in order to save the world. Niki has no memories
of the night before. Claire tells her father about Brody and
her father secretly persuades the Haitian to erase Brody's
mind.
Mohinder gives up searching for
superhumans and returns to India. Niki's husband
D.L. Hawkins—who can phase through solid objects—returns
after breaking out of prison. He takes his son
Micah Sanders from Niki, who he thinks framed him for
murder.
Matt works with the FBI to identify Sylar. They interrogate
Ted Sprague, who can emit radiation. Parkman
accidentally finds out that his wife is cheating on him by
telepathy.
Micah Sanders is revealed to have the power of
technopathy.
Hiro and Ando meet diner waitress
Charlie Andrews, who can
perfectly remember everything that she has learned.
Charlie is killed by Sylar shortly afterwards, and Hiro goes
back in time to save her. In India, a mysterious boy visits
Mohinder in his dreams, causing him to consider resuming his
father's research. With Isaac now in his custody, Bennet
learns that Claire will soon be killed by Sylar.
Claire's father forbids his daughter to go to Homecoming,
fearing that she will be killed. Claire sneaks out, and is
attacked by Sylar, but is rescued by Peter. Mohinder decides
to continue his father's work.
Most of the events in this episode take place six months
prior to the events in the previous episode. Hiro seeks to
change Charlie's death by going back in time, but finds out
that her death is inevitable—she has a blood clot in her
brain. Suresh's father meets Gabriel Gray and runs some
tests on him. Gabriel adopts the name of Sylar and kills
people to take their abilities. Hiro returns to the
present.
Matt and the FBI investigate the Homecoming killing at
Claire's school, having arrested Peter at the scene. When
Matt tries to read Claire's mind he cannot because the
Haitian is blocking his telepathy. Later, Matt tries
listening in on Bennet with the same results, but does hear
one word: "Sylar". Unbeknownst to the investigators, Sylar
has already been captured by Bennet. The Haitian is ordered
by Bennet to erase memories from Claire, her mother, her
brother, and one of her friends, pertaining to her
regenerative abilities. The Haitian does not erase Claire's
memory, instead swearing her to secrecy. Niki turns herself
in to the police to protect DL and Micah from Jessica. After
being released from custody, Peter collapses in front of the
police station and experiences a vision suggesting he is the
cause of the atomic explosion in New York.
Hiro goes on a quest to retrieve the sword of Feudal
Japanese hero, Takezo Kensei, after meeting with Isaac and
seeing his paintings. Peter has more visions of himself
exploding and there is a man whom he does not know in his
new visions. Peter later meets this man, who calls himself
Claude Rains. Claude can become invisible. Parkman and
the FBI go to the Texan paper company where Bennet works
with the hope of finding Sylar, but they cannot find him.
Claude agrees to teach Peter how to control his powers.
Matt's wife reveals that she is pregnant. Claire contacts
her biological mother Meredith Gordon, who possesses
pyrokinesis.
Sylar escapes from Bennet's captivity. Claude is convinced
that Peter's loved ones are distracting him. To prove this,
they follow Simone who kisses Isaac. Claire meets Meredith
in person. Isaac contacts Bennet, whom he had previously
met, to tell him about a painting that he had finished that
shows Peter becoming invisible.
Meredith informs Claire's biological father—Nathan—that
Claire is alive. Meredith blackmails him for $100,000 by
agreeing to keep quiet about this, as it could ruin his
political career. Linderman gets Niki/Jessica out of prison
and employs her as an assassin. Her first job is to kill a
man (who has employed Parkman as his bodyguard after he is
dismissed from the police force) who stole money from
Linderman. Jessica is successful and is told her next
target: Nathan. Mohinder unknowingly allows Sylar, who is
now impersonating
Zane Taylor, to join him on his quest to find those with
superpowers.
Bennet and the Haitian pursue Peter and leave a gun with
Isaac. Claude leaves Peter because he does not want to
become involved with Bennet again. Ted and Parkman agree to
go get answers from Bennet. Peter confronts Isaac about his
betrayal and Simone is accidentally shot and killed.
Matt and Ted take the Bennet family hostage. Ted loses
control of his powers and burns the Bennets' house. In
flashbacks, Bennet is given Claire on the condition that he
return her to the Company that he works for (that includes
Hiro's father
Kaito) if her powers manifest. Bennet explains this as
the reason why he is so protective of Claire. Bennet orders
the Haitian to escape with Claire.
Claire and the Haitian go to the house of Nathan and Peter's
mother,
Angela who is also Claire's grandmother. Jessica/Niki
returns to her home with D.L. and Micah. Hiro steals the
sword that he has been seeking. Isaac paints pictures of
himself with his head cut open after being killed by Sylar.
Sylar attacks Mohinder and Peter. Bennet is deceived by
Candice Wilmer, who works for the Company and has the
ability to change her appearance. Nathan confronts
Linderman, who promises Nathan that he will win the upcoming
election for congress and will be living in the White House
in a few years.
Linderman reveals that his plan for Nathan includes Peter
exploding. Linderman also shows Nathan one of Isaac's
paintings, in which Nathan is the President of the United
States. Peter and Suresh escape from Sylar, but Peter is
killed. Mohinder takes him to the Petrelli's house where
Claire now is and who ends up reviving Peter. Suresh joins
the Company. Sylar kills Isaac and paints a picture of
himself in which he is the President. Candice morphs into
Niki and takes Micah to Linderman. Ted, Matt and Bennet
escape from the Company's captivity and decide to disable
the Company's Walker Tracking System in New York.
Hiro and Ando find themselves five years after the
destruction of New York. People with extraordinary abilities
are labeled as terrorists and Sylar has assumed the form of
Nathan and is the President. Hiro and Ando eventually return
to the present with the help of future Peter and Hiro finds
out that he must kill Sylar to prevent the potential future
that they had just visited from happening.
Mohinder is introduced to Molly, who can normally locate any
individual, but she has the Shanti Virus that killed
Mohinder's sister many years before. Mohinder uses his own
blood to cure Molly. D.L. and Jessica go to Linderman's
office. Ted, Matt and Bennet arrive in New York and reunite
with Claire and Peter. The latter gains Ted's radioactive
power.
Hiro's father teaches Hiro how to use a sword. Candice gets
Micah to rig the election for Nathan to win. D.L. kills
Linderman, but is shot in the process. Sylar kills Ted. Hiro
prepares to face Sylar. Matt and Bennet find the Company's
Walker Tracking System: Molly Walker.
Niki and Jessica come to peace as they rescue Micah. Hiro
teleports Ando back to Japan to keep him safe. The Heroes
face off against Sylar. Matt gets four bullets to his chest,
Hiro stabs Sylar before teleporting to 1671 Japan and Nathan
flies Peter high above New York to detonate.
