Amazon.com
Don't believe the hype: though some critics and viewers decried
the sophomore season of the hit fantasy series Heroes,
the core of the program remained as strong as in its debut network
run. To be sure, the 2007-2008 Writers Guild strike hobbled the
show, and producers stumbled by stranding two of its most
intriguing characters: Super-charged Peter Petrelli (Milo
Ventimiglia) is taken out of the action after being struck with
amnesia, while Hiro (Masi Oka) is sent to feudal Japan, where he
encounters his own idol, Takezo Kenzei (David Anders). Both are
overcomplicated story arcs, even by Heroes standards, and
their connection to the rest of the season occasionally requires
some mental gymnastics. But the crux of the season--the Company's
development of the power-draining Shanti virus and its potentially
devastating effects on both average citizens and superhumans like
Niki Sanders (Ali Larter), The Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) and
primary villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto)--is solid, gripping
material. The introduction of new characters like the lethal Maya
(Dania Ramirez) and Kristen Bell as the electrically charged (in
both the literal and figurative sense) Elle Bishop also up the
dramatic stakes, even if their presence may require a scorecard
for some viewers. In short, the few kinks in the armor of
Heroes: Season 2 ultimately don't detract from the show's
drive and vision. Season two spreads its supplemental features
across all four of its discs; chief among these are commentary
tracks by the cast and crew on all eleven episodes. The
participating talent ranges from creator Tim Kring and stars
Ventimiglia, Oka, Quinto and Greg Grunberg to composers Lisa
Coleman and Wendy Melvoin, which helps to provide a wide variety
of information about almost every aspect of the show's production.
Featurettes cover everything from the history of Takezo Kenzei to
in-depth looks at scenes from the season, while "Untold Stories"
explores storylines that were left unfinished due to the writers'
strike. The key extras are, of course, the alternate ending to the
season finale (which is unfortunately revealed by the rear
cover-art text) and an info-heavy sneak peek at Season 3.
--Paul Gaita
In March 2007, Suresh and Bennet are conspiring to bring the
Company down. Mohinder is hired by
Bob Bishop of the Company. The Bennets have moved from
Texas to California. Matt has divorced his wife, because she
was pregnant from her affair, and is raising Molly with
Mohinder. Molly has been having nightmares about a man who
can see her. Hiro meets his hero Kensei in 1671 Japan, who
is actually an Englishman. Twins
Maya and
Alejandro Herrera flee a murder charge and try to get to
the United States to see Suresh's father, whom they do not
know to be dead.
Kaito is murdered. Peter is in Ireland and has amnesia.
Nathan has become an alcoholic.
Peter uses his powers and agrees to help the people who
found him with their thefts. The Haitian reunites with
Bennet. Maya kills people without touching them when under
stress and then Alejandro revives them. Matt interviews
Angela about Kaito's death. Kensei is revealed to be
regenerative.
It turns out that D.L. is dead. Niki leaves Micah under the
care of his grandmother in New Orleans with strict
instructions to hide his ability. Peter gains the trust of
Ricky, the leader of the Irish gang, and becomes
romantically involved with his sister Caitlin. After eight
surgeries, Sylar wakes up in Mexico with Candice. He kills
her, but he is powerless. Hiro helps Kensei to become a
hero.
Micah's cousin
Monica Dawson discovers her own ability: muscle
mimicking. Matt enlists Nathan's help to find the man who
has been killing the Company founders, such as Kaito. Matt
discovers that his father
Maury was among the Company founders. Sylar joins Maya
and Alejandro on their journey to New York.
A woman named
Elle Bishop tries to find Peter and kills Ricky with her
electric powers. Matt and Nathan visit Maury, who has put
Molly into a deep sleep and has been giving her nightmares.
Maury escapes and gives Matt and Nathan nightmares. Suresh
sends Molly back to the Company for a cure, much to Noah's
dismay.
Hiro returns to the present. Peter accidentally teleports
himself and Caitlin over a year into the future in New York
and find that 93% of the world's population has died of the
Shanti Virus. Then Peter accidentally teleports back and
meets Kensei, who identifies himself as
Adam Monroe. Niki is injected with the virus and
Mohinder realizes that his blood no longer works as a cure.
Matt defeats Maury and finds that he can control others'
minds.
The episode depicts flashbacks that show what happened
between the first and second seasons. Peter is taken
prisoner by the Company where he meets Elle until he escapes
with Adam and gets his memory erased by the Haitian. D.L. is
killed after a new personality of Niki's manifests. Maya
reveals her power, which leads her and Alejandro to America
in search for help. In present day, Peter remembers who he
is.
The Bennet family prepares to go on the run before the
Company finds them. Hiro goes back in time and discovers
that Adam killed his father. Mohinder sides with the Company
and kills Bennet by shooting him through the eye as depicted
by Issac's painting. However Bennet is revived by Claire's
blood.
Adam and Peter learn that the Shanti virus is being kept in
Texas. Sylar kills Alejandro, Maya learns how to control her
power and Maya and Sylar make it to New York.
Peter finds out that Adam actually wants to unleash the
virus and stops him from doing so. Hiro buries Adam alive by
teleporting him into a coffin. Monica is kidnapped by a
street gang and Niki saves her, but gets trapped in a
burning, exploding building. Elle saves Mohinder, Maya and
Molly from Sylar's clutches. Sylar regains his powers using
Claire's blood. Nathan has a press conference to go public
with his power, but is shot before he can do so.
