(S04E06) If there was a theme this week, it's about nurturing and guiding people with abilities. We followed up with Sylar, now in the nefarious embrace of the Sullivan Brothers Carnival, as well as Peter and Hiro, and by extension Emma. The quest to save Hiro's life from the brain tumor that's killing him even affords Noah the opportunity to atone for his cold past by providing support to a former kid he and the Haitian had "visited" back in his Company days.
We got some very nice character moments this week. I like Hiro in the role of mentor to Emma, as it gives him a focus for his crazy optimism. Plus, we got to see how stopping time makes a magic show even more awesome -- I know that's the kind of crap I'd be doing with that ability. Screw saving the world, watch me make this woman vanish.
Peter & Noah
After Hiro's surprise arrival at Peter's place, he apparently passed out. So when we catch back up with them this week, it's in the hospital. In search of a healer, Peter borrows Hiro's powers and teleports to Noah's bathroom. He figures that if anyone knows where to find one, it's Noah. And he's right.
It's pretty convenient that they explain away using Claire's regenerative powers to heal, as they would only cause the tumor to grow faster. But her blood has healed everything in the series so far. Oh well, that way leads to no drama. This way leads to Jeremy Greer.
Four years ago, Greer was a young kid with the ability to heal. So Noah and the Haitian wiped his memory because ... well, that's what they did. This follow-up trip allowed Noah to take a more "fatherly" approach to Jeremy's state of being. Especially considering that the kid's parents may not have died if Noah hadn't erased his memories of his own ability. Maybe he would have learned to control it better by then.
I feel even worse for Peter. Now that he has just the ability he needed to save Hiro, Hiro's gone. And he's going to have to hang onto this ability until he finds him. Unfortunately, without Hiro's ability there's no way for Peter to go where he's gone.
Sylar
If there were any doubts as to Samuel's motives before now, they can be put aside. The man is definitely up to no good at all. Why else would he want to bring Sylar back to his full abilities and memories. The real question is how Samuel can be so confident that he and his carnival "family" can survive such a thing.
And poor Sylar, he's still all messed up inside with Nathan's memories, but he's instinctively using Sylar's abilities now so it's just a mental block at this point. I'm still not 100% sure why Peter doesn't have the ability anymore to tap into all the abilities he's absorbed at will. It feels like it's more of a mental block from what his father did to him than a physical limitation on his ability. But I digress.
I don't think Samuel has a good enough grasp on the situation brewing between Edgar (Ray Parks), Lydia and Sylar. There appears to be a jealousy brewing, and if Samuel really believes that "boys will be boys" is enough to take care of this problem, he's got another thing coming. And as Edgar is the new character on Heroes, I'd say the odds are on the far more powerful and far more psychotic Sylar. Especially if Samuel succeeds in unlocking his full potential.
And the fact that Samuel thinks he can build a better Sylar proves that he may have as much trouble surviving the season as Edgar will. If there's one thing we've learned is that no one ever succeeds in controlling Sylar. And eventually, Sylar gets pissed. When he gets pissed, he gets even. And that usually involves the top of your head coming off.
Hiro & Emma
While you had Noah taking on a more nurturing role to help Jeremy, and Samuel taking on a nurturing role with Sylar, Hiro took on that role for Emma. I'm still not sure where we're going with Emma, or what she can do with her ability other than play instruments and break stuff, but I guess it matters.
It was an interesting question when she asked if he'd brought the cello to her apartment. It means that someone did, so someone knows about her ability and is working some kind of an angle. And Samuel has been working angles on everyone since the season began.
Maybe he just wants everyone with abilities to join his family and all live happily ever after. The problem with that is that many of those people have a sense of morality, which could prove problematic to shacking up with Sylar and Edgar, after what he did to poor Ernie Hudson this week, and Samuel himself. Or he just wants control over them all, one way or the other.
[For clips and full episodes of Heroes, you can always rush to our friends at SlashControl.]
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
Let's talk about spoilers ...
The Prisoner -- An early look
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-20-2009 @ 7:25PM
hrgfan said...
great review and much better sounding then normal, my favorite story was Sylar's that was great. And Edgar would do well to watch his back from now on
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 7:48AM
laura said...
Tabula Rasa was also the name of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6 episode 8 where Willow does a spell and everyone loses their memories.......
I didnt like the "house of mirrors" bit, where sylar "sees" his dirty deeds in the mirrors, it was a bit too flashy and cheesy for me.
Darth Maul is coming for him though, doesnt like sylar messin with his piece of a$$.
Also tired of emma seeing her sounds, it was cool at first but now its just over kill, its not that great of a power to keep showing it over and over.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 8:43AM
Jables said...
It seems like the episode title "Tabula Rasa" is becoming somewhat of an inside joke among television writers. Lost, Buffy, Stargate, and Heroes all have that title along with a few others.
Writer 1: "The episode involves a character's mind"
Writer 2: "Let's title it 'Tabula Rasa'. It'll be hilarious."
Why didn't Peter just teleport the healing kid back to Hiro instead of inheriting his powers?
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 2:31PM
Leroy said...
Peter would have to touch the kid to teleport him which would instantly give him the kid's power and take away the ability to teleport. Teleporting only worked with HRG because he doesn't have a power.
10-20-2009 @ 4:12PM
Echy said...
@Leroy
Yes but Peter touched Claire when he was at HRG apartment and did not gain her powers. It appears that he has to actively acquire the power as when he touched Hiro they showed the power moving into Peter.
10-20-2009 @ 6:56PM
LC said...
I believe that if Peter knows the person he is touching has a power, he can willfully block absorbing it, otherwise it is on by default, which would explain why he got the deaf girls powers after saving her last week.
10-22-2009 @ 10:06AM
rick cokely said...
Tabula Rasa is actually a blank state of mind and a philosophy principal. Aside from maybe that one Buffy episode I think this is the best usage of it as a title.
10-20-2009 @ 2:08PM
Jason said...
Tabula Rasa means clean slate, which is what Samuel considers Sylar, right now.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 10:45AM
csttar63 said...
a few more series that used this phrase. "ER" next to final season where stanley tucci reinvents his teaching methods. "Justice League" where lex luthor creates a robot that can mimic the powers of others, no matter how benign or complex. essentially, "tabula rasa" means "clean slate" from which one can start fresh and anew.
class dismissed.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 11:34AM
Parl said...
Well, it's not saying much but I think this is one of the better episodes in a while. It seemed like stuff actually happened! Maybe it's just because they're new blood, but I really like all the carnival characters, especially Ray Park.
Emma - I'm tired of the colors.
Ando - I was going to say that Hiro's character suffered when he's not around, but I thought about it and realized that it's actually a nice change of pace.
HRG - I think they're really doing a disservice to his character in the name of "development" or plot.
Peter - Indifferent right now. Not especially great story for him right now.
Claire - Thanks for the break, tired of her character, but looks like a big dose coming next week.
Sylar - Just kind of tired of seeing him around.
***SPOILER ALERT****
I wouldn't be upset if he's the one that finally died and I saw an episode spoiler that may lead to this being the case.
******
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 12:09PM
MCW said...
I'm also "over" the whole thing with Emma. It's unfortunate, because she's a great addition to the cast, but how many times is she going to play music, look up with her mouth agape, turn around to notice everyone watching her, and then run off in embarrassment?
We get it, new power. All the other Heroes didn't have as hard of a time grasping that as you have Emma. Time for you to do something with your power and stop staring at your freaking colors.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 12:17PM
Vijay said...
Regarding Peter's "mental block", if there was any reason for that to have broken, it would be a shotgun to the heart, wouldn't it?
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 1:07PM
getchaos said...
I don't think Sylars "self" or "soul" or whatever you want to call it, is still buried in Sylars own body. This episode clearly shows us that he can recollect Sylars memories, but definitely Nathans "self" still is the moral self of Sylar.
The way he looked at all his previous killings like he did not do it himself obviously states, that for the most part, Nathan is the one inside Sylars body.
And about Sylar's soul...i think we pretty much know, where this is. Inside Matt Parkman. Everything that was Sylar himself, his "evil soul" seemed to be transfered. Also, the promo for next weeks episode supports my theory
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 12:46PM
Bob Sassone said...
I find it convenient that Noah suddenly and quickly remembers "that healing kid" Jeremy from a few years ago. What, he couldn't remember him earlier in the series? I'm sure we could have used his healing power somewhere along the line.
That's one of the things that bugs me about the show. I get a certain amount of enjoyment from it and will continue to watch it, but these inconsistencies and contrived plots irritate.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 4:02PM
Jables said...
So if Peter gains someone's power involuntarily whenever he touches them, why didn't he reacquire Emma's Rainbow Brite power when he touched her in Hiro's hospital room?
Or did they not touch? I could have sworn they touched.
Reply
10-20-2009 @ 6:59PM
LC said...
I mentioned it above, but I think Peter needs to consciously turn off his power when he doesn't want to absorb a power, which is why he didn't get his mothers or Claire's ability. He originally got Emma's after saving her and didn't know she had powers.
10-21-2009 @ 12:49AM
Owloo said...
enough with the light bright ability
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 2:54AM
Ryan said...
I wonder if Ms. Aurora Borealis accidentally killed her brother by inadvertently flinging her sound colors when she was young.
Clearly Samuel has family issues as evidenced by his demolition of the house where he and his real family worked in while growing up and his need to make every Hero part of his new family.
There was a bit of a throwaway line where HRG says something like "Empathy is my ability." I wonder if that will lead somewhere; the writers must have plans for him as he stays behind at death kid's house.
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 3:50PM
RTMS said...
HRG said he could understand and see what these powers do and will do in the future.I too found that line interesting and wonder if they are headed somewhere with it, specifically the circus and showdown with Samuel. I find HRG statement to be very true about him, out of all the people he always understands the abilities these people have and where they could lead to.Hence why he was so good at his job, he never underestimated or overestimated peoples powers.