Heroes: Better Halves Episode Commentary

[sheryden]

Hiro and Ando: This pair continues to impress me. I love that Ando is a character in his own right and not just Hiro’s sidekick. They balance each other so well. While Hiro is the wide-eyed and full of noble intent, Ando is his grounding influence, his contact with the real world. But at the same time, Hiro inspires Ando to believe greater things are possible. They had some great moments tonight—Hiro assuring Ando that he’s important to the mission, even though he has no powers; Ando encouraging Hiro after the poker players were murdered. I loved Hiro’s glee over his impending swordsmanship. “I had a sword? I had a sword.”

DL, Niki, and Micah: I used to like the actor who plays DL when he was on Buffy, but this character looks to be far more intriguing. He plays off Niki and Micah well. There was no awkward exposition, and the characters genuinely seemed to have a history together. Mirror!Niki’s guilt in framing DL was no big shock, but at least it’s out in the open, and the story can progress. I wonder about Niki’s longevity unless the character turns darkside. What kind of hero can she be with an evil doppelganger?

Claire: First of all, I’m pleased to see Claire being nicer to Zach. Perhaps her run-in with Brody made her appreciate what a good friend she has in Zach. I appreciated the family moments this episode. They went a long way in selling the Bennetts as a family. Sandra clearly loves Claire and considers her a daughter. Of course, since she’s nice, she might not be long for this world.

Mohinder: See? He scampered right back to Suspicious Neighbor Lady and told her everything he knew about Peter, Future!Hiro, and Isaac. Thanks to his big mouth, Isaac maybe wind up strapped to a table in a lab somewhere! *kicks Mohinder* This guy needs some character development ASAP. Ew! Now he’s lip-locking with Suspicious Neighbor Lady (Yes, I’m aware her name is Eden.). Have you no taste man?!

Mr. Bennett and Suspicious Neighbor Lady: Ha! See? She works with the Face of Evil. Our suspicions confirmed. Now she needs a new name, because I refuse to call her Eden. Maybe Shady Neighbor Lady?

Peter and Isaac: Well, the good part is that these two? They have sizzling chemistry. I loved Isaac’s little jibe that Peter should tell Simone about Future!Hiro. “She’ll love that.” I sympathize with Isaac, because he spent so much time struggling with his power—terrified, lonely, confused. And now Peter waltzes in and masters it in a heartbeat. But at the same time, Isaac appreciates Peter, because now he has someone to talk to and someone with whom to share his horrifying visions. I also love that Simone is a presence in their relationship, but they’re not duking it out over her like a couple of Neanderthals. I am worried about Isaac’s impending kindpapping, though. Maybe he drew Suspicious Neighbor Lady and will figure things out before she knocks him out. Or maybe Peter will show up and save Isaac. More likely however, is that Isaac will be kidnapped and whumped. So far, the writers seem to favor Matt-whumping, but I could easily see Isaac-whumping becoming a favorite pastime.

Some Questions:

1) Why does Mirror!Niki dislike DL?
2) What is Micah’s power?
3) Who are Claire real parents? Sylar? Nathan? Mr. Petrelli? Someone brand new?
4) Is Claire’s brother Lyle special?
5) Can the Mysterious Man erase Isaac’s memory, or do his precognitive abilities ensure he’ll remember his kidnapping?
6) Does Mr. Bennett genuinely care about Claire?
7) Will Matt ever connect to the other heroes?