'Heroes' Fights the Future

Was that the third season premiere of The 4400 or Heroes? Hard to tell. You know, I never put a lot of stock in those proclamations that the two shows were very similar, but last night’s premiere rang way too familiar for me to ignore them any further. Mohinder discovered that the formula that gives people special powers reacts with the adrenal system, so he used Maya to extract the substance and then planned to mass produce it so that everyone can have an ability power. All it requires is a little shot. OK, OK – the substance isn’t glowing green, but let’s face it, this is Promicin redo. Additionally, there seems to be a great risk in taking the shot as we saw Mohinder beginning to have a bad reaction to it. At first, he developed heightened senses, but by the end, he was peeling chunks of skin off of his back. Yuck! And this wasn’t the only Yuck! Factor of the night. I’m not very squeamish when it comes to Hollywood guts and gore, but that scene where Sylar stole some of Claire’s indestructibility power was downright NASTY! I actually felt my stomach starting to turn as Claire laid there with the top of her head lying on the floor and her brain exposed for Sylar to exploit. I’m re-grossing myself out just writing about it!

Now that Sylar has Claire’s power, he’s even more dangerous and he’s even more like The 4400’s Isabel. Some of his scenes last night reminded me so much of that show’s villainess who also happened to have many dangerous abilities. The weird thing is – after Sylar took some of Claire’s power, she ceased to be able to feel pain anymore. Glass pierced through her palm, but she didn’t even know it. This had her questioning once again whether she was even alive, especially after she learned from Sylar that she’s “special” and can’t die. Apparently, she’s “not like the others.” Kinda explains that opening scene where Claire tries to shoot Peter, huh? She repeated that line about being special and it seemed that Sylar’s revelation had lasting effects. Of course, none of that may ever happen thanks to Future Peter’s meddling. It’s called “the butterfly effect” and clearly, Peter never saw the movie because he was unaware that his interfering with one event changes the course of numerous other events.

Elsewhere, Niki is now Tracy and seems to be completely unaware of her former self, Nathan lives after taking several shots to the chest (thanks to Future Peter), and the governor of New York is tapping Nathan to be the junior senator from that state after seeing his miraculous recovery. Hmm… seems Linderman has far reaching effects even as a ghost (or figment of Nathan’s imagination). Hiro is dealing with a super-fast thief and the knowledge that Ando will betray him in the future (if Future Peter doesn’t interfere, that is) , Matt Parkman is lost roaming the deserts of Africa (thanks to Future Peter), and Elle is dealing with the sudden death of her father (another victim of Sylar). How awesome was that mini Veronica Mars reunion, though? Veronica and Weevil together again?! Too. Good. To. Be. True!! Finally, it seems that Mrs. Petrelli is hiding even more than we thought. Sylar is her son?! He’s Peter and Nathan’s brother??!! Oh boy!