Recap: Heroes: Chapter One: "Genesis" Part 1

Happy Eclipse, everybody!

What better way to celebrate the moon's journey between the Earth and the sun than with the TV show that milked that particular celestial phenomenon for all it's worth?

Besides, 2006 was a different time. Now that television has decided the time is right to bring us Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Inhumans, all that Netflix Marvel stuff, and however many X-Men-related TV shows Fox is doing, I think it might be fun to examine a period in history when the only way a superhero show could be taken seriously is if it didn't actually feature recognizable superheroes.

The pre-Iron Man/The Dark Knight days truly were a strange time to be a superhero fan.

The episode, and series, begins with an opening text crawl. Which is either a good sign or a bad sign. Or a neutral sign, honestly. Plenty of works have used walls of text to great advantage. Especially the Star Wars films. And most notably, books. Typically speaking, lots of text in those things.

But plenty of shows and films use it as a crutch to try and explain their overly-complicated universe. Let's see how Heroes fares.

Text Crawl: '"In recent days, a seemingly random group of individuals has emerged with what can only be described as "special" abilities."

Really? Because I can think of a few more ways to describe them. Although I'll admit that the word "superpowers" might be a little cheesy for a superhero show with no tights or code names. Rest assured, this show is going to get a lot of mileage out of the words "ability" and "gift."

Text Crawl: "Although unaware of it now, these individuals will not only save the world, but change it forever. This transformation from ordinary to extraordinary will not occur overnight."

Really? That's how it worked with Spider-Man. He got bit by a spider, took a nap, woke up, had muscles.

Text Crawl: "Every story has a beginning. Volume One of their epic tale begins here..."

Boy, this show was really banking on getting that second season, huh?

The show proper begins with a narration by Mohinder Suresh, a character we'll meet in due time.

Mohinder: "Where does it come from?"

And where does it go? Where does it come from, Cotton-Eyed Joe?

"This joke wasn't funny the first two times you used it!"

Mohinder: "This quest, this need to solve life's mysteries, when the simplest of questions will never be answered?"

Are you waxing philosophical or talking about Lost?

As Mohinder narrates, we see some guy with bangs that positively scream early-2000s angst. He seems to be thinking about something as Mohinder starts getting deep.

Mohinder: "Why are we here?"

Well, generally speaking, we each do what we can with what we have in however many years we get. Next question.

Mohinder: "What is the soul?"

That which is not of the body. You know, like Spock's katra. Next.

Mohinder: "Why do we dream?"

Because our brains regularly undergo a biochemical process that, as near as scientists can figure out, allows us to process the sensory input of the day and file it away.

Man, this philosophy stuff's easy.

Mohinder: "Perhaps we'd be better off not looking at all. Not delving. Not yearning. That's not human nature. That's not the human heart."

As Mohinder continues, it becomes clear that this guy is standing on the edge of a building. And speaking of the human heart, he's apparently contemplating stopping his by taking a step or two.

I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend.

Mohinder: "That is not why we are here."

And with that, the guy raises his arms and falls forward, transitioning into the camera soaring over the city of New York.

Suddenly... he wakes up. This is Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia), a hospice nurse in New York City who has the most comic booky name this side of anyone created by Stan Lee. He has just been woken up from quite the vivid dream by Simone Deveaux (Tawny Cypress), the attractive young lady whose father Peter looks after.

Peter: "I keep having these amazing dreams every time I close my eyes, and... never mind."

Peter has been dutifully reading the stock page for the sleepy old man, but... well, he gently tells Simone that her dad has remained unconscious for a week.

Peter: "I think he's close. A couple more days, maybe."

Still, Simone's glad that her father's getting the best possible care.

Simone: "You got a real gift."

Oh, he'll have everyone's gift in no time.

...Yeah, that must have been a confusing reference for anyone who's not already familiar with later episodes.

Peter: "Just doing my job."
Simone: "No, you're like a son to him."
Peter: "Now that'd make us like brother and sister. Might be- might be a little awkward if I ever wanted to ask you out."

Says the actor who started dating the actress playing his niece.

Peter: "I'm sorry, that was... That was inappropriate."
Simone: "No, it's sweet."

You know, a woman who finds incest jokes "sweet" is pretty rare.

Simone mentions that she already has somebody, so Peter tries to act cool and brush it off before changing her dad's IV.

We then cut to Madras, India, three days before Peter's incest joke. Mohinder Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) keeps doing the only thing we've heard him do so far: Talk. But this time, not only do we get to see him do it, but he's doing it in front of a classroom of students.

Mohinder: "Man is a narcissistic species by nature."

Nah, we're just awesome.

Mohinder: "We have colonized the four corners of our tiny planet. But we are not the pinnacle of so-called evolution."

Wait, what? You mean there's another creature that evolved the capacity for rational thought, opposable thumbs, and discovered how to hollow out bread into soup bowls?

Mohinder: "That honor belongs to the lowly cockroach."

So it's "lowly"... and a pinnacle?

Mohinder: "Capable of living for months without food. Remaining alive headless for weeks at a time. Resistant to radiation. If God has indeed created himself in his own image, then I submit to you that God... is a cockroach."

And then Mohinder decides to really get into it. And he begins by bringing up that good old sci-fi standby.

Mohinder: "They say that man uses only a tenth of his brainpower."

Yes, "They" do. "They" need to do more fact-checking on this one, especially before they write movie scripts.

The reality of the situation is that the brain is always working. To be fair, you cannot consciously use all of your brain, and not just because a lot of your brain controls unconscious functions like breathing. At no time are 100% of your neurons firing.

And you don't need them to. Or want them to. You want to know one of the causes of epileptic seizures? Excessive neuronal activity.

So now that you've opened up a big ol' can of lies, Mohinder, please continue.
Mohinder: "Another percent, and we might actually be worthy of God's image."

"A little more than that, and then we turn into a computer."

"Like, we get smarter?"

"No, I mean we physically transform into a computer made out of, like, nanites."

"What...?"

"And at 100%, we become the universe itself."

"...."

"Are you really a teacher?"

 Mohinder: "Unless, of course, that day has already arrived."

Sure it has. The opening text outright stated "In recent days." Weren't you paying attention, Mohinder? Or were you too busy talking over it?

Mohinder: "The Human Genome Project..."

Oh, here we go.

Mohinder: "...has discovered that tiny variations in man's genetic code are taking place at increasingly rapid rates."

The Human Genome Project started in 1990 and finished mapping the human genome in 2003. I'll admit I'm not a scientist, but I'm pretty confident that any increase in human mutation within the three years since the human genome was fully mapped is going to be within the margin of error. Unless the rate of mutation doubled, or something.

Or maybe I'm talking out of my rear end and Mohinder's data is factually accurate.

And you know what? He might just be exaggerating the tiniest bit to get his students excited. 

I'm willing to give Mohinder the benefit of the doubt and see what he follows it up with.

Mohinder: "Teleportation, levitation, tissue regeneration."

And you're not even pretending at science now, Mohinder. Next time, start with "tissue regeneration."

Mohinder: "Is this outside the realm of possibility?"

Okay, Mohinder. You tell me how the human genome whips up the genetic key to teleportation.

"Through dimensional manipulation of the space/time continuum, of course."

That's not what I meant, and I'm fairly certain you know that, Mohinder.

Mohinder: "Or is man entering a new gateway to evolution?"

Evolution is a journey, not a destination.

Mohinder: "Is he finally standing at the threshold to true human potential?"

But Mohinder shuts down and dismisses the class when some man dressed like Professor Henry Jones, Jr. walks in. Such talk of "the threshold to true human potential" is probably frowned upon in India after Khan Noonien Singh rose to power in the 1990s.

The students file out as Mohinder pre-empts any sort of chewing-out.

Mohinder: "I know, I know. I'm beginning to sound like my father. I can't help it. You know, they can fire me, too, if they like."

Never say that when a man in a suit pays you a visit, Mohinder. You might just get your wish.

Mohinder: "But there is something to it, Nirad, as crazy as it sounds."

But Nirad has sad news.

Nirad: "It's your father. He's dead."

Outside, as the two walk through the rain, Nirad tries to explain to Mohinder that driving a cab in New York is quite dangerous.

Nirad: "The wrong fare, the wrong time; we may never know what really happened."

But Mohinder talked to his dad on the phone a couple days back. Apparently, the elder Professor Suresh was convinced that he was being followed.

Mohinder: "He died because of his theories!"
Nirad: "That's crazy!"
Mohinder: "Is it?"

"Mohinder, he theorized that cabbage could talk but just chose not to."

Nirad: "The man left his family, discredited his career to chase wild theories halfway around the world!"

But Mohinder heads to his dad's apartment to gather his papers and research. After all, Daddy Suresh had tracked down Patient Zero to Queens. And Mohinder won't listen to Nirad suggest that Daddy Suresh was going a little nuts.

Mohinder: "My thesis is based on his research!"
Nirad: "Yes, you always wanted his approval!"
Mohinder: "And now you're telling me that it was all for nothing!"

Well... I mean, he is going to hard to impress when he's dead.

But Mohinder needs answers. He needs to know why his father died. And he makes a vow as his actor's accent slips.

Mohinder: "And then I need to finish what he started."

Once inside Daddy Suresh's apartment, Mohinder looks through his dad's things. There are files on various superpowers abilities, a map with pins in it, and an old photo of the bald Professor Suresh with his son, Mohinder.

The guy's like an Indian Professor X.

But a phone rings. Not Mohinder's phone, but the phone of the other guy checking out the apartment.

Stranger: "Yeah, yeah. I'm at his place now. ...No, no, no, he left everything behind but his computer."

So Mohinder takes a picture of the map and Gs t F O, but not before removing the Patient Zero pin. The stranger sees the camera flash and investigates... but finds nothing and no one when he enters from the other room. So he picks his horn-rimmed glasses up from the table and continues checking the place out.

We then cut to Vegas three days later, the same day as Peter's incest joke. Specifically, we cut to the set of a webcam girl named Niki Sanders (Ali Larter). And she knows her trade well, since she just barely gets to the part where she takes her bra off with her back turned to the camera... and the alarm goes off. Whoever's paying to see her strip, he's going to have to pay a bit more to see any more.

So he responds in the time-honored internet way. Insults! To his proclamation of "BITCH!", Nikki mutters a response in kind.

Niki: "Pervert."

As she walks by the mirror on set, she gets a strange feeling as she looks into it... but she shrugs it off and exits her garage to wake up her son, Micah for school.

Niki checks Micah's room, but the window's open and he's not there. So she exits his room and searches the house for him, with her reflection about a second out of sync.

But Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey) is busy in the other room, building a logic board for his computer from scratch.

Niki: "Did anyone ever tell you you're the smartest little man on the planet?"

Bolivar Trask begs to differ.

But Niki's eye is caught by something that I bet a bunch of you out there have learned how to make recently.

Micah: "It's a pinhole camera. It's for the eclipse. The moon's gonna cover up the sun today. We're supposed to look at it at school."

How do those things work, anyway? I know you poke a hole, and then another hole... and then eclipse? I don't know, I never got the chance to make one during school.

Niki: "Speaking of which, you need to go get ready. Can't be late. Not today."
Micah: "Mom, I'm already dressed and I've packed my own lunch."

Which really says something about Niki's availability to parent her child. Not that she doesn't love Micah- it's obvious that she does- but something tells me this kid learned how to be self-sufficient very quickly.

Micah: "That's what I've been doing this morning. What about you?"

Well, I don't know about lunch, but she's undressed today.

Niki: "I've been working to pay our bills."
Micah: "Yeah, that's why they turned off our gas again?"

But the doorbell rings, and some shady loan shark collection-looking types are waiting at the front door. So Niki escorts her son out through the back door and they sneak into the car while the two men break down the door and let themselves inside.

We then cut to Odessa, Texas, where cheerleader Claire Bennet (played by Hayden Panettiere in one of her two cheerleading roles in 2006) climbs up an oil rig, filmed by a fellow student named Zach (Thomas Dekker). He keeps the camera rolling as she intentionally leaps off and hits the ground.

Zach runs over to check on her, but she gets up and pops her shoulder back into place.

And I guess her facial cut is sucking the blood back up too, since not a speck of blood will be left on her face.

Claire: "This is Claire Bennet. And that was attempt number six."

And that was the bit they put in all the commercials.

Hey, speaking of leaping off a tall structure, Peter has the falling/flying dream again. But this time, it's accompanied by a quick zoom to a man's face, which is quickly interrupted by Peter waking up in a cab, only to see the same face plastered on the side of a bus. Then he gets out and walks inside a building to go talk with that face attached to the rest of a human head, which is in turn attached to the rest of a human.

This is Nathan Petrelli, played by an actor I've talked about quite a bit on this here blog of mine, Adrian Pasdar. If you don't recognize the name, then you might recognize his voice. Just imagine Nathan bragging about his advanced technology while never learning to stop solely relying on it.

Nathan hangs up on a "Mr. Linderman," stopping only to ask why Peter has stopped by his campaign headquarters.

Peter: "It happened two more times. Sometimes I'm falling, sometimes I'm flying. Sometimes you're in 'em."

But Nathan's busy with that whole "running for Congress" thing. Too busy to pay attention to Peter's rambling.

Peter: "This morning when I got out of bed, my foot hovered before it hit the ground. Hovered! For a split second, like I was floating. I'm telling you, I think I can fly."

Which isn't something Nathan wants Peter to be saying in front of his staff.

Nathan: "Tell you what. You think you can fly, why don't you jump off the Brooklyn Bridge? See what happens."
Peter: "Maybe I oughta start with something a little lower first."

But Nathan's dismayed to see how serious Peter is about this whole "flying" deal.

Nathan: "Go see a doctor. Get some drugs. But do not pull a Roger Clinton on me, man, I'm eight points down in the polls!"

If you don't want him to pull a Roger Clinton, shouldn't you be telling him to avoid drugs?

But Peter's pretty upset that Nathan doesn't seem willing to help him understand this.

Nathan: "Why the hell would I understand that you think you can fly?"
Peter: "Because you're my brother."

But Nathan's phone rings, alerting him that it's time to go deal with their mom. She got arrested.

Peter: "Arrested for what?"
Nathan: "Shoplifting."

Back with Claire... wait just a minute.

Now that we can see Zach's face for the first time, I actually recognize him.

He's the little boy that Kramer had to get back George's card for Mr. Steinbrenner from.

That is the same boy.

It's also the kid from Captain Janeway's Victorian holonovel.

And I guess he's also John Connor, or something.

Anyway, Claire's depressed, and Zach can't understand why.

Zach: "I mean, I mean, besides the fact that it was so gross that I almost fudged myself, this is the single coolest thing to happen to this town in, like, a hundred years."

So... what happened a hundred years ago?

Claire: "Not if nobody finds out, it's not."

Yes, Claire has been filming these suicide attempts in order to... keep them a secret?

Claire: "I have my reasons."

Zach: "It's not like you're not gonna be popular anymore...."
Claire: "Popular? Who said anything about being popular?"

Well, I mean, isn't that how plots work for characters your age? Popularity and getting that cute boy/girl?

Claire: "My life as I know it is over, okay?"

Your life is over... because you find yourself incapable of ending it?

Claire: "I've got the Bishop game next week, SATs in October, Homecoming's three weeks from today, and I'm a freak show!"
Zach: "You're being a little dramatic, don't you think?"
Claire: "No! I don't think!"

Obvious joke is obvious.

Claire: "I have busted, like, every bone in my body, stabbed myself in the chest, I've shoved a two-foot steel rod through my neck, and I don't have a scratch on me!"

Apart from the ribs sticking out that Zach mentions to her. After resetting them, Claire demands the videotape and starts walking home.

Zach: "Hey, I can give you a ride on my handlebars, if you want."

That doesn't seem too safe. ...Although I suppose that's not a concern for Claire.

But Claire declines the invitation, although she agrees to boost Zach's popularity a tad by talking to him in front of people at school.

Meanwhile, in a Tokyo office building, a cubicle-dwelling office drone is engaging in that classic office pastime, staring at the clock. This is Hiro Nakamura, one of the most adorable individuals imaginable, played by Masi Oka.

With considerable effort and many constipation-faces, Hiro watches as the second hand on the clock actually stops... and move backwards.

Hiro: "Yatta!"

Immensely excited by this discovery, Hiro runs over to his best pal in the whole wide world, Ando (James Kyson Lee), who quickly closes out of a certain webcam site run by a certain lady from Nevada.

Hiro: "<I've broken the space/time continuum!>"

But Ando is about as thrilled as if Hiro said he was wearing a new pair of socks.

Hiro: "<This explains the subway this morning.>"
Ando: "<It was fourteen second late. Big deal.>"
Hiro: "<The train is never late.>"
Ando: "<Until you made it late using only your mind.>"
Hiro: "<Yes. I have discovered powers beyond any mere mortal.>"

The main difference between Hiro and all the other people who have had similar conversations with their best friend is that Hiro isn't ten years old.

Ando: "<You and Spock.>"
Hiro: "<Yes! Like Spock! Exactly.>"

Wait, since when could Spock bend time with his mind? I thought he needed a warp-capable spaceship and a few minutes of calculations to do that.

But Hiro has been away from his desk long enough, so his boss drags him back by his collar.

Ando: "<Use your death grip, Spock! The death grip!>"

Actually, it's called the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. The Vulcan Death Grip was a bluff made up in order to fool the Romulans into... never mind.

As Ando continues to replay his video of Niki, we cut to her talking to the principal of Micah's prestigious school while Micah waits outside in the lobby.

Principal: "Your son is a very intelligent boy. Gifted, actually. That's not the issue."

Niki tries to play the seduction game by dropping a sleeve on her sweatshirt and suggesting that Micah might need a father figure... but the guy sees right through her scheme, so she pulls her shirt back up.

Principal: "The truth is, I just don't know if this school is the right fit for him."

"But you just said Micah was gifted."

"Yes, we believe he might actually have better luck at this "School for Gifted Youngsters" in New York."

Niki: "But he's made friends."
Principal: "I'm sorry."
Niki: "He's on the soccer team."

"This is America. Soccer's for other countries."

Niki: "I wrote a check for $25,000 to get him into this snobfest. I was told that that's what it took. That's on top of the tuition."

But that's the problem. Her checks are bouncing, and they refuse to give her any leeway by pulling some cash from that 25 grand donation. Niki wants a refund, but the principal informs her that the money has already been spent on funding a new wing.

Niki: "The unspend it!"

"I can't; they're already adding on to my hous- I mean, school."

But the principal is willing to discuss a payment plan for the money she already owes, although Niki's more interested in pulling on the man's tie and demanding her money back. But despite all her efforts, nothing can be done. So she grabs Micah and prepares to leave, stopping only to yell at her smirking reflection in the fish tank.

Back in New York, Peter and Nathan have different reactions when they meet with their mom (Cristine Rose) at the police station. Nathan's worried about how this will reflect on him, but Peter just wants to know that she's alright.

Mrs. Petrelli: "They dropped the charges. I have to fill out a form; no big deal."
Nathan: "No big deal? I'm running for Congress. do you have any idea what this is gonna do to me if it gets out, with our family's past?"

All this trouble for Nathan because his mom decided to steal some socks. That's not a joke on my part, by the way, that's actually what she decided to steal.

Apparently, ever since Mr. Petrelli died, Mrs. Petrelli has been pulling stunts like this, and Nathan's positively sick of it.

Nathan: "Dad's gone, just get over it!"

Peter tells Nathan to get going, and he does, whipping out his cell phone to try and do some damage control. With him gone, Peter gently asks what the heck she was trying to do with this stunt.

Mrs. Petrelli: "I just wanted to feel alive again."

Peter apologizes for Nathan as he leaves the station with his mother, but she's not surprised. Nathan's always been like this.

Mrs. Petrelli: "Your father was the same way. Alpha dogs, both of them."

But she also criticizes Peter for not being more assertive, which has always allowed Nathan to take center stage. Meanwhile, Peter's making a mere pittance as a nurse.

Peter: "Maybe I'll shoplift my socks."
Mrs. Petrelli: "Don't get smart."

She advises Peter that "Love is overrated," and continues to assert that although Peter loves his brother to death, Nathan couldn't really care less as he worries about himself.

Peter: "Look, since Dad died, I know you've been feeling free to speak your mind, but it wouldn't hurt to edit yourself every once in a while."

"I mean, your run-on sentences are atrocious, to say nothing of your spelling errors."

Mrs. Petrelli: "I'm just saying you hero-worshiped him, and those feelings were never returned."

Peter responds that he can't help it because he and Nathan have a connection, and proceeds to tell his mother that when Nathan had that "accident" a while back, Peter knew before he even got the phone call. Mrs. Petrelli responds with a gentle slap on the cheek of her poor, insane son.

Back in Vegas, Micah's going to spend a little time at Niki's friend Tina's house.

Micah: "I hate it here. She doesn't even have any books to read."

Micah suggests that they go see his dad, but Niki says that's out of the question, since there's nothing he could possibly do to help. For now, she promises to her son that she'd never let anything happen to him.

Micah: "Mom, why'd you look at yourself like that in the fish tank?"

But before Niki can make up an answer that doesn't make her sound nuts, Tina (Deirdre Quinn) answers the door and offers the kid some ice cream. Micah goes to partake as Niki explains the situation: She borrowed a bunch of money from a mob boss named "Linderman" to pay for Micah to go to that fancy school, and there's no way she can pay the guy back. And even worse, Niki admits that she's been having... issues.

Niki: "I'm seeing things."
Tina: "Like?"
Niki: "Like I keep feeling like someone's watching me."
Tina: "Yeah! Linderman wants his money back, so he sends some mouth-breather that's gonna put you in the hospital."

But Niki's not talking about the guys who broke into her house this morning. She's talking about somebody she can't see. Someone who's always watching. All Tina knows is that Niki needs to get that money very quickly, or she needs to get away even quicker.

You know, all things considered, I think it'd be better for everyone if gangsters found a way to garnish people's wages, like what the government does if you fail to pay them back.

Back in Odessa, there's a huge fiery train crash on Claire's way home. She and Zach both stop to watch it for a second, and Claire gets an idea.

Claire: "How hot do you think it is in there?"

Very, but not hot enough to burn her clothes past the point of decency, probably.

She tells Zach to get the camera ready, and he films as Claire runs inside. She feels the heat of the flames for a bit, but notices somebody in the wreckage and assumes that they might not be invulnerable. So Claire pulls them out, confusing a firefighter who tries to help her after putting out the fire on her arm.

Firefighter: "There's no burns...."

Having saved a man today, Claire runs off into the distance.

Back in New York, Mohinder gets let into his dad's apartment by the landlord, who's letting Mohinder rent the place now. It's a bit of a mess, but Mohinder recognizes that somebody's been here and trashed the place.

The landlord asks if Mohinder has a job to pay for the place, and he does. He's a cab driver. After the landlord leaves to go get the paperwork, Mohinder stomps on a roach. And I'm sure there's some kind of symbolism at work here as Mohinder obliterates what he earlier professed to be the image of God. The apartment number is 316, too, so maybe that's some intentional Biblical symbolism?

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

I could probably BS a way to tie that in thematically somehow, but it might just be a coincidence.

Mohinder looks through the room for a bit, finding some files, placing pins on a map that correspond to the locations of characters we've seen, and eventually finds a tape on the floor with one word on it.

Sylar.

Coming up in Part 2! Even more characters, even more mysteries! No answers to any of them yet, though. And you're going to want to get used to that when it comes to this show.