my thoughts on the S3 finale
I got home from Seattle and fairly promptly set to watching the season finale. And I feel that I ought to set down an initial reaction now while it's fresh. Major biggest spoiler for the episode, obvs.
I'm going to watch this on my actual television ASAP, because watching stuff on my laptop isn't quite the same thing, and besides, I always have to watch the episodes again anyway.
But right now -
Yeah, I don't know. The show isn't quite "breaking up" with its loyal fans (especially us Petrelli fangirls) but this feels like a serious, brutal, vicious slap to the face - and at the same time, probably a clever casting and actor-utilizing move. Quinto is out: Pasdar stays, but now he gets to play what is essentially an entirely new character. Meanwhile, Nathan Petrelli - the REAL Nathan - OUR Nathan - is on the slab.
God, I never wanted to write those words; I never wanted to see it. But that's showbiz for you.
Yes, it solves quite a few problems semi-handily. Zach has bigger fish to fry, and can't be on the show every single episode like he has been recently (there's nothing that rules out his eventual return). They wanted to raise the stakes and counter the criticism that "no major character dies and stays dead". They wanted to continue with the character of Sylar, but in a totally different way. They wanted to make even better use of the mad chops of Adrian Pasdar.
But goddammit, my man is dead. MY man. The orig. The one that popped out of Angela's whoo-ha; the one that's got half of Arthur's DNA, and shares it with Peter. The one who actually lived that life. And now, Sylar, who never deserved it, has it to call his own, even though he doesn't really know it; and Angela, Noah, and Matt now have to bear this terrible, horrible, old-school Company secret. And uh - we SAW that Sylar was already losing it; all that shape-shifting was making him completely lose himself, even physically. THAT IS STILL THE SAME PERSON. A new body, and an acquired set of memories; but it's SYLAR, not Nathan. It will never be Nathan, no matter how much Angela wants to play dress-up with the image of her child.
Who will it destroy first?
Who's closest?
I don't... I don't know what to say or think, really. I am at the same time calm and practical, and extremely, hysterically upset. It's a good thing that I saw My Bloody Valentine in concert last night, and they blasted my ego clean away, centering me in a conflagration of pure physics - light, force, mass, and gravity - and I feel very ecstatic and Zen even now. If I hadn't had that experience, I would be screaming, I would be finding Tim Kring's home phone number, and calling him up sobbing. I wish I had someone to hug right now; I'll have to make do with the cat. And y'know what? I am a Heroes fan. I am in it to win it. I will watch every episode of the show. I am interested in seeing what happens next - but it's no longer excitement; it's dread. If They™ do it right, I'll be back to excited by the end of the first episode. It can happen. Nathan is not the alpha and the omega; he's just... he's my favorite character on the show. Ohhhhh the stakes are high. They™ won't lose me if They™ keep making really good, entertaining, emotionally engaging, fun TV. But a part of me is going to spend the hiatus scarring over, and it won't be able to feel as much.
Nathan, my love, goodnight.
When's the next season start?
I'm going to watch this on my actual television ASAP, because watching stuff on my laptop isn't quite the same thing, and besides, I always have to watch the episodes again anyway.
But right now -
Yeah, I don't know. The show isn't quite "breaking up" with its loyal fans (especially us Petrelli fangirls) but this feels like a serious, brutal, vicious slap to the face - and at the same time, probably a clever casting and actor-utilizing move. Quinto is out: Pasdar stays, but now he gets to play what is essentially an entirely new character. Meanwhile, Nathan Petrelli - the REAL Nathan - OUR Nathan - is on the slab.
God, I never wanted to write those words; I never wanted to see it. But that's showbiz for you.
Yes, it solves quite a few problems semi-handily. Zach has bigger fish to fry, and can't be on the show every single episode like he has been recently (there's nothing that rules out his eventual return). They wanted to raise the stakes and counter the criticism that "no major character dies and stays dead". They wanted to continue with the character of Sylar, but in a totally different way. They wanted to make even better use of the mad chops of Adrian Pasdar.
But goddammit, my man is dead. MY man. The orig. The one that popped out of Angela's whoo-ha; the one that's got half of Arthur's DNA, and shares it with Peter. The one who actually lived that life. And now, Sylar, who never deserved it, has it to call his own, even though he doesn't really know it; and Angela, Noah, and Matt now have to bear this terrible, horrible, old-school Company secret. And uh - we SAW that Sylar was already losing it; all that shape-shifting was making him completely lose himself, even physically. THAT IS STILL THE SAME PERSON. A new body, and an acquired set of memories; but it's SYLAR, not Nathan. It will never be Nathan, no matter how much Angela wants to play dress-up with the image of her child.
Who will it destroy first?
Who's closest?
I don't... I don't know what to say or think, really. I am at the same time calm and practical, and extremely, hysterically upset. It's a good thing that I saw My Bloody Valentine in concert last night, and they blasted my ego clean away, centering me in a conflagration of pure physics - light, force, mass, and gravity - and I feel very ecstatic and Zen even now. If I hadn't had that experience, I would be screaming, I would be finding Tim Kring's home phone number, and calling him up sobbing. I wish I had someone to hug right now; I'll have to make do with the cat. And y'know what? I am a Heroes fan. I am in it to win it. I will watch every episode of the show. I am interested in seeing what happens next - but it's no longer excitement; it's dread. If They™ do it right, I'll be back to excited by the end of the first episode. It can happen. Nathan is not the alpha and the omega; he's just... he's my favorite character on the show. Ohhhhh the stakes are high. They™ won't lose me if They™ keep making really good, entertaining, emotionally engaging, fun TV. But a part of me is going to spend the hiatus scarring over, and it won't be able to feel as much.
Nathan, my love, goodnight.
When's the next season start?