Illusions (Fanfiction, Heroes)

[selenak]

Title: Illusions

Disclaimer: All owned by NBC.

Spoilers: For the whole first season.

Summary: Candice gets hired to impersonate Nathan Petrelli.

Rating: PG 13

Author’s note:

Comments

[selenak]

Ah, that explains why she didn't revert to whatever she really looks like, which she said was "huge". That bothered me as I was expected her to become her real self.

I think the meta reason for this was two fold: a) TPTB didn't want the audience to be confused as to who this was by using a complete stranger, and b) they might have planned something for Real!Candice in s2 and didn't have the time to properly audition for an actress/actor who wouldn't even get to say a line, whereas if they use the actress they already have, that problem is solved and they can audition during the hiatus. That's my Doylist explanation; my Watsonian one is the one I used in the story - Candice knew she was outclassed the moment Niki started to use superstrength on her and didn't want to die for the cause just yet, so stayed down.

I wondered whether it meant that she had to stay well away from people. I did notice that she only held him by the hand.

Logically, it would mean that, and I hope TPTB have thought this through, because if Candice hasn't been able to touch anyone other than through hand holding for eons, it adds something to her psychological make-up.

[vilakins]

Oh, it does.

I saw somewhere that Candice is hated by fans, but I don't know why. Because Sylar killed her and gained her skills in the AU future? Because she kidnapped and used Micah? Actually, she has a point: people are very much judged by appearance. I have considerable sympathy for her, which admittedly would disappear if she did something really evil.

[selenak]

I think the Candice dislike actually predates both and came because she used her ability to (seemingly; as it turned out, he had a plan, as always!) entrap Mr. Bennet in Parasite, and Mr. Bennet is a much beloved character. Of course, given that Sylar - who does horrible things to every other character, loved or otherwise, all the time - is hugely popular, that's not really a good argument.

The Micah kidnapping, or rather, the aftermath, i.e. their scenes together, actually swung some people around to no longer wanting Candice dead, as they had to admit she got some intriguing characterisation there. Personally, I'm hoping she'll be back in the next season, and not as a Sylar victim!

[vilakins]

Sylar is popular? I hate, loathe, and despise Sylar. I can hardly watch him on screen. It was only Hiro who kept me watching at the beginning when he turned up. I am hugely disappointed that they didn't kill him.

Evil just creeps me out unutterably.

I'd like to see (as herself or not) Candice again too.

[selenak]

He's madly popular. (Which is probably why he didn't die in the finale.) Just check out the message boards and the fanfic. And no, I don't mean in the obvious "love to hate" sense.

Personally, I think he was a good villain and threat for one season, but he should have been left dead for good, no doubt about it, because talented actor or not, enough is enough. This being said, the "cockroach" shot was a clever idea and a good tie-in to the pilot where Mohinder said the cockroach would survive everything...

[vilakins]

But... why? How could anyone like him, regardless of his acting quality?

I also don't know how he has the ability to survive without having taken Claire's power. I fully expected him to die when Molly said there was someone much worse out there. [shudders]

[selenak]

But... why? How could anyone like him

You'll have to ask Sylar fans. As far as I can tell, these are roughly divided in "he's sexy when he's being evil!" and "Gabriel is one misunderstood woobie and just needed more love".

(Mind you, I love a couple of fictional characters whom I wouldn't go anywhere near to in real life as well; just not Sylar, so I can't give you more than guesses.)

Someone worse is definitely the set up for next season's main villain; as to how Sylar survived without Claire's power, he has Michael Myers syndrome. (Reference to Halloween villain and movie serial killers in general who for some reason survive everything.)