[Heroes] 2x09: Cautionary Tales
Wow, there’s... a lot of squee in this review? o_O
[ Overall ]
Which surprises me, considering this episode.
The plot of this whole episode was so extremely silly to me that I refuse to dwell on it or discuss it, because once I start poking plot holes I’ll never emerge again. Some of it was too squished, some too fast, some a kind of cop-out.
BUT. The emotions absolutely owned me. I mean, it was a little rough at the start, but I just felt like a lot of the characters were really hitting their marks in this episode. Except for the parts where they didn’t, which were painful, but I’m not in the mood to talk about that.
[ Matt, Molly, Angela ]
» Molly. God, I love Molly. The kids on this show are just ♥. She wants to help even after everything she’s been through. I also like the matter-of-factness with which she accepts that she’s never going to be normal. After seeing her parents killed, almost being killed herself by Noah and then Maury, well, I think she’s never going to be able to forget that she’s different, but she still manages to make the best of it and see how she can do good.
» Matt. Very nicely done with the way Matt’s discovering the evolution of his powers. I also like that it’s him we’re getting to see it with, first-something about that feels right. I mean, with the string of luck he’s had in the past, of being able to hear all the bad things people think about him, about suffering all sorts of embarrassment, the introduction of his ability to implant compulsions is really timely. It sets up a really great way to delve into his character and how he interacts with the world around him, how, in the past, it’s usually been Matt bending over backwards for other people and now he has the power to change that. I think the most effective temptation devices writers can use are exactly the ones like this, the ones where in previous episodes it’s obvious that Matt has wished sometimes he could just make people listen to him.
» Angela. Oh, HOT DAMN ANGELA. YOU ARE SO AWESOME. I loved you more than I thought possible during that whole scene. Point the first: make an honest woman out of me. Hahaha, oh, your ability to say the perfect thing in any given situation never, ever falters. Point the second: you worked that nosebleed like a pro. Point the third: your generation mortgaged their souls. Damn, you makes me want to know more about the older generation, like, yesterday. (No, I promise I won’t quote every line she delivered, although I’m coming pretty close, aren’t I?) Point the third: I’m ’shipping you so hardcore with Victoria Pratt. BIGTIME. Wanting to keep her safe, working so hard to keep her secret... hell yeah. There’s some kind of history there, and I’m pretty sure it involves hot sex.
[ Noah and his sundry ’ships, Sandra, West, Elle ]
» Mohinder/Noah. Noah called him Mohinder. And said thank you. In a really, really heartfelt way. *sniffles* I’m glad at least Mohinder tried reason with Noah and admitted what was going on-and, God, I loved the way that Noah knew everything the Company was doing to try and get Mohinder’s trust. These two are still really ’shippy and I could listen to Noah say Mohinder’s name all the day long. I’m of the mind that Mohinder knew there was no way that Noah would stay dead, having thought on it past the initial “OMGYOUSHOTHIMWTF?” reaction. Because, really, the chances of Noah staying dead-dead? Were approximately negative 5,000. Yeahkthx knew that was gonna happen. (And I know there’s no real chance that Mohinder and Noah are actually still working together and playing the Company, but wouldn’t it be a mindtrip if they were, somehow? Especially after this. In my AU universe they totally are.)
Also, I feel silly saying this, but no Mohinder-bashing in the comments, please. (Saying he did something stupid isn’t bashing, btw, but calling for him to be burned in an effigy? Not so keen on that. Because I LOVE MY MOHINDER, THANKS.)
» Sandra. Damn, Sandra taking her hand away from Noah... that tore me up a little. And then later how she reached out to him. Like I said, all the emotions here were really working for me; they felt really genuine and appropriate to the situation. And Sandra tearing up while Noah was talking to Elle... damn. She is a mother, through and through, and I love how that comes through even when she’s seeing someone who could pose a threat to Claire.
» Noah/West. Um. Okay. I feel dirty admitting this, but I started ’shipping Noah/West in a really weird and fucked up way not too long ago, and the FLYING SCENE DID NOT HELP. Nor did them working together and West stopping him from going over the edge with Mohinder. Or Noah trying to tell West to go home and West insisting he come along. Or Noah making small talk about what car West drives. SERIOUSLY, STOP BEING SO DAMN ’SHIPPY.
» Claire. I so wanted Claire’s “I’m just a...” line to end with something else this time, but I do love the way Hayden delivered, how she made me really feel for Claire right then. Although I hate the idea of Claire wanting to stay in Costa Verde because of West. It ruined what otherwise would have been a very nice effect of the huge apology in stones. But after the “I hate you” declaration couldn’t we get a bit more exploration of how she wants to stay because she can’t trust her own father, etc.? Oh, well, I guess that’s nothing too new.
» West. Who else thinks West either doesn’t have a family or there’s some kind of major huge issue there? There’s got to be something important there; the way he was watching Sandra and Claire could imply a lot of things, but I think it has to do with that. And I laughed pretty hard at the “hi, Mrs. Butler, it’s good to, uh, see you again.” That might have been the line that began eroding at my hard-earned West hatred, and the way he acted through the rest of the episode took away quite a bit more. Or maybe it started with him fly-tackling Noah, because that was also sort of hilarious. I’m very cautiously starting to like him. I actually didn’t hate seeing Claire and West lying there in that last scene. :O
» Elle. “Stings like a bitch, doesn’t it?” Nicely delivered, Noah, nicely delivered. Though you’d think Elle would know that would happen o_O Say if she ever tried to use her power in the bathtub or whatnot. But I’m also cautiously starting to like Elle more, too. Hell, if I were in her position, you bet I’d be feeling Mohinder up every chance I could get. And when she told him it was none of his business? I totally agreed. And, then, oh, man. Hearing about what they did to her at the Company. :( “I didn’t want her to become you.” That was so sad. The look on her face, just. :-/ Elllllle. *gives her a big hug* I won’t put it past her that it could have been an act, but if it wasn’t, the way she’s starting to see that maybe she wasn’t born this way, maybe she isn’t inherently meant to be isolated from true human contact for the rest of her life... phew.
[ Hiro, Kaito ]
Main issue: does Hiro just not hug anyone this season? Did his time in Japan really change him that much or what? I do not approve of this trend!
Hiro remembers that Kaito felt like he did once. Awww. :( And, oh, Jesus. Hiro and his dad, just, all of it. :(
That scene where they were paying their respects got me all choked up. It was so beautifully shot. And Hiro meeting his young self! And his young self being the mirror he needed to realize what he was doing. Oh, yes. Love.
And Kaito saying he was proud of Hiro... *wails*
Hiro’s eulogy was lovely. I don’t know what else I can say about it.
[ Preview ]
O HAI CLAIRE/ELLE AND KINKY!HIRO/PETER AND MOHINDER/SYLAR. THIS IS GONNA BE A SLASHTASTIC EPISODE, ISN’T IT?
[ Overall ]
Which surprises me, considering this episode.
The plot of this whole episode was so extremely silly to me that I refuse to dwell on it or discuss it, because once I start poking plot holes I’ll never emerge again. Some of it was too squished, some too fast, some a kind of cop-out.
BUT. The emotions absolutely owned me. I mean, it was a little rough at the start, but I just felt like a lot of the characters were really hitting their marks in this episode. Except for the parts where they didn’t, which were painful, but I’m not in the mood to talk about that.
[ Matt, Molly, Angela ]
» Molly. God, I love Molly. The kids on this show are just ♥. She wants to help even after everything she’s been through. I also like the matter-of-factness with which she accepts that she’s never going to be normal. After seeing her parents killed, almost being killed herself by Noah and then Maury, well, I think she’s never going to be able to forget that she’s different, but she still manages to make the best of it and see how she can do good.
» Matt. Very nicely done with the way Matt’s discovering the evolution of his powers. I also like that it’s him we’re getting to see it with, first-something about that feels right. I mean, with the string of luck he’s had in the past, of being able to hear all the bad things people think about him, about suffering all sorts of embarrassment, the introduction of his ability to implant compulsions is really timely. It sets up a really great way to delve into his character and how he interacts with the world around him, how, in the past, it’s usually been Matt bending over backwards for other people and now he has the power to change that. I think the most effective temptation devices writers can use are exactly the ones like this, the ones where in previous episodes it’s obvious that Matt has wished sometimes he could just make people listen to him.
» Angela. Oh, HOT DAMN ANGELA. YOU ARE SO AWESOME. I loved you more than I thought possible during that whole scene. Point the first: make an honest woman out of me. Hahaha, oh, your ability to say the perfect thing in any given situation never, ever falters. Point the second: you worked that nosebleed like a pro. Point the third: your generation mortgaged their souls. Damn, you makes me want to know more about the older generation, like, yesterday. (No, I promise I won’t quote every line she delivered, although I’m coming pretty close, aren’t I?) Point the third: I’m ’shipping you so hardcore with Victoria Pratt. BIGTIME. Wanting to keep her safe, working so hard to keep her secret... hell yeah. There’s some kind of history there, and I’m pretty sure it involves hot sex.
[ Noah and his sundry ’ships, Sandra, West, Elle ]
» Mohinder/Noah. Noah called him Mohinder. And said thank you. In a really, really heartfelt way. *sniffles* I’m glad at least Mohinder tried reason with Noah and admitted what was going on-and, God, I loved the way that Noah knew everything the Company was doing to try and get Mohinder’s trust. These two are still really ’shippy and I could listen to Noah say Mohinder’s name all the day long. I’m of the mind that Mohinder knew there was no way that Noah would stay dead, having thought on it past the initial “OMGYOUSHOTHIMWTF?” reaction. Because, really, the chances of Noah staying dead-dead? Were approximately negative 5,000. Yeahkthx knew that was gonna happen. (And I know there’s no real chance that Mohinder and Noah are actually still working together and playing the Company, but wouldn’t it be a mindtrip if they were, somehow? Especially after this. In my AU universe they totally are.)
Also, I feel silly saying this, but no Mohinder-bashing in the comments, please. (Saying he did something stupid isn’t bashing, btw, but calling for him to be burned in an effigy? Not so keen on that. Because I LOVE MY MOHINDER, THANKS.)
» Sandra. Damn, Sandra taking her hand away from Noah... that tore me up a little. And then later how she reached out to him. Like I said, all the emotions here were really working for me; they felt really genuine and appropriate to the situation. And Sandra tearing up while Noah was talking to Elle... damn. She is a mother, through and through, and I love how that comes through even when she’s seeing someone who could pose a threat to Claire.
» Noah/West. Um. Okay. I feel dirty admitting this, but I started ’shipping Noah/West in a really weird and fucked up way not too long ago, and the FLYING SCENE DID NOT HELP. Nor did them working together and West stopping him from going over the edge with Mohinder. Or Noah trying to tell West to go home and West insisting he come along. Or Noah making small talk about what car West drives. SERIOUSLY, STOP BEING SO DAMN ’SHIPPY.
» Claire. I so wanted Claire’s “I’m just a...” line to end with something else this time, but I do love the way Hayden delivered, how she made me really feel for Claire right then. Although I hate the idea of Claire wanting to stay in Costa Verde because of West. It ruined what otherwise would have been a very nice effect of the huge apology in stones. But after the “I hate you” declaration couldn’t we get a bit more exploration of how she wants to stay because she can’t trust her own father, etc.? Oh, well, I guess that’s nothing too new.
» West. Who else thinks West either doesn’t have a family or there’s some kind of major huge issue there? There’s got to be something important there; the way he was watching Sandra and Claire could imply a lot of things, but I think it has to do with that. And I laughed pretty hard at the “hi, Mrs. Butler, it’s good to, uh, see you again.” That might have been the line that began eroding at my hard-earned West hatred, and the way he acted through the rest of the episode took away quite a bit more. Or maybe it started with him fly-tackling Noah, because that was also sort of hilarious. I’m very cautiously starting to like him. I actually didn’t hate seeing Claire and West lying there in that last scene. :O
» Elle. “Stings like a bitch, doesn’t it?” Nicely delivered, Noah, nicely delivered. Though you’d think Elle would know that would happen o_O Say if she ever tried to use her power in the bathtub or whatnot. But I’m also cautiously starting to like Elle more, too. Hell, if I were in her position, you bet I’d be feeling Mohinder up every chance I could get. And when she told him it was none of his business? I totally agreed. And, then, oh, man. Hearing about what they did to her at the Company. :( “I didn’t want her to become you.” That was so sad. The look on her face, just. :-/ Elllllle. *gives her a big hug* I won’t put it past her that it could have been an act, but if it wasn’t, the way she’s starting to see that maybe she wasn’t born this way, maybe she isn’t inherently meant to be isolated from true human contact for the rest of her life... phew.
[ Hiro, Kaito ]
Main issue: does Hiro just not hug anyone this season? Did his time in Japan really change him that much or what? I do not approve of this trend!
Hiro remembers that Kaito felt like he did once. Awww. :( And, oh, Jesus. Hiro and his dad, just, all of it. :(
That scene where they were paying their respects got me all choked up. It was so beautifully shot. And Hiro meeting his young self! And his young self being the mirror he needed to realize what he was doing. Oh, yes. Love.
And Kaito saying he was proud of Hiro... *wails*
Hiro’s eulogy was lovely. I don’t know what else I can say about it.
[ Preview ]
O HAI CLAIRE/ELLE AND KINKY!HIRO/PETER AND MOHINDER/SYLAR. THIS IS GONNA BE A SLASHTASTIC EPISODE, ISN’T IT?