It’s been a little over 10 months, but Heroes returned to the small screen last night. Even if you consider the webisodes part of the small screen, I’m excluding them, because, frankly, they were pretty awful.

We’ll be talking about “The Second Coming” in episode 36 later this week, but I wanted to post a few notes about the characters here in the meantime. Overall, I thought this was a successful premiere, and the writers did a great job of easing us back into the story after such a long break. I’m easily amused, though, and the complaints (especially concerning time travel) are already appearing elsewhere online. I’d love to hear what you all think about Heroes as a whole and this episode in particular.

If you haven’t seen the episode and don’t want to know anything, don’t click through. Everyone else should feel free to comment without fear of spoiling. The latecomers have been warned!

[SPOILERS AND TWO-MINUTE REPLAY CLIP AHEAD]

Hiro Nakamura (and Ando Masahashi)

Note to George Lucas: this is how you do comic relief. I’m sure it’s a matter of personal taste, but I haven’t gotten sick of these two yet. Hiro’s innocence and exuberance for everything continue to add a spark of fun to a world that’s always one step away from apocalypse. His coy and sneaky response to Ando (”I stop time and teleport. I do a lot of things you don’t know about.”) was my favorite line in the episode.

Also:

  • Ando gets Sith powers in the future?
  • Speedster girl is a fun adversary for Hiro, and it was really cute when he called her “Nemesis”.
  • George Takei’s appearance, though small, was entertaining as always. (”I asked you not to open the safe.”)

Sylar

The greatest mystery is finally revealed: Sylar does not eat his victims’ brains.

Claire: “Are you going to eat it?”
Sylar: “Eat your brain? Claire, that’s disgusting.”

He’d be an uninteresting, nearly invincible character if he hadn’t lost all his stolen powers, but I hope the rest of the season isn’t primarily about him stealing more abilities and building himself back up. If I read the foreshadowing right, he’s going to build up a team of villains this time instead. Also, it looked like Ma Petrelli had at least some power over him at the end. Every good villain should be vulnerable to at least one other character to make for an engaging story.

Peter Petrelli

First impression: He’s wearing a lot more clothing this time around. He’s also getting a little too powerful to remain interesting, but I’m sure they’ll fix that in the next few episodes. Oh, and he was the one who shot Nathan, but I’m already bored with that sub-plot. I think the writers are too.

Nathan Petrelli

Now he’s seen God, and God looks like Dr. Tolian Soran. So, did Linderman somehow heal and psychically project himself into Nathan’s brain or is the elder Petrelli pulling a Hurley?

Matt Parkman

When he woke up in the desert and heard the turtle’s thoughts, I pondered, “This should be cheesy, but somehow it’s not. And what a great development in his power! I mean, he’s not really hearing the words, it’s just the way they’re representing his ability on screen.” Then I realized it was just a throwaway joke/misunderstanding, and I was sad.

Niki / Jessica / Gina /Tracy

I have no idea what’s going on here, but she has always confused me a little. Maybe I need to re-watch last season.

Mohinder Suresh

He finally stopped narrating (mostly) and got some powers of his own. He’s also picked up the slack for Peter in the running-around-shirtless-and-oily department. I thought he became kind of a creep after he injected himself, though. Roid rage, anyone? And was that a scale he picked off himself at the end or just something scabby?

Claire Bennet

I wanted to see her get hit by the train. Not because I don’t like her, but because that would have been cool. At least we got to see her head chopped off in the dream sequence. And Adam Monroe was there, and Niki/Jessica/Gina/Tracy was there, and was that Matt’s dad?

Elle Bishop

I didn’t like her at all last season, but now I want to see her kick some ass and electrocute more people.

Maya Herrera

I thought she died last season. Really. In Isaac’s studio. I’d better re-watch that.

Angela Petrelli

I really like this character. Her whole essence is summed up in her cold question to Future-Peter: “What did you do to my son?” Isn’t he her son too? Not to this barracuda in lipstick, he ain’t.

Other Cast

Both Micah and Molly are tucked safely away. Are they facing the same dilemma as Walt on Lost? Maybe Micah is now as tall as Jake Sisko in DS9 season 7.

Newcomers this episode included Francis Capra and, believe it or not, William Katt in a guest appearance. [Cue foghorn.] I’m so confused about Niki/Jessica/Gina/Tracy that I’m not sure whether she has freezing powers or if Katt’s character can freeze himself and shatter at will as an escape mechanism. Kind of like a lizard dropping its tail.

What are your thoughts? I’ve warned people who haven’t seen it to look away, so spoil away in the comments.

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