HEROES: "How To Stop An Exploding Man" *~* SEASON ONE FINALE *~*

The Season Finale of HEROES is upon us! Will they resolve a lot of issues, or will they leave us desperately wanting more? Well…the good news is that the season ended well and answered a couple of question. But the bad news is that there are yet a lot of questions to be answered - mainly speculations, but still questions nonetheless.

The episode started out with a flashback into previous episodes and then it moved into last week’s showdown among Nikki, DL, and Linderman. Nikki got DL to get to his feet, and together they walked through the wall to escape Linderman’s security.

Next we moved back to the scene with Bennet pointing his gun at Molly, and Mohinder pointing his gun at Bennet. Bennet tells Mohinder that he must keep people safe, especially his daughter Claire, and the only way to do that is to shoot Molly. While Mohinder and Bennet verbally fight over the issue, Molly goes down on the floor and sees Matt Parkman. She recognizes him as the cop that found her when her parents were killed by Sylar. Matt gets up off the floor and then tells everyone that no one is to hurt Molly.

The scene then changes back to Hiro, who is frantic to find his friend. His father tells him that going after Ando is no longer his concern, because he must complete his mission. Hiro says that he cannot abandon his friend, and Hiro’s father hands Hiro the sword with a look of understanding.

Sylar is once again in Isaac Mendez’s apartment, painting the future. In his newest painting, which he uses some of his powers to complete, he sees that there will be a showdown between him and Peter Petrelli.

At Nathan Petrelli’s office, Nathan has a talk with his mother about the murder of Linderman and the mission that still needs to be carried out. She reminds him that the plan was not Linderman’s alone, and the explosion will still happen. Nathan says, “This changes nothing.”

DL talks to Nikki about being strong enough to find Micah on her own. He tells her that she has always been the strong one. She then leave DL to find her son.

Mohinder and Mr. Bennet drag the body of Thompson, Bennet’s Boss, into the room so that the guards will not find it. While they stash the body, Bennet explains to Mohinder that his company is corrupted and the only thing important to him now is to protect his family. Mohinder explains to Bennet that Molly means a lot to him because he saved her with his antibodies. Parkman calls out for the help of Mohinder, and then Mr. Bennet’s phone rings. He answers it to the voice of his daughter. Claire tells him that Ted Sprague is dead by the hands of Sylar and that they are still in New York. Claire then hands the phone to Peter, and Mr. Bennet tells Peter that he is the only one who can stop Sylar. Peter asks how they will find him, and Bennet says that they have a tracking system and will let him know where he is. Bennet tells Peter to stay close to Claire’s phone so they can contact him with the location of Sylar, and then he tells Peter to keep Claire safe no matter what.

Peter drives to a parking lot to meet with his brother, but Claire argues with Peter about Nathan’s loyalty. She tells him that he can’t be trusted, but Peter tells her that he needs his brother to help him because he is afraid. In her mind, which Peter hears, Claire says that Peter lied to her when she trusted him. Peter gets out of the car and walks over to talk with Nathan about the stopping of the bomb. While they talk, Claire gets out of the car and leaves, but she is soon caught by her grandmother. Nathan tells Peter that he will be fine because he can regenerate and survive. But Peter hears a different story in Nathan’s thoughts about there being no way to stop the bomb, everyone will die. Peter realizes that Claire was right about his brother and he goes in search of her. Out in the street, his hands light up with radioactive power, and he says, “No, no, this can’t be happening,” and then he falls to the ground unconscious.

Mohinder gives Molly more of his antibodies, and then she awakens to tell them that she can find Sylar. Parkman asks her how she does it, and she says that she can find people by thinking about them. Parkman then states that she can find anyone just by thinking about them, but she contradicts him when she explains that there is one person she can’t find. She says that he is a lot worse than Sylar, and when she thinks about him, he can see her. Bennet urges Molly to focus on Sylar, and with the use of a world map, she points to the place where Isaac Mendez’s apartment is. Bennet steps out of the room and calls Claire’s phone. Claire’s grandmother answers it and tells Bennet that Claire is safe with her real family now and that she will be taken out of the city. Bennet asks to say goodbye to Claire. He tells Claire to stay with Nathan and his mother and to get out of the city. He also asks where Peter is, but she says that she doesn’t know. She then asks if Bennet has a plan, and he says that he does.

After saying goodbye Bennet says that they need to find Peter Petrelli, but Matt Parkman says that he is going after Sylar because he is a cop and Sylar is a bad man that needs to be stopped. Bennet tries to stop him, but Parkman leaves anyway.

Peter, who lies unconscious in the street, awakens in his mind to a dream about Simone’s father, Charles, and the first time he was called over there to care for him. Peter watches as himself and Simone talk about Peter’s job. Simone calls Peter a hero for taking care of the people who are dying, but Peter says that her father is the real hero. After the past Peter leaves the room with Simone, Peter listens in to the conversation that his mother is having with Charles. They talk of Linderman and his plans for Nathan Petrelli and a bomb. Charles says that Linderman has been wrong before, and he thinks that Linderman is betting on the wrong brother. He says that while Nathan is strong, Peter has the capacity to love unconditionally, and that is what the world needs most. Peter’s mother says that Peter is weak, the bomb will go off, and Nathan is who the world will turn to. Charles says that he believes that the tragedy is not inevitable. Peter’s mother says that one of them will be wrong, and one of them won’t. She then says he is in her prayers and leaves. Charles then looks up to where Peter stands and says that he knows he’s there. Peter stares at him in shock.

At Isaac’s apartment, Ando enters with a sword and he looks around for Sylar. Ando comes across the painting that Sylar did of the showdown between himself and Peter. Sylar then enters and throws Ando across the room and into the wall. He holds him up there with his telekinesis power while he looks at the comic book that Ando dropped. He notices the last page and sees Isaac’s drawing of Hiro stabbing himself. Sylar looks at Ando and tells him how silly it is that Isaac thought he would die so simply. He says that Hiro is a coward, and he asks Ando for the whereabouts of Peter Petrelli, but Ando says he does not know. Sylar starts to hurt Ando, but then Hiro enters and grabs Ando’s sword. Sylar faces Hiro and says that all he has to do is stop time before he cuts off his friend’s head. He then asks, “Do you think you can do your little trick before I can do mine?” Hiro then disappears, and while Sylar stares on stunned, Hiro reappears by Ando and they both escape.

Nikki runs around on the 42nd floor of the Kirby Plaza building looking for Micah. She enters a room and comes face-to-face with Jessica. Jessica shows her Micah’s lifeless body and tells her that it is all her fault because she wasn’t strong enough. Jessica then kicks Nikki in the face and laughs at her pain.

Again at Isaac’s apartment, Parkman enters the room with his gun drawn and looks around at all of the paintings. He sees the showdown painting that says Kirby Plaza on it, and he leaves to find Sylar.

Mohinder and Molly pack up their things to leave the building, and Molly says that Sylar isn’t on his way, but he is already there.

Nathan, his mother, and Claire go to Nathan’s office to pick up some paperwork before they leave on a helicopter due to arrive in ten minutes. Claire turns to her biological father and asks him how he can just stand by and watch as people get killed, as his own brother blows up. She says that the future is NOT written in stone, and she asks how he can live with himself for making Peter responsible for the deaths of millions of people. Nathan and his mother then tell Claire that they are offering her a place to belong, a family. Claire says, “I already have a family,” and she jumps out the window, crashing down onto the pavement below. She regenerates herself and then walks away. Nathan looks down on her, and his mother tells him that she knows what he is thinking and he needs to let her go. Nathan continues to gaze after Claire with an uncertain expression etched upon his face.

Nikki and Jessica have it out on the 42nd floor of the Kirby Plaza building. Jessica punches Nikki until she crashes into a mirror and the glass breaks around her. Looking into the glass, Nikki sees Jessica. Jessica tells her that that lady is not her and she needs to get up and find Micah. Nikki says that she is not strong enough, but Jessica tells her that she is. Nikki gets up and punches the fake Jessica, and the fake Jessica falls down. As she lays there on the floor, the illusion passes and Micah’s body disappears. Nikki then hears the sound of her son’s voice, and she opens a closet door to find him. Micah asks her if it is really her, and she says that it really is.

Mohinder and Molly leave their room and walk along the halls. They come across DL, who is sitting up against the wall seeming to be unconscious. Mohinder goes to his side to help, and Molly goes to the door to look out for guards.

Back in Japan, Hiro and Ando appear in their old office. Hiro tells Ando that he must finish his mission alone, and Ando smiles in understanding. Ando says that he is now a hero like in all of his favorite stories. Hiro hands Ando the Kensai sword and says that it is not the sword that matters, but the man. Hiro tells him that the sword is so that Ando will know he will be back. Hiro then picks up Ando’s sword and teleports back to New York.

Back in Peter’s dream, he talks with Charles about the bomb and everything that will happen. Charles says that he came there to know the truth so he could save the world. Charles tells him that he has had the power all along and the heart to love unconditionally, and all that really matters is love. Peter is then woken up by Mr. Bennet, who tracked him with the use of Molly. Peter tells Bennet that he needs to leave, but Bennet tells him that he owes him a favor since he saved Claire’s life. Bennet pulls out a gun and says that he will put down Peter himself if it comes to that. Peter thanks Mr. Bennet, and Bennet says, “Call me Noah.” (Finally we know his real name!!!)

Back in the Kirby Plaza building, Nikki and Micah meet up with DL, Mohinder, and Molly. Micah uses his ability to get the elevator to work, and they all get into the elevator as the guards burst in through the door.

Down at the Kirby Plaza, Peter Petrelli and Noah Bennet arrive on the scene, ready to take Sylar out. Sylar sneaks up behind them and throws Bennet across the plaza and into the wall several feet away. Bennet drops the gun and falls down in pain. Sylar looks at Peter and asks, “What took you so long?”

And thus the battle begins…

Sylar lifts his hand up and begins to choke Peter. While Peter tries to breath, Parkman steps in and shoots at Sylar. Sylar stops the bullets in midair and then shoots them back at Parkman, hitting him in the chest. Parkman falls down against a pillar. Mohinder, who has just come out of the building, runs to Parkman’s side. Sylar, who is still choking Peter, uses his other hand to bring to him a parking meter. He uses it to hit Peter, knocking him to the ground, but Nikki stops Sylar by pulling it from his hand and hitting him back with it. Peter gets up then and tells Nikki to go back to her family after Micah calls for her. Peter stands before Sylar and throws several punches at him. Sylar begins to laugh, and Peter looks down at his hands in despair. Once again, his hands light with radioactive power, and Sylar tells him that he is the villain. Hiro Nakamura then appears upon the scene. He draws his sword and comes at Sylar, stabbing him straight through the heart. Peter then calls for Hiro, telling him that he can stop the bomb by killing him. Sylar intervenes, however, and sends Hiro up into the sky, but Hiro teleports himself out of there before he can hit the building behind him. Sylar then lays his head on the ground and seems to die. Peter drops to his knees, trying to stop the power within him from rising. At that moment, Claire arrives. She runs to her father and takes the gun from his hand. With purpose in her stride, she makes her way toward Peter Petrelli. Peter stands to his feet and tells her to shoot him. She starts to cry and asks if there is another way. Nathan Petrelli flies in and lands in front of Claire, telling her that there is another way because the future is not written in stone. Peter tells Nathan that he took his power and he can’t control it, he can’t do anything. Nathan says that he is not leaving him, telling him that there is another way to end this. Peter says that he can’t let his brother die, and Nathan tells Peter that he can’t let everyone else die. Nathan then says, “You saved the cheerleader, so we could save the world.” Peter and Nathan tell each other that they loved on another, and then Nathan takes hold of Peter and flies up into the night sky. The others look on as a bright light bursts forth among the clouds and stars.

Later the ambulances arrive on the scene. Molly runs to Parkman’s side and tells him that he can’t die because he is her hero, but he looks as if he is dying already. Bennet sits by his daughter’s side and tells her that it is time they go home, a place where their family is together. She then asks if he has a plan. He smiles at her. The camera then pans to where Sylar lay only moments ago, but all we see now is a streak of blood leading to a storm drain and down into the sewers. Is he still alive? (The End of Volume One)

(Volume Two) Hiro Nakamura lands in a grassy field. He rises only to be met with what look like Japanese warriors dressed in red. He runs from them, but then another warrior arrives wearing blue and brandishing the sword and the banner of the Kensai. Hiro looks on in amazement. He has arrived just outside Kyoto, Japan in 1671. Just as the first HEROES episode started, Hiro once again looks up into the sky and watches as the moon eclipses the sun.



Well…what an ending to the first season of HEROES, huh? Some people say that this ending was too anticlimactic. We waited all season to see such a great showdown, but we didn’t get much. It would have been nice to see a little more action. Wouldn’t it have been great to see all of the characters use their powers against Sylar in some way? A true showdown! The ending could have used a little more that is for sure. But what about all of the questions they leave us with?

Why couldn’t Claire have just shot Peter Petrelli so that Nathan wouldn’t have to give his life? One theory that I read was that if Claire had shot Peter, he might have exploded. Ted Sprague went into a radioactive fit when Bennet’s Boss fired a gun at him. If Claire shot Peter, being unable to control the power at all, would he have exploded?

Okay…but what about Sylar? Sylar has stopped numerous people in their tracks before, why didn’t he stop Hiro before he could run him through with the sword? That still remains a mystery to me.

And what about Peter Petrelli’s other powers? Why couldn’t he have flown himself out of there? Well…I believe there is a simple answer to that. Peter has never used more than one ability at a time, and even if he did try to fly himself out of there, how are we so sure that he wouldn’t explode while trying to get out of there? Trying to fly could’ve disrupted the radioactive power more and set it off before he could get out of there.

I also read another theory on the entire ending with the bomb. Charles, Simone’s father, said that it is all about love. Love is the most important thing. Nathan gave his life in exchange for millions and in order to save his brother. Wow! What compassion and sacrificial love - No greater love is there than to give one’s life for his friend!!!

But what about the line – “You saved the cheerleader, so we could save the world”? Because Claire was saved by Peter, Sylar was able to be stopped. If Claire had been killed, Sylar would have been able to regenerate himself after Hiro stabbed him. And if Peter had been killed by Sylar from trying to save Claire, the bomb would have gone off anyway because Sylar would have set it off. Either way, saving the cheerleader did save the world. And the “so we could save the world part”? It goes back to what I said earlier about Claire shooting Peter. Claire could’ve set Peter off by firing the gun, so Nathan flew in and took Peter up into the sky to explode, thus saving the world from both Sylar and the bomb.

The only real unanswered questions are: Who is this man that Molly can’t find? Is Sylar really alive or did the man that Molly couldn’t find possibly take him? Is Peter still alive? Is Nathan still alive? (No Body = Assumed Not Dead) Will Matt Parkman live? Where exactly is Hiro Nakamura and what will become of him? All of these questions are sure to be answered when HEROES returns in the fall!

All in all, it was a great Season Finale! I liked it, and I will definitely be back next season! I also can’t wait to buy the first season on DVD! Such a terrific show, but I have to say that the Smallville Season Six Finale was mounds better than the HEROES Season One Finale. Smallville was much more exciting and left us with terrible cliffhangers. Check out my post on the Smallville Season Six Finale to learn more.

Well…until the fall…I'll see you all then...