Heroes 1.13: "The Fix"

Written by Natalie Chaidez
Directed by Terrence O’Hara

As the second half of the season marches on, more and more connections emerge. Mohinder points out the important of Peter right at the top of the hour: his particular ability holds the promise of understanding those with superhuman abilities. Presumably, Peter’s genetics shift (by some impossible process) to allow the abilities that have been absorbed to express themselves. That would explain his lack of control, but it also presents the opportunity, under controlled conditions, how different abilities work. All it would take is someone with the ability to see biology in a certain way, which makes Mohinder’s search all the more important.

Of course, Peter has little desire to be a lab rat, and with Claude willing to teach him and thing or two, that adds a serious complication. For one thing, there’s no assurance that Peter is in better hands with Claude, even if it gives him the impression of free will. While Nathan’s threats don’t help, Mohinder may have better resources in the long run for preventing Peter from his future meltdown.

Claire’s decision to recruit Zach to help dig up dirt on her father is ill-advised at best, especially since she knows that his life could be in danger if his “re-education” is discovered. That said, from her point of view, he’s someone she can trust. It may not have occurred to her that his personality might be different now that his memory has been adjusted.

Claire also gets more information about her birth parents. Her father is still alive, but her mother is supposedly dead. The circumstances make it sound like Mr. Bennett might have had something to do with the elaborate coverup, which would fit his overall pattern. Whatever the case, with just a scrap of information, Claire manages to get a name, something she can pursue, and she takes the first step towards contact.

Matt continues to find himself in something of a corner. His career is completely falling apart, his wife doesn’t really know how to react to his new ability, and his plans will probably only lead to more ruin. Even with his ability, he can’t fix everything, and the frustration is clearly rising. The news about his baby, however, should force the issue. Either he will become more focused, or he will be pushed into further desperation.

Hiro and Ando continue to run into improbable adventures, complete with the usual brand of humor unique to Hiro’s plot thread. Hiro continues to be the philosophical side of the series, delving into what it means to be a hero. Offered the chance to give up the game and lead a relatively normal life, he stands firm. It’s nothing new for his character, but his positive attitude is endearing. Of course, that attitude is likely to be tested by the arrival of his father, who is less than pleased!

For the first time, Niki is offered something of a solution to her Jessica problem. Of course, it’s not certain to work, because it’s not the normal multiple personality situation. However, it’s a lot more to the situation, thanks to the superhuman abilities exhibited by Jessica, so Niki is right to be wary. Still, this is the most likely road to control over Jessica and her power, and despite DL’s offer of escape, Niki knows where she can get the most help. Jessica, of course, has a rather different take on the situation, which ought to be fun.

Despite all the precautions, Sylar manages to feign death and escape his captivity. One would think that Mr. Bennett, with all his experience with the superhumans, would put some additional precautions and protocols in place. Then again, he’s made a number of mistakes, usually by underestimating the will of others.

When all is said and done, this is essentially a transitional episode, building off of the “mid-season premiere” format of the previous episode and leading into some of the larger events sure to come with February sweeps. Some may be tempted to call it “filler”, but clearly, advancing all of the plot threads is a necessary part of any tight arc structure, and episodes like this are the pleasant result.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10