Heroes 1.21: "The Hard Part"

Written by Aron Eli Coleite
Directed by John Badham

As “Heroes” continues to wrap up its first season on a creative high note, overcoming many of its inherent flaws, the ratings continue to drop. This is ironic, especially after all talk about how “Heroes” had managed to overcome the problems encountered by “Lost”. While “Heroes” is designed to wrap up the major plot points each season, it still faces the problem that every serialized show must face: the difficulty of picking up new viewers when they think it’s too late to join the party, no matter the positive buzz.

The episode begins with several characters contemplating how they’re supposed to save the world. It’s a pretty good question, and sharing information is the only way to get answers. Both sides have their methods, of course, and both sides have the issue of interpretation. Sylar’s path to answers is revelatory, particularly in terms of his motivations and fears.

Most of those answers come in the form of history, particularly more and more information about the previous generation and how their decisions and actions led to the current crisis. Linderman had his complex plan, including DL, Niki, Jessica, and Micah which is a nice way to tie them into the central story.

Mohinder discovers the connection between his father’s research and The Company, which is a bit more than Mohinder (or anyone else) had reason to suspect. This leads him to help the Company work with Molly, who appears to be critical on a number of levels. The memory of his sister must make him wonder if his difficult relationship with his father originated with his apparent lack of an ability.

Another aspect is the ongoing struggle between Mrs. Petrelli, her plans, Nathan’s ambitions, and Peter’s determination to save New York. The interplay between Nathan/Thompson and Peter/Claire is particularly well done. I particularly enjoyed the parallel justifications for mutually exclusive actions. Mrs. Petrelli’s plan to take Claire to Paris now takes on a very different context (if that was, in fact, Mrs. Petrelli and not Candice).

Finally, there’s Sylar and his mother, which is quite the surprise. In a few short moments, it’s possible to feel some degree of sympathy for Sylar. His desire for a purpose and destiny makes a lot more sense in light of his upbringing. Sylar is a man at war with himself, trapped between a need to please his mother and resentment over her expectations.

In the end, the characters all move into position for the season finale. That positioning makes this more of a transitional piece, but there’s nothing wrong with that, as any serialized tale requires. Every good book has the relative calm before the storm, and to a certain extent, that’s what this episode represents.

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

Final Rating: 8/10