Chapter 23 - "How To Stop An Exploding Man" - Discussion Thread 5/21/07

[Abaddon]

You didn't answer my question though.

 

[3 Dev Adam]

You didn't answer my question though.

You want an answer?
Okay: I hated the entire episode.

 

[Abaddon]

I don't believe that. Maybe you should rewatch it.

 

[imdaly]

I have to agree with the overall sentiment of this episode.

I wanted to love it, but man, was it disappointing.

I thought the same thing when Nathan flew in and responded to what Peter and Claire were saying: "Wow. Nathan has super-hearing, too?"

I was hoping for a fight against Sylar where it took every one of our heroes using their powers to take him down, much like what we saw at the end of "Fantastic Four"...take out any one hero, and Sylar would've won. But instead, we see Nikki whack Sylar with a pole, Peter just beat him down, and Hiro simply running up to him and stabbing him. Really hardly any teamwork going on at all.

The biggest disappointment for me was that the episode basically went exactly the way I guessed it would way back since the early part of the season: Nathan would ride that fence of good and bad, thinking "what can a guy who can fly do to help the world?", and at the last minute, he'd jump in, grab Peter, and fly him up into the air where Peter can explode safely without killing any civilians.

This honestly is probably one of the only episodes where I wasn't absolutely floored by some brilliant plot-twist.


Also, I didn't like that Isaac's NYC-exploding painting didn't come true. I loved the idea that whatever was painted of the future ALWAYS came to pass, just not always in the way we assumed it would be.

For example, there was a painting of a blonde cheerleader laying on the ground dead with her head cut off, and we assumed it was Claire, when it actually was that other cheerleader. Claire was saved, but the picture still came true.

Another example is the painting of Hiro and the dinosaur. No Hiro didn't face an actual dinosaur, but the painting still came true when Hiro made the pose in front of the dinosaur in the museum. Again, the painting came true, just not how we expected it to.

But this is the FIRST time the painting has not come true, and that disappoints me. I think it would've been MUCH more interesting had the producers actually allowed NYC to blow up in the end.

I hoped we would see everyone get together and fight against Sylar, and when that was all done, have Peter start losing control. Hiro knows that the bomb is going to go off now, so using all the power he has, he tries something he's never tried before...and he teleports EVERYONE in the blast range of Peter to someplace safe. This would allow for the painting of NYC exploding to come true, but still save all those lives, and also set up for a very interesting rest-of-the-series where the world is dealing with the aftermath of NYC being completely leveled.


Oh well. But yeah, I was sorely disappointed by this finale, and I have to say that, even though I still absolutely love this series to death, and even though I will be there to watch Season 2 as soon as it begins, the "cliffhanger" to this season has done nothing to make me want Season 2 to start NOW. I'm completely fine with waiting 3 months until the next episode...and I think that's very unfortunate.

 

[Tyrinus]

Whose to say NY still won't explode sometime in the future? Just because it didn't happen this time doesn't mean it won't somewhere down the road making Isaac's painting just as accurate.

Seems to me like everyone who disliked the episode hyped it up, and only sees the black and white of it.

 

[Katsuro]

I mean, the writers REALLY dropped the ball here.
Hiro teleports himself after he gets thrown by Sylar.....hmmmm.....how about teleporting back?

He dind't have time to react, and in a panic teleported himself hundreds of years into the past. We dont know why he couldn't arrive back at the final fight afterwards, but I guess we'll find out season 2.

Nikki takes a swing at Sylar, hurting him, Peter says, "I've got it", and then proceeds to get HIS ass kicked by Sylar...ooookay.

You probably should've paid attention to the episode. Once Nikki stepped out, Peter kicked the crap out of Sylar. A few super-punches to the face and he was down. Peter went nuclear right after that.

Nathan flies in and then takes his brother away and they both die.......when someone could've just shot Peter there and stopped him without another death.

Peter would've died. This wouldn't be some tiny peice of glass in his skull, it's his brains scattered across the pavement. I wouldn't guess he could heal from that, so therefore it's logical that the characters would make the same assumption.

And your idea for an ending sucked, sorry to say. It may have provided some cheap thrills due to action, but it would've lacked the emotional punch of what we got. That final moment between the Petrelli brothers was perfect. This whole season was their story, so it makes sense to end on that. Nathan redeeming himself and finally being a hero, with the entire cast standing and watching as the two rocket off into the sky. Beautiful.

 

[Neptune]

After re-watching that part, nothing was moving during those couple of seconds but Hiro, he very well could have frozen time.

And as for the images in his eye, it's definitely hard to make them out, screen caps would be nice. What I can make out though is a woman(i think it's his mother), a guy with blood running down his forehead(I would assume Ted), Peter starting to glow, and then Sylar on the ground in that exact position.
I think those were the last of the future events he saw. And he had an odd smile on his face, like he knew what was up.(which technically he does since he can see the future)

I think Sylar saw all the people he killed.

 

[Mysterio]

Really hardly any teamwork going on at all.

well...they aren't a team. they're people who are all connected by individual and collective destinies, but they aren't a team. and yet...there was teamwork. Peter...Bennet...Parkman...Nikki...Hiro...Claire

The biggest disappointment for me was that the episode basically went exactly the way I guessed it would way back since the early part of the season: Nathan would ride that fence of good and bad, thinking "what can a guy who can fly do to help the world?", and at the last minute, he'd jump in, grab Peter, and fly him up into the air where Peter can explode safely without killing any civilians.

they gave us the answer when Peter first had his dream. Nathan told Peter that he was there to help.

Also, I didn't like that Isaac's NYC-exploding painting didn't come true. I loved the idea that whatever was painted of the future ALWAYS came to pass, just not always in the way we assumed it would be.

most of the Heroes that knew of the bomb were trying to change the future, even Isaac. that's pretty much been the major plot of the season: stopping the bomb and stopping NY from being leveled.

Hiro knows that the bomb is going to go off now, so using all the power he has, he tries something he's never tried before...and he teleports EVERYONE in the blast range of Peter to someplace safe. This would allow for the painting of NYC exploding to come true, but still save all those lives, and also set up for a very interesting rest-of-the-series where the world is dealing with the aftermath of NYC being completely leveled.

that makes no sense. we've seen how people's abilities extend: through contact. Hiro teleports Ando by touch (and Peter does the same in the future), DL phases Nikki by touch, etc. If Hiro teleported an entire city, then that becomes a deus ex machina and completely undermines everything that has been developed in the show. that would be even more unreasonable than what was actually written.

 

[Neptune]

By the way, where was Claude during all this? Wasn't he laughing at Peter in Peter's vision? Surely that meant something.

 

[The Question]

Your disagreeing won't change the FACT: this episode was lame, a total stinker, a dud, an anticlimax, bad all over.

It was HEROES' "Spock's Brain".

In the future, when people look back, they'll say "geez, that HEROES series was fine, but the 1st season ending was the worst ending EVER".

That's not explaining why you didn't like it. That's simply reinforcing the fact that you did dislike it.

 

[3 Dev Adam]

That's not explaining why you didn't like it. That's simply reinforcing the fact that you did dislike it.

I don't need to explain why I hated it. I just hated. You don't explain why a piece of **** is stinky. It just stinks.

 

[Kaizer]

Peter would've died. This wouldn't be some tiny peice of glass in his skull, it's his brains scattered across the pavement. I wouldn't guess he could heal from that, so therefore it's logical that the characters would make the same assumption.

but regenerating after exploding makes more sense?

 

[Leto]

but regenerating after exploding makes more sense?

It's still unclear if he's actually physically exploding. Just like Ted he was shooting out a whole lot of energy, but wasn't actually harmed by it. Calling it "exploding" is just the best way to express what he's doing.

 

[gambitfire]

I'm just really disappointed in the way the writers handled some aspects of the last few episodes of the season. Just the way the writers keep on forgetting these heroes have certain powers.

Like many of you have said, it was very anticlimatic.

From the way the writers have written these characters, THIS is how it should have gone:

Nikki and Claire try to take down Sylar, they fail.

Peter comes unto the scene, he fights Sylar but Sylar finally takes him down. Sylar, now very weak, isn't strong enough dodge the multiple swipes by Hiro and eventually stop Hiro from slowing down time and giving him a fatal stab.

Now, Peter is too weak to control his nuclear powers, so Hiro teleports him somewhere he can explode safetly, OR Claire shoots him.


I mean, the writers REALLY dropped the ball here.
Hiro teleports himself after he gets thrown by Sylar.....hmmmm.....how about teleporting back?
Nikki takes a swing at Sylar, hurting him, Peter says, "I've got it", and then proceeds to get HIS ass kicked by Sylar...ooookay.
Nathan flies in and then takes his brother away and they both die.......when someone could've just shot Peter there and stopped him without another death.


Just a huge let down and don't get me started on the 17th century scene.

Do us all a favor, don't become a writer.

I'm sure this would of made an excellent end to Nathan's story arc... oh wait you didn't include him...

Your disagreeing won't change the FACT: this episode was lame, a total stinker, a dud, an anticlimax, bad all over.

It was HEROES' "Spock's Brain".

In the future, when people look back, they'll say "geez, that HEROES series was fine, but the 1st season ending was the worst ending EVER".

That's not Fact that's your opinion...

I don't need to explain why I hated it. I just hated. You don't explain why a piece of **** is stinky. It just stinks.

Except **** is un arguably stinky in this case ppl actually like the episode.

Perhaps if you could actually back up why you disliked it you might just be taken seriously.

 

[The Question]

I don't need to explain why I hated it. I just hated. You don't explain why a piece of **** is stinky. It just stinks.

Well, when you berate my opinion and say that there's nothing to argue about and you're automatically right, and I've already explained my point of veiw, then you damn well better explain why you disliked the episode. Otherwise it sounds like you're arguement is complete ****e and you know it, so you opt to simply state your opinion as fact and declare yourself winnder of the debate.

 

[Morg]

Hmm, they re-air the final. Didn't noticed the manhole cover was moved, sylar somehow escaped?

 

[imdaly]

Hmm, they re-air the final. Didn't noticed the manhole cover was moved, sylar somehow escaped?

or he was dragged. But yes.


What was funny about that was when we saw the trail of blood leading to an open manhole cover, one of my friends said "Hey, I didn't know this was TMNT!"

And then two seconds later we saw Hiro land in Feudal Japan, and I quipped "Apparently it's TMNT 3!"

 

[gambitfire]

^.... *giggles* ... *giggles some more*

 

[3 Dev Adam]

or he was dragged. But yes.


What was funny about that was when we saw the trail of blood leading to an open manhole cover, one of my friends said "Hey, I didn't know this was TMNT!"

And then two seconds later we saw Hiro land in Feudal Japan, and I quipped "Apparently it's TMNT 3!"

LOL.

 

[Sebastos]

What I was implying was that he may very well have frozen time at that instance.

Yeah, I know what you meant.

 

[Tyrinus]

^Ah, ok.

Well if the visions were of all the people he killed, and his image was the last...does that indeed imply he let himself be stabbed? hmmmm

 

[Sebastos]

^Ah, ok.

Well if the visions were of all the people he killed, and his image was the last...does that indeed imply he let himself be stabbed? hmmmm

Maybe, cause maybe he knew he'd survive it?

 

[IAmHe9]

I've read several posts here where people dismiss the possibility of certain characters having certain powers because it's too close to another characters powers, but aren't there thousands, possibly millions of people with abilities out there? Didn't Claude speak about 'empaths' as if he had met them before?

 

[IAmHe9]

^Ah, ok.

Well if the visions were of all the people he killed, and his image was the last...does that indeed imply he let himself be stabbed? hmmmm

I don't know about you, but even if I knew I would survive, I would prefer to stop a sword from going through my torso (considering that I had telekinesis, cryokinesis, and molecular manipulation at my disposal).

 

[Abaddon]

We still don't even who Claude was protecting.