Save the Cheerleader. Save the World.

I have been meaning to write something meaningful (and long) about Heroes (the new drama on NBC). But I haven’t had a lot of time and my life is really full and weird and ever changing right now. (That’s a story for another day. Rest assured, I’ll catch everyone up in due time.)

Heroes is one of the best TV shows I have seen on the television machine in years. It’s going to lift the bar for primetime television and hopefully play a part in destroying what’s left of reality TV, which I didn’t much like from the get go. (Sorry.) Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, do so. I haven’t been this excited about discussing television since Twin Peaks. (What was Bob anyway?)

Two things I’m not crazy about:

1). The flying guy. He bugs me. Plus, flying? Come on! They could have thought of something better. But, maybe there’s a bigger point that we haven’t seen yet.

2). The cute little shorthaired pixie chick who befriended the (hot) Indian guy. She bugs me greatly. But I think she’s one of the evil people. I think she’s in on it. She still bugs me, however. That could change or they could kill her off.

The rest of it rules. My favorite hero (so far) is the cheerleader. The other blond – with split personalities who can kick the living shit out of anyone – comes in close second.

It seems that all of the insane TV watching paid off the moment I discovered Heroes.

Mihow’s Help Desk

1). For those interested in watching the show, you can download the episodes via iTunes here and I think you can get them from NBC here. It’s well worth it.

2). For those of you who liked the song used in both the first episode of Heroes as well as last night’s, you can download it here. It’s Rogue Wave and the song is called Eyes. (If you’re a fan of The Shins, you’ll probably like that song a lot.)

Also, I just discovered their drummer needs a kidney transplant. Poor feller.

So, let’s talk about Heroes. I want to discuss Heroes.

Update: Part two here. Who is Silar? Is the Cheerleader’s father evil? Is Niki? Discuss

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72 Comments

  1. ooooh i never thought of that regarding the little pixie chick. and i tend to be suspicious to the extreme.

    yes, i love Heroes, and agree completely about reality tv.

    The Japanese guy is my favorite character but I love The Cheerleader the more we get to know her.

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  2. You know, at first my TV junkie/comics nerd friends were sorta iffy on this, but it seems they are liking it more and more with each episode. I do have a massive crush on Greg Grunberg, so I may have to give it a shot.

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  3. It’s an awesome show. So far, I have yet to hear one person (I know) say they don’t like it. Watch it. But watch it from the begining.

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  4. the japanese guy has ruled from the start and last night he has stepped into the next level.

    the cheerleader, is a good character yet she’s to mature at this point….to the point of teetering on disbelief, yet she pulls it off pretty well…(my problem with her is undoubtedly a personal problem.

    ali larter(though extremely hot) is a weak link, yet the alter-ego thing doing your bidding is pretty fun to ponder.

    the scientist, what a bozo….too heavey handed in evolution yet in denial of change. his acting stinks and the writing for him needs to improve.

    the painter could be awesome, but for some reason they chose a link between heroin and his ability? i find this a stretch of stupidity and arbitrary nonscence…..i ask….does he have powers or not?

    the little boy intrigues me

    i think the elvish chick next door to the doctor, like you michele, is in on the doctor’s murder.

    the main character guy and his power to mimic the hero’s powers around him are cool, but he’s a weak link too.

    i love the show!

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  5. (my problem with her is undoubtedly a personal problem.

    Yeah, I normally don’t like it when my rape victims get up off an autopsy table either.

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  6. Also, do you think the father of the cheerleader is this Silas guy? I think that seems too easy.

    (I wonder when the first porn will come out with this premise in mind.)

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  7. “Yeah, I normally don’t like it when my rape victims get up off an autopsy table either.”

    well, i was thinking more on the lines of, her desire to be unnoticed and a normal child, yet filming her attempted self mutilation all while being a cheerleader. all she has to do is ignore her power and be normal, yet she’s acting all grown up in helping people. obviously she’s a “herotype” and wouldn’t be in the show if she quit so you got me there.

    but the question i have is, what does “save the cheerleader, save the world” mean? they have said it in the show, but does the cheerleader need saving? or is it save her from choosing the bad guys versus the good guys? her little redemptive action last night pushes her into the dark side so-to-speak in the wotld of good versus evil. if we allow vengence to rule, are we becoming more able to do anything depending upon what our point of view is? isn’t the idea of right and wrong intended to be a larger than one’s self issue and the action of a vigilante one that should be condemded?

    i don’t know anything however

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  8. I know what you meant, Greg. I totally understand as well. I guess I like the fact that they chose some popular gal to fill this role and not some outcast. We’ll see how that goes.

    Perhaps she’s key somehow? It’s interesting and not that this answers your question but while she is, in fact, super and has this power to heal herself she is unable to do it (all the time) alone. She needed to have the stump removed before she could heal herself. Is that a brain thing? Does this have something to do with the odd brain freezing/brain extracting taking place? I have no idea.

    Does her father know what she is? Is he going to destroy her since he apparently does? Is that who she needs saved from?

    Oh, and I agree with what you said earlier, the little boy is intriguing as well.

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  9. he knows, she wasn’t addopted, her parents were probably killed making her an orphan and he then went through the channels to adopt her….that’s my guess.

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  10. what i meant was she wasn’t adopted in a traditional sense. : )

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  11. My husband knew Pat Spurgeon in Bloomington, and funnily (ironically? strangely?) enough, he is now engaged to our friend Laurenn’s sister Jenna… so thank you for the mention of Pat and Rogue Wave.

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  12. Love this show! It’s nice to be excited about a show again, although it’s hard waiting a week for the next episode. I agree with you about the pixie chick next door; she’s definitely not innocent and is part of it.

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  13. I am with you about the pixie chick, she annoys me to no end! Does she not work? She needs to go away, her storyline is just too weird and empty.

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  14. I don’t get it. She’s always up his ass, has been since he walked into his father’s apartment. And for some reason he immediately trusted her. I guess that’s why the chose that actress? She looks super innocent?

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  15. Love the show! Is the girl’s father really evil or is he setting up an agency to trap siler?

    It seems Siler has all the powers of the group?

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  16. This is definitely the best new show out this year. I had some reservations about it at first but it has really pleasently surprised me.

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  17. LMAO

    To me it looks like Election time gig.

    Bush used to be a cheerleader back in college..

    Save Bush.. Save the fighting world.

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  18. I haven’t enjoyed t.v. this much sinDallas, I was a bit upset that they took Medium off but I’m so over that. As for hot guys the Japanese guy fighting evil in the furture is better than extreem makeover.

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  19. I agree. I thought from the start the pixie girl was on the “evil” side, sent there to find out info. I’m usually not a fan of this type of tv show. But it is a great show i hope it gets even better.

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  20. I agree. I thought from the start the pixie girl was on the “evil” side, sent there to find out info. I’m usually not a fan of this type of tv show. But it is a great show i hope it gets even better. Still, STUDIO 60 is the best new show on.

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  21. My Therories:

    Save the Girl She’s getting depressed and she wants to commit suicide. However, she can’t so she gets hold off a bomb and tries that..She probably gets the bomb from her dads office

    Peter I don’t think Peter absorbs everyones power but he has everyone’s power. Why would the hikaru guy contact him?

    The whole thing

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  22. Hey y’all. If you’re reading this and you have any ideas, is the guy who is working for the Cheerleader’s dad (the guy who erases people’s memories) is he the same guy as the split-personality chick’s missing husband? Tobyjoe and I thought, yes, they were the same (after the cops showed the photo last night). Thoughts?

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  23. the pixie chick is Silas….my prediction.

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  24. interesting dave, maybe the girl’s purpose is to be brain-erased by daddy’s friend and asked to carry a package to NYC and then walk away. daddy’s killed the doctor to prevent the hero’s meeting and prevent their intervening in his little plan? unfortunately that brings up a big question, what would be his purpose in blowing up NYC, maybe he’s not involved at all? we’re so stuck in “save the girl” that we’re not looking past the event.

    the interesting thing i find is that everything the painter paints comes true. Hiro and his friend have been so amazed by the comicbook of their lives that they have NOT tried to prove the book wrong. so i think new york city is a gonner! hence, hiro meets Peter in the subway, otherwise the bombing would have been prevented.

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  25. TWIN PEAKS? Oh man we date ourselves.

    btw Damn fine cup of coffee;

    As far as powers go, the split-personality gal’s husband seems to be able to alter his molecular structure to pass through walls/ hide in them etc. Pretty cool power.

    Now, if two mutants mate and have a child, what are its latent abilities.

    Hand’s down, Hiro is my favorite character. The Trekkie with the ability to warp space and time. He is his own warp core. I wonder how they will handle his transformation from clueless happy hero the the sword-weilding man in black.

    I am hooked

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  26. I changed my mind last night as well. I am no longer totally smitten on the cheerleader.

    The guy who can hear voices is really fascinating for the fact that he will appear completely mad to most and an absolute God to his wife. Interesting. He’ll have to learn how to deal with this. He should watch Wings of Desire. ;]

    The little kid will most certainly play a part. He has to.

    Diane, I love the show.

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  27. hmmmmmmm if the girl with the split personality(ali larter) hooked up with this bad guy and married him, i wonder if it was her normal self who picked him out as a partner/husband, or was the influence of her alter-ego involved. was the mutant gene seeking out something the normal girl didn’t notice. maybe this is how the heros are finding eachother. maybe it’s kind of like “the gathering” in the first Highlander movie. the seredipitous meeting seem too far-fetched at times but i can suspend my disbelief because of this higher power feeling i get from the show…

    but back to her, she thinks her husband is dangerous, but maybe he’s wanted for murder, not because he’s a bad guy, but maybe because he’s trying to protect something as well??? his son maybe, just like the mom is doing….? or….the dad met the mom’s alter-ego and is scared shitless and wants to get his son away from the raging split-personality bitch! hehehe

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  28. Watching last night I kind of thought that Nikki’s split personality WAS the husband. But then, why would he sleep w/ Nathan? My fav character so far is Peter, can’t wait to find out whats going on w/ him. and wait, what little boy?

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  29. Because of this post, I watched the Heroes marathon on Sunday (no Wire! thanks World Series!) and watched last night’s episode. It’s like X-Men meets Twin Peaks and The Watchmen.

    I have to join the chorus of suspicion about the pixie chick, and I think Peter is a empathetic—he has the powers of whoever he is near. I don’t know if I agree with Dave that Claire (the cheerleader) is suicidal, but rather that her father is attempting to kill all of the special people in New York city in one gesture. Although, if he wanted them all dead, why didn’t he kill the cop when he had the chance?

    fun fun fun … it’s always great to discover a new show. it’s like new love. you look for the things that are promising, read into things, and overlook the blemishes and shortcomings. i was at the NBC site today and found myself thinking about heroes as i drove into work. it was the top-rated show last night, and that made me happy :)

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  30. I hope this show helps them recover from the 700+ person firing spree they went on recently.

    I’m glad you liked it! I think about it often as well.

    What more can you ask for in a show? I haven’t seen this many pretty people in one show since Twin Peaks come to think of it.

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  31. Peter the guy who mimics powers is ok. he definatly has the potential to be cool but i dunno, its iffy.
    i think the Black guy married to the split personality chick is a good guy and has the same power as shadow cat from x-men. He has some potential in my mind.
    i also think the painter Isaac will eventually learn his power without using herion, also another kick ass character in my mind.
    But overall i’ve got to say that the japanese guy Hiro has got to be the coolest. He knows from the get go hes gotta do something and save the world and plus his name is Hiro.. as in HERO! i hope everyone caught onto that one. PLUS! did you see his bad ass ninja outfit with the sword when he came back from the future.
    kick ass show overall. IM HOOKED ON IT!!

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  32. I am still trying to figure out how the split mind is going to do any good saving the world i mean sure she can kick sum1’s butt but still idk….and peter i think has everyone’s power bt i wonder still if he has a power of his own…welp this is an excelent show

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  33. I watched last night. I’m in.

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  34. I’m not sure if clair’s dad is a bad guy now. If he was a bad guy why would he let the football player (rapist) off the hook? Anyone got any ideas???????

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  35. Anyone happen to know how far along they are with the actual filming of said series? I often wonder if the entire season has been completed or they leave room for change and film only weeks or months in advance.

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  36. I have been reading that they have commited to 22 more episodes because it has been getting good ratings. after that…who knows? All I know is that it rocks!

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  37. I’ve been hooked on the show ever since my 15 year old son introduced me to it. I would have to say that Hiro is my favorite, though I like him as the innocent rather than as the asskicker that episode five hinted at. Ali Larter’s split personality thing doesn’t really seem like a superpower NOW. What I’m hoping they will do is make it so that she can be in one place and her “other self” be in another. That might be a good twist.

    I have to admit that I’m very curious about the origins of the cheerleader. Her father stated last week that he knows her better than she knows herself, and that he knows she’s special. Does anyone think that perhaps he was part of her creation (as opposed to her conception)?

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  38. Yes, I agree about the Indian dude’s future girlfriend. The Flying guy really doesn’t bother me. Although, the web porn babe storyline bugs me. I hate it; her looking in the mirror and she looking back nodding a knowing nod. It’s lame. She is hot though. Show needs eye candy, so hey, not gonna hurt it, but hey….mirror double?? How the hell is that a super power. F-That….
    TB

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  39. RE:”The cute little shorthaired pixie chick who befriended the (hot) Indian guy.”

    Her super power is that she can control me. (woof!)

    I think she’ll be around until the writers decide if she is of value. I have to say that I like Hiro the best after her. He is the only one who truly embraces his power. It’s a little cliched, but I like the way the future Hiro has a command of english.

    Not many must watches out there, but I’m home every Monday for this one

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  40. Anyone know where the cheerleader lives?

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  41. Check out http://www.nikkistafford.blogspot.com—we’ve got some of our own theories running there for Lost, Heroes, and Veronica Mars.

    You were right – elfwoman is evil – but how could we not know, I mean, she knew how to handle a gun expertly, and not many do. And I agree – Suresh’s character needs a major rewrite. He needs a superpower too – his whole vacillation over Peter’s powers was really annoying. I mean, he’s come THIS far to go back? Makes no sense to me. I totally think Claire’s dad (with the glasses) is a good guy, though. I think he’s trying to get these people to find their power potential, and I think he’s going to help them – or doing it to save Claire or something. But for sure, he’s not Sylar. I mean, he hasn’t harmed anyone yet, except for the jock rapist. And I think Niki and DL are totally going to team up now, and something’s going to happen to Micah.

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  42. Down with pixie girl! She is Suresh’s makeover he’ll prove himself trying to save himself from her and trying to conduct some damage control. he’s the brains and that is his power. I think Clair’s dad is so the bad guy other wise it would be “Keep the cheerleader safe save the world”.

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  43. Karen, It could be that the dad does not know his girl needs saving. Who would? She’s invincible.

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  44. It could also be that he’s not actually trying to hurt her. Or he’s not the he they’re saving her from.

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  45. Ok i’m new to this, came upon it in Google, but to answer all your questions. The Cheerleader needs saving…..you know why? If her head is in anyway incompacitated she will die or not be able to regenerate. Example: when she fell and had the stick in her skull…she did not wake up till it was removed from her head.
    Why the cheerleader….If the cheerleader is the only one that can be able to with stand pain and dismemberment.

    The Step Father of Clair (or as I would call him…Syler) is finding out what and what kind of “Heros” are out there so he can find their weekness to distroy them. In a sence he doing background information before determining what he should do to them.

    Any more questions email me at…hero_questions@yahoo.com

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  46. No one has answered my question. If the cheerleaders dad is suppose to be evil, then why did he erase the memory of the guy who tried to rape her instead of just killing her. That doesn’t too evil to me. Anyone got any ideas????????

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  47. He’s not evil. I think he’s maximizing their power potential. Cleaning them out so their powers get stronger. When rat face girl calls him and is all, oh, we have a precog and an empath, he gets really excited—not freaky or mad.

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  48. Heroes rocks. I watch it every monday, and then my friend and me talk about it at football on tuesday lol.
    But my question is..What does ‘save the cheerleader save the world’ mean? Is it an anagram, something for us to discover later in the show, or something that has nothing to do with the girl.

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  49. OMG.. i have been hooked since the first episode.. i mean i use to think small ville was the best show in the wold til this… and i think the flying guy the way he shoot up like a rocket wa awsome.. he is the new super man..lol.. but i would have to say that Hiro is deff my fav.. and i knew that pixie girl was bad news.. she just seemed to sweet and nice… and who is it that is after the cheer leader whos shadow is that.. that is what iwant to know.. we need that other painting dang it…

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  50. I think the best heroe is the time stopper. Just imagine the things you could do.

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  51. More here, folks

    Talking about the recent episode, etc.

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  52. Ok who wants to fill me in? I think I’ve seen every episode except maybe the 2nd one? Who’s this Silar guy that the cop who can hear thoughts & the FBI chick are trying find? Is it the guy who can burn people with his hands? Also what’s the deal with the Cheerleader’s (who I might add is one tasty little morsel) father? I think I missed his 1st introduction onto the show

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  53. Sylar is still unknown. The cop heard the thoughts of a little girl who was hiding in a house where a murder had just taken place. He was able to find her that way. They believe that Sylar was behind the murder of the people in the house. They are still trying to find him/her/it.

    Some folks think the guy burning people it Sylar. I do not. But who knows.

    The father of the cheerleader seems to play a major role in next week’s episode where we might figure out if he is indeed evil. For now, they are leaving that kind of fuzzy.

    I think that’s it. Let me know if you have any other questions. I’ll do my best to answer them. :]

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  54. omg! i love this show!!! and i can totally see what ur saying about the pixie chick, she bugs me too.

    i dont have a favorite charcter…..the japanese dude is pretty awesome, but i also love the cheerleader……but if i could have any of their powers, i think i’d wanna be able to read peoples minds……

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  55. Realty dies?
    Top Chef and Projevt Runway are about real humans trying to acheive greatness. Why do you need to attack other shows to make your show better. I love heroes, but also love TC and PR.

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  56. With all due respect, Edward, I didn’t attack any specific reality TV show. In general, however, it’s just not my cup of tea. To each their own, you know?

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  57. I like the cheerleader. I like Hiro. I think I like Peter the best but that’s only if he ends up not havng to be around the others for his powers to work. The whole thing With Micah all of a sudden having skills with machines threw me. It was also cool that he could tell the differene between Nikki and her alter ego (Jessica?). Cheerleaders dad is probably really concerned, but his meddeling may cause all the trouble.

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  58. You guys are so smart! Now I feel sorry for doubting the cheerleaders dad, he loves her. Now I wonder…..are all of the people with powers really heroes? I can’t help but think that now that we’ve bought into several of the characters some of them are on the dark side case in point, Nikki’s character I think that she’s a bad “gal”.

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  59. ok, the thing is Peter Petrelli’s special ability is to assume the ability of anyone he touches. His brother Nathan is the one who can fly, Peter can only fly when he has touched Nathan.

    Look at how he painted the picture like Isaac without using drugs.

    Micah can make any electronic device work. His father can walk through walls.

    Claire’s fathers only concern is that she has powers and needs to stay alive so he can study her further.

    The nuclear dude could possibly be the cause of the nuclear disaster that happens in New York. The event that brought Hiro to the states.

    The pixie haired girls power is that of persuasion. She convinced Isaac to go off drugs and then turned around at Claire’s dad’s demand and talked him into using again.

    Mohinde can see things in dreams.

    We know there is a Jamaican that can erase your mind.

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  60. The pixie haired chick has the ability to influence people or perception, hence the ability to get Mohinde to trust her.

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  61. Anyone notice that there are two different types of marks? The dual personality girl has one kind of mark, while the policeman and the nuclear dude have another? I’ve been wondering if one set of powers is marked for evil, while the other set is marked for good?

    Also, people keep calling the child with Mohinder a boy. Doesn’t anyone else realize that the child IS Mohinder’s sister?

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  62. One more thing – who was wearing that watch? The person who killed Mohinder’s father is white, and was wearing a watch. I was trying to figure out who it was. I originally thought it was the cheerleader’s father, but I’m with others in now wondering if he is maybe good instead of evil.

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  63. I hope Peter is not dead! Do you think he assumed the cheerleader’s powers and will come back to us?

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  64. I hope Peter is not dead! Do you think he assumed the cheerleader’s powers and will come back to us?

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  65. Yeah!!!! He’s back!!

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  66. haha! Karen, you’re funny.

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  67. Mihow, do you know what’s really funny? I am a 36 year old, mother of one, and a school teacher. I have shut Mondays down so that I can watch Heroes. What has become of me? I was trying to explain this entire thing to my mom; it turned in to a 30min. conversation about “What’s a blog?”. I don’t know but I’m loven it.

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  68. Is anyone out there i’ve been checking and I haven’t seen any of you. Tonight as great, it left me with so many more questions.

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  69. Karen, last night’s episode was incredible and, yes, I am left with more questions as well. But that’s how they get us to come back in more than a month! Also, people are leaving comments on a few of the other posts made about Heroes.

    See here. It’s the latest one.

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  70. I love Heros!! especially Hiro Knackomora. Asians are so weird it’s funny! Although that face he makes makes him look constipated, and the cheer leader is also cool. if I can have any of their powers, I would want to read peoples mind.
    !!!!!!!!!! I’M THE NUMBA ONE FAN OF HEROS!!!!!!!!!!

    and Peter Petrellie is HOT!!

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  71. I love Hero’s w/ a hot, hot passion!!
    Peter Petrellie is damn sexy!!!!!!

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