Heroes: Season 2, Episode 9 Review: Cautionary Tales

Cautionary Tales
Original Airdate: November 19, 2007
Writer: Joe Pokaski
Director: Greg Yaitanes

While the last episode was a major step back from the advances of its predecessor, this episode is a step in the right direction. Focusing on the plots that work is a major reason for that, bringing the show closer towards season one glory. Although the episode started off slowly with some out of character moments, the conclusion more than made up for it.

With the last two paintings fulfilled, this episode effectively ends that plotline. It is somewhat disappointing that the paintings failed to have some connecting theme between them, but the build up to the final painting coming into fruition was rather compelling. Of course, since the picture’s image happened, there had to be more to it than that. To show us what would happen six episodes ago and have it play out with no twist would be anticlimactic at best.

Bennet’s adamancy towards preventing picture eight creates the conditions that make the event happen. One of his defining traits his love for his daughter and his willingness to do anything to protect her from The Company. His original plan to bring down The Company from within was shot down when Mohinder became compromised. All that added to the fact that The Company wants to get Claire to cure Niki and things are bound to end badly.

Regardless, Bennet being tough is always a lot of fun, similar to Jack Bristow on “Alias” whenever Sydney got in trouble. Dousing Elle and keeping her feet in Mr. Muggles’ dog bath was a blast to watch, although one wonders why he didn’t use metal handcuffs to keep her from doing anything funny (as she did) during the exchange.

The bond between father and daughter is a major theme of the episode, as the actions of Bennet and Bob run parallel. Unlike Bennet, Bob brought Elle to The Company as soon as she manifested, subjecting her to living in a sterile environment with no friends, creating the perfect environment for her sociopathic nature to develop. During Elle’s torture/interrogation, she becomes aware of that, which may make for some interesting events down the road.

Killing off Bennet would be a major mistake, so thankfully Claire’s blood was available to bring him back. Considering Bob took some of Claire’s blood before the exchange, it could explain that “killing” Bennet and taking him with them was a part of their plan. What they need him for isn’t clear, but may be tied to the virus or Adam. How they’ll get him to cooperate will likely be tricky.

Like many, I’ve been heavily critical towards West. He’s continually come off as a creepy sociopath, making Claire’s attraction a bit bewildering and out of character. His relationship with her was to drive a wedge between her and her father, which is hard to believe considering what he did for her last season. Residuals from this are still here in the episode, as Claire telling her father she hated him just doesn’t fit. However, this episode shows West doing a 180 and despite the drastic change, it’s hardly one to look down upon. For once he’s not saying something foreshadowing an evil path, but thinking about saving Claire because he cares about her.

Much like he did in “Seven Minutes to Midnight”, Hiro tries to travel back to save someone he cares about. He learns again that he can’t change the past (which apparently only applies to present time traveling to the past rather than future to present), but this subplot had a bigger purpose than reinforcing that lesson. It was a proper send off for Kaito and gave Hiro a chance to say goodbye. But the most important part was Kaito’s last lesson to Hiro: Hiro’s power doesn’t give him the right to play God.

The reveal of Adam being the hooded killer isn’t a big surprise considering how many times I mentioned it in previous reviews. He had the motivation and method of leaving before Ando could find another body. One would hope what this reveal lacks in surprise is made up with the Hiro/Ando showdown.

A sidenote: wouldn’t Hiro meeting his 7-year-old self potentially cause a rift in the space-time continuum? They’ve made a point of keeping a distance from the main funeral ceremony so 1990 Kaito wouldn’t see his 2007 counterpart, but somehow Hiro meeting Young Hiro doesn’t collapse history.

As seen with other super powered beings in various media, the path to villainy is as easy as using their powers to make life more convenient rather than for the greater good. Even Linderman, whose powers gave him a selfless gift, used it to coerce others to following his plans. Adam is certainly one as well. With his cells’ ability to regenerate rapidly, he no longer ages. As far as he’s concerned, he’s immortal. Instead of using his talents for good, as Claire has rescuing the man from the burning train or subduing Ted before he went nuclear, Adam uses his healing ability for his own ego and gaining followers to his philosophy. That would explain why The Company is adamant towards neutering those with powers.

With that, the major question comes to how he can be defeated, assuming he doesn’t redeem himself. The first would be to dismember him and separate the parts. That version is particularly gruesome (fitting the graphic violence “Heroes” has shown previously), but may work assuming Tim Kring’s version of the powers would prevent the parts from becoming clones of Adam. The other would be to incapacitate him somehow that, while he would still be alive, could never free himself, like being frozen or pinned under a pile of rubble (like Sloane on Anders’ previous show “Alias”). There is also the virus, which may block his healing ability as some theorize it can do.

Speaking of pushing boundaries regarding the use of their powers, Matt is starting to go down the slippery slope of turning into his father. Since he started tracking his father, he learned that there was more to his ability than mind reading. It starts by getting Molly to finish her breakfast and getting more time to question Mrs. Petrelli, but quickly accelerates when he forces her hand to tell him what she knows, possibly opening major problems he can’t handle.

The Group of 12 has dealt with “selling [their] souls for [Matt’s] generation” in a variety of ways, from continuing their work to helping the next generation right the wrongs they’re responsible for to accepting or believing their reprehensible actions as part of the greater good. Victoria Pratt took another route and decided to go into exile, implying she’s very powerful or has a lot to feel guilty about.

The sudden deaths of four of the five unidentified members of the Group of 12 seem like strike rewriting. Why hasn’t this been mentioned since the premiere, as Kaito said that nine were still alive a week earlier in the show’s chronology? However, this may work out as it gives the subplot a tighter focus than if they kept going all over the world finding them. Plus the actress playing Victoria, Joanna Cassidy is established whereas the other four people in the photo are unknowns.

One thing worth noting is that Adam wasn’t a member of that core group of twelve as has been assumed. He likely was one of the first people The Company “bagged and tagged”. It seems like a personal relationship was there, making the betrayal and thirty years in lock up enough to warrant such ruthless revenge. Maybe that’ll be explained if or when they do a 30 years ago plot or at least detail Adam’s motivations.

This is the type of episode that is reminiscent of the thrills and entertainment of the first season. No surprise this is one of the better episodes of the season. The focus on the plot lines that have worked helped as well. After the last episode’s faults, this episode is a nice motivator that things can still end on a high note before the strike hiatus.

Overall Score: 8/10