Heroes: Season 3, Episode 7 Review: Eris Quod Sum
Eris Quod Sum
Original Airdate: October 27, 2008Writer: Jesse Alexander
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Times are getting tougher on Heroes. During the two week break, both Jeph Loeb and this episode’s author, Jesse Alexander, were fired and reports circulated about the show running drastically over budget and ratings failing to deliver. While I’ve enjoyed these episodes, most critics have been focusing on the negative elements of the show. Hopefully as the volume heads towards its climax the action goes up and people resume enjoying the show.
Following Peter’s recklessness, he has given one of the most potent powers to the worst possible recipient, his father, which compounds the shock of learning he is still alive. On top of that Petrelli planned on using the official formula, confirmed different than the one that turned Mohinder into the poor man’s The Fly, on him as a logical control. Petrelli claims that Peter’s powers are gone forever, but considering his status as central figure on the show, that statement has to be taken with a grain.
So despite abandoning his son and turning against him, Maury actually cared about Matt and used his last breath to beg Petrelli for mercy. However, there wasn’t much to earn this change of heart. Maury’s motivations were never explained, and didn’t seem to have Matt’s best interests before. This is probably just the result of the writers needing to get rid of as many extraneous characters as possible.
Daphne’s moral qualms with Petrelli’s organization are heightened when Petrelli demands Matt be killed. They have an out when Matt uses his mental mojo to make Knox believe that both of them are dead, but that’s negated when it’s revealed that it was all a part of the plan (it also takes care of some obvious plot holes had that twist not existed). She’s afraid of going back to the life Petrelli found her in, but is she really going to stab Matt in the back? Although she doesn’t have the chemistry with Matt as she has with Hiro, there is some spark between Daphne and Matt that could be the perfect way to give them a happy ending and write them out.
Petrelli must have wanted to get Primatech involved, which is vulnerable without a leader and is the first place Matt thinks of after Knox splits. It’d make sense he’d go after something with as many resources as The Company and to continue his goal of eliminating the competition while absorbing defectors.
Speaking of which, Elle’s return to the Bennet household sets the stage for Claire’s defection to the Pinehearst fold. After letting out the burst of electricity that allowed the Level 5 prisoners escape, Elle is short circuiting constantly. Without her father or The Company to protect her, she’s desperate to get her powers under control. They utilize this moment to remember that Claire is dealing with her sudden lack of pain. She’s been looking for answers her family can’t answer.
So they trek cross country (including a not so wise plane ride) with plenty of moments for slash fiction writers to latch onto, only for Claire to turn around when Peter comes flying out the window. While it may preempt any redemptive action she was heading towards, it’s understandable Elle would continue if that meant relief from her constantly electrocuting herself.
Sylar’s redemptive arc is in full effect, taking his comatose mother’s advice and attempting to rescue his brother. While he succeeds in freeing Peter, he has to pretend he’s trying to kill him. This is the first time one of the “good guys” (although Peter seems teetering on the brink of villainy) acknowledges Sylar doing something good, as Peter knows he should’ve died without Sylar telekinetically breaking his fall.
Petrelli is on to his son, but seems willing to let him continue at his side in hopes of turning him over. He may have nudged him a little telling him why they put him up for adoption. It never occurred to me that Angela gave him up because she had a nightmare vision of who he’d become and now sounds obvious. Why else would she put a child up for adoption considering she had already had at least one child?
If there’s any more reason to be happy for Robert Forster’s presence, it’s that he might’ve writen Maya off the show at last. By stealing her power, she no longer has a purpose on the show. Keeping her around, it reminded too many people of what went wrong last season, and they gave her little motivation besides being the Geena Davis to Mohinder’s Jeff Goldblum. Making amends can easily occur off camera.
One possible answer to having Meredith and Bennet team up is the meeting between them helping Nathan and Tracy at the “nest”. Since they barely know each other, Nathan’s checkered past hasn’t been an issue, but encountering the adoptive father and biological mother of Nathan’s “love child” is going to make her uneasy going into the future.
So far I’m still in the dwindling camp of people enjoying this season, but the behind the scenes drama is overshadowing what’s happening on screen. It’s not a far stretch to believe the show is heading towards a nuclear meltdown, pretty shocking for the break out hit two seasons ago. They need some home runs and fast if they hope to get through this season.
Overall Score: 8/10
Following Peter’s recklessness, he has given one of the most potent powers to the worst possible recipient, his father, which compounds the shock of learning he is still alive. On top of that Petrelli planned on using the official formula, confirmed different than the one that turned Mohinder into the poor man’s The Fly, on him as a logical control. Petrelli claims that Peter’s powers are gone forever, but considering his status as central figure on the show, that statement has to be taken with a grain.
So despite abandoning his son and turning against him, Maury actually cared about Matt and used his last breath to beg Petrelli for mercy. However, there wasn’t much to earn this change of heart. Maury’s motivations were never explained, and didn’t seem to have Matt’s best interests before. This is probably just the result of the writers needing to get rid of as many extraneous characters as possible.
Daphne’s moral qualms with Petrelli’s organization are heightened when Petrelli demands Matt be killed. They have an out when Matt uses his mental mojo to make Knox believe that both of them are dead, but that’s negated when it’s revealed that it was all a part of the plan (it also takes care of some obvious plot holes had that twist not existed). She’s afraid of going back to the life Petrelli found her in, but is she really going to stab Matt in the back? Although she doesn’t have the chemistry with Matt as she has with Hiro, there is some spark between Daphne and Matt that could be the perfect way to give them a happy ending and write them out.
Petrelli must have wanted to get Primatech involved, which is vulnerable without a leader and is the first place Matt thinks of after Knox splits. It’d make sense he’d go after something with as many resources as The Company and to continue his goal of eliminating the competition while absorbing defectors.
Speaking of which, Elle’s return to the Bennet household sets the stage for Claire’s defection to the Pinehearst fold. After letting out the burst of electricity that allowed the Level 5 prisoners escape, Elle is short circuiting constantly. Without her father or The Company to protect her, she’s desperate to get her powers under control. They utilize this moment to remember that Claire is dealing with her sudden lack of pain. She’s been looking for answers her family can’t answer.
So they trek cross country (including a not so wise plane ride) with plenty of moments for slash fiction writers to latch onto, only for Claire to turn around when Peter comes flying out the window. While it may preempt any redemptive action she was heading towards, it’s understandable Elle would continue if that meant relief from her constantly electrocuting herself.
Sylar’s redemptive arc is in full effect, taking his comatose mother’s advice and attempting to rescue his brother. While he succeeds in freeing Peter, he has to pretend he’s trying to kill him. This is the first time one of the “good guys” (although Peter seems teetering on the brink of villainy) acknowledges Sylar doing something good, as Peter knows he should’ve died without Sylar telekinetically breaking his fall.
Petrelli is on to his son, but seems willing to let him continue at his side in hopes of turning him over. He may have nudged him a little telling him why they put him up for adoption. It never occurred to me that Angela gave him up because she had a nightmare vision of who he’d become and now sounds obvious. Why else would she put a child up for adoption considering she had already had at least one child?
If there’s any more reason to be happy for Robert Forster’s presence, it’s that he might’ve writen Maya off the show at last. By stealing her power, she no longer has a purpose on the show. Keeping her around, it reminded too many people of what went wrong last season, and they gave her little motivation besides being the Geena Davis to Mohinder’s Jeff Goldblum. Making amends can easily occur off camera.
One possible answer to having Meredith and Bennet team up is the meeting between them helping Nathan and Tracy at the “nest”. Since they barely know each other, Nathan’s checkered past hasn’t been an issue, but encountering the adoptive father and biological mother of Nathan’s “love child” is going to make her uneasy going into the future.
So far I’m still in the dwindling camp of people enjoying this season, but the behind the scenes drama is overshadowing what’s happening on screen. It’s not a far stretch to believe the show is heading towards a nuclear meltdown, pretty shocking for the break out hit two seasons ago. They need some home runs and fast if they hope to get through this season.
Overall Score: 8/10
posted by Matt @ 8:55 PM
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