Heroes Chapter Two "Lizards" Recap - Season 2

While last week's episode started out with a bang, this week's starts out with an ow-ow. Not to get all girly or anything, but Peter's physique got ripped after he exploded. Which is just as well because we're greeted with a scene of Peter shirtless, wet and getting himself beaten up by the Irish robbers who discovered him for stealing iPods. He also has a haircut. Nice!

Claire's teen angst has reached a boiling point and is tired of acting normal at school. Bennet busts out with some issues of his own, mainly concerning his ire at being forced to sport that lame purple Copy Kingdom shirt. I smiled to myself at that one. Trading in working with an evil corporation to a Copy Kingdom, and his biggest irk is the shirt? Claire's parents verify that Hiro's father has actually been killed, and that Mendes painted it months ago.

By some strange twist of fate, Matt is put on Mr. Nakamura's case, and he begins to trace the history of the strange symbol that seems to be inexorably intertwined in all of our Heroes' lives.

With a drunk Takezo Kensei nowhere near able to be a hero, Hiro does what we all knew he would: he picks up the mask and goes to fulfill Kensei's would-be destiny.

Claire can't take it anymore! She stops being normal and starts a conversation in biology during a lecture about lizards (or newts) being able to re-grow limbs and the possibility for human regeneration and the potential for helping other ailing humans with the ability. While it was entertaining, and you're proud of Claire for putting down with the knowledge, she definitely gets herself noticed. Especially by West, who chases her down after class bringing up Mojinder's father's book on human genetic evolution. Oh my, if Bennet could see his darling little daughter now. As West's trying to get a piece of Claire by flaunting his mad knowledge of genetics, Claire notices that her car is stolen ...

Their perilous journey to the border almost complete, Alejandro and Maya end up at a family friend's house and are enlisting her help to finish their cross of the border, which seems to be only 30 miles away. Maya is afraid that simply being near others is risking their lives, but Alejandro assures her that once they cross the border and find her a proper doctor it will be worth it.

Hiro as Kensei goes off to save the blacksmith's daughter by using his time-bending to steal all of the 12 swordsmens' swords and generally humiliating them. Having solidly won the heart of the lady, Hiro offers her a ride back to the village, promising as Kensei, that he will save her father. There is a romantic scene among the cherry blossoms, where Hiro tells her that his love for her is the stuff legends are made of. Romance abounds this episode of 'Heroes.'
this is an image of Masi Oka from 'Heroes'
Matt ends up interrogating Angela Petrelli, asking about her ties to Kaito Nakamura, where we learn that Angela and Kaito may have briefly been romantically involved. We also find out that the much debated symbol was the logo for her late husband's law firm. The puzzle pieces continue to shuffle. Matt asks her why someone would draw this symbol on Mr. Nakamura's face. Verbally she says she doesn't know, but Matt reads her thoughts well enough to hear, 'Because we did something terrible and now someone wants revenge.' He presses her, asking her if there's anyone she might know who might want revenge against Nakamura -- but she replies by asking for a lawyer and yelling 'Get out of my head!' as Matt tries to probe further. Feisty, that Angela. When Matt goes to meet Nathan who has come to pick up his mother the station goes to black. Angela's screams are heard, but when they finally break down through the interrogation glass to save her, we find her blubbering on the floor, covered with scratches with no assailant in sight. The picture of her with the Kensei symbol drawn on her face is on the floor.

Peter makes friends with a woman named Kaitlyn, the sister of the head badly-accented Irish robber, Ricky. They make the stunning revelation that Peter has the ability to shoot lightning bolts and completely heals (thanks Claire!). She compliments him on his necklace, and though he wishes (and we do too!) that he knew what it was, he just can't recall.

While Alejandro and Maya are waiting to cross the border, along with other people their friend is helping -- a healer offers to help Maya after Alejandro reveals that his sister is 'not well' and they are going to find a doctor. Alejandro and Maya suffer the superstitious words of this self-professed healer who prophesizes to Maya that the illness she has in her is 'Black' and enough to 'Kill the Devil.' She's a nice lady. With those comforting words the healer leaves, refusing to travel with someone evil.

Full of despair, self-recrimination, and the yearning to use her power for good, Claire travels to Copy Kingdom to inform her father that she left the door unlocked and now her car is gone. Nice move, cheerleader. From there they get into an angry discussion where Claire wants to test what her limits are, whether or not she can help others with her powers, by donating limbs, blood etc. She's just so sweet!

While Mojinder is commissioned to be sent to the death bed of a hero suffering from the virus, it is revealed that the hero he is sent to help is the Haitian. While his vaccine is proven to work, once given to the Haitian, the Haitian wipes his mind, getting him into trouble with his new boss. Ouch! From the looks of one of the final scenes though, seems as though the Haitian is in cahoots with Bennet as usual ... Nice! A happy return from one of my favorite heroes.

When Ricky leaves to run some errands, Peter uses his amazing mind powers to release his bonds and escape, only to come straight into a bar fight with a rival Irish family who're trying to have a little bit of fun with Kaitlyn. It's quite clear to me now that Peter has become a Jedi. Sure, training normally takes more than four months, but with all of his powers and previous control it could probably take less. Force lightning? Check. Force Choke? Check. Ability to manipulate space and time through the force? Check. Is it just me, or did Peter's character suddenly get a whole bunch cooler?

As expected their journey over the border goes just as bad as can be, Alejandro and Maya become separated. It is here that we're treated to a dose of what the twins' power is. While Alejandro is on one side of the border and Maya on the other with their family friend, she becomes sad and starts to cry black tears. She tries to tell their friend to run, but it is too late. The woman begins to cry black tears as well, as she falls to the floor, for all intents and purposes, dead. Alejandro comes out, holds her hand and seems to pull the blackness into him, controlling and alleviating Maya's problem. Their friend wakes up, calls them evil and scampers off. That's gratitude for you, right? I don't know about you, but I'm dying –- no pun intended – to see what's really happening with this power. Even if it means more Mojinder I'll put up with it. You know why? Because black death tears are cool. Seriously.

Ricky returns while Kaitlyn and Peter are discussing his Jedi-like ways, he's angry that Peter saved his sister from an almost certain rape and battery. Understandable. For Peter to make up his debt for causing an almost certain war between two families, Ricky 'blackmails' Peter into helping them out with a certain thieving job, in return for information about Peter's past. Angrily, Peter accepts. Peter's character weaknesses from the first season are already popping back up and bothering me. He's got JEDI powers! Snatch the box with your identity and personal artifacts from Ricky's hand, pin him to the wall with telekinesis, and walk out. Who wouldn't think about that. If I had those powers I'd use them for the most rudimentary of daily tasks. Stirring coffee, folding clothes, pick-pocketing ... uh, I mean...

Hiro returns and convinces Kensei that he has already started spreading valiant works in the name of Kensei and that Hiro has won the heart of the blacksmith's daughter under the guise of Kensei. With Hiro's help, it seems that Kensei is now determined to be the hero he was destined to be. He leaves the (I'm assuming tea house?) he's hanging out in only to be shot three times, point blank by nasty looking arrows. What awesome luck. However, it's revealed with Takezo's triumphant return from the dead that he is, like Claire, a healer. This is amazing! Is he the first? Is that why his symbol is intrinsically linked to each Hero? So many questions! So much time for well thought out answers.

This episode ends graphically enough with the snip heard round the world. In order to test her limits, Claire decides since there's no one else at home, she'll snip off her baby toe, just to see if it regenerates. Long story short? In a brilliant feat of CGI, (lets hear it for technology) it certainly does. But Mr. Muggles isn't the only one to see it. West, creepy as he can be, is peering in the window. Claire sees him, he sees Claire's toe as well as the toe on the floor. Talk about awkward! The episode ends abruptly, with the dreaded 'To Be Continued.' Hey, with episodes this good, I can wait.

'Lizards' was equally as mindblowing as the season's first episode, new powers introduced, the whole 'toe-cutting' debacle, but nothing can be completely perfect. Where's Niki? Where's Micah? Why haven't we seen Sylar as of yet. Yes, there are so many promises in the 'This Season On...' teasers after the show, but can't we just have a little taste now? Please? I'm sure next week will wow and surprise me as well, but come on, don't just ignore big characters for the first half of the season!

The Season Premiere of Heroes: Chapter One: "Four Months Later" Recap - Season 2

The first episode of the second season starts off strong, growing to a fever point and ending in a way we can't describe as anything less than absolutely nuts. With quick touch-and-go reintroductions into the lives of our favorite heroes, we get a glimpse of what's been happening over the last 4 months.

While he's in no way our favorite character, Mohinder Suresh starts off the new season well by giving a highly detailed lecture to a smattering of academic types on the evolution of ordinary people with extraordinary powers. A disease is preying on our heroes, those folks with that extra special something. Apparently, if no one does anything to stop the disease, it will eventually halt the rightful evolution of man.

Enter Claire and Bennet trying to start a new life with a new name. Claire's the same as she was last season, nothing seems to have jaded America's favorite perky cheerleader. While discussing best ways to stay underground and unnoticed, she throws out a highly teenage comment, "Wouldn't less attention be drawn to me if I had my own car?." Kids today! So priceless. Claire's personal trial to 'skate by unnoticed,' ends up being a lot harder for her as well as Bennet himself than they had anticipated. Not to mention Claire meets a new friend at her high school named West. Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Pannetiere from Heroes

We find Hiro where we left him at the end of last season -- in feudal Japan -- coming face to face with his personal hero, Takezo Kensei. Things don't exactly turn out the way he expects once Kensei is unmasked. Hiro's mentor turns out to be nothing more than a drunk Englishman, not interested in heroism at all. Hiro is determined again to save the day and help Takezo Kensei live up to his legendary status. At this point, since Kensei is such an ambivalent drunkard, we're thinking Hiro's going to have to step up to the plate and take his place becoming a legend in his own right. Go Hiro!

Our favorite cop, Matt appears to have fully recovered from his gunshot wounds to the chest. Going out for detective, he uses his amazing powers of mind-reading to excel beyond his Chief's wildest dreams. Matt's cheating wife is now out of the picture, and Molly, the girl who can find anyone if she thinks hard enough, is now in his and Mohinder's ward. In a scene reminiscent from 'The Ring,' Molly's teacher informs Matt of some very interesting drawings that are stemming from the child's nighmares ... In yet another take off from a famous film, the words 'I can see you!" are heard during Molly's nighmare. We get it, it's the eye of Sauran from 'The Lord of the Rings,' he's watching all of the heroes. Gotcha. Regardless of what movie it was pulled from, it's fairly obvious that the Heroes have something else they need to worry about ... a new nemesis if you will, even worse than Sylar.

Nathan has officially lost his marbles as well as his family, and political career. The former politician and all-around bad guy, Nathan Petrelli is now a bearded alcoholic completely stuck on the idea that Peter, presumably dead, is still coming back and Nathan's still racked with guilt at his brother's death.

New Heroes also abound! We meet Alejandro and Maya, who are heading from Mexico to the US border. While it's not clear if Alejandro has powers, it seems that Maya is able to kill people en masse with her mind, something that she doesn't mean or like to do. We also meet the man who recruits Mohinder to a new kind of evolved people tracking facility. While we don't catch the guy's name, we do know that his power is to turn any metals into gold. That seems useful -- sign us up! Claire's new friend West also has a few secrets of his own ... let's just say, there might be a new flying man this season round.

To further the wild conspiracies surrounding the show, death threats are mysteriously arriving to original Heroes, Angela Petrelli and Kaito Nakamura, that show pictures of the two with the mysterious sign on Kensei's sword painted in red over their faces. Who's behind these planned assassinations? It can't be Sylar, that would be too obvious, and from Kaito's brief chat with the masked assassin, it's someone they never expected. But WHO?

As if death threats aren't strange enough, we're also treated to a strange glimpse in the mirror from Nathan Petrelli. Is that Peter's burned face that Nathan's seeing in his reflection? Will his brother be forever inside of him? Or is it just his own guilt burning away inside of Nathan that's making him see Peter's face there?

The last two minutes of this episode of 'Heroes' is so monumental and mindblowing I won't even transcribe it here, watch it online if you haven't seen it yet or check out this review that gives a little more! Needless to say, much like the first season of 'Heroes' we're left with more questions than the last and a healthy appetite for more. We can't wait for next week. Until then, 'Heroes' fans.