Open up and say AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

There was a time when being the superhero obsessed freak that I am would get me mocked and ridiculed had I allowed my inner-geek to express himself. These days, with the advent of Heroes, I can wear my Wolverine and Spiderman shirts proudly to my store and…

Ok, so people still mock and ridicule me.

Turns out it had nothing to do with the shirts, but at least I have the comfort of knowing that I’m not alone in my obsession anymore.

Millions of people watched the pre-hiatus episode “Parasite” and were left hanging by their utility belts, right along with me.

With the last five episodes of the show set to air every Monday from now until the finale on the 21st of May, I’m pumped. Primed. Ready.

Of course, since it’s been six weeks since we last saw the show, it’s all a bit hazy, so a refresher is probably not a bad idea. I had to I re-watch the episode to jog my memory. I offer my observations to help put you in the mood for Monday’s episode, “.07%”, an event I’m awaiting in giddy anticipation.

Just a quick refresher. A Heroes aperitif, if you will.

In the first few minutes, we’re brought up to date on the consequences of the previous episode’s events. Simone is dead and Isaac blames Peter for it, despite the fact that he’s still holding the murder weapon. Peter uses his newfound ability to selectively use his powers to turn invisible and escape before Isaac can kill him too.

In Vegas, Hiro is still trying to get his sword. His powers aren’t working, but he’s convinced that the sword will restore them and he is doggedly determined to get it, whatever the cost. Of course, the two security guards who won’t let him into the casino where the blade is stashed are a bit of a problem.

Bennett can’t remember anything about what happened with Claire in the last several days. Not the hostage taking by Sprague and Parkman, not he or his daughter getting shot, and obviously not his memory being siphoned by the Haitian dude. He is determined to get Claire back, no matter the cost. Thompson reminds him that she’s not really his daughter, just an assignment. Bennett doesn’t quite see it that way.

Parkman is behind the two way mirror, verifying all of this for Bennett’s boss and the new Company asset, Candice Wilmer. He’s only doing it because Thompson promised to let him go if he helped. Is it just plain odd that the mind reader didn’t know that Thompson was going to screw him over?

As for Claire, she and the Haitian are on the run and things are so hot, they have to leave the country.

Nathan Petrelli has new problems of his own, it seems. The F.B.I. wants to talk to him about some illegal campaign contributions from the Linderman group. Once they sweep the room for electronic listening devices, we learn the real reason that Nathan has cozied up to Linderman during his campaign. He’s working with the F.B.I. to take Linderman down. They want him to wear a wire at his upcoming meeting with Linderman.

Once they leave, Peter Petrelli allows his brother to see him. He’s been there the whole time and knows everything. While the Linderman sting is important, Peter typically can’t get past his own issues and drops Simone’s death in his brother’s lap. Ever the big brother, Nathan immediately goes into damage control mode and starts trying to help his brother out of a potential prison sentence. Nathan suggests that perhaps Suresh could help Peter somehow, but as always when the going gets tough, Peter takes off. I like Nathan more every episode and Peter less. Can you tell?

In the hotel room where they’re staying while “flood damage” (The Company’s latest euphemism for radioactive firestorm damage) in their basement is repaired, Sandra Bennett has a surprise for her husband. She turns on a radio to cover her voice and whispers to him.

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because you told me to. Yesterday.”

“I thought you didn’t remember anything about yesterday.”

“You told me to pretend that that man took my memory. You took me in the shower, you told me everything.”

“I told you?”

“What you really do, who you work for and what happened to Claire.”

Sandra knows that he’s sent Claire away for her own protection and she hands him a note in his own writing, telling him not to go after her. A knock at the door interrupts them before they can discuss it further.

It’s Candice Wilmer, with an assignment for Bennett. It seems she’s been talking to Isaac about his dead girlfriend and Thompson wants Bennett to take care of it. Wilmer invites herself in and has a brief chat with Mrs. Bennett about a “Huge order mix up in Fresno.”

Mohinder does an absolutely amazing job of making Sylar believe that he’s going to let him help. The villain of the piece never suspects a thing when he takes two sips of chai. The performance is so good that it comes as a shock when Suresh reveals his ruse.

“I already have you, Mr. Sylar.”

To quote a friend of mine, “SA-WEET!”

Poor Hiro sits alone, contemplating his next move when help arrives in a most unexpected form.

Nathan Petrelli.

I will NEVER be able to watch Hiro call Petrelli “Flying Man!” without damn near killing myself laughing.

Hiro tells Nathan his situation and that he sent Ando back to Japan for his own safety.

“I think I know what you mean. Can’t protect everyone. Sometimes it’s better to go it alone. The more people you try to help…”

“The more people get hurt.”

Hiro begs for Petrelli’s help in getting past security so he can retrieve his sword.

(I’ll let you guys fill in Hiro’s accent, since even the best phonetic spelling of it can’t do it justice. Hopefully, you can still hear it in your head.)

“Please, you must help me. I can’t get past casino security giant.”

“When I first met you, I thought you were nuts.”

“It’s ok, I thought you were mean. But now I know. You pretend not to care about anyone, but you care too much.”

“It’s really important to you to get your powers back, huh?”

“It’s important for everyone.”

The security guard that stopped Hiro earlier falls all over himself trying to make up for his “mistake” when Petrelli informs him that Hiro is his courier.

At the airport, Claire is none too happy to learn that her new name is “Vivianne Lewis” and she doesn’t sound too impressed that she’s now from Canada either.

The Haitian has little sympathy.

“I do not need you happy, only safe.”

Claire wants to contact Peter Petrelli, but the Haitian doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Claire doesn’t really care what he thinks and pulls the old ticket pick, leaving him standing at the security gate while she boards the flight without him. Man, I love that girl more every time they put her on film.

Isaac sits alone with Simone’s body when the cops come knocking at his door. Just when it looks like the jig is up, in walks…Simone. Upright, breathing in and out, bullet hole free. Only it’s not Simone. It’s Candice and she’s got a power too. At first I thought she was a shapeshifter ala Mystique from The Xmen, but she’s more than that. Take a look.

See Simone’s body appear on the bed from thin air? I missed that the first time ’round. Also, she must have the ability to pull images out of people’s minds, unless she’d met Simone before…

Not only does she have a power, she’s also got a nasty streak, appearing to Isaac as his dead girlfriend, this time complete with bullet holes. I think I love her too.

Micah and his Mom are playing a video game together just before he heads off to school. As he leaves, he tells her “Love you.” and she remains oddly silent.

Jessica.

Sure enough, there’s Nikki under glass.

D.L. storms in with a picture of Nathan Petrelli, demanding an explanation. Jessica tries to get him to believe that she’s just been hired as a dealer for a high roller, nothing more.

“I promise you, I won’t do anything I don’t want to.”

That and a hot kiss seem to convince him. As he walks away, we see a look on his face that says different. It seems that Nikki’s little gift on his pillow was effective.

Mohinder has Sylar pumped full of curare, which is keeping Sylar from accessing his powers.

A tuning fork to his super enhanced ear proves to be all the inducement needed to get Sylar to admit who he is. Suresh is going to kill him, as he would any other parasite. Sylar uses his knowledge of Mohinder’s Father and sister to goad him.

“He thought you were too…what’s the word…fragile to know the truth. That’s why he liked me. You were always seeking his approval while I provided stimulation. He gave up on you but he adored me. Now who’s the real parasite here?”

Mohinder pulls the gun away from Sylar’s head. His Father did want answers and since Sylar was his patient zero, Mohinder is going to use Sylar to unlock the secrets of his Father’s formula. The one he used to create the list.

“So, what are you gonna do?”

“I’m going to take a sample of your spinal fluid. And it’s going to hurt.”

Hiro finally makes it into the inner sanctum of Linderman’s collection. We see three of Isaac’s paintings as the camera pans through the room: The explosion in New York, Claire on the autopsy table and what looks like Peter Petrelli, flying, possibly with his hands glowing white. Hiro hands the tube containing the damaged painting to the snippy curator, Snotty-Attitude Man.

“This one is very special.”

“This painting is ripped…and repaired with scotch tape.”

“Yes. Very special.”

To get rid of Snotty Attitude Man, Hiro demands a “receipt-o” for the delivery. While Snotty-Attitude Man goes to the Snotty-Attitude Cave to get the “receipt-o”, Hiro borrows the Snotty-Attitude Computer and locates the Kensei Sword. It’s in vault CRM-114.

As he reaches it, Snotty-Attitude Man returns.

“There are 754 members of the security team in this hotel, all of them with instructions to drop what they’re doing and come running if I push this button.”

When the first member of the team arrives, Hiro gets yet more help from an unexpected source.

Ando!

I find it ironic that other than Claire, Ando the Unpowered is the first one to have an “outfit” of his own.

The boys barricade the door while they work out their next move.

Nathan Petrelli talks to the two agents monitoring his wire, telling them he wants to get straight to the meeting with Linderman and get it over with.

As the two agents settle in, Jessica busts in.

“Mr. Linderman sends his regards. And a suggestion. Don’t run surveillance on a man from inside his own hotel. It’s really tacky.”

Bye bye boys.

In his apartment, Mohinder figures it out! He’s found the four genes that answer everything.

Sylar wants the list so he can sink his teeth into it. This last convinces Suresh that it’s time to perform his duty as a son. The gun comes back out and he pulls the trigger.

“I wasn’t begging for my life. I was offering you yours.”

Uh-oh.

Sylar stopped the curare I.V. and now he has full access to his powers. Mohinder is in serious trouble.

Isaac falls off the wagon and paints some very disturbing pictures of more of Sylar’s victims. Exactly who they might be is unclear.

Jessica confronts Nathan Petrelli and pulls his wire. Off. She pulls his wire off. She pulled his wire once before but that was more fun for both of them.

Only it isn’t Jessica who’s there this time, it’s Nikki and she’s there to warn him that Linderman knows all about his deal with the F.B.I. and the wire he was supposed to wear to their meeting.

In a different hotel room, Bennett returns and Sandra wants to know if he found Claire. He reminds her that they could extract the information from him if he knew where she was.

“But the Company…”

“Has to be stopped. For good. It’s the only way to make sure that Claire will stay safe. I didn’t know that I could talk to you like this. I always just thought that you’d be so furious at me for all the lies and deceit.”

“Right now we just have to take care of Claire. We’ll talk about us later.”

Just then, Sandra’s phone rings. Only it’s not the funky ring tone that rang on her phone earlier.

Oops.

Fooled by his own trick. That has got to suck.

Hiro finally gets his sword!

With great sword comes great power.

So great he is able to take Ando with him when he travels.

This time he seems to go forward in time, passing the explosion, landing on the roof that seems like it’s going to play a very crucial part in the story. The city is devastated. So is Hiro.

Now that she’s ditched the Haitian, Claire heads straight to the one person she can trust. Peter Petrelli. Only, it’s Momma Petrelli that answers the door, and she knows exactly who Claire is. And she’s not alone. Claire’s former travelling companion has managed to beat her there and he’s an old friend.

“Au moins maintenant elle sera en sécurité. Mais pas grace à vous !” -

“At least now she will be safe, no thanks to you!”

“Ecoutez, j’ai fait tout ce que j’ai pu, elle aurai bien fini par trouver sa propre voie.”

“Listen, I did all I could. She would’ve found her own way sooner or later anyway.”

Claire learns that Mamma Petrelli is her Grandmother.

“Quite stubborn aren’t you? Just like your Father.”

Speaking of Claire’s Father, he’s in some serious trouble. Nikki gives him his only real options, run or kill Linderman. At her suggestion, he knocks her out and takes her gun.

Finally, we meet Linderman. It’s Malcolm McDowell!

Ah, the weekly Trek connection is made! McDowell played the villain in Star Trek: Generations.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled. McDowell’s a hell of an actor and not at all what I expected when I pictured Linderman.

The writers were warning us who Linderman was way back in the episode. Hiro’s sword was locked in vault CRM-114. Malcolm McDowell’s character in A Clockwork Orange was given “Serum-114″ to curb his violent urges. C-R-M…Serum…I live for stuff like that.

Petrelli and Linderman have a conversation about perfection and happiness. Petrelli is neither perfect nor happy.

“I think there comes a time when a man has to ask himself whether he wants a life of happiness or a life of meaning.”

“I’d like to have both.”

“Can’t be done. Two very different paths.”

Nathan’s path seems to involve pulling Jessica’s gun on Linderman.

“Now you can’t have any of my pot pie.”

Linderman drops the bomb that he knows that Nathan can fly and Peter’s abilities. He also knows about Petrelli’s daughter and “All those others out there like you.”

“You’re going to win your election. I’ll see to that. And two years from now, through a series of fluke circumstances, you will find yourself in the White House, a heart beat away from the Presidency. A life of meaning, Nathan. Think about it.”

With that, he turns his back on the man he would make King.

Nathan lets the gun fall to his side. A life of meaning indeed.

Cut to Peter knocking on Mohinder’s door. No answer, but the door is unlocked. The place is trashed.

Something drips onto the back of Peter’s head. Blood. Mohinder’s blood. Dripping from his body which is pinned to the ceiling. He manages one word of warning.

“Sylar.”

But it’s too late. Sylar slams Peter against the wall with his power.

“I remember you. You’re like me, aren’t you. Like to see how that works.”

Damn, that has got to hurt!

A couple of things to ponder before Monday.

Any bets on what powers, if any, Mamma Petrelli and Mr. Linderman have?

That roof. It’s the building where Simone’s Father lived. Remember how Peter started having prophetic dreams when he was caring for him? My bet is that Simone’s Father’s wealth wasn’t all luck and good judgement. Peter was having prophetic dreams because that was his patient’s power.

And a final point. Isn’t it time these “Heroes” got “Hero” names? Sylar is a perfect villain name. It sounds sinister. Can’t do “The Parasite” really, since he’s a big purple villain in Superman’s Rogues’ Gallery. Peter needs a name like “Syphon” or “The Borrower”. Personally I like “Ando the Unpowered” but no one’ll go for it but me. I’d really like to see them get “named” properly.

What do you think?