Episode Report Card Wing Chun: B | 38 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT The Ballad Of Charlie And Hiro
By Wing Chun | Season 1 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2006.11.13
Back in Midland, as a crazed Laura Bush barrels past a crossing guard in her Buick Town Car and continues down the road with seven first-graders splattered on her windshield (offscreen), Hiro and Charlie are sitting at the counter, studying her Japanese phrase book. "The dance floor lights are cool," reads Charlie, in Japanese. "Perfecto!" cheers Hiro. "You ready for disco!" Of course, he throws an arm up in the air, aiming to evoke Tony Manero but forgetting to point a finger and landing closer to Herman Goering. "Almost," Hiro adds, of Charlie's pronunciation, and she urges him not to let her off easy. Hiro repeats the phrase in Japanese for her, she repeats it after him, he beams and claps like a seal, and Wing Chun giggles delightedly. "I don't like this song -- let's get a drink," tries Charlie in Japanese. Hiro looks enthralled -- as though she weren't just reading, but might actually be hitting on him -- and breathes, "You learn very fast." Charlie tells us again about her super-memory, and Hiro informs her, "My skill much more...compleecate." Charlie chuckles, asking what that might be. He considers for a moment, as she regards him expectantly, and he finally replies, "I can teach Japanese to anyone." Charlie giggles and even tips him the tiniest wink, and then rhymes off like fifteen Japanese syllables that we are to believe just add up to "You're sweet." Hiro looks at her heart-meltingly for a moment, and then back to the book, flipping through the pages to see whence she's reciting. "'Sweet' means nice," Charlie explains. "Cute." "That's not in book," Hiro tells her shyly. Charlie smiles and shakes her head, earnestly saying in Japanese, "No. It is just true." Hiro looks up at her, and then down again sheepishly, tittering. Charlie adds that she likes the way Hiro's cheeks wobble when he concentrates. Hiro obligingly makes his time-stopping face, without actually stopping time, and she laughs appreciatively. Then one of Charlie's orders comes up, and she goes to get it, telling Hiro in Japanese that she'll be right back. Hiro adoringly watches her go, and then instantly turns around to Ando, throwing up his hands in a triumphant V and screeching (in Japanese): "I'm sweet!" Nothing like playing it cool. Back in the booth with the paper, Ando gives Hiro a sarcastic "okay" hand. And, at the dark and stormy corner table, Sylar takes a sip of his coffee. His black, black coffee. Sylar's cup returning to the table segues us straight back to...