Episode Report Card DeAnn Welker: B- | 148 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT Coming Together
By DeAnn Welker | Season 4 | Episode 15 | Aired on 2010.01.11
Before I get started, a serious note: Jimmy Jean-Louis, who plays the Haitian on this show (and is actually Haitian), has organized an immediate-assistance relief effort through his charity, Hollywood Unites for Haiti. (And an update beyond that video on his charity's home page: He has heard from his family.) It's obviously an important cause and a crucial time, so give if you can.
Previously: Samuel visited Emma and told her he gave her the cello and that she's a siren. Bennet tried to work with Edgar to find the carnival. Hiro asked Mohinder to disappear for eight weeks, and when Mohinder said no, Hiro put him in a straitjacket in a mental hospital. Damien scattered Hiro's brain, so Hiro had a hard time telling Ando his plan, but Ando figured it out. Parkman got rid of his Sylon. Sylar came back to the carnival and Samuel told him he's in love with Vanessa. Lauren told Bennet he could make up with Claire, because burnt bridges can be rebuilt.
Now: HRG narrates as we see Claire in that shot of her first arriving at college. He talks about how everything isn't hopeful, as Claire sees it. Evil does exist (flashbacks of various nefarious deeds by Sylar, Danko, Samuel's crew, including Noah sliced up by Edgar and Samuel killing his brother, Joseph). HRG wonders how to protect her without losing her, and Samuel again asks Claire if her father hasn't lied and killed to protect her. HRG wonders how to rebuild the bridge, and we watch Claire once again tell him to give her time to grieve Nathan's death. The narration ends and Lauren and HRG are trying to figure out their plan. It's getting a little testy, because Lauren's sick of shooting in the dark with nothing to go on and would like Bennet to ask Claire for her compass. He doesn't want to do that, since Claire's mad at him with every right to be. He ends by yelling at Lauren that if she doesn't want to help, she doesn't have to. She's pissed, and he tries to apologize, but she just sits back down. Camera pans out to the full room as the "Chapter Fourteen: Close to You" chyron scrolls down the bottom of the screen. They've gotten much less clever than they were in the early seasons, haven't they?
Whatever database Lauren's using hits on Vanessa Wheeler, who Lauren reminds Noah is the girl who grew up on the estate where Samuel's family lived and worked. She pulls up a photo of her, and it is, in fact, Kate Vernon (nice job, drawing people). Lauren also pulls up an image of adult Vanessa and Samuel sitting on a park bench. HRG confirms to Lauren that that's Samuel. They dial Vanessa's California phone number, and Samuel identifies himself by first and last name. When he asks about Samuel, she claims not to know anyone by that name. HRG says he grew up on the estate her family owned, and Vanessa hangs up. HRG tells Lauren it looks like he's going to California and she just says, "Yeah, good luck with that." He tries to stop her, but she leaves.