Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT You May Not Believe It…
By Couch Baron | Season 3 | Episode 12 | Aired on 12.08.2008
It's daytime on the beach, and Sylar is still wearing that ridiculous t-shirt. I mean, I know it's just a white shirt that's supposed to be covered in blood, but the pattern is too artsily calculated, and makes it look like something for which he paid too much at Diesel. Anyway, Arthur calls, and Sylar bluntly informs him that his services will no longer be offered. He goes on about Bennet telling him of Arthur's deception, earning an actual facial expression from Arthur, and then adds that he wants the truth -- he looks up a number for a woman named "Sue Landers" -- "and I know exactly where to find it." And having seen Sylar's phone, I know where to find some interesting names. Sparrow Redhouse? Tell me you didn't meet at a drag cabaret show in Chelsea, Sylar. Arthur tells Sylar to come see him, and Sylar replies, "Don't worry, I will. Very soon." And to emphasize the nature of that coming visit, after he hangs up, he dumps some lighter fluid (handy, that) on Elle's corpse and bids her goodbye, starting the fire by zapping her with her own power. Which was cool, but I could have done without the fire reflected in his eyes, because how many flaming things do we need around here? Title card.
At Primatech, Angela lays a large pistol on a table in front of Peter and The Haitian: "One shot to the back of the head, and it's done." Well, unless someone thinks to remove the bullet from his brain, but I can't imagine anyone actually wanting Arthur to come back to life. Peter actually says out loud, "You want me to kill him," and Angela's like, "Thanks for keeping up, genius." She clarifies that it's up to Peter because Nathan has switched his allegiance, although frankly between the two, I'd give the job to Peter anyway, given he's capable of sticking to a decision and that his future self shot his brother, while Nathan will change his mind based on the opinions of family members, friends, employees, imaginary people, detainees who only speak French, telemarketers, recorded "Attention K-Mart Shoppers" messages, and the more persuasive forms of lichen. The Haitian pipes up that Arthur is far too powerful for a less drastic option like containment to be effective, and Angela adds that if the tables were turned, Arthur wouldn't hesitate to kill either of his sons. Peter hesitates longer than he should, but eventually picks up the gun.
At Pinehearst, Tracy (still no explanation why she was just randomly at Primatech that time) is telling Arthur that the Department Of Defense is "on board," like, I know she's supposed to be connected and all, but isn't this a bit easy? Can a bureaucrat just pick up the phone and order some soldiers for dangerous and nefarious purposes? Was this in a Michael Moore documentary somewhere and I just missed it? Nathan enters, and after some forgettable preliminaries, tells his father that he agrees with his goals, but the world needs a leader, and that's not Arthur. "I'm taking over Pinehearst. The complete program." He says they can work out of his office and use his resources, as if he's spent enough time at the Capitol Building even to know where the bathrooms are. Arthur woodenly tells Nathan he made him, but Nathan counters that Arthur wouldn't have done so if he didn't need him, because this endgame is clearly what Arthur had in mind when he betrayed his son to a murderous dictator. Arthur, however, accedes to this "logic," and instructs Tracy to brief Nathan on what they've done so far...