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Sylar and Luke stop at some abandoned diner, and Sylar says he was there once before with his father -- and we flash back to a memory of Sylar's dad selling him and then killing his real mother. This causes Sylar to dump Luke on the way to trying to kill his father, and the fact that Sylar doesn't even bother to kill Luke just goes to show how pointless he is.
Sandra discovers Alex in Claire's closet, and Claire tries to tell her mom that she's boning him, but that doesn't fly for some reason, so Claire confesses the truth. Sandra plays the trump card of parents everywhere by saying she's "so disappointed," but really, she's worried because she knows there are agents in a van watching the house. She helps the kids out by repossessing her son's driver's license (while telling us she was a Def Leppard fan, which is awesome) and replacing his photo with Alex's. Two agents then invade the house, but Sandra's hidden Alex too well for them to find, and she then plays the role of decoy while Claire and Alex make out underwater. In the end, everything seems chill at the Bennet house, until DOYLE THE CREEPY PUPPET MASTER shows up with a message from Rebel saying that Claire will save him. I'm thinking Claire's going to be blocking a certain number from her phone posthaste.
Danko tells his team that Peter and Matt are fair game to be killed, and Bennet plays his part by backing him up to Nathan. Rebel gives Daphne's location to Peter and Matt, and also warns them out of Mohinder's lab moments before some agents show up. They go to Building 26, and on the way in, Peter absorbs Matt's power so he can help him out with the Jedi mind control. Even though they're seen on video by Danko, Nathan, and Bennet, their powers are effective in holding them at bay. While they're there, Rebel gives them access to recordings of the actions of Building 26, but while Peter gets out safely, Matt does not. Nathan then meets with his mother and asks if she's Rebel, but she denies it, and then Peter calls and offers Nathan the recording in exchange for Daphne and Matt. Danko, however, won't make a deal with someone he considers a terrorist, and tries to double-cross Peter. Even though Bennet tries to warn Peter with his thoughts, Danko shoots him in the shoulder and knocks him off a roof, but he suddenly reappears in a flying blur, and it's hard to see but his brother is carrying him. Soon after, the three Petrellis are having a confab, and Nathan admits he screwed up but still tries to get Peter to come with him. Peter, however, fakes him out WITH A HUG, which is awesome, and re-absorbs his power and flies away. When he's gone, Angela whispers something in Nathan's ear, and he looks rather stunned. Peter's video does indeed make the news, but that's not the only story, as in the end, Danko drugs Matt, straps a bomb around him, and drops him off in downtown D.C. I'm thinking the Jeopardy music would be appropriate here, but I don't handle licensing rights.
Who has the best powers? Find out. Come back later in the week for Couch Baron's full recap.
Want more? The full recap starts right below! Claire brings Alex a sandwich and tells him Sandra and Lyle will be going shopping soon, so he'll be able to come downstairs for a while. He says that's a good thing, as he's starting to stink, and after they grin at each other for a moment, Claire gets serious and tells him she's got cash to buy him a ticket to Albuquerque, and there's a train leaving that night. They sit on the bed as she goes on that the fact that he doesn't know anyone there means he can disappear and start over, but...why in such a small city? Wouldn't a newcomer be a lot less noticeable in, say, Chicago? And what about Mexico? Maybe they're worried about him being caught crossing over, but I'd take my chances and try for Tijuana. It's not like the border patrolmen there don't have other things to worry about. In any case, Alex tells Claire he never agreed to disappear, and his family and friends are in Costa Verde, and besides, he'll probably be found anyway, and the government might even be watching them right now. Claire denies that, but she's trying to sound more confident than she actually feels, and Alex tells her, "You're not Harriet Tubman, Claire. And this isn't the Underground Railroad!" Yes, I don't think Claire's seventeen-year-old wiles quite compare with Harriet Tubman's, especially given that there's a surveillance van outside her house as we speak (SPOILER!). Alex concludes that she's in over her head, and rather than deny that obviously true statement, Claire tells him that without her, he might be dead already, so he can just shut up and do what she tells him. At that moment, Sandra calls Claire's name......but when she enters the room, Alex is out of sight. She gets right to the point, saying that the "house money" she keeps in Mr. Muggles's rubber sneaker is gone. She holds up the receptacle for emphasis, and it's an orange Baby Ked that is just the cutest little thing. I knew Mr. Muggles would have good taste. Claire suggests that maybe Lyle took the money, but Sandra says she already questioned him. "Per usual, he has no clue." Hee. Poor Lyle is really the Rodney Dangerfield of this show. Claire confesses and says she was going to pay her back, and Sandra starts to ask why she took it, but Mr. Muggles starts barking at something under the bed, and when she picks him up, he's got Alex's sandwich in his mouth. Claire tries to play dumb, but then a thud comes from the closet, and Sandra expectantly looks back at her daughter. Claire: "I didn't hear anything." Not sure humor's the way to go here, Claire, but I appreciate it regardless. Sandra opens the closet and finds Alex holding a sleeping bag or something that fell off the shelf, and he nervously is like, "Mrs. Bennet, right? Hi!" Well, it's better than if he called her "Sandra," but I still think they're in a spot of trouble here, despite Claire's goofy smile.
At Building 26, Bennet mentions he got an apartment in DuPont Circle (a neighborhood in D.C., if you didn't know) before Danko asks if he minds that they're keeping an eye on Claire. Bennet says that if Claire does something wrong, she can live with the consequences, and if Danko is suspicious of how hard Bennet is toeing the line here, he keeps it to himself. I think in light of the kidnapping, though, he's taking Bennet's attitude shift at face value. Danko then announces to the room that Peter and Matt are their biggest priority, and they're both armed and dangerous "and should be taken down." Don't they in essence consider them all armed and dangerous? Isn't that the whole point? Nathan pops in mid-Danko-speech, which he seems to do a lot, and interjects that lethal force isn't permitted here, but Danko demurs, and after telling the men to get back to work, he informs Nathan that since Peter made things personal with him, he's doing what he needs to do. He walks off, and Nathan starts to leave (Thanks for stopping by!), on the way out telling Bennet to keep an eye on Danko for him, but Bennet continues his play to become Danko's new BFF by pointing out that Matt and Peter kidnapped him and threatened his life. "What makes you think I won't shoot them myself?" Nathan's like, "Geez, my brother shot me in the chest and we were making out again like two episodes later. What's up everyone's ass all of a sudden?" That one Asian guy who's allowed to talk then rushes over and tells Danko they have a lead. "Manhattan."
In Mohinder's lab, Matt's painting furiously, the subject this time being a portly, swarthy guy who's doing a Spock-like eyebrow pop, but as much as it seems like it should be Sylar, it isn't unless he gained fifty pounds in his week off. You never know with road food, though. Peter snaps Matt out of it, as he's apparently been going for quite some time in an effort to find answers on how to stop the destruction painted on the floor. I'm not going to torture myself by discussing the predictive stuff anymore, so let's focus on the part where Peter thinks they should get out of there, but Matt tells him the only thing that matters is rescuing Daphne, and THOSE AREN'T MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES, GOD! Matt is really the worst character on this show. Peter gives in and asks if Matt saw anything specific about Daphne's location when he was inside Bennet's head, and Matt babbles uselessly for a moment until the computer suddenly switching on thankfully interrupts him. The word "Rebel" is on it, and then comes an address on E Street in D.C., with a note that Daphne is there. Peter's suspicious, but the message then continues: "They're coming. Get out. NOW!" The blood drains from their faces for a moment, but then they move quickly out the front door, literally seconds ahead of two armed agents coming through the other entrance. One of them calls in and reports to Danko, based on the fresh paint on the canvas Matt was just working on, that they barely missed them. The other guy takes a camera-phone picture of the floor...
...which Danko examines thoughtfully on his computer. He says to no one in particular, "I think I know where they're headed," and even though his reasoning is erroneous, he's come to the right conclusion, much as just happened when he said Matt should be killed. Title card.
Claire and Alex are sitting on the living-room sofa, and Claire introduces Sandra to Alex as he sits there in the classic shoulders-hunched, hands-nervously-clasped position of Someone's Getting A Scolding. Claire says he's her new boyfriend, and the reason he was hiding in the closet is that they're Doing It. Alex gets a priceless look of horror on his face as Claire continues, "And I know it's wrong. Very, very wrong." I hope she's saying that exclusively for Sandra's benefit, or I'll start to be seriously worried about her eyesight. Sandra asks Alex if he knows that Claire is only seventeen, and my brain's starting to lock in the face of all the possible jokes about Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia, so let's move on to where Alex denies having touched her. "I've barely even made eye contact." Claire looks betrayed, but I'm not sure Sandra was buying what she was selling from the beginning, although it is a good cover story for the fact that he apparently stinks at the moment. They finally come clean, and Sandra flips that she brought him into the house, given the danger involved, but Claire says she didn't know what else to do, as Bennet was after him. Just as well not to bring Rebel up at this moment, I'm thinking. Sandra adds that Claire lied to her, and Claire freezes, because she knows what's coming . And as we all cringe in anticipation and remembrance of our own similar childhood moments, Sandra plays the Parents' Trump Card by saying she's "so disappointed," and if Alex barely even looked at Claire before, you can bet your ass he's not going to choose this awkward moment to glance her way.
Oh, how I did not miss Sylar and Luke, but here they are, and Sylar's driving as Luke uses the purloined laptop to confirm that they're not being tracked. Sylar notes that he sounds disappointed, and Luke basically says he'd like to see a bunch of agents show up so he could kill them, and when Sylar's the one with the grip on reality in your twosome, it's time to think seriously about medication. Luke then wonders why they're bothering with this trip, as parents suck, and he may have forgotten the cheesetastic moment the two of them had about dads and identity and finding your way in the world and blah, but I sure haven't. He says his dad used to put cigarettes out on his arm, and starts to show Sylar the scars, but before he can say, "This is what happens in my house when you spill paint in the garage," Sylar shuts up him by telekinetically flinging his face up against the window. He hilariously tells Luke he should have been wearing his seatbelt before asking why he doesn't want him to see his dad, and Luke starts to stammer something about not getting it, but Sylar cuts him off, saying his dad's the only one with answers, and that's all he needs to know. When Sylar releases him, however, he still won't shut up, saying Sylar's the most powerful guy on the planet, and they don't need anyone. Sylar isn't listening, though, and not just on general principles -- he pulls the car into an abandoned diner called "Big Jim's," and gets out and looks at it in apparent recognition. He waves a hand, and the boards start flying off the entrance...
...and then we're back in the Bennet kitchen, as Claire is trying to apologize to Sandra, saying she knows she wants a normal life and a regular family, but that's why she and Bennet have to lie -- to protect her. Sandra, having already won this argument with Bennet, says she's not some fragile creature -- she's strong, stronger than they think, and she knows more than they think she knows. Well, that's not surprising, otherwise why would The Company have sent The Haitian to puree her brain every few weeks? Ashley Crow's Southern accent reveals itself as she tells Claire that there's a van outside right now, and the people in it are watching them. "They're watching you." Claire, shocked, moves to the front door, opens it a crack, and sees a van that supposedly belongs to a pool-cleaning company...
...but inside, there are two agents. The guy asks the woman if she thinks Claire's hiding Alex, and she has no doubt that that's the case...
...and back inside, Sandra says they've been out there for four hours. "Nobody's pool is that dirty." I'm surprised the van doesn't drive off immediately to be replaced by one marked "Flowers By Irene." Sandra asks Claire how she's going to help Alex now, and Claire tells her she has a plan. "I just haven't thought of it yet." Sounds like the writing staff discussing the last chapter. As Alex appears on the stairway landing, Sandra tells Claire that she's got an idea, and Claire can either keep her in the dark and worry about protecting her, or she can let her help. Alex is like, "Sold!" so Claire asks Sandra what the plan is...
...but we don't hear it yet, instead cutting to Peter and Matt, who are strolling down the street toward the address supplied by Rebel. Peter goes over the plan, which is for Matt to Jedi mind-control everyone, but Matt whines that there are going to be too many people, and he can only control so many at a time. Peter shuts him up by absorbing his power, and I'd complain about him now being able to do it through Matt's jacket, but I'm willing to believe he's gained control over his absorption ability to where it only happens when he intends it to. Wow, after last chapter, I never thought I'd get back around to giving the show the benefit of the doubt. Matt then complains that this move kiboshes their "rooftop escape plan," and instead of demanding that he stop kvetching, like, yesterday, Peter up-sells the part where they're going to get in safely this way, rather than tell the truth, which is that his back still hurts from lugging Matt around the last time. They head in...
...and inside, there's a lot of ridiculous head-tilting and Grunberg and Ventimiglia sliding forward on dollies, and they get clearance to go to the top floor. Upstairs, they Jedi their way past some guards, and while they can't avoid the security cameras, no one upstairs sees them, like, way to earn that wage, guys. They head into the Operations office and, after booting the guy inside out, Peter sits at the computer as Matt barks that he thought the plan was to find Daphne. Peter mildly points out they have to know where to look, rather than use his mind power on Matt to force him to GET OVER HIMSELF. Upstairs, The Only Non-Regular Who Can Talk finally sees Matt and Peter, and calls Bennet over. Nathan wonders how they got in, and Danko frantically tries to get the computer system shut down, to no avail. Danko then starts to lead a team out of the office, but runs straight into two guards who have been mind-controlled to train guns on them and push them back into the command center. I wouldn't credit Matt with coming up with a move that smart, but that doesn't stop him from smirking into the security camera before we go to commercial.
Lyle's playing a video game when Sandra, flanked by Claire and Alex, appears and in a businesslike tone asks him how he did on his history test. When he answers that he got a C-minus, she confiscates his driver's license, not that that stops him from playing his game for more than three seconds. Alex tries to stick up for the other male in the situation, saying the punishment is pretty harsh, but Sandra breezes that he's a terrible driver anyway. Heh. Cut to the kitchen, where Sandra is delicately replacing Lyle's photo with Alex's, even running the iron over it with a towel as a buffer in order to re-laminate it, and although I'm not sure this would work with as new a license as Lyle's because they don't have removable photographs anymore, Claire and I both approve of the evidence of Sandra's youth, particularly when she talks about how she made a fake ID when she was younger because she had to go see Def Leppard. Awesome. I could totally see Sandra pouring some sugar on herself. She then counsels Alex to change his looks, as the government is probably using "facial recognition algorithms" (she learned that from Bennet) and offers that there's a change of clothes upstairs. Alex expresses his gratitude, and when he's gone, Claire looks at the new license appreciatively before telling her mom she didn't mean to drag her into all this. Sandra, however, says it was going to happen one way or another, so she thought she might help. Aw. Claire apologizes for being the way she is, because it would make everything easier if she weren't, and maybe Sandra and Bennet would still be together. Well, you wouldn't be their daughter in that case, Claire, and I doubt either of them wants to change that, no matter how sassy you've gotten in the last couple years. Sandra says she and Bennet had issues before Claire came around, but she married him because she fell in love -- he was dangerous and handsome, and she accepted everything that went with that, but now, she's tired of being lied to. Claire asks if they're going to get a divorce, and Sandra smiles ruefully and says it's possible, but if they do, it has nothing to do with Claire. Ashley Crow rules this episode, I'm sure I don't even have to say. Claire nods and attempts a smile of her own.
Sylar and Luke enter the diner, and soon Sylar tells Luke he's been to the place before, and his father was there too. We then head into a black-and-white flashback to 1980, and a young, bespectacled Sylar gets led into the place by his presumed dad, whose face we carefully are not shown. Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" plays as his dad leaves him to talk to a man and a woman. He shakes the man's hand like they just sealed a deal while Sylar plays with a toy car until he accidentally drops it into a hole on top of the short wall to him. His dad then grabs him and starts to lead him away...
...and then Luke interrupts his reverie, saying he can remember his father. For emphasis, he rips open the paneling on the wall and finds the toy car, which I'm sure is going to spend the commercial break being really psyched to be reunited with Daddy's little boy after almost thirty years. Seriously, a toy car? This is worth spending time on?
Claire returns to her room to find a shirtless Alex toweling off after his shower, and if this is your introduction to Justin Baldoni's body, feel free to join Claire and take a deep breath before moving on. They chat for a bit about their relative experience with others like them as he gets dressed, having lost the glasses as part of his effort to change his appearance, and then he tells her she's very special, and suggests they could have gone out sometime if things were different. "I could have been hiding in your bedroom for entirely different reasons." These two are only six years apart in age in real life, so it's getting less objectionable, and he's also pretty charismatic to be able to deliver that line without a hint of lasciviousness. They laugh, but then Claire says she's not really into the whole relationship thing (ouch, Milo) as married people don't seem all that happy. Alex, his recent experience presumably not colored by his parents splitting up, says he still thinks it's worth it. Claire asks why, and he responds, "For moments like this. When someone gets you the way that no one else does." Baldoni sells this line that could have really clanked in the hands of a lesser actor, so it's no surprise when he moves in for a kiss, but Sandra interrupts them, not in her capacity as the sex police but because the agents from the van are coming toward the house. She urgently tells him to come with her...
...and leads him to the pantry, on the bottom of which there's a hidden vent in the wall that leads to a crawlspace that Sandra says Bennet thought she didn't know about and used to store guns, files, and other spy gear in. Alex maneuvers his way into the tight area...
...and soon after, the agents are searching the place for Alex as Claire petulantly tells them she's supposed to be off-limits. The female agent is unimpressed, and goes into the pantry and kneels down, but Sandra has done a good job of covering the hiding place, and soon, she's kicking the agents out. Claire exhales in relief...
...and soon after that, Sandra's settling her nerves with a hot beverage when Claire and Alex join her. Claire says the train to Albuquerque is leaving soon, and they have to find a way to get Alex to the station. Alex suggests he simply slip out back, but Claire thinks they'll catch him. Sandra, however, thoughtfully demurs. "We're gonna give him a head start."
In Building 26, Peter finally finds the information they're looking for, but it's not good, as Daphne's been transferred to a medical facility. Suddenly, a message from Rebel pops up telling them to check it out, and then he or she brings up a recording of the hangar in which the prisoners were put on the plane back in the first episode. Peter grabs an empty flash drive and copies the files so, as he tells Matt, he can threaten to expose what the government is doing and use that as leverage to get Daphne back. Matt agrees to the plan, and looks back at the security camera...
...and we cut to the other side, where Bennet is telling Danko and the others that Matt's a powerful telepath, but when he uses his ability, "his senses become raw nerves," and they can use that to disrupt his thoughts. How many asterisks did Matt's power come with? He pulls the fire alarm...
...and sure enough, Matt starts to lose focus, which of course means that he's going to lose his hold on the guards barricading the command center. Moments later, the recording is complete, but then another message pops up from Rebel warning them they have thirty seconds. The power then cuts out, which is a blessing in disguise because the alarm goes with it, so when they run into two guards outside, they're able to mentally subdue them. However, Nathan and Danko then show up behind them, and Matt kind of inexplicably sends Peter on without him, saying he can hold them. I mean, certainly it's important for the recording to see the light of day, yet at the moment, Matt is using the two guards to hold back Nathan and Danko, and it seems like he could have kept doing so while escaping. Anyway, the power comes back on, and with it the alarm, and against that noise, Matt stands no chance and is taken.
Well, after that tense and action-filled scene, it makes sense to cut to something boring -- how does Sylar and that stupid toy car sound? He intones that something terrible happened there -- his father did something to him. Luke thinks it's probably good that he blocked it out, but Sylar snaps, "It eats away at your soul." Does Sylar say anything these days that isn't a 9.8 on the Drama-Meter? Who talks like this? Anyway...
...we pick up the flashback where we left off, and Sylar's dad brings him over to, presumably, his uncle, money is exchanged, and then Sylar's dad is out of there. Sylar chases after him and sees him get into a sedan with a woman in the passenger's seat. He gets close and sees them arguing, and then Sylar's dad raises a finger and telekinetically slashes her head open, with red blood intruding on the black-and-white screen by splattering across the back windshield. They're not trying to tell us that Sylar inherited his power from his father, are they? Since we know from onscreen evidence that that's absolutely untrue? Good. We get a quick look at Samson Gray, who looks a bit like a bulkier Jeff Bridges, as he pushes his wife's corpse out the door and drives off, which is cold. Still kind of wussy for Sylar to be all "Mommy?" out loud in the present, though, or at least it seems Luke thinks so from the "This is the object of my idol worship?" look on his face.
Angela and Nathan are sitting in his car, and he asks her if she's Rebel, as whomever it is has been helping Peter and also knows all about Building 26, and given that she has all that information (really?) he wonders who else it could be. Angela tells Nathan that besides the fact that she's computer illiterate, she knows what side her bread is buttered on, so to speak, as Nathan is the one keeping her safe. God, he must really hate Peter if he's willing to protect the woman who gave him his unwanted powers and a daughter that hates him but not his own brother. Of course, she may not be Rebel, but when she tells him she'd never betray him, we know she's lying, based on her conversation with Bennet at the end of last episode. Speaking of Peter, Nathan says that his theft of the files has made people want him dead, and I can only assume he means "more people," because Danko made his position pretty clear earlier. Angela thinks Nathan can still protect him, but he's not so sure. Peter then calls and tells Nathan to listen good: He'll give back the recording for Matt and Daphne. Nathan can't believe he'd trade what he has for such a small prize, but Peter ignores him and tells him if anything happens to any of the three of them, the recording gets played on the nightly news. Nathan agrees to his brother's terms, and asks where they should meet...
...and we cut to the agents in the van, who snap to attention when they see the Bennet garage door opening. Amid a flurry of squealing tires and hand-held camerawork, they intercept the SUV, but only find a hoodied Lyle in the passenger's seat and a smug Sandra driving, who says they're going to a movie, and she hopes that's not a threat to the Federal government. It's a lot less likely since the change of administration, I'd say. The agents then hear a noise out back, and go running to investigate, and I think this little stunt may actually have hurt Alex's chances of getting out unnoticed (do they really not have anyone watching the back of the house?) but I still enjoyed Sandra's little moment of triumph. Out back, Claire and Alex run down a steep hill, and perform a more mature version of "Jack And Jill" when they both lose their balance and tumble their way to the bottom, and Alex isn't in such a hurry that he doesn't take the time to enjoy lying on Claire's boobs for several seconds until she politely invites him to get off of her. They see the agents coming and get moving again, hopping an iron fence that surrounds a pool, and when the agents catch up, they look around, but Alex and Claire have submerged themselves in the underwater shadows. When Claire starts to run out of air, Alex kisses her, apparently blowing air into her mouth as he does. That doesn't hold up under scrutiny, but the whole scene's completely cheesy, so complaining about the technical aspects seems beside the point.
Nathan returns to the command center and hears from Danko that the men are ready to go meet Peter, and when the point comes up that he wanted to do it right to a network news building, Nathan opines, "Peter's no dummy," which has to be a leading candidate for the funniest thing ever said on this show. The mood darkens, however, when Danko informs Nathan that they're not making the exchange. Nathan can't believe Danko is willing to risk exposure of their operation, but Danko quotes the President in saying that the U.S. won't make deals with terrorists. Nathan apparently doesn't think of Peter that way, but Danko is unmoved, and tells Nathan to stay out of his way. He leaves, and Bennet starts to follow, but Nathan grabs him and asks him to remember that Peter can hear his thoughts. Bennet gives Nathan an inscrutable smirk and bails...
...and then we're at the rooftop rendezvous, and Peter steps out of the shadows when he sees Bennet get out of the town car that's just arrived. He suspiciously asks where Matt and Daphne are, and Bennet verbally tells him just to come with him, but his thoughts warn Peter that he's being set up. Unfortunately, Peter is inexplicably slow to react, and even as Bennet's thoughts get louder and more insistent, Danko plugs Peter in the shoulder, and he goes falling off the roof. Well, at least the fall won't hurt -- he has to be dead already from being shot in the shoulder, or ISN'T THAT HOW IT WORKS, MATT? Anyway, Bennet and Danko rush to the side of the building, just in time to see Peter and Nathan (although you can't see the latter's face) flying back up toward them. They fly up into the night and disappear with that smoke trail that I never get tired of seeing before Danko can get a shot off, and as they both stare up at their escaped quarry, Bennet allows a hint of a smile to play across his lips, probably thinking how Angela's going to love hearing about this one.
In a terrace garden somewhere, the brothers have convened with Angela, and Peter, arm in a sling, is understandably none too grateful for Nathan saving his life, instead asking him once and for all why he's doing what he's doing. Nathan says he's trying to save the world, but Angela evenly yet pointedly suggests there might be a better way. She doesn't add, "Such as anything else," but I think even Nathan's coming around to that viewpoint. Peter says that all roads at this point lead to killing their kind, and Nathan takes responsibility for that, but says he's the only one who can fix it. He asks Peter to come with him, and Angela objects, but Peter says it's okay. Nathan extends his hand, and Peter considers for several seconds before getting to his feet and saying he knows Nathan will take care of him. "'Cause you love me." He embraces his brother -- and then steals his power again and flies away! HA! Suck it, dick! Nathan wants to fly right after him, but Angela cautions him not to, because she's seen the future, and something's changed and he needs to be ready. She whispers something in his ear, and he looks positively floored before glancing up into the sky again...
...and then Peter has made good on his threat, and the evening news is broadcasting the contents of the tape. Danko looks exceedingly pissed, and then looks back at the painting they took from the lab, and now that the full shot is in view, we see the heavyset guy has a bomb around his waist. I was annoyed with the prospect of another explosive event, but at least they don't seem to be dragging this one out...
...which is more than I can say for the Sylar storyline. Luke is bored and wondering what the hell they're still doing there, and I sympathize, but Sylar throws a chair, which is how serial killers really get your attention, and tells him his dad killed his mom. He then bitches Luke out for making his dad sound so great, and look, you've been subjecting him to on-the-spot polygraph tests ever since you met him, so how'd you miss this one, guy? Sylar is the biggest patsy on this show. Anyway, he tosses Luke into the wall and holds him there for some speechifying about pain and whatever, and then he drops him and tells him to go home to his mother. Luke disbelievingly asks if he's not going to kill him, and Sylar replies, "Seems a little on-the-nose." Never seemed to bother you before. Luke asks where he's going, and Sylar tells him he's going to kill his father. So I figure he'll need another five episodes to find him, which leaves him only three to kill him. The writers sure are under pressure with this storyline! Seriously, the fact that other subplots are interesting now is just making this one seem even more dreadfully boring.
A sweaty Matt groggily comes to in a moving vehicle and asks Danko, who's right in front of him, what he's doing. Danko tells him that the world doesn't yet realize how dangerous he is, but they will. "The enemy has a face, Parkman. It's you." Danko injects him with something, probably to inhibit his power...
...and then we cut to Matt getting pushed out of the van near the Capitol Building, and we see that Danko has strapped a bomb around his stomach. No one seems to notice yet, but you can bet they will. Man, would this not be a better show if they actually blew him up? I mean, I know it would for me, but it would actually be a daring choice here, and as much of an improvement as this chapter is, the show could still use a couple of those.
Back at the Bennet house, Sandra comes into Claire's bedroom, and they share a smile before Claire tells her she was incredible. Seconded. Sandra tells her she loves her just the way she is, and she wouldn't trade this life for anything. Claire smiles: "Me either." Sandra says she made popcorn, and downstairs, the microwave alarm goes off, so Claire goes to get it while Sandra sits and looks at a photo of her and her husband...
...but then when Claire opens the microwave, there's nothing in it. She closes the door, and when she turns, she finds the popcorn -- in the hands of creepy puppet master Doyle, who greets her with a diffident, "Hey, Barbie" and offers her some of the snack. Heh. He says he has a message from Rebel, and holds up his phone, which reads, "Claire will save you." He tells her he needs her help, and Claire's stunned face is good, but I cannot wait to see Sandra's reaction to this new development...week!
John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. You can reach him at couchbaron@gmail.com.
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