Episode Report Card DeAnn Welker: C- | 1 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT "I Can't Bring Nathan Back, Peter. But I Can Sure as Hell Swing a Sledgehammer."
By DeAnn Welker | Season 4 | Episode 18 | Aired on 02.01.2010
Ambiguously Gay Duo. Peter's banging a sledgehammer against the brick wall, as Sylar says he should eat. But Peter doesn't need to eat or sleep or do anything (well, duh, because it's a dream). Sylar asks if there's any progress today; there's not, just like every other day. Sounds like he's been doing this futilely for a long time. Peter doesn't even want to know how long it's been, but he says he'll do it as long as it takes. Sylar says he knows that look of Peter's; he has it all the time. When Peter asks, "Like when?" Sylar spews a memory that's obviously Nathan's about Howie Kaplan beating Peter at the fifty-yard dash so they kept training and training. Peter gets in Sylar's face and tells him that's Nathan's memory, not his, and he's told him to stop doing that. "You're not him. You're nothing like him." Sylar: "So you've told me." He starts to leave, but turns and tells Peter he knows he's said it before, but he's sorry he killed Nathan and took him from him. Peter turns and yells that Sylar keeps saying that, but it's not going to bring Nathan back. It doesn't change anything. Sylar yells that Peter's right: Nothing changes, and they're stuck here forever together. Sylar picks up the sledgehammer and says he can't take it anymore. He walks toward Peter. They glower at each other, as Ambiguously Gay as ever.
At the Carnival, Samuel says Lauren's from the Company, so she's cut from the same cloth as Bennet. Lauren tells him this doesn't have to end badly for him: He can turn himself in and release Bennet and Claire. He asks why he'd want to do that, and she says because he loves his family and doesn't want them to get hurt, and they will get hurt. Samuel asks if she doesn't think he knows what's best for his own family. She asks what that would be, and Samuel tells her it's change. He says they're strong enough to show themselves and take what's rightfully theirs. She says they don't have the right to take anything, but he says they deserve admiration and respect. She asks if he plans to hurt people to take it. He asks what she'd have him do: live this life? In a carnival? She asks why not, since he's lived here happily for years. He says they were wasted, unfulfilled years, and he could have been so much more. He realizes she knows about him, and the film, and how powerful he can be with all of the other "specials." He wonders if he can really do what his brother said, and move mountains and cities. He asks if he can change the world. She hopes to god we never find out and asks what the world ever did to him. His reply: "It should have treated me better." This whole time he's walked closer and closer to her, so now he's right in her face, and Lauren's obviously nervous. She asks him not to do this, please. Replicator Eli comes in and tells Samuel that Claire left the House of Mirrors. Samuel says he'll have a word with her, and it's time to gather the family. He tells Eli to tell them all to pack up to move on to bigger and better things. Then he tells Lauren she's been quite helpful and tells Eli and his friends to take care of her.
Ambiguously Gay dreamland. Peter asks Sylar what he's going to do, and Sylar says, "I'm going to end this" as he rushes toward Peter with the sledgehammer. But Sylar's going toward the wall, not toward Peter, who watches him hammer it. Sylar pauses for stupid dialogue: "I can't bring Nathan back, Peter. But I can sure as hell swing a sledgehammer." They both hammer.
Back at the Carnival, Samuel tells Claire he's sorry to put her through that, but he hopes through this painful experience she can finally see the truth. She is still crying as she says, "Yeah. You were right, Samuel. My dad is a bad guy. I belong with you." She turns to him and adds a snotty, "You're my hero." She says that's what he wants to hear, right? Since that's what this is all about. She asks why he didn't show her the memory of her dad shooting Lydia. He says maybe HRG didn't pull the trigger, but does that negate all the times he has? He says Bennet lies to her, even her, his darling daughter, because he can't trust any of them. She asks if he actually thought that she would turn on him. She says he doesn't understand -- maybe because no one ever really loved him. She says he calls these people family, but they're not: They fear him. She asks for her dad, and says they're leaving. He says he's sorry, but she's too important to him. By the way, why hasn't Claire called her uncle Peter or something? Oh, right, he's in his dream coma. How about any other hero she knows then? And why is it taking Tracy so long to get here? He says Claire's especially important now that everything's going to change. She asks what's going on, and Samuel says he was talking to a new friend about how things are going to change, and she was so afraid. He wants to see that look again 1,000 times over, because it's time for their biggest show ever. No more hiding in the shadows; it's time to show themselves. He's bringing the whole show to New York City to show everyone how powerful they are. He says some lives will be lost, but they'll show everyone how powerful they are, just like they've always wanted. Claire says she's never wanted that. Samuel tells her this is her legacy, and she'll remind everyone what he's done long after he's gone (presumably because she'll live forever, but I don't get why she ages, then? I know she heals, but I didn't think that means she can't die of anything ever), which is why it's so important for her to be part of the family. She tells him he's desperate and small, and she'll never be part of his family. He tells her she sounds just like her father, but he had so hoped to convince her. Maybe in time she'll change her mind. She tells him not to hold his breath, and he says, "Right," then tells her that her father's back at the souvenir trailer.
She runs off, and Replicator Eli comes up and tells him that "the government lady" got away. Samuel says it's not worth it to go find her. Then he says he's going to give Claire some time to think about his offer. She keeps running until she gets to the souvenir trailer. He tells her he wants to explain what she saw, but she wants to talk about it later. She starts to untie him, but the trailer starts shaking. They wonder what it is, but we see Samuel's moving the Earth under it and eventually buries it underground. He tells Eli he's ready to go now, and Eli thinks New York will be fun. Samuel tells him he'll have to join later because he has some loose ends to attend to. Then he says that Lydia spoke of some people who want to interfere with the plans, so he needs Eli to stop them permanently. I think he must have been asking her who would stop them when Lydia showed the tattoos of Claire, Peter, and Sylar in the premiere. That's the only explanation I can come up with for Lydia having told him about anyone who wants to stop them. They both leave without discussing who it is, even though neither of them is a mind reader. I guess they'll use their Sprint phones or something.
Nighttime in the Ambiguously Gay nightmare. Sylar's sitting alone, staring at the brick wall when Peter gives him a package and says, "Happy birthday." Sylar: "It's not my birthday." Peter: "Yeah, I know." But he gives him a new copy of The Pillars of the Earth because he wore out his other copy. I'd like to think the book is somehow symbolic, but it's more likely a shout-out to the director of the upcoming movie version, since he's also directed Heroes episodes. Peter tells Sylar he appreciates him being patient with him and keeping him sane. Sylar jiltedly says, "That's very kind of you, Peter. Thank you." Peter picks up his sledgeh