Heroes - Series 3, Episode 14 - A Clear & Present Danger

Things in the Petrelli household are getting sinister – I know, could they really get more sinister? It’s several months since Arthur Petrelli was killed and Sylar was presumed dead after trying to outdo Claire and Angela. Things have changed. Matt & Daphne are trying to live normal lives, Peter’s back to work as a paramedic, Angela’s helping Claire choose schools and Nathan’s getting a little too friendly with the White House. Tracy’s plan of getting Nathan to the top seems to be working and as we watch him in a TV interview something is not right. Tracy goes to her bathroom, the window is open, and before long she’s surrounded by SAS, weapons pointed at her in all directions, and even with her power she’s taken down.

 At the Petrelli’s Claire is also feeling the unease. As Angela hurries her along to choose colleges Claire’s mind is too busy with questions on Sylar’s whereabouts, on disappearances of people, of why her father (biological) keeps going on secret business trips, to be persuaded into any kind of educational direction. Her mind made up to leave and be a hero, with or without help, she packs her bags, not before overhearing a conversation between her grandmother and father discussing the take down of Matt Parkman and Peter.

 As she rushes to protect Matt, informing Peter on the way, Mohinder is in similar trouble. Cornered on a roof top he manages to fight his way from the SAS and is graciously saved by Mr Bennett…..who of course, in true Heroes way, promptly delivers Mohinder back to the very people he’s trying to flee. Another one down.

 At Parkman’s Matt is going through a new transformation as his spirit guide appears in visions and before long he’s the newest in a line of visionaries who are able to paint the future. Not understanding his drawings, until Claire arrives and the pair discover a drawing depicting that she would do just that, Matt has no time to discover the true meaning of this new power as once again the SAS arrive, another two Heroes down.

Arriving in an aircraft hanger we see many taken down Heroes, by this time also including a powerless Hiro, shackled, hooded and drugged being trudged towards an aeroplane. Nathan, overseeing the entire operation is shocked to find Claire amongst the mix and quickly gives her a way out, bundles her into the back of a car and tells it to take off. She quickly takes out the driver of the car and as the plane is taking off manages to stow herself in the cargo hold….once aboard releasing as many of the prisoners as she can. Heroes released she dashes to the cockpit only to find Mr Bennett happily at the helm whilst all hell breaks loose in the hold as Peter, sucking up Tracy’s power, accidently manages to freeze half the plane off.

With the plane going down with half our cast on it, Peter holding on for dear life and perilously close to being sucked out, I was hastened to wonder if we were about to see a massive cull of cast which has been secretly kept under wraps. Will Ando be able to save Hiro? Will Sylar, who obliterated any attack on his life by the SAS, try to help his captured Heroes?

Heroes is still as attractive as ever but whilst famous for blurring the lines between good and evil, hero and villain, it is starting to become stale with the inevitability that in each series all that were bad previously will show good sides and vice versa, Mr Bennett is typical for this. Peters increasing whinge about saving the world and doing everything to save people is starting to annoy and I’m starting to wonder if they’ve gone one twist too far.