Heroes Report on "Out of Time"

Episodes like this one are what makes the early episodes that drag worthwhile.

Sure, episodes, say #2-5 of this sophomore Heroes season weren't so hot. But last episode and this episode "Out of Time" are what make the show great. All the pieces fit together, the dominoes start falling and we get a string of three or four great episodes one after the other after the other.

With so much going on, let's just go around the horn with recaps.

Peter and Caitlin find themselves in an apocalyptic future, where we see 93% of the world's population dead thanks to the Shanti Virus. While I've made no secret that I can't stand the prospect of a plague storyline, it's always cool to see apocalyptic futures, isn't it? Unfortunately, our favorite Irish lass is taken from Peter just as he accidentally transports himself back to the past, with some if not all of his memories back.

- Momma Petrelli really made this scene for me, as the looks on her face when she saw Peter were top-notch.
- Now the question is, does Peter's returned memory change his relationship with this "Adam," and does he have all his memories back? And, can his glimpse into the future actually change anything?

Stalker-West stepped up the stalkerness by dropping in unannounced to the Bennet/Butler family with breakfast in hand. This does, of course, lead to Claire's lies getting blown and then leads to West learning about his Horn-Rimmed-Nemesis being Mr. Bennet.

- I literally laughed out loud when Stalker-West spotted HRG and thought he had come looking for him. Priceless!
- The only way this storyline possibly works for anyone is if last season is completely forgotten. After what Claire and HRG went through together, she shouldn't be turning on him so damned easily, and frankly it cheapens Season One.

Hiro and his Princess break free, allowing Hiro to blow up all those guns and save Japan. Charleton Heston shed a tear. In order to do this, he had to best "Kensei," who "died" in the explosion. Hiro, then, had to return home to fulfill Kensei's stories of sacrificing his love.

- From the start, this story could only go two ways: 1) He trains Kensei or 2) He becomes Kensei. As it turned out, he did both, with his Princess promising to spread Kensei's stories for Hiro's own good.
- I was pleased to see Hiro put his glasses back on upon returning to Ando. He just wasn't our lovable dork without them.

Possessed by Nightmare-Maury and coming after Bob, Nikki injects the virus into herself to stop the nightmare. However, it turns out Bob was a little too good at modifying that virus, because now Mohinder's antibodies don't work on her. When Bob tells Mohinder to go after Claire to get her genes, Mohinder spills the beans on his relationship with HRG.

- Wow, am I hoping this is all a planned charade orchestrated by HRG. If it isn't, Mohinder has got to be the biggest Wuss I have ever seen. At the first sign of adversity he rolls over? He's a stronger character than that! And he knows HRG's methods, he shouldn't be surprised by Ivan's death!
- I'd be shocked if Nikki dies of this plague, meaning I'll be shocked if the plague storyline remotely comes to pass. Ali Larter is not an actress I see NBC wanting to lose.

Parkman traps Nightmare-Maury in the same cage Maury was holding Molly in by using his mental powers that he didn't think he had. Molly wakes up, Maury doesn't.

- Suddenly, Parkman is a dangerous and potentially dynamite character, who can become a fantastic bad guy whenever the writers need him to become one. I love it!
- I could not be happier about Maury's defeat, if only because he was not a suitable major villain for this show...

BUT Adam "Kensei" Monroe is!!!

That's right, Kensei is, in fact, Adam Monroe, and he is the one behind most of the company's past decisions. He's also the one who is trying to team with Peter to take down the company and "punish humanity."

This show needed another potentially sinister baddie, and Maury and Bob just weren't cutting it. Adam Monroe does.

Sure, I may be hating everything about this virus garbage, but seeing who Adam Monroe is gave me renewed hope for a fantastic rest of season two, no matter how much longer it lasts.

A quick theory, though... could Monroe be Peter and Nathan's father? It would explain how Peter is so strong and how Nathan fathered invincible Claire...

Next week is apparently going to be one of Heroes' patented flashback episodes answering some questions, so I'd bank on another great episode in seven days.

I was becoming one of this show's biggest critics two weeks ago -- and now I am silenced.