In case you somehow didn't notice, the promise of an eclipse is a consistent theme in this week's episode of Heroes [1]. The opening narration explains that when the moon passes in front of the sun, apparently anything is possible (really, anything?). "It's power is undeniable. . . It's meaning unknowable."

In the next two episodes, "The Eclipse Parts I and II," we'll find out what happens, exactly, but for now all we know is that "it's coming." Yeah. To chat about this week's Heroes, .

• In Africa, Hiro snaps out of Arthur's mind grip and thinks he's 10 years old. He teleports himself and Ando to a bowling alley where they make his favorite waffles. Ando then has to explain to "10-year-old" Hiro that he has a power, like a superhero. When Hiro re-figures out how to use his power, he uses it to play pranks on people.
• Arthur tells Sylar that his hunger is not about killing, "it's about power." He says that he needs to access his empathy and then puts Sylar in a dark, creepy room with a very angry Elle, who repeatedly electrocutes him. So, I may just have Watchmen on the brain these days [2], but the parts when we see Sylar getting electrocuted from behind reminds me an awful lot of the moment in Watchmen when Jon becomes Dr. Manhattan. But anyway.
• Everywhere people go, they see the image of the eclipse.
• Does anyone actually sit through the commercials for those new heroes in the NBC web series? Anyone?
• Turns out there's a third piece to the formula, a catalyst, hidden away in the blood of a human host. Kaito Nakumura was the only one who knew the identity of the host.
• I think my favorite part of this show is now the Elle-Sylar relationship. They're weirdly cute together. Elle lashes out at Sylar electrically, for her father's death, shrieking "murderer!" She zaps him good, and then tells him to kill her. Sylar says he forgives her, but she must forgive herself. He then touches her, her pain goes away, and Sylar now has her power, too.
• Parkman sees Usutu in the hallways of Primatech. He and Daphne come upon Angela. Daphne speeds over to Arthur, asks him to leave Matt out of it. Arthur mentions Daphne's past yet again and she relents.
• I know it's been said before in the comments section here and I've always agreed: The dynamic between Claire and Peter (or rather, Hayden and Milo) just seems kind of icky. They're supposed to be uncle and niece to each other, but I keep expecting them to make out. Claire says Peter never should have become "my friend and my hero." Eeeeuck. Tough guy Claire tries to elude Knox and Flint but they grab her. Then Peter outsmarts them and he and Claire run away.



• Nathan says everything he's ever done is because of his father, and he and Tracy go to see him. Arthur says he should have told Nathan what his role was in all of this, goes on about Nathan's destiny, Nathan's talent to lead a nation. "I am not afraid to admit that you have always been my favorite son. The one most like me. The strong one. We can save the world together. This can be our legacy, Nathan."




• Hiro teleports himself and Ando to a comic book store, or "the source of all knowledge." There they see a 9th Wonders comic book. On the last page there's the eclipse image with the words, "It's coming."
• Nathan: "He wants to give half the planet superpowers so that we can save the world together with me as president." Tracy wants people to know all about this stuff, but Nathan says the last time he tried to tell anybody anything like this, "my brother came back from the future and shot me. Twice." Nathan flies off. Tracy goes up to see Arthur, and tells him he has a PR problem. If he helps her, she will convince Nathan to be "the face" of Arthur's plan.
• I couldn't decide if I liked that whole surreal segment when Parkman gets into that creepy head space with Angela and then Daphne and Arthur. I did like that Angela suddenly becomes the one in control, though I found it rather unlikely (even if a part of Arthur still loves her). Arthur allows her to come out of her mental shackles, as it were.
• Yieeeck, Mohinder's test subject is gross. Mohinder kills him at the guy's request.
• So, Claire thinks she's the most special one of all, carrying the catalyst for the formula. Mostly I hope she's not because Claire is grating on my last nerve these days.
• In the end, we see Arthur, white-eyed, sketching something while a bunch of others look on. And you know what? I have no idea if anything happens after that because my DVR recording cut off! I'm going to seek out the video online, but sheesh!

Photos courtesy of NBC