On the suggestion of last week's commenters, I went and checked out the last couple of Heroes graphic novels posted, expecting to find some of that supposedly useful information that was hinted at–specifically, an explanation of what Maya and Alejandro's powers are. Doing so confirmed what I already knew from last season: While they may be an interesting diversion for superfans, there's nothing here that is crucial to the story. The Maya y Alejandro chapter, for example, established only that the twins were on the run for (accidentally) killing several townspeople, and the authorities were after them. All this, incidentally, I already inferred from the "Wanted" posters and the truckload of corpses in last week's episode, so I renew my position that I'm sticking to the show and the show alone. I see enough Nissan Rogue ads as it is.
Speaking of The Toxic Twins, tonight we got a look at what their powers can do but still no explanation as to how they happen, or even what purpose they may serve. We do know that whatever Maya's destructive power is, Alejandro obviously keeps it in check, and the comic I read (and here's maybe where I contradict myself on the whole "the comics aren't important" thing) also used an excerpt from Chandra Suresh's book to hint that their power may be a "seemingly unattractive mutation holding the potential for something great." So far, however, all we've seen it do is flush out X-Files-esque black oil from everyone's eyes and cause them to keel over, which is what happens to Nidia, their guide across the border. Luckily, Alejandro and Maya can join hands and–with the help of a few shaky camera effects–put everything right with the world, as Alejandro is apparently some kind of mystical Goo Gone. I know an explanation is just around the corner (and I wouldn't even put it past the producers to surprise me with the way their powers fit in with everyone else's) but occasional mass murder aside, I have to say I'm already growing tired of this weepy, El Norte immigration drama. Really, I'm just ready for them to get to America and turn moody and selfish like everybody else.
Still, as impatient as I am with the Maya and Alejandro storyline, it's nothing compared to my overwhelming desire to see Hiro's flight of fancy in feudal Japan come to an end. While Hiro has always been the comic relief and the character who could be counted on to inject a little levity into a show that often takes itself too seriously, I have to say again that his little lighthearted diversion is so predictable it borders on pointless. Sure, we're bound to learn some key piece of mythology–maybe something that explains why Kensei's "godsend" symbol is the same as the "bag-and-tag" mark on the rest of the heroes, seen elsewhere this week on Peter's necklace and again on the ominous "Black Spot" photos given to Kaito Nakamura and Angela Petrelli–and the fact that Kensei himself also appears to have previously undiscovered powers of regeneration is interesting, but is it really worth all of the cutesy cribs from A Princess Bride and romance-under-the-cherry-blossom scenes to get to that? I mean, did anyone out there not see it coming that Hiro would end up impersonating Kensei? Any chance I can squish my eyes together and skip ahead to two or three episodes from now, when Hiro thanks Kensei for everything and Kensei says, "No, thank you," and Hiro returns to the present and realizes that all of Kensei's famous exploits were actually his exploits, et-fucking-cetera? (Again, prove me wrong Heroes writers!)
Ditto for Peter Petrelli and his amnesia arc, which is one of my least favorite dramatic devices ever (except when it involves Martian secret agents, lesbians, or Goldie Hawn). As hinted at in the final scene of last week's episode, Peter doesn't remember his name or anything else about his past, but he suddenly has the ability to control his powers at will, without even being aware of them. He also appears to have picked up a new one–i.e. D.L.'s ability to pass through things–to go along with the telekinesis and lightning-from-the-fingertips he used to lay a beating on some of the most unconvincing "Irish" toughs since Tommy Lee Jones in Blown Away. Unfortunately, to regain his identity and put this little detour to rest, Peter has to commit to doing a job for his captors in order to get (cue ominous NBC announcer voice) The Box supposedly containing his credit cards–which apparently didn't burn up when he went thermonuclear–and everything else he had on him when he was found chained up in the shipping container instead of all those missing "OiPods." I just hope one of the things in The Box is a plane ticket home, so he (and we) can get away from the Fakey O'Brogues as soon as the job is done.