Can They Save the World? - a Review of the TV Show Heroes

Tonight is the much-anticipated season-finale of "Heroes". My DVR is set to record it so I can watch it without the commercials, as I do every week. I have been waiting for this episode almost the entire season.

Viewers have known almost since the beginning that a bomb was going to go off in NY and our heroes had to find a way to stop it. Tonight, we will find it if they succeed.

Over the last eight months, viewers have been introduced to the heroes, people who have amazing abilities that, when put together, will hopefully be able to keep NY on the map.

There's Claire, the cheerleader. I'm sure even non-viewers have heard the expression all season: "save the cheerleader, save the world." Claire is played by Hayden Panettiere, who has starred in movies such as Disney's "Ice Princess" and "Raising Helen." Claire's ability is self-healing, no matter how bad the damage, even when death occurred.

Claire found out she was adopted. Her adopted father is Mr. Bennet, played by Jack Coleman who was a regular cast member on "Dynasty." Bennet's job is to keep track of the heroes for an underground unit to keep them in control. He has worked willingly for them for years, and even took Claire in when she was a baby as requested by his bosses in order to track her ability. But lately, he has begun to question his bosses' motives.

Claire's biological father is Nathan Petrelli, played by Adrian Pasdar of TV's "Judging Amy." Nathan can fly. He is also a politician who was just elected to congress and is on the road to the presidency.

Nathan's brother is Peter Petrelli, played by Milo Ventimiglia. He has starred in movies such as "Rocky Balboa" and "Cursed." Peter has the ability to absorb other's abilities. Once he absorbs the ability, by being in the same vicinity when a hero uses their ability, he is able to learn to control and use it himself.

Peter recently absorbed Ted's ability, an on-again, off-again character played by Matthew John Armstrong, who has guest-starred on "Numb3rs" and "House." Ted can create nuclear energy and is wanted by the authorities because of this. When he came to NY, he and Peter met and Peter once again absorbed a new ability, one he frighteningly had to learn to control fast. Since it is close to the time that the bomb is supposed to go off, Peter is worried he will be the cause of it.

But viewers know there is another possibility. A character whose ability is similar to Peter's is Sylar, the villain of the show, played by Zachary Quinto. Quinto has guest-starred in TV series such as "24" and "Charmed." Unlike Peter, who can absorb a hero's ability without hurting them, Sylar absorbs his abilities by killing the heroes they belong to. Sylar's last victim was Ted, and he happily absorbed Ted's ability to create nuclear energy.

Although most of Sylar's other victims have been guest stars, he has recently killed another main hero, Isaac Mendez, who had the ability to paint the future. Isaac is played by Santiago Cabrera who was in the TV miniseries "Empire" and guest starred on the show "Spooks." The paintings Isaac created came together like a comic book that helped Peter figure out how and where to save the cheerleader.

Peter was helped in his quest by Hiro, played by Masi Oka, who has guest starred in TV shows such as "Without a Trace" and "Reno 911." Hiro is from Japan. When he learned of his ability, bending time and space, he transported himself to New York and saw what would happen there. He and his friend Ando traveled to the United States and started on their quest to find a sword Hiro saw himself using in the future to help save the world.

Hiro and Ando were led to Las Vegas on their quest to find the sword, where they met Niki. Niki has another personality, Jessica, who has taken over for most of the series. Jessica was Niki's twin sister who died when they were young. Although Jessica is in control, Niki is well aware of everything that is happening around her and is helpless as she watches Jessica take over her life. Niki/Jessica is played by Ali Larter of "Final Destination" and "Final Destination 2."

Niki has a son named Micah, played by Noah Gray-Cabey, who was in "Lady in the Water." Micah's ability is mind control. He uses it to manipulate anything electronic, such computers, ATMs and phone booths.

Micah's father is D.L., played by Leonard Roberts of "Drumline" and "He Got Game." D.L. can walk through walls.

The final hero is Matt, a former police officer who can read minds. Matt is played by Greg Grunberg of "Mission: Impossible III" and "Austin Powers in Goldmember."

Tracking the heroes is Mohinder Suresh, whose father had studied the phenomenon behind the heroes' powers until his death. Taking over where his father left off, Mohinder traveled to the United States and began tracking the heroes. He is trying to help them realize their potential and prevent the tragic event Isaac's painting predicted would happen in NY. Mohinder is played by Sendhil Ramamurthy, who has guest starred in "Numb3rs" and "Grey's Anatomy."

Through the characters and ongoing "to-be-continued" storyline the show has had since the beginning, "Heroes" is a fast-paced, full-action show that keeps viewers glued to their seats for an hour every Monday night. I am looking forward to the much-anticipated season finale: will the bomb go off? If it does, who will create it? Who will live? Who will die? I just know that the finale will end in a cliffhanger, leaving viewers with a lot of unanswered questions. Perhaps I am wrong. I will find out tonight.