trinityvixen | (no subject)

Okay, for serious, Nathan flying? So much more awesome than I expected, especially given how fake that always looks. Great, great stuff. And him and Hiro ending up in the coffee shop together with his not-quite copping to flying and not-quite believing in Hiro's power (save where it benefits him to believe in it, of course)! So much love! Matt's relationship with his wife? So very television, but still also very cute. Of all the heroes, he, by far, is the most weakened by his power. He's jeopardy-boy with the rate at which he gets into trouble. Isaac and Peter together make for some serious tension, but good on Peter for finally getting a firm grasp on his abilities (and Isaac's to boot, which not even Isaac has done). Loved the special effects for how Peter sees the painting-to-be (the eye thing was okay, too, but I immediately went all Dune and figured if Isaac and Peter weren't hitting the rock, they were at least dipping into the spice).

But I think the most awesome scenes of all went to Mr. Bennet this week. For the first time, his interaction with Claire wasn't a) creepy or b) ominous. It was the first father-daughter relating that was free of the larger repercussions of what Mr. Bennet's job entails. Not entirely, of course, given when he goes and has his pet superpowered dude do to Brody, but that's later. Up front, Mr. Bennet is Claire's concerned, impotent-feeling father when he finds out his baby was not only violated but felt so ashamed she couldn't even confess it to him. Majoy kudos to the actor playing Mr. Bennet, as his rage was truly understated yet intense throughout. Slight twitches of his lip, flares of nostril as his mind is assualted with the notion of his daughter being messed with. It's horrifying for him--he who deals in horror made to be frightened and made helpless. Whatever his duties, I don't doubt that he loves Claire very much. If he knew she was special before adopting her, he's been lost in his own ruse of being her father. If he didn't, he can't ever betray her because his love is too real and is now proven as such. Kings will fall before Mr. Bennet and whatever organization he represents, but his daughter will come to no harm by his hand.

Which means, of course, she will be his undoing and his doom. And he knows this, I think. The redemption of the dark one, Darth Vader coming back to embrace the light, Mr. Bennet will save Claire at the expense of his own freedom, security, and, probably, his life. And he does not care. It is not his choice to die or be defeated but to save Claire, and the costs of that are secondary. Brilliantly done.

But, of course, there cannot be a loss from the side of self-interest and power without a reciprocal sacrifice from the side of righteousness and goodness, and several of the heroes tangoed closer to that fall this episode. Nathan moved away from it, which is unexpected (Adrian Pasdar is so good at being dirty, it's a surprise and a good one to have him fight the darkness in his portrayal of Nathan). But DL's reappearance will push Niki and ikiN over the line (most likely), and Matt's abuse of his power will have consequences. All is balance.