Volume III, “Villains,” continued this week, dividing airtime between present-day and four years in the future. The future is a very different place, where Claire, Daphne and Knox (Level 5 detainee) are all evil. Claire even shoots Uncle Peter point blank, leaving present-day Peter left running for his life in the future, as she is after him as well. In this future world, abilities are for sale to the highest bidder, making it easier than ever to be a world-class criminal. 

New families will be formed in four years. Matt is now married to Daphne, with whom he has daughter Danielle and raises Molly. Also, Sylar is evil no more. He is Gabriel Gray once again, but with a twist. He has a son, Noah, who seems to be about four years old, and lives in the Bennet House in Costa Verde. It is confirmed that Peter, Gabriel and Nathan are brothers. Also, Nathan is now married to Tracy, and they are President of the United States and First Lady, respectively. 

Mohinder’s formula is wrong and he “fear[s] what [he is] becoming.” He is developing a strange rash and his nerves run thin. In the future, he is only shown in shadows wearing a cloak and he has a distorted voice, implying the formula has gone terribly awry. Also, present-day Mohinder discovers that he can never remove anyone’s abilities. 

Peter is told to obtain Sylar’s power, as it will help him prevent this terrible future world. Gabriel doesn’t want to give his awful ability for how things work to Peter, as it also comes with an unstoppable hunger which he fights everyday for his son. Claire, Knox and Daphne show up in Costa Verde, holding little Noah hostage. A battle ensues among the three evil characters, and Peter and Gabriel. Sadly, little Noah is killed. This causes Gabriel to become enraged, digging up powers he’d long forgotten. Gabriel radiates in rage, causing a city-wide explosion. It is reported that no one in Costa Verde survived. No one, that is, except Claire and Peter, who cannot die. 

Interestingly, we learn that not all of our Heroes were born with their powers. Some of them were given the abilities. The big zinger, however, was when Angela Petrelli asked Hiro and Ando to unbury the uber-evil Adam Monroe. 

First off, there was certainly not enough Molly in this episode. But, I was appreciative of the fact that she returned, although I still would like to know about the status of West and Caitlin. 

Secondly, I absolutely love this show’s obsession with waffles. It’s seriously something to look forward to, ever since Hiro’s classic “Waffles! Wahoo!” quote back in season one. 

Following the timeline of events we’ve been shown, it’s obvious that the death of his son is what returned Sylar to his evil ways. However, I’m still confused and curious as to who Noah’s mother is/was. And why did Sylar name his son after Noah Bennet? Likewise, why does he live in the Bennet House? At first, signs point to the possibility that Claire could be the mother, but A) that’s too strange a pairing considering their histories, and B) if Gabriel Gray is Angela Petrelli’s son, then Gabriel Gray is Claire’s uncle. 

Honestly, what could possibly convince Angela that unburying Adam Monroe is a wise act? Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be interesting and backfire at least once. Despite this, I am glad to see David Anders back as a guest-star, as it is my personal opinion that he is the most talented actor who is typically cast as a Brit on television, regardless of the fact that he is from Oregon. 

Rating: A 

A+: Episode is nearly perfect. It doesn’t get any better then this
A, A-: Excellent Episode with only minor flaws or imperfections, a must-watch episode for anyone who enjoys TV
B+, B: Good but not great episode, has flaws in a few key areas but still a great television experience
B-, C+, C: Enjoyable show that has some obvious flaws, but has certain aspects that make it a decent show
C-, D+, D: Episode with more weaknesses than strengths, barely watchable. But, worth a look if one is a fan of the genre
F: Episodes receiving this grade are not worth the time. These have numerous shortcomings and flaws. Minimal to zero entertainment value