Heroes, Season III (thar be spoilers here!)

[Mich]

Not last I knew, but banking on the fact that the writers are lazy, it's only a matter of time. It'd be a shame, he's the only one who makes any sense and acts intelligently - he doesn't need to be made more interesting.

This is how I felt about Mohinder... ah, well.

[Eddie Pinz]

Mohinder? I thought he acted like an idiot last season.

About Bennett, I think the confusion about him having powers came from something he said to Mrs. Petrelli. He used his standard line of "One of us. One of them." Which up to this point has meant, "Someone with powers and someone without powers." But I don't see how that would imply Bennett has powers, since it is obvious that his partner has powers. I thought that it implied that Mrs. Petrelli didn't have powers. I think that is plausible because she has been bullshitting us since the begining.

[locke]

at this point, the writers are incapable of having a character as compelling as Bennett without his also having godlike unrevealed powers. So although we don't know about them yet, we can hypothesize that they almost certainly exist, which is why Bennett was always the greatest capturer (because noone knows he has powers, he's probably like that character from Xanth, meaning that his power is for noone to be able to discover he has powers (this would also essentially make him immune to The Haitian). perhaps they also intend for him to be a professor X type character?

anyway, this is what I figure to be the hierarchy of powerful characters:

Bennett
Future Peter
Sylar
Present Peter

My comment on the One of us, one of them, is that it is a purposefully vague and ambiguous statement. to someone who overhears it could easily be explained as powers/nonpowers. But there's a multitude of potential possibilities out there of how it could actually have different meanings. Say it means someone in possession of a big secret / versus just a regular person with powers. Or it could refer to company man versus person with powers. Obi-Wan Kenobi. "A certain point of view"

[CezeN]

I'm not watching, but I am reading the Television Without Pity recaps (beware the recaps are VERY addictive, especially if you watch any reality/competition show)

here's my favorite part of the season so far:

Claire is watching an extended version of the news report on the shooting from earlier, She makes a decision, and, presumably a short time later, she's tossing the last of some stuff into a bag and striding purposefully toward her bedroom door. However, when she opens it, she runs smack into Sylar OH MY GOD AWESOME. Actually, it's not only awesome but also hilarious, because he's just leaning against the jamb, like "I would have just hung out for six more hours if that's what it took for this moment, because one of my less-known powers is my ability to be the biggest drama queen on the planet."

and to answer an old upthread question, Adam was clearly never once a real prisoner, nor an enemy of the company. There's some elaborate shenanigans going on with him and mama and it will be interesting to see it all played out. Much like the omnipresent deception of 'one of us, one of them' that implies to anyone bennett says it to that he doesn't have powers. It's as vague as Obi Wan Kenobi's 'certain point of view' nonsense, but I'm interested to find out just how far reaching bennetts abilities are... more powerful than Peter's? I'm not sure, but he's probably the most powerful, since he's not afraid to operate with the haitian and it was he who was entrusted with Claire, the one who is different, remember.

Theres been NO evidence so far whatsoever that Bennet has powers......Seriously. Why would you think he has something yet to be explained???? Nathans powers arent stopped by the Haitian but he isnt really powerful.

[CezeN]

I'm not watching, but I am reading the Television Without Pity recaps (beware the recaps are VERY addictive, especially if you watch any reality/competition show)

here's my favorite part of the season so far:

Claire is watching an extended version of the news report on the shooting from earlier, She makes a decision, and, presumably a short time later, she's tossing the last of some stuff into a bag and striding purposefully toward her bedroom door. However, when she opens it, she runs smack into Sylar OH MY GOD AWESOME. Actually, it's not only awesome but also hilarious, because he's just leaning against the jamb, like "I would have just hung out for six more hours if that's what it took for this moment, because one of my less-known powers is my ability to be the biggest drama queen on the planet."

and to answer an old upthread question, Adam was clearly never once a real prisoner, nor an enemy of the company. There's some elaborate shenanigans going on with him and mama and it will be interesting to see it all played out. Much like the omnipresent deception of 'one of us, one of them' that implies to anyone bennett says it to that he doesn't have powers. It's as vague as Obi Wan Kenobi's 'certain point of view' nonsense, but I'm interested to find out just how far reaching bennetts abilities are... more powerful than Peter's? I'm not sure, but he's probably the most powerful, since he's not afraid to operate with the haitian and it was he who was entrusted with Claire, the one who is different, remember.

Theres been NO evidence so far whatsoever that Bennet has powers......Seriously. Why would you think he has something yet to be explained???? Nathans powers arent stopped by the Haitian but he isnt really powerful.

[Olhado_]

About Bennett, I think the confusion about him having powers came from something he said to Mrs. Petrelli. He used his standard line of "One of us. One of them." Which up to this point has meant, "Someone with powers and someone without powers." But I don't see how that would imply Bennett has powers, since it is obvious that his partner has powers. I thought that it implied that Mrs. Petrelli didn't have powers. I think that is plausible because she has been bullshitting us since the begining.

What do you mean Mrs. Petrelli does not have powers, she already said to Peter (future Peter), "Who do you think you got your first power from?" She also said, something like the following, also to future Peter, "I saw the future and I see the future and thanks to your 'reckless' actions [shooting his brother] things have changed, so the future is not as clear, anymore."

I think the first quote and the second paraphrase implies that she at least has one power and that one power is the ability to see the future since that is the first power Peter became aware of.

Also about Mrs. Petrelli she is a member of the upper tiers of the company, and so far every member of the upper tiers have had a power, so that would also imply that she has powers.

In short, I think it is pretty obvious that she does have powers, even if she does BS.



And about your first line with the phase, "One of us, one of them" it is pretty obvious that it means one person with powers and one person without and every one of his partners have had powers. I think he is just an extremely interesting "human" (non-superpower) character.

If he does get powers, it will be new to him later or will have something to do with the chemical formulas being hinted at.



One more thing, thinking about Peter, I wonder how unique his and Sylar's power (taking on other powers) is since they have just introduced Parker being able to see/paint the future. So, this might mean one of 2 things, powers can be learned by anyone or seeing the future is not really a power, which will change what I said above.

[neo-dragon]

It's been established that Mrs. Petrelli can see the future in dreams, and yes, the most obvious interpretation of the "one of us, one of them" line is one person with powers and one normal person. Of course, Mrs. Petrelli says that Bennett's partner will be "one of them" suggesting that Bennett doesn't know that she has powers.

And when was it established that Nathan's power isn't nullified by the Haitian?

[locke]

when nathan escaped and flew away (without a shirt) in season one, but he took the haitian by surprise, and we know that powers have to be used, just being in the haitians presence doesn't seem to do the trick, I think he has to be actively suppressing powers just like Hiro has to activelyuse his power in his case we actually get a visual of the mental effort and we know that he thinks really really hard and makes a number-two face in order to freeze time or teleport

[neo-dragon]

Ah, yes. The last episode showed that the Haitian at least has to be conscious to nullify powers, but I wasn't sure if he has to think about it or if it's automatic.

Is it possible that he could nullify Claire/Sylar/Adam's immortality? That would provide a rather easy way to kill any of them.

[CezeN]

when nathan escaped and flew away (without a shirt) in season one, but he took the haitian by surprise, and we know that powers have to be used, just being in the haitians presence doesn't seem to do the trick, I think he has to be actively suppressing powers just like Hiro has to activelyuse his power in his case we actually get a visual of the mental effort and we know that he thinks really really hard and makes a number-two face in order to freeze time or teleport

Well in the latest episode, the Haitian wasnt actively suppressing powers, when he suppressed Hiro and the fast moving womens power. Because he didn't even know there were people around him with powers. Yet, he still nullified their powers. But, when Nathan flew away from him, they had just captured him and he was escaping. Meaning if they were trying to capture him(I think, its been a long while since I saw the episode), they were assuming he had powers, so wouldn't the Haitian have been trying to suppress his powers????????

[locke]

the haitian was carrying half the formula, of course he'd be suppressing powers in case anyone tried to steal it from him, like flashette was planning on doing.

[Olhado_]

Well in the latest episode, the Haitian wasnt actively suppressing powers, when he suppressed Hiro and the fast moving womens power. Because he didn't even know there were people around him with powers. Yet, he still nullified their powers. But, when Nathan flew away from him, they had just captured him and he was escaping. Meaning if they were trying to capture him(I think, its been a long while since I saw the episode), they were assuming he had powers, so wouldn't the Haitian have been trying to suppress his powers????????

I was going to say something; but I think locke made a good point. He might be able to control it; but he can probably just put a bubble around himself, as a shield.

[locke]

yeah I think the bubble is a good point. I imagine Nathan got out of his range too quickly when he escaped.

[CezeN]

the haitian was carrying half the formula, of course he'd be suppressing powers in case anyone tried to steal it from him, like flashette was planning on doing.

But still they knew Nathan had a power, since they tried to kidnap him. So If your correct why wasn't he suppressing powers during that situation, since he obviously didnt know what power Nathan had, and Nathan could have turned out to have a dangerous power like........shooting knives out of his hands...or something. It would be like a safety precaution.

[locke]

didn't nathan get out of the van and run away to the fence before taking off? I don't think they were especially close to him, and at this point in the series, Bennett and the Haitain were mostly taking people who's powers were not under their conscious control (like Wes), so they wouldn't be on alert for him to be able to use his powers like that. I don't think they knew yet that Nathan knew how to fly.

but it's ultimately a moot point. inconsistencies like that are almost to be expected, considering the track the series has taken.

[Mich]

Well. Latest episode, anyone?

I'm actually kind of interested in the way the series is going, turning bad and good on its head. I don't feel comfortable with all of the changes (I mean, you have to have at least one firm rock, right, and we have yet to receive one), but something about Sylar turning into a wholesome, good person just makes me happy.

And I really, really wish Future Peter was dead, because he's starting to annoy me.

[Wil]

but something about Sylar turning into a wholesome, good person just makes me happy.

I know! I was like "Sweet, a good Sylar! I actually like his character now!" -- and Peter is really starting to annoy me.

I hated how future Claire was a giant c***.

I loved the ending. HIRO, YOU SON OF A BI....

Overall, good episode.

[Luet]

Um, I kind of would like it if the c*** would be filtered by the curse word filter. That one really makes me cringe. Or maybe you could just self-filter? Anyway, continue...I'm not up to making a cogent comment on the show.

[Wil]

Sorry about that. I couldn't find a more potent word to describe her, and I kind of figured it WOULD filter. I'll fix... hehe

[Olhado_]

It really makes me wonder if this whole switch in good and bad has to do with the difference of opinions in whether "creating" powers is good or bad. I say this because it really seems like Claire, Parker, and Nathan are for it, while Peter and Sylar are against it.


But, I am really liking the full description is Sylar's power, which I have said before; but it does not make Sylar to be so evil.


Also, I think it is interesting how the two people who do not have to worry about death, seem to develop manipulating tendencies, which makes me wonder if Sylar really died in the future since he did take (understand) Clarie's power and she survived too.

Although, I guess at this point the future can always change, so future Slyar might not be that important.

[Luet]

Claire, Parker, and Nathan are for it,

I think you've done this a couple times, so it's not just a typo. It's Parkman, not Parker.

[Slim]

(commenting on last two episodes)

Good stuff.

Mrs. Petrelli: I liked what she said, "Someone is orchestrating everything behind the scenes." I thought it was her at first, but now apparently it's her husband? It seems obvious they are on opposite sides, but I still think they are both orchestrating things behind the scenes. Hopefully someone finds her.

Hiro: Falls into Mrs. Petrelli's trap, and they think they have to get Adam back. And then he kills Ando right after he realizes how important their friendship is? And after he hesitates killing Sylar because killing should be hard? Yeah right. He stopped time so he could slip a ketchup bottle down Ando's shirt. I'm not sure if I give him enough credit to tell Ando about it before stabbing him, though.

Sylar: I bet Mrs. Petrelli wanted Sylar to kill Peter when she turned him loose with Noah. She always wanted him dead. I like that he used "see history" girl's power. "When I touched you clair, I saw all the pain I put you through..." Maybe this is how he becomes a good guy.

Future Sylar: I'm guessing Noah did become young, as that would explain why he's in that house. But in either case, he became attached to Noah in some way that he wouldn't let this kid get hurt. In fact, its what keeps him going.

Present Peter: I wonder if he will absorb all Future Peter's powers? Actually it seems (to me) that in order for him to absorb a power, the other person has to use their power. And now he has the hunger-- and know we know that it is a hunger to know how more things work. If he can figure out how to not explode, I have confidence he can control this side-effect. Course, he's going to remain weak in his powers as long as he continues not being able to use them.

Future Peter: Says Present Peter needs to save the world, since he keeps stepping on too many butterflies. And then he tells himself to visit Sylar. Oops.

Future Clair: I see what she meant when she said that the pain is what made her feel human.

Clair: Sylar saved her life. Now what is Clair going to do?

Ms. Pyro: Thanks for continually reminding us that you can start fires. I forgot to mention, I loved Lyle's line in an earlier episode. Something like, "How is being able to make fires supposed to help?" Saying what we are all thinking. But I do hope she gets saved.

Villains: Good, there really are still villains on the loose they are trying to get back. People who actually are more of a "You don't even want to know..."

Daphne: Huh, so she marries Matt, and they take care of Molly. And she really is a fast thinker -- fast enough to realize Linderman isn't real.

Matt: So I guess he just watched the whole episode?

Mohinder: Now Mohinder is having a spider-side effect. Okay, cockroach. I like that. But, uh-oh-- With Matt in Africa, Mohinder going crazy and Maya dead/dying-- Who's looking after molly?

Trisha: Oh, they are triplets separated at birth. Wasn't Jessica Nikki's twin? Or was that just a false memory? But they were all given their super-powers by the company. So not only was the torn formula had by the company before, but it was used before. Dun, dun, DUN!

Linderman: Gasp! Just an illusion! That explains a lot.

Mr. Petrelli: So apparently, Mr. Petrelli wants Nathan to be president. Both Mr. and Mrs. Petrelli (to me) appear to want the whole formula. But they are against each other -- why? Now, what is is power really? Mr. Parkman could just be reading his mind, not him mind-speaking. But it has to do something with the mind-- He was able to be in Mrs. Petrelli's dream and make her motionless. Should be good!

[Luet]

Trisha: Oh, they are triplets separated at birth. Wasn't Jessica Nikki's twin? Or was that just a false memory? But they were all given their super-powers by the company. So not only was the torn formula had by the company before, but it was used before. Dun, dun, DUN!

I don't think they were twins. As I recall, they were just sisters (Jessica and Nikki).

[CezeN]

For some reason I keep finding similarities between Heroes and comics like Superman and Spiderman.
Mohinder Suresh, basically turning into spiderman. CLimbing on walls and using webs.
Heroes lose their power during a solar eclipse, which is the same with Superman right???
And if Heroes losed their powers permanently, Adam Monroe would have died years ago, he wouldnt be 400 years old. SO Im guessing after the solar eclipse theyll get their powers back. And thats whats going to save Claire from dying. Or she might die get her powers back, then heal.
Thats my two cents

[Olhado_]

anyway, this is what I figure to be the hierarchy of powerful characters:

Bennett
Future Peter
Sylar
Present Peter

So, locke do you still believe in this list, even if we do assume that Peter might get his powers back at some point? Basically, I am wondering where you (and everyone else things Arther (Peter's Father) falls into this.

[neo-dragon]

For some reason I keep finding similarities between Heroes and comics like Superman and Spiderman.

Similarities between Heroes and comic books?? Nope, I don't see it.

Heroes lose their power during a solar eclipse, which is the same with Superman right???
And if Heroes losed their powers permanently, Adam Monroe would have died years ago, he wouldnt be 400 years old. SO Im guessing after the solar eclipse theyll get their powers back. And thats whats going to save Claire from dying. Or she might die get her powers back, then heal.
Thats my two cents

Either that or they'll never get the powers back, and the show will be about super-powered people without super powers...

Sorry, I guess I'm just in a sarcastic mood today.

But speaking of Adam, so if he'd still been alive would he simply have died during the eclipse anyway?

[CezeN]

For some reason I keep finding similarities between Heroes and comics like Superman and Spiderman.

Similarities between Heroes and comic books?? Nope, I don't see it.

Heroes lose their power during a solar eclipse, which is the same with Superman right???
And if Heroes losed their powers permanently, Adam Monroe would have died years ago, he wouldnt be 400 years old. SO Im guessing after the solar eclipse theyll get their powers back. And thats whats going to save Claire from dying. Or she might die get her powers back, then heal.
Thats my two cents

Either that or they'll never get the powers back, and the show will be about super-powered people without super powers...

Sorry, I guess I'm just in a sarcastic mood today.

But speaking of Adam, so if he'd still been alive would he simply have died during the eclipse anyway?

I was thinking, another option would be something about the formula. And that would give them their powers.

I guess. I mean, I think it says that his body is constantly healing to create an equilibriam that keeps him the same age. So during the eclipse, he would just age. Maybe into dust, or maybe at a normal rate. I dont know if his injuries from the past centuries would suddenly appear again. But I think not, since Claires injuries didnt appear during the eclipse. She was still alright. Which means after your body has healed an injury, even if you lose the power, the injury would be healed.

[CezeN]

For some reason I keep finding similarities between Heroes and comics like Superman and Spiderman.

Similarities between Heroes and comic books?? Nope, I don't see it.

Heroes lose their power during a solar eclipse, which is the same with Superman right???
And if Heroes losed their powers permanently, Adam Monroe would have died years ago, he wouldnt be 400 years old. SO Im guessing after the solar eclipse theyll get their powers back. And thats whats going to save Claire from dying. Or she might die get her powers back, then heal.
Thats my two cents

Either that or they'll never get the powers back, and the show will be about super-powered people without super powers...

Sorry, I guess I'm just in a sarcastic mood today.

But speaking of Adam, so if he'd still been alive would he simply have died during the eclipse anyway?

I was thinking, another option would be something about the formula. And that would give them their powers.

I guess. I mean, I think it says that his body is constantly healing to create an equilibriam that keeps him the same age. So during the eclipse, he would just age. Maybe into dust, or maybe at a normal rate. I dont know if his injuries from the past centuries would suddenly appear again. But I think not, since Claires injuries didnt appear during the eclipse. She was still alright. Which means after your body has healed an injury, even if you lose the power, the injury would be healed.

[Yebra]

I'm an episode behind over here so ignore me if this has been resolved already, but if Sylar didn't kill Claire because he saw something 'special' in her....why DID he kill her in the TWO ALTERNATE REALITIES IN WHICH THAT HAPPENED?

Also this retooling of him into a semi-decent person was a little heavy handed wasn't it? We suddenly get a flashback to before he was bad and he has doubts, but gives into the power when prodded. But in season 2, he's still out there doing bad things when his powers aren't an issue... so what is it?

[neo-dragon]

I guess. I mean, I think it says that his body is constantly healing to create an equilibriam that keeps him the same age. So during the eclipse, he would just age. Maybe into dust, or maybe at a normal rate. I dont know if his injuries from the past centuries would suddenly appear again. But I think not, since Claires injuries didnt appear during the eclipse. She was still alright. Which means after your body has healed an injury, even if you lose the power, the injury would be healed.

I don't think it's a matter of injuries reappearing, but rather like you suggested, I think that after centuries of life his cellular regeneration was all that was keeping him alive. We saw what happened when Mr. Petrelli took his powers. As far as I know, he didn't do anything to Adam but take his powers, and he turned to dust immediately. Claire doesn't die when her powers are gone because her body is obviously still within its natural lifespan. Her powers heal her, but they don't keep her alive from moment to moment like Adam's apparently did.

I'm an episode behind over here so ignore me if this has been resolved already, but if Sylar didn't kill Claire because he saw something 'special' in her....why DID he kill her in the TWO ALTERNATE REALITIES IN WHICH THAT HAPPENED?

For some reason my memories are really foggy about details in the previous seasons, but do we know for a fact that Sylar killed her in those alternate futures, or just that he took her powers, with her death just being implied?

Also this retooling of him into a semi-decent person was a little heavy handed wasn't it? We suddenly get a flashback to before he was bad and he has doubts, but gives into the power when prodded. But in season 2, he's still out there doing bad things when his powers aren't an issue... so what is it?

No kidding! Having Sylar be good all of a sudden has required some major retconing of his personality and motives, pretty much to the point of outright contradiction. I hadn't even considered the point you raised about season 2. In this season they're trying to say that it's the nature of his powers that forces him to have this insatiable desire to be more "special" than anyone, but he did indeed act the same way when his powers were gone. It's a total contradiction to what we saw in this past week's episode when he loses his powers and feels at peace.

I still enjoy Heroes, but I've never encountered more clumsily written good/bad guy swaps outside of professional wrestling. Sylar's good, Mohinder is a mad scientist/monster, Claire is borderline dark. It's just silly how characters have completely changed overnight just to emphasize the theme of heroes having the potential to be villains and vice versa.

[CezeN]

I guess. I mean, I think it says that his body is constantly healing to create an equilibriam that keeps him the same age. So during the eclipse, he would just age. Maybe into dust, or maybe at a normal rate. I dont know if his injuries from the past centuries would suddenly appear again. But I think not, since Claires injuries didnt appear during the eclipse. She was still alright. Which means after your body has healed an injury, even if you lose the power, the injury would be healed.

I don't think it's a matter of injuries reappearing, but rather like you suggested, I think that after centuries of life his cellular regeneration was all that was keeping him alive. We saw what happened when Mr. Petrelli took his powers. As far as I know, he didn't do anything to Adam but take his powers, and he turned to dust immediately. Claire doesn't die when her powers are gone because her body is obviously still within its natural lifespan. Her powers heal her, but they don't keep her alive from moment to moment like Adam's apparently did.

I'm an episode behind over here so ignore me if this has been resolved already, but if Sylar didn't kill Claire because he saw something 'special' in her....why DID he kill her in the TWO ALTERNATE REALITIES IN WHICH THAT HAPPENED?

For some reason my memories are really foggy about details in the previous seasons, but do we know for a fact that Sylar killed her in those alternate futures, or just that he took her powers, with her death just being implied?

Also this retooling of him into a semi-decent person was a little heavy handed wasn't it? We suddenly get a flashback to before he was bad and he has doubts, but gives into the power when prodded. But in season 2, he's still out there doing bad things when his powers aren't an issue... so what is it?

No kidding! Having Sylar be good all of a sudden has required some major retconing of his personality and motives, pretty much to the point of outright contradiction. I hadn't even considered the point you raised about season 2. In this season they're trying to say that it's the nature of his powers that forces him to have this insatiable desire to be more "special" than anyone, but he did indeed act the same way when his powers were gone. It's a total contradiction to what we saw in this past week's episode when he loses his powers and feels at peace.

I still enjoy Heroes, but I've never encountered more clumsily written good/bad guy swaps outside of professional wrestling. Sylar's good, Mohinder is a mad scientist/monster, Claire is borderline dark. It's just silly how characters have completely changed overnight just to emphasize the theme of heroes having the potential to be villains and vice versa.

Are we sure the virus took away ALL his powers. He only needs that one initial one to feel the hunger. And he might have still had it. I mean he was able to manipulate Maya, and that could possibly be because of his power that lets him understand how things work.

[CezeN]

I guess. I mean, I think it says that his body is constantly healing to create an equilibriam that keeps him the same age. So during the eclipse, he would just age. Maybe into dust, or maybe at a normal rate. I dont know if his injuries from the past centuries would suddenly appear again. But I think not, since Claires injuries didnt appear during the eclipse. She was still alright. Which means after your body has healed an injury, even if you lose the power, the injury would be healed.

I don't think it's a matter of injuries reappearing, but rather like you suggested, I think that after centuries of life his cellular regeneration was all that was keeping him alive. We saw what happened when Mr. Petrelli took his powers. As far as I know, he didn't do anything to Adam but take his powers, and he turned to dust immediately. Claire doesn't die when her powers are gone because her body is obviously still within its natural lifespan. Her powers heal her, but they don't keep her alive from moment to moment like Adam's apparently did.

I'm an episode behind over here so ignore me if this has been resolved already, but if Sylar didn't kill Claire because he saw something 'special' in her....why DID he kill her in the TWO ALTERNATE REALITIES IN WHICH THAT HAPPENED?

For some reason my memories are really foggy about details in the previous seasons, but do we know for a fact that Sylar killed her in those alternate futures, or just that he took her powers, with her death just being implied?

Also this retooling of him into a semi-decent person was a little heavy handed wasn't it? We suddenly get a flashback to before he was bad and he has doubts, but gives into the power when prodded. But in season 2, he's still out there doing bad things when his powers aren't an issue... so what is it?

No kidding! Having Sylar be good all of a sudden has required some major retconing of his personality and motives, pretty much to the point of outright contradiction. I hadn't even considered the point you raised about season 2. In this season they're trying to say that it's the nature of his powers that forces him to have this insatiable desire to be more "special" than anyone, but he did indeed act the same way when his powers were gone. It's a total contradiction to what we saw in this past week's episode when he loses his powers and feels at peace.

I still enjoy Heroes, but I've never encountered more clumsily written good/bad guy swaps outside of professional wrestling. Sylar's good, Mohinder is a mad scientist/monster, Claire is borderline dark. It's just silly how characters have completely changed overnight just to emphasize the theme of heroes having the potential to be villains and vice versa.

Are we sure the virus took away ALL his powers. He only needs that one initial one to feel the hunger. And he might have still had it. I mean he was able to manipulate Maya, and that could possibly be because of his power that lets him understand how things work.

[neo-dragon]

Then why didn't he just start from scratch and steal powers, starting with Maya?

[CezeN]

The virus could have been preventing him from getting new ones. Though he could have been still retaining his original ones.

[neo-dragon]

But the ability to acquire new powers is part of his original power. Either the virus took away his powers or it didn't. I don't see why it would simply lessen them.