Better Halves

"Better Halves" is the sixth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.

Plot

After Peter finishes Isaac's painting and tells him about Future Hiro's message, "Save the cheerleader, save the world," Isaac receives another confusing call from Hiro. However, this time Peter is there to pick up the phone, and he reveals his encounter with Future Hiro to Hiro and Ando. Peter then tells them to get to New York, so that they can figure out what to do next. After the call ends, Peter and Isaac attempt to determine where the cheerleader is located by looking at Isaac's paintings, but Isaac reveals that Simone has taken one of the paintings to be sold.

As Hiro and Ando prepare to embark on their heroic journey from Las Vegas to New York, they are stopped by the high-roller they cheated earlier. He offers them a deal they can't refuse: to help him win a high-stakes poker game. The players are suspicious of Hiro and Ando's "winning streak". Ando says that it was due to luck - Japanese people are always lucky. During the game, Ando discovers that one of the card players has a gun under the table. After hurrying Hiro into a bathroom to discuss their plan of escape, they hear one of the gamblers yell, "Who invited her?", followed by sounds of violence and commotion in the room outside. Hiro attempts to stop time, but is not able to. The distraught pair escape through a back entrance and return to their car. Hiro struggles with his lack of bravery. Ando suggests that maybe in the future, he can travel back in time and "do it over." ("Heroes don't start at the end of their journey - that way they can't make a movie about it.") Somewhat cheered up, Hiro gets into the car with Ando and the two begin their trip to New York.

Meanwhile, Mohinder tells Eden about his encounter with Peter. After hearing Peter's unbelievable stories about a heroin addict who can tell the future and a time traveler who warns him to "save the cheerleader," a skeptical Mohinder has decided to give up his investigation into his father's death. He bids farewell to Eden, who kisses him before he heads back to India to bury his father. Eden refuses to say "good-bye," believing that Mohinder will soon return.

In Odessa, Texas, Mr. Bennet sets up a meeting between his daughter, Claire, and her biological parents. During the meeting, her "biological parents" reveal that her biological mother did not want to keep the baby and that there is a medical history of diabetes and cancer in her biological parents' families. However, Claire is disappointed that nothing they say gives her any additional information regarding her healing abilities.

When Mr. Bennet excuses himself from the meeting between Claire and her biological parents, he receives a call from Eden in New York, who relays all the information she learned from Mohinder about other characters' special abilities and Future Hiro's message to "save the cheerleader." Mr. Bennet tells her to prevent Mohinder from leaving for India and to bring in Isaac, whom she describes as a "precog." After finishing the call, Mr. Bennet walks Claire's biological parents to their car and thanks them, stating that he doesn't think their services will be required anymore. But while cleaning up after the meeting, Sandra Bennet tells Claire how surprised she was that Mr. Bennet had found her biological parents, since when Claire was first adopted, the Bennets had frantically tried to find Claire's biological parents to no avail due to an unspecified genetic defect.

Back in Las Vegas, D.L. Hawkins unexpectedly shows up at Niki's home, where the two reconcile. They go to an apartment to find witnesses of a mystery woman who framed Hawkins, but instead find only the figures of people torn apart and strewn around, the poker players Hiro and Ando nearly died with. Niki has a conversation with her alter ego, who claims she is the one who stole two million dollars from Mr. Linderman, framed Hawkins for the theft, and killed his crew as well as the thugs in Niki's garage and the poker players. During that time, Micah informs his father about his mother's secret. Niki's alter ego then convinces a distraught Niki to take the money and leave with their son, Micah. However, as the "real" Niki obtains the money hidden in her home, she is discovered by D.L., who immediately realizes her betrayal. When Hawkins threatens to take both Micah and the money, Niki's alter-ego takes control of her and begins fighting with D.L. During the fight, Niki demonstrates her ability to send D.L. flying through the air with a single punch, and D.L. reveals his own ability to phase parts of his body so that it can pass through solid objects. He reaches through Niki's abdomen to choke her just as Micah runs into the room to witness the fight. Niki collapses onto the floor, and D.L. picks up a crying Micah and runs from the room.

The episode ends with Eden visiting Isaac Mendez, pretending to be a fan of his work.

Narration

At the beginning

Evolution is an imperfect and often violent process. A battle between what exists, and what is yet to be born. In the midst of these birth pains, morality loses its meaning. The question of good and evil reduced to one simple choice: survive, or perish.

At the end

Evolution is an imperfect and often violent process. Morality loses its meaning. The question of good and evil, reduced to one simple choice: survive, or perish.

Awards

Ali Larter submitted this episode for consideration of her work in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" for the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, however, she was not nominated for the award.^[1][2]

Ratings

The total viewership for this episode was 14.90 million. It earned an 8.7/13 share for the week.

References

External links

• Watch "Better Halves" at NBC.com
• Better Halves at the Internet Movie Database
• Beaming Beeman: Episode 6: Better Halves Director's blog on the filming of this episode.
• Recap from Television Without Pity.