"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Heroes 3: Villains and Backstories

Last night's Episode 3.8 of Heroes was titled "Villains," and it mostly told the back story of arch-villain Arthur Petrelli, with a secondary story of how Sylar became bad.

Actually, it didn't tell us how Arthur became a villain - he apparently was already up to no good when this back story started. We did see Arthur trying to get Nathan killed, and succeeding instead in paralyzing his wife. And, most important, we see Angela learning the awful truth about her husband, and almost killing him, too, but not quite.

The action was good, and the characters were interesting in those earlier. It was especially fun and instructive to HRG pressuring Elle to bring out the monster in Sylar.

But, like all back stories, this one suffered from few real surprises, since we already know the outcomes. The best that a back story can do is give us a quiet satisfaction, and aha moment or two, which this one did.

Looking forward to the resumption of Heroes action in real, present time, next week...

See also Heroes 3 Begins: Best Yet, Riddled with Time Travel and Paradox ... Sylar's Redemption and other Heroes and Villains Mergers ... Costa Nuclear ... Hearts of Gold and the Debased ... Seeing the Future Trumps Time Travel ... Superpowered Chess with Shifting Pieces






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