Tonight: Hiro vs. T-Rex

The episode, titled "Godsend," begins with the superimposition "Two Weeks
Later" (which puts it just three weeks before Nov. 8, when Manhattan makes
like Valencia and goes boom).

* As the episode begins, Hiro, Nathan and Peter have all returned to New
York, where we learn Hiro's powers have been diminishing since he failed to
rescue his waitress-girlfriend Charlie. Peter, meanwhile, is in a coma,

arromdee...

In sci-fi, when a power fails like this it usually means that your power
fails when you lose confidence.

Which also means that Hiro will get the sword and recover his powers purely
because he believes it does; the sword itself is just a piece of metal.

Of course, since Hiro not only is a fan, but is geeky enough to see these

Adam Corolla...

Did you notice that the strange symbol on the hilt, which Hiro's friend
points out as a combination of two characters, has been turning up in many
odd places in the show since it began? That clue says to me that there is
something special about the sword beyond Hiro's belief in it.

puzzlr...

Well, he'll get the sword and his powers back because he did a time travel
(remember subway) to deliver a message. That was his future self.

arromdee...

Which is perfectly consistent with that. The message from his future self
convinces him that he needs the sword to get his powers; he gets the sword
and regains confidence, which gives him his powers. Then in the future he
can go back and give himself a message.

All with the sword having no actual power at all.

Adam Corolla...

This is my personal Rule #1 in any sci-fi television series: Don't
over-think time travel issues, it's best not to analyze them *at all.*
This is because apparently the writers don't really put any thought into
them either. See, your explanation makes sense, and when it comes to time
travel at least, that's one area in which television writers seem to avoid.

suzee...

And he had the sword then too.

~consul...

Or did he? We just saw it on his back, not wielded in hand. He may realize that
he didn't need the actual sword, but he did need the journey for it.

suzee...

Ahhh, and I thought the rolled up painting (?) in the case looked a lot
like a sword scabbard.

powers as a sci-fi story, he *should be able to figure this out*.

reliving the dream of apocalypse.

* It turns out that Syler did not escape PrimaTech Paper following the
unpleasantness with Eden.

Davej...

I continue to wonder if Mr. Bennet (Claire's dad) is competent. He
pretends to be knowledgeable but could not even protect Claire from a
teenage boy on "Homecoming." Why?

puzzlr...

I don't think he checks her every move. Notice how he's in Texas one minute
and in NYC, the next? The guy gets around.

* Claire's nerd-pal, Zach, isn't gone for good after all.

* Nathan comes to remark that Hiro's English is much improved. Hiro
attributes this to Charlie, who taught him "many things."

* Niki, while in Vegas stir, makes a very interesting discovery about
herself. I think.

* We do not learn who Jack Bennet reports to, but a plural pronoun is
employed.

* The shadowy "Linderman" does not yet surface (at least not overtly), but
his name comes up a lot.

* Peter does not fly, but there are special effects aplenty.

* The new Christopher Eccleston character is indeed introduced in this
episode. He sports a beard and we don't meet him till near episode's end.

the Bede...

who?

Someone...

On first base

* SUPER-SPOILER: Hiro meets the dinosaur this week!!!!

* And here's how it ends, spoiler boys: "Who needs God when you got me?"