"
Tabula Rasa
''Tabula rasa'' (; Latin for "blank slate") is the idea of individuals being born empty of any built-in mental content, so that all knowledge comes from later perceptions or sensory experiences. Proponents typically form the extreme "nurture" ...
" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...
drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
series ''
Heroes
Heroes or Héroes may refer to:
* Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good
Film
* ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama
* ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film
Gaming
* ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...
'' and sixty-fourth episode overall. The episode aired on October 19, 2009.
Plot
Peter Petrelli
This is a list of fictional characters in the television series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'', the List of Heroes graphic novels, ''Heroes'' graphic novels, and the ''Heroes'' webisodes.
Main characters
Character duration
In i ...
brings
Hiro Nakamura
is a fictional superhero on the NBC superhero drama '' Heroes'' who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation, allowing him to alter the flow of time, teleport and time travel. In the show, he is portrayed by Japanese actor Masi Oka.
Ac ...
to the hospital, where Hiro reveals his terminal state due to his brain tumor. Peter decides that perhaps Hiro had come to him to be saved and, after borrowing his power, visits
Noah Bennet
This is a list of fictional characters in the television series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'', the List of Heroes graphic novels, ''Heroes'' graphic novels, and the ''Heroes'' webisodes.
Main characters
Character duration
In i ...
to see if he knows of anyone that could help. Knowing that Hiro has a tumor, which is living tissue, and that
Claire Bennet
Claire Bennet is a fictional character in the NBC psychological thriller superhero drama series '' Heroes''. She is portrayed by Hayden Panettiere and first appeared on television in the pilot episode of the series, "Genesis", on September 25, ...
's regenerative blood will only enlarge the tumor, Noah recalls a boy,
Jeremy Greer, whom the company had studied during his time at the Company that had the ability to instantly heal near-death living things. Peter and Noah teleport to his house, where they find Jeremy's parents dead. Noah realizes that Jeremy's power may have changed to be able to take away life as well as give it. They are soon interrupted by Jeremy, who attempts to shoot them. Noah attempts to talk to him, but Peter teleports in and pushes Noah away. Jeremy fires and Peter stops time, but finds he wasn't fast enough as he turns to see his own blood spattering behind him. Peter collapses as time reverts to normal, and Noah convinces Jeremy to heal Peter. Jeremy is able to do so. Having acquired Jeremy's ability, Peter leaves to save Hiro, while Noah calls the police to report the parents' deaths and waits with Jeremy. Peter returns to the hospital but finds Hiro gone, having only left a message: "Save Charlie."
Sylar
Sylar (Gabriel Gray) is a fictional character and a primary antagonist of the NBC superhero drama series '' Heroes''. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a super-powered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers. ...
is still unable to remember anything, and
Samuel Sullivan attempts to have him remember. Sylar instead finds himself remembering
Nathan Petrelli
''Heroes'' is an American superhero drama television series created by Tim Kring that aired on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006, to February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover that they have sup ...
's memories, and Samuel decides to have
Damien
Damien is a given name and less frequently a surname.
The name is a variation of Damian which comes from the Greek ''Damianos''. This form originates from the Greek derived from the Greek word δαμάζω (damazō), "(I) conquer, master, overco ...
return Sylar's true memories. In the
house of mirrors
A house of mirrors or hall of mirrors is a traditional attraction at funfairs (carnivals) and amusement parks. It is a maze-like puzzle (made out of a myriad of mirrors). In addition to the maze, participants are also given mirrors as obstacle ...
, Damien touches Sylar, and he begins recalling everything, including his mother's death. Meanwhile, Samuel invites the police detective who had attempted to arrest Sylar earlier to his circus, in an attempt to bait Sylar into his old ways. Samuel tells Sylar where he his, implying he go kill him, and Sylar finds the detective in the house of mirrors. Sylar tries to tell him to leave, but he involuntarily hits him with his electric powers. The detective manages to get up. At this point,
Edgar
Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Edgar'' (composed of ''wikt:en:ead, ead'' "rich, prosperous" and ''Gar (spear), gar'' "spear").
Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Midd ...
rushes in and kills the detective. Later, Sylar is welcomed into Samuel's family, with
Lydia
Lydia (; ) was an Iron Age Monarchy, kingdom situated in western Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Later, it became an important province of the Achaemenid Empire and then the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sardis.
At some point before 800 BC, ...
taking a particular liking to him. Edgar questions what use Sylar will be, but Samuel assures him he will be.
Emma Coolidge is trying to understand her new ability, and asks Hiro how she can get rid of her powers. Hiro tries to convince Emma to embrace them, and invites Emma to a magic show he is putting on for the kids in the hospital. Hiro has her help in a disappearing act, where he stops time. Having touched Hiro, Emma is fascinated by the colors emanating from the applause. Later, Emma asks Hiro how he can stay so focused in the face of death, and Hiro mentions that he knew someone who also was dying but kept a positive attitude. Hiro reveals it to be
Charlie Andrews, a waitress in Texas who had been one of Sylar's first victims and was dying from a brain aneurism. Hiro says he intends to save her, as he has been keeping a list to correct all the wrongs he's done. Emma tells him to wait for Peter first. Later, Emma plays the piano as Hiro watches. Emma tells him to head back to his room, but as Hiro turns to leave, he vanishes. Hiro is then shown to have traveled three years back in time, standing outside the diner where Charlie worked.
Critical reception
Steve Heisler of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' rated this episode a D+.
Robert Canning of
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
gave the episode 8.0 out of 10.
References
External links
*
{{Heroes episodes
Heroes season 4 episodes
2009 American television episodes