Recap – Heroes 4.02 “Ink”

Previously on Heroes, from the abysmal ratings it looks like I was the only one who watched, but it’s all recapped right here. Time for our weekly montage o’ heroes! Gretchen, Claire’s college buddy who witnessed her Jump/Push/Fall test last week, bangs on Claire’s door trying to get her to talk about the incident. Parkman stares at his 30 Day Powers-Free chip and spots Sylar in the mirror. He pulls his gun and turns, but of course he only sees his own reflection. Peter sticks yet another news article glorifying his heroic efforts on the wall. And that’s it. No voiceover even. Wow, that was fast!

Samuel & Lydia, of the circus people, now warrant their own title card. Lydia preps herself for tattooing, but Samuel tells her the ink he’s preparing is not for her. He’s found someone to replace Joseph (the man whose funeral opened last week’s episode). Sam is going in search of this replacement to see if he’s “worthy.” Samuel forces himself into a suit and slicks back his hair, the better to blend into the normal world. With that creepy face, voice, and mannerism, I don’t think you could sneak Robert Knepperin anywhere. Samuel refers to the late Joseph, his brother, as his “compass.” That’s interesting since Samuel has a compass tattoo and Noah Bennet was nearly killed for a compass last week. Revealing our chapter title and creeping me out, Samuel sticks his hand into the jar of ink and absorbs it into his fingertips.

Peter Petrelli apparently wakes up before his alarm clock. I even that greatly. As he brushes his teeth, he hears a knock on the door. He’s been served with some sort of lawsuit related to his super heroics. It happened to Superman, it can happen to you.

Emma, a blonde we’ve never seen before, does NOT wake up before her alarm. To the contrary, she’s awoken groggily by a bed shaking alarm, flashing lights, and a hungry cat. She pops iPod headphones into her ears, which seems to be a ploy, because I’m pretty sure she’s deaf. She glances at her sink, where water is dripping out of her faucet and landing with..a sparkle. I’m not sure how to describe it, and it’s a very subtle effect.

In Long Beach, Parkman and his partner are sitting in their van waiting for a warrant. Parkman hands over his 30 Day chip and admits to using. While Parkman’s partner takes a phone call, Parkman and Sylar have an annoyingly long head argument where Sylar once again insists he’s going to annoy him to death, or get his body back. They finally get their warrant and head into the perp’s house, via a nice door kick down. As Parkman tries to clear the home in search of their drug dealer, Sylar keeps popping up to block his way. Sylar actually proves useful, since he points out that the drug dealer is in the closet, and has a gun. Interesting…it seems Sylar may have access to Parkman’s powers? Or, his own?

Noah comes to visit Claire at college, looking much better than the last time we saw him. I love love love these moments with the two of them together. They seem to brighten each other up. Noah invites Claire to lunch and she accepts. She goes to brush her teeth, and gets confronted by Gretchen in the bathroom. While they talk, I realize the bathroom is co-ed. Hhrmh. I think not. Gretchen tries her best to get the details from Claire about her super human put-back-togetherness but Claire denies everything. Gretchen chases Claire back to her room, calling out possibilities such as Vampire, Alien, and Government Experiment. Noah, who can’t or refuses to take a hint from Claire, invites Gretchen to join them for lunch.

Parkman and his partner ransack the drug dealer’s house while Sylar lounges on his couch, taunting Parkman to use his abilities to get info from the dealer. Sylar is growing on me in this persona. They’re like a crazy person’s odd couple. I’m not sure which is Felix. Parkman searches the bathroom, and Sylar tips him off again. Parkman finds a stuffed rabbit on the floor. Sylar voices the concern I immediately had when I saw the bunny. This is not a drug house, it’s a place where little girls have their innocence stolen.

Peter Petrelli tries to get some information on William Hooper, the man who’s suing him, from our deaf friend She’s some kind of clerical worker at the hospital. She points to a sign that demands all requests in writing. Peter thinks she’s being a stickler. He fills out the form (which took 2 seconds) and she prints off his requested information. Peter notices her headphones are unplugged and she, nervously, knocks off her coffee cup. When it hits the floor it sparkles, much like the dripping faucet. It seems she’s the only one that can see this strange effect. Peter runs off to visit William Hooper in physical therapy. When Peter walks into the room, we can see that William Hooper is actual Samuel. Peter insists he’s never seen Hooper before. “Hooper” insists he was on a bus that Peter rescued. Peter’s positive Hooper was not on that bus. Hooper tries to lay a guilt trip on Peter about taking care of his family and all the obligations he has that he can’t keep up now that he’s injured. Peter, realizing what a mistake it is to talk to the plaintiff in a lawsuit against you without a lawyer present, leaves in a huff.

Emma (who totally IS deaf! Yay me!) worries to her doctor about her strange sparkly vision. Her doctor insists she’s not going blind. The doctor mentions it might be synethesia. I saw a PBS special on that. You can see music, or hear smells. It’s apparently common in people who’ve lost one sense. Emma is not pleased at yet another thing that will make her strange and different. I was also totally right about why she wears the headphones, so she won’t have to deal with the annoyance of having to explain her disability 900 times a day.

Noah tires to introduce Gretchen and Claire to Indian food. They don’t seem excited. Gretchen wins about a million bonus points for double entendres in this conversation. Noah asks her what her major is. She announces she’s changed it to “Physiology and Biomechanics” from “Art History,” since she’s very interested recently in the human body and its capabilities. Also because she wants a real job. Ok, maybe I added that last part. Noah wins a million bonus points for not being fooled one bit, and immediately realizes Gretchen knows more than she should.

Sylar continues poking and prodding Parkman, pushing him to use his powers to figure out what’s going on at the dealer’s house. Parkman still insists he’s not going to pry into the sleazeball’s head, but that’s before he finds a half finished kidnapping note. Somewhere in this house is a kidnapped little girl, and Parkman’s refusal to use his powers is all that’s keeping her in danger. I have a feeling Sylar is going to win this fight. And I am totally right. Parkman finds the girl upstairs in a room under the stairs, dead. When his partner returns to find Parkman beating the dealer to a pulp, he stops him and demands Parkman explain. Parkman tries to show him the girl’s body, the kidnapping note, and the stuffed rabbit, but none of them were real. The Ticking of Sylar’s Evilness commences, and he announces, “I used your own power against you.” Ok, show. I give you credit. I actually thought at the beginning of the show that Parkman would never use his power for something as trivial as drugs stashed in the house. It’d have to be something like a kidnapped kid in danger. Then, when that’s what actually happened, I thought it was a little convenient that it would happen so neat and quick like that. Show, you tricked me twice! Now we’re even for the deaf thing.

Gretchen compliments the meal, which won her over, and excuses herself to use the facilities. Bennet immediately goes into company mode. He wants to call the Haitian to erase her memory, but Claire insists she’s going to handle it herself. She threatens to cut him out of her life if he calls the Haitian. He seems to comply.

Peter reviews his lawsuit, and his partner comes to ask him what’s going on. A rumor around the hospital says that Peter’s been causing the accidents, and then taking the glory when he saves them. This is what happens when super heroes are too obvious about their powers! His partner is not taking Peter’s side on this. He agrees that Peter’s been suspicious and reckless.

Samuel breaks into Peter’s apartment and inserts himself into the news clipping of the bush crash with his creepy ink finger. He slips out just as Peter comes in. Peter grabs the clipping and gets teary eyed when he sees “Hooper” front and center.

A Sprint Commercial tries to trick me into recapping it, but I’m smarter than that, Sprint!

Claire (in a terrible outfit that’s ruining her cute hair) and Gretchen wander down the hallway trying to talk through their issues. Gretchen reveals that she was bulimic in high school, so she knows what it’s like to have a secret. Claire decides she’s tired of keeping her secret to herself and offers to tell Gretchen the truth. Before they do that, I really hope they go into a room and close the door. It’s bothering me greatly that this whole discussion is right in a college dorm hallway.

Samuel, looking a little ill, wanders Central Park at night. Peter zooms in behind him and offers his apology, since it’s now obvious “Hooper” was on the bus. Peter offers to make amends. Samuel asks Peter if he’s ever lost a brother. Peter says no, even though we know he most definitely HAS lost a brother. He instead offers his support as a former hospice nurse and they have a talk about grieving. Samuel seems sold on Peter’s worthiness, and shakes his hand. He tells him he’s dropping the lawsuit, and thanks him for everything.

Emma is having a sandwich in the park (at night) when she realizes she can see the sound of nearby musician as a red sparkly light. The cellist walks away from his instrument for a moment and she, curious, walks up to it. She picks up the bow and grins, watching the light stream as she plays. She plays quite expertly and a crowd surrounds her, including the worried looking cellist. Peter hears the music too and is drawn to it. Emma glances up and notices the crown around her. She nervously sets the instrument aside and runs into the night while Peter looks after her.

Samuel has decided to visit his childhood home, the carriage house of a large estate. He stands behind a gate while a well dressed woman answers the door. He reveals that is father was the butler, his mother the maid, and he recently lost his brother, but the woman of the house refuses to let him see the carriage house, since they’re in the middle of a dinner party.

Gretchen and Claire giggle and bond over her ability. Gretchen asks to see it in action. Claire hands her a pair of scissors and offers to let Gretchen give it a try. Gretchen nervously slices her hand and they watch as it heals. Bennet calls Claire. Before he can say hello she launches into a speech about her ability to handle the situation and her life. He sweetly apologizes and calls her Claire-Bear (heee). Claire comes back into the room and asks Gretchen to be her roommate. Gretchen gladly takes the offer, over her current roommate that smells of pickles.

Back at drug dealer central, Parkman and his partner worry about the consequences of the vicious beating Matt gave to the dealer. They both agree it’s going to ruin Matt’s life. Matt tells his partner he’s just not strong enough to stay sober, and uses his power to change his partner’s memory. Sylar warns Matt that every day of his life could be just like this, or they could go and find his body. I know which option I’d take.

Peter and his partner arrive on the scene of a major disaster. A fireman on the scene gives them the story. A sinkhole swallowed a house, killing three people. As the camera pans up, we realize it’s the mansion of Samuel’s childhood. Speak of the creepy telekinetic, he’s smirking behind a tree watching the whole scene. As Peter approaches the house, he grabs his arm in pain. The swirling compass we saw last week on Samuel’s arm is now swirling on Peter’s instead. Looks like that handshake took. Peter watches the compass swirl and Samuel smirks some more.

Next week: Tracey’s back, Bennet appears on mystical tattoo Lydia, Nylar recovers Sylar memories, and hopefully more people watch than just me!