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Heroes: Go ask Alice

Chris Haston : NBC

“Oh Mom, it’s OK. Bryan Fuller is back and your episode was awesome.”

Chapter 10



Ohmigosh, you guys. This episode was awesome. Dare I say this season is just as good as — if not better than — season one? I never thought I’d say that, and just the thought brings a tear to my eye. Not only did we get a sweet episode that elegantly told Angela’s backstory, but! It also shed some light into the origins of the Company! AND! It introduced a character with an ability I’ve been waiting to show up since this all started! And there was no Hiro and Ando!

There is not enough exclamation points to adequately convey my excitement.

No time to waste. Let’s dive in.

I’m going to take a page out of the Lost recap playbook and retell this story in a linear fashion with a section on what happened in Coyote Sands, 1961 and what’s happening in Coyote Sands, present.

Coyote Sands, 1961

A DHARMA bus pulls into a not-rundown DHARMAville Coyote Sands. It arrives at the Welcoming Relocation Center and the passengers are greeted by Dr. Chang Suresh, Sr. Angela and her younger sister Alice Shaw (who look roughly the exact same age) are there with their parents and a few other families. Dr. Suresh, Sr. (DSS) shows them the playground, but tries to skim over those armed-guards over there. When Angela asks about them, he’s all “Who, them? Oh, they’re here for your protection. Don’t worry about them.”

So off the Shaw sisters go to their bunk. And who are these three strapping young men who come to welcome them to what they call “Crapola Sands”? Why, it’s Charlie Deveaux, Danny Linderman and Bobby Bishop! All three of them? Sort of hawt. Well, “hawt” in that everyone in the early ’60s generally looks dapper and handsome sort of way.

When they leave, Alice expresses some apprehension about this new place as an odd rainstorm is brewing out in the desert. Huh … Angela checks Alice’s suitcase only to find toys and books in there. No clothes. No pants. No shirts. No socks. And, really, Alice, how many times have you read Alice in Wonderland? Angela wants to stay because this place is supposed to make her nightmares go away. And it’s apparently genetic, so they all need to be there. Angela needs her sister to be there with her now, just like she was there for Alice when she snuck her out to see Sleeping Beauty, or when she beat up some girl for the high-holy crime of stealing her barrette. Don’t mess with the Shaw sisters. They will cut you.

That night, Angela wakes up from a nightmare and heads out of her bungalow. Chuck, Danny and Bobby approach her. They overheard that her nightmares are known to come true. Linderman notices the scar on her leg and heals it to show her she’s not alone. They tell her that they’re here to be experimented on. Just to drive home the fact this is the ’60s, Angela says, “It’s not like we’re communists.” (I just love that line. Not only because it’s so cliche for the time and so silly to hear now, but because of all the parallels between Angela Petrelli and Eleanor Iselin that we’ve discussed before.) She tells them that DSS is not to be trusted.

Alice hears them talking outside and comes out to see what’s up. Angela hurries her back in and tucks her in. Little Alice’s feet are cold because she forgot to pack socks. Then they have ZOMG ADORABLENESS with Alice calling Angela “Banana” and Angela asking “Say goodnight, Alice,” to which Alice responds, “Goodnight Alice.” ADORABLE. But Alice? She knows more than she lets on. She tells Angela that the night that Dad punished her for getting an F in history? And a hailstorm smashed his car? Well, Alice here can control the weather. And then snow falls. In the desert. And, in the black-and-white flashback, it’s really stunning. Alice doesn’t want DSS to come for her.

The next morning (maybe?) DSS comes for Angela and takes her to another bungalow with cameras and audio recorders. He holds up a series of cards with the image facing him, but she’s able to guess what’s on them. She knows what they are, because she’s dreamed about this. She’s also dreamed about DSS and how he kills everyone. Nah, don’t worry about that. Just give me your arm, so I can inject this mystery substance into you using this giant, terrifying needle!

In the middle of the night Charles is at the Shaw girls’ bunk and tells Angela to say her goodbyes. They need to escape now, while they are changing guards. But Alice will just slow them down. Angela needs to get out of there, but she can’t let Alice get all upset and kick up some sort of tornado. Charles tells her to lie to her. And that’s exactly what Angela does. She tells Alice that she’s sneaking out with the boys, but she’s had a dream that Alice will be safe as long as she stays here. Say goodnight, Alice. Goodnight Alice.

In the nearby cafe, Angela tries to tell the cops about their plight. No one is convinced. To help calm her down, Charles asks Angela to dance, except, this being 1961 and all, the owner doesn’t approve of interracial dancing. Good thing Charles can use his telepathy to make the whole place forget it even happened. Then Angela remembers that Alice needs socks. They should go get her some. As they head for the door, they hear the radio warn of severe storms. Angela knows it’s Alice.

While they were gone DSS came for Alice. He tried to use the big, terrifying needle on her, but she went all crazy storm on him and the guards. She runs out of the bungalow (*AHEM* called “Building 26″), with DSS in hot pursuit. He catches her and slaps her to try and snap her out of her hysteric state. A man (who I am fairly certain was Angela and Alice’s father) passes by and shoots some sort of energy at Suresh, knocking him out. Then an armed guard shoots the helpful dude in the head. (Probably that initial skull the Petrellis found with the bullet hole in it.) Pandemonium breaks loose as Alice hides under one of the bungalows.

After the incident, Angela, Charles, Linderman and Bob Bishop are back at the cafe. Angela tells them they’re going to form a company to protect people like them. They’ll do whatever they have to. It’s a necessary evil.

Coyote Sands, present

Peter’s having a sad about digging up graves. He’s also having a mad at Nathan for the whole capturing their friends and turning them over to the government thing. Claire, possibly still drunk off her tequila brofest a few weeks ago, doesn’t see what Peter’s problem. I mean, Nathan is like totes repentant.

Peter’s still not convinced so he heads over to Angela, who, cleverly, is avoiding this whole getting dirty digging up graves thing by micro-managing delegating. Smart cookie, that Angela. She tells him that her whole family died in Coyote Sands and if they don’t get their flippin’ act together, history might just repeat itself. She goes on to say that 1961 was a different time. With Kennedy in the White House, everyone was a patriot. So when the government said they could cure them, well, they believed them. Peter still doesn’t understand why they had to come back. He says Angela could have told them in a restaurant. Yeah, I don’t know about that. I don’t think the story about how your whole family got slaughtered by the government goes well with unlimited breadsticks from the Olive Garden.

Angela’s been dreaming about Alice. And not just past Alice, but alive Alice. Angela goes on to say that her dreams are not always literal. She thinks she’s there to give Alice a proper burial. And she’s been keeping the whole incident from the Petrelli boys to spare them the pain. That’s why the Company started — to prevent Coyote Sands from happening again. They need to go back to the old ways — killing, stealing files, erasing minds — to keep themselves secret. Well, you know how Peter feels about that. So, off he flies with Nathan taking off after him.

Claire and Angela sit down for a little female bonding. Mama P was about Claire’s age when she came here. She wishes she could’ve been as strong as Claire back then. Then she asks, “You ever do something so awful, something you are so ashamed of, that you think if ever talk about it, you may never stop crying?” Before Claire can answer, a mighty wind storm kicks up and blows open the door. Angela heads out and starts calling for Alice.

In a nearby diner, Nathan and Peter sit down for some coffee. Then they start talking about something about baseball? Maybe? Don’t ask me, I don’t get sports. They may as well have been talking in Chinese. The moral of the story is Nathan is selfish, even when he’s trying to be generous. He tries to ask Peter to try and find the capacity for forgiveness. Then the radio starts talking about a severe storm warning.

Back at Coyote Sands, HRG is getting pelted with debris in the sandstorm, until he gets dragged away! But it’s only Suresh. He shouts a lot at HRG, who pretty much just recaps the last four or so episodes at him. Blahblahblah I WAS WORKING FROM THE INSIDE! etc., etc. Suresh is here to see what his father was doing. When HRG shows him all the graves, Suresh figures it was his father who killed everyone. HRG reminds him that when you assume, you make … well, you know the saying,

Claire is trying to talk some sense into Angela, but she’s a woman on a mission. She needs to find her sister. Alone. And off she goes into the storm, disappearing into the whirling sands. Peter and Nathan return and they all head out to find her. Suresh and Peter find the bungalow where the experiments took place. They exchange wah-wah-wahs about how their parents didn’t do everything right AS THEY WERE TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD. Geez, kids these days. Suresh comes to the logical conclusion that maybe Peter can make a better company since he doesn’t have the pain that Angela had from Coyote Sands.

HRG is catching Nathan up on Sylar’s latest power and his arrangement with Sitwell. Then Claire finds the bookjacket for Alice In Wonderland and realizes that she can’t remember the last book she read. She was trying so hard to grow up fast. Nathan and HRG go all My Two Dads on her as she prattles on about how she used to want to be a doctor, now she just wants to be an agent.

Angela wakes up in some weird bunker. In it she finds a copy of Alice In Wonderland (sans bookjacket). But then! Coming down the stairs! An old lady! With long, white hair! Just like Storm. It’s Alice! She’s alive! She’s been here for 50 years. First she lived off DHARMA rations whatever was in the bunker, then she started to steal what she needed. Why did you stay, Angela and the audience asks. “Because you told me.” Yikes. She thought she’d be safe and the world would be safe from her. She tells Angela what happened that night. Angela tells her that she’s here to help her. Then, breakout the tissues, because Angela says she has socks for her. Ever since that night, whenever she feels lost, she steals socks for Alice to remind herself that there are simple ways to protect the ones you love. (Heroes note: Remember when we first met Angela in season one? She was arrested for stealing socks. What a wonderful way to tie that together.) Alice assures her it wasn’t her fault. But? Angela? Thinks it’s a good idea to tell the crazy shut-in that she lied to her that night. Which obviously sends Alice into a lightning summoning tizzy. Peter and Suresh rush in, but are quickly struck by lightning. Angela pleads with Alice not to punish them for her mistakes and she composes herself. As the winds die down, Angela tells her it’s time to come home. “Say goodbye, Alice.” Alice answeres: “No.” And leaves. Angela rushes out and has a sad.

The Petrelli clan is packing up and getting ready to head out, but Suresh’s work isn’t done here. Peter gives him a reel of film that may have some answers. Suresh isnt coming with them. He’s not ready to move on yet.

Once again the whole Petrelli family (plus HRG) end up back at that cafe. Nathan gives Angela the copy of Alice In Wonderland. Peter tells them “This isn’t a company, it’s a family.” And so it starts, again.

But wait! There’s more! Just when Nathan starts talking about going back to Washington, he’s on the TV giving a press conference! Except he’s not. It’s Sylar.

Wow, you guys. There are a couple of things I just can’t wait to talk about in the analysis. First of all, I have a new theory, or at least an expanded one. Seeing how the lab where they did experiments was called Building 26 AND Sitwell’s operation is also headquartered in Building 26, I am guessing that Sitwell was somehow very, very involved with Coyote Sands (Perhaps he was there because he had powers, too!). Something tells me that the reel of film Peter gave Suresh will reveal Sitwell’s connection to Project Icarus.

Also? I highly doubt this is the last we’ll see of Alice. And thank goodness, because Storm is my favorite member of the X-Men. (Though, obviously, not my favorite in the movies. SIGH.)

Anyway here’s what may turn up in this week’s analysis:

- Icarus

- Socks

- Alice in Wonderland

- A special scientific look at Alice’s power!

Heroes airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on NBC

Categories: Heroes
Bobby Hankinson

9 Responses

  1. TXGenX says:

    Ugh. I totally disagree with your opinion of this episode. I thought it was so bad it actually made me angry. This story did not resonate with me emotionally at all. Nothing anyone did made any sense to me. Alice/Storm lives alone in a bunker for 50 years? Angela abandons her dear sister and doesn’t try to look for her ONCE in all this time? Everyone at Coyote Sands gets shot dead because Storm refuses to takes her medicine like a good girl & whips up some lightning? Nathan and Peter make nicey nice and decide to form their own company? The ONLY thing I liked in this epi was Syler taking on Nathan’s form. Did I like that enough to come back next week? Probably not.

  2. Cuatro says:

    I didn’t think this was a very good episode. The only thing that is going to keep me going is that it might be interesting to see a the newly formed company fight the Hunter.

  3. Bobby says:

    Well, you know guys, to each his own and all, but I really did love this episode. Though perhaps I didn’t make it very clear here why. I think for once the writers were careful to make the characters have motivations that made sense. Young Angela and the three boys did go back to Coyote Sands that night and found everyone dead (that’s why they were dirty in their last scene at the diner). Angela assumed Alice was dead. And then it was so traumatic, she wasn’t going to go back and search the bodies again (as she explained to Claire). Alice was also traumatized too. That whole scene where things went bonkers at Coyote Sands was very The Shot That Started the War. Suresh Sr. smacked a child, her father (I think) tried to protect her, a guard shot, more special folk presumably got involved. I mean, stupider things have prompted pandemonium before. That would be some heavy stuff for a little girl to see. On Peter forgiving Nathan, I think they made that clear after Suresh reminded him that it’s his ability to forgive, to understand, that would make him a better leader for the company.

    And beyond what I consider the show’s best instance of character development, they’ve set up a premise that doesn’t involve a hodgepodge of characters aimlessly running around trying to avert one impending crisis after another.

    Finally, I also think Coyote Sands is going to be directly influential to our current Sitwell situation. We’ll see how …

  4. Joe Shafer says:

    I have to agree with Bobby, I liked this episode! It was interesting the way it filled in many of the holes in the backstory (how everyone managed to meet, why Mohindar’s father was involved and knowledgeable etc.)

    The whole Alic/Angela story was a little thick, but i can buy that she stayed there from fear (she did pretty much watch her family and friends get slaughtered because of her actions).

    Also remember in episode 20 (season 1) set five years in the future when mean scar face Peter confronts anti-mutant nathan who turns out to be Sylar with the ability to shape shift???? They were labeling mutants as terrorist?? Now several seasons later the main antagonist is Sylar with the ability to shape shift acting like Nathan to wield his political power. Just feels like they are finally starting to make an effort and bring continuity to the story line.

  5. LostCathy says:

    I too liked this episode. Maybe Sitwell was one of the guards at Coyote Sands. But I too believe he has something to do with CS, maybe he was someone with abilities, like you guys suggested.

  6. cici says:

    I’m co-signing as well on a great episode. But who is Bobby Bishop? Whose father is he? And how do they find Kaito and Papa P and senior Parkman? And what happened to Charlie’s daughter? (can’t remember her name, actress was on the new orleans show w/anthony anderson) She died but she came back to life? Where is she?

    I think its somewhat believable that a 9-11 yr old Alice would stay there waiting on her older sister to come back to get her after seeing everyone on the grounds get killed. Where else would she go? If she wandered into town and got upset, can you image what would have happened? She’d been dead for sure then.

    Sitwell apears to me to be slightly younger than Angela so I doubt he was a guard, probably a resident whose ability allowed him to escape.

  7. chunk971 says:

    Bobby Bishop is Elle’s dad. Simone was the name of Deveaux’s daughter/Isaac Mendez’s girlfriend from season 1. She did not come back to life, though. The girl that created illusions impersonated her to keep Isaac from being arrested for murder.

  8. cici says:

    Thanks for clearing that up, chunk971. The illusionist, was that the fat girl that Sylar killed in the begining of season 2 or was that the dark haired girl that was working with The Hatian for awhile?

  9. Stan Cordray says:

    Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in. Yep, the quality of Heroes episodes has really stepped up lately.Bobby, thanks for the chronological recap. Sometimes cutting back and forth is necessary for the story, but not here; and the reassembled story lines make for much easier reading.I wondered if the episode director was any relation to Bob Kane, creator of Batman. (With the name “Adam Kane,” he’s probably been asked that a million times.) Apparently not, according to imdb.com.