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Heroes - Season 3 Recap

25 Episodes

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Heroes Season 3 plunges into a world where individuals with extraordinary abilities grapple with their powers and destinies. The season introduces key figures like Peter Petrelli, a compassionate nurse who can absorb others' abilities; Sylar, a ruthless serial killer who steals powers by dissecting brains; and Claire Bennet, an indestructible cheerleader who regenerates from any injury. The core premise revolves around a stolen formula that can grant abilities, leading to a power struggle between those who want to control it and those who seek to exploit it.

The central conflict quickly escalates with the emergence of Arthur Petrelli, Peter and Nathan's manipulative father, who leads the Pinehearst Company with the goal of creating or controlling all abilities. Arthur absorbs Adam Monroe's cellular regenerative ability, turning him to dust, and later siphons Peter's powers, leaving him vulnerable. Sylar, grappling with his identity and hunger for power, is manipulated by Arthur and eventually kills Elle, a woman with electrical abilities. Meanwhile, Nathan Petrelli, Peter's brother, initiates a government operation to round up all evolved humans, leading to a widespread hunt for those with powers. During this chaotic period, Daphne Millbrook, a speedster, tragically dies from her injuries.

The season culminates in a final confrontation where Sylar kills Nathan Petrelli. To cover up Nathan's death and maintain the government's operation, Matt Parkman, a telepath, implants Sylar with Nathan's memories, effectively making Sylar believe he is Nathan. The heroes burn a decoy body, unaware that the true Sylar lives on, now impersonating Nathan.

Season 3 of Heroes covers episodes 1-25. Here's everything that happened:

Season 3, Episode 1: The Second Coming - The episode opens with a future Claire confronting Peter, who then time-travels to the present, revealing himself as Nathan's shooter. Sylar steals Claire's regenerative ability, leaving her unable to heal. Meanwhile, Hiro's father's formula is stolen by a speedster, and Mohinder injects himself with his formula, gaining super strength. The episode concludes with Nathan awakening in the hospital, seemingly resurrected by Linderman.

Season 3, Episode 2: The Butterfly Effect - Sylar escapes Level 5 after Elle inadvertently causes a mass breakout during her confrontation with him. Future Peter attempts to rectify his past actions, but Peter is trapped in the body of the criminal Jesse Murphy, forced to join the escapees. Angela Petrelli takes over the Company, firing Elle, and confronts Sylar, revealing a maternal connection. The episode concludes with Peter, as Jesse, on the run with the other villains.

Season 3, Episode 3: One of Us, One of Them - Angela Petrelli reveals she is Sylar's mother and gives him a victim to absorb, while Noah Bennet is forced to partner with Sylar to stop a bank heist by escaped Level 5 inmates, including Peter. Claire trains with her biological mother, Meredith, and Tracy Strauss travels to New Orleans to investigate her connection to Niki, only to find Niki is dead. Sylar ultimately succumbs to his hunger and absorbs Jesse's powers, and Peter is taken back to the future by Future Peter.

Season 3, Episode 4: I Am Become Death - Peter travels to a bleak future where Kaito's formula has created a world overrun by uncontrolled abilities. He gains Sylar's powers, but Sylar's son Noah is accidentally killed, causing Sylar to unleash his abilities and destroy Costa Verde, killing hundreds of thousands. Peter is then captured by a future Claire.

Season 3, Episode 5: Angels and Monsters - Claire confronts Stephen Canfield, an escaped Level 5 villain with the power to create vortexes. Canfield, seeking to reunite with his family, ultimately sacrifices himself by creating a vortex to escape capture, disappearing forever. Meanwhile, Nathan learns from Angela that his powers are synthetic, and Mohinder, in his descent, kills Maya. The episode concludes with Nathan being influenced by an imaginary Linderman to align with Arthur Petrelli's Pinehearst Company.

Season 3, Episode 6: Dying of the Light - Arthur Petrelli reveals his true power by absorbing Adam Monroe's cellular regenerative ability, turning him to dust. Meanwhile, Claire, Sandra, and Meredith are captured by Doyle, leading to Claire's apparent death and subsequent regeneration. Peter confronts his father, Arthur, who siphons Peter's powers, leaving him vulnerable.

Season 3, Episode 7: Eris Quod Sum - Nathan and Tracy fight a deranged Mohinder, while Sylar is manipulated by Arthur Petrelli into believing his mother tried to kill him. Peter is thrown from a window by Sylar, but survives. Elle seeks help from Claire, and they go to Pinehearst, where Peter's fall is witnessed. Hiro embarks on a spirit walk in Africa. Arthur Petrelli's deception of Sylar leads to Peter being thrown from a window, and Mohinder's descent into madness continues as he experiments on test subjects. The episode concludes with Hiro passing out during his spirit walk.

Season 3, Episode 8: Villains - Hiro's vision quest reveals Arthur Petrelli's past machinations, including his role in creating Pinehearst and his animosity towards Angela. Sylar grapples with guilt, while Meredith faces her brother Flint and a confrontation with Thompson. Arthur Petrelli is revealed to be alive, and the episode concludes with him ominously appearing in Africa, confronting Hiro.

Season 3, Episode 9: It's Coming - Arthur Petrelli's actions lead to Hiro losing his memories and believing he's ten years old. Peter and Claire are hunted by Knox and Flint. Sylar confronts Elle, gaining her powers through empathy. Matt attempts to free Angela from her coma, and the episode concludes with both sides preparing for an impending eclipse, hinting at a major event.

Season 3, Episode 10: The Eclipse, Part 1 - During a solar eclipse, most individuals with abilities lose them, leading to chaos and vulnerability. Sylar and Elle, now powerless, are sent to retrieve Claire, but Claire is shot by Elle and cannot heal, a critical turning point. Meanwhile, Peter and Nathan are stranded in Haiti, and Hiro and Ando track Daphne, who is revealed to be disabled without her powers. The episode concludes with Noah Bennet aiming a sniper rifle at the powerless Sylar and Elle.

Season 3, Episode 11: The Eclipse, Part 2 - As the eclipse ends, powers return, and Sylar, manipulated by the revelation that Arthur isn't his father, kills Elle. Hiro travels back in time with Claire, witnessing Kaito handing her over to Noah Bennet. Sylar, realizing he's been used, reverts to his murderous ways, ultimately scalping Elle. The episode concludes with Hiro and Ando at a comic book store, and Matt and Daphne reconciling with her father.

Season 3, Episode 12: Our Father - Hiro and Claire travel back 16 years, where Hiro's mother heals him and transfers the catalyst to him before dying. In the present, Peter and the Haitian confront Arthur, but Sylar intervenes, killing Arthur Petrelli with a bullet through the head. Meanwhile, Suresh's formula is tested, giving a marine super-strength, and Sylar begins hunting new targets.

Season 3, Episode 13: Dual - Sylar traps Claire, Angela, H.R.G., and Meredith at Primatech, intending to prove they are all monsters. Meredith tragically dies in an explosion while trying to control her powers. Meanwhile, Peter injects himself with the formula to save himself and Nathan from a lab explosion. Nathan, now aligned with the President, plans to round up all individuals with abilities, effectively initiating a global hunt for supers. Sylar is seemingly killed by Claire, but his survival is implied, setting up future conflicts.

Season 3, Episode 14: A Clear and Present Danger - Nathan Petrelli initiates a government operation to round up individuals with abilities, leading to the capture of several heroes, including Peter, Matt, and Tracy. Claire uncovers her father's plan and attempts to free the captured heroes from a plane, but Peter loses his grip and falls after absorbing Tracy's freezing power, causing the plane to crash. Sylar escapes capture while searching for his father.

Season 3, Episode 15: Trust and Blood - Following a plane crash, the heroes are fugitives hunted by Nathan Petrelli's agents. Matt Parkman foresees Daphne's tragic death amidst the chaos. Sylar, seeking his father, befriends Luke, a young outcast with destructive powers. Claire is returned home, while the remaining heroes vow to fight back. The episode concludes with Nathan confronting Tracy, who is being drugged and captured.

Season 3, Episode 16: Building 26 - Nathan's operation to capture evolved humans faces scrutiny from Homeland Security, while Sylar and Luke travel to find Sylar's father. Hiro and Ando attempt to stop a forced wedding in India, and Claire is tasked by "Rebel" to save a young man with abilities. Sylar abandons Luke to be captured by Nathan's agents, and Tracy Strauss, after a staged escape, kills a hostage before being recaptured. The episode concludes with Peter, Matt, and Mohinder abducting Noah Bennet.

Season 3, Episode 17: Cold Wars - Matt Parkman interrogates Noah Bennet, uncovering Nathan's plan to round up evolved humans. Peter confronts Danko and learns Daphne Millbrook is alive but captured. Mohinder is apprehended by Nathan's forces. The episode concludes with Noah meeting Angela, revealing their own agenda to gain Danko's trust, while Matt paints a future vision of Washington D.C. exploding.

Season 3, Episode 18: Exposed - Matt and Peter, tipped off by "Rebel," infiltrate Building 26 to rescue Daphne and retrieve incriminating government files. Claire, with her mother's help, aids Alex in escaping federal agents. Sylar's road trip with Luke leads him to a diner where he relives the traumatic memory of his father murdering his mother. The episode concludes with Matt being captured and strapped to a bomb by Danko, while Peter successfully leaks the government's files to the news.

Season 3, Episode 19: Shades of Gray - Sylar confronts his dying father, Samson Gray, who reveals he also possesses abilities and attempts to steal Sylar's healing power. Claire Bennet decides to help Eric Doyle escape capture, leading to her own "free pass" being revoked. Meanwhile, Nathan Petrelli is forced to reveal his ability to fly to Emile Danko, who then attempts to frame Matt Parkman for terrorism. The episode concludes with Sylar leaving his father to die, and Nathan being pushed through a window by Danko, revealing his powers.

Season 3, Episode 20: Cold Snap - Danko uses Tracy as bait to find "Rebel," who is revealed to be Micah. Tracy sacrifices herself in a devastating ice blast to save Micah, shattering into pieces. Meanwhile, Matt tries to give Daphne a happy ending in her final moments, as Daphne succumbs to her wounds and dies. Peter rescues Angela from Danko's agents.

Season 3, Episode 21: Into Asylum - Nathan and Claire hide in Mexico, where Claire's inability to get drunk helps them win money. Peter and Angela seek refuge in a church, while Sylar partners with Danko to hunt down a shape-shifter. The episode concludes with the world believing Sylar is dead after Danko kills the shape-shifter who had assumed Sylar's form, allowing Sylar to absorb the ability without leaving his signature mark.

Season 3, Episode 22: Turn and Face the Strange - Sylar, now a shape-shifter, impersonates Noah Bennet's wife to serve him divorce papers and sow chaos. Noah, suspecting the body he examined isn't Sylar, is tricked by Danko into believing he killed an innocent agent, forcing him on the run. Matt Parkman attempts to avenge Daphne's death by confronting Danko's lover, but is ultimately saved by Hiro. The episode concludes with Angela gathering the Petrellis and Noah at Coyote Sands, where they unearth the buried remains of government research subjects, hinting at a dark past.

Season 3, Episode 23: 1961 - Flashbacks reveal Angela Petrelli's past at the Coyote Sands relocation camp in 1961. She and her sister Alice, who can control the weather, were subjected to experiments by Chandra Suresh. Angela escaped with friends, leaving Alice behind, which led to a deadly storm and the formation of "The Company." In the present, Angela reunites with Alice, but their reconciliation is short-lived as Alice, enraged by Angela's deception, causes another storm and disappears. The episode concludes with Sylar impersonating Nathan Petrelli on television, setting up future events.

Season 3, Episode 24: I Am Sylar - Sylar grapples with an identity crisis due to his shape-shifting ability, even impersonating Nathan Petrelli. He protects Micah from Danko's agents, faking Micah's death. After a confrontation with Nathan, Danko stabs Sylar, who survives and reveals his resilience. The episode concludes with Sylar seemingly unaffected by the attack, while other heroes face capture.

Season 3, Episode 25: An Invisible Thread - Sylar, disguised as Nathan Petrelli, attempts to meet the President, but Peter intervenes, stealing Sylar's powers and incapacitating him. In the aftermath, Nathan is killed by Sylar, leading Matt Parkman to use his abilities to implant Sylar with Nathan's memories, creating a convincing duplicate. The episode concludes with the heroes burning a body they believe to be Sylar, unaware it's a shapeshifted decoy, while the true Sylar lives on as Nathan.