![[a case of the blog]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SY-CjpYjN_U/VF0vl6CNPjI/AAAAAAAAEOo/kQO_lGphFIs/s1600/newblogheader19.gif)
Welcome to the debut edition of "Top Ten Cases," a new feature that lists my preferences on any given subject. Be warned that this is completely subjective, and my logic and criteria may not be consistent (even within a given list). Of course, I'm looking for suggestions on future topics, so please e-mail me with your ideas!
Back at the end of 2006, PrimeTimePulse ranked Heroes the best show of the year. Considering that it was the series' rookie year -- and that it competed with behemoths such as Lost and 24 -- that's a pretty impressive feat. Perhaps one of the reasons why the show was successful was because it was chock full of awesome moments. This edition of Top Ten Cases takes a look back at my ten favorite.
UPDATE: BE SURE TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIMETIMEPULSE'S HEROES CONTEST TO WIN THE SEASON 2 DVD SET!
Click the "Read More" link for the top ten Heroes moments that give me chills!
10. It's all fun and games until... ("Cautionary Tales")
Unsurprisingly, only two moments from season two made this list. And as one might expect, they take the #10 and #9 spots. What did surprise me, however, is that they're both from the same episode.
The number ten moment is the Mexican stand off between HRG, Mohinder, and Bob, with daughters Claire and Elle serving as the bargaining chips. In the end, Elle had been shot, West had been electrocuted, and HRG has his former boss on his knees. Before he can shoot, however, Mohinder guns down his former ally with a bullet to the eye. With HRG being my favorite character on the show, I was crushed that he had seemingly been killed off.
The reason this moment comes in at number ten is because, despite its emotional impact, the scene is just so flawed in some major ways. Why is it that Mohinder believes he has to shoot HRG in the eye in order to stop him, when he has no intention of killing him? The guy is human, why not shoot him in the leg? Or the arm? Or even in the chest (knowing full well that he can use Claire's blood to revive him)? For that matter, was he even aware that Claire's blood would definitely work? If not, are we to believe that Mohinder -- who is a good person despite his idiocy that season -- would kill HRG, who (despite his moral ambiguity and sketchiness) has provided Mohinder with far more reasons to be trusted than the equally sketchy and equally morally questionable Bob? And he's willing to do this IN FRONT OF THE GUY'S INNOCENT DAUGHTER???? It just didn't add up.
Nevertheless, I still include this scene because it actually had me yelling at the TV.
Watch a music video of this scene:
9. Father/son moment ("Cautionary Tales")
I struggled with whether I would make the final moments between Hiro and his father number nine or number ten on this list. I ultimately decided to place this moment higher than the one above (heh, how often is something higher than something that is above it?) because, at the end of the day, the scene was far better written. Along with that, the impact of the moment was also longer lasting. In this episode, Hiro attempts to go back in time to prevent his father's murder. By the end of the episode, he understands what his father already does: That the past can't be changed, and that this is his destiny. Hiro's father reveals to his son that he IS proud of him, and Hiro allows his father to be killed. Following this event, Hiro "grows up" a bit (but thankfully doesn't lose all of his child-like charm) and comes to better understand the limitations of his amazing ability.
8. HRG + GSW = Father of the Year? ("Company Man")
Throughout the first season, the question was "is HRG a good guy or bad guy?" While that still isn't necessarily apparent (I categorize him as a good guy willing to do bad things), by the end of "Company Man" one thing was crystal clear: His unconditional love for his daughter. "Company Man" was the perfect culmination for Claire, HRG, and the viewers. Everybody sort of rooted Claire on as she stood up for herself and defied her father. However, we ultimately learned that had she listened to him the entire time, things wouldn't have gotten so messy. It became obvious that what he had been saying all along was true: Everything he was doing was to protect his family.
The final moments of the episode, with the Haitian taking Claire away (but not before shooting HRG and wiping part of his memory) is extremely powerful and poignant. The direction was especially well done, showing the gun shot scene over Claire's shoulder, so that we can see her reaction (I also loved how, even at that moment, HRG was trying to protect her by telling her to turn away and cover her ears). It was wonderful seeing the emotion on Claire's face, as she realizes that this is all happening because of her. And I absolutely loved how, despite being told not to, she still ran over to her father to give him one final hug. It was an absolutely incredible scene, in my opinion, and the perfect way to cap off the best episode of the series.
Watch this compilation, summarizing the events of "Company Man":
7. Father and daughter reunite ("The Hard Part")
While this brief scene doesn't have the notoriety of the one above, I still think it's a vastly underrated moment that still pulls at the heart strings (is that the expression? That can't possibly be right. Hearts don't have strings, do they?) A few episodes following "Company Man," Claire has managed to sneak away from the Haitian and has arrived in New York City, hoping to reunite with Peter Petrelli. She does find Peter, but in doing so, discovers that he is actually her uncle, and that Nathan is her absentee biological father. However, instead of this being a joyous family reunion, Claire can't help but feel very alone. Nathan is not the man she was hoping he'd be, and Peter isn't the hero she needs him to be (not at that point, anyway). In this moment of despair, she suddenly sees her father, who had since been captured by The Company and is now teaming with Parkman and Ted to take them down, in the distance. It's a genuinely sweet moment, and as I've noted many times before, Jack Coleman and Hayden Panettiere have incredibly chemistry. At that moment, you could really feel how much Claire loves and adores her father. He truly did "save her" and come to her rescue. It was also nice seeing the two essentially catch up, with Claire revealing to her adoptive dad that Peter is her uncle.
6. "You're totally my hero" ("Fallout")
The moment that Peter and Claire finally met was climatic and historic (more on that later), but it was made even sweeter when Claire went to visit the mysterious stranger who had saved her life in prison. At this point, Peter was still unsure of his purpose. If I remember correctly, he may not have even fully realized his tremendous ability yet. After a brief conversation (highlighted by the moment where Claire realizes that Peter didn't know he'd survive the fall), Claire's father knocks on the door, indicating that it's time for her to leave. Just before she exits his cell, she turns back to Peter and simply says, "You're totally my hero." It was a supremely sweet moment, so wonderfully acted on both sides, and genuine in its subtlety. Peter simply smiles, and Claire leaves. It was a touching moment, and just hearing Claire say the line really does send an emotionally charged shiver down my spine.
Watch the first minute of this freaky ass video for that great line:
5. "Yatta" ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
The lovable Hiro's high pitched "Yatta!" (translation: I did it!) shriek is a trademark to one of the series' most popular characters. Aside from his comedic offering, perhaps the reason why Hiro is so beloved is because viewers see themselves in him. Here is a guy who sees the joy and adventure in having an extra-ordinary (separation on purpose) ability. I'm sure there are a lot of people that say, "That's exactly how I would react." Even Hiro's quest, which is really no joking matter, is seen through a child's eyes. Sure, Hiro wants to save the world and vanquish evil-doers, but he does so as if he's a comic book character (which, technically, I suppose he is).
And so much of that child-like charm is found in his catchphrase. Everything he lifts his arms into the arm, looks up, and with squinted eyes exclaims, "Yatta!" people can't help but smile. He's surely having the time of his life.
That's why it's all the more poetic when he utters this expression -- but this time, in an almost fierce-like tone -- after he allegedly takes Sylar's life, a decision he has understandably struggled with for much of the season. In a way, it's alluding to the fact that while his view of his quest has been juvenile, actually fulfilling it was a very sincere matter.
Watch this scene:
4. Peter meets/saves Claire ("Homecoming")
During the early part of Heroes, in my view, Peter and Claire were the heart and soul of the series (in that respect, Hiro can probably be described as the show's spirit). Peter was the ordinary man who aspired to be some more, while Claire was the confused teenager trying to understand her new abilities. In many ways, they were polar opposites. Claire wanted nothing more than to be a normal girl, but was thrust into situations where she had to be heroic (whether on a grand level by rescuing a man from a burning building, or in more subtle ways, like shunning her popularity to connect with supposed "freaks"). Meanwhile, Peter so desperately wanted to achieve something great and to change the world, but was constantly halted by his brother and mother.
And indeed, the night of the Homecoming football game, one would achieve his dream, while the other would risk losing hers. Peter would finally have the opportunity to save the world -- and he was willing to risk his life to do it -- while Claire would come to realize that not only can she perhaps never be just a normal girl, but her very life and existence could come to an end.
In many ways, the entire first half of Heroes was leading up to Claire and Peter finally meeting. I remember seeing the preview for the episode, and it almost felt surreal seeing Claire and Peter standing side by side in the school hallway. I thought the scene was handled magnificently, perfectly exemplifying their characters. With Peter not realizing that he's actually talking to the girl he must save, viewers were able to understand that he's a genuinely nice and caring guy. To him, this is some random teenage girl, but nevertheless he takes the time to offer her some encouraging words. Fans also had the opportunity to see the insecure side of Claire, an aspect of her character we rarely saw until then. It was a nice reminder that despite the fact that she's impenetrable, she's still a human being. And she could die.
And the fact that these two had no idea who the other was -- and the significant role they would each play in the other's life -- made the scene all that much more enjoyable for me. It allowed both characters to act naturally. It was definitely one of those scenes where less is more.
Watch Claire and Peter's first interaction:
And, of course, there's the big moment where Sylar comes after Claire, and it's Peter to the rescue. I loved the allusions to Isaac's paintings and the way HRG tried to help, but was kept at a distance. I also thought it was sweet how, after Peter and Sylar were thrown off of the bleachers, Claire rushed over to check on Peter (despite the fact that he attempted killer was lying right beside him).
I was especially fond of the brief interaction at the end:
Peter: By saving you, did I save the world?
Claire: I don't know. I'm just a cheerleader.
3. "Save the cheerleader, save the world" ("Hiros")
You've got to wonder, would Heroes have attracted its legion of season one viewers without this simple sentence? Honestly, "Save the cheerleader, save the world" was more than a catchy ad campaign. It really did become a phenomenon.
Whether they were devoted fans or had never seen a single episode, virtually everybody knew that tagline. And it had people talking. Viewers were left wondering what was so special about the cheerleader. What was she destined to do? And the best part of all was that it wasn't even made explicit until much later, when we go five years into the future.
But lets not take away from the fact that it was, at its core, very effective marketing. I still get chills when I see old previews, with that awesome whisper saying, "save the cheerleader...." (quick fade of Claire) "....save the world." This particular campaign added to my personal enjoyment of the series quite a bit. In fact, when I had my parents watch the first season on DVD, I told them that they were really missing out on not seeing the previews at the end of each episode with that famous line.
The whole "save the cheerleader" campaign also gave Claire's character a lot of much-needed purpose. Lets be honest, aside from her super awesome, super creepy dad, Claire wasn't doing much other than being a angst-ridden teenager. She wasn't doing anything particularly heroic (outside of the pilot episode), and she wasn't really aspiring to be something grand. But when you suddenly tell the viewers that she must be saved or the world is effed, everything she says and does becomes more significant.
Of course, perhaps most significantly, this command from Future Hiro also acted as the catalyst that brought all of the central characters together.
Watch the scene in which Hiro first utters this line, and comments from the stars on the phenomenon it became:
2. "Call me Noah" ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
You know that a character is special when he can make an incredibly awesome moment out of simply introducing his first name.
Perhaps my favorite part of the scene was that it wasn't gratuitous. Sure, they could've revealed his first name for the sake of revealing it, but it didn't feel like that upon viewing. Instead, it felt like a personal moment between a father and the man who had saved his daughter's life. And for that reason, Peter was the perfect person for HRG to say, "call me Noah." Had it been with anybody else, it probably would have come off as obligatory and forced.
The scene was wonderfully directed as well. I loved how, after Peter said, "Thank you, Mr. Bennet," there's a brief pause as anticipating music plays in the background. At this point, you just knew it was coming. The camera then zooms in on HRG, who quietly replies, "Call me Noah."
Honestly, I'm absolutely shocked that I couldn't find a YouTube clip of this scene, considering how climatic and inspiring it was.
1. Nathan saves the day ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
Everything about this scene was just fantastic. There's no question that this moment deserves the number one spot, because I got such chills as I viewed various YouTube videos of this scene to determine which one to use. I truly did love everything about it.
To put this in context, consider that the number ten moment didn't rank higher because it was so flawed. This scene, by contrast, overcame all of its flaws to solidify its rank as number one. Yes, I loved the scene, but no, it wasn't perfect. The scene really demanded an explosive, climatic battle between Peter and Sylar. Instead, we got a fist fight. I also think that the dialogue needed to better clarify WHY Peter couldn't just fly away (to their credit, they did answer this question in the next season episode "Four Months Ago..."). Despite these imperfections, it was a really amazing scene.
Nathan swooping in from the sky just before Claire had to shoot Peter was perfect on so many levels. First off, it showed his acceptance, so to speak, of his ability (if I recall correctly, he had only voluntarily used this ability once before, when he had to escape from HRG and the Haitian). Secondly, he was doing something incredibly selfless and compassionate for two people he loved. He prevented Claire from having to shoot and kill Peter, somebody she cared for deeply (loved how he echoed her line about the future not being written in stone). And his actions also meant that Peter wouldn't have to die alone.
And it STILL gives me chills hearing Nathan say, "You saved the cheerleader, so WE could save the world." An absolutely, positively AWESOME line.
Here's a great 10-minute video that not only includes this scene, but also provides the Nathan/Peter backstory behind it. If you're just interested in seeing the finale stuff, begin watching at the 4:00 point:
.
Back at the end of 2006, PrimeTimePulse ranked Heroes the best show of the year. Considering that it was the series' rookie year -- and that it competed with behemoths such as Lost and 24 -- that's a pretty impressive feat. Perhaps one of the reasons why the show was successful was because it was chock full of awesome moments. This edition of Top Ten Cases takes a look back at my ten favorite.
UPDATE: BE SURE TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIMETIMEPULSE'S HEROES CONTEST TO WIN THE SEASON 2 DVD SET!
Click the "Read More" link for the top ten Heroes moments that give me chills!
10. It's all fun and games until... ("Cautionary Tales")
Unsurprisingly, only two moments from season two made this list. And as one might expect, they take the #10 and #9 spots. What did surprise me, however, is that they're both from the same episode.
The number ten moment is the Mexican stand off between HRG, Mohinder, and Bob, with daughters Claire and Elle serving as the bargaining chips. In the end, Elle had been shot, West had been electrocuted, and HRG has his former boss on his knees. Before he can shoot, however, Mohinder guns down his former ally with a bullet to the eye. With HRG being my favorite character on the show, I was crushed that he had seemingly been killed off.
The reason this moment comes in at number ten is because, despite its emotional impact, the scene is just so flawed in some major ways. Why is it that Mohinder believes he has to shoot HRG in the eye in order to stop him, when he has no intention of killing him? The guy is human, why not shoot him in the leg? Or the arm? Or even in the chest (knowing full well that he can use Claire's blood to revive him)? For that matter, was he even aware that Claire's blood would definitely work? If not, are we to believe that Mohinder -- who is a good person despite his idiocy that season -- would kill HRG, who (despite his moral ambiguity and sketchiness) has provided Mohinder with far more reasons to be trusted than the equally sketchy and equally morally questionable Bob? And he's willing to do this IN FRONT OF THE GUY'S INNOCENT DAUGHTER???? It just didn't add up.
Nevertheless, I still include this scene because it actually had me yelling at the TV.
Watch a music video of this scene:
9. Father/son moment ("Cautionary Tales")
I struggled with whether I would make the final moments between Hiro and his father number nine or number ten on this list. I ultimately decided to place this moment higher than the one above (heh, how often is something higher than something that is above it?) because, at the end of the day, the scene was far better written. Along with that, the impact of the moment was also longer lasting. In this episode, Hiro attempts to go back in time to prevent his father's murder. By the end of the episode, he understands what his father already does: That the past can't be changed, and that this is his destiny. Hiro's father reveals to his son that he IS proud of him, and Hiro allows his father to be killed. Following this event, Hiro "grows up" a bit (but thankfully doesn't lose all of his child-like charm) and comes to better understand the limitations of his amazing ability.
8. HRG + GSW = Father of the Year? ("Company Man")
Throughout the first season, the question was "is HRG a good guy or bad guy?" While that still isn't necessarily apparent (I categorize him as a good guy willing to do bad things), by the end of "Company Man" one thing was crystal clear: His unconditional love for his daughter. "Company Man" was the perfect culmination for Claire, HRG, and the viewers. Everybody sort of rooted Claire on as she stood up for herself and defied her father. However, we ultimately learned that had she listened to him the entire time, things wouldn't have gotten so messy. It became obvious that what he had been saying all along was true: Everything he was doing was to protect his family.
The final moments of the episode, with the Haitian taking Claire away (but not before shooting HRG and wiping part of his memory) is extremely powerful and poignant. The direction was especially well done, showing the gun shot scene over Claire's shoulder, so that we can see her reaction (I also loved how, even at that moment, HRG was trying to protect her by telling her to turn away and cover her ears). It was wonderful seeing the emotion on Claire's face, as she realizes that this is all happening because of her. And I absolutely loved how, despite being told not to, she still ran over to her father to give him one final hug. It was an absolutely incredible scene, in my opinion, and the perfect way to cap off the best episode of the series.
Watch this compilation, summarizing the events of "Company Man":
7. Father and daughter reunite ("The Hard Part")
While this brief scene doesn't have the notoriety of the one above, I still think it's a vastly underrated moment that still pulls at the heart strings (is that the expression? That can't possibly be right. Hearts don't have strings, do they?) A few episodes following "Company Man," Claire has managed to sneak away from the Haitian and has arrived in New York City, hoping to reunite with Peter Petrelli. She does find Peter, but in doing so, discovers that he is actually her uncle, and that Nathan is her absentee biological father. However, instead of this being a joyous family reunion, Claire can't help but feel very alone. Nathan is not the man she was hoping he'd be, and Peter isn't the hero she needs him to be (not at that point, anyway). In this moment of despair, she suddenly sees her father, who had since been captured by The Company and is now teaming with Parkman and Ted to take them down, in the distance. It's a genuinely sweet moment, and as I've noted many times before, Jack Coleman and Hayden Panettiere have incredibly chemistry. At that moment, you could really feel how much Claire loves and adores her father. He truly did "save her" and come to her rescue. It was also nice seeing the two essentially catch up, with Claire revealing to her adoptive dad that Peter is her uncle.
6. "You're totally my hero" ("Fallout")
The moment that Peter and Claire finally met was climatic and historic (more on that later), but it was made even sweeter when Claire went to visit the mysterious stranger who had saved her life in prison. At this point, Peter was still unsure of his purpose. If I remember correctly, he may not have even fully realized his tremendous ability yet. After a brief conversation (highlighted by the moment where Claire realizes that Peter didn't know he'd survive the fall), Claire's father knocks on the door, indicating that it's time for her to leave. Just before she exits his cell, she turns back to Peter and simply says, "You're totally my hero." It was a supremely sweet moment, so wonderfully acted on both sides, and genuine in its subtlety. Peter simply smiles, and Claire leaves. It was a touching moment, and just hearing Claire say the line really does send an emotionally charged shiver down my spine.
Watch the first minute of this freaky ass video for that great line:
5. "Yatta" ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
The lovable Hiro's high pitched "Yatta!" (translation: I did it!) shriek is a trademark to one of the series' most popular characters. Aside from his comedic offering, perhaps the reason why Hiro is so beloved is because viewers see themselves in him. Here is a guy who sees the joy and adventure in having an extra-ordinary (separation on purpose) ability. I'm sure there are a lot of people that say, "That's exactly how I would react." Even Hiro's quest, which is really no joking matter, is seen through a child's eyes. Sure, Hiro wants to save the world and vanquish evil-doers, but he does so as if he's a comic book character (which, technically, I suppose he is).
And so much of that child-like charm is found in his catchphrase. Everything he lifts his arms into the arm, looks up, and with squinted eyes exclaims, "Yatta!" people can't help but smile. He's surely having the time of his life.
That's why it's all the more poetic when he utters this expression -- but this time, in an almost fierce-like tone -- after he allegedly takes Sylar's life, a decision he has understandably struggled with for much of the season. In a way, it's alluding to the fact that while his view of his quest has been juvenile, actually fulfilling it was a very sincere matter.
Watch this scene:
4. Peter meets/saves Claire ("Homecoming")
During the early part of Heroes, in my view, Peter and Claire were the heart and soul of the series (in that respect, Hiro can probably be described as the show's spirit). Peter was the ordinary man who aspired to be some more, while Claire was the confused teenager trying to understand her new abilities. In many ways, they were polar opposites. Claire wanted nothing more than to be a normal girl, but was thrust into situations where she had to be heroic (whether on a grand level by rescuing a man from a burning building, or in more subtle ways, like shunning her popularity to connect with supposed "freaks"). Meanwhile, Peter so desperately wanted to achieve something great and to change the world, but was constantly halted by his brother and mother.
And indeed, the night of the Homecoming football game, one would achieve his dream, while the other would risk losing hers. Peter would finally have the opportunity to save the world -- and he was willing to risk his life to do it -- while Claire would come to realize that not only can she perhaps never be just a normal girl, but her very life and existence could come to an end.
In many ways, the entire first half of Heroes was leading up to Claire and Peter finally meeting. I remember seeing the preview for the episode, and it almost felt surreal seeing Claire and Peter standing side by side in the school hallway. I thought the scene was handled magnificently, perfectly exemplifying their characters. With Peter not realizing that he's actually talking to the girl he must save, viewers were able to understand that he's a genuinely nice and caring guy. To him, this is some random teenage girl, but nevertheless he takes the time to offer her some encouraging words. Fans also had the opportunity to see the insecure side of Claire, an aspect of her character we rarely saw until then. It was a nice reminder that despite the fact that she's impenetrable, she's still a human being. And she could die.
And the fact that these two had no idea who the other was -- and the significant role they would each play in the other's life -- made the scene all that much more enjoyable for me. It allowed both characters to act naturally. It was definitely one of those scenes where less is more.
Watch Claire and Peter's first interaction:
And, of course, there's the big moment where Sylar comes after Claire, and it's Peter to the rescue. I loved the allusions to Isaac's paintings and the way HRG tried to help, but was kept at a distance. I also thought it was sweet how, after Peter and Sylar were thrown off of the bleachers, Claire rushed over to check on Peter (despite the fact that he attempted killer was lying right beside him).
I was especially fond of the brief interaction at the end:
Peter: By saving you, did I save the world?
Claire: I don't know. I'm just a cheerleader.
3. "Save the cheerleader, save the world" ("Hiros")
You've got to wonder, would Heroes have attracted its legion of season one viewers without this simple sentence? Honestly, "Save the cheerleader, save the world" was more than a catchy ad campaign. It really did become a phenomenon.
Whether they were devoted fans or had never seen a single episode, virtually everybody knew that tagline. And it had people talking. Viewers were left wondering what was so special about the cheerleader. What was she destined to do? And the best part of all was that it wasn't even made explicit until much later, when we go five years into the future.
But lets not take away from the fact that it was, at its core, very effective marketing. I still get chills when I see old previews, with that awesome whisper saying, "save the cheerleader...." (quick fade of Claire) "....save the world." This particular campaign added to my personal enjoyment of the series quite a bit. In fact, when I had my parents watch the first season on DVD, I told them that they were really missing out on not seeing the previews at the end of each episode with that famous line.
The whole "save the cheerleader" campaign also gave Claire's character a lot of much-needed purpose. Lets be honest, aside from her super awesome, super creepy dad, Claire wasn't doing much other than being a angst-ridden teenager. She wasn't doing anything particularly heroic (outside of the pilot episode), and she wasn't really aspiring to be something grand. But when you suddenly tell the viewers that she must be saved or the world is effed, everything she says and does becomes more significant.
Of course, perhaps most significantly, this command from Future Hiro also acted as the catalyst that brought all of the central characters together.
Watch the scene in which Hiro first utters this line, and comments from the stars on the phenomenon it became:
2. "Call me Noah" ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
You know that a character is special when he can make an incredibly awesome moment out of simply introducing his first name.
Perhaps my favorite part of the scene was that it wasn't gratuitous. Sure, they could've revealed his first name for the sake of revealing it, but it didn't feel like that upon viewing. Instead, it felt like a personal moment between a father and the man who had saved his daughter's life. And for that reason, Peter was the perfect person for HRG to say, "call me Noah." Had it been with anybody else, it probably would have come off as obligatory and forced.
The scene was wonderfully directed as well. I loved how, after Peter said, "Thank you, Mr. Bennet," there's a brief pause as anticipating music plays in the background. At this point, you just knew it was coming. The camera then zooms in on HRG, who quietly replies, "Call me Noah."
Honestly, I'm absolutely shocked that I couldn't find a YouTube clip of this scene, considering how climatic and inspiring it was.
1. Nathan saves the day ("How to Stop an Exploding Man")
Everything about this scene was just fantastic. There's no question that this moment deserves the number one spot, because I got such chills as I viewed various YouTube videos of this scene to determine which one to use. I truly did love everything about it.
To put this in context, consider that the number ten moment didn't rank higher because it was so flawed. This scene, by contrast, overcame all of its flaws to solidify its rank as number one. Yes, I loved the scene, but no, it wasn't perfect. The scene really demanded an explosive, climatic battle between Peter and Sylar. Instead, we got a fist fight. I also think that the dialogue needed to better clarify WHY Peter couldn't just fly away (to their credit, they did answer this question in the next season episode "Four Months Ago..."). Despite these imperfections, it was a really amazing scene.
Nathan swooping in from the sky just before Claire had to shoot Peter was perfect on so many levels. First off, it showed his acceptance, so to speak, of his ability (if I recall correctly, he had only voluntarily used this ability once before, when he had to escape from HRG and the Haitian). Secondly, he was doing something incredibly selfless and compassionate for two people he loved. He prevented Claire from having to shoot and kill Peter, somebody she cared for deeply (loved how he echoed her line about the future not being written in stone). And his actions also meant that Peter wouldn't have to die alone.
And it STILL gives me chills hearing Nathan say, "You saved the cheerleader, so WE could save the world." An absolutely, positively AWESOME line.
Here's a great 10-minute video that not only includes this scene, but also provides the Nathan/Peter backstory behind it. If you're just interested in seeing the finale stuff, begin watching at the 4:00 point:
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