So, did anyone see the recurring theme of unspecial folks filled with shock and awe when they witnessed someone who was seemingly ordinary use his/her ability?

I noticed the three instances for two groups o' folks, and thought that they probably weren't shown in the story without a reason. Obviously, the three instances were when Jeremy killed, when Becky disappeared as she ran away, and when Claire was relieved of her flesh wound.

Seems to me that, in the story, there's gonna be repercussions when regular folks see that there are those who can do things outta the ordinary. Is there gonna be some future storyline where the "mutants" are persecuted once they've been "outed" (speculative rhetorical question)?

What then? Once it's shown in the storylines that the majority of folks don't understand those with special abilities, I think havin' a place to hide in plain sight and be accepted as normal might look like something worth considering. And well - whaddya know? - there's a Carnival where the "freaks" can call home!

Yeah, I'm just speculatin' - don't care to know actual spoilers about future eps - but is that gonna be the selling point for The Carnival? Is the Sullivan Bros. Carnival gonna be the new "Cheers", where everybody knows your name?

Don't know Samuel's real intentions, but I can see now how "special" folks attempting to live regular lives can get to a point where they might wanna join The Carnival. Maybe it's from watchin' storylines in Smallville (where folks regularly go to extremes ya might not expect), but I can finally see how tptb can make different characters' storylines all wanna converge at Samuel's, Lydia's, Edgar's, et al, home - just make "real life" not a fun place when folks look at you like you're different, and then joining the Carnival will actually look like the best option, even though that wouldn't regularly be something they'd normally consider.

What do you think?

It does seem to be where it's going, with Tracy apparently headed there and sylar... surely they couldn't take everyone though - a carnival could only be so big before it's more like a city. After all, we know from the company's databases that there's a *lot* of specials out there.

The Carnival reminds me of either the Morlocks or that splinter group, Gene Nation, I think? One of them had the goal of killing a human for every mutant's live taken. But it looks like Samuel lacks discretion and killed those who were responsible for Greer's murder and anyone else in the building. There was also the sinkhole he caused in New York. He's got charisma but he's also got some psychopathic tendencies. Combine that with declaring himself judge, jury, and executioner...now would be a good time for a Company to exist.

Remember Volume 4: Fugitives? That was a storyline where HEBs were hunted by folks (Ok, except for Nathan and Rachel, those two were in folks' team, although they were HEBs)



I don't think the Carnival is that big as for being home of all the HEBs in the world... But, who knows? They can make it dissapear and reappear, so maybe they can also make it bigger and bigger.



I really don't think so... IMHO, Samuel is bringing HEBs into the family for a reason, not just for being more and more... Yes, he said that the void that Joseph left needs to be filled again, so you could say he's collecting people with abilities, because maybe Joseph was an empath with a lot of abilities... But I don't think it's just that, I mean, if you think about it, there's a reason for each one of them... Sylar, because he is extremely powerful, and he could lead all the carnies along with Sam. Tracy, because she has a lot of influence among the politicians. And I'm sure we could find a reason for each one of them. I think that having an ability is a requirement to enter the family, but not a reason for entering the family.



Yeah... That could be right... It seems like this season the HEBs don't have anything better to do than joining the Carnival. Also, Samuel never tried to convince someone of joining after they didn't say "yes, I'll join" inmediatly, for example, Hiro, Tracy, Peter... It's like he knows that they will join the family soon or later. However, I wonder what would have happened if Sylar said he didn't want to join the family...

Well, the storytellers only hafta write reasons that the main characters would wanna head to the Carnival, so they wouldn't have to deal with everyone who's seemingly ordinary. Like Sanjog? Probably not on Samuel's radar... Yeah - Noah's still got that on his agenda, right?

Anyway, this was just my idea of how the writers were thinkin' about gettin' the main characters to think that maybe joining a Carnival is a good idea. Ya gotta know that, if there were two groups who wanted to deal with those with special abilities, and ya heard one was a Carnival, there's gotta be some reason why the main characters would even consider joinin' it!

The way I'm starting to view the Carnival towards the overall Heroes theme of living normal lives, is that the Carnival is the shortcut, the easy way out than trying to struggle and remain 'invisible' as the episode put it, live in constant fear, paranoia, and lie to your family and friends. The past three seasons have been about living in the shadows, manipulations, secrets, and indirect maneuvering whereas the Carnival appears and offers the exact opposite solution.

I'm not surprised specials are flocking to it. Most of them are just plain tired of hiding themselves. The Carnival is much more charismatic and direct, when something happens, they don't fill out papers, erase memories, or whip up false identities...they kill and most times do it indiscriminately.

I sort wonder what kind of battle it would have been to see the Company vs. the Carnival.

I think The Company vs. The Carnival would be an awesome fight. x]

A lot of it depends on the perception of the public on behalf of the powers, IMO. In part, as one perception, it would depend upon what the power was. I think that applies when individuals see it and when groups see it.

If Jeremy would've healed the guy instead of finishing killing him, he would've had a different reaction. If someone has a seemingly beneficial or benevolent power, like healing people / things or growing things like flowers, then that would get a much different reaction than something like killing by touch or nuking someone by touch, for examples.

If one can bring rain to a place with a drought, if one can put out a house on fire with their mind, if one can meaningfully communicate with pets, are a few more examples.

True. I just think that, for the times when seein' a person's special ability scares or freaks onlookers out, and then the unspecial folks get the mob or posse mentality, then that would be a good time for Samuel to come in and say, "Remember that old sit-com named Cheers, where you could feel comfortable? Well, we've got a place for you - not a bar - but a Carnival, where you can live without bein' persecuted." And that would be a time when the Carnival doesn't sound like a bad option.

Otherwise, I don't see how many of the main characters could get to the point that they're enticed to join the Carnival family...

Perhaps there was such a fight, and they came to some truce? Well, if Angela ever sees a vision with Samuel/The Carnival in it, we might find out... Maybe.

There has to be some "rule the world" thing going on here. If there were really people with abilities like these in the world. they would be more like Sylar and Kenzi than Claire. So something tells me Sam is going to try to do something along these lines.

Another thing. Claire seems to be his "Main" Target. I dont know if it is to keep HRG at bay or what her blood can do for all of them. We will see

So far, they (Samuel) has targeted:

• Claire
• Peter
• Jeremy
• Hiro
• Emma
• Tracy
• Sylar

yea I definitely like where this is all going. Samuel doesn't seem to have any problem exacting revenge whenever he sees fit. Definitely makes for an interesting character.

Hm... I don't quite remember him "targeting" Emma. Can you refresh my memory?

I'm still going to stick by my personal theory that the Carnival is actually the good side and that something far more sinister is out there. It's my belief that it just so happens that the good side is currently under not-so-good management. Perhaps Joseph kept Samuel in line and saw that he wouldn't be able to run the Carnival but died unexpectedly, leaving the unstable Samuel to rule the roost?

I enjoy this idea of all of the characters uniting at the Carnival. Make it happen, writers!

samuel had edgar leave the cello at emmas place.

Ah, thanks.

Yes, Samuel is targeting our Heroes. He's got Sylar (who thinks he's Nathan). Tracy is on her way (which will be interesting when she and Sylar meet up since he thinks he's Nathan.)

Samuel is definitely a control freak. Those in the Carnival are not to have cell phones? or leave the Carnival unless sent on a mission? What is that all about. Its almost like the combined collection of people with special abilities in one place together causes one's (or maybe more than one) power to increase exponentially.

What I really think is interesting is how much more direct Samuel's power has become over just a few episodes.
The first time Samuel flattened a building it was by a giant sink hole in NY.
Then Sylar joins the Carnival.
The second time Samuel flattened a building it was by actually destroying the mortar and bricks so that it collapsed flat down upon itself, without a sink hole.

As far as I can tell, you're onto something, dcg. I was looking at the titles of the upcoming episodes and glanced at one of the episode descriptions. It read: "Samuel (Robert Knepper) learns just how powerful he can become and takes dangerous measures to reach his full potential. "

Thanks SaturnCity. Seems to make sense to me, but I have been wrong on other things before.

I really don't think Claire would join the carnival. She's plain dumb if she does.

a) Noah would be against it and i think she'll listen to him finally

She'll figure out that Becky is part of the Carnival team.

So yeah, the logic given my HERO is what Samuel is trying to use, but he is evil and Peter and Noah will tryo to stop him.