Radio Times

Episode 1/25 The Second Coming

A look into the future sees Claire trying to kill Peter but failing as he manages to slow time, catch the bullet and remove the gun from her hand. Returning to the present, Nathan is the victim of an assassination attempt, resulting in an emergency dash to the hospital where Peter waits anxiously by his side. Meanwhile, Sylar shows up at Claire's house and after a terrifying chase, ties her up and opens up her skull.

RT Choice (Mark Braxton, 1 October 2009)

Writers' strike or not, the truncated second series (some wearisome guff about a Shanti virus) was a shambles: uninvolving and occasionally embarrassing. One of the main problems was that Sylar, the series' charismatic blackguard, was rendered impotent for the duration. But the epilogue saw him rediscover his manic mojo, which bodes well for the new run, giving the Heroes something tangible to combat once more. We'll see Sylar visiting cheerleader Claire to top up his superpowers, and the ebullient Hiro, with no drippy tosh in medieval Japan to worry about, trying to safeguard an explosive secret.

Episode 2/25 The Butterfly Effect

In a horrific vision, Angela Petrelli believes she sees the all the heroes dead, the result of a chain of events set in motion by the malevolent Peter who has come back from the future. Sylar breaks into the Company premises but while he and Elle battle, a group of violent criminals with terrifying powers escape from Level Five where they have been imprisoned. Meanwhile Hiro and Ando trace Daphne to Paris.

Episode 3/25 One of Us, One of Them

Angela Petrelli sends Noah Bennet after escaped criminals Knox, Flint, The German and Jesse. They're a troublesome bunch for one man to tackle, though, so she assigns him an unexpected partner… Meanwhile, Hiro and Ando are on Daphne's trail; Tracy sets out to learn more about Niki, and Mohinder must deal with the unexpected side-effects of his experiment.

Episode 4/25 I Am Become Death

Peter has a glimpse of a terrifying future in which almost everybody has superhuman abilities. But averting this destructive destiny will come at a price. Hiro and Ando turn to an unlikely source for help in finding out which Villain hired Daphne to steal the formula. Mr Bennet is determined to jettison his new partner, and Claire goes in search of another Villain.

Episode 5/25 Angels and Monsters

Linderman appears to Daphne, tells her that he is putting together a new group of talented individuals and asks if she will help him. She agrees and Linderman hands her the details of people she needs to contact - including Knox. Claire apprehends level-five escapee Stephen Canfield, who can create vortices. Mohinder kills a drug dealer and brings the body back home.

Episode 6/25 Angels and Monsters

Knox and Daphne have been fooled by Hiro's faked stabbing of Ando. Impressed by his ruthlessness, they recruit him to Pinehearst and send him on a mission to Africa. Nathan and Nikki seek Mohinder's help but he drugs them, intent on using them for his own ends. When Claire and Sandra try to save Meredith from the Puppet Master, the encounter ends in a game of Russian roulette.

Episode 7/25 Eris Quod Sum

Elle returns and, accompanied by Claire, goes to Pinehearst in search of answers to the questions she has about her powers. Angela is in a coma but finds a way into Sylar's dreams, where she asks him to save Peter from his father. Mohinder takes Maya's body to Pinehearst where Arthur divests her of her powers. Matt and Daphne acknowledge the growing attraction between them.

Episode 8/25 Villains

Hiro goes back in time to the last days of Arthur Petrelli's life as he tries to discover why he set up a rival organisation Pinehearst, and why he hates Angela so much. Sylar experiences a moment of profound guilt before embarking upon his murderous quest to acquire special powers. Agent-in-training Meredith worries that her new life is over before it's begun when her hot-headed brother shows up.

Episode 9/25 It's Coming

Ando helps Hiro escape a nasty end at the hands of Arthur, who's angry because Hiro failed to carry out his mission. But the pair end up in a bowling alley in Tokyo where it becomes apparent that Hiro has regressed to his ten-year-old self. Meanwhile, Arthur arranges an encounter between an imprisoned Elle and Sylar to demonstrate how it is possible to gain possession of other people's powers by using empathy.

Episode 10/25 The Eclipse (Part 1)

As the eclipse begins, Sylar and Elle are on their way to capture Claire, but without their powers they are no match for Noah who manages to stop them in their tracks. In Haiti, Peter and Nathan are also affected by the eclipse but have no idea that it is causing them to lose their abilities. Daphne can't understand why Matt has such a good opinion of her, until he confesses that he loves her.

Episode 11/25 The Eclipse (Part 2)

The heroes are still powerless, but Sylar and Elle share a moment of passion before Bennet finds them and takes aim at Elle. Arthur tries to keep Mohinder captive but Mohinder attacks Flint and heads for Maya's apartment. Meanwhile, Claire is in hospital and terribly sick but the nurses are mystified by her condition and call in the police. What will happen when the eclipse comes to an end?

Episode 12/25 Our Father

Hiro realises that Kaito has the power to heal and hopes that she may be able to restore his memories. Sylar kills a woman who is able to detect lies in the hope that he can finally find out if Arthur and Angela are his parents. At the Company, Peter is under pressure to kill Arthur by shooting him through the head.

Episode 13/25 Dual

Peter confronts Nathan over his plans to use super-powered marines to save the world. Sylar breaks into Pinehurst, kills all the staff and locks Noah in a cell with an adrenaline-charged Meredith. Having lost his powers, Hiro is marooned in the past. In an attempt to save him, Ando injects himself with the formula.

Episode 14/25 A Clear and Present Danger

Months after the explosions at Pinehurst and Primatech, the heroes are striving to build new lives for themselves. Peter is working as a paramedic, Angela has decided to send a reluctant Claire to college, and Hiro is attempting to turn Ando into a questionable superhero. But Nathan's plans threaten to bring an end to all of this.

Episode 15/25 Trust and Blood

Following a struggle with Nathan's troops, the plane with its cargo of prisoners crashes in the desert. As the heroes go on the run, pursued by Nathan and his men, Daphne's attempt at a rescue ends in tragedy. Meanwhile, Sylar's quest for his real parents leads him to Newark.