in character for the teenage Claire that drove the car into the wall valid.

Ooh, good point, I had forgotten about that.

Also rather hard to feel too sorry for the bitch.

WORD. Man, she was quite the little bitch, wasn't she?

Claire is definitely a daddy's girl. And her daddy just tortured an old friend and then shot him in the head. IJS.

You know, if she and Kristin Bell's character ever get together, they could do quite a bit of damage. People would see these little blondes ... and not realize the havoc they could wreck.

Yeah, I was upset by both Claire's and HRG's actions this episode. But upset in a properly narrative way, wherein I felt that both their actions were in keeping with their characters.

Abi's interpretations of the paintings:

1) Kaito dead. Pretty well established.

2) Claire on the steps. Interesting that this seems to be a big enough moment to make the list, and makes me think that there is some "corruption" theme going (Claire, Maya, Mo)

3) Monhinder's hand with the injection. Another key temptation moment.

4) I bet we're seeing Jessica, and that's Nikki, trapped inside the mirrors.

5) I think this will be from next week, especially with the jail bars and the biohazard symbol.

6) A Hiro/Kensai throwdown? Really? Never would have seen that coming.

7) I think we're given to assume that Mo shoots Noah, but I'm not sure. I definitely see Mo as being able to be manipulated by, oh, anyone. He really isn't that bright, so who knows who he's shooting.

8) I don't want them to shoot Noah. I'd bet the shadowy guy is West, especially given the backstory they've given him. What's odd, to me, is that Claire isn't in blue. I also see what look like two distinct blood splatter points on the wall.

I feel like there are big pieces (with the OWI, particularly) that we don't have yet that we need to make sense of it. Otherwise, I'll be really disappointed in the season (ie, there'd better be some twists/reveals). Probably starting with Adam.

Apparently this was the conversation going on last night while I was watching the prank play out.

Dad: "What's you're sister laughing at?"

Lil'Bro: "Probably something inappropriate."

Also, in keeping with my constant irritation at race portrayals, I am getting so sick of seeing the many ethnic minority characters being manipulated or subservient to their Caucasian bosses/counterparts.

You know, I think your irritation is happening because this is in fact constant, not because you are oversensitive. And it is easy for someone who is white to overlook until it is pointed out.

I thought the "prank" was supremely fucked up and made me dislike Claire on par with my dislike of West.

I'm hoping it's deliberate. I also hope it's a deliberate evocation of Claire and the other cheerleader being in danger from Sylar during last year's Homecoming.

I don't have a ton of confidence, though.

I thought the "prank" was supremely fucked up ...

Maybe I'm missing some ethical bits, but I don't see it. Claire and West were fighting back against a bully. It was self-defense. I don't think people are objecting to the mere fact of fighting back. So how is this over the line?