Genesis (Heroes episode)

"Genesis"
Heroes episode
Claire Bennet in a burning train.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Directed by	David Semel
Written by	Tim Kring
Production code	101
Original air date	September 25, 2006
Guest appearance(s)
Cristine Rose as Angela Petrelli Jack Coleman as Mr. Bennet Ashley Crow as Sandra Bennet Thomas Dekker as Zach Shishir Kurup as Nirand James Kyson Lee as Ando Masahashi John Prosky as Principal Deirdre Quinn as Tina Randall Bentley as Lyle Bennet Richard Roundtree as Charles Deveaux Brian Tarantina as Weasel
Episode chronology
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List of Heroes episodes

"Genesis" is the pilot episode of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It was directed by David Semel and written by Tim Kring. The episode focuses on several of the main characters discovering their superpowers for the first time, and attempting to find out more about them. Some cast members, including Greg Grunberg and Leonard Roberts, do not appear in this episode, and are introduced later in the season (scenes including Grunberg were originally included in this episode but were cut before it aired).

Various people around the world discover evidence of real superpowers. Claire Bennet can instantly heal physical injuries to her own body. Isaac Mendez can precognitively paint future events. Hiro Nakamura is able to manipulate time, travel through it, and even teleport. Peter Petrelli has dreams of himself flying in Manhattan. Niki Sanders witnesses a more violent and aggressive personality of herself in mirrors. Mohinder Suresh tries to continue his recently deceased father's work by finding these people.

As the series pilot, "Genesis" establishes the stories of most of the main characters, as well as the series' premise. Robert Canning of IGN describes the episode as "short on action", but with "much to look forward to."

The central theme of human evolution, and the potential for superhuman changes, is introduced by the character of Mohinder Suresh, a genetics professor in Madras, India. After receiving news of the death of his father, Chandra Suresh, Mohinder goes to New York to finish Chandra's research, believing it was the reason he was murdered. Mohinder's story also introduces the idea of an underlying conspiracy involving the "heroes". At his father's apartment in India, he hears (but does not see) a mysterious person searching the apartment. The same man later gets into Mohinder's taxi, asking him several suspicious questions before Mohinder flees.