danterner
02-02-2007, 11:45 AM
The more I think about Heroes and the direction in which it has been moving, the more I think I may be beginning to perceive some basic underlying themes of the show. The following analysis is speculation on my part, but strict spoilerphobes beware: some of my theorizing is based upon third party sources (tidbits and clues the writers have mentioned in interviews, primarily).
1. SYZYGY
The concept of syzygy plays an important thematic role in Heroes. Syzygy has two relevant definitions. The first is astronomical: Syzygy describes the alignment of the planets. “Either of two points in the orbit of a celestial body where the body is in opposition to or in conjunction with the sun. Either of two points in the orbit of the moon when the moon lies in a straight line with the sun and Earth. The configuration of the sun, the moon, and Earth lying in a straight line.” This is most evident with regard to the use of the eclipse as a thematic element in Heroes. Although we are now learning that some Heroes manifested their abilities prior to “6 months ago,” (perhaps during previous eclipses), the eclipse is definitely associated with the manifestation of their powers. Correlation is not causation, and I'm not saying that the eclipse caused their powers; just that it is associated somehow.
The second definition of syzygy is the Jungian definition. Carl Jung uses the word syzygy to indicate the union of two beings, opposite yet complementary. He describes syzygy as "an archetypal pairing of contrasexual opposites, which symbolized the communication of the conscious and unconscious minds, the conjunction of two organisms without the loss of identity." I think we can see this in our heroes: most evidently in Jessica/Nikki, but also in other pairings. For example, Sylar and Peter seem to be two sides of the same coin in terms of their ability to absorb the powers of others. Micah and Hanna (just recently introduced on the show, but already the subject of several of the online comics) also seem to have complementary powers: I have little doubt we'll be seeing some significant interactions between these two players, just as we have between Peter and Sylar. Finally, there's an argument to be made that there is a pairing to be made of Peter and Nathan. Two brothers, very different from each other. Once embracing his power, one denying it. One primarily focused on the concerns of others, the other (at least initially) shown as being primarily focused on himself.
2. ENNEAGRAMS
In various interviews, the writers have indicated that the number 9, and Indian mythology, play an important role in the Heroes universe. See: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9485
A quick wikipedia search of the number 9 and mythology yields some interesting points: First, there is reference to enneagrams. “The Enneagram is one system of knowledge which shows the correspondence between the 9 integers and the Circle. The 360 degrees of the circle, which can be trace back to the Rig Veda of ancient India, can also be seen to speak of the 9, via theosophical addition (3 + 6 + 0 = 9).” Putting aside the perhaps coincidental fact that the Heroes online experience is being referred to as “Heroes 360,” let's instead look at the 9 enneatypes, which basically break people down into one of 9 types. Whether you believe this is valid or bunk, I would argue that the enneatypes are being used in Heroes, and that each of our Heroes is the embodiment of one of these types:
* One: Reformer, Critic, Perfectionist - This type focuses on integrity. Ones can be wise, discerning and inspiring in their quest for the truth. They also tend to dissociate themselves from their flaws or what they believe are flaws (such as negative emotions) and can become hypocritical and hyper-critical of others, seeking the illusion of virtue to hide their own vices. The One's greatest fear is to be flawed and their ultimate goal is perfection. The corresponding "deadly sin" Ones is Anger and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Perfection. Under stress Ones express qualities of Fours and when relaxed qualities of Sevens.
I'd argue this describes Nathan
* Two: Helper, Giver, Caretaker - Twos, at their best, are compassionate, thoughtful and astonishingly generous; they can also be prone to passive-aggressive behavior, clinginess and manipulation. Twos want, above all, to be loved and needed and fear being unworthy of love. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Twos is Pride and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Will. Under stress Twos express qualities of Eights and when relaxed qualities of Fours.
This sounds like Peter to me
* Three: Achiever, Performer, Succeeder - Highly adaptable and changeable. Some walk the world with confidence and unstinting authenticity; others wear a series of public masks, acting the way they think will bring them approval and losing track of their true self. Threes are motivated by the need to succeed and to be seen as successful. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Threes is Deceit and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Law. Under stress Threes express qualities of Nines and when relaxed qualities of Sixes.
Sylar, perhaps?
* Four: Romantic, Individualist, Artist - Driven by a desire to understand themselves and find a place in the world they often fear that they have no identity or personal significance. Fours embrace individualism and are often profoundly creative and intuitive. However, they have a habit of withdrawing to internalize, searching desperately inside themselves for something they never find and creating a spiral of depression. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Fours is Envy and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Origin. Under stress Fours express qualities of Twos and when relaxed qualities of Ones.
Isaac
* Five: Observer, Thinker, Investigator - Fives are motivated by the desire to understand the world around them, specifically in terms of facts. Believing they are only worth what they contribute, Fives have learned to withdraw, to watch with keen eyes and speak only when they can shake the world with their observations. Sometimes they do just that. However, some Fives are known to withdraw from the world, becoming reclusive hermits and fending off social contact with abrasive cynicism. Fives fear incompetency or uselessness and want to be capable and knowledgeable above all else. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Five is Avarice and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Omniscience. Under stress Fives express qualities of Sevens and when relaxed qualities of Eights.
Matt, or maybe now Claude too.
* Six: Loyalist, Devil's Advocate, Defender - Sixes long for stability above all else. They exhibit unwavering loyalty and responsibility, but once betrayed, they are slow to trust again. They are prone to extreme anxiety and passive-aggressive behavior. Their greatest fear is to lack support and guidance. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Six is Cowardice and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Faith and Strength. Under stress Sixes express qualities of Threes and when relaxed qualities of Nines.
o There are two kinds of Sixes - phobic and counterphobic. Phobic Sixes have a tendency to run or hide from things they fear while counterphobic Sixes are more likely to confront their fears.
Maybe Ando? He hasn't evidenced powers (yet), but Hiro has argued that “you don't need super powers to be a hero”
* Seven: Enthusiast, Adventurer, Materialist, Epicure - Sevens tend to flit from one activity to another with all the energy and enthusiasm of the Puer Aeternus. At their best they embrace life for its varied joys and wonders and truly live in the moment; but at their worst they dash frantically from one new experience to another, too scared of disappointment to actually enjoy themselves. Sevens fear being unable to provide for themselves or to experience life in all of its richness. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Sevens is Gluttony and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Wisdom". Under stress Sevens express qualities of Ones and when relaxed qualities of Fives.
Claire?
* Eight: Leader, Protector, Challenger - Eights are motivated by justice and the desire to be in the right. They worry about self-protection and control. They are natural leaders, who can be either capable and passionate or dictatorially manipulative, ruthless, and willing to destroy anything in their way. Eights seek control over their own lifes and destinies, and fear being harmed or controlled by others. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Eight is Lust and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Truth. Under stress Eights express qualities of Fives and when relaxed qualities of Twos.
Mr. Bennet
* Nine: Mediator, Peacemaker, Preservationist - Nines are ruled by their empathy. At their best they are perceptive, receptive, gentle, calming and at peace with the world. On the other hand, they prefer to dissociate from conflicts; they indifferently go along with others' wishes, or simply withdraw, acting via inaction. They fear the conflict caused by their ability to simultaneously understand opposing points of view and seek peace of mind above all else. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Nine is Sloth and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Love. Under stress Nines express qualities of Sixes and when relaxed qualities of Threes.
Nikki? Hiro?
3. ARCHETYPES
Similar to the concept of enneagrams, Joseph Campbell discusses 9 character archetypes in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." His 9 archetypes are an extension of the archetypes Carl Jung espoused. They are:
The Syzygy - The divine couple
The Child
The Ubermensch
The Hero
The Great Mother
The Wise Old Man
The Trickster
The Peur Aeternus - The eternal boy
The Cosmic Man
It would be an interesting exercise to see how our characters fit within these archetypes.
All of the foregoing is conjecture, but one thing is certain: I'm loving the show, and can't wait for the next episode!
2/28/07 - Edited to add: it occurs to me that the significance of the number 9 in this show could tie in to the fact that there are 9 planets in our solar system. This plays into the whole syzygy thing described above, and the alignment of those planets. Also, updating to add that on the most recent Comic Book Resources writer Q&A thread someone asked about repetition of the year 1962 (HRG was born in 1962, Primatech Paper was founded in 1962, and there's a birth announcement pinned near Suresh's map that says that "Paul E. Sylar" was born on June 11, 1962. Know what else happened in 1962? That's right -- syzygy: " February 4-February 5 - During the new moon and solar eclipse of February 4-5, 1962, an extremely rare grand conjunction of the classical planets occurred (it included all five of the naked-eye planets plus the Sun and Moon), all of them within 16° of one another on the ecliptic. At the precise moment of the new moon/solar eclipse, five celestial bodies (the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter) were clustered within 3° of each other, with the Earth in close conjunction with them. Taken in totality though, this grand conjunction included the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, with the Earth also in alignment with the Sun and Moon at the exact moment of the new moon/solar eclipse (eight celestial bodies in total)." ( from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962 )
1. SYZYGY
The concept of syzygy plays an important thematic role in Heroes. Syzygy has two relevant definitions. The first is astronomical: Syzygy describes the alignment of the planets. “Either of two points in the orbit of a celestial body where the body is in opposition to or in conjunction with the sun. Either of two points in the orbit of the moon when the moon lies in a straight line with the sun and Earth. The configuration of the sun, the moon, and Earth lying in a straight line.” This is most evident with regard to the use of the eclipse as a thematic element in Heroes. Although we are now learning that some Heroes manifested their abilities prior to “6 months ago,” (perhaps during previous eclipses), the eclipse is definitely associated with the manifestation of their powers. Correlation is not causation, and I'm not saying that the eclipse caused their powers; just that it is associated somehow.
The second definition of syzygy is the Jungian definition. Carl Jung uses the word syzygy to indicate the union of two beings, opposite yet complementary. He describes syzygy as "an archetypal pairing of contrasexual opposites, which symbolized the communication of the conscious and unconscious minds, the conjunction of two organisms without the loss of identity." I think we can see this in our heroes: most evidently in Jessica/Nikki, but also in other pairings. For example, Sylar and Peter seem to be two sides of the same coin in terms of their ability to absorb the powers of others. Micah and Hanna (just recently introduced on the show, but already the subject of several of the online comics) also seem to have complementary powers: I have little doubt we'll be seeing some significant interactions between these two players, just as we have between Peter and Sylar. Finally, there's an argument to be made that there is a pairing to be made of Peter and Nathan. Two brothers, very different from each other. Once embracing his power, one denying it. One primarily focused on the concerns of others, the other (at least initially) shown as being primarily focused on himself.
2. ENNEAGRAMS
In various interviews, the writers have indicated that the number 9, and Indian mythology, play an important role in the Heroes universe. See: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9485
A quick wikipedia search of the number 9 and mythology yields some interesting points: First, there is reference to enneagrams. “The Enneagram is one system of knowledge which shows the correspondence between the 9 integers and the Circle. The 360 degrees of the circle, which can be trace back to the Rig Veda of ancient India, can also be seen to speak of the 9, via theosophical addition (3 + 6 + 0 = 9).” Putting aside the perhaps coincidental fact that the Heroes online experience is being referred to as “Heroes 360,” let's instead look at the 9 enneatypes, which basically break people down into one of 9 types. Whether you believe this is valid or bunk, I would argue that the enneatypes are being used in Heroes, and that each of our Heroes is the embodiment of one of these types:
* One: Reformer, Critic, Perfectionist - This type focuses on integrity. Ones can be wise, discerning and inspiring in their quest for the truth. They also tend to dissociate themselves from their flaws or what they believe are flaws (such as negative emotions) and can become hypocritical and hyper-critical of others, seeking the illusion of virtue to hide their own vices. The One's greatest fear is to be flawed and their ultimate goal is perfection. The corresponding "deadly sin" Ones is Anger and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Perfection. Under stress Ones express qualities of Fours and when relaxed qualities of Sevens.
I'd argue this describes Nathan
* Two: Helper, Giver, Caretaker - Twos, at their best, are compassionate, thoughtful and astonishingly generous; they can also be prone to passive-aggressive behavior, clinginess and manipulation. Twos want, above all, to be loved and needed and fear being unworthy of love. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Twos is Pride and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Will. Under stress Twos express qualities of Eights and when relaxed qualities of Fours.
This sounds like Peter to me
* Three: Achiever, Performer, Succeeder - Highly adaptable and changeable. Some walk the world with confidence and unstinting authenticity; others wear a series of public masks, acting the way they think will bring them approval and losing track of their true self. Threes are motivated by the need to succeed and to be seen as successful. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Threes is Deceit and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Law. Under stress Threes express qualities of Nines and when relaxed qualities of Sixes.
Sylar, perhaps?
* Four: Romantic, Individualist, Artist - Driven by a desire to understand themselves and find a place in the world they often fear that they have no identity or personal significance. Fours embrace individualism and are often profoundly creative and intuitive. However, they have a habit of withdrawing to internalize, searching desperately inside themselves for something they never find and creating a spiral of depression. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Fours is Envy and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Origin. Under stress Fours express qualities of Twos and when relaxed qualities of Ones.
Isaac
* Five: Observer, Thinker, Investigator - Fives are motivated by the desire to understand the world around them, specifically in terms of facts. Believing they are only worth what they contribute, Fives have learned to withdraw, to watch with keen eyes and speak only when they can shake the world with their observations. Sometimes they do just that. However, some Fives are known to withdraw from the world, becoming reclusive hermits and fending off social contact with abrasive cynicism. Fives fear incompetency or uselessness and want to be capable and knowledgeable above all else. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Five is Avarice and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Omniscience. Under stress Fives express qualities of Sevens and when relaxed qualities of Eights.
Matt, or maybe now Claude too.
* Six: Loyalist, Devil's Advocate, Defender - Sixes long for stability above all else. They exhibit unwavering loyalty and responsibility, but once betrayed, they are slow to trust again. They are prone to extreme anxiety and passive-aggressive behavior. Their greatest fear is to lack support and guidance. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Six is Cowardice and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Faith and Strength. Under stress Sixes express qualities of Threes and when relaxed qualities of Nines.
o There are two kinds of Sixes - phobic and counterphobic. Phobic Sixes have a tendency to run or hide from things they fear while counterphobic Sixes are more likely to confront their fears.
Maybe Ando? He hasn't evidenced powers (yet), but Hiro has argued that “you don't need super powers to be a hero”
* Seven: Enthusiast, Adventurer, Materialist, Epicure - Sevens tend to flit from one activity to another with all the energy and enthusiasm of the Puer Aeternus. At their best they embrace life for its varied joys and wonders and truly live in the moment; but at their worst they dash frantically from one new experience to another, too scared of disappointment to actually enjoy themselves. Sevens fear being unable to provide for themselves or to experience life in all of its richness. The corresponding "deadly sin" of Sevens is Gluttony and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Wisdom". Under stress Sevens express qualities of Ones and when relaxed qualities of Fives.
Claire?
* Eight: Leader, Protector, Challenger - Eights are motivated by justice and the desire to be in the right. They worry about self-protection and control. They are natural leaders, who can be either capable and passionate or dictatorially manipulative, ruthless, and willing to destroy anything in their way. Eights seek control over their own lifes and destinies, and fear being harmed or controlled by others. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Eight is Lust and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Truth. Under stress Eights express qualities of Fives and when relaxed qualities of Twos.
Mr. Bennet
* Nine: Mediator, Peacemaker, Preservationist - Nines are ruled by their empathy. At their best they are perceptive, receptive, gentle, calming and at peace with the world. On the other hand, they prefer to dissociate from conflicts; they indifferently go along with others' wishes, or simply withdraw, acting via inaction. They fear the conflict caused by their ability to simultaneously understand opposing points of view and seek peace of mind above all else. The corresponding "deadly sin" of the Nine is Sloth and their "holy idea" or essence is Holy Love. Under stress Nines express qualities of Sixes and when relaxed qualities of Threes.
Nikki? Hiro?
3. ARCHETYPES
Similar to the concept of enneagrams, Joseph Campbell discusses 9 character archetypes in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." His 9 archetypes are an extension of the archetypes Carl Jung espoused. They are:
The Syzygy - The divine couple
The Child
The Ubermensch
The Hero
The Great Mother
The Wise Old Man
The Trickster
The Peur Aeternus - The eternal boy
The Cosmic Man
It would be an interesting exercise to see how our characters fit within these archetypes.
All of the foregoing is conjecture, but one thing is certain: I'm loving the show, and can't wait for the next episode!
2/28/07 - Edited to add: it occurs to me that the significance of the number 9 in this show could tie in to the fact that there are 9 planets in our solar system. This plays into the whole syzygy thing described above, and the alignment of those planets. Also, updating to add that on the most recent Comic Book Resources writer Q&A thread someone asked about repetition of the year 1962 (HRG was born in 1962, Primatech Paper was founded in 1962, and there's a birth announcement pinned near Suresh's map that says that "Paul E. Sylar" was born on June 11, 1962. Know what else happened in 1962? That's right -- syzygy: " February 4-February 5 - During the new moon and solar eclipse of February 4-5, 1962, an extremely rare grand conjunction of the classical planets occurred (it included all five of the naked-eye planets plus the Sun and Moon), all of them within 16° of one another on the ecliptic. At the precise moment of the new moon/solar eclipse, five celestial bodies (the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter) were clustered within 3° of each other, with the Earth in close conjunction with them. Taken in totality though, this grand conjunction included the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, with the Earth also in alignment with the Sun and Moon at the exact moment of the new moon/solar eclipse (eight celestial bodies in total)." ( from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962 )