I realize that Season Two is well under way and we're heading into episode #4 tomorrow night already, but many people are just tuning in who missed last season. Some people are a little confused as to the characters (there are so many!).

Here's something that might help. I've created some lenses all about the Heroes characters and many complimentary lenses about the actors/actresses who play Heroes roles on the NBC TV show:

Heroes Character: Actor/Actress:

Hiro Nakamura Played By Masi Oka

Ando (Masahashi) Played By James Kyson Lee

Isaac Mendez Played By Santiago Cabrera

Claire Bennet Played By Hayden Panettiere

Mr. Bennet Played By Under Construction - HRG Horn Rimmed Glasses

Peter Petrelli Played By Milo Ventimiglia

Nathan Petrelli Played By Under Construction Vote Petrelli !!!

Sylar Played By Zachary Quinto

The Haitian Played By Jimmy Jean-Louis

Niki Sanders Played By Ali Larter

Micah Sanders Played By Noah Gray-Cabey

D.L. Hawkins Played By Leonard Roberts

Matt Parkman Played By Greg Grunberg

Mohinder Suresh Played By Sendhil Ramamurthy

Admittedly, this list is incomplete, but I hope it will be helpful. I will continue to update over the next week. I have about 6 more lenses 'almost' finished.

Check back soon - I'll post the lenses as quickly as I am able

I was just browsing around after last night's episode, and I found this awesome Fan Art from "Ratscape"

Heroes Character Fan Art by Ratscape via Heroes The Series
(opens in new window)

* Note - scroll down the page a bit to view the artworks by Ratscape. The page sort of looks like there's nothing on it (the left-hand sidebar is really full) - but there is - just scroll.

Currently, there are pieces depicting:

* "Sylar The Craver"

* "Peter The GodSend"

* "Aerodynamic Nathan"

* "Schizo Niki"

* "Timebender Hiro"

and

* "Indestructible Claire"

I'm sure you'll enjoy the art, if you're a Heroes fan!

Is Niki a great model for those suffering with D.I.D.? Dissociative Identity Disorder? Formerly known as M.P.D./Multiple Personality Disorder?

Here is a myLot disscution where D.I.D. is explained briefly, also in relation to Heroes character, Niki:

Niki - Special Powers or Dissociative Disorder?

I believe that Heroes creators are on to something BIG here! Is there a chance that, by having all the great Heroes charactors mirror Mental Illness symptoms, they could help dispell social constructions and stigma about Mental Illness?

Social Construction (copied from Wikipedia)

"A social construction or social construct is any institutionalized entity or artifact in a social system "invented" or "constructed" by participants in a particular culture or society that exists because people agree to behave as if it exists or follow certain conventional rules. One example of a social construct is social status."

The NEGATIVE beliefs about Mental Illness exist because SOCIETY ALLOWS the Negative beliefs to exist. Society agrees to behave as if Mental Illness is unnatural, weird, awful, dangerous, sometimes frightening, and not acceptable.

The Truth:

Mental illness is a regular, existing condition in society. It is widespread and 'COMMON' - very, VERY COMMON!

People who suffer from Mental Illness are often treated as if they are unnatural, weird, awful, dangers, frightening, and not acceptable.

The Truth:

People who suffer from Mental Illness are NORMAL PEOPLE who have an extraordinary health condition which requires attention and management.

If we keep treating people with Mental Illnesses as awful, unnatural, dangerous, frightening and not acceptable, we are actually treating REAL PEOPLE badly! If we keep treating real people who have Mental Illnesses badly, how will we ever function better?

Maybe Niki is the answer, in part, to showing society that a 'Disordered Personality' has a great, great many uses and abilities.

Niki has E X T R A O R D I N A R Y A B I L I T I E S !!

Does she not?

Doesn't everyone?

What is YOUR extraordinary ability?

Better yet - do you suffer from Mental Illness? What's your extraordinary health condition?

Would you be a candidate for the NBC TV show, HEROES? Would your Mental Illness transform into an awesome SUPERPOWER?

GO NIKI!

Do you think the creators of Heroes on NBC will try to make Niki 'integrate' Jessica into herself?

Do you think that Niki will further 'fragment' and become more personalities?

I'm sure that many people have noticed little quirks of the Heroes characters, which, in real life, might indicate odd psychological problems.

* Niki = MPD/Multiple Personality Disorder, Alcoholism
* Sylar = OCD/Obssessive Compulsive Disorder
* Claire = Self-Harming Behaviors
* Isaac = Multiple Addictions
* Peter = Self Esteem issues, leading to Self-Sabotage Syndrome
* Nathan = Fear of Intimacy and Relationships, emotional detachment
* Hiro = General Reality Perception issues
* Matt = Self Esteem issues, Self-Fullfilling (low achievement) behaviors
* Mohinder = Self-Esteem issues (2nd Child Syndrome) and unresolved Childhood Trauma surrounding the loss of his sister.

Most exhibit signs and behaviors related to low self-esteem, narcissism, some anti-social quirks and other behaviors that people with Mental Illness or Mental Disorders display.

Does it make you think, "Hmmm"?

I'm sure I will return to this topic often!