Isaac Mendez
Encyclopedia
Isaac Méndez was a fictional character
in the NBC
drama
Heroes
. Portrayed by Santiago Cabrera
, he had the ability to paint the future.
, where he is a struggling, tortured artist living in New York City
. His girlfriend and art dealer is Simone Deveaux
. Mendez is addicted to heroin, and has had little success quitting permanently, putting a strain on his relationship with Simone. This strain is worsened when Isaac realizes he can see ambiguous future events and paint them—but only when high on heroin. Isaac at first assumes the paintings to be "evil" and tries to destroy them, but Simone sees them as artistically impressive. Near the end of the pilot, Isaac overdoses. Simone brings help in the form of nurse Peter Petrelli
, who realizes that Isaac has painted a picture of him without having previously met him. With Peter's help, Isaac survives the overdose.
After he recovers, Isaac seems to have accepted his "destiny" to save New York from a large, nuclear-level, mushroom cloud
explosion he saw in one of his precognitive trances and painted on his loft floor during his overdose. Isaac has also come to believe he needs the heroin to "paint the future". Simone doubts Isaac's powers and refuses to stand idly by while he ruins his life using heroin, so she leaves him. During their conversation, Simone also mentions that Isaac's comic book
, 9th Wonders!
, may be late as he continues with his precognitive painting.
In the fourth episode, Simone comes to Isaac requesting new paintings for a showing at her art gallery
. Isaac offers earlier works instead, saying that he needs the newer ones to tell the future. Simone doubts she can even sell the older ones and is still unconvinced of Isaac's powers. Isaac proclaims he knew about her kiss with Peter the previous evening. Simone assumes that Isaac had followed her, but he shows her his drawing, saying he made it seven weeks prior. Isaac then said he needs money for "painting supplies," by which he means heroin, which he hopes will help him find a way to stop the nuclear explosion. Simone leaves and Isaac breaks out his "tools" to shoot up. At one point in the episode, he says "I'm gonna be a hero". After shooting up, he experiences a vision of Claire Bennet
at her school around Homecoming time, being chased and cornered by a shadowy figure.
In the fifth episode
, Peter visits Isaac to find images of "the cheerleader" that a future version of Hiro Nakamura
told him to save. However, Isaac is distraught over the current state of his life and feels he's wasted his time. Peter disagrees and persuades Isaac to look past their differences. Peter finds the unfinished painting he is looking for, though Isaac explains he cannot finish it, as he is out of both heroin and money to buy more. Peter still believes they should keep trying and, through his ability to mimic other people's powers, manages to finish the painting himself, saying he can see the finished work in his mind. The phone rings after he finishes. Isaac explains that it's just some Japanese man that he can't understand, and Peter realizes that it's Hiro.
In "Better Halves
", Isaac and Peter realize they don't know who the cheerleader was or where she lives. They notice that one of Isaac's canvases of the future is missing. Isaac realizes that Simone has taken it to sell with his other paintings. He doesn't remember what he painted since he was high at the time. After Peter leaves to try to track down the painting another way, Eden McCain visits Isaac's apartment, claiming to be a fan.
In the following episode, Isaac and Eden are in a paper plant in Odessa, Texas
where Mr. Bennet works. Bennet tells Isaac that he helps people with special powers to better use them, and suggests that he teach Isaac to use his powers without heroin. Bennet explains that he desperately needs Isaac to create another painting of the cheerleader's attack, as he believes it will let him protect his daughter Claire. Isaac tries again to paint without the drugs, but after that proves unsuccessful, Mr. Bennet has Eden persuade Isaac to take heroin and paint an image.
In "Homecoming", Isaac paints a picture of a man glowing brightly, which Isaac later describes as "a man exploding", rather than anything related to Claire. Then, in "Fallout", he begins painting again, though he doesn't believe the paintings to be anything more than art since he hadn't taken any drugs since painting the previous image. After Eden tells him that Claire has been saved, he realizes that the future can be changed. Eden gives him a phone and an access card, suggesting that he do something. To that end, he calls Hiro and arranges a meeting. After meeting Hiro, seeing the future issue of 9th Wonders!, and realizing that his most recent drawings were in fact of events from the then-future, he decided to again paint without heroin. Relaxed and advised by Hiro to concentrate, he successfully activated his powers, painting a picture of Hiro, brandishing a katana
, encountering a dinosaur. Hiro mentions that he found Isaac killed by Sylar
in the future.
Two weeks later in "Godsend
", Isaac is doing well and has returned to New York. He's maintained his friendship with Hiro and Ando, who are also in New York. At his loft, Isaac is visited by Simone and Nathan Petrelli
, Peter's brother, as Nathan wants to check out the "future paintings". Simone hadn't realized Isaac is home. Now clean and able to paint without heroin, Isaac professes his continued love for Simone. She's speechless. Suddenly, Hiro returns, disappointed that he was not able to find the real Kensei sword. Hiro then excitedly greets Nathan ("flying man"), who he had met once previously. After introductions and catching up, Hiro states that Linderman has the sword he wants. Simone remembers that Linderman is an avid art collector, as she has sold him several of Isaac's paintings. To this end, Simone recommends Hiro travel to Las Vegas with one of Isaac's paintings and meet Linderman.
During the events of "Distractions
", Isaac is revealed to be actively seeking Peter Petrelli via his power because he has seen that Peter explodes. Isaac is later revealed to be working with Mr. Bennet when he calls him to notify him of Peter's whereabouts.
Later, during the episode "Unexpected
", Mr. Bennet visits Isaac at his apartment, where Isaac tells him about the search for Peter and how he has discovered that Peter has been invisible. Mr. Bennet then tells him about how this means that Peter has met an old friend of Mr. Bennet's, referring to Claude. He then gives Isaac a gun and tells him he expects him to be a hero. Later, after Peter escapes Bennet and the Haitian
, and Claude abandons him, he appears in Isaac's apartment blaming Isaac for "turning him in". He attacks Isaac with his telekinesis, then turns invisible when Isaac pulls out the gun. As he dodges around Isaac's apartment, taunting him, Isaac tries to listen to where he is and shoot him. He finally hears a distinctive sound, but when he fires it is revealed he has shot Simone, who collapses into Peter's arms.
Isaac blames Peter for Simone's death and tries to shoot him, but Peter escapes. Isaac places Simone's body on his bed. Later, the police, having been sent by Nathan Petrelli, come to his home, saying that Simone was reported missing and neighbors heard a disturbance and gun shots. Then Mr. Bennet and Candice, disguised as Simone and hiding Simone's body, come in and the police excuse themselves. Bennet says they have created an alibi in which Simone will be in Europe for months. Isaac is clearly distraught and begs Bennet to take him with him. After they refuse and leave, Isaac decides to go back to using heroin. He paints a series of pictures, including one of himself with his head sliced open, as had been seen in the future by Hiro in the episode "Don't Look Back
.
In the episode ".07%", Isaac gives a messenger that works for the publishing company, the next issue of 9th Wonders. As a gift, he also hands over his sketch book. As the man leaves, Isaac looks at the pictures of himself with his head sliced open. Later, Sylar locates and confronts Isaac, who has just finished painting another picture of his death. When Sylar comments that most people start screaming at that point, Isaac calmly states that he has accepted his fate. He also reveals that he has also painted a vision of Sylar's death. When Isaac refuses to give Sylar the drawings, Sylar flings him to the ground and impales Isaac's wrists and ankles with paint brushes. Isaac states that he sent the painting away and that all his life he has destroyed everything he has loved. He goes on to say that he can now die content and, through this final act, can "finally get to be a hero." Sylar stands over Isaac, the camera pans away, and Isaac screams as Sylar slices into his skull.
Later Isaac's body is seen, dead on the floor, the top of his skull missing as Sylar uses his ability to paint the future, albeit in a twisted, more nightmarish style.
", Noah Bennet reveals that Isaac Mendez has painted eight as-yet-unfulfilled prophetic paintings and had sent them out to unknown locations prior to his death. Noah Bennet is the first to receive one of the eight paintings which depicted Kaito Nakamura lying dead on the ground after falling off a building. In "Kindred
", Mohinder Suresh discovers another painting in Isaac Mendez's loft which has yet to be sent out. This painting depicts Noah Bennet lying dead on the ground from a gunshot wound to the head, while Claire stands nearby with an unknown shadowed character.
In "The Line
", the other six paintings in the series of eight are discovered by Noah Bennet
and The Haitian
. The remaining six depict a bleeding Claire Bennet
lying on a staircase; a man holding a vial of clear liquid; Niki Sanders
pounding on a door; Peter Petrelli
and an unknown man standing together looking out of a window, with a biohazard symbol visible; Hiro Nakamura
and Kensei
sword fighting; and Mohinder Suresh
with a broken nose after firing a pistol, possibly one issued by The Company
.
loses his memory thanks to the interventions of Arthur Petrelli in season 3, he and Ando travel to Kansas to find the latest issue of 9th Wonders. The owners of the store uncover hidden in the first issue an image of Hiro with Claire sixteen years in the past. At the comic store, Ando laments that there are no more issues left to help guide them, but the comic book owner tells them he heard a legend about the last 9th Wonders story. He tells Ando, Matt, and Daphne that he heard that Isaac bequeathed his sketchbook to a publisher's messenger- and that sketch book contains the last 9th Wonders story. This is the same sketchbook and messenger he left his book to in the episode ".07%" from season 1. Before losing his memory, Hiro compares Usutu to Isaac, calling him "Mr African Isaac" before they meet.
, which allows him to depict images of the future, usually while in a trance-like state. While in this state, his pupil
s and iris
es fade into light white color and he becomes unresponsively focused
on painting the images in his mind. Very little context comes to Isaac when he sees the future. He can't tell anything about the people, places, or events involved beyond what he specifically sees at that moment. Thus, he is often surprised to find out weeks later what his work is actually depicting. Also due to the previous heroin use, Isaac was not able to clearly remember certain images after he painted them, as he stated in "Better Halves
". It would seem that his precognitive abilities also augment his natural abilities as a painter, as Simone once complimented how much she appreciates the works he creates when he is high, and from the way Peter completed the unfinished portrait in "Hiros
" when he first actively duplicated Isaac's power despite the latter having no innate talents whatsoever as a painter. It showed that Peter was painting an image he could partially see, so it could be suggested that Isaac's power allows one to trace an image from the future, rather than paint it from scratch
Originally, Isaac's powers were triggered by the use of heroin, and he was unable to use his powers without it. During the episode "Hiros
", Peter Petrelli
mimics Isaac's precognitive ability without the use of heroin to finish a picture when Isaac was out of drugs. A TV Guide article from early October, 2006, revealed that he would eventually try to find out if his power works without using heroin
. In "Seven Minutes to Midnight
", Isaac attempted just this, but was unsuccessful. He does so successfully in "Fallout
", after relaxing and taking advice from Hiro Nakamura
to concentrate. Neither Peter, nor Sylar, after acquiring Isaac's abilities, needed heroin to paint the future.
In "Distractions
", it is revealed that it's possible for Isaac to paint specific people and places if he honed his powers. This honing skill is used to find Peter but Isaac thought it did not work when he drew what seemed to be random scenery when actually Peter was invisible at that location. As evidenced in the episode Isaac reveals that he can interpret his drawings far better than while on heroin.
Each piece is made for the show by comic book artist Tim Sale
, who uses an ink wash
paint style on paper media. Isaac is only shown painting the beginning outline or adding final coloring to the paintings. The events depicted in each painting are often straightforward and recognizable, but others can be more subjective and open to interpretation. It is common to see a painting with seemingly no significance to the story, only to see it come to fruition in a later episode. For example, a painting of a hand holding a glass of boiling water appeared in pilot episode, "Genesis". This comes to pass seven episodes later during Ted Sprague's interrogation. It was originally supposed to have happened in the 2 hour pilot episode, where a terrorist had the same powers, when he was cut, Ted Sprague was thought up.
reported on Mallery v. NBC Universal, quoting from Southern District Judge Denise Cote's opinion that "the line between mere 'ideas' and protected 'expression' is 'famously difficult to fix precisely'", and stating that Heroes was not close to infringing.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
. Portrayed by Santiago Cabrera
Santiago Cabrera
Santiago Cabrera is a Chilean actor, most known for his role as the character Isaac Mendez in the television series Heroes and as Lancelot in the BBC drama series Merlin...
, he had the ability to paint the future.
Genesis
Isaac Méndez's story begins in the first episodeGenesis (Heroes episode)
"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...
, where he is a struggling, tortured artist living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His girlfriend and art dealer is Simone Deveaux
Simone Deveaux
Simone Deveaux is a fictional character in the TV series Heroes. She is portrayed by Tawny Cypress.-Genesis:When Simone Deveaux is introduced in the premiere episode, she is an art dealer living in New York City who is romantically involved with artist Isaac Mendez...
. Mendez is addicted to heroin, and has had little success quitting permanently, putting a strain on his relationship with Simone. This strain is worsened when Isaac realizes he can see ambiguous future events and paint them—but only when high on heroin. Isaac at first assumes the paintings to be "evil" and tries to destroy them, but Simone sees them as artistically impressive. Near the end of the pilot, Isaac overdoses. Simone brings help in the form of nurse Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a hospice nurse-turned-paramedic in his mid-20s with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities, or powers...
, who realizes that Isaac has painted a picture of him without having previously met him. With Peter's help, Isaac survives the overdose.
After he recovers, Isaac seems to have accepted his "destiny" to save New York from a large, nuclear-level, mushroom cloud
Mushroom cloud
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive pyrocumulus mushroom-shaped cloud of condensed water vapor or debris resulting from a very large explosion. They are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions, but any sufficiently large blast will produce the same sort of effect. They can be caused by...
explosion he saw in one of his precognitive trances and painted on his loft floor during his overdose. Isaac has also come to believe he needs the heroin to "paint the future". Simone doubts Isaac's powers and refuses to stand idly by while he ruins his life using heroin, so she leaves him. During their conversation, Simone also mentions that Isaac's comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
, 9th Wonders!
9th Wonders!
9th Wonders! is a metafictional comic-book series in the NBC drama Heroes. In the show, it is written, illustrated, and self-published by Isaac Mendez. In reality, Mendez's artwork is provided by comic-book illustrator Tim Sale.- History :...
, may be late as he continues with his precognitive painting.
In the fourth episode, Simone comes to Isaac requesting new paintings for a showing at her art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
. Isaac offers earlier works instead, saying that he needs the newer ones to tell the future. Simone doubts she can even sell the older ones and is still unconvinced of Isaac's powers. Isaac proclaims he knew about her kiss with Peter the previous evening. Simone assumes that Isaac had followed her, but he shows her his drawing, saying he made it seven weeks prior. Isaac then said he needs money for "painting supplies," by which he means heroin, which he hopes will help him find a way to stop the nuclear explosion. Simone leaves and Isaac breaks out his "tools" to shoot up. At one point in the episode, he says "I'm gonna be a hero". After shooting up, he experiences a vision of Claire Bennet
Claire Bennet
Claire Bennet is a fictional character in the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. She is portrayed by Hayden Panettiere and first appeared on television in the pilot episode of the series, "Genesis" on September 25, 2006...
at her school around Homecoming time, being chased and cornered by a shadowy figure.
In the fifth episode
Hiros
"Hiros" is the fifth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Claire:Claire and Brody have survived their crash and are seen in the hospital. Claire finally tells her father that Brody had attempted to rape her, but makes him promise not to tell the authorities....
, Peter visits Isaac to find images of "the cheerleader" that a future version of Hiro Nakamura
Hiro Nakamura
is a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
told him to save. However, Isaac is distraught over the current state of his life and feels he's wasted his time. Peter disagrees and persuades Isaac to look past their differences. Peter finds the unfinished painting he is looking for, though Isaac explains he cannot finish it, as he is out of both heroin and money to buy more. Peter still believes they should keep trying and, through his ability to mimic other people's powers, manages to finish the painting himself, saying he can see the finished work in his mind. The phone rings after he finishes. Isaac explains that it's just some Japanese man that he can't understand, and Peter realizes that it's Hiro.
In "Better Halves
Better Halves
"Better Halves" is the sixth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:After Peter finishes Isaac's painting and tells him about Future Hiro's message, "Save the cheerleader, save the world," Isaac receives another confusing call from Hiro...
", Isaac and Peter realize they don't know who the cheerleader was or where she lives. They notice that one of Isaac's canvases of the future is missing. Isaac realizes that Simone has taken it to sell with his other paintings. He doesn't remember what he painted since he was high at the time. After Peter leaves to try to track down the painting another way, Eden McCain visits Isaac's apartment, claiming to be a fan.
In the following episode, Isaac and Eden are in a paper plant in Odessa, Texas
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
where Mr. Bennet works. Bennet tells Isaac that he helps people with special powers to better use them, and suggests that he teach Isaac to use his powers without heroin. Bennet explains that he desperately needs Isaac to create another painting of the cheerleader's attack, as he believes it will let him protect his daughter Claire. Isaac tries again to paint without the drugs, but after that proves unsuccessful, Mr. Bennet has Eden persuade Isaac to take heroin and paint an image.
In "Homecoming", Isaac paints a picture of a man glowing brightly, which Isaac later describes as "a man exploding", rather than anything related to Claire. Then, in "Fallout", he begins painting again, though he doesn't believe the paintings to be anything more than art since he hadn't taken any drugs since painting the previous image. After Eden tells him that Claire has been saved, he realizes that the future can be changed. Eden gives him a phone and an access card, suggesting that he do something. To that end, he calls Hiro and arranges a meeting. After meeting Hiro, seeing the future issue of 9th Wonders!, and realizing that his most recent drawings were in fact of events from the then-future, he decided to again paint without heroin. Relaxed and advised by Hiro to concentrate, he successfully activated his powers, painting a picture of Hiro, brandishing a katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, encountering a dinosaur. Hiro mentions that he found Isaac killed by Sylar
Sylar
Gabriel Gray, more commonly known by his assumed name of Sylar , is one of the primary antagonists and antiheroes in the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a superpowered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers...
in the future.
Two weeks later in "Godsend
Godsend (Heroes)
"Godsend" is the twelfth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:Two weeks following the events of "Fallout", Peter remains in a coma after consecutively absorbing too many powers...
", Isaac is doing well and has returned to New York. He's maintained his friendship with Hiro and Ando, who are also in New York. At his loft, Isaac is visited by Simone and Nathan Petrelli
Nathan Petrelli
Nathan Petrelli, portrayed by Adrian Pasdar, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a New York lawyer-turned-senator with the power of self-propelled flight. Ambitious and pragmatic, Nathan has a decidedly anti-hero streak, which exacerbates his complex...
, Peter's brother, as Nathan wants to check out the "future paintings". Simone hadn't realized Isaac is home. Now clean and able to paint without heroin, Isaac professes his continued love for Simone. She's speechless. Suddenly, Hiro returns, disappointed that he was not able to find the real Kensei sword. Hiro then excitedly greets Nathan ("flying man"), who he had met once previously. After introductions and catching up, Hiro states that Linderman has the sword he wants. Simone remembers that Linderman is an avid art collector, as she has sold him several of Isaac's paintings. To this end, Simone recommends Hiro travel to Las Vegas with one of Isaac's paintings and meet Linderman.
During the events of "Distractions
Distractions (Heroes)
"Distractions" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:Claude and Peter walk invisibly through a busy New York street, where Claude tells Peter that he absorbs other powers as a reflex and that he is going to help him gain some control over...
", Isaac is revealed to be actively seeking Peter Petrelli via his power because he has seen that Peter explodes. Isaac is later revealed to be working with Mr. Bennet when he calls him to notify him of Peter's whereabouts.
Later, during the episode "Unexpected
Unexpected (Heroes)
"Unexpected" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.Regular cast members Noah Gray-Cabey , Ali Larter and Leonard Roberts do not appear in this episode. Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance in the episode as the driver of the bus Hiro gets on...
", Mr. Bennet visits Isaac at his apartment, where Isaac tells him about the search for Peter and how he has discovered that Peter has been invisible. Mr. Bennet then tells him about how this means that Peter has met an old friend of Mr. Bennet's, referring to Claude. He then gives Isaac a gun and tells him he expects him to be a hero. Later, after Peter escapes Bennet and the Haitian
Haitian (Heroes)
The Haitian is a fictional character on the NBC television series Heroes, portrayed by Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis. He is an associate of Noah Bennet. For the first three seasons of the show, he was only referred to on screen as "the Haitian." Even his associates at Primatech called him this...
, and Claude abandons him, he appears in Isaac's apartment blaming Isaac for "turning him in". He attacks Isaac with his telekinesis, then turns invisible when Isaac pulls out the gun. As he dodges around Isaac's apartment, taunting him, Isaac tries to listen to where he is and shoot him. He finally hears a distinctive sound, but when he fires it is revealed he has shot Simone, who collapses into Peter's arms.
Isaac blames Peter for Simone's death and tries to shoot him, but Peter escapes. Isaac places Simone's body on his bed. Later, the police, having been sent by Nathan Petrelli, come to his home, saying that Simone was reported missing and neighbors heard a disturbance and gun shots. Then Mr. Bennet and Candice, disguised as Simone and hiding Simone's body, come in and the police excuse themselves. Bennet says they have created an alibi in which Simone will be in Europe for months. Isaac is clearly distraught and begs Bennet to take him with him. After they refuse and leave, Isaac decides to go back to using heroin. He paints a series of pictures, including one of himself with his head sliced open, as had been seen in the future by Hiro in the episode "Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back (Heroes)
"Don't Look Back" is the second episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It was directed by Allan Arkush and written by Tim Kring. The characters deal with the consequences of their actions in "Genesis"...
.
In the episode ".07%", Isaac gives a messenger that works for the publishing company, the next issue of 9th Wonders. As a gift, he also hands over his sketch book. As the man leaves, Isaac looks at the pictures of himself with his head sliced open. Later, Sylar locates and confronts Isaac, who has just finished painting another picture of his death. When Sylar comments that most people start screaming at that point, Isaac calmly states that he has accepted his fate. He also reveals that he has also painted a vision of Sylar's death. When Isaac refuses to give Sylar the drawings, Sylar flings him to the ground and impales Isaac's wrists and ankles with paint brushes. Isaac states that he sent the painting away and that all his life he has destroyed everything he has loved. He goes on to say that he can now die content and, through this final act, can "finally get to be a hero." Sylar stands over Isaac, the camera pans away, and Isaac screams as Sylar slices into his skull.
Later Isaac's body is seen, dead on the floor, the top of his skull missing as Sylar uses his ability to paint the future, albeit in a twisted, more nightmarish style.
Generations
In "LizardsLizards (Heroes)
"Lizards" is the second episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. The episode was written by Michael Green and was directed by Allan Arkush. It originally aired on October 1, 2007.- Plot :...
", Noah Bennet reveals that Isaac Mendez has painted eight as-yet-unfulfilled prophetic paintings and had sent them out to unknown locations prior to his death. Noah Bennet is the first to receive one of the eight paintings which depicted Kaito Nakamura lying dead on the ground after falling off a building. In "Kindred
Kindred (Heroes)
"Kindred" is the third episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. The episode was written by J. J. Philbin and was directed by Paul Edwards. It originally aired on October 8, 2007.- Plot :...
", Mohinder Suresh discovers another painting in Isaac Mendez's loft which has yet to be sent out. This painting depicts Noah Bennet lying dead on the ground from a gunshot wound to the head, while Claire stands nearby with an unknown shadowed character.
In "The Line
The Line
"The Line" is the sixth episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It aired on October 29, 2007 in the USA.-Plot:...
", the other six paintings in the series of eight are discovered by Noah Bennet
Noah Bennet
Noah Bennet, also known as the man in horn-rimmed glasses or simply Mr. Bennet, is a fictional character from the NBC drama Heroes played by Jack Coleman. The role was initially recurring, but became regular as of the 11th episode...
and The Haitian
Haitian (Heroes)
The Haitian is a fictional character on the NBC television series Heroes, portrayed by Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis. He is an associate of Noah Bennet. For the first three seasons of the show, he was only referred to on screen as "the Haitian." Even his associates at Primatech called him this...
. The remaining six depict a bleeding Claire Bennet
Claire Bennet
Claire Bennet is a fictional character in the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. She is portrayed by Hayden Panettiere and first appeared on television in the pilot episode of the series, "Genesis" on September 25, 2006...
lying on a staircase; a man holding a vial of clear liquid; Niki Sanders
Niki Sanders
Nicole "Niki" Sanders is a fictional character portrayed by Ali Larter in the television series Heroes. Niki is the wife of D. L. Hawkins and mother of Micah Sanders . Niki, a sufferer of Dissociative Identity Disorder, displays superhuman strength, being able to literally rip others in half...
pounding on a door; Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a hospice nurse-turned-paramedic in his mid-20s with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities, or powers...
and an unknown man standing together looking out of a window, with a biohazard symbol visible; Hiro Nakamura
Hiro Nakamura
is a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
and Kensei
Adam Monroe
Adam Monroe, also known as in non-canon feudal Japan, is a fictional character portrayed by David Anders in the NBC science fiction drama Heroes. The character first appears in the second season episode "Four Months Later...", although the legend of Kensei is referenced several times during the...
sword fighting; and Mohinder Suresh
Mohinder Suresh
Mohinder Suresh is a fictional character on the NBC drama Heroes, portrayed by Sendhil Ramamurthy. He is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and is a genetics professor at the University of Madras who holds a PhD in parapsychology...
with a broken nose after firing a pistol, possibly one issued by The Company
The Company (Heroes)
The Company refers to a fictional covert international organization in the NBC drama Heroes. Its primary purpose is to identify, monitor and study those individuals with genetically-derived special abilities. The Company played a central role in the plot of Volume Two, during the second season of...
.
Villains
When Hiro NakamuraHiro Nakamura
is a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
loses his memory thanks to the interventions of Arthur Petrelli in season 3, he and Ando travel to Kansas to find the latest issue of 9th Wonders. The owners of the store uncover hidden in the first issue an image of Hiro with Claire sixteen years in the past. At the comic store, Ando laments that there are no more issues left to help guide them, but the comic book owner tells them he heard a legend about the last 9th Wonders story. He tells Ando, Matt, and Daphne that he heard that Isaac bequeathed his sketchbook to a publisher's messenger- and that sketch book contains the last 9th Wonders story. This is the same sketchbook and messenger he left his book to in the episode ".07%" from season 1. Before losing his memory, Hiro compares Usutu to Isaac, calling him "Mr African Isaac" before they meet.
Powers and abilities
Isaac has the power of precognitionPrecognition
In parapsychology, precognition , also called future sight, and second sight, is a type of extrasensory perception that would involve the acquisition or effect of future information that cannot be deduced from presently available and normally acquired sense-based information or laws of physics...
, which allows him to depict images of the future, usually while in a trance-like state. While in this state, his pupil
Pupil
The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the retina. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the tissues inside the eye. In humans the pupil is round, but other species, such as some cats, have slit pupils. In...
s and iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
es fade into light white color and he becomes unresponsively focused
Hyperfocus
Hyperfocus is an intense form of mental concentration or visualization that focuses consciousness on a narrow subject, separate from objective reality and onto subjective mental planes, daydreams, concepts, fiction, the imagination, and other objects of the mind...
on painting the images in his mind. Very little context comes to Isaac when he sees the future. He can't tell anything about the people, places, or events involved beyond what he specifically sees at that moment. Thus, he is often surprised to find out weeks later what his work is actually depicting. Also due to the previous heroin use, Isaac was not able to clearly remember certain images after he painted them, as he stated in "Better Halves
Better Halves
"Better Halves" is the sixth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:After Peter finishes Isaac's painting and tells him about Future Hiro's message, "Save the cheerleader, save the world," Isaac receives another confusing call from Hiro...
". It would seem that his precognitive abilities also augment his natural abilities as a painter, as Simone once complimented how much she appreciates the works he creates when he is high, and from the way Peter completed the unfinished portrait in "Hiros
Hiros
"Hiros" is the fifth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Claire:Claire and Brody have survived their crash and are seen in the hospital. Claire finally tells her father that Brody had attempted to rape her, but makes him promise not to tell the authorities....
" when he first actively duplicated Isaac's power despite the latter having no innate talents whatsoever as a painter. It showed that Peter was painting an image he could partially see, so it could be suggested that Isaac's power allows one to trace an image from the future, rather than paint it from scratch
Originally, Isaac's powers were triggered by the use of heroin, and he was unable to use his powers without it. During the episode "Hiros
Hiros
"Hiros" is the fifth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Claire:Claire and Brody have survived their crash and are seen in the hospital. Claire finally tells her father that Brody had attempted to rape her, but makes him promise not to tell the authorities....
", Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a hospice nurse-turned-paramedic in his mid-20s with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities, or powers...
mimics Isaac's precognitive ability without the use of heroin to finish a picture when Isaac was out of drugs. A TV Guide article from early October, 2006, revealed that he would eventually try to find out if his power works without using heroin
Psychosomatic illness
Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field studying the relationships of social, psychological, and behavioral factors on bodily processes and well-being in humans and animals...
. In "Seven Minutes to Midnight
Seven Minutes to Midnight (Heroes)
"Seven Minutes to Midnight" is the eighth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:Mohinder returns to India to scatter his father's ashes. He debates whether to return to his job as a college professor...
", Isaac attempted just this, but was unsuccessful. He does so successfully in "Fallout
Fallout (Heroes)
"Fallout" is the eleventh episode of the NBC supernatural drama series Heroes.-Plot:The episode begins with Mr. Bennet bringing Claire home amidst a discussion regarding her powers. Mr. Bennet admits to Claire that he knew about her powers even before she did. She becomes angry with him, but he...
", after relaxing and taking advice from Hiro Nakamura
Hiro Nakamura
is a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
to concentrate. Neither Peter, nor Sylar, after acquiring Isaac's abilities, needed heroin to paint the future.
In "Distractions
Distractions (Heroes)
"Distractions" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:Claude and Peter walk invisibly through a busy New York street, where Claude tells Peter that he absorbs other powers as a reflex and that he is going to help him gain some control over...
", it is revealed that it's possible for Isaac to paint specific people and places if he honed his powers. This honing skill is used to find Peter but Isaac thought it did not work when he drew what seemed to be random scenery when actually Peter was invisible at that location. As evidenced in the episode Isaac reveals that he can interpret his drawings far better than while on heroin.
Artwork
Tim Sale (artist)
Tim Sale is an American Eisner Award-winning comic book artist. He is primarily known for his collaborations with writer Jeph Loeb.-Early life:...
, who uses an ink wash
Wash (painting)
thumb|Example of a wash drawing by [[R. G. Skerrett]].A wash is a painting technique in which a paint brush that is very wet with solvent and holds a small paint load is applied to a wet or dry support such as paper or primed or raw canvas. The result is a smooth and uniform area that ideally lacks...
paint style on paper media. Isaac is only shown painting the beginning outline or adding final coloring to the paintings. The events depicted in each painting are often straightforward and recognizable, but others can be more subjective and open to interpretation. It is common to see a painting with seemingly no significance to the story, only to see it come to fruition in a later episode. For example, a painting of a hand holding a glass of boiling water appeared in pilot episode, "Genesis". This comes to pass seven episodes later during Ted Sprague's interrogation. It was originally supposed to have happened in the 2 hour pilot episode, where a terrorist had the same powers, when he was cut, Ted Sprague was thought up.
Legal issues
On March 19, 2007, Clifton Mallery and Amnau Karam Eele filed suit against NBC and Tim Kring claiming that the idea for Isaac Mendez, who can paint the future was stolen from a short story, painting and short film that they had produced. The suit was dismissed. On December 11, 2007, the New York Law JournalNew York Law Journal
The New York Law Journal, founded in 1888, is a legal periodical covering the legal profession in New York, United States. The newspaper covers legal news, decisions, court calendars, and legislation, and provides analysis and insight in columns written by leading professionals...
reported on Mallery v. NBC Universal, quoting from Southern District Judge Denise Cote's opinion that "the line between mere 'ideas' and protected 'expression' is 'famously difficult to fix precisely'", and stating that Heroes was not close to infringing.