With the election and NYC's destruction looming, Nathan has a disturbing face-to-face meeting with the shadowy Linderman. Hiro's attempt to steal the sword steers him into a grim new direction. Suresh makes a breakthrough on "the list" -- at great cost. D.L. begins to suspect all is not well at home. Isaac paints his most terrible painting yet. New "hero" Candice Wilmer makes an illusive debut.

After "helping" Suresh search for more people with special abilities, Sylar's rampage continues with two "heroes" being confronted by the stronger-powered serial killer. Nathan must factor what he's learned from Linderman into difficult decisions that will shape the future -- for him, his family, New York City and the world. As Thompson uses every tool at his disposal to find Claire, Linderman drafts Jessica into his far-reaching plans. Meanwhile, Hiro's resolve to "save the world" strengthens in the face of a grim reality.

Peter feels the need to control his newly absorbed power, as he overhears Sylar's thoughts on the streets of New York. Mohinder finds another hero and agrees to help find a cure for her fatal disease, as Parkman and Bennet close in on the building they are in, looking for a link that could set them free. Niki/Jessica and D.L. are convinced that Linderman is behind their son's disappearance, as Linderman convinces their son to do a job for him.

Hiro learns of his father's death and travels back in time to save him only to realize that he must let events unfold as fate intended. He does however recognize his father's killer. Matt Parkman realizes that he has the ability to implant thoughts in other people's minds. He wants to know the identity of the woman in the photo with his father. When Bob and Suresh kidnap Claire Bennet, HRG and West set out to rescue her but get their own bargaining chip beforehand.

In order to change the course of history, a scared and cynical Peter Petrelli travels back in time from four years to the day his brother Nathan revealed the existence of the super-humans and was the one who shot him. In attempting to capture future Peter, Matt Parkman gets teleported to a desolate African landscape. In Japan, Hiro takes control of his father's company when, courtesy of a DVD, he and Ando receive instructions from Hiro's late father about a deadly secret contained in the office safe. Hiro can't help but open the safe and the contents are promptly stolen by a "speedster"; a woman with super-fast speed called Daphne. Meanwhile, Nathan undergoes a religious experience while recovering from the shooting and is offered a new job in Congress by a shady blond government woman named Tracy Strauss, someone who looks remarkably like the late Niki Sanders. Elsewhere, Sylar confronts Claire, whose alone in her house, in a bid to get hold of her powers.

A egotistical and super-charged Sylar goes to the Company to kill all the leaders, and inadvertently releases 12 super-powered criminals from the place's notorious Level 5 prison block during a fight with Elle. Peter, trapped in the body of one of the criminals, is set free as well and is forced to team up with a group for a crime spree. Meanwhile, Future Peter tries to fix his mistake with Nathan, as Angela takes over the company in the wake of Bob Bishop's murder and frees Noah Bennett to help the Company track down the 12 escapees and bring them back or eliminate them. In California, Claire learns more about her powers as she recovers from Sylar's attack. Hiro and Ando travel to Paris to track down speedster Daphne Milbrook who robbed them and learn that she is working for a darker power. In New York, Maya discovers that Mohinder's injection has changed him by making him super-strong, but also altered his personality. In Africa, Matt meats Usutu, an African shaman with a familiar power of painting the future. Elsewhere, Tracy learns that she has the power to super-freeze anyone and anything while dealing with a hounded tabloid reporter seeking any dirt on her and the shady Governor Maldon who are continuing to groom Peter for a position in the U.S. Congress.

Having time-traveled four years in the future, the future Peter shows his younger counterpart that people have access to drugs that give them various super powers and some of them will destroy the world. Past Peter is forced to run from the dark and evil future versions of Claire, Daphne, and Knox, all of whom work as killers for government agencies to track him down. Past Peter is forced to look for allies and finds one in a very subdued version of Sylar. From his spot in Africa, Matt Parkman has a vision of his future in four years in which he is married to Speedster Daphne and is still looking after Molly Walker whom also works for the agencies. In the present, Hiro and Ando are locked away in a Level 2 prison cell where their situation starts to drive a riff between them. Tracy learns more about her origins from Dr. Zimmerman, and Nathan receives more tips from the ghost of Mr. Linderman over his position for congress. Also, Mohinder learns that the powers he gave to himself are irreversible and could lead to disaster.

Claire attempts to destroy her first target, Stephen Canfield. Hiro attempts to become friends with Daphne.

Fellow villains Knox and Daphne are sent by their emissary, Maury Parkman, on a quest to recruit Hiro and others to the Pinehearst fold. Adam Monroe is brought before the ringleader, who turns out to be the most powerful villain, who uses his power to heal. Matt Parkman arrives back in New York from his African adventure, and is confronted by Daphne with an offer to join their organization, but he instead wants a commitment from her. Hiro and Ando teleport to Africa to try to make contact with Usutu, the vision painter, for information on the persons behind all the recent events. Angela and the Company are paralyzed from recent events, and Noah Bennett is forced to team up with Sylar again to hunt down more escapees from Level 5. Peter goes to Pinehearst searching for answers, but is stunned to learn that his father, Arthur Petrelli, thought to be long dead, is the ringleader of the whole events, and who as the ability to physically absorb others powers by mere touch. Meanwhile, Claire and Sandra go on a mission to save Meredith from the clutches of Eric Doyle, a villain with abilities to control people mentally and physically. In New York, Nathan and Tracy try to trace their origins with Mohinder's help, but who has other plans for them.

Under the guidance of Usutu, Hiro has a vision back in time one year ago to determine what forced Arthur Petrelli to fake his death and create Pinehearst. In the past, Hiro also watches the early days of the Company and how Mr. Petrelli and Mr. Linderman founded it, and their falling out with Angela who saw them as a threat to both Nathan and Peter. Also in the past, Meredith Gordon's origins are shown of how she was captured by Thompson to work for the Company, and of life of crime with her half-brother, whom is the blue-flame fire-starter Flint. Also, Sylar makes a discovery about his powers when he meets Elle for the first time and how she inspired him to kill in order to steal others powers.

With the election and NYC's destruction looming, Nathan has a disturbing face-to-face meeting with the shadowy Linderman. Hiro's attempt to steal the sword steers him into a grim new direction. Suresh makes a breakthrough on "the list" -- at great cost. D.L. begins to suspect all is not well at home. Isaac paints his most terrible painting yet. New "hero" Candice Wilmer makes an illusive debut.

After "helping" Suresh search for more people with special abilities, Sylar's rampage continues with two "heroes" being confronted by the stronger-powered serial killer. Nathan must factor what he's learned from Linderman into difficult decisions that will shape the future -- for him, his family, New York City and the world. As Thompson uses every tool at his disposal to find Claire, Linderman drafts Jessica into his far-reaching plans. Meanwhile, Hiro's resolve to "save the world" strengthens in the face of a grim reality.

Peter feels the need to control his newly absorbed power, as he overhears Sylar's thoughts on the streets of New York. Mohinder finds another hero and agrees to help find a cure for her fatal disease, as Parkman and Bennet close in on the building they are in, looking for a link that could set them free. Niki/Jessica and D.L. are convinced that Linderman is behind their son's disappearance, as Linderman convinces their son to do a job for him.

Under the guidance of Usutu, Hiro has a vision back in time one year ago to determine what forced Arthur Petrelli to fake his death and create Pinehearst. In the past, Hiro also watches the early days of the Company and how Mr. Petrelli and Mr. Linderman founded it, and their falling out with Angela who saw them as a threat to both Nathan and Peter. Also in the past, Meredith Gordon's origins are shown of how she was captured by Thompson to work for the Company, and of life of crime with her half-brother, whom is the blue-flame fire-starter Flint. Also, Sylar makes a discovery about his powers when he meets Elle for the first time and how she inspired him to kill in order to steal others powers.