Mr. Bennet (Heroes)

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Mr. Bennet
Portrayed by	Jack Coleman
First appearance	Genesis
Information
Aliases	Horn-Rimmed Glasses (and many variations thereof)
Gender	Male
Date of birth	08/06/1962
Spouse	Sandra Bennet (wife)
Children	Claire Bennet (adopted daughter), Lyle Bennet (son)

Mr. Bennet, also known as Horn-Rimmed Glasses, is a character from the NBC drama Heroes played by Jack Coleman.^[1] The role was initially recurring, but became regular as of the 11th episode.^[2]

Contents 1 Character overview 2 Character history 2.1 Beginnings 2.2 Saving Claire 2.3 After two weeks 2.4 Aftermath 3 Encounters with superhumans 4 Name 4.1 Appearance 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Character overview

At first glance, Mr. Bennet appears to be an ordinary businessman who works at the Primatech Paper Company and lives in Odessa, Texas with his wife and two children. However, he and his associates have actually traveled the world for a number of years investigating superhuman phenomena. Bennet claims that he assists them in learning to use their powers, although there are sometimes unintended consequences. One of Bennet's associates is a mysterious man known only as "The Haitian" with the power of wiping out memories. Others include Eden McCain, a doctor called "Hank," and a woman called "Lisa". In the past, he has also worked with Claude, the "Invisible Man". His true agenda and overall affiliation are still mysterious. In response to Matt Parkman's inquiries as to whether he works for the FBI or the CIA, Bennet said he doesn't work for "any organization that has initials."^[3] Bennet is also very protective of his adopted daughter, Claire. This sometimes leads him to use his authority and associates in ways more unsavory than usual. Past, present and future events all indicate that Bennet has lied about Claire's origin multiple times.

According to his driver's license, his address is 9 Juniper Lane, Odessa, Texas. Mr. Bennet speaks fluent Japanese as a second language.

[edit] Character history

[edit] Beginnings

In "Six Months Ago," an episode that takes place six months before "Genesis,"^[4] Bennet turns wanted criminal and mind controller Eden McCain into one of his operatives. At about the same time, he is contacted by Chandra Suresh, who has found Claire's picture on her high school's web site and identified her as having potential powers. After Chandra leaves, Bennet orders Eden McCain to become a neighbor of Chandra Suresh and remove Claire's name from Chandra's list of superpowered humans.

Mr. Bennet first appears in a small but important role during "Genesis," the first episode. He is found in the apartment of Chandra Suresh in Madras, India. Chandra's son Mohinder enters the apartment, but leaves quickly after realizing Bennet is there as well. Bennet seems to notice Mohinder, and later follows him to New York. There, Bennet is one of Mohinder's afternoon passengers during his job as a taxi driver. Bennet begins pleasantly referencing his travels, and stating that he'll be happy to see his family again. The conversation turns as he mentions personal facts about Mohinder, ultimately resulting in Mohinder fleeing his own cab. Finally, Bennet comes home to Odessa and greets his family. The next morning in "Don't Look Back," Claire states her desire to meet her biological parents. Bennet is reluctant, but doesn't outright say "no." After Claire gets home from school, Bennet says he'll start contacting the adoption agency and look for her biological parents. After a happy Claire leaves the room, Bennet is seen watching a video tape of Claire demonstrating her healing abilities.

In "Collision," Bennet is first seen standing over Matt Parkman, who is strapped to a gurney. Bennet calmly converses with Matt, advising him to relax. Bennet also checks the readout of a machine used to gauge when Parkman is trying to read Bennet's mind. Bennet explains that the Haitian is blocking Matt's powers. Nevertheless, Matt is able to pull the name "Claire" from Bennet's mind. Bennet is impressed by Matt's growing ability, and then tells the Haitian to "go deep" with Matt, who is last heard screaming. That morning, back at the Bennet house, Bennet finds that a distraught Claire has just come home. Bennet assumes from Claire's bare, mud-covered feet that she was out all night. Bennet has to get to work, but states that they'll talk later. He is then seen monitoring Nathan Petrelli, who has just had a one night stand with Niki/Jessica Sanders. Bennet tells the Haitian to kidnap "just the one" (Nathan).

In the next episode, "Hiros," Bennet and the Haitian attempt to force Nathan into a car, but he escapes by flying away. Bennet is then seen at Texas hospital visiting Claire. Claire explains that Brody is a rapist and attempted to force himself on her. After speaking to one of his victims, Claire was motivated to do something. She only wanted to "scare" Brody, but as he sat in the passenger seat and said he wouldn't stop raping girls, she ultimately crashed his car intentionally. Claire begs her father not to tell anyone, and Bennet merely says he'll take care of it. Bennet then appears in Brody's room, followed by the Haitian. He says that she is going through 'a confusing time', telling that he knows of her powers. Bennet tells the Haitian to "hollow him out" and "take everything" (erase all of Brody's memories including that of his own name).

Finally, in Better Halves, Bennet has set up a meeting between Claire and his two associates, Hank and Lisa. Bennet presents the two as Claire's biological parents. While carefully watching the two with his wife Sandra, Bennet receives a call from Eden McCain, his spy in New York. Eden relays information about Mohinder, Isaac Mendez ("the precog") and the message "save the cheerleader, save the world." Bennet is disturbed by the last part, but regains his composure. Bennet tells Eden to prevent Mohinder from leaving New York and to "bring in the precog." After Hank and Lisa exit the Bennet home, Mr. Bennet follows the two outside and thanks them for their service.

[edit] Saving Claire

Bennet asks Isaac, whom Eden persuaded to come with her, to help him to prevent Claire from being murdered by Sylar at her homecoming game the next night. Bennet has collected three previous paintings Isaac created depicting a terrified Claire close-up, running up the bleachers in a football stadium, and lying dead on the ground with the top of her skull removed. When Isaac is unable to paint without the use of heroin and resists taking the drug, Bennet orders Eden to use her powers to make Isaac believe he wants to use the drug.

Bennet becomes frustrated after Isaac is unable to paint something that makes sense to him. When Eden protests his actions, Bennet shows her a series of photographs depicting Sylar's dead victims—all with their brains removed from their heads—and says he is determined to save his daughter from such a fate. He orders Eden to go to the homecoming game and look for Sylar and grounds Claire to prevent her from being killed. Bennet discovers later, however, that Claire snuck out and worriedly runs to the school to find her. When he arrives, he is too late to stop Sylar from attacking the cheerleader in the pictures. Bennet soon discovers that the victim was not Claire; rather, it was Jackie Wilcox, one of Claire's fellow cheerleaders. A relatively relieved Bennet soon reunites with his daughter and insists they go home while the police handle things. Claire says that she has something to tell her father regarding her uncanny survival.^[5]

In the episode "Fallout," Claire's father reveals that he knew about her powers long before she was aware of them. He acknowledges doing things he was not proud of to keep her safe, and tells Claire that Sylar had been taken care of, but that she must keep silent about her powers because she is in danger from others like him. Bennet later meets with Sylar, confined in a prison cell, and tells him that the cell is keeping his powers suppressed. He goes on to reveal that they plan to study him to determine what makes him "tick." Sylar boasts that he would escape and kill Claire, taking her healing abilities. Eden McCain suggests using her powers to persuading Sylar to kill himself, but Bennet declines (though briefly tempted), as he takes orders from someone higher up. Bennet later takes Claire to the police station, where she is interviewed about Jackie's murder. Officer Matt Parkman is unable to read the thoughts of Claire or her father, since the Haitian is hiding behind a nearby corner. Afterwards, Bennet orders the Haitian to wipe the memories of his children and Claire's friend, Zach.^[6]

[edit] After two weeks

In "Godsend," Bennet believes Claire's memory has been erased. Claire acts as if it has, as well. However, Bennet and Claire are slowly drifting apart. At Primatech Paper, the FBI investigates the building as well as Bennet and his associates. Though they find nothing, officer Matt Parkman knows Bennet's up to something and has realized that Bennet kidnapped him. Bennet is unfazed, however, and simply tells Matt "good luck" in regards to his vendetta.

Next, Bennet shows up at the apartment of Mohinder Suresh in New York. Mohinder is defensive, recalling Bennet's past actions. However, Bennet means him no harm, and even mentions Eden. Soon, he makes a proposition. Bennet tells Mohinder that together they could make a difference, and asks Mohinder to join him. Mohinder says he isn't interested, but Bennet leaves his card anyway.

Bennet returns to Sylar's holding area in "The Fix." There, he finds Hank telling him that Sylar's vital signs are highly irregular and he may be dying. Bennet tells Hank to keep him alive, referencing orders from his superiors to that effect. Furthermore, he states that Sylar will "die on [Bennet's] terms," not his own. At home, Bennet finds Claire and Zach are "working on a school project" together, according to Claire. Claire also acts as if she'd rather not spend time with Zach. After Zach and she go upstairs, Bennet gets a call from Hank. Hank states that Sylar has died, which Bennet replies is "less than ideal." Bennet then tells Hank to prepare Sylar "for shipping." Back at Sylar's cell, Bennet finds the body of a dead Hank where Sylar should be. Bennet then turns around to find Sylar calmly standing in front of him. Sylar asks about Claire, then states his intentions to kill her. After telekinetically throwing Bennet against a wall and playing with the lights, Sylar leaves Bennet trapped in the cell. Later, at the Bennet home, he and the Haitian narrowly save Sandra from Sylar. Although Sylar escapes, Bennet is confident he will catch the killer. After the Haitian wipes Sandra's memories yet again, Bennet is called by Isaac Mendez. Mendez is revealed to be working with Bennet, as he relays information about Peter Petrelli.

In "Unexpected," Bennet and the Haitian manage to track down Peter and Claude. They fire Tasers at Claude, but Peter unexpectedly utilizes his powers to stop the electrodes and fly away from them. Bennet is then called by Claire, who tells him that Sandra has collapsed for unknown reasons. Bennet heads back home, and is confronted by Claire in the hospital, where she reveals that she remembers everything that the Haitian was supposed to erase. Afterwards, the Bennet family returns home, where they are confronted by Ted Sprague and Matt Parkman.

In "Company Man", Mr. Bennet and his family are taken hostage by Matt Parkman and Ted Sprague, who are in search of answers. Mr. Bennet has revelations about his company during this situation, showing that he initially came to work for "The Company" under the supervision of a man named Thompson, and partnered with Claude. He is eventually ordered to kill Claude, because Claude apparently was hiding "one of them" from The Company. During the confrontation with Sprague, Thompson comes through the back door and shoots Ted, who goes into an uncontrolled radioactive state. Mr. Bennet and Matt escape the house, while Claire tranquilizes Sprague. After this, Matt and Ted are taken to the paper factory. Thompson asks Bennet when Claire should be showing up at the factory. It is at that moment that Bennet realizes he's too attached to Claire. The graphic novel "Family Man"^[7] reveals that, at this point, Mr. Bennet decides that he must do what he can to save Claire and "bring down the people [he] work[s] for". Having noticed that he is being followed by someone from The Company, Mr. Bennet drives to a cybercafé and sends a message to Hana asking for help, which she agrees to do. The episode ends with Mr. Bennet taking Claire to the same bridge on which he shot Claude so many years ago. The Haitian shows up, and Bennet instructs the Haitian to shoot him in the stomach, then "Go deep" and wipe anything out of his memory that could lead "them" to Claire. The Haitian follows the order, then takes Claire away to protect her, as instructed.

[edit] Aftermath

Bennet is questioned by Thompson; he claims that the last thing he remembers is driving home Sandra from the hospital. Later, before Mr. Bennet is about to leave on business, Sandra tells him that she is only pretending to have had her mind wiped, as he told her to do; and that he had told her everything about what he really did, whom he works for, and what happened to Claire. She gives him a note that he left for himself, warning him not to look for Claire.

Bennet and Candice travel to New York to "clean up" Isaac's mess.

After coming back, Bennet tells Sandra that they both have to pretend that they have no idea what has happened, and that Primatech has to be stopped for good to ensure Claire's safety. "Sandra" then transforms into Candice, and Thompson and his associates enter the room to take Bennet away.

During the events of ".07%", Mr. Bennet is held by The Company. While in his cell, he is questioned by Thompson and Candice. Candice will assume Claire's form while talking to Mr. Bennet.^[8]

[edit] Encounters with superhumans

Mr. Bennet has encountered several "superhumans" as a result of his employment since before the series began. The following is a list of known superhumans that are or have been under his command, protection, study, or capture:

• Meredith Gordon
• Claire Bennet
• Hana Gitelman
• Eden McCain
• Ted Sprague
• Matt Parkman
• Nathan Petrelli
• Peter Petrelli
• Isaac Mendez
• Sylar

In addition, Bennet has had multiple superhuman partners who have helped him in his position of finding and protecting other superhumans: The Haitian, Claude, and Candice Wilmer.

[edit] Name

Mr. Bennet is initially introduced as "Horn-Rimmed Glasses," based on his distinctive eyewear, and Jack Coleman is even credited as such. In the third episode, "One Giant Leap," his name was confirmed as "Mr. Bennet" and he has been occasionally referred to as such (or the misspelling "Mr. Bennett") since. Still, "Horn-Rimmed Glasses" (or a variant of it) is the more often used name by the characters, albeit indirectly. For example, characters who don't know him personally usually describe him as "the man with horn-rimmed glasses." With regard to Bennet's given name, Coleman has admitted that it's been intentionally avoided.^[9] This is evident in "Distractions", where Mrs. Bennet remarked that she was amused that everybody called him "Mister," and almost states his first name before being interrupted. His driver's license, displayed by Sylar in the same episode, did not show a first name. According to Coleman, the character's first name was written out of a draft script because "it stopped the scene cold."^[10]

Interestingly enough, his glasses are not actually horn-rimmed, but Browline Ronsir style. During a flashback in "Company Man," he tries on a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, but Claire tells him they look like "grandpa glasses."

[edit] Appearance

In an interview with TV Guide, Jack Coleman was asked "were the horn-rimmed glasses your idea, or the writers?" Coleman responded thoroughly with:

“

That was always in the script. Tim's original description in the pilot was "an everyman but unknowable." The idea was based on Max von Sydow in Three Days of the Condor, that seemingly benign but anything-but-benign character. I tried on many, many pairs of glasses to find the right look. The thing that's great about them is that they're so anachronistic, they kind of make him into this '50s Cold War warrior, which is perfect because he is this mystery guy who doesn't quite fit in. Putting those glasses on does half the work. They make you instantly suspicious [Laughs], because nobody wears glasses like that anymore.[11]

”

[edit] References

Heroes characters v • d • e
Main characters
Mr. Bennet • Claire Bennet • Simone Deveaux • D.L. Hawkins • Isaac Mendez • Hiro Nakamura • Matt Parkman • Nathan Petrelli • Peter Petrelli • Micah Sanders • Niki Sanders • Mohinder Suresh
Other characters
Claude • Hana Gitelman • The Haitian • Ando Masahashi  • Eden McCain • Ted Sprague • Sylar

[edit] External links

• Interview with Christina Radish, "Jack Coleman Feels That Heroes is Something Special," MediaBlvd Magazine, February 20 2007.