User:El Sandifer/Heroes/Characters/Noah Bennet

Noah Bennet, also known as (The Man With / In) Horn-Rimmed Glasses, HRG, or simply Mr. Bennet, is a fictional character from the NBC drama Heroes (U.S. TV series)|Heroes played by Jack Coleman. The role was initially recurring, but became regular as of the Fallout (Heroes episode)|11th episode. His first name was not revealed until "How to Stop an Exploding Man", the first season finale.

Character overview
At first glance, Noah 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, such as losing his perfect vision. 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, Characters of Heroes#Hank and Lisa|a doctor called "Hank," and a woman called "Lisa". In the past, he has also worked with Claude (Heroes)|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." Bennet clearly loves his daughter, Claire Bennet|Claire, but is also overprotective of her. 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. This leads him to lose the trust of his daughter temporarily in the first season.

According to his driving license, his previous address is 9 Juniper Lane, Odessa, Texas. Noah Bennet speaks Japanese language|Japanese, and also appears to speak at least a limited amount of Russian. Bennet is also proficient with firearms. Although he does not possess any powers of his own, his extensive experience in dealing with beings with superpowers makes him capable of handling them.

Character history
In "Company Man", a flashback episode, it is revealed that Noah Bennet's former partner years ago was Claude (Heroes)|Claude, with whom he rescued Claire Bennet|Claire from the fire her biological mother caused by pyrokinesis. However, because Claude was hiding "one of them", Bennet was forced to kill him. However, Claude later turned out to be alive. In "Six Months Ago", an episode that takes place six months before "Genesis", Bennet turns the wanted criminal and mind controller Eden McCain into one of his operatives. At about the same time, he is contacted by List of characters in Heroes#Chandra Suresh|Chandra Suresh, who has identified Claire as potentially having powers.

Throughout the first season, Bennet walks the line between hero and villain. Early on, he menaces Mohinder in New York, and kidnaps Matt Parkman, subsequently wiping his memory. He is also shown, however, to be extremely protective of Claire, ordering his associate, the Haitian, to wipe the memories of anyone who poses any threat to her. He also goes to great lengths to keep her from knowing her real history, including paying people to pretend to be her biological family.

Bennet's transition to a sympathetic character comes in the episode "Company Man," which focuses primarily on his character. The episode parallels flashbacks about his early days with the company, including his shooting of his partner, Claude, with the hostage-taking of the Bennet family by Sprague and Parkman, who are in search of answers. During the confrontation with Sprague, Thompson comes through the back door and shoots Ted, who goes into an uncontrolled radioactive state. Noah Bennet and Matt escape the house, while Claire tranquilizes Sprague. Thompson asks Bennet when Claire should be showing up at the factory. The episode ends with Noah 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.

His ruse is unsuccessful, however, and he is eventually captured by the Company. With the help of Parkman and Sprague, he is able to escape, and plots with the three of them to stop Thompson. While doing so, the three of them discover the company's use of Molly Walker, a young child with superpowers, as a tracking system. Bennet kills Thompson, and proceeds, with Parkman, to Kirby Square, where the season's final confrontation takes place.

In the second season, Bennet has taken his family into hiding under an assumed name, and works a low-end job at a copy shop. Despite going into hiding, he is still working to take down the "The Company (Heroes)|the Company" with the help of Mohinder Suresh. However he also becomes aware of a painting by Isaac Mendez suggesting that he will be shot by Mohinder.

This comes to pass when Mohinder, convinced by the Company that Claire is necessary to stop the deadly Shanti virus, aids Bob and Elle in trying to capture Claire. Noah is able to capture Elle in retalliation, and trades her for his own daughter. In the ensuing confrontation, however, Mohinder shoots Noah, fulfilling Isaac's prophecy. However, the Company takes his body and revives him using Claire's blood. The season ends with him leaving his family, having agreed with the Company to return to work for them in exchange for his family's safety. a Company facility, strapped to a gurney and being given a transfusion of Claire's blood; his destroyed eye subsequently regenerates and he returns to life.

Name
Image:Horn-rimmed and browline glasses.JPG|thumb|right|Mr. Bennet actually wears Browline glasses|browline glasses (left), as opposed to Horn-rimmed glasses|horn-rimmed glasses (right).

Noah Bennet is initially introduced as "the man in the horn-rimmed glasses," based on his distinctive eyewear, and Jack Coleman is even credited as "Horn-Rimmed Glasses". The glasses Coleman wears in most scenes are actually browline glasses|browline, not horn-rimmed, but none of the characters seem aware of the distinction. In the third episode, "One Giant Leap", his name was confirmed as "Mr. Bennet" and he has been occasionally referred to as such 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 was intentionally avoided. This is evident in "Distractions (Heroes)|Distractions", where Mrs. Bennet remarks that she is 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." In the final episode of season one, "How to Stop an Exploding Man", Mr. Bennet tells Peter Petrelli to call him "Noah."

Ironically, likely in a nod to the character's inaccurate name, Bennet tries on an actual pair of horn-rimmed glasses in a flashback sequence at the end of "Company Man". He decides not to wear them when Claire describes them as "grandpa glasses." Claire subsequently selects the browline glasses (declaring that he now looks "like my dad"), which he then wears from that point forward.

Appearance
In an interview with TV Guide, Jack Coleman was asked "were the horn-rimmed glasses your idea, or the writers?" Coleman responded: 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['s role] 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.