Bob Bishop (Heroes)

Heroes character box
name = Robert Bishop


caption = Stephen Tobolowsky as Bob Bishop
actor = Stephen Tobolowsky
debut = "Four Months Later..."
power(s) = Alchemic transmutation [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=11591 Comic Book Resources - CBR News - The Comic Reel - Behind the Eclipse: Season 2, Week 1] ]

Robert Bishop, more commonly known as Bob, portrayed by Stephen Tobolowsky, is a fictional character featured in the television show "Heroes". He has the ability of alchemy and was in charge of operations for the Company.cite episode | title = The Line | episodelink = The Line | series = Heroes | serieslink = Heroes (TV series) | network = NBC | credits = Director: Jeannot Szwarc, Writer: Adam Armus & Kay Foster | airdate = 2007-10-29]

His full name, Robert Bishop, was revealed in a Heroes two-screen event during the airing of the Heroes episode "Four Months Ago...". The first in-show reference to this name was made on-screen in "Cautionary Tales".

Character's background

Profile

Bob is one of the twelve members of the group established by Adam Monroe thirty years prior to the events of Kirby Plaza. He is the financial source of the Company, using his ability to create unlimited amounts of gold and other "resources". Bob has been with the Company for 30 years.cite episode | title = Four Months Later... | episodelink = Four Months Later... | series = Heroes | serieslink = Heroes (TV series) | network = NBC | credits = Director: Greg Beeman, Writer: Tim Kring| airdate = 2007-09-24] cite episode | title = Out of Time | episodelink = Out of Time (Heroes)| series = Heroes | serieslink = Heroes (TV series) | network = NBC | credits = Director: Daniel Attias, Writer: Aron Eli Coleite & Kay Foster | airdate = 2007-10-29]

The Company

In the flashback episode "Four Months Ago...", Bob saves D.L. Hawkins' life by paying for his medical care and offering Niki Sanders a place to work which she refuses. He has detained Peter Petrelli for the four months with the assistance of his daughter, Elle, placing him in a cell next to Adam Monroe.

First introduced in "Four Months Later...", Bob meets Mohinder Suresh in Egypt after listening to Suresh give a lecture on the Shanti Virus and the emergence of special abilities in unique individuals. Suresh is hesitant to listen to Bob, recognizing instantly that he is with the Company. Bob convinces Suresh to join him in a restaurant, where Bob discusses the Company and their operations. Bob also reveals his ability to Suresh by turning an ordinary metal spoon into gold. Bob offers Suresh unlimited resources for his research on the Shanti Virus. Suresh joins Bob and the Company, although it is later revealed that Suresh was purposely trying to attract the Company in an effort to bring them down with Noah Bennet.

In "Lizards", Bob flies Mohinder to the Company's facility in Hartsdale, New York. Mohinder receives an assignment from Bob to track down the Haitian, who may have contracted the Shanti virus. Bob is led to believe that Mohinder's mind was wiped by the Haitian after he was cured, though this too is another deception on Mohinder's part: though he did have the virus and the vaccine worked, Mohinder sent the Haitian to Noah.

In "Kindred", Mohinder arrives at Isaac Mendez's loft, where Bob is reading Issue 14 of "9th Wonders!" while he waits. He informs Mohinder that Isaac was murdered by Sylar, and shows him the new laboratory the Company has built for him. To Mohinder's shock, Bob tells him that he will be under constant surveillance, for both Mohinder's and the Company's best interests. He tells Mohinder that he's "part of the family now". Later, Bob provides Mohinder with a vial for studying, and then receives a phone call. Leaving the loft, he talks to Niki Sanders, who asks Bob if she can be cured. Bob assures her that they can, but that she must give them something of hers in exchange.

After Molly Walker is put into a coma by Maury Parkman, Mohinder takes Molly to the Company for treatment, against Noah's wishes. There, Bob promises that they will care for her before giving Mohinder an assignment to find another evolved human, this time giving him a taser. Niki breaks out of her confinement and attacks Bob, only to be stopped when Mohinder tasers her. Niki is confined to a hospital bed. Bob tells her that multiple personality disorder is a serious problem and tries to reassure her.

In "The Line", Bob walks in on a training session between Monica Dawson and Mohinder. He attempts to have Mohinder test a new strain of the Shanti virus on Monica without her knowledge. Mohinder refuses to comply, explaining that they could create an incurable version of the virus which, if released, would be devastating. Bob believes it to be an acceptable risk for the person it was designed for, and orders Mohinder to inject her. Mohinder instead destroys the stores of the modified virus and prepares to leave with Molly. Bob manages to convince Mohinder to stay by offering someone who will keep them both honest: Niki, who is now cured. Bob also brings Monica to her home and explains that her absence has been covered. He gives her a list of contact information and an iPod complete with footage of just about anything for her to learn using her ability. She thanks him, and he replies that New Orleans could use her skills.

In "Out of Time", Matt Parkman and Nathan Petrelli alert Bob of the plot against his life by Maury Parkman. Bob suggests that the Shanti virus be used on Maury, whose power is only matched by Matt's, who is himself untrained in its use. However, when Niki and Mohinder attempt to retrieve it, Maury uses Niki's nightmares to take control of her. In order to stop herself, she injects herself with the virus. Mohinder tries to treat her with his antibodies, but finds that the virus has mutated and cannot be stopped by his blood. When he tells this to Bob, Bob decides to destroy all the vials of the virus they have, and that they must find Claire. Bob explains that her regenerative ability may help save Niki. Mohinder tells Bob that he has been working with Noah Bennet to take down the Company and he does not know what is right anymore. After Mohinder's confession, Bob gives Mohinder a Company issue gun.

In "Cautionary Tales," it is revealed that Bob is Elle's father. He assigns Elle as Mohinder's partner to pick up Claire. Claire's blood is believed to be the necessary key to curing the Shanti virus. Once Claire is in custody, Bob fills a blood bag with some of her blood. However, during an altercation with Noah Bennet, Elle is captured and incapacitated. Bob agrees to trade Elle for Claire. However, during the trade-off, Elle attempts to murder Claire and her boyfriend, West. Bennet shoots Elle in the arm, and attempts to kill Bob, as well, reasoning that without him the Company would fall apart. Mohinder shoots Bennet in the left eye, fulfilling the prediction made in one of Isaac Mendez's paintings. Bennet is later revived using Claire's blood.

In "Truth & Consequences" he gives the Bennets what he claims are Noah's ashes. He says that as per Noah's wishes he will leave Claire alone. He tells Elle to follow Claire and that Elle has disappointed him. When Claire threatens to expose her powers and the Company, Bob attempts to appease her by letting her know that her father is still alive and sending him back. There is a catch, though; Bennet must work again for the Company.

The graphic novels show him searching for the enigmatic Richard Drucker. When Drucker and his niece Hana Gitelman (their consciousnesses existing in cyberspace) attempt to invade the Company mainframe, Bob has it destroyed.

In the second episode of the third season, "The Butterfly Effect", Bishop is killed by Sylar and has his power taken.

Powers

Bob has the ability of alchemy, allowing him to change the molecular composition of any material into gold. [http://www.primatechpaper.com/AT_2.0/at_map_file.php#] Although Aron Coleite claimed in a Question and Answer segment that Bob would do more than just change things into gold, as of his death, in this current timeline, he has not done this on camera. In a more recent Question and Answer segment, it was revealed that Bob was to turn a wooden door to steel in "Out of Time"; however, the effect "looked like crap". [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18281]

References