While I was rewatching Episode 7 last night on G4, as the episode opened I noticed something said that I hadn't really caught the night before.

Usuto to Hiro: "Evil forces are gathering. The dark sun rises. Soon it will be too late. Would you choose your own path or have it chosen for you."

Now on monday night I did catch when this was said, but I interpreted it more like - The dark son rises. Possibly referring to Arthur's or Sylar's rise to power. But when I watched it last night (and having knowledge of the titles for episodes 10 & 11), I totally understood this to mean that the eclipse is coming. But what is so significant about the eclipse. It was shown in at the beginning of season 1 and the end/beginning of season 2.

I've heard it mention before that our heroes first manifested their powers around the time of the eclipse, so what does this eclipse mean to our heroes.

Will their powers evolve even more or change in some way?
Will they all lose their powers temporarily/permenantly?
Will only naturals/synthetics lose their powers?
Could the forumula be used to restore their powers if they are lost?
Why will it be too late once the eclipse occures?
Could the impending eclipse be causing some of the heroes (Claire and Elle) to lose control of their powers?

I just had to share this with ya'll. It's been picking at my brain since I saw it last night.

Very good. Dark SON, not sun. If so then Sylar isn't turning good afterall. Hmmm.

I think he meant the eclipse, but also meant Sylar unintentionally.
Or maybe... Hiro will think it means Sylar but it actually means the eclipse? or the other way around.
I've always been a sucker for twists, so... :D

I've also been wondering about the eclipse. Would anybody care to share what makes it so great?

Well, when it happened in S1, Hiro got his ability to timetravel and Claire got her ability to heal... and someone else got their abilities, too, I just can't remember who. d:

I read somewhere - which could be a theory or truth; I can't remember where I heard it - that the way to give people powers (synthetic) need the formula AND an eclipse to activate. Or, in the case of legitimate powers - the gene AND the eclipse to activate.

What does this mean for the coming eclipse? I don't know. I don't know if it's even true.

What's interesting is that until now we thought the elipse was just a metaphor or some kind of icon that Tim Kring decided to use, and now we are seeing that the characters in the story are actually worried about it happening. Why? There were eclipses before that had no effect on anyone (remember Hiro looking up at the eclipse in S1).

What I remember is that Adam in Japan developed his regeneration after there was an eclipse. Hmmm. Interesting.

PS: Very good with the "dark son". I never would have thought of that. It fits perfectly with Sylar. However, I think it's a duel meaning; I think it's about the eclipse AND the son.

A quick definition of eclipse from the internet possibly reveals quite a bit:

"1) To overshadow: be greater in significance than;
2) cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention;
3) one celestial body obscures another "

So there are many things it could mean within the Petrilli family beyond the physical moon blocking the sun. Very interesting. I really admire the thought the writers are putting into all of this. Well done.

You're forgetting that Claire survived the fire as a baby with her healing ability. So maybe the eclipse is like just a meeting time?

claire was rescued by HRG as per the GN, she did not manifest until 6 months prior to the beginning of the first season

alot of people keep saying that the eclipse activates their powers, but this isn,t true. claire was healing six months before the eclipse in the first episode, (perhaps even when whe was a baby). nathan flew out of his car six months before. even peter was manifesting his mother's ability by dreaming of nathan's accident.
the eclipse seems to be more of a precursor of some impending disaster; a warning of a coming climax of events of which the heroes are the participants, and often the initiators of.

Yeah, I doubt it activated them. It appeared to make them stronger, like all they jumped forward a bit. I think Sandra says Claire had a mysterious cough when they first got her, but it disappeared. I'd say she manifested early, and that's how she survived inhaling all that smoke; being so little, she should have had some serious lung damage.

Anyways, all eclipses aren't equal. Arthur's pretty near invincible, I doubt they'll be able to get the drop on him again like Angela did. My guess is they'll temporarily lose their abilities this time, and that small window is when they can get Arthur, if they can get to him...he's surrounding himself with a small army, abilities or not.

Ugh, sorry, DP!

But lets not forget that Sylar actually has the same power as Peter and he is Arthur, ie his fathers equal no matter what. That is unless he allows him to touch him. So you know what they say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. He isn't stupid and he is one of the few that can actually reason on whats happening and make a rational decision. I think that he is the catalyst and will as always be a huge factor in eclipse whether it be Sun or Son.

Maybe it didn't give them their power, maybe the eclipse sort of just activated the ability that's been stored inside them and like Claire, she's noticed before the eclipse that she's been healing faster than anyone else.

It's already inside them, just not yet activated...