Heroism

D.L. is a hero.

As the characters in Heroes discover their abilities, many of them perform heroic acts of service to others at great personal risk.

Episodic Recurrences

Genesis

• Claire saves a man from a burning train car.
• Nathan attempts to save his brother after he jumps off of a 15-story building.

One Giant Leap

• Audrey and Matt go after Sylar when he has infiltrated the safehouse where Molly is being kept.
• Hiro and Ando save a Japanese schoolgirl.

Hiros

• Matt talks an armed would-be robber into going home.
• Future Hiro risks a rift by going back in time to give Peter the ominous message about how he can "save the world".

Better Halves

• After failing to save the men slaughtered at the poker game, Hiro vows to be a better hero.

Nothing to Hide

• D.L. and Hiro work together to save a woman trapped within a burning car.

Seven Minutes to Midnight

• Despite uncertainties of what the exact consequences will be, Hiro goes back in time to save Charlie.

Homecoming

• Peter goes to the Union Wells High School in Odessa in order to "save the cheerleader".

Six Months Ago

• Aware that he has time traveled too far, Hiro attempts to save Charlie's life anyway.

Fallout

• Faced with the risk that Sylar may be kept around and thus possibly escape, Eden attempts to kill him.
• Hiro, distraught at arriving too late to save the cheerleader, turns his attention to stopping an exploding man.

Godsend

• Peter tries to stop Claude from stealing a purse and a cell phone.

Noteworthy deeds

Some deeds need not involve notable risk to the person doing them, but still go above and beyond the norm.

Genesis

• Claire runs into a burning train to save a man.
• Nathan flies to save his falling brother.

Don't Look Back

• Matt saves a terrified little girl.

Hiros

• Peter is determined to "save the cheerleader" from a gruesome death.

Nothing to Hide

• Matt convinces Ted to let go of a hostage nurse.

Homecoming

• Claire punches Jackie in defense of an insulted Zach.

Fallout

• Niki turns herself into the police in the fear that Jessica may hurt her husband and her son.

Godsend

• Peter attempts to leave New York City after discovering that he may be the source of the explosion.

Graphic Novel Recurrences

• Nathan flies into a burning building to rescue Sheila who is trapped. (Trial By Fire)
• Despite her previous actions, Claire saves Brody from certain death. (Aftermath)
• Matt arrests an armed robber. (Control)
• Audrey risks life and limb to capture a serial killer. (Turning Point)
• Peter has a vision of himself heroically ridding the world of an evil man. (Super-Heroics)
• Hana's grandmother joined a guerilla-like resistence group to fight the technologically superior Nazi's. (Wireless, Part 1)
• Hana gathers intelligence to save the lives of countless Tanzanians from a microbiological attack. (Wireless, Part 3)

Notes

• Matt hears his wife call him "hero". (Six Months Ago)
• Claire thanks Peter for his heroics, saying, "You're totally my hero." (Fallout)
• Hiro calls Takezo Kensai a hero. (Godsend)
• Nathan tells Peter that he's not meant to save the world. (Godsend)