Noah Bennet

Mr. Bennet
Portrayed by	Jack Coleman
First appearance	Genesis
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Nickname	HRG
Gender
Age	44
Date of birth	August 6, 1962
Home	Odessa, TX
Residence	Noah Bennet's home
Occupations	regional manager, Primatech Paper Co. (cover); agent of "The Company"
Significant other	Sandra Bennet (wife)
Children	Claire Bennet (adopted daughter), Lyle Bennet (son)

Mr. Bennet is Claire's adoptive father. He is part of a secret operation based out of Primatech Paper Company which involves tracking and intervening in the lives of evolved humans.

About

To most of the world, Mr. Bennet seems like a typical, if slightly geeky, suburbanite father. His loyalty to his family and his loyalty to his profession are frequently at odds. While it's clear that he loves Claire very much and would do anything to protect her, his methods indicate a level of ruthlessness that conflicts with his genuinely caring nature. For example, while he seems to initially show real concern for Isaac's well being and rehabilitation, he does not hesitate to have Eden use her persuasive powers to make Isaac use heroin again when he believes he needs to make use of Isaac's precognitive abilities. Similarly, while his use of the Haitian's memory modifying ability on Brody seems somewhat restrained given his intense anger at the boy, the casual use of the same ability on Zach and even his own family shows that his dedication to his job—and to keeping Claire safe—knows no limits. He does seem to possess his own moral code, though, as his intense reactions to Sylar's murders and Eden's father's callousness attest.

Character History

Genesis

When Mohinder Suresh returns to his father's apartment in Madras, he hears a cell phone ring in the next room and overhears Mr. Bennet's conversation. Bennet later confronts Mohinder in his taxi cab, notices the last name on his license, and implies that he knows who Mohinder is. Later on, he returns home to Odessa, TX and is greeted by his daughter Claire.

Graphic Novel:Monsters

Outside the Chelsea Cab Company, Mr. Bennet spies on Mohinder Suresh.

Don't Look Back

Claire asks her father about her birth parents, and he tells her it's an adult decision and not to try to grow up too quickly. He later tells her he's changed his mind and has contacted the adoption agency. After Claire leaves the room, he watches Claire's tape which went missing from Zach's backpack, proving he knows of his daughter's powers.

One Giant Leap

After dropping Claire off at school in the morning, Claire tells her father that there will be a bonfire if the football team wins their game that night. After a quick conversation with Jackie, Bennet warns Claire to be careful.

Collision

Matt Parkman wakes up in a laboratory with Mr. Bennet and his mysterious assistant standing over him. He tells Matt that Matt won't be able to read his thoughts with the man there, but Matt is still able to pick Claire's name from Bennet's mind. Bennet tells the man to wipe Matt's memory of the event.

Later in Las Vegas, Bennet and the man stand over Nathan Petrelli and Niki Sanders in Nathan's hotel room. He tells his assistant to take just Nathan.

Hiros

Mr. Bennet and the man have captured Nathan; despite Mr. Bennet's pulling a gun on Nathan, the politician escapes by flying away. They then return to Odessa where Claire has been in an auto accident. At the hospital, Claire confesses to her father that she crashed the car deliberately because Brody, the car's other occupant, had tried to rape her. He then confronts Brody. He tells him he should kill him, but instead will give him a chance to start over. He then has his assistant wipe Brody's memory.

Better Halves

Mr. Bennet tells Claire he's been able to arrange a meeting with her biological parents, Hank and Lisa. When they arrive, he and Sandra leave the room to give Claire and her parents some privacy, but they end up eavesdropping. They're caught when his cell phone rings: it's Eden, who tells him that Mohinder has gone back to India, but assures him he'll be back. She tells him about Peter, Isaac, and Future Hiro. When she gives him the message, he is startled. He tells her to bring in the precog. When Hank and Lisa leave, Hank says he thought it went well and asks if Mr. Bennet needs anything else from them. He tells them he'll let them know.

Seven Minutes to Midnight

Mr. Bennet enters a secure area at the Primatech Paper Co. where Eden is taking care of Isaac. He explains to Isaac that the cheerleader in his drawings is his daughter and asks for his help to catch Sylar to keep him from killing his daughter. When Isaac fails to paint without drugs, Mr. Bennet convinces Eden to get him to take them.

Homecoming

At Primatech Paper Co., Mr. Bennet examines the painting which Isaac completed after Eden persuaded him to use heroin. Deciding it's useless for locating Sylar, he attempts to persuade Eden to have Isaac paint another prophetic painting. She refuses, even after he shows her photographs of some of Sylar's victims, including Charlie. He tells Eden to go to Union Wells High School and neutralize Sylar, and that he'll keep Claire home.

When he finds out that Claire punched Jackie Wilcox at school that day, he takes the opportunity to ground her. His wife Sandra argues Claire's case but he neither backs down nor explains why it's so important Claire stay home.

Later, he finds Claire missing from her bedroom and asks Sandra where she is. She tells him that she saw Claire and Zach running out across the lawn about ten minutes prior. He asks why she didn't try to stop her and she explains that she feels he was being way too harsh in his punishment. He tells her she doesn't know what she's done and storms out the house telling her to call him immediately if she hears from Claire.

At the school, Mr. Bennet spots Claire covered in blood and heading for the stadium. Claire tells him they have to go back for Peter, who saved her, and Mr. Bennet tells her the police will take care of everything. He tells her she's lucky to be alive and Claire admits that it's not luck and tells him she has something she has to tell him.

Six Months Ago

Mr. Bennet receives a phone call from Chandra Suresh who tells him he needs to speak to him regarding his daughter Claire. He meets with Chandra in New York where he tells Mr. Bennet that Claire has a genetic anomaly, but doesn't know what the effects will be. When Chandra asks to meet Claire, Mr. Bennet initially tells him it would be a problem for his family, but subsequently tells him that he'll think about it.

The Haitian brings Eden McCain to Mr. Bennet. Eden tries to use her powers to force Mr. Bennet to let her go, but the Haitian suppresses them. Mr. Bennet tells her that with her powers no one could say no to her...until now. He gives Eden a chance to start over with a new life which she accepts. He instructs her to go to Chandra's apartment and to get Claire's name off of Chandra's list of evolved humans.

Fallout

Claire and Mr. Bennet return home after Homecoming. Claire has told her father about her powers and is worried by his silence, but he admits that he has known about her powers even longer than she has, and tells her she must keep them secret. She tells him Zach and Lyle know already.

Mr. Bennet visits Sylar at his cell within the secret facility at Primatech Paper Co.. Sylar tells Bennet he can see how things work. Mr. Bennet comments that it's unusual that Sylar has more than one ability, and that he believes the infusion of so much foreign DNA has driven Sylar crazy. Sylar says he has one more ability to gain—Claire's.

Outside the cell, Bennet converses with his employer, who wants Sylar kept alive. Eden tries to persuade him to let her make Sylar kill himself, but he brushes her off.

Later on, Bennet accompanies Claire to the Odessa Sheriff's Department where she is questioned by Audrey Hanson. After the interview, Bennet meets Matt Parkman, who tells him they're doing everything they can to catch Sylar.

Claire and her father visit Peter Petrelli in his cell. Mr. Bennet tells Peter he hopes he can return the favor some day. He then waits outside while Peter and Claire talk.

As Mr. Bennet and the Haitian leave the paper company later, they are observed by Matt and Audrey.

Mr. Bennet is driving when he receives a panicked phone call from Claire. She tells him Zach and Lyle no longer remember anything about her powers. Mr. Bennet assures her he does remember, and tells her to stay where she is. Just then, the Haitian arrives at the Bennets' home and tells Claire that her father sent him to make sure she forgets, but that it's important that she remembers.

Graphic Novel:Fathers & Daughters

Mr. Bennet pays a visit to Eden's father's home to deliver the news of Eden's death. When the drunkard father is apathetic and disrespectful, Mr. Bennet accosts the man and asserts that Eden gave her life as a sacrifice, and that her heroic deed saved countless lives. He reflects on the events after Eden's death, when he and the Haitian recaptured Sylar in Sylar's cell. He then directs the Haitian to erase the man's mind, but to leave the guilt.

Graphic Novel:Wireless, Part 1

Mr. Bennet meets Hana Gitelman in Israel. He surprises her, and tells her that he can change her life.

Graphic Novel:Wireless, Part 2

Mr. Bennet blindfolds Hana and asks her to be trusting. He takes her to Alaska to be trained at a secret facility. He tests Hana's physical and emotional limits, and injects her with "vitamins". He pushes Hana to her breaking point, at which point she is overwhelmed at the discovery of her power. Mr. Bennet incapaciates her; in the intervening time, he mysteriously receives cryptic emails and text messages from Hana. He tells the woman that she is now "ready".

Graphic Novel:Wireless, Part 3

At his home, Mr. Bennet postpones helping Claire; he must communicate with Hana who is on a mission in Tanzania to obtain a DNA alteration formula for Mr. Bennet.

Graphic Novel:Wireless, Part 4

At the U.S. Embassy, an Embassy employee tells Hana that Mr. Bennet has lied to her about working for the CIA. Hana vows revenge on Mr. Bennet.

Godsend

Before going back to school, which has just reopened, Claire worries about the other students asking her questions. Her father tells her she doesn't have to tell them anything, and forgetting may even be a blessing.

Bennet observes Sylar in his cell. Hank tells him that they've been trying to identify Sylar's powers, but they're unable to identify any of them except for telekinesis. Bennet asks if he's responding to the drugs, and Hank says they've "given him enough to kill an elephant", but that they're no closer. He says they’ll kill Sylar if they keep going like this. Bennet claims that he wouldn’t mind, but "they" haven't authorized it.

Audrey and Matt lead an FBI raid on Primatech Paper Co. looking for Sylar, but don’t find him. Matt approaches Bennet and directly asks him where he’s hiding Sylar, but Bennet claims to not know what Matt is talking about. Matt tries to read Mr. Bennet's thoughts but gets nothing. Audrey tells Matt that Sylar isn't there and sarcastically tells him, "Nice going." Bennet smirks and replies "Oops."

A bit later, Bennet gives Agent Thayer a surveillance tape showing Matt outside Primatech every day for two weeks. Matt claims that Bennet abducted people, including himself and Ted Sprague. Thayer tells Audrey that she's going to be reprimanded. Before leaving, Matt grabs Bennet, pushes him up against some barrels, tells him that he won’t stop until he figures out how Bennet's pulling this off. Bennet wishes him luck.

Mohinder returns to his apartment and finds Mr. Bennet waiting for him, holding a gun. Mohinder asks if Bennet has come to kill him now. Benet says he wants to talk about Eden. He says that Eden was a good person and was special. Mohinder asks what her ability was, but Bennet only says that she learned to use it wisely. He tells Mohinder that not everyone with abilities deserves them. He knows Chandra developed a list of evolved humans, and the names on that list are of “grave importance”. He says sometimes things go wrong with their powers, and that by working together they can control it. Mohinder says the first thing he's going to do is warn the people on the list about Bennet. Bennet gives him a card and tells Mohinder to contact him when he changes his mind.

The Fix

Mr. Bennet tells Hank to do whatever it takes to keep Sylar alive. Later, he receives a call informing him Sylar has died.

At the home front, Mr. Bennet grows suspicious of his daughter's behaviors. He notices the computer turned on, and seems surprised Zach is studying with Claire. However, he keeps up the charade of not knowing anything about Claire's power or the Homecoming history. He tells his daughter that he'll always be there for her, though he grows cold when he notices a wind chime in Claire's window.

When he arrives at Sylar's cell, Mr. Bennet finds Hank's beaten corpse and Sylar lurking in the shadows.

Distractions

Using telekinesis, Sylar flings Mr. Bennet against the cell wall. He takes Bennet's wallet, then leaves the cell and locks it behind him. Through the glass, Sylar taunts Bennet with his driver's license.

Bennet gets out of the cell and heads to his house with the Haitian just in time to shoot Sylar and stop him from killing Sandra. After Sylar escapes again, Bennet holds Sandra's hand while the Haitian once again erases her memories.

He receives a call from Isaac Mendez as several men quickly clean up and repair the house after Sylar's attack. Isaac says that he has been searching for Peter, but came up with nothing until painting a partly invisible Peter. When Isaac inquires about what this means, Mr. Bennet remarks that an "old friend" isn't as dead as he had thought.

Run!

Mr. Bennet brings his wife home from a visit to a doctor. She is unsteady and emotionless, but Bennet tells Claire that she'll be fine, she's just having some headaches. Claire points out that she's also having memory problems. Bennet says he's taking care of it.

Bennet later confronts Claire about skipping school. Claire says she got permission from her mother to go see manatees, but Bennet holds up the aquarium tickets, which he knows to be fakes. He says he's her father, and she will have to earn back his trust. He then grounds her indefinitely. She exclaims that he's not her real father, but he tells her that he's the only father she has.

Graphic Novel:Road Kill

At his home, Mr. Bennet and the Haitian shoot Sylar.

Unexpected

At Isaac's apartment Mr. Bennet and Isaac talk about their search for Peter. When Mr. Bennet sees a painting of footprints in a puddle, he concludes that Peter is invisible and has met an individual they assumed was dead. He gives Isaac a gun. Mr. Bennet, recognizing Peter's location, goes to the roof of the Deveaux building. He and the Haitian, wearing thermal vision goggles, fires tasers at Claude and Peter, though Peter manages to thwart the probes and escape. Mr. Bennet receives a call from Claire telling him that her mom collapsed.

Mr. Bennet arrives at the Odessa hospital and assures Claire and Lyle that everything is going to be okay. When Claire confronts her father about his morally ambiguous actions, Mr. Bennet play dumb at first. He finally tells her that what she knows is dangerous and that if the wrong people find out about her abilities then she will be in danger. He explains that Sylar broke into their house and implies that he had her memory erased so shouldn't have to know about people like Sylar. He tells her he regrets Sandra getting sick -- he just wanted to protect his family. He promises that it'll never happen again, and tries to comfort Claire with a hug. To his heartbreak, Claire rejects him, saying that he doesn't just get to apologize. When the Bennets return home, Mr. Bennet and his family are taken hostage by Ted and Matt.

Company Man

In 1991, Mr. Bennet has a final interview with his superior in the Company, Thompson. It will be Mr. Bennet's job to run a paper company as a cover for his real work tracking down people with special abilities. Informed that his job may require acts of questionable morality, Bennet says that won't be a problem. Thompson introduces Bennet to his partner, Claude.

Following a fire in 1992, Bennet receives custody of Claire from Kaito Nakamura on the roof of the Deveaux Building. Kaito orders the reluctant Mr. Bennet that he will adopt Claire and that he will turn her over to the Company if and when she manifests special abilities. Soon thereafter, Bennet tells Thompson that his wife has become suspicious after finding incriminating items in the house. Bennet says he doesn't know what to do, but Thompson explains that the Company is sending someone to make her forget. When the Haitian arrives, Bennet lets him in and tells him where to find Sandra.

In 1999, Bennet and Claude are driving down a highway. Mr. Bennet stops the car on a bridge and asks Claude why he concealed an evolved human from the Company. Claude says he has grown uncomfortable with the Company's methods. Claude claims he knows Bennet was ordered to kill him, but doesn't think he will. Surprising both of them, Bennet does shoot Claude, who turns invisible after being wounded.

In 2003, Bennet and Claire are looking at rims for glasses. When she asks if she'll need glasses some day, he reveals that she is actually adopted, but he is still her "real" father, if not her biological one. She picks a set of rims for him that she says make him look "like her dad".

In 2006, Mr. Bennet and his family have arrived at home, only to discover that their home has been invaded by Matt Parkman and Ted Sprague. Bennet denies their accusations that he turned them into freaks. Matt tries to listen to Bennet's thoughts, but he's thinking in Japanese. Threatened by Ted, Bennet thinks about a safe in the bookcase, ultimately creating a diversion. Bennet goes for a gun in the fireplace, but Matt punches him before he can use it, and Ted turns it on Sandra. Bennet thinks a message to Matt to shoot Claire instead, which he does. Following Bennet's mental instructions, they move Claire to her bedroom before Ted can see her heal. In Claire's room, Bennet devises a plan to get something from Primatech to placate Ted.

Bennet and Matt arrive at Primatech, where Bennet explains that he plans to tranquilize Ted, who he thinks won't be satisfied with answers. The Haitian joins them, and Bennet -- having learned from Claire that he can talk -- insists he explain why Claire still has her memory. The Haitian says he is following more important instructions. Bennet argues with the Haitian over how best to save Claire. They return to the house, where Ted threatens Matt and Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet has brought Ted's Company file and shows it to him. Bennet explains that he did not give Ted his powers and that he can't remove them.

After Ted is shot, Mr. Bennet sends everyone else out of the house and hides behind the counter, preparing the sedative for Ted. Unfortunately, he can't get close because of the radiation, but Claire comes back in asks for the syringe. Bennet gives it to her and escapes. He is relieved when Claire emerges from the damaged house, her radiation burns rapidly healing.

At Primatech, Thompson tells Bennet he will have to kill the Haitian, who he believes was concealing Claire's abilities. In the medical facility, they check on Matt, who is being treated by a woman who Thompson says is another "one of them" who will help clean up the mess. He also says it's time to turn Claire over to the Company.

Driving down the highway with Claire, Bennet tells her he wanted to protect her, and he doesn't know if they'll ever see each other again. Bennet pulls over on the bridge where he once shot Claude. As they had arranged, the Haitian carefully shoots Bennet where he will be incapacitated, but not killed, then erases his memory.

Graphic Novel:Hell's Angel

In 1992, Mr. Bennet and Claude work as partners for The Company. They go to Meredith's apartment in Kermit for a routine "bag and tag" on the woman. Things go wrong when a fire erupts. Mr. Bennet looks for Claude, and finds an infant trapped in her crib, whom he saves from the fire.

Parasite

Thompson interrogates Mr. Bennet regarding the whereabouts of Claire. Bennet insists he knows nothing because the Haitian erased his memory, but he knows he wants to get his daughter back. Matt Parkman confirms to Thompson that Bennet's mind has been erased.

Mr. Bennet leaves Primatech and arrives at his temporary home in a hotel. Mrs. Bennet tells him that she knows all about The Company and that Mr. Bennet has sent Claire away "with friends". She gives him a note in his own handwriting to confirm this. There is a knock at the door and Candace tells him that Isaac tried to reach him about the situation with Simone. They head to New York City to Isaac's apartment where Candace creates an illusion to get Isaac out of trouble--Mr. Bennet remarks that she is quite useful. Isaac asks Bennet what he should do, and Bennet replies that Isaac should keep painting.

Having returned to his hotel room, Mr. Bennet talks with his wife about keeping Claire safe from The Company and is excited about their newfound freedom. Mrs. Bennet answers a phone call and confirms "he's going to be a problem." Thompson and two unidentified men step into the room as Mrs. Bennet becomes Candace.

Graphic Novel:Family Man

Mr. Bennet watches his daughter heal from radiation burns sustained in their house fire. When Thompson tells Mr. Bennet that he only has one hour to turn Claire in to the Company, Mr. Bennet flees. He heads to a local coffee shop, buys everyone coffee to create a diversion, and sends an electronic message pleading for help. He hopes Hana has forgiven him for leaving her stranded in the Serengeti, and is able to intercept his message. He receives her reply and then heads to the bridge, where the Haitian shoots him and erases his memory.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 1

Hana reads Mr. Bennet's email. She is unsure if she can trust him or not, but she decides it's worth the try. His email sends her to find the Lonestar File at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

Equipment

• Gun--carried by Mr. Bennet while conducting The Company's business
• Horn-rimmed glasses--selected by Claire from a number of available frames
• Taser--used to subdue subjects at range.
• Thermal imaging goggles--used to detect invisible subjects
• Tranquilizers--used to subdue Sylar and Ted Sprague; also used as part of bag and tag missions

Memorable Quotes

"I've done some things I'm not proud of to keep you safe."

- Mr. Bennet (to Claire) (Fallout)

"Are you on the list?"

- Mr. Bennet (to Mohinder) (Godsend)

"I'm comfortable with morally gray."

- Mr. Bennet (to Thompson) (Company Man)

"People are fragile. Like tea cups."

- Mr. Bennet (to Thompson) (Company Man)

"I'm just a paper salesman."

- Mr. Bennet (to Matt Parkman) (Company Man)

Notes

• Mr. Bennet says he does not work for "any organization with initials" meaning the CIA, FBI, etc. This most likely means that he does not work for the government at all.
• Tim Kring told Entertainment Weekly that Sylar and HRG have a connection, which will be clearly defined later in the season.
• Mr. Bennet speaks fluent Japanese, and can even think in Japanese if needed. (Company Man)
• Mr. Bennet is "middle-management" (as Matt puts it) in the Company. He does not even know who the leader of the Company is.

Trivia

• Mr. Bennet's driver license lists his birth as 8/6/62, the same year that Primatech Paper Company claims to have been founded. The license lists his height as 6'1". The license specifically gives no first name, stating his name as just "Bennet". He signs his name the same way. It otherwise appears to be a normal state ID for Texas.
• His Visa card, on the other hand, appears to list two names. (Graphic Novel:Family Man)
• Tim Kring's original script for the pilot listed this character's name only as "H.R.G." — standing for Horn-Rimmed Glasses. 1
• Bennet is a variant of "Bennett", meaning "blessed".

See Also

• For articles related to Mr. Bennet, see Related Articles:Mr. Bennet.

External Links

• Horn-rimmed glasses - Wikipedia
• HRG Rap/Theme Song
• Mr. Bennet's Blog (Fan Site)

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Noah Bennet for fan-created theories and other speculation.

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