Directed by Anthony Hemingway
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn & Eli Talbert
"Heroes" is the 23rd episode of Season 2, and the 46th overall. It originally aired May 10, 2006.
Synopsis:
It's "Fleet Week" and a Marine is found dead in Central Park during the festivities. The man is experienced and highly decorated, so his lack of defensive wounds is troubling. Meanwhile another victim is discovered in a burned out car.Beware of MAJOR spoilers below!
Tropes for the episode:
- Attack on One Is an Attack on All: Mac says, "If you attack one of us, you've attacked us all," in reference to the Marine Corp, but it ends up having a double meaning as the second case progresses.
- Back for the Dead: Former CSI Aiden, who was last seen in episode 2.02,"Grand Murder at Central Station" is the second victim.
- Bus Crash: Aiden was expected to return, but is only seen alive in flashbacks after being identified as the charred victim.
- By-the-Book Cop: When Danny wants to pound a confession out of a suspect, Mac tells him, "We have to do this one by the book - for Aiden's sake," in order to prevent a defense attorney from using anything against them and the guy getting away with it.
- Call-Back: Aiden is identified through a more up-to-date version of her own specialty, facial reconstruction (as seen in ep 1.03, "American Dreamers").
- Cop Killer Manhunt: Mac tells everyone that Aiden's case takes precedent over every other assignment until her killer is caught.
- Crime Reconstruction: To prove how the victim's injuries were sustained, Mac demonstrates military hand-to-hand combat on Danny, straining Danny's shoulder just a bit in spite of taking it slow and easy.
- Dark Secret: An early suspect in one of the cases originally lies to his wife and the detectives as to his whereabout on a particular night because he doesn't want anyone to know he's having a relationship with a male prostitute.
- Due to the Dead: A mild example. Mac tells Stella that Aiden's father will let them know when her funeral arrangements have been made. The implication is that the two will attend the service.
- Hand Wave: In real life, NCIS would be investigating the first victim's death, not the NYPD, but the Marine whom Mac speaks with tells him that his superior officer had ordered him to answer Mac's questions.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Danny wants to beat a confession out of a suspect in Aiden's case, but Mac won't let him into the interrogation room.
- Let Me at Him!: Danny exclaims, "Is that him?! Is that the scumbag who killed Aiden?! Let me in there; I PROMISE you I will get him to confess."
- Meaningful Name: Aiden's last name is Burn; her killer leaves her in a car and sets it on fire.
- Semper Fi: The Marine Corp is featured prominently here. Also, one of many episodes in which Mac mentions having been a Marine himself.
- Super Identikit: Aiden's face is reconstructed after her charred body is found. Hawkes uses computer programs to build the face after the flesh is removed from her skull. He knows the technique doesn’t produce exact matches, so when he shows Mac that it was Aiden, he comes prepared with her police records photo and shows him how it matches her skull. This is a real life technique to confirm a match.
- Thanatos Gambit: Aiden, realizing her death is imminent, deliberately leaves a clue that she knows will lead the team to the culprit whom she had been after since her days as a CSI.
- That One Case: Aiden had become a private investigator after being fired from the Lab. The team discover that she'd continued pursuing a suspect out of obligation to a woman whom he'd raped twice and to whom she'd made a promise back in her CSI days to catch the guy.
- Wham Line: When the second victim is finally identified, Mac simply states, "Aiden."
