Genesis

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As the series pilot, "Genesis" establishes the stories of most of the main characters, as well as the series premise. Robert Canning of ign.com describes the episode as "short on action", but with "much to look forward to."

The central theme of human evolution, and the potential for superhuman changes, is introduced by the character of Mohinder Suresh, a genetics professor in Madras, India. After receiving news of his father Chandra Suresh's death, Mohinder goes to New York to finish Chandra's research, believing it was the reason he was murdered. Mohinder's story also introduces the idea of an underlying conspiracy involving the "heroes". At his father's apartment in India, he hears (but does not see) a mysterious person searching the apartment. The same man later gets into Mohinder's taxi, asking him several suspicious questions before Mohinder flees.

Two storylines in particular reflect a darker perspective on the newfound abilities.^[1] Isaac Mendez is an artist and heroin addict in New York City. He claims that he can paint the future, but his girlfriend, Simone Deveaux, believes it is just the influence of the narcotics. Later, following a severe overdose, he paints a mural of a nuclear explosion destroying Manhattan. Niki Sanders, a webcam stripper in Las Vegas, Nevada, discovers her abilities when she and her son Micah are forced to flee from thugs approaching their house. During the escape, Niki believes she sees a reflection that is not her. She leaves Micah with a friend and returns home, where the thugs coerce her into stripping. She blacks out during the performance, awakening some time later to find that they have been savagely killed. Her strange reflection motions for her to keep silent. Both Isaac and Niki find their powers to be "an unwelcome change that they are forced to deal with."

Meanwhile, Hiro Nakamura, a cubicle worker in Tokyo, Japan, discovers he can control the passage of time. Hiro is presented in a lighter, happier manner, as someone who is excited about the changes happening to him. His friend and co-worker, Ando Masahashi, is skeptical, even after Hiro proves it to him by teleporting into the women's restroom at a bar. Hiro believes he is meant for something more, but Ando disagrees. Later, Hiro successfully teleports from a subway in Tokyo to New York City's Times Square.

Other characters include Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader in Odessa, Texas, who has discovered that she regenerates from any injuries, and has her classmate Zach film her doing such things. She believes that if discovered, life as she knows it would be over. Heading home, they come across a train wreck, from which Claire saves a man, escaping unharmed.

Peter Petrelli's story crosses paths with many of the other characters. A nurse in New York, Peter has recurring dreams of flying. He tells his brother, congressional candidate Nathan Petrelli, that he believes he can fly. Nathan responds by saying that Peter should put his time to better use. Peter tells his mother that he has a metaphysical connection with Nathan, but his mother is skeptical. Simone, who is the daughter of one of Peter's patients, tells him to bring morphine to Isaac's apartment. There, Peter sees a painting of himself flying. At the end of the episode, he summons Nathan to an alley in the middle of the city. Peter leaps off of the roof of an adjacent building attempting to fly, but instead it is Nathan who flies up and catches him, only to lose his grip and drop Peter. Kring credits the direct concept and idea for this last scene to Damon Lindelof, producer on Lost.