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Elle Bishop is a fictional character who appeared on the American psychological thriller superhero series Heroes, which aired on NBC from 2006 to 2010. The character was created by series creator Tim Kring and portrayed by actress Kristen Bell. Elle was created by Kring to act as a contrast to the rest of the characters, who had all recently found out they had abilities, whereas Elle had known her whole life. Bell, who had previously starred in the then recently cancelled series Veronica Mars, was a fan of the series and had met up with the writers that informed her they would love to have her on the show. While the character of Elle was created before Bell was cast, following her casting, the character was slightly altered to better resemble her. Elle was one of the new characters introduced in the second season and according to contract, would continue on the series for at least 13 episodes into season 3.
Elle is introduced in the episode "Fight or Flight" as an agent of the Company, an organization whose primary purpose is to identify, monitor and study those individuals with special abilities. The daughter of Company head Bob Bishop, she possesses the power to generate and manipulate electricity. Elle is portrayed as mentally unstable, which is attributed to extensive "testing" condoned by her father to research her abilities when she was young. During the third season, Elle's powers grow out of control but with Sylar's help she regains control of them and begins a relationship with him. After finding out that Elle played a role in his transformation into a "monster", Sylar killed her and stole her abilities.
Critical reception towards both the character and Bell's performance has been positive. Praise was directed towards Elle's personality as well as her characterization and abilities. Her death in the third season was heavily criticized by reviewers and fans. Bell was nominated for both a Saturn Award and a Teen Choice Award for her performance.
Heroes creator Tim Kring and the writers had created the character of Elle with the idea that she was a "cautionary tale" of what could happen if the other characters had known of their abilities for the duration of their lives as Elle did. Kring pitched Bell the idea for the character "which she loved" and soon they were "off and running." The casting of Bell, as Kring explains, "was not easy to pull off," but because of the large ensemble cast of the series and multiple story arcs, "we found a way to jump into a small window in Bell’s schedule." Elle was only meant to be Bob's stepdaughter and Meredith Gordon's daughter, making her Claire Bennet's sister, however this idea was dropped due to "lack of storyline and plot holes".
The character Elle was created long before Bell was cast; however, Kring noted "when you do cast an actor ... you try to tailor that character a little closer to who the actor is. So it's hard to know when one starts to influence the other".
During an interview with The Scifi World, Tim Kring described Elle as "a little off", and Bell added that Elle is "a little messed up in the head" and a highly conflicted individual who does not have the ability to decipher between right and wrong. Because of that, Bell explains that Elle comes off as more of a victim. Bell also explains that Elle is one of the few characters with abilities that embrace their power and is almost on the verge of being addicted to her ability. Elle "enjoys the emotional power it gives her over other people". She is described as one who is "always out to get what she wants" and someone who "doesn’t have many boundaries". Bell describes Elle as a vixen who "feels like she has a romantic connection to everybody", and in a few episodes, Elle is shown displaying a great deal of affection to men and flirting with both Peter Petrelli and Mohinder Suresh.
Bell noted the similarities between Elle and the character Claire Bennet, saying that they "relate to each other" and "are two sides of the same coin" because, while Elle's father sanctioned testing on her, supposedly causing her mental instability, Noah kept Claire hidden, preventing Claire from experiencing the same childhood that "really messed Elle up". Bell has said in interviews that in later episodes of Heroes, "You'll find out that Elle holds the key to Claire's future" and that Elle has "a present with Peter and a past with Claire's dad and a future with Claire".
Elle has endured a series of testing by the Company during her childhood that measured the extent of her power. Bob had stated that Elle was in a "different league" when comparing her to Claire. When inquiring about her abilities, Elle was able to learn from Noah Bennet that the Company had wanted to record the extent of her abilities (whether she could power a flashlight, a street lamp, or an entire city block) and Bob had often prompted to continue the tests further, even after Elle had passed out.
Her ability is shown to respond to her emotions. After Bob's death, mourning Elle loses control over her ability and her body starts to produce electricity at any time ( Sum Quod Sum graphic novels); this makes Elle unable to stay close to electrical devices such as computers and even a plane. She claims to live in constant pain ( Eris Quod Sum). This ends when Sylar helps her forgive herself ( It's Coming).
Elle first appears in the episode "Fight or Flight" searching for Peter in Ireland. Peter has no recollection of his past and is staying with the owner of Wandering Rocks Pub, Ricky. Elle questions Rick about Peter's whereabouts and when he pretends not to know Peter, she kills him with a large bolt of electricity on her way out the door. Later on, during a telephone conversation with Bob Bishop, her father and Company head, she dismisses the murder as trivial and insists she can find Peter. However, she is pulled off the assignment, much to her frustration.
In "Cautionary Tales", Elle comes back to the United States. Former Company employee Noah Bennet captures Elle for collateral, as Bob had captured his daughter, Claire. He ties Elle's hands to a chair and ties her bare feet together and puts them in a metal dog bath which is full with water. Elle tries to use her abilities while in the dog bath, but she shocks herself. During this time, Noah tells Elle that Bob allowed the Company to perform tests on her which had begun as early as the age of seven. This included subjecting her to high doses of electricity, which scarred her emotionally for life. Elle has no recollection of the tests, and Noah suggests the Haitian had a role in causing Elle to forget her experiences. After an agreement is made, she is reunited with Bob and Claire momentarily reunited with Noah. However, Elle attacks Claire and West as they leave. She tries to attack Noah, but he shoots Elle in the arm before she can hurt him or anyone else. As it seems Noah is going to kill Bob, Mohinder Suresh, a scientist working with Noah and the Company, shoots and kills Noah. Elle leaves with Bob and Mohinder, giving Bob a look of distrust.
In the episode "Truth & Consequences", Bob chastises Elle for allowing West and Claire to escape. He then assigns Elle to perform surveillance on Claire and her family as they prepare to leave town. Claire, however, spots Elle from a distance, leading to a physical confrontation, which leads Claire to threaten to expose the Company
Elle's last appearance in season two is in "Powerless". Her father reprimands her for her mistakes; to redeem herself, she attempts to re-capture the now powerless Sylar for the Company. She uses her ability to confront Sylar in Mohinder's research lab, but Sylar is armed with a gun and shoots at Elle. Sylar manages to slip away, leaving Elle unharmed. She comes out somewhat defeated, but is informed by Mohinder that if not for her arrival, Sylar would have killed him, Maya Herrera and Molly Walker. He says the three of them owe her their lives, to which she replies, "Cool".
The episode marked Bell's previously expressed interest in performing in scenes with the character Sylar, as she and Zachary Quinto had been good friends for almost ten years. Bell had said that she "would love to see him and Elle face off one day". In November 2007, Bell and Quinto filmed scenes at a restaurant in Los Angeles, which was set as a "New Jersey Diner" and had involved police and paramedics. The filmed scenes are part of the untold stories which are a special feature of the season 2 DVD set.
In the episode "Eris Quod Sum", Elle makes her way to Claire's house to seek help from Noah, having lost control of her ability. She attacks Claire out of anger, but is subdued when Lyle throws water on her. She is told that an organization called Pinehearst could help her with her condition, so Claire agrees to escort her there. They reach Pinehearst just in time to see Peter Petrelli thrown from a seventh story window. Claire takes him away from the building, but Elle refuses to leave after learning from Peter that they can take her powers away.
In the episode "Villains", Elle's life a year earlier is explored, revealing that she had been partnered with Noah Bennet at one point. The two are assigned to watch Sylar (still Gabriel Gray) in order to discover how he transfers abilities. Elle saves Gabriel after he attempts to kill himself out of guilt for killing his first victim. She is told to befriend him, and Gabriel develops an attraction to her that suppresses his hunger. Using a list of people with abilities Gabriel had compiled, Noah arranges to introduce Gabriel to one of them to see his power in action. However, Elle does not agree with the plan, revealing she has developed feelings for Gabriel. She reluctantly goes along with it when Noah threatens to fire her. They then introduce Gabriel to Trevor, an evolved human with a kinetic projection ability. Her repeated references to Trevor being "special" anger Gabriel, and he orders her to leave while he kills Trevor. Elle is left with guilt as she caused an event that helped to create "Sylar".
In the following episode, "It's Coming", set in the present, Arthur Petrelli, head of Pinehearst, arranges for Sylar to speak with Elle. His aim is to have Sylar use his latent empathic abilities to take powers, rather than doing so through killing. Elle is chained to the floor in a metal room, still in pain from her ability. She repeatedly attacks him, furious at Sylar for her father's murder, eventually begging him to kill her so that her pain will go away. He forgives her for turning him into a monster and convinces her to forgive herself for her crimes, wanting to take away her pain without killing her. At that moment, Elle's pain disappears and she regains control of her ability. Likewise, Sylar is able to absorb her power. The two appear to rekindle their old feelings for each other as Elle teaches Sylar how to use her ability.
In "The Eclipse Part I", she and Sylar are sent to retrieve Claire who is revealed to be the catalyst, the unknown part of the formula that would allow someone to produce abilities. On assignment, Elle challenges Sylar and he shows her that he can still be a killer, and not just a "daddy's boy" by killing a rental car assistant. Eventually, they find Claire and Noah, and a fight ensues, however, Elle and Sylar find themselves powerless; the result of the eclipse. Elle aims a gun at Noah but Claire jumps in and takes the bullet. Noah knocks Elle out and dislocates Sylar's arm, while he escapes with injured Claire. After awakening, Sylar explains to a shocked Elle that losing his abilities is a bit of a relief. She tells him that they can't just take what they want anymore, then Sylar retorts and grabs Elle, kissing her passionately. Outside, Noah aims a rifle at them.
In "The Eclipse Part II", Sylar and Elle sleep together but then are confronted by Noah. Elle is shot in the thigh in the ensuing struggle. Both Elle and Sylar flee while Noah follows Elle's blood trail to a grocery store. There, Elle and Sylar plan to ambush Noah in the rear of the store. Sylar pushes Elle into a cargo elevator, in an attempt to hide her from Noah. Elle watches as Noah slits Sylar's throat with a box cutter. When the eclipse ends, their abilities are returned and Sylar is revived. He and Elle go to the Bennet residence and overcome Noah and Claire while holding Claire's mother, Sandra, hostage. Suddenly, Hiro teleports in and takes both Sylar and Elle to Costa Verde beach, leaving them there before disappearing. Sylar and Elle kiss, and he explains that he and Elle are "damaged goods" and that they will "never change". Sylar then begins to slice Elle's skull open.
In the following episode "Our Father", Sylar, covered in Elle's blood, is shown pouring lighter fluid on Elle's body. He painfully says, "Goodbye Elle," then sets her ablaze with the electric ability he inherited from her.
In "The Art of Deception", Matt reverts Sylar's memories of his kills, including the ones of Elle.
In "Sum Quod Sum", it is revealed that she has lost control of her ability since leaving the Company, so she has gone to London to find help from Claude. After she tracks him down, he confronts her but then runs away. It begins raining, and Elle decides to take advantage of it. She releases an electrical charge, which travels through the water on the ground and into Claude, but she, too, is knocked unconscious in the process. Claude and his friends, Abigail and Lee, carry her to his place and he begins to show Elle the source of her problem. Things get ugly when Elle accidentally shocks Abigail, which leads them to fight each other; Abigail's force field redirects Elle's lightning towards Lee, so Elle stops and then is asked to leave the place. Although Claude asks her to stay, she prefers to look for the help of Noah, so she goes to Costa Verde and attacks Lyle while waiting for his father.
In "", the childhood's background of Elle is further explained: how she started a blackout in Athens, Ohio that took out three other counties. Elle's mother sent her to her father, Bob, to New York City to deal with her. Bob asked the help of Charles Deveaux, who recommended taking a fatherly approach, but ended up taking Dr. Zimmerman's advice: treat Elle as any other posthuman and test her abilities. During one of these tests, Bob tried to calm the weeping Elle turning her drinking straw into gold, but this backfired as it allowed Elle to accidentally shock her father. After this, Elle escaped and Bob enlisted Noah Bennet to go after her. Noah eventually found Elle at an arcade and anticipating her attack, he wore latex gloves. Elle quickly electrified a machine making it toss balls at Noah, so she could escape. When Noah followed Elle through a mini-golf course, she electrified a mini-windmill, making it throw blades at Noah. Finally, Elle was cornered; Noah promised her Bob would be proud if she came back with him. Once back at Primatech, Bob locked Elle up while discussing the situation with Kaito and Noah. Angela Petrelli brought a young Haitian to mind-wipe Elle to forget what just happened and enjoy her 9th birthday cake.
With the cancellation of Veronica Mars, Variety reported that attaining Bell was a "major, major coup for NBC" because of how in-demand the actress was. Universal Media Studios' Katherine Pope noted that "many studios were chasing Bell in both film and TV" and that Pope was happy that Bell "chose to star in our show." When Bell was cast, Tim Kring explained that because she had known several of the cast members for years as well as some of the writers, it "was already like part of the family by the time we cast her."
In an interview with Bell, Eric Goldman of IGN commented on Bell's "eagerly awaited debut" on the series. Matt Roush of TV Guide reported on Bell becoming a series regular on Heroes, and stated he "likes her more and more, especially as we see the tragic dimension of how Elle has been so cruelly used by her 'daddy,' Bob, and is much more than the flirty assassin we first met." Bruce Fretts, also of TV Guide, said that Bell's portrayal of Elle was responsible for "sparking Heroes to life." He explains that "in just a few scenes... Bell juice up the slumping sophomore drama" and her "live-wire performance turned Chapter 5 into this season's strongest episode yet." However, because of the large ensemble cast, Matthew Gilbert of Slate.com commented that Season Two of Heroes was "even more overpopulated than the last, expanding from a rabble to a veritable global riot of Dubiously Gifted Ones."
Her death in the season three episode "The Eclipse Part II" was criticized by media outlets with E! writing that the show offered "the redemption of electric Elle, an Elle-Sylar romance, an Elle-Claire friendship, HRG mentoring Elle only it all away". According to Kring, the character was killed due to Bell leaving the show to appear in films.
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