A hero you can relate to

JAMES KYSON LEE: Lee's character Ando has gained a power and challenges a new villain.

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Heroes returns this week and "everyman's action hero" James Kyson Lee talks about the new season and the Armageddon Expo he's attending later this month in Christchurch. Lee Suckling reports.

Korean-born actor James Kyson Lee found his feet in a recurring role as Ando Masahashi in the first season of Heroes, and the second season saw him promoted to series regular.

Owing to his lack of "posthuman" special abilities in comparison with the other characters, Ando was often reduced to being his co-worker Hiro Nakamura's sidekick, as they quested to save the world. However, at the end of the first half of season three, Ando finally gained a qualified power. The second half of season three premieres Monday (8.30pm, C4).

This new volume of Heroes will be an action-packed ride that sees a sinister new villain trying to obliterate the world's post-humans, seeking governmental quarantine for those with special powers. "Ando's role in all of this is much more action-orientated than ever before, and you'll see that from the first episode," says Lee. "As he learns to control his power and rediscovers his identity as not just human, a triangular relationship between Ando, Hiro and the villain will give him a bigger opportunity to get involved in the rescue of captured characters."

Heroes has evolved since it first began, Lee says, now adding a more personal element to the storylines. "The first season was very much about introducing a series of characters in different countries that were all connected in saving the world from disaster," he says. "Now, we're so much deeper into the characters' lives and the audience is seeing much more of their internal struggle - dealing with the progression of their different sides, both good and bad."

Ando is very much the everyman's action hero, the "voice of the audience", Lee says. "He is the character with the voice of reason, asking the questions that the audience wants to know. He creates a dynamic that makes the storylines more believable."

While Lee's character retains that position as the questioning and sensible character, new episodes see him evolve into something more. "The first half of season three was very big for Ando as he gained his power, and the second half will see his role reversed with Hiro," says Lee. "However, he is still one of the most relatable characters on the show because he started out as a human. Unlike the other characters, he didn't appear out of nowhere with a magical power."

In American television, Asian- American actors often struggle to break free from martial art-based characters in action shows. Heroes offers relief from this stereotype, Lee asserts. "Ando wasn't written as Asian, and his character is based on his traits, not his race," he says. "That's one of the reasons the show has been so successful. Because of its diverse-looking cast, Heroes appeals to people all around the world because it doesn't put anyone in a box."

With the Armageddon Expo, at the Christchurch Convention Centre March 27 and 28, fans can further immerse themselves in Heroes. "Conventions such as Armageddon are especially important for a show like ours. It's because of fan interaction through online discussion and dissection that the show is where it is today," says Lee. "Physically meeting and talking with fans is equally important, and it's great to have the opportunity to do things like this because New Zealand fans are no exception."

The Armageddon Expo is billed as the ultimate fantasy, gaming, sci- fi, anime, collectibles and celebrity event.

Alongside Lee, this year's event will see comic artists and animation voice actors from shows such as Wolverine and the X-Men and Dragonball Z, plus a range of celebrity guests including Paul McGann from Doctor Who and Dominic Keating and John Billingsley from Star Trek Enterprise.

Like many exhibitors at Armageddon, Heroes as a show is about fantasy.

"We all need a little bit of escape from monotony and the mundane parts of life," says Lee. '

Lee Suckling writes the Favourites column in The Box.

- © Fairfax NZ News