Heroes' fourth volume named

Series creator Tim Kring lets slip the title of the next chapter of NBC's sci-fi hit, and it signals interesting times for our super friends.

The third chapter of Heroes has yet to begin, but anticipation is already palpable for it (TV.com previewed the excellent first half of the debut), largely in part to its mouthwatering title, "Villains."

The straightforward names of the volumes have always been a good indicator of what's in store for that chapter. Season one gave us "Genesis," which appropriately detailed the beginnings of these "ordinary people with extraordinary abilities." Season two was named "Generations," and focused on the family trees of the superpowered characters.

Everyone loves to hate a good baddie, and "Villains" will go with the flow and examine how people use their newfound powers for evil. But the third season will be more than just one chapter and is going to be split up into separate volumes (just as season two was supposed to before the writers' strike cut things short).

So what's it called? Tighten up your spandex costumes, because it sounds like things may not be looking too good for Claire, Peter, Hiro, and the other freaks of nature. Speaking with UK site Digital Spy (video courtesy of ODI and contains slight spoilers as well as funny accents) at the Edinburgh Television Festival, series creator Tim Kring revealed that "Villains" will run 13 episodes and that the second half of the season will run 12 episodes and be dubbed... "Fugitives." Don't bother pulling out your calculators--that's a 25-episode season three.

Kring shied away from detailing what volume four would be about, saying that even if he explained it, it wouldn't make any sense without having seen season three and would contain major spoilers for what is coming up in the series.

Kring also said that episode 10 is currently being filmed, and the final episode of "Villains" is now in the writers' hands. Season two was supposed to be three volumes, with "Villains" being the last and the second volume--which was axed because of the strike--titled "Exodus."

Among the other tidbits Kring divulged: Echo the mailman from the "Going Postal" webisodes will appear in "Villains," Heroes: Origins isn't completely dead and Kring wants to give it another shot, and Christopher Eccleston--who played the invisible man--may be returning if his schedule allows it.

Source: TV.com