I wasn't sure whether I should post this in here (since it heavily relies on information from this episode) or in the Speculations forum. Please move the topic if I put it in the wrong place.

Most of the things I'm going to highlight have been separately discussed before, but I don't think anyone has talked about the connection between them all.

At the beginning of the episode, Mohinder talks about a plague which targets the Heroes, one after the other, and he says he requires funds to stop that virus. Afterwards, the man with the glasses says that it's the same disease that killed Shanti (by the way : if it is indeed the same disease, then it's also the same that Molly had, and Mohinder could cure her simply using his blood. Why does he need money and research this time ?)

At first, when I heard about this virus, I thought it was the new villain. After Sylar's serial-killer thing, the new guy would start an epidemy directed at the Heroes.
And apparently, it's the same guy that Molly sees in her dreams, the one that can see her. But then, there's Maya, the new character, whose power seems to be able to kill people with a virus, and leave them with blood leaking from their eyes (Molly's drawings show similar blood-dripping eyes). But I don't think Maya is that new villain... I wouldn't imagine her being a new Sylar, nor being able to see Molly.

So, is Maya the villain ? Or are they both totally unconnected with the virus Mohinder talks about, which is a simple genetic manifestation ?

The power Maya has kill normal people (we dont know if heroes can die) and the disease Shanti and Molly have dont kill instantly and it only affects people with powers so i dont think is the same

Isnt Mohinders speech about needing funds for his research just bait for the company anyway?

I dont think Maya is the new villain, I reckon the new bad guy wont be shown so early on, just like last season they didn't show the face of sylar in the first few episodes.

I would not call Maya a villian, more like a complication... she's not evil and her purposes arent evil intended...
though I think you're on to something about that connection

I don't think Maya's victims bleed from their eyes. The fluid looks black to me.
And I agree with Peter88. They're not going to show the villain for a few episodes. They're trying to make him scarier than sylar.

she's like the radioactive man from season 1.

They have already shown the villain. He killed hiro's father.

Is Maya evil?
I thought she just couldn't control her power - she doesn't seem evil.
Is that who Molly was talking about? :/

There is no guarantee that the virus Mohinder goes on about at the start of Four Months Later is actually the epidemic he claims it is, but from Midas' comments about Shanti, it sounds likely this is the virus she died of. Connection to Maya? No. Maya is on her way to leave South America for what seems like the first time ever. Shanti lived in India.

Molly's drawings so far do not provide a serious link to Maya either. They had blood red drippings from the eyes, and that may well be just a part of her nightmare rather than reality. Although, who's to say whether or not someone like Sylar gets a hold on Maya's ability? But so far, not enough to go by.

Looks to me as though Maya's ability and Shanti's death are unrelated.

I think maya is definitely good and not evil, doubt any connections with her and shanti though.

I didn't think Maya would be the new villain either... Just wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter ^^
And I hadn't thought about Sylar (or Peter, for that matter) getting Maya's power. Even after a whole season of stealing other people's powers, I still don't realize that power manifestations don't neessarily point to a specific Hero...

But concerning the virus, even if it is totally unrelated to Maya, and if Mohinder's speech is only a bait (which would be rather huge... He goes halfway around the world with his lectures, doesn't he ?), I still wonder at the thing about Shanti and Molly. Do all the Heroes possess this potential disease, which will eventually kill them unless Mohinder helps them ? Or is it all a lie, with the only purpose of being followed and "hired" y someone from the Company ?

I'm on that one, but he would need money to produce a new source, I can't see him providing the world supply of cure = Drained Mohinder

DP

I don't think he needs a very large amount of blood in order to cure someone, but I agree, seems to be a good explanation as to why he needs funds ^^