Brain examination

Brain examination
James Walker was found frozen with his brain removed.
First occurrence:	Don't Look Back

Several of Sylar's victims have had their brains removed.

About

Sylar aggressively pursues evolved humans and removes their brains. At present, it's unclear why some victims have encephalotomies and some do not, although most of the victims to have their brains removed have been confirmed (or believed by Sylar) to have special powers. Sylar is able to take the powers of other evolved humans, and removing their brains is some part of the process.

When Mohinder and Eden explored Sylar's apartment in Queens, New York, one of the items they came across was a medical text expounding upon the process of brain removal.

As seen during Jackie's murder, Sylar uses his powers to split Jackie's head open.

List of Victims with Brains Removed

Sylar preparing a victim

• Charlie Andrews -- The waitress's brain is removed in a sneak attack at Burnt Toast Diner, coincidentally while aggressively removing the top off a can of food. Charlie had an enhanced memory. (Seven Minutes to Midnight)
• David -- Sylar's Chicago victim had serious head injuries. (Turning Point)
• Brian Davis -- After asking if he could "fix" him, Sylar hits his first victim over the head and steals his power (see Notes). Brian had telekinetic abilities. (Six Months Ago)
• Isaac Mendez -- Sylar kills Isaac after seeing his picture on the back page of a 9th Wonders! comic book. Isaac had the power of precognition. (.07%)
• Dale Smither -- Sylar comes at night to Dale's mechanic shop without making any footsteps for her to hear. Mohinder finds her dead the next day, her brain removed. (Unexpected)
• Theodore Sprague -- Sylar telekinetically flips the van carrying Ted, and proceeds to take his power. (Landslide)
• Zane Taylor -- Sylar enters his home and steals his power and identity, his corpse still lying on a tarp in the kitchen. Zane had the power of liquefaction. (Run!)
• An unidentified man and an unidentified woman -- Mr. Bennet shows Eden photos of some of Sylar's victims. Their powers are unknown. (Homecoming)
• James Walker -- Mr. Walker is found frozen mid-bite while eating breakfast. James was on Chandra Suresh's list, and his power is unknown. (Don't Look Back, Fallout)

List of Attempted Brain Removal Victims

• Peter Petrelli -- Sylar pins Peter against a wall in Mohinder's apartment, and begins slicing his forehead. However, Peter regenerates quickly and escapes. (.07%)
• Jackie Wilcox -- In the locker room of Union Wells High School, her skull is cut, but her brain is not actually removed. Jackie had no powers. (Homecoming)
  • By taking credit for Claire's rescue at the train wreck (Don't Look Back), Sylar believes Jackie is the one with special powers. Jackie becomes the victim illustrated in Isaac's prophetic painting.

List of Future Brain Removal Victims

• Claire Bennet -- In an alternate timeline, Sylar takes Claire's brain at Homecoming and gains the power of rapid cell regeneration. (String Theory)
• Future Claire -- In another alternate timeline Sylar kills Claire in 2011. (Five Years Gone)
• Candace Willmer -- Sylar takes Candace's brain (unaired removal) resulting in the ability of illusion. (Five Years Gone)
• Nathan Petrelli -- Sylar takes Nathan's brain (unaired removal) resulting in the ability of flight. (Five Years Gone)
• D.L. Hawkins -- Sylar takes the brain (unaired removal) of someone capable of phasing (most likely the late D.L. Hawkins). (Five Years Gone)

Notes

• When Mohinder and Eden examined Sylar's apartment, they found (among other things) a medical text that seemingly describes the process of dissecting faces and performing encephalectomies. (One Giant Leap)
• According to Chandra Suresh, if there is a soul, it's in the brain. (Six Months Ago)
• Chandra tells Sylar that the brain controls every action. (Six Months Ago)
• Claire was unable to regenerate until the branch was pulled from her brain. (One Giant Leap, Collision) Peter was similarly unable to regenerate until the shard of glass was removed from his brain. (.07%)
• It is unclear whether or not Brian Davis had his brain removed. Sylar (as Gabriel Gray/Gabriel Sylar) hit him from behind with a large crystal, and shortly thereafter acquired the same powers as Brian. We presently do not know exactly how this was accomplished. (Six Months Ago)
• In an interview, Zachary Quinto said, concerning how Sylar absorbs the powers of others, "They haven't told me. The impression I was operating under was he actually ingested them, but I don't know."
• Eden kills herself by shooting herself in the brain, intending to prevent Sylar from gaining her power of persuasion. (Fallout) Indeed, Mr. Bennet confirms that she prevented Sylar from taking her "gift". (Fathers & Daughters) Apparently, the brain must be intact for Sylar to gain the power. James Walker was frozen in mid-bite, which shows that the victim may not have to be alive for Sylar to take their power. (Don't Look Back)
• Molly Walker, while talking to Mohinder, refers to Sylar as the boogeyman, who will "eat your brain." (The Hard Part)
  
• D.L. Hawkins killed Mr. Linderman by reaching through his head and removing a large chunk of brain matter. This marks the first time a character besides Sylar has removed a brain. However, D.L. did not gain Linderman's ability, for obvious reasons. (Landslide)

Gallery

• 
  David was found in Chicago.
  (Turning Point)
• 
  A medical text found in Sylar's apartment expounds on the process of brain removal.
  (One Giant Leap)
• 
  James Walker was frozen as he had his brain removed.
  (Don't Look Back)
• 
  Jackie Wilcox became the cheerleader that Isaac and Peter predicted would die.
  (Hiros)
• 
  Charlie Andrews's brain was removed while she worked at Burnt Toast Diner.
  (Seven Minutes to Midnight)
• 
  Mr. Bennet shows Eden a photo of Charlie
  (Homecoming)
• 
  An unnamed male victim appears in Mr. Bennet's photos.
  (Homecoming)
• 
  An unnamed female victim, from Mr. Bennet's photos
  (Homecoming)
• 
  Jackie Wilcox becomes a victim if mistaken cheerleader identity.
  (Homecoming)
• 
  After stealing his power, Sylar keeps Zane's body in the kitchen.
  (Run!)
• 
  Mohinder finds Dale's corpse (minus a brain) in her shop.
  (Unexpected)
• Isaac paints a prophecy of his own brain removal. (Parasite)
  Isaac paints a prophecy of his own brain removal.
  (Parasite)
• 
  Sylar attempts to peer into Peter's brain.
  (Parasite)
• 
  Isaac Mendez meets an awful fate in the future.
  (Don't Look Back)
• 
  Claire's brain removed by Sylar.
  (String Theory)
• 
  Dark-haired Claire's brain removed by Sylar.
  (Five Years Gone)
• 
  D.L. phases his hand into Linderman's brain, removing a handful of it
  (Landslide)
• 
  Ted hangs out while his brain is removed.
  (Landslide)

See Also

For more information on the brain, see Brain.

For more information on why Sylar may remove brains, see Power theft.

External Links

• Brain Removal
• Complete Brain Removal (Warning: Very Graphic)
• Cat Brain Removal (Warning: Very Graphic)