Sylar

Sylar
Portrayed by	Sean Bean
First appearance	One Giant Leap
In-story stats
Known ability	Possibly telekinetic
Gender
Residence	Sylar's apartment

Sylar is believed to be a serial killer who pins some victims to walls with household objects (and no signs of physical contact) and removes the brains of others. Chandra Suresh identified him as Patient Zero in his reasearch.

Character History

Genesis

Mohinder Suresh finds a cassette tape in his late father's apartment, labelled "Sylar".

Don't Look Back

Sylar is stated to be a suspected serial killer. His perceived victims are sometimes seen with their heads sliced open horizontally at the center of their skull and their brain removed. Other victims are pinned to the wall with various household objects and no apparent signs of physical contact. Audrey Hanson, an FBI agent, investigates a murder scene she believes to have been the work of Sylar, and Matt Parkman uses his new powers to locate the victim's missing daughter, Molly Walker.

Sylar knew the late Chandra Suresh, before he died. Chandra told his son, Mohinder that he thought that Sylar was "Patient Zero". In a taped phone call between Chandra and Sylar, the latter alludes that the former "made him this way" and refers to a mysterious "uncontrollable hunger" he now has. Chandra wanted nothing to do with Sylar at this point.

One Giant Leap

Mohinder and Eden visit an apartment believed to be Sylar's. When no one answers, Mohinder breaks in. Inside, Eden notes that Sylar has no photographs in the apartment but plenty of books on philosophy, as well as a copy of Chandra Suresh's book. Mohinder takes pictures of the apartment, including a picture of his father's book on a bureau, books on the shelves, and a book in a glass case. He stumbles upon a secret room behind the glass case. Inside is a map similar to one used by the Suresh's, but with many more connections and papers linked to several of them. Eden identifies Nathan Petrelli on one of the links. Mohinder finds another room in the secret area covered by vinyl tarps. Inside, the walls are covered in scrawls, possibly indicating that Sylar's mental state is unbalanced. Writings such as, "Forgive me. I have sinned," are written all over, some apparently in blood.

Meanwhile, a man believed to be Sylar attempts to abduct Molly, who is being held in a safe room in the Los Angeles FBI headquarters. Matt and Audrey stop him, with Matt protecting Molly and Audrey giving chase. When Audrey pulls her gun, the man somehow forces her backwards against a wall and makes her point her own weapon to her head. When Matt arrives, he shoots at the unknown man. However, when Matt turns to check on Audrey, the man stands back up and the bullets Matt had fired at him seem to fall to the ground. As Matt and Audrey look back, the man disappears.

Hiros

Sylar appears in a painting by Isaac Mendez which Peter Petrelli finishes. It reveals that Sylar will murder and remove Claire Bennet's brain if nothing is done to stop it.

Trivia

• A photograph on NBC's Heroes site shows a birth announcement for a Paul E. Sylar, dated June 11, 1962. The announcement appears to be pinned next to the map in Chandra Suresh's Brooklyn apartment.
• The apartment Sylar was using in "One Giant Leap" was number 613. The apartment Mohinder rents out in New York is apartment number 316. Each number is the other backwards.

Fan Theories

• Sylar is Mr. Bennet
• Sylar was a test subject of Chandra Suresh who manipulated his genes to give him all of the researched powers. This manipulation, however, has had a terrible side effect which causes his split personality (like Niki) to be extremely violent.
• Sylar might have every power the heroes have combined.
• The theory that Sylar is Peter has become so stale at 9th Wonders, the semi-official Heroes fansite, that it has inspired a drinking game: whenever someone brings it up, drink.
• Sylar is stealing the brains of evolved humans in order to incorporate their abilities into himself.

Notes

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. THIS COULD INCLUDE UNCONFIRMED MATERIAL FROM UNAIRED EPISODES OR PREVIEWS. For more spoilers about Heroes and Heroes Reborn, see here.

• According to IMDB, Sean Bean has been cast to play "Paul Sylar", starting with Better Halves. However the veracity of this information is still in question[1].