Theories:Miscellaneous

This article will archive all of the miscellaneous published and fan theories that exist for Heroes.

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Cockroach

Theory	Citations	Notes
In Godsend, the roach that crawls in Sylar's holding cell has some importance.	Sylar focuses on it. (Godsend)	- This is probably due to the fact that he was, for lack of a better phrase, going somewhat mad in his holding cell. + The cockroach seems to have a recurring cameo role in the series. Plus, its appearance in How to Stop an Exploding Man is significantly indicative of events to come. • The specific cockroach in Sylar's cell might not have any importance alone, but the recurring theme of the cockroach definitely has some importance.
Sylar will use his power on the cockroach in his cell in order to become resistant to radiation.	Mohinder mentions cockroaches are resistant to radiation. (Genesis) Sylar focuses on the cockroach. (Godsend)	- This is probably due to the fact that he was, for lack of a better phrase, going somewhat mad in his holding cell. - As of Landslide, Sylar has absorbed Ted's power of induced radioactivity and is shown playing with the powers at the end of the show, obviously immune to the radiation. While it's possible the cockroach could be the reason for this immunity, it's most likely that Sylar is immune to radiation because Ted was immune to it.
Sylar acquired the cockroach's abilities of suspended animation.	Sylar focuses on the cockroach. (Godsend)	+ Sylar might simply be using his known ability of intuitive aptitude in a new way. He knows how things work, and not just evolved humans. He knows how clocks work. Sylar can figure out how insects, animals, even plantlife work. That may explain how he feigned death. + Cockroaches can slow their heart rate down so that they appear dead, and even hold their breath for almost an hour at a time. - It is apparent that Sylar does not have the capability to simply "inherit" the abilities of anything by simple observation. In addition, there is no indication he could "inherit" the evolutionary traits of non-human species (which lack a human brain he could possibly extract) let alone traits which are common with the entire species.
The cockroach is Sylar's god since it represents evolutionary perfection.	Mohinder called the humble cockroach the "Pinnacle of evolution". (Genesis)	+ Mohinder also taught that the cockroach is capable of living for months without food, can remain alive headless for weeks at a time, is resistant to radiation. Mohinder jokes that if God has indeed created Himself in His own image, then He is a cockroach. (Genesis) - It is unsure whether Sylar believes in any god or "higher power". • If Sylar is a literary personification of evolution, he may well be an atheist.
The significance in the cockroach is that it is superior to humans.	Mohinder teaches that man is not the pinnacle of so-called evolution; that honor belongs to the lowly cockroach. (Genesis)	+ Mohinder also taught that the cockroach is capable of living for months without food, can remain alive headless for weeks at a time, is resistant to radiation. Mohinder jokes that if God has indeed created Himself in His own image, then He is a cockroach. (Genesis) + Later on, Mohinder arrives at his father's apartment, and is disgusted when he steps on a cockroach that he sees on the floor. Mohinder is jealous and angry that these pests have infested the apartment, roaming about however they wish. (Genesis) + The exterminator tells Mohinder that cockroaches have infested the floorboards of his apartment. After they scuffle, Mohinder says that cockroaches are the least of his problems. Although Mohinder sees the cockroaches as the least of his problems, they have already infest the dwellings of mere humans. (Genesis) + In Sylar's cell, Sylar watches a cockroach roam the floor of his cell. While Sylar is weakened and defeated, the small bug crawls freely. (Godsend) + Sylar remains on the floor and watches the cockroach walking next to his head. The creature still roams, superior to the weakened Sylar. (The Fix) + Dale notes that when she first realized her powers, a cockroach crawling across her neighbor's floor sounded like a marching band parading through her house. The lowly cockroach is so small, but can be heard by Dale. It is a monster that tortures her just by crawling across the floor. (Unexpected) + Matt is unconscious and crippled in his cell, he is inferior to the cockroach that crawls across the floor with great ease. (.07%)
The cockroach represents weakness and insignificance.	None	• This would make sense considering Sylar's obsession with power and significance. At the time the cockroach appeared, he was stripped of his power, helpless, and weak. + Matt Parkman also sees a cockroach while trapped in his cell at Primatech, at a time he clearly is feeling weak
Sylar is the evolutionary equivalent of a cockroach	Cockroaches have been seen when Sylar exibits cockroach like behaviors	+ Cockroaches are said to be the pinnacle of evolution as referenced by Mohinder (Genesis) + Cockroaches can slow their heartrate to resemble death, an evolutionary survival technique. Sylar does this to escape and a cockroach is shown symbolically. (Distractions) + Cockroaches are extremely resistant to many poisons and also have the ability to survive physical injury (different from healing) such as having limbs or even heads removed. Sylar has displayed some degree of resilience to Mohinder's chemicals and to fatal injury. (Parasite) and (How to Stop an Exploding Man) respectively + Sylar often talks about how what he does is an "evolutionary imperative". Anoter possible allusion to to the cockroach motif. + In an interview, writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite suggest that Sylar's comparison to the cockroach is "just a bit of fun little symbolism to show that Sylar's like a human cockroach — he's darn near impossible to completely get rid of."
Sylar has absorbed the "powers" of a cockroach, allowing him to survive a radioactive explosion.	None	+ Sylar pretends to be dead and cockroaches can slow their heart rate which would give the illusion of death. (The Fix) - Sylar's power is not absorbing powers; Only Peter absorbs powers
The cockroach represents Sylar and survival.	None
The cockroaches are minions and spies of another evolved human.	None	+ Kane the Villain in season two of Heroes is rumored to have control over bugs. So this could be him watching over Sylar. + A cockroach is seen on the manhole on How to Stop an Exploding Man. This could mean that someone controlling cockroaches helped Sylar into the sewer.
The cockroaches might be an allusion to the fact that the evolved humans are characters who have been "selected" to evolve and become the epitome of man's greatest achievements and survival skills.	None	+ The theme of the show seems to be characters caught up in the midst of events seemingly caused by fate, and have developed abilities most formerly possessed by the old shamans, sorcerers, witches, and mystical beings or myths or legends from around the world. Peter's empathy could be an allusion to the new age empathy ability many witches and psychics claim to possess. Nathan's flight may be based on many Buddhist gurus who are said to be able to levitate or fully fly. Sylar may be a sort of person who is a seeker of these abilities for selfish gain, as was the basis of his character in the Charmed series, though his was the only actual warlock who did not want to steal a power but wanted to kill for personal reasons. Hiro's power could be based on the claims of teleportations--Yogi's claimed abilities to stop time.

The Company

Theory	Citations	Notes
The Company is a clandestine espionage organization created after a single or series of terrible incidents involving one or more specially powered. Because of this, they seek out powered agents who they believe are not too dangerous or out of control, especially those they can maneuver into a place where they feel accepted and indebted to the organization. To this end they take all measures to follow and monitor those who may be special. They are also likely trying to develop a program to create these gifts.	The Company employs several agents with powers: The Haitian (One Giant Leap), Eden McCain (Better Halves), Hana Gitelman (Wireless, Part 2), and Isaac Mendez. (Distractions) The Company is conducting research into evolved humans by kidnapping and evaluating subjects. (Collision, Nothing to Hide)	+ The Company uses a pneumatic needle to inject a tracking isotope into people with powers leaving a mark on the neck (How Do You Stop an Exploding Man?). + Mr. Bennet's boss insists on keeping Sylar alive to be studied (The Fix) + With the apparent resources available to The Company and the knowledge of many of the people who have abilities (sometimes even before the people themselves know about their abilities), they could most likely kill most of them before they developed abilities or reasonable control over them.
The Company is the American branch of an international secret organization that exists for this purpose. Yamagato Industries is simply the Japanese branch.	None.	+ This could explain Yamagato Industries having a biotech division, if Yamagato were also a part of this group. - Biotechnology is a booming industry; many large multinationals have some presence in the field.
The Company is a secret agency of the US government.	A file related to The Company is found in the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US military. (Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 1)	- It seem unlikely any of the major powers would be unaware of such individuals particularly if the phenomenon has been going on since at least the 1970s. The resources available to Mr. Bennet seem to beyond the capabilities of anything but government. + He seemed to have had prior warning of the police raid. He is interested in tracking evolved humans, not killing or capturing them. Sylar is kept alive, possibly because his ability to harvest those of others means he could be an effective weapon in a war involving evolved humans. In World War 2, Nazi Germany engaged in scientific programs to produce superior humans. Many of these scientist were taken to USA or USSR to continue their research, and just as German rocket science lead to man landing on the moon, these evolved humans could represent the fruition of this research. - In an interview, Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite stated that the Company is not affiliated with any government.
The Company is an agency of the UN	None.	+ Mr. Bennet operates without regard to national borders. For example, Eden's body is found in Canada, he recruits Hana in Israel, and he searches Chandra's apartment in India. Most intelligence agencies operate extra-nationally. - In an interview, Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite stated that the Company is not affiliated with any government.
The Company is some manner of medical organization or corporation, akin to the Center for Disease Control.	Examples of this are Bennet's unwillingness to shoot an escaping Nathan despite having a gun drawn on him (Hiros), Bennet's superiors ordering him to study Sylar despite his suggestion that Sylar is too dangerous to live (Fallout), and Hana's mission to secure information on a biological weapon. (Wireless, Part 3)	+ Mr. Bennet and company seem to have been more interested in studying evolved humans and preventing medical disasters than anything else.
The Company is a part of the Hanso foundation and is involved in the DHARMA Initiative	None.	+ The Hanso corporation (from Lost) has a vested interest in improving human genetics. - This is highly unlikely as Lost and Heroes are separate series on competing networks.
The Company's mission is to protect the human race from evolved humans with special abilities. Their main priority appears to be the studying and understanding of these new powers. The Company firmly believes that any means they use to achieve this mission are justified. They do this through "bag and tag" operations where people with special abilities are captured and tagged so that they can always be located. When captured the powers of the "special" are evaluated and a threat assessment is made. Specials whose powers are judged to be a threat are not released. The Company then studies the powers of these evolved humans to determine how their powers work. This final mission explains why Sylar was so important to The Company and why he was not killed in spite of the dangerous nature of his powers.	Mr. Bennet and Thompson discuss the company's mission. (Company Man)	+ There were references to vivisection in Company Man. Vivisection is basically dissecting a living being. This is not standard procedure, but is simply one of the "morally gray area" behaviors that must be done to accomplish their mission. The end justifies the means. + Mr. Bennet's said that Ted emitted only low levels of radiation when his powers were assessed and that he was judged to be harmless and released. (Company Man)
The Symbol marks evolved humans that work for The Company. Since this symbol is of Japanese origins, this points to a Japanese origin for the Company.	Ando recognized the Symbol as a combination of two Japanese symbols.(Godsend)
The Company's true intent is to take control of human evolution in order to create a hierarchical society, where people are designed to have the skills needed at their work level and where they have just enough natural intelligence to be satisfied with their responsibility in life (whatever that may be).	None.	+ When Claude first meets Mr. Bennet, he tells him that it's a "Brave New World." (Company Man) The phrase "Brave New World" is the title of a novel by Aldous Huxley. This novel is a dystopia with a great deal of intriguing potential parallels to the Heroes universe, but one significant potential parallel is the possibility of this mysterious company to have the goal of creating a world like that of the novel. Also, its possible that Claude figured out these were the Company's true intentions, which is why he was no longer comfortable with those motives and decided to hide a powered person. - The Company seems to be mainly concerned with studying the abilities of the powered individuals. While it accepts some of these individuals into its structure, it appears to be more focused on containing them than utilising them.
The Company is actually divided into three parts: The Deveaux Society, Primatech Paper and The Linderman Group. Together these groups form the company and work together towards fulfilling the objectives of whoever is in charge.	None.	• Metaphorically speaking, the Deveaux Society would represent the super-ego of this triad, since it is philanthropic and presents a good face to the world. Primatech Paper works as the ego, a balance in the morally gray areas of the mission. And The Linderman Group works as the id (supported by Linderman's speech in Parasite where he talks about gambling, sex and food), who gets things done in what would possibly be a less than legal way. Together, these groups are able to tackle the same issue from different angles. For example, an emergent super-powered being who is a little darker by nature (such as Jessica) would fit better in Linderman's camp than with the Deveaux society. While someone like Hiro would likely work better with the Deveaux Society than Primatech Paper. They also appear to work against each other, evident by Mrs. Petrelli giving orders that go against Primatech's. It is also likely that the Yamagato Corporation is involved in this somehow, either as the umbrella company, or as an international branch of the Primatech division. - While the Jungian symbolism works very well on paper, in practice there is no evidence that the objectives and methods of the Linderman Group, the Company, and the Deveaux Society are at all different.
The Company was either responsible for, or established to contain the release of a virus which is responsible for the mutation.	None.	+ If this is the motive of The Company then the fact such people have been hidden from the general public, as a cover up of a past accident, it could also be the reason why so many of the characters are interconnected, because they are all related to people who were initial exposed to the contagent. - There is as yet no evidence that abilities can be transferred to normal individuals. Everything in the series so far suggests that the superpowers are a result of genetic mutations rather than diseases.

Deveaux Society

Theory	Citations	Notes
The Society might be a group founded by Simone that acts as connection between the evolved humans and the rest of the world, or as a therapy group to help them deal with their powers.	None.
The Society is a resistance to the Company, with Mrs. Petrelli and the Haitian as members, and Charles Deveaux as the founder.	None.	+ The Haitian and Mrs. Petrelli are connected in some way. Mrs. Petrelli knows about people with powers, as someone in the Society would have to. It would serve as a foil to the Company. - Angela Petrelli and The Company both appear to be working for Linderman in some way. This would suggest that they have similar aims, unless Linderman was playing them both against the other.
The Deveaux Gallery is part of the Deveaux Society.	None.	+ Both have Deveaux in their names.

Evolved humans

Theory	Citations	Notes
A group of evolved humans will eventually form a "league of heroes" similar to the Justice League.	None.	• This would be a long-term story arc. - Writers have explicitly stated in interviews that the characters will continue to lead mostly separated lives, and will not be forming a Justice League.
The reason so many of the characters are interconnected, especially romantically involved, is down to subconscious recognition of the same trait, as such they are attracted to one another, as the first step of speciation.	None.	+ Many of the characters seem to be happy when they find another person who has powers as well.

Manatee

Theory	Citations	Notes
Manatees allow evolved humans to use their powers.	None	- Claire and Zach never saw the manatees, but went to Kermit. - There is absolutely no evidence that manatees are important in any way.

Mr. Muggles

Theory	Citations	Notes
It is significant that Mr. Muggles licked Claire's blood after her run-in with the garbage disposal.	None.	- It has been stated and confirmed that the power is in the brain, not the blood. - As Mohinder has postulated, the power is in the DNA. Drinking the blood or eating the brain of an evolved human will not give anyone powers of that evolved human.
Mr. Muggles is Candice as a spy for the company to watch in case Claire's powers come up.	None.	+ The Company always knows what's happening in the Bennet household. - As Mr Muggles seems to be a "house dog", it seems unlikely that Candice would find enough time to do anything else while portraying the dog.
Mr. Muggles is plotting to take over the world, and his plan may involve waffles.	None	+ Some say Gumby could be part of the plan. - Some say Gumby is not part of the plan. • The plan might also involve manatees and pigeons. • Some say that these suggestions are really stupid.

Peter's scar

Theory	Citations	Notes
Sylar will get jealous of Peter's power and will try to remove his brain, but the attempt will be stopped by the other characters, leaving Peter with a horizontal scar along his forehead.	When future Hiro meets Peter, his eyes travel upward. (Collision) Most of Sylar's victims have had their skulls cut open by an incision on their forehead so Sylar could remove their brains. (Don't Look Back, Seven Minutes to Midnight, Homecoming)	+ It can be assumed that a man would look very different with a scar along the entire length of his forehead, and Sylar has met Peter and may have an intuitive understanding of his power. - Sylar has already attempted this, and Peter healed himself almost immediately. If he is still destined to acquire a permanent scar, then some explanation will have to be given as to why he didn't heal it. For example, he may keep the scar as an emotional reminder of what he has lost.
Either Claire will die, or Peter will never see her again after he gets his scar.	None.	- While wounds healed by Claire's power leave no scars, there's no reason to assume that a scar from a wound Peter healed normally would disappear if he encountered her later. - Peter is able to heal outside Claire's presence. (Distractions) - In the timeline in which Claire was saved but the explosion still occurred, Peter still had the scar, despite having met Claire and learned her power. - After Ted died, Peter was still able to recall his power.
Peter will get the scar from exploding.	None.	• The heat of a nuclear explosion should at least be able to cauterize an existing injury, thus allowing it to become a scar before it regenerates, though the actual injury may have been caused by something different. + The Haitian once told Claire that The Company could do things to her that "even she couldn't recover from." It is possible that blowing someone up with a nuclear explosion might fall under that category. - Ted Sprague also exploded, but showed no signs of wounds. - Peter has the ability to regenerate, meaning he would not scar.
Peter will no longer get the scar.	None.	+ Future Hiro changed the future by going back and telling Peter about saving Claire which only changed the future of that timeline and not his, creating an alternate dimension, kind of like Future Trunks in DBZ. + It's possible that Peter received the scar in the timeline in which Claire was not saved, and will not receive the scar in this timeline since damage healed with Claire's power seems to leave no scar. • This would create a causality paradox for Future Hiro: he'd have no reason to return to the past to warn Peter. • Peter got the scar in a version of the future where he could not regenerate, in an "ideal" future (without the Sylar problem) Peter would have no scar, but in Five Years Gone, Hiro visited a mixture of different possible futures, where Claire is still alive (for a while) and Peter still has he scar. - Present-day Hiro believes he cannot change the past because he was unable to save Charlie from her death. If he is correct, then Future Hiro may have come from a future in which Claire was already saved. Alternately, because Hiro knows that his past self returned, and knows what he told Peter, he may go back in time at some point in the future to ensure that the timeline is not compromised. This would not involve a paradox, but would be an example of an Ontological Paradox; but as such a paradox involves no inherent contradiction, it would still result in a consistent timeline. - In the future, Future Peter has a scar, despite Future Hiro traveling back in time and Peter saving Claire. • He may have decided to keep the scar for sentimental reasons, for example if he obtained it while trying to defend Nathan (or Micah, if he'd already encountered Niki).
Peter will get the scar from Hiro.	None	+ Peter will meet Candice, where he gets her power. For some reason, he takes the form of Sylar. Hiro sees Peter, and, thinking it's Sylar, slices Peter across the face. Because it is a special sword, Claire's power can't fully heal Peter. - Future Hiro tells present-day Hiro that he tried to kill Sylar, but the wound regenerated. + Peter's scar is the shape of a line, just the shape a sword slash would leave.
Peter will get the scar in the presence of the Haitian.	None.	The Haitian can suppress at least some powers, so if Peter was wounded in his presence and the scar formed, cell regeneration would not heal an existing scar.
Peter's scar is the mirror image of a scar Linderman has.	None.	+ Linderman has a faint scar that is most visible when pausing episodes, most notably .07%. - The scar mirror images could be irrelevant, as the scar could be actor Malcolm McDowell's and not the character's.

Power theft

Theory	Citations	Notes
Sylar is dying because he attained his powers unnaturally or because his power was fatal, and the only way he's staying alive is by consuming the brains of other evolved humans.	None.	- While it's possible that either Sylar's power or his acquired powers are damaging him in some way, there's no evidence to support such a conclusion. + It is confirmed that he is taking (but not necessarily eating) brains to absorb powers.
Sylar is suspected to have learned one or more of the following powers from his victims: concussive resistance or bullet-proof skin, super-jump, enhanced reflexes or flight.	After being hit by several of Matt's bullets, Sylar rises a minute later, almost "lifting" himself from the floor, seemingly unharmed. The sound of metal hitting to the floor is heard, as if Sylar was able to shield himself from the bullets. (One Giant Leap) Sylar escapes, possibly by leaping up the wall or flying. (One Giant Leap) Sylar is relatively unharmed after a fall which badly mangled Peter. (Homecoming) Sylar tells Eden that bullets can't harm him. (Fallout) Sylar seems to move faster than normal in getting to his feet and out the back door of the Bennet home. (Distractions)	- Sylar could have used his telekinesis to stop the bullets, lift himself up (giving the appearance of flight), and could have possibly protected himself from the fall with the same power. - In an interview, Aron Coleite and Joe Pokaski state that much of Sylar's apparent invulnerability is in fact merely his telekinesis. + Mr. Bennet confirmed that Sylar had more than one power. (Fallout) + On two occasions when Sylar was shot, he was apparently surprised; telekinesis wouldn't be very helpful then, but he still wasn't seriously hurt. - If Sylar already had powers of invulnerability (however limited), this would somewhat weaken the importance of Claire to his plans, which seems to have been a major plot point in the series thus far.
Sylar could have stolen the ability of shadow travel.	None.	+ In How to Stop an Exploding Man, Sylar was able to sneak up on Noah and Peter, even though they were in an open area. + In One Giant Leap, Matt corners Sylar, who disappears without the camera watching while it didn't sound like he jumped. It was dark on the floor and on the side of the building. + In Homecoming when Peter tells Claire to go find people, when he turns back, Sylar is right in front of him. When Peter was talking to Claire, they didn't behave as if Sylar were approaching, or else they would have indicated as such. Sylar could have crept through the shadows that were surrounding the bleachers. + Also in Unexpected, Dale asks Sylar why she didn't hear his footsteps. Sylar replies, "Because there weren't any." :- Telekinesis can, in theory, propel an individual similar (but limited) to flight, allowing for quick travel without touching the ground. + In all the dark areas he seems to move faster than normal. + If telekinesis propels Sylar in flight, Dale would have heard him traveling. - Dale said that she didn't hear footsteps. However, in the scene, Sylar's heartbeat was audible and it was evident that Dale heard it the whole time. + However, the scene doesn't necessarily show the time that Sylar took to appear, but simply the time that Dale noticed. It is possible that, since Sylar has some psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies, Sylar just waited until either he was ready or that Dale noticed he was there, possibly to show her the true reason his heart raced when he met her.
Sylar has a limited form of tissue regeneration as a side-effect of his ability.	At one point, Sylar is able to alter his physiology enough to fool Hank into thinking that he is dead. He then appears to recover from the condition. (The Fix)	- This would seem to be inconsistent with his strong desire to acquire Claire's ability. - It is also possible that he used a limited form of mind control to force Hank to tell Mr Bennet that he was dead, although this would also seem to inconsistent with his desire to acquire Eden's ability. - The visual significance of the cockroach in his cell suggests that he acquired his ability to "play dead" from said insect (see the cockroach page).
Sylar has the ability of hibernation.	Sylar is able to fool Hank into thinking that he is dead. (The Fix)	+ He is able to trick Hank, who is (apparently) a trained doctor; a comatose or catatonic state could easily be mistaken for death, even by a doctor. + Hibernation could also help to explain how Sylar recovers from his injuries, such as when he falls in Odessa or when Modinder runs a board into him in New York.
Sylar doesn't actually have to kill to absorb new powers. Like Peter, he just needs to learn to access the powers in a new way. He has Claire’s power already, but doesn't know it, because of his strongly held beliefs about how he acquires powers.	None.	+ He survived his fall in Homecoming without significant injury. He was clinically dead and regenerated after they stopped giving him the tranquilizers that killed him. He was shot, yet managed to recover. - Sylar landed on Peter. He didn't have significant injury because Peter broke his fall. Sylar was even shown limping and Mr. Bennet said that he had lost a lot of blood. - Sylar may be hurt by gunshots, but his telekinesis lessens the damage. He healed like any normal person. - Writers Aron Coleite and Joe Pokaski have said that much of Sylar's apparent invulnerability is merely application of telekinesis and that if he had Claire's power, he would truly be unstoppable. This means that he does not have Claire's power.
Sylar's powers become weaker when he absorbs more powers.	None.	+ Sylar doesn't seem to notice his watch is stuck at 11:53. Later he may have fixed it but this could show that his powers are becoming weaker. - However, 11:53, the time that he killed Chandra Suresh, was after he had adopted the identity of Sylar. He had shed his role as a simple watchmaker to become something more. This is reinforced by the fact that the only time he fixes a clock after that point is at his mother's house, when pretending to be his old self and looking for her permission to just be normal. + In Unexpected, he is having trouble with headaches from his enhanced hearing. This could also be a sign that his powers are weakening or that he is simply going through the same process that Dale did as she learned to control her powers.
Sylar absorbs personalities as well as powers when he steals someone's powers.	None.	+ Sylar's internal monologue mirrors Charlie Andrews's way of talking as he is using her eidetic memory. (Road Kill) + After killing Zane Taylor, when pretending to be Zane and using Zane's power, Sylar seems to be much more nervous and excitable than usual. (Run!, Unexpected) • In the commentary for Unexpected, Zachary Quinto and Greg Beeman both comment upon the subtle clues in the lighting and acting that show Sylar "changing". - He was probably just doing this because he was pretending to be Zane, and wanted to convince Mohinder.
Sylar won't be able to absorb Peter's powers.	None.	+ Sylar's method of power theft seems to depend entirely upon his ability to logically understand how that person's brain works through intuitive aptitude. Since Peter's power is based off of emotion, it is possible Sylar will not be able to figure out what makes Peter "tick". Peter's power-duplication ability relies on empathy. Because Sylar isn't at all empathic, he won't be able to use Peter's ability. Sylar doesn't have any feeling for others, so he won't be able to duplicate anything he might get through Peter's power anyway. - We have been given no evidence that Peter's ability is any less grounded in the brain than anybody else's. • Even if he does gain access to Peter's powers, he may not gain access to the other powers that Peter has absorbed.
Sylar obtains powers through the manipulation of transposons.	None.	+ Transposons have the ability to literally cut and paste genetic material, and are responsible for 40% of human evolution. If Sylar had worked out how to manipulate them it would allow him to cut the desired genetic material and paste it into his own genome.
Sylar does eat the brains in order to absorb the soul of the person.	Chandra told Sylar if "the human soul exists, scientifically speaking, it exists in the brain." (Six Months Ago)	- If Sylar is getting his powers by eating brains then a supernatural explanation would likely be needed, because eating brain matter itself would only add whatever nutrients/fats/etc. that were present in it to his own body, much like the meat of animals that people consume every day.
Sylar may not have mastered Charlie's power.	None.	+ Sylar picks up a post-it note with Isaac's name and phone number. However, he seems to remember Isaac's information only after reading the torn comic book page. • It is not confirmed how much of Isaac's information was on the post-it note. We only know that his name and phone number were on the note. Sylar knew the state because the note was on the New York part of the map. + Sylar got upset when Mohinder's list (on his laptop) was destroyed.
Sylar has the power of Metabolic control	None.	+ Sylar has shown resistance to high doses of sedatives on at least two occasions. + Sylar has been able to mimic a death-like state at least once (The Fix) and possibly twice (How to Stop an Exploding Man) - This might not be a power, but rather something he has learned to do using his intuitive aptitude. There are examples in real life of people who have a high degree of control over their own body and its processes, so his intuitive aptitude power just lets him do that without years of training.
Sylar has absorbed the "powers" of a cockroach, allowing him to survive a radioactive explosion.	None	Sylar pretends to be dead and cockroaches can slow their heart rate which would give the illusion of death.
Sylar may have a secondary ability to control his body or genetic structure in a similar way to Peter Petrelli.	None	+ Sylar holds Peter up telekinetically and states "You're like me aren't you?" and says he'd love to see that work. + Sylar pretends to be dead after watching a cockroach crawl on the floor. Cockroaches slow their heart rate, just as Sylar seemingly did to fool Hank into thinking he was dead. + Possibly if he has a secondary ability to control his genetic structure, he may have to use his intuitive aptitude first to see how things work with a certain power. Taking the cue from Dr. Chandra Suresh that everything stems from the brain, he learned to read brains from a book and then used his secondary ability to alter himself to fit it. - Noah Bennet said that all the evolved humans with whom the Company has come in contact have only had one power each (Fallout)

Primatech Paper Co.

Theory	Citations	Notes
Primatech has been pointed out to also be the word "Primate" and the letters "CH", which some have speculated that may represent 'chromosome" as several powered characters are described as having chromosomal abnormalities indirectly. It could also represent the fusion of the two words "Primate and "Tech".	None.	+ The name "Primatech" could be split into "Primate" and "Tech" or "CH". - Splitting the name makes "Prima" and "Tech" or "Primate" and "CH", not "Primate" and "Tech". + Business card and on the Primatech Paper Co. Website they say that they were founded in 1962, the year Crick, Watson, and Wilkins won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material" (i.e. DNA). This could be an inside joke or part of their origin.
Primatech Paper Co. is owned by or does business with Dunder Mifflin (The Office).	None.	+ The show has already done indirect cross overs with Las Vegas and Friday Night Lights, both NBC shows. Paper was used by Primatech in many episodes. It is highly possible that they got their paper from Dunder Mifflin.

primatechpaper.com

Theory	Citations	Notes
The Primatech logo with the Symbol superimposed is the logo for The Company	None.	+ Clicking the image gives access to the secret area of the website. The rungs on the Symbol are reversed, possibly a reference to the Company's manipulation of evolved humans. - It's unlikely a logo for the whole organization, since Primatech Paper Co. is just one facility.

Shanti virus

Theory	Citations	Notes
The virus affects only evolved humans.	None	+ So far, all of the characters infected with the virus have been evolved humans.

Sylar's victims

Theory	Citations	Notes
Sylar may need to physically see the functioning brain (or believe he does) in order to give himself that power.	He is removing and taking brains, not merely observing their owners. (Don't Look Back, Seven Minutes to Midnight, Homecoming)	+ He was unable to consume Eden's power, as she destroyed her brain by shooting herself. + Sylar has seen enough brains by now that he knows exactly where to look in the brain for the use of the DNA mutation to figure out how the evolved human's powers function. + Sylar's intuitive aptitude would allow him to analyze how a power works very quickly

The Symbol

Theory	Citations	Notes
The symbol relates to the dragon in the story of Kensei and the Princess	Guillame tells his son the story of a serpent who ate a crane. In eating the crane, the serpent gained wings and was able to fly. Guillame sketches the symbol in the sand as he tells his story. (It Takes a Village, Part 3)	+ Dragons are often described as serpents with wings. + The dragon from Kensei's story is the only dragon that has been mentioned to date.
The symbol is meant to resemble RNA, which is where the abnormality lies...or just to indicate something to do with the abnormalities	None.	+ The Symbol directly resembles RNA, but missing a rung....which might be the actual genetic abnormality. + Sylar was noted to be messing with his DNA and probably RNA as well. RNA is also in the brain, which would make sense to this theory. - RNA is in every living cell, in all organs, and in all species. + Production staff refer to the symbol as the "single helix". - RNA is highly unstable, and its only last for a few minutes before being disintegrated. They could also refer to a "single helix" of DNA code wich many virus have.
The Symbol is the logo for Yamagato Corporation's Genetic Research Division.	None.	• Kimiko Nakamura does mention that Yamagato has a biotech division. (Distractions) - However, since both Hiro and Ando work for Yamagato, they would probably have recognized the symbol as a corporate logo, and not merely as stylized Japanese characters.
The different sightings of the symbol in various episodes were left behind by Hiro.	None.	+ After realizing the significance of the symbol and its relation to his ancient Japanese hero (Godsend), Hiro feels his calling to make this legend known to the world. Possibly after mastering his powers, he then travels back in time to the locations of several key events and leaves behind the symbol to promote Japanese culture to the Western world. His time-stopping skills would be crucial in this task, as he would have to tattoo Jessica and draw on Claire's textbook while avoiding detection. - That doesn't explain how the tattoo shows up on Jessica but not Niki. + The Haitian could also have been in cahoots with Hiro on this mission; Hiro would leave his mark while he erased the memories of the victims of this prank, hence they would have no memory of NOT having the symbol existing in their lives.
The Symbol marks evolved humans that work for the Company.	The Haitian wore the symbol on a necklace and works for the Company. (Collision)	+ Jessica has it on her back because she is an assassin for the Company (Linderman being in a management position in this organization). • The symbol is on the cover of the 9th Wonders! comic book. The Company could be the publisher of this magazine. • If this is true the Japanese origins of this symbol suggests that the Company also originated in Japan. - The Haitian has had the symbol necklace since before he began working for the Company. (It Takes a Village, Part 4)
The Symbol reveals, to the careful observer, that the head of the Company is actually Alfred Hitchcock.	None.	+ • If this is more than a coincidence, then it is almost certainly a reference rather than a plot point.
The Symbol has multiple meanings.	None.	+ The production staff and Tim Kring himself have said that the symbol represents a helix. + Ando noted that the symbol is a combination of two Japanese characters. (Godsend)
The Symbol can block or enhance a persons power.	None.	+ The Haitian wears the Symbol constantly around his neck and Heroes on occassion cannot use their power in his presence. - This is more than likely mental manipulation. + Jessica, although she was seemingly normal, in joining with her living sister Niki, she displays a mark which gives her power which she later covers to camouflage her identity. + Hiro has the Symbol on Kensei's sword, which he claims to help him control his power. - This is probably a mental thing. Hiro lost his confidence and optimism after Charlie's death. The sword merely made him feel better about himself and his mind was set.

Uluru

Theory	Citations	Notes
Uluru is actually a depiction of Sylar or a symbol thereof.	None.	+ His being invincible would have to do with the rapid regeneration ability he was planning on taking from Claire. It could also depict how his hunger for power will spiral to massive proportions. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru can bend space and time like Hiro.	None.
Uluru will be the thing that the characters are actually supposed to face...after it kills Sylar.	None.	- There is really no other evidence that Uluru will become important aside from Isaac seeing Uluru and Hiro having him as a background on his computer screen. + Isaac also painted Uluru, and Uluru appeared on the cover of "9th Wonders" a comic produced by Isaac Mendez. • The legend of Uluru also has a creation myth attached to it: the Dingo, a supernaturally enhanced creature. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru could be Jessica.	None.	+ She's already out of control and this can be a development of that. Or this could be her form when completely separated from Niki. She has said that she's in control now and she seems to think she's unstoppable. She might end up being the true antagonist. - As of Landslide, it seems that Jessica and Niki are finally on friendly terms. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru could be Peter.	None.	+ Peter is one of only three characters powerful enough to be him (Sylar and Niki/Jessica are the other two). + All the powers he's able to mimic, especially including Claire's regeneration, could easily justify him referring to himself as "invincible", just like Uluru. + His power comes from his depth of emotion, which is not always controllable or predictable. It could be that after being seriously hurt or betrayed by people he cares about, or from losing them, that he could utterly lose control of his emotions, turning him into a raging Uluru. + In Unexpected when Peter was fighting Isaac, as Peter became enraged, his voice became deep and distorted. + "Uluru" is the aboriginal name for Ayer's Rock in Australia. According to these native tribes, this monolith was central during the events of "Dreamtime". According to Aboriginal legend regarding the Dreamtime: "every meaningful activity, event, or life process that occurs at a particular place leaves behind a vibrational residue in the earth ... Everything in the natural world is a symbolic footprint of the metaphysical beings whose actions created our world. ... The Aborigines called this potency the "Dreaming" of a place, and this Dreaming constitutes the sacredness of the earth. Only in extraordinary states of consciousness can one be aware of, or attuned to, the inner dreaming of the Earth" (http://www.crystalinks.com/dreamtime.html). The concept of Dreamtime is, of course, subtle and complex, and there are varying interpretations of it. However, this understanding coincides perfectly with Peter's empathic connection to other people through power mimicry as well as through his apparently psychic dreams (knowing details about his brother's accident as it was happening, sharing a dream with Charles Deveaux right before he died, the vision of himself exploding, and perhaps even the dream he had of his brother turning into Sylar). + Most important, however, is his name. His first name and last name, Peter Petrelli, both come from the Latin term 'petra' meaning "rock." • There may be religious references of note. The "rock" on which Jesus supposedly wished his church to be built was a man whose name changed from Simon to Peter. That we had a Simone in a relationship with Peter (until her death, of course) is quite the parallel. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru will be a villain in a future season.	None.	+ Uluru has appeared as a formidable rock monster on the cover of 9th Wonders!, Issue #13. He also appeared in a dream/hallucination in which he menacingly towered over Isaac. • In How to Stop an Exploding Man, Molly mentions the existence of somebody "far worse" than Sylar. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru is the being who sees Molly when she looks for him.	None.	+ While using his power, Isaac sees Uluru - and Uluru sees and speaks to Isaac. - Isaac was, however, on heroin at the time. + Isaac Mendez used heroin to draw even before he drew Uluru, meaning that the heroin would not necessarily cause him to draw a hallucinatory image rather than an actual predictive image. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru is Peter and Nathan's father.	None.	+ Angela Petrelli told Peter that his father thought he was invincible. Peter had a vision when Nathan had an accident and when Charles Deveaux died, but he did not feel anything when his dad died, so he may be alive. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru is a symbol of Isaac's drug addiction	All representations of Uluru have originated from Isaac's drawings (9th Wonders!)
Peter will explode at the end of this season and the other heroes will think he is lost forever. But Peter will regenerate his subatomic particles, which will combine with the subatomic pavement and building materials that would be at the blast site, and thus become Uluru.	None.	+ In Isaac's vision, Uluru says, "Isaac! What have you done?!" which was echoed in "Unexpected" by Peter after Isaac had shot Simone. - The evolved humans' abilities reside in their genetic code, on a biological level. If Peter were to explode, his DNA would be broken down at an atomic level, destroying his power of regeneration. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru is the tied to the show LOST.	None.	+ Isaac of Uluru is a character in the show. - Uluru is the name of a sub-mountain, and indigenous religous location, in Australia where Isaac of Uluru (from LOST) lived. Since Australia exists in both shows, Isaac of Uluru and Uluru the Unstopable are not nessesarily connected. - LOST is on ABC, while Heroes is on NBC, which are competeing networks- it is unlikely that they will tie anything together with those two shows. + Jeph Loeb was a writer and supervising producer for Lost and is now co-executive producer and a writer for Heroes. Cross-references between the shows may be evidence of his influence. This fact is referenced in the commentary for Episode 20 found on NBC.com
Uluru has no role in the television series whatsoever.	None.	+ Uluru has not yet had any major role in the show. - Uluru appears in the graphic novels on nbc.com. - Isaac painted it. + Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Sylar will fight Uluru in a season finale.	None.	- Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Hiro will fight against Uluru in the future.	None.	+ According to Isaac's painting of Uluru that was published in the cover of "9th Wonders, issue #13", a man is standing in front of Uluru, if you look closer at this figure, you will notice that he has a ponytail and clothes that look similar to "Future Hiro", as he looked in the end of the 4th Episode. - The man in the picture, unlike Future Hiro, wears glasses. Also, his clothing looks more similar to the way Hiro was dressed in the season finale. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru will encounter Hana Gitelman.	None	+ In Isaac's painting of Uluru on the cover 13th Issue of 9th Wonders!, a person stands in front of Uluru. The person may be Hana Gitelman, with the same clothes as she wears at other times (The Death of Hana Gitelman). + Hana can see codes when she use her power, such as Isaac who can see the future with his paintings and he had an encounter with Uluru before (Isaac's First Time), so they both saw Uluru while using powers with ability to see things beyond normal view. - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.
Uluru took control over Sylar during the first season.	None	+ It could explain Sylar's strange behavior that made him a serial killer. + Molly Walker said that there is someone worse then Sylar; she may have been referencing Sylar. + When Sylar visited his mom (The Hard Part) he began acting strange, and he looked like a different person. His mom noticed it. + Uluru is portrayed as an evil character, and he's the subject of one of Isaac's paintings, so he can be a reasonable person to take over Sylar. + Sylar made a lot of strange voices during the first season, some of them seemingly without any reason (Distractions, .07%) Sylar may have been possessed by someone, possibly Uluru. + In an interview, the writers stated that "we would see a hint of Uluru before the season is over". - Kring confirmed that Uluru only existed in the pages of the comic books.

Waffles

Theory	Citations	Notes
Waffles are part of a conspiracy to take over the world.	None.	+ Waffles appear in quite a number of places. • Kaito is opposed to them, and is also, possibly, opposed to Linderman's actions. Perhaps he said he would not like waffles because he knows that Linderman is somehow using them to influence the population.
Waffles augment evolved humans' powers.	Both Hiro and Claire eat waffles before using their power. (Hiros, Collision)	+ This might also explain why Charlie works at Burnt Toast Diner -- she can get free waffles to strengthen her enhanced memory. + The power of waffles might be the reason Sylar takes the precaution of freezing James Walker before removing his brain. He could have mistakenly thought the latter was eating a waffle.
Waffles are tasty.	None.	+ Hiro admits having eaten waffles, and likes them. His father has admitted to not eating waffles, and doesn't like them.
Muffins suppresses the augmentative effect of waffles.	When Claire was removing freshly baked muffins from the oven in Better Halves, her power was weakened enough for her to feel pain.	+ Muffin backing within the Bennet household is likely part of Mr. Bennet's plan to conceal Claire from the Company.
Donuts are more powerful than waffles.	After Matt Parkman ate a dozen donuts, his power begins to manifest.	+ The immediate apprehension of Eden shows the Company's concern over donut consumption.
The reason we never see Hiro's waffles is that he is wholly unimpressed by them and is convinced that there must be truly incredible waffles out there. His search will lead him to Belgium ca. WWII where he will become the inspiration for the Flemish comic book character, Nero.	None.	• Everybody knows the best waffles are in Belgium, not America. (See the Hiro=Nero theory.)
Waffles allow one to achieve a euphoria sensation.	None.	+ Hiro admits having eaten waffles and enjoys them. • A possible reason Isaac was able to stay clean of heroin was because he used waffles as a substitute.
Candice has disguised herself as a waffle.	None.	• You never know...
Eden persuaded Hiro and Claire to like waffles.	None.	• Hiro's dad and Sylar could have been persuaded to not like waffles. • This may be why most people like waffles. • This may be why most of us watch Heroes!
Tim Kring owns stock in the Waffle House chain.	None.	• or maybe Mr. Muggles owns stock...
An important plot twist will occur on International Waffle Day.	None.	• International Waffle Day falls on March 25. - March 25 is a Sunday. Heroes is shown on Mondays.