Theory:Series of eight (painting)

Main Article Theories about the series of eight paintings Main Discussion

The following fan theories are about the series of eight paintings.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
The dead man in the 8th painting is not Noah Bennet.	None	+ Other paintings have shown the results of illusions, e.g. The President Stands Alone turned out to be Sylar, masquerading as Nathan. + It could be that Noah's father is still alive and is the one shown dead in 8/8. • Noah's father may have been a member of the group of twelve. - The only two shown with glasses in the Group of Twelve are known to be Mr. Petrelli and Bob. • It can also be someone who didn't wear glasses at the time the picture was taken but wears glasses now. + The man in the painting appears to be wearing plaid. Mr. Bennet seems like the kind of man who wouldn't be caught dead in plaid. So to speak. + Future events painted by Isaac have been prevented, e.g. the bomb did not go off in the middle of New York City in our current timeline. (How to Stop an Exploding Man). + Isaac could have altered the painting after he initially painted it. + The painting could depict events in someone's nightmare, as induced by Maury Parkman. - Isaac's paintings always seem to be of a general future; one that more than one person might or might not be able to witness. Maury Parkman's nightmares are visible only to the person experiencing them, as evidenced by Fight or Flight.
The painting portraying Noah's death is a fake planted by the Company.	None	+ It is very convenient that this was the only painting left for Mohinder to find. • This implies that the Company knows about Noah and Mohinder's alliance.
The 8th painting does not actually picture Claire.	None	+ Lack of facial detail caused confusion of which cheerleader was murdered on the part of Peter and HRG. + The painting could depict any of a number of other blonde characters.
The figure embracing Claire in the picture is West.	None.	+ West is currently in a romantic relationship with Claire. + If the dead body depicted is indeed Noah Bennet, West is a likely suspect in the murder: West was once "bagged and tagged" by Noah when the latter worked at the Company, and may want revenge. The picture may be depicting the immediate aftermath of Noah's death. - The blonde girl in the picture may not be Claire, and it is unlikely that, if West were present, he would be embracing someone else. + The two people kissing in painting 8/8 are not the same height. West has to bend his knees to kiss the girl.
Jessica is the blonde girl in the painting of Noah's death. Mohinder is the shadowy character, and is also the one who killed Noah.	None.	+ Mohinder is becoming increasingly unwilling to follow the will of Mr. Bennet, as evidenced in The Line. + Painting 7/8 in the series of eight depicts Mohinder holding a smoking gun. (The Line) In painting 8/8, Mr. Bennet is obviously dead due to a gunshot wound in his eye. • The person who Mohinder believes to be Niki at the end of The Line might actually be Jessica, as Niki/Jessica's sudden recovery, employment by the Company, and coming on to Mohinder seems uncharacteristic of Niki. + Niki/Jessica is wearing the same black outfit that Jessica is seen wearing previously in the series. + Jessica has shown that she is capable of using her sex appeal to manipulate others. She could manipulate Mohinder into killing Noah. + Niki/Jessica claims that she is working for the Company now. (The Line) Since Noah is working to bring down the Company, Niki/Jessica would want him eliminated. + The silhouetted person in painting 8/8 is slightly taller than the blonde girl, as he has to bend slightly to kiss her. Mohinder is slightly taller than Jessica, as evidenced by comparing Sendhil Ramamurthy's and Ali Larter's heights in this photo.
The shadowy figure holding Claire in the 8th painting is Sylar, after having regained full use of his abilities including Candice's power of Illusion. The painting shows another attempt by Sylar to steal Claire's ability through an elaborate illusion, perhaps making her believe that Sylar had disguised himself as her father and is now neutralized.	None.	+ As seen in Five Years Gone Sylar highly values Claire's power of regeneration and has been shown to use illusions in order to steal her ability. + The silhouette of the shadowy figure has hair similar to Sylar's (i.e. spiky in front). + Sylar has been depicted as the shadowy figure in Isaac's paintings before, e.g. the painting of Clair running and the painting Peter finished.
Mohinder will accidentally kill Mr. Bennet.	None.	+ If the paintings were chronologically ordered, Mohinder, in painting 7/8, may shoot Mr. Bennet, in painting 8/8. + Sylar, posing as Mr. Bennet, may attack Mohinder, and let Mohinder kill him. This may lead to Sylar taking Claire's ability, leaving Mohinder shocked and disappointed at his mistake. + Judging from a closeup of Mohinder's face in an uncolored version of painting 7/8, there appears to be tears in his eyes. This could be because he shot Noah accidentally or unwillingly. • It could be he is crying because his nose is broken. - His nose has been bandaged, which means that the wound is there for quite a while before Mohinder fired the pistol. It seems unlikely that someone will cry suddenly because of a wound from a while ago.
Mohinder has shot Niki/Jessica in painting 7/8.	None.	+ Mohinder and Niki/Jessica are now working together. Combined with the threatening undercurrent of their first conversation as partners and the suggestion in painting 4/8 that Niki/Jessica will go nuts, Mohinder will eventually have to try to stop his new partner. + The look on Mohinder's face could be the shock of how little damage shooting Niki/Jessica has done. + Another dimension of Niki's power could be an imperviousness to physical harm, at least to bullets anyway. + Niki/Jessica has no problem killing the members of the poker game in Better Halves despite one or more members being armed. + As he was clearly against the virus spreading, he might have had to, due to Niki being a new victim of the Shanti virus.
The hand with the vial is Bob holding the "New" Shanti virus.	None.	• The vial Bob gave to Mohinder could appear clear in the right lighting, otherwise appearing a light blue.
Mohinder shot Bob in painting 7/8.	None.	+ Mohinder and Noah's ultimate goal is to destroy The Company.
Mohinder shoots Noah in the painting 7/8.	None	+ Mohinder was given a gun by the company and was on his way to Noah.
The painting 8/8 needs to be rotated to be viewed accurately.	This would mean that Noah is standing and the other figures are lying down	+ Half of the painting is in shadow, so an important element of the scenery may be obscured. This could be the surface on which the two characters are lying.