Theory:Sylar

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The following fan theories are about Sylar.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
The Company kept Sylar alive with Adam's blood while they tested him.	Mr. Bennet told Hank to keep bringing Sylar back if he died.	+ It appears that the Company has done the same with HRG. + Sylar hasn't demonstrated any other ability that would allow him to recover from death. If he did, he probably wouldn't have needed Claire. • This might also explain why Sylar no longer needs glasses. - If the Company has a stock of Adam's blood, they wouldn't need Claire's blood - and they would have cured Sylar after the Kirby plaza event instead of letting him cure by himself under the guard of Candice. + They could have ran out of Adam's blood, and by the time they went to get some more, Adam had already escaped. + Bob seemed to be confident of Claire's blood's regenerative powers. This could be because he saw Adam's blood have the same effect. + Adam could have found out about his blood's healing properties through this. - HRG's instructions could have simply referred to bringing Sylar back by conventional methods, for example cardiac resuscitation.
Sylar's life has been repeatedly saved by a shadow-faction within the Company - not by the Company itself.	We learned in Fallout that orders came from someone high-up in the Company to prevent Sylar from being killed after his capture in Odessa, despite their usual policy of killing those with dangerous powers who could not be controlled. Someone high up in the Company arranged and paid for Sylar to receive treatment for his injuries and for Candice to keep an eye on him. (Kindred) The background given for Sylar in his updated profile on Assignment Tracker 2.0 ends with his escape from the Primatech facility in Odessa and a note that Sylar's "current location is unknown". Apart from speculation that he may have been responsible for killing Theodore Sprague, no mention is made of Sylar's role in the later events of Volume One - much less the events of Volume Two. This suggests that whoever has been using the Company's resources to aid Sylar has been doing so without their approval.	+ Granting that the Company has been consistently arrogant in which threats they could control (locking up Adam Monroe, putting Maury Parkman in a coma, etc.) they have also had a record of killing those empowered people who were too unstable or too dangerous to be controlled. It goes against their mission to keep saving Sylar's life regardless of how much could be learned by studying him. + In Powerless, it seems that Elle was surprised to see Sylar alive and well. Given that she knew who Sylar was, it also seems likely she would have known if Sylar was being preserved somewhere using Company resources if it were an official Company operation. + Additionally, somebody at The Company would probably have checked up on Candice and found out about her death and Sylar's escape had she not been working in secrecy. + If Angela Petrelli really is Sylars mother, she could have done that. We also see that she runs the company in another way than Bob.
Sylar is meant to be Peter's literary/thematic antithesis.	None.	+ He has a similar motivation (to be special), similar looks, (perhaps) similar powers, both have mothers that don't believe in them, and both men have even talked to a Suresh who ultimately gave up on him before he could prove that he was special. One major difference between them is that Sylar's main power depends upon logic and Peter's power depends upon emotion - a common theme in many literary conflicts. + In Five Years Gone, when Sylar and Peter fight, Sylar uses cryokinesis while Peter uses the power of pyrokinesis. In other words, Sylar is cold and emotionless ice, while Peter is hot and passionate fire. + The cast commentary confirms that it was "fire and ice". + Peter and Sylar have the same initials as a well-known pair of comic book nemeses: Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and the Green Goblin.
Sylar may also be a thematic foil to evolution itself.	None.	+ His profession of watchmaker is often used as an analogue to an intelligent designer. Rather than following an evolutionary imperative, he appears to be redesigning himself using existing powers as a template which he then improves upon. + Evolution requires reproduction of the fittest, not merely survival of the fittest. So, unless he starts trying to have babies, he can't affect evolution at all. In fact, by taking so many evolved people out of the gene pool, he is actually slowing down evolution. + With all the alterations to his DNA, it is possible that he will cease to be genetically human and will therefore be unable to reproduce.
Sylar can be identified with some supernatural harbinger of the end of the world.	None.	+ Sylar builds and restores watches. The notion of supernatural "watchmaker," setting the laws of science in place then letting them tick away, is one frequent symbol for God (a rather apt one for a show centering around apparently God-directed evolution). + Sylar, like the biblical Lucifer/Satan, became dissatisfied with his status in life, wanting desperately to be more important, more special. By acquiring more and more superhuman powers, he appears to be making himself God-like, an act of supreme hubris. + "Gabriel" is the name of the archangel supposed to arrive immediately prior to the apocalypse. • The first episode of the first season (Genesis) and the first episode after the mid-season break (Godsend) both had titles of religious significance, the first being "Genesis" and the next being "Godsend." The Haitian associates these powers with being from God, and Jessica's character flippantly rejects the need for God's help at the end of Godsend. There are many religious references (predominantly Christian) throughout the show, which could be hints that Sylar plays a significant role in a supernatural scheme. • Both "Genesis" and "Godsend" begin with a G, as do both of Sylar's real names (Gabriel Gray).
Sylar is Peter Petrelli's twin brother.	None.	+ Tim Kring said "Peter and Sylar are two halves of a similar coin". - That would rather refer to them being enemies and completely opposite. + Their abilities are both absorbing powers, although differently. • Both Zachary Quinto (Sylar) and Milo Ventimiglia (Peter) were born in 1977. + Sylar's comment about "brother against brother" in Five Years Gone would have been coincidentally accurate, making a dark joke out of Peter's reply that his brother can't phase through walls. + In his interview with Chandra Suresh he stated he wished someone would come along and tell him that his family wasn't really his family, this could have been foreshadowing, as Angela could very well had not been able to detect a power from Sylar and placed him up for adoption to keep him from getting hurt. + It has been confirmed that Peter and Sylar are brothers, so it is entirely possible they could be twins. - Behind the Eclipse interview says they're not. + In the spoilers he has the same ability as Peter
Sylar may have a secondary ability that works with his intuitive aptitude to alter his genetics.	None.	+ Sylar takes brains and does something with them, but we don't know what. + Sylar somehow altered his own body to mimic death when he was in the cell at Primatech. + Several evolved humans seem to have multiple, related abilities (Hiro bends time and space, the Haitian removes memories negates abilities of those around him). - Noah Bennet said that all the evolved humans with whom the Company has come in contact have only had one power each. Whatever Sylar does to give himself more powers should be just another facet of his own ability, or something that anyone could do (but only Sylar knows how). + If Sylar had some secondary ability to alter his body as long as he understood the principles and what was needed, he could modify himself in order to add powers to the core of his specific genome that gives all evolved humans their abilities. This is similar to Peter's mimicking, which is perhaps the reason Sylar said, "You're like me aren't you? I'd like to see how that works."
Sylar's intuitive understanding of how things work is not a special power, but some form of autism or savant ability.	None.	+ When Chandra first tested him, none of the tests suggested that he had an ability. + While being tested by Hank at Primatech, Hank could see no signs of any special abilities other than telekinesis, possibly suggesting that before he killed Brian Davis and acquired his ability, he had none of his own. - At the time, Sylar had several abilities, such as cryokinesis. If only telekinesis was detected, that means there are definitely holes in the Company's system - Peter manifested this ability. - He was on Chandra's list.
Sylar is a different species of evolved human.	None.	+ there is much about him that is different from the others know evolved humans, and his original power was not detected by Chandra. - Chandra might have lacked the necessary equipment to detect intuitive aptitude. + Only his telekinesis was detected by The Company. + This would make him a even better villain and a opposite force for other characters.
Sylar has Mosaic DNA and is a Chimera.	None.	+ This explains why the Company only found "telekinesis DNA" when tested him.
Sylar steals abilities by eating part of an evolved human's brain.	Referring to Sylar, Molly Walker said, "You can't stop the boogeyman. He sees into your soul, and then he eats your brain." (The Hard Part)	• As yet, there is no conclusive proof that Sylar actually consumes any part of the brains he steals. + Speaking at Wizard Universe in January 20, 2007, Tim Kring confessed that Sylar does eat at least part of the brains. + The removed brains are never found. Since Sylar is always on the move, eating them would be the quickest way for him to dispose of them. - On two occasions (.07% and Kindred), Sylar was shown right after he had stolen a power or attempted to steal a power. In both cases, he had blood all over his hands, but his face was totally clean. - While Sylar was taking Claire's ability, he seemed to be "scanning" her brain, instead of disecting it. Claire then asked him if he was going to eat her brain, to which he replied "Claire- that's disgusting."
Sylar can recover from near-fatal wounds (such as being shot) by using his telekinesis to perform surgery on himself.	None.	+ There were many medical textbooks in Sylar's apartment, which he could have memorized once he gained enhanced memory. + In the graphic novel Road Kill, Sylar definitely shows bullet wounds where Noah shot him, and he mentions "These bullet holes wouldn't be a problem if I had just gotten to that cheerleader." However, he still manages to recover remarkably fast. His telekinesis could also have eased the impact of the bullets. + The writers have stated that much of Sylar's apparent invulnerability is due to his telekinesis.
Sylar has some sort of enhanced durability or a super charged immune system power.	None.	+ Hank told Noah Bennet that they had administered enough glycimerine to kill an elephant. + He hit the Bennet's fridge with enough force to dent it and was able to escape the Haitian with relative ease. + Sylar has killed at least ten people but has only conclusively exhibited seven acquired powers. + Sylar fell off the roof of Union Wells High and walked away. When Peter sustained the same fall, his legs were mangled and entire body bloodied. - He wasn't completely unharmed after the fall, he is seen walking with quite a limp. Also, he could have formed a telekinetic cusion for himself to land on, but let Peter fall. + After being stabbed through the chest, it took four months for him to heal enough to wake up, but he did heal. + He could use his telekenisis to deaden the impact of weapons or move his internal organs out of the path of weapons. This would cause him pain, but possibly less than getting shot or stabbed.
Sylar wasn't going to kill Molly Walker; he was going to kidnap her and use her to find other evolved humans.	None.	• Sylar normally leaves no signs of physical contact when attacking his victims. Sylar causes a ruckus when he tries to drag Molly away when he could have easily killed her in the blink of an eye. (One Giant Leap). + Sylar showed that he had some conscience when he was afraid of blowing up after painting the explosion. He may have, at first, also been opposed to killing a child. - Sylar can just kill Molly and take her ability.
Even if the Haitian were to remove the memories of Claire from Sylar, Sylar would not be affected because of the enhanced memory he gained from Charlie.	None.	- Having an eidetic memory means one can form memories quickly and accurately, and in volume. Those memories can still be lost by damage to the brain, so the Haitian could excise those memories like any others. However, Sylar's precise memory may make it more likely for him to notice incongruities in what is left. + Charlie's power comes from a genetic anomaly, and not simply eidetic memory. The Haitian could suppress her power long enough to erase her memories, but might have to continually nullify her power to keep her memory from returning via enhanced memory. + The first trailer for Godsend included a shot of Sylar lying on the floor of his cell with Mr. Bennet saying "He is to have no memory of Claire." This may mean that, in an unaired scene, Mr. Bennet had the Haitian erase Sylar's memories of Claire. If so, Sylar somehow resisted having his memories erased. + When the Haitian wipes Peter's mind, it only takes him a week or two to get them back, them having been triggered by the familiarity of his mother. Sylar could have encountered something that triggered his memory. + Healing restores memories. If the Company used Adam's blood to stop Sylar from dying, it is concievable that his memories returned too.
Sylar killed Claude and stole his power.	None.	+ In How to Stop an Exploding Man, Noah and Peter go to Kirby Plaza, but they don't see Sylar. Peter says that he must be "hiding in plain sight." Sylar then seemingly appears out of nowhere behind Noah. - Sylar has always been sneaky. He could use telekinesis or an unknown power to increase his speed or stealth. - Claude is invisible, making it near impossible for Sylar to find him. - Invisible people can see other invisible people (Peter first finding Claude). In Mohinder's apartment when Peter saves Mohinder from Sylar, Sylar cannot see Peter, and so uses the glass shards to find him.
Sylar has gained a power which repairs or enhances his vision.	Gabriel Gray wore glasses. (Six Months Ago) After this time, he did not wear them until visiting his mother. (The Hard Part)	- It is possible that he only wore glasses in Six Months Ago because he was working on a watch. - Gabriel wears glasses while talking to Chandra and outside of his apartment. - Sylar could be wearing corrective contact lenses. + With his apparent knowledge of optical lenses, Sylar could have studied up on refractive surgery and then used telekinesis to change the shape of his own cornea in order to give himself 20/20 vision. - Hiro always uses glasses, but when he travels to ancient Japan he seems to see perfectly without them. • Perhaps the noticeable lack of glasses is down to what the writers describe as "coolness effect". Sylar seems more human and hesitant when he wears glasses. - He could have only needed the glasses to see long or short distances but only wore them as a force of habit.
Sylar developed powers at a young age, as Micah and Sanjog did.	None.	+ Sylar has stated matter-of-factly on more than one occasion that he can understand how things work. The connotation of this may imply that he has had this particular power for a long time, that he, too, developed powers at a young age. + His initial power suggests an inherent intellectual prowess; both Micah and Sanjog are smarter than usual for their age. - His apparent cleverness may simply be a byproduct of intuitive aptitude. - Intuitive aptitude may not actually be a power. + Intuitive Aptitude has been confirmed as a power by Sylar himself, when talking to Maya in the car on the way to the border.
One of Sylar's abilities is enhanced reflexes or "danger sense".	None.	+ Sylar would need enhanced senses to stop speeding bullets. - Sylar doesn't make an attempt to dodge Hiro when he rushes at him from about ten feet away yelling loudly with his sword pointed towards Sylar's chest. (How to Stop an Exploding Man) + He may only be able to sense things he can't see.
Sylar never acquired and never will acquire Candice's power of illusion.	None.	+ Since none of Sylar's powers worked in Kindred, his intuitive aptitude would not have worked either, and thus he would never have learned how Candice's brain worked. - Sylar seems to understand how Candice's power works, but is unable to duplicate it. • Since he didn't have his Intuitive aptitude, he could have botched the power-taking process, and he won't have it even with his powers back. Of course, he could have also been doing it from memory, as he's done it so many times before.
Sylar's adoptive father, if he appears, will be played by Leonard Nimoy.	None.	+ Two principal cast members from Star Trek (George Takei and Nichelle Nichols) have played the parent (or grandparent) of a main character, and Zachary Quinto is going to portray a young Spock in the next Star Trek movie. - Other casting coincidences cannot be used to predict who would play a characters relative. Why would the writers limit themselves to one actor?
Sylar understands Spanish.	None.	+ Sylar often showed some form of understanding of conversations between Alejandro and Maya, such as the fact that Alejandro needed Maya to translate English to Spanish, or his desire to abandon Sylar and cross with a coyote. - Sylar may have understood Alejandro's intent from tone and body language. + Sylar's intuitive aptitude, if it still works, may have helped him to learn the language by now. + Sylar could have used Charlie's power to learn Spanish earlier, or could simply have learned in school. + In How to Stop an Exploding Man, Sylar appears to understand Japanese, as he responds very specifically to what Hiro says to Ando. • Again, Sylar may simply have been picking up intent from tone, context, and body language.
Sylar physically absorbed Brian Davis's DNA to gain his power, but thanks to a more recently acquired power he no longer must do this.	Hank says that Sylar only has telekinesis DNA in his body.	+ Sylar obtained an unknown power from James Walker that he has not otherwise shown. - In that case, Hank's inspection would also show James Walker's or the other person's DNA he used to more easily acquire other abilities.
Sylar has to think about the person that he has taken his power from just like Peter.	None.	+ This might explain why we have not seen all of his power that he has taken, he might never have seen their face, just their brain, it might also explain why he might never be able to use Candice's power, as he only thinks of her as when he saw her illusion. - Sylar has to see his victims eventually in order to take their brains, he even saw the real Candice (Betty) once she was dead.
Sylar will become Nathan to use Peter to try and destroy the Company.	None.	+ Both Peter and Sylar have good reasons to go after the Company: Peter for the death of his brother, and Sylar for injecting him with a virus. - Nathan is not dead, he survived the shot. - There's no clear evidence that anyone working with the company shot Nathan. + Peter will realize that the one entity that didn't want the truth out, was the Company. In addition, it wouldn't be hard to convince him that the Company was responsible. + This would also allow Sylar to get close to Peter.
The Company spent considerable resources saving Sylar's life because they need him to extract the power stored in the brain inside the Vault.	One of the items inside the Primatech Vault is a preserved brain.	+ The brain is stored alongside assorted mystery items, including a virus with the power to wipe out the human race, suggesting it holds high value or significant power. + Despite the incredible danger Sylar poses to all evolved humans, the Company has gone to great lengths to preserve his life; forbidding Mr. Bennet from killing him in Season 1, and treating him with several major surgeries to save him from the stab wound from Hiro's katana. + The crew commentary to Powerless suggests that the vault items are major clues to future plot points. + Sylar is the only character to be associated with brains as a plot element. - It would be insane to willingly give a powerful ability to someone as dangerous and uncontrollable as Sylar. + The brain's power may be of a highly valuable but non-combat-related nature, such as Bob's ability to turn base metals into gold. • The Company may believe that they had the means to control Sylar, i.e. by having Maury Parkman mentally dominate him, or by having the Haitian mindwipe his more vicious impulses. • It would be insane to create a virus that could destroy more than 90% of the world's population. + It could also be the reason why the company kept Peter in a cell. Peter should have Sylar's intuitive aptitude ability and would also be able to extract the power from the brain.
Sylar cannot become angry as he uses telekinesis to slow his own heart rate down.	It seems that Sylar only ever becomes angry when he cannot use his powers or when he is distracted.	- Hypothetically it's possible, if impractical (it'd be dangerous if someone surprised him while he did so). But more likely, it's because Sylar thinks he's untouchable, and of course he'd become angry if the only things that make him feel "unique" and "special" were taken away.
Sylar uses Charlie's power to remember the powers of all the people he has killed.	None.	- It does not take superhuman memory to remember people.
If Sylar obtains the Haitian's power he will not have to kill anyone else to obtain more abilities.	None.	+ Sylar's power allows him to "understand how things work." If he obtains the Haitian's power he could be able to analyze someone's brain without having to kill them. • This method has not yet been used. • It's not yet revealed how Sylar obtains abilities. {[note}} Although he may not have to, it is likely Sylar will continue to murder people as it makes him feel powerful and special.
The Serpent in the story of the Serpent and the Crane is a symbolic representation of Sylar.	None.	+ The Serpent kills the Crane and takes its ability to fly. This sounds a lot like power theft. - The story may be symbolic of the Haitian and his ability. The Haitian take the memories of others and "takes" the powers of others. He takes away Guillame's ability, and Guillame tells him that he wants to fly again. (It Takes a Village, Part 3) + Guillame asks, "What good is it to fly, if you have nowhere to go?" Sylar is in a similar situation because he takes powers but does not use them for anything except to gain more powers. + The Serpent believes that the Crane is unworthy of its wings just as Sylar believes his victims are unworthy of their powers. + Serpents are always symbols of evil, especially a form the devil commonly takes. • Serpents are not always symbols of evil. The Ouroboros, for instance, is symbolic of cycles, eternity, and unity. Snakes have also been symbolic of protection, wisdom, renewal/rebirth (outside of the Ouroboros' cyclical symbolism), and medicine (such as on the caduceus). - Although the resemblances are interesting, it's unlikely that the Haitian's tribe would have ever met someone like Sylar before, nor is it likely Sylar would have heard the legend. + While Guillame probably was not deliberately referring to Sylar himself, it is likely that the writers meant for the Serpent to be a symbol or representation of Sylar. - Sylar has had very little contact with the Haitian at all. - Around the time that the It Takes a Village series would have taken place, Sylar would have been very young and still call himself Gabriel. - It is unlikely that Sylar is connected to a Haitian tale. - Linda Tavara's story indicates that Sylar is not the first or only evolved human who has attempted to steal the evolved abilities of others. • Considering that the story is prevalent only in the graphic novels, it is likely that it may be symbolic of the Haitian. However, considering the serpentine nature of Sylar and the stealing of the ability to fly, it could also be prophetic of Sylar killing Nathan and taking his power, just as it was shown in Five Years Gone.
Sylar's rescue by Maya, Alejandro, and Derek was engineered by Drucker.	None.	+ One evolved human being saved by two other evolved humans riding in a car stolen from a third evolved human is a very big coincidence. - Coincidences are hardly uncommon in Heroes, nearly all the characters bump into each other or are inter-related at some point in the show, this could be just another such occurrence. + Derek's fraternity, the reason he stole the Rogue and went to Mexico, has a portrait of Drucker, strongly suggesting that the two are connected.
Sylar has the power of phasing from someone other than D.L.	None.	+ It seems that Sylar has been able to disappear or appear very quickly without being noticed. For example, he could've phased out of the FBI Headquarters (One Giant Leap)
Sylar has a brother named Michael.	None.	+ Gabriel and Michael are the only named angels in the Bible and Sylar's mother is shown to have been very spiritual. • Raphael is also an angel.
Sylar had a brother who he has murdered/will murder.	None.	• The Biblical name could be a hint that Sylar will act as Cain did.
Sylar will become a hero in Volume 3.	None.	• Angela does not appear to be disturbed by Sylar grabbing her shoulder in the teaser. - Angela is not necessarily a hero. In fact there is a lot of evidence to the contrary. Nathan tells Angela "You're evil, Ma", when discussing the plans that lead to Peter's apparent death. Angela could have feasibly joined Sylar to complete an unknown goal. + In the teaser, Noah is heard saying "It's like 12 Sylars". In the episode Five Years Gone, Sylar (posing as Nathan) issues an order to wipe out all of the other people with powers for the simple reason "I'm getting rid of the competition." This suggests that if there are people with the same goal as him (to gain more powers by killing powerful people) this would count as competition. Thus he would join the 'heroes' to fight these new 'villains'.
Sylar's father has a superpower/ He's one of the Original 12.	None.	• Nothing is known about Sylar's father other than he was a watchmaker. + Most of the lead characters have at least one superpowered parent. + Most of the lead characters are somehow related to at least one of the Original 12. ((plus)) Sylar's biological mother is Angela Petrelli; presumably, his father is Arthur Petrelli, if not another enhanced human.
Sylar himself does not have any powers himself, but instead gained the ability to figure out how things work, thus being able to copy powers by studying the brain of an evolved human via the formula.	None.	- The show wouldn't pay so much attention to it if it wasn't an ability. + Sylar never detected positive for having abilities, meaning he didn't have a genetic mutation, disqualifying him as an evolved human. - Chandra stated that his test were not full-proof. + When he takes Claire's power, he does not eat her brain, as she suspects he would. Rather, he examines her brain to find out how her power works. - If anyone else stared at the brain of Claire or any other evolved human, they wouldn't gain their ability as Sylar does. - He is the son of Angela Petrelli and all her children that we know of all have abilities.
Sylar is Noah Bennet's biological father.	We don't know who Noah's father is, so he may be Sylar. While HRG's biological mother may be Elle Bishop, since we know she shares a story arc with Sylar in Season 3.	+ They could travel back in time to the 1960s, in order to put Noah up for adoption. His adoptive parents are unknown, but HRG must’ve recognized the house that he grew up in. So when his family was on the run from the Company, Noah knew exactly where to find the perfect safe house. - Both Elle and Sylar are far too young to be Noah's parents.
Sylar is brothers with Hiro Nakamura, Nathan and Peter Petrelli.	We don't know who Sylar's father is, so he may be Arthur Petrelli. While Hiro's biological mother may actually be Angela Petrelli, since we know she slept with Kaito Nakamura.	+ Angela's power is similar to Precognition, while Kaito's ability was probability prediction. So then Arthur's power may also be related with probability, since two of the four parents can already predict the future in some kind of way. + All of their children would have similar abilities as well; Sylar (Intuitive aptitude) and Peter (Empathic mimicry) are related, while Hiro (Space-time manipulation) and Nathan (Flight) are also very similar.
Angela Petrelli is not really Sylar's mother.	None	+ Sylar and Peter being related seems too convinient and makes for a weak twist. + Sylar once stated that as a child, he wished someone would tell him that his parents weren't really his parents. This may have been on Sylars file, which Angela had access to. Sylar would want to believe that someone else in his family has a power. + Angela might want to use Sylar to round up the escaped prisoners. + When Angela went to touch Sylar before his mission with Noah, she pulled her hands back. This could be because she knew he now had the ability to see her entire past. Sylar also noticed the odd gesture of her sudden retraction of the hands before being interrupted by the arrival of Noah in Angela's office.
Sylar is having a baby.	It is implied that he slept with Maya in Season 2.	+ She may be pregnant. Sylar wasn't the only one that slept with Maya. Mohinder Suresh slept with her. I highly doubt Sylar carries condoms. + Zachary Quinto, who plays Sylar, says he and another hero will have a baby named Noah. - Gabriel Gray in the future has a blond child named Noah Gray and it is highly doubtful that Maya or Sylar were blond when they younger.
Sylar's achilles' heel, his kryptonite, is calling him Gabriel.	He has been visibly upset when he is called Gabriel, almost as if he is in pain.	- Both his adoptive and biological mothers have called him Gabriel repeatedly. • This could just be because of Sylar's soft spot for mother figures.
Sylar will kill Nathan and take his ability of flight.	In a possible future, Sylar had in fact killed Nathan and taken his ability.	- Now that Nathan is Sylar's brother, maybe Sylar will gain a soft spot for him. + Much of that future has come true, such as Candice's death by Sylar's hand. - Sylar did not acquire Candice's ability in the current timeline.
Sylar has lost all his gained powers except telekinesis and has just started over gaining new powers.	Sylar hasn't used any power except telekinesis before he got to Claire.	+ In a chat transcript at CBR, writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coliete confirmed this when asked about it (Even though they are joking around a lot in these chats). In the same instance they confirmed, that at this point he only possesses the powers of telekinesis, rapid cell regeneration (from Claire), alchemy (from Bob), and sound manipulation (from Jesse) besides his own power of intuitive aptitude. - When Peter meets him four years in the future, Sylar uses Isaac's abilty to paint the future, as well as Ted Sprague's induced radioactivity. - Adam Monroe helps Peter Petrelli 'heal' his brain to recollect his memory. As Sylar's ability involves understanding how an ability works, if he is eventually able to heal his brain, he might be able to remember how all of his previously acquired skills worked.
Sylar only becomes "good" in the future, because Angela gave him the love and affection he never recieved. When realising that Angela will never give up on him - He changes his way and becomes a new man.	None	+ As seen in One of Us, One of Them Angela has much faith in Sylar. When Sylar states that Angela is wrong about him - She responds "We'll see".
Sylar's genetic marker for telekinesis (as stated in Godsend) means that his body has accepted it as a natural power, not an acquired one.	None	+ It would explain why Sylar has retained this power after losing the rest of his acquired abilities. + It might also explain why Peter has not been shown using any of Sylar's other acquired abilities - perhaps his empathy only works on 'natural' powers. - The writer's have stated that Peter absorbed all of Sylar's abilities. He may just have a hard time using any of Sylar's other powers because he associates Sylar's memory with telekinesis.
Adam Monroe is Sylar's father.	None	+ Sylar does not look like Arthur Petrelli, so Adam may be his father. - He doesn't look like Adam either.
Kaito is Sylar's father.	Angela Petrelli said in Lizards that she "hadn't slept with [Kaito] in a long time."	- Sylar doesn't look half-Japanese. + My friend's biological father is Chinese and my friend doesn't look Chinese (at all). Kaito being Sylar's father could be a possibility. + Both Angela's and Kaito's powers (precognitive dreaming and (seeing as it has no formal name) "seeing the variables of any situation and predicting the outcome") are related to Sylar's. + In I Am Become Death, Gabriel explains to Peter that his ability lets him "understand everything. Cause, effect. Action, reaction." This is similar to Kaito's ability.
Other than his "hunger" for learning new things and abilities, Sylar is actually a good person.	None.	- Sylarsaid to Noah that he can't stop his hunger just before he killed Jesse to get his ability. + Sylar is a good person in the exposed future and has a child. This proves that he is able to control his "hunger", still he confesses that it is terribly hard. - Sylar has never shown much reluctance to kill until recently, and seems to enjoy it much more than a good person should. + This doesn't mean Sylar will stay a villain forever; he confesses in the exposed future that he became a killer but he is able to control his hunger which is the source to all his "Villainy".
Sylar named his son after HRG because he accidently killed him before this part of the future and wants to try and redeem himself this means that Claire is after him for that and for taking her ability.	Claire confessed to Meredith that she wanted to hurt Sylar for what he did to her.	+ We didn't see HRG in the future. + In Resistance, Claire talks about getting over the loss of her parents. Maybe Sylar accidentally killed them. - Claire's confession to Merideth came long before the Exposed Future, at a time when Noah was (and still is) alive and well. . + She still said at that point she wanted to hurt him for what he did to her.
Sylar is destined to become a hero in some form by overcoming or disposing of the "hunger" that intuitive aptitude causes.	We have already seen that Noah's influence reformed Sylar and helped him suppress his hunger in the future.
Sylar wears his glasses in the future because to suppress his hunger he must not use his abilities. He is able to take off his glasses in the present because he uses one of his powers (telekinesis or otherwise) to enhance his vision.	None.	+ Future Gabriel Gray is reluctant to use his precognitive power, as it would activate his hunger. If he were to use a different power to enhance vision, this would also activate the hunger. - The glasses may just be a symbolic representation of his life before he began gaining abilities.
Sylar was put up for adoption because Arthur and Angela didn't want more than two children.	None	+ Peter and Nathan weren't put up for adoption. - Angela gave him away, because she saw what he would become. - According to Arthur, Angela first wanted to kill him.
Sylar named his son Noah because HRG will become a father figure toward him or because he is in fact Sylar's biological father.	None.	+ A person naming his/her son after his/her own "father" is very common. - HRG only seems to be about ten to fifteen years older than Sylar. It is extremely unlikely that HRG would have slept with Angela when he was 15 at the most and concieved a child with her.
Sylar regained all remaining powers lost to the Shanti virus because he took Claire's power.	None.	+ Future Gabriel Gray was able to use precognition and induced radioactivity, both previously lost to the virus.
Sylar was given new parents in an attempt by Angela to hide him from Arthur.	None.	+ Peter kept Sylar from confronting Arthur, possibly setting up a confrontation wherein neither recognizes the other and thus fight with each other as people with powers rather than as father and son. - Arthur told Sylar that he was given away because Angela had a dream about his future and tried to drown him in a tub.
Sylar can obtain powers without killing evolved humans. He only needs to scan the brain. He might as well imagine what the brain looks like.	None.	+ He was able to take Claire's ability without killing her, so he may now be able to take people's abilities and restore them to life with his own blood.
Sylar is going to become a hero, and Claire is going to be a villain to many.	None.	+ In the exposed future, Peter was hunted down by Claire and Claire was working with Knox. Claire also hunted down Gabriel.