Talk:Sylar

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Nov/Dec 2006	Sylar's absorbed powers • Sylar, Hiro and Issac • Sylar absorbing powers • Grey or Gray? • Picture of Sylar • Powers • Name in infobox • Name for Sylar's primary power • Speculation on Sylar's Power • Pictures of Sylar

Psychoanalysis

During Sylar's last conversation with Mohinder, we again heard the distinctive clock-ticking sound effect. I'm wondering if we should consider this a sign that he is analyzing the person with his special ability. --Ted C 13:11, 13 February 2007 (EST)

• It's a tough one, because it's also kind of used simply as "the Sylar sound effect". He certainly was "eerie" the way he was speaking to Mohinder, but I'm not exactly sure how to best note this as an example of his power. It's still kind of speculation, you know? It's a tough call. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 13:42, 13 February 2007 (EST)

Power of Persuasion?

In Episode 14 after Sylar uses telekenesis to throw Mrs. Bennet against the glass cabinet, he walks over to her and says "Hi". At this point his voice has an unusually deep tone, reminiscent of the way Eden spoke while using her power of persuasion. Perhaps he was about to use the ability to get Mrs. Bennet on "his side" and help him get close to Claire? Unfortunately, we can't be sure as HRG arrived before he could continue.

Given this is not mentioned in the article, I thought I'd table it for discussion. --Astroboy 08:10, 13 February 2007 (EST)

• They answer this in the latest CBR interview. They say they were just slowing down the scene to show Sandra's perspective and they say Sylar did not get Eden's power. (Admin 08:28, 13 February 2007 (EST))
  • It's made pretty clear in Graphic Novel:Fathers and Daughters that Eden prevented Sylar from getting her power. Guess you can only eat solid brain, not brain soup. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 08:43, 13 February 2007 (EST)
    • So what is the wierd voice thing he does as seen in .07%--ASEO 16:12, 24 April 2007 (EDT)
      • Not Eden's power. For one thing, the writers have said repeatedly that he doesn't have it. For another, Isaac doesn't even think about obeying; he thinks about going for his gun. There's a theory that it's some kind of "power voice" that can push people back. Personally, I think it's getting to the point where it almost has to be something apart from artistic license, but if it is a power, it's a pretty lame one (Ooh! Scary voice!) or one he doesn't use very well (if it's more like Banshee or Blackbolt).--Hardvice (talk) 16:21, 24 April 2007 (EDT)

Brain Eating

(Proof -- though circumstantial -- that Sylar does, in fact, eat brains. Lander 06:08, 10 May 2007 (EDT))

• Why do we assume Sylar's eating the brains? Are we that morbid? :) While it's a popular theory, I suspect if he's harnessing their powers he's doing something a little more interesting. Perhaps extracting cells from the brain and injecting them into his own? Or even splicing the DNA with his own. Maybe Chandra helped him learn how to do it? Let's face it, if you eat a brain you're just going to digest it and absorb the amino acids and other basic components, not the DNA. :) There's no problem with including the "brain eating" as is since we're only using it in the Fan Theories sections, but it's still amusing how many of us just assume he's eating the brains he takes. heh. (Admin 19:02, 14 November 2006 (EST))
  • What, you mean you don't enjoy a nice tasty brain every now and then ? --Orne 15:26, 20 November 2006 (EST)
    • In all honesty, I believe you are right. Rereading the Sylar answering machine message, I believe Chandra "made" Sylar by enhancing his latent genes, making him a Patient Zero in effect. The map is basically showing "power" lines, and where the two lines cross, there is a potential for an individual to have the powers that the colors represent. Likewise, HRG's Organization knows this too, and is capturing and enhancing individuals by 'activating evolution'. Sylar knows this too, and is probably capturing and extracting the genes from the brains of the dead, possibly to enhance his own powerset. --Orne 15:26, 20 November 2006 (EST)
  • As long as it's in a Fan Theories section, I personally don't really mind if we say Sylar is Ann Coulter in man-drag. Personally, I think the brain eating thing sounds really silly, and if it's true I'll lose a ton of respect for the writers, but it is a popular theory. But honestly, the whole brain thing could be as simple as making sure that dead heroes stay dead. We don't have any proof that he necessarily knows what his victims can do, but a de-brainsed hero seems like a safe bet for a dead hero, even if they can regenerate or play dead or something. Also, as we see with Charlie, it's a heck of a lot quicker than pinning somebody to the walls and forcing the family silver into them one place setting at a time, which gives them less of a chance to use their powers to retaliate. But I suspect since he takes the brains, he's up to something with them. But he's not necessarily eating them. Heck, he's a serial killer ... maybe they're just trophies.--Hardvice (talk) 15:57, 20 November 2006 (EST)
    • So apparently in an interview with Bryan Fuller over at Comic News Insider, he states concerning Sylar that "...what we've always talked about in the writing staff was that he kills people and he eats their brains...". So it seems that's the impression the writers have as well. Full interview (audio) can be found here. He does admit they've kept it purposely vague because of worries about the silliness of it, so for my own part I hope they come to realize just how silly that is before making it official on the show. :) (Admin 16:56, 2 January 2007 (EST))
      • Seems like the whole brain eating thing, which Zachary Quinto says is the impression he goes by, is largely the type of dramatic effect they want the creepiness to have but they realize that it's scientifically silly (of which I'm very glad since that'd show that they do have some respect for science here hehe). But perhaps the writers are keeping up with this wiki discussion? Bennet did say that he thought Sylar had spliced so many alterations into his DNA that it'd driven him insane which seems to almost echo what Admin said up above, and the dates of Admin's statement and the show are consistent with the possibility. Of course, it's also possible they read it elsewhere or came upon the idea themselves, since if brain eating is silly, DNA splicing isn't that far a next logical jump. --Glue 06:25, 14 February 2007 (EST)
• FWIW, in one of the recent commentary tracks, they talk about Sylar eating brains, and then another person says something along the lines of "wait! we don't know what he does with the brains" in a mock serious voice. --Frantik 08:20, 13 February 2007 (EST)
• Based on Sylar's "sink my teeth in" comment and Molly's claim that he "eats your brain", I think we can probably conclude that he must consume at least some brain matter as part of his power stealing procedure. Still, there has to be more to the process than just consuming brain tissue, as it otherwise wouldn't matter if the brain were intact. I would speculate that he needs to examine the part of the brain responsible for superhuman abilities, then consume part of it as well (possibly examining its chemical composition by taste?). Gruesome, but consistent with his anaylitical abilities. --Ted C 09:31, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

613

the Article says "This list was first compiled by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon in the 12th century C.E"

That's incorrect. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_mitzvot

Altar Boy

In the 316/613 theory that was just deleted, it mentioned Sylar was an altar boy. Is this completely fabricated, or does somebody know something I don't? - RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 03:02, 5 January 2007 (EST)

• There's a picture of an altar boy near the Paul E. Sylar birth announcement. In traditional Internet theory fashion, this means Sylar is an altar boy. Of course, now that the birth announcement is debunked, the whole thing is crap.--Hardvice (talk) 03:05, 5 January 2007 (EST)
  • Ah, yes, the old Paul E. Sylar reference. Hey, isn't Paul E. Sylar Mr. Bennet's boss? - RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 03:24, 5 January 2007 (EST)
    • Can we totally dismiss the Paul E. Sylar reference? Has it been debunked? What if Gabriel Gray is Patient Zero, and we never got to meet Mr. Sylar because the 44-year-old born on June 11, 1962 was Gray's first victim? There's precedent for him assuming the identity of a victim (Zane Taylor). Lander 06:19, 10 May 2007 (EDT)
      • I don't know if we can dismiss Paul E. Sylar, but we certainly can dismiss any idea that PES was Gabriel Gray's first victim. That distinction goes to Brian Davis. And Sylar assumed his name from a watch. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 07:11, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Forgive me, for I have sinned.

Whatever happened to the maniacally depressed, psychotic Sylar that Mohinder learned of while searching his apartment?--Riddler 01:34, 29 January 2007 (EST)

Oh, I believe he's still psychotic. As for maniacally depressed, I think that little room still exists somewhere in the recesses of his brain — I believe he still has a hint of guilt for what he does. - RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 01:48, 29 January 2007 (EST)

On Sylar's Apartment discussion page I posted links to a bunch of photos from the NBC site of his apartment. It seems to indicate an incredible religiosity - and not just due to the phrase everywhere....but all of the candles and what appears to be Saints and such. Bkdelong 20:32, 17 February 2007 (EST)

Gabriel Gray. Gray & Sons. The Watchmaker. Well, we know that, in Christian mythology, Gabriel is an archangel. But who's the other son? And what of "the Watchmaker"? This obscure reference is very clever: Deism is a religious philosophy developed in Enlightenment-era Europe, and followed by several American founding fathers. The central principle holds that God has created many worlds like ours, and simply sets time spinning, like "a great Cosmic Watchmaker," (I'm not sure whose words those are... maybe John Locke? I'll look it up.) Lander 06:02, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Plastic Attachment

At the end of The Fix, it appears there is a piece of plastic attached to the back of Sylar's head on the right. It appeared to be a shunt of some kind or some way to access the brain. Could someone with more medical training identify what this is? Thanks!! Disney42 01:17, 30 January 2007 (EST)

Sylar

Check this image extracted from primatechpaper.com it appears to be the shunt. And btw, what about the "tic-tac" thing we hear in Sylar's head since he feinted death ? --FrenchFlo 11:19, 31 January 2007 (EST)

I think that's the enhanced hearing he picked up from Dale. Lander 05:48, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

I think there has been an official explanation for this but I'm not sure. Anyway, I think it's just hum, how to say that... I don't have the words :) I think it's a way producers uses to make us understand Sylar is understanding something (in the "power-way"), that he is doing something special. It's just a cool effect. As the deep Peter's voice (Don't lie to me!!}. That's just my thought. -- FrenchFlo (talk)        05:56, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

I think the term you're looking for, FrenchFlo, is "sound effect". That's exactly what that tick tock sound is. It's a cool sound effect, and sometimes an audio clue that Sylar is using is original power. Sylar didn't gain enhanced hearing until some time after he locked in his Primatech cell. When he killed Hank, he hadn't yet met Dale.

Are powers ALL he absorbs?

In the page for Zane Taylor it mentions:

he demonstrates Zane's ability, at certain points even mimicking Zane's comments and manner of speaking.

and this got me to thinking. Is it possible Sylar is, at least in the short term, absorbing more than just power? Could he get some knowledge and maybe memories or personality?

I ask because, before he ate his first power, his personality seemed very different than the aggressive hunter he is today. Perhaps he gets some residual long-term things from each consumed victim, and, in the short term, this could explain his very definite mimicry of Taylor. --Waffle Fan 18:35, 15 February 2007 (EST)

• Personally, I think he was just imitating Zane so Mohinder would recognize his voice and mannerisms. He certainly didn't affect Charlie's accent or even Zane's twichiness. It was purposely put on, not absorbed, in my opinion. His personality does seem to have changed since we saw him in 6MA, but becoming a serial killer might do that to a person. I think Zachary Quinto is also developing his role as the episodes progress. Interesting thought though. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 19:42, 15 February 2007 (EST)
  • Remember, however: Sylar's power is intuitive aptitude. Can he really just 'target' a power? Or does he understand how the entire person works? You'll notice that Sylar also appears to mimic Charlie's speech patterns, accent, and facial expressions. In fact, we hear him use Charlie's accent again, when he visits Sandra Bennet. Lander 05:52, 10 May 2007 (EDT)
    • I'm not sure he was mimicking Charlie at all when he met Sandra. Sandra never knew Charlie, so there was no reason to mimic her accent or mannerisms. I think he was just, y'know, bein' a good ol' country boy. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 07:11, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Possible Power?

Could Syler possibly have the power to fake death so well, but really be alive. Cause I don't think it's easy that once you're dead you're going to wake up. --Bettyfizzw 09:38, 17 February 2007 (EST)

• You mean a kind of suspended animation? Hmm, sounds suspiciously like he may have stolen something from a cockroach... — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 10:16, 17 February 2007 (EST)
  • Spot on. Cockroaches have the ability to 'play dead' -- without eating, as Mohinder mentions in episode 1 -- for months. Sylar doesn't absorb powers -- he absorbs DNA. Lander 05:53, 10 May 2007 (EDT)
    • Hmm. Another interesting idea. According to the CBR #21 Q&A, though, "it's just abilities" that Sylar absorbs, not DNA. They give a pretty funny example in the interview, check it out. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 07:11, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

All point to telekinesis?

A thought: one could destablize metals and create ice from the air by slowing down and speeding up molecules. Something to think about - I wonder if Sylar's intuition will enable him to figure out how to augment his powers based on what he knows. Bkdelong 21:29, 17 February 2007 (EST)

If Sylar's power is fully developed, will he be able to "understand" molecules? Atoms? Quarks? Scary. Lander 06:04, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Fixed his eyesight?

Just noticed this, but Sylar ditches his glasses after acquiring TK. Did he somehow do eye surgery on himself or figure out how to fix the connections from his eyes to his brain to improve his eyesight? (Or just a stretch, but did he purchase contacts????) - Bob

• If I recall corretly, the glasses Sylar had were for optical zoom when working with small things. Jewelers often were these kinds of glasses, as do most watch and clock makers. --BottomlessPitMan 17:57, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

• 
  I think he's talking about these glasses...
• 
  ...not these.

• — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 18:11, 14 March 2007 (EDT)
  • Y'know, though... there are also contact lenses. :) Lander 06:04, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Picture??

Noticed it linked from FARK.com, the picture's not Sylar, it's the Wiki book logo. --Baldbobbo 19:45, 2 March 2007 (EST)

Directly linking to images on other sites, like that fark.com post is doing, is stealing bandwidth (which is not free). It's especially harmful when done on high traffic sites like fark.com, so sites like that are disallowed from linking directly to images here and instead get that little ad. Not to mention that it states on the main page of this wiki that any direct offsite image linking should also include a link to the wiki itself. By the way if that posting happens to be yours and they let people edit posts, removing the image would be appreciated. :) (Admin 20:32, 2 March 2007 (EST))

Nah, wasn't me, just saw it, always gets my attention if a site like this shows up on FARK, especially for a non-Heroes related article --Baldbobbo 16:22, 3 March 2007 (EST)

Thoughts on Sylar's power

I just recently had a thought about the whole Sylar/Peter thing, and realised what how this all is connected and intentional (as other things in the Heroes story appear to be). Everyone knows that Sylar's ability is to be able to find out how things work,but in my view this is less about just stealing people's abilities and more about being able to control them. Wouldn't this suggest that Peter, after coming into contact with Sylar, is able to find out how all his powers work and be able to control them much better?

I know that this is a bit dodgy given that Peter has been near Sylar before, but it seems more like Peter can only empathise with hero's abilities when he comes in contact with the abilities themselves rather than just the person (despite a little evidence to the contrary when Peter uses healing powers at the homecoming after only being near Claire momentarily).

I'm putting this suggestion out there just to see what other people think of it and I guess to see how much I deserve waffles.

• He was in contact with Sylar. He got pushed off a building by Sylar. That's why he has telekinetic ability. I get what you're saying, and yes, he was not able to do replicate an ability until after he made contact with Sylar. However, mentoring from Claude is what brought about the change in Peter to control his ability. --Bob 11:39, 26 March 2007 (EDT)
  • I interpreted the static/electronic sound Peter was hearing (shortly before "Claude" knocked him out) to be tapping into Hana's power without prior exposure to it or knowledge of her existence. He may have some degree of access to any existing powers but the powers of those with whom he comes into contact, and that he witnesses, may be much easier for him to replicate. --Glue 03:40, 25 April 2007 (EDT)
    • That seems like a real stretch. More likely, he was getting an incoherent "roar" of thought via Matt's telepathy (which he had definitely already absorbed). --Ted C 09:48, 25 April 2007 (EDT)

First!

I just figured out that Sylar is the first character in the articles-with-the-most-revisions' page, he has about 120 more edits than Peter (the twice), that's just impressive! It seems we love him! -- FrenchFlo (talk)        15:19, 2 April 2007 (EDT)

• ...or at least that we had a time when we couldn't figure out what his power was. Remember "To fix things and know exactly how they work"? Ugh. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 16:04, 2 April 2007 (EDT)

Alternate History

I think it's good to put the powers he showed in the alternate timeline in a special place in his article, but I don't think they need to be included in his infobox. --Ted C 14:02, 25 April 2007 (EDT)

• I agree 100%; great change. But it brings up the bigger question: what the hell are we going to do with Future Everybody next week? I personally think we should treat 'em all like Future Hiro, and give them their own pages ... it would be clearer, it would allow us to add links to either "Claire" or "Future Claire" depending on who we mean, and it would allow us to add some bad-ass character portraits to their infoboxes and portals. The only potential problem I can see is that we have two "Future Sylar"s, but we can handle that just like we're currently handling it on this article: the main "Future Sylar" article will note his powers and history from Ep. 20, and a Note can handle the stuff that would have happened but for FHiro's actions in the past.--Hardvice (talk) 15:29, 25 April 2007 (EDT)
  • I think that's a great idea. The other option is to just put a plain old summary for each of those people, but I think distinguishing the +5 years character from the 2006 character might be a good idea. I'm not completely sold, but it's the best I've heard. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 15:39, 25 April 2007 (EDT)
  • If you were to create the alternate people, the first alternate Sylar is a GN character, so there's some distinguishable difference. However, I think that it should just be some sort of a note, and the future pictures go in the gallery with a note. Bad assed, yes, but not enough to merit a separate page. Future Hiro is in three episodes before String Theory or 5 Years Gone (whichever one it is), so he deserves an article, but most of these alternate future characters will only be on-screen for maybe 5min or less.--Bob 15:48, 25 April 2007 (EDT)
    • Five bad-assed minutes.  :) The best reason to distinguish them is the very real possibility that the events of Ep 20 will never actually happen to the present-day characters. We're going to want to have an episode history for these guys, and putting Future Niki's history under Niki feels wrong, when there's a strong possibility they never come to fruition. Future Hiro had a good deal less than five minutes airtime when he first got his own article; the reason was that it was important to distinguish Future Hiro from Hiro for links and histories. That, and Portal:Future Timeline Characters and Category:Future Timeline Characters will add a lot of clarity, add extra link functionality, make the information easier to find, and ... well ... look bad assed.--Hardvice (talk) 15:55, 25 April 2007 (EDT)

Good Guy Sylar

I don't have any info to substantiate this, but I think that Sylar will actually explode (much to the chagrin of Hiro) using Candace's and Ted's powers. After that, with the government perpetrated xenocide of heroes, Sylar will calm down (with no one to murder)and protect the heroes from the government.

• Before or after he kills his own mother? ;) Lander 06:23, 10 May 2007 (EDT)