Theory:Vault

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The following fan theories are about the vault.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
The vault keeps items that have both real and emotional value for the Company.	None	+ Most of the items don't look dangerous or powerful: + The only items that obviously appear to be important in the vault are the brain and the Strain 138, and maybe the Key. The others may be rare or unique but don't show no signs of being special or dangerous. - They are locked. - Some of the apparantly harmless items may actually be dangerous. - They may be evidence against the company.
The brain in the vault is from another character capable of rapid cell regeneration.	None	+ The only way to stop a regenerator is to damage or remove the brain from the body. - It could be the brain of an evolved human with a different ability that the Company wanted to preserve.
The vault contains emblems of some sort for all of the Company's founders.	None	+ The brain might represent Maury Parkman's mind control. + The cards might represent Arthur Petrelli's ability-which, while currently unknown, might have been able to affect a poker game. + The cards might represent three of the women (Victoria Pratt, Paula Gramble, and an unknown female) who were founders. + The gold key might represent Bob Bishop's ability of alchemy. • The vault also contains a kris, as carried by St. Joan-this might mean that another founder also has muscle memory. + The kris could also represent Kaito Nakamura's ability; and could be stolen by Monica later. • Following this line of reasoning, we might expect that the Trojan horse represents a person who appears to be one thing, but is something else altogether in reality. + The empty stand may represent an invisible person like (or possibly) Claude. - The items were in a high-security vault. Why would they be in there for purely figurative reasons? - D.L.'s medal of valor is important to Micah. It's just a piece of wood, but it means something to him. This is quite possibly the same case with the vault contents. The items could also be rarities, one of a kind.
The items may be literally (not figuratively) linked to each person's abilities.	None	+ There must have been a strong reason for the items to be locked in a high-security vault. - D.L.'s medal of valor is important to Micah. It's just a piece of wood, but it means something to him. This is quite possibly the same case with the vault contents. The items could also be rarities, one of a kind.
The preserved brain comes from an evolved human with a powerful ability.	None	• This could be the reason why The Company goes to such great lengths at apprehending Sylar just to keep him alive. They may want to utilize his intuitive aptitude to extract the power from the brain. • The company may have also detained Peter for the same reason. He should have absorbed Sylar's ability and should also be able to extract the power from the brain. + It would be a very valuable item which would need to be locked in a high security vault.
The vault is a rogue gallery of villains the Company has encountered before.	None	+ The Shanti virus was kept there. + In an interview, Tim Kring says that "The Company has catalogued many of these people over the years. There may be more of them down in that basement than we have alluded to so far."
The dagger will somehow find its way into Monica's hands, and will become her signature weapon.	One of the items in the Primatech Vault is a dagger with a snake-like blade.	+ The dagger in the vault is identical in appearance to the dagger being held by St. Joan on the cover of her 9th Wonders comic.
The cards belong to Arthur Petrelli	One of the items in the Primatech Vault is a group of 3 playing cards	+ In Graphic Novel: War Buddies, it is mentioned how "Dallas" Petrelli is incredibly lucky at cards.
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 valueable 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 could also be the reason why the company kept Peter in a cell. • It has not been shown that Peter is able to use Sylar's ability of intuitive aptitude, nor that his empathic mimicry could be capable of absorbing an ability from a dead body part.
The golden key opens something important and might have a important role in the future.	None	+ It is locked behind a very resistent door with other important items.