Episode:I Am Sylar
| I Am Sylar | |
|---|---|
| Season: | Three |
| Episode number: | 324 |
| First aired: | April 20, 2009 |
| |
| Written by: | Adam Armus Kay Foster |
| Directed by: | Allan Arkush |
| Previous episode: | 1961 |
| Next episode: | An Invisible Thread |
Summary
- Sylar undergoes an unexpected identity crisis.
- Hiro and Ando strengthen their relationship and take steps to take down Building 26.
- Matt and Matt, Jr. reunite with Janice.
- Faced with the threat of Danko's agents, Rebel gets help from an unlikely ally.
- Sylar and Nathan finally meet.
- Agents move across the country, capturing Mohinder, Noah, Claire, and Angela.
Story Development
| Tom Miller · Tom's ability · Agent Taub |
Synopsis
Danko tells Sylar that in order to work with them, he needs him to take over the identity and life of Agent Taub.
Answering to Claire, Nathan says that he will go to Washington, take ownership with his mistakes and talk to the president. Just then Claire notices that he already has, as Nathan is giving a live press conference. Nathan is saying that when the president agrees to shake hands with him, real change would come and nothing would ever be the same. Noah says that the person on the TV is not Nathan, but Sylar appearing like him.
18 hours earlier, Sylar wakes up as Agent Taub in Washington. In front of the mirror he questions why this keeps happening, then shape shifts back to Sylar and removes an extra tooth from his mouth.
Matt, holding his son on his lap, speaks on a street phone with Janice. He tells her that little Matty is fine and that he's going to bring him as soon as he can. Janice thanks him and, after hanging off the phone, Ando asks him why he seems unhappy. He says it's because Janice was attacked and his son was about to be captured. Hiro tells Matt that their baby needs both a mother and a father. Then, Hiro and Ando try to convince Matt to take down Building 26 with them. Matt, on the other hand, is now concerned with his son says them that Danko is a killer and that it isn't a game. Hiro and Matt accept his decision and say goodbye to both of them as they take off.
Danko meets Sylar in the street, saying that his analyst spotted Sylar on his case street but Danko advised the analyst that Sylar is indeed dead. He says that the only way things can work is if he continues to work undercover has Agent Taub, so he can give him his freedom, which Sylar finds ironic. He explains how he went to sleep as himself and woke up as Agent Taub, without meaning to change, with an extra tooth on his mouth when he shifted back. He says that his DNA is reassembling the way it's not supposed to. Danko advises him to stay has agent Taub for a while but Sylar says that Taub's a nothing and he doesn't like being a nothing. Danko says that if he's Taub, he can do whatever he want, bue if he's Sylar, he has no choice but to hunt him down. Sylar then shifts to Taub as Danko leaves. He then writes on his arm the phrase "I Am Sylar".
In Richmond, Virginia, an old man, Tom Miller is making coffee at home when he gets a message from Rebel, telling him to leave immediately. Outside, Sylar (having shaping back from Taub), enters the apartment unnoticed and surprises Tom. He advises Sylar to not do that because he can hurt him. Sylar says that he knows he has an ability and that he's like him. Tom asks why they are hunting them and Sylar responds that they're afraid of them. He then asks Tom to show his ability. Tom then expresses dislike has he disintegrates a porcelain miniature figurine, much to Sylar's amusement. Sylar asks for him to choose a side and Tom chooses Sylar. Just after, Sylar begins to cut his skull and leaving the appartment again unnoticed just has the agents arrive, leaving the phrase "I Am Sylar" on the wall, written in blood, and his ability. Back with Danko (as Taub), inside the appartment, he comments on his ego. In Danko's office, as himself, Sylar expresses his desire to be himself. He explains how Tom received a text from Rebel and they learn that he is still in DC. Danko asks for his help but Sylar asks if it's his or Taub's help he needs. Danko tells him that he needs to play dead. Sylar says that the day before, one of his eyes stayed blue for over an hour, augmenting his crisis. Danko explains that for the past 5 years he has lived 8 different lives, had wives and girlfriends, spoke six different languages but that at the end of the day he knew who he was. He compares that fact with Sylar's, saying that he's undergoing an identity crisis and that he won't survive if he doesn't find an anchor, one identity to hang on to. Danko shows his father's watch, which he received 20 years ago. Sylar listens to it saying how it's not working well. Danko asks who did he kill to understand how things work and Sylar responds that that's the only one that was ever truly his.
Hiro and Ando go to Isaac's loft with a plan. Hiro wants for the both of them to go inside and wait for the agents to find them, so Hiro can stop time and Ando can be bait. Ando dislikes the idea, remarking the fact that Hiro still doesn't like it that now both of them have powers. Ando says that he should be like Batman, a powerful loner. Just has the agents arrive, Hiro stops time and falls to the ground with Ando. He says sorry on how Ando has to be bait, but Ando gets up, realizing he hasn't been stopped as well.
A police officer gives Sylar, as agent Taub in his apartment, the case boxes on his mother's unsolved murder. Sylar goes through his mother's stuff, including the scissors with her blood on it, reliving the moment he killed his mother. He angrily breaks one of his mother's snow globes and "sees" how Virginia appears and comments on how that one was her favourite. Sylar asks why did she lie to him and Virginia says that she never lied. He says he now knows the truth about his biological mother, that she was killed by his father and that Virginia saw it. Virginia says that she wanted to protect him and love him. She didn't think the truth mattered but Sylar says otherwise. He says he never felt fit in in his life. He comments on how pathetic his father was, saying that he took that power so that he wouldn't become his father. He says that now he can become whoever he wants but he still feels lost. Virginia says that she loved him although she didn't give birth to him and that she wanted him from the start and saw how special he was. A sobbing Sylar says that he killed her and she says that then there's no one to love him but that now, she is back. Danko knocks on the door, startling Sylar who realizes he has been shape shifting from his mother to him back and forth, having had another crisis. Sylar opens the door and Danko explains that they found Rebel and asks for agent Taub to join them.
In Isaac's apartment, Ando enjoys being frozen in time, but notices Hiro's dislike. He says that it's like he's Batman, visiting Superman's Fortress of Solitude. He compares Hiro to Superman has he is always just and honest but comments on his fascism. Hiro persuades Ando into the darts area of range without Ando realizing and reverts time back, sticking with his plan on Ando being bait. He stops time again, taking the uniform from one of the agents.
| For every being cursed with self awareness, there remains the unanswerable question. Who am I? We struggle to find meaningful connections to one another. We are the caring friend, the loving father, the doting mother, the protected child. We fight and we love in the hope that somehow, together, we can understand our significance in the universe. But in the end, no one can share our burden. Each of us alone, must ask the question. Who am I? What does it mean to be alive? And in the vast infinity of time, how do I matter? |
Memorable Quotes
"Who are you?"
- - Sylar (to himself in mirror, referring to Agent Taub)
"Maybe you should just stay as Agent Taub for a while."
"Agent Taub's a nothing. I don't like being a nothing."
- - Danko, Sylar
"That looks fun."
- - Sylar, referring to Tom's ability.
"Are you Rebel?"
"I'm a rebel."
- - Tom Miller, Sylar
"You understand how things work. Who did you kill to get that power?"
"That's the only one that was ever truly mine."
- - Danko, Sylar.
"That hurt."
- - Sylar (to Danko, after having been stabbed in the brain by him)
"Get the hell out of my body."
Character Appearances
Trivia
- The title card of this episode has the episode name written out in blood, instead of the conventional white text. This is the third episode to not have its episode title written out in the traditional white font, the first was Villains, whose title was written in large black letters in place of the Heroes title sequence, while the second was The Eclipse, Part 1, whose title was written out in black font.
- Sylar's line "Dead is dead", could be a reference to a Lost episode, of the same name, as many critics see simarlarities in the shows.
- This episode marks the first time Nathan and Sylar meet each other.
See Also
- For images from I Am Sylar, see images from I Am Sylar.
- Watch the episode on Hulu.
| previous: 1961 | I Am Sylar | next: An Invisible Thread |
| See Also: Volume One Episodes • Volume Two Episodes • Volume Three Episodes • Volume Four Episodes • Volume Five Episodes • Heroes Reborn Episodes • All Episodes |
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