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Episode:I Am Sylar

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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
Heroes Interactive transcript

Summary

Story Development

Tom Miller · Disintegration · Agent Taub · Agent Taub's apartment

Synopsis

Danko tells Sylar that in order to work with his team, he should take over the identity and life of Agent Taub.

In the Coyote Sands Café, Nathan says that he will go to Washington, take ownership of his mistakes and talk to the President. Claire looks up at the TV and is shocked to see Nathan apparently giving a live press conference and telling the cameras that when the President agrees to shake his hand, real change will come and nothing will be the same. Noah says that the person on the TV is not Nathan, but Sylar, using his shape shifting ability.

Eighteen hours earlier, Sylar wakes up in Agent Taub's apartment in Washington, in the form of Agent Taub. He stares into the mirror, wondering what is happening to him, then shape shifts back into his usual form. Reaching into his mouth, he pulls out an extra tooth.

Matt, holding his son on his lap, speaks on a street phone with Janice. He reassures her that baby Matt is fine and that he'll bring him back as soon as he can. After Matt hangs up the phone, Ando asks why he seems unhappy. He says it's because Janice was detained and his son was almost captured. Hiro tells Matt that the baby needs both a mother and a father. Hiro and Ando then try to convince Matt to come with them and help to take down Building 26, but Matt is more concerned about his son, reminding them that Danko is a killer and that it isn't a game. Hiro and Matt accept his decision and wave goodbye to baby Matt.

Danko meets Sylar in a park, and warns him that he has been sighted in public, obliging Danko to make excuses for him. Sylar explains how he went to sleep as himself and woke up as Taub, without meaning to change, and how he found an extra tooth in his mouth. He believes that his DNA is reassembling in ways that it's not supposed to. Danko advises him to remain in Taub's form 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, but if he's Sylar, he will be hunted down. Sylar then shifts into Taub's form. After Danko has left him, he cuts the phrase "I Am Sylar" into the flesh of his arm, and watches as it heals.

Sylar claims another victim.

In Richmond, Virginia, Tom Miller is making cocoa in his home when he gets a message from Rebel, telling him to leave immediately. Sylar enters the apartment unnoticed and surprises Tom. Tom warns Sylar that he can hurt him, but Sylar knows that he has an ability and explains that he does too. Tom asks why they are hunting evolved humans and Sylar responds that people are afraid of them. He then asks Tom to demonstrate his power, and watches as Tom disintegrates a porcelain figurine. Sylar tells him he must choose a side, Sylar or the agents, and Tom chooses Sylar. Sylar then raises his finger and begins to cut into his skull. Danko and his agents arrive to find Tom's body on the floor, its brain removed, and the phrase "I Am Sylar" daubed on the wall in blood. Danko examines the body and Sylar, in Taub's form once again, ironically comments that the killer must have some ego.

Danko returns to his office and finds Sylar in a state of some distress. Danko closes the blinds and says that Sylar's desire to be himself has put him in a difficult position. Sylar replies that he not only brought down Tom, but also retrieved Tom's phone with its text message, showing that Rebel is still in DC. Impressed, Danko asks for Sylar's help to bring Rebel down, but when Sylar asks if it's his or Taub's help he needs, Danko reminds him that he needs to play dead. Upset, Sylar says that the day before, one of his eyes stayed blue for over an hour. Danko retorts that he himself has lived eight different lives in the last five years, had wives and girlfriends and used six different languages but that he always knew who he was. He explains that Sylar can survive his identity crisis but only if he finds an anchor, something constant to hang on to. Danko then shows Sylar his own anchor: a pocket watch that his father gave him twenty years before. Sylar admires the watch and listens to it, recognizing that it's running slightly fast. Danko asks who Sylar killed to gain that ability and Sylar responds that that's the only power that was ever truly his.

Hiro and Ando go to Isaac's loft with a plan. Hiro wants 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 this idea, remarking that Hiro still isn't comfortable with Ando having an ability, and expressing a wish to be like Batman, a powerful loner. Just as the agents arrive, Hiro stops time and falls to the ground with Ando. He apologizes to Ando for making him act as bait, but is startled when Ando gets up, protected by Hiro from the time-stopping effect.

A police officer comes to Agent Taub's apartment and gives Sylar (in Taub's form), some boxes filled with material relating to his adoptive mother's unsolved murder. Sylar goes through his mother's belongings, including her bloodstained sweater and the scissors she was stabbed with, and relives the moment he killed her. He angrily breaks one of his mother's snow globes. Virginia suddenly appears and says that the broken globe was one of her favorites. Sylar asks why she lied to him and Virginia says that she did not. 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 recalls how he went to meet his father and found him alone and pathetic, and explains that he acquired shape shifting to avoid ending up the same way, but he still feels lost. Virginia says that she loved him even though she didn't give birth to him, and that she saw how special he was. A tearful Sylar reminds her that he killed her and she says that this meant that there was no one to love him, but now she is back. A knock at the door startles Sylar, who realizes he has been having another identity crisis, shape shifting back and forth from his mother's form to his own. When Sylar opens the door, he finds Danko, who explains that Rebel has been found and that Agent Taub needs to join the team.

Ando is amazed at being in frozen time.

In Isaac's apartment, Ando enjoys being able to move around in frozen time, but notices that Hiro is not happy. He compares himself to Batman, visiting Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and says that Hiro is like Superman in several ways, including his fascist attitude. An annoyed Hiro moves some of the frozen taser darts that are hanging in the air and restarts time, allowing Ando to be hit by the darts. He then stops time again, and takes the uniform from one of the agents.

Danko and his team close in on the abandoned warehouse that Rebel is operating from. Danko orders the power to be cut to the building--no power means no machines. As the team moves in, Agent Harper turns to speak to Taub, but he is no longer there. In the warehouse, Micah quickly stuffs his belongings into his backpack, but as he is leaving, Sylar steps in front of him. Sylar is surprised to find that Rebel is just a kid, but Micah says he knows who Sylar is, and what his problem is. Sylar doubts him, but Micah says that Sylar has forgotten who he really is. He explains that people with powers are all connected and that Sylar is special and can save them all.

In a black van heading down the Baltimore/Washington Parkway, Hiro is disguised as an agent and Ando is handcuffed and drugged. Hiro reaches out his foot to touch Ando's, then freezes time. He removes the drug shunt from Ando's nose, and Ando is furious that Hiro set him up as bait. Hiro tells him to play possum as he's turned off the drug feed and unfreezes time. One of the agents turns to him and notices that he is wearing glasses, but before he can taser Hiro, Ando zaps the whole team with his red lightning, bringing the van to a halt. As their cover is blown, their original plan will not work, but Hiro takes a GPS unit from one of the agents, saying that they can use it to locate Building 26.

Danko's agents chase Micah through the docks, and corner him on the waterfront. Danko orders them to shoot, but Harper hesitates to shoot a kid. Danko orders him again, and Micah just smiles at them, as Harper opens fire. The real Micah watches from behind a crane, as Sylar in Micah's form falls into the water. While Danko's team look for Micah's body, Sylar turns up in his own form and tells Danko that Micah cannot heal and so must have drowned. Danko asks why Sylar didn't kill Micah, but Sylar replies that he didn't need the extra power--with all that's going on in his head, talking to machines would be too much to handle. Danko tells him they've gotten plenty of intel from Micah's systems, including the locations of dozens of specials. He orders Sylar to go after them, and to change back into Agent Taub.

Sylar pretends to be Micah and helps the real Micah evade capture.

Micah sleeps on the couch in Taub's apartment, and wakes up when he hears a female voice. He sees Virginia sitting at the table, then sees her morph into Sylar who appears to be having a conversation with himself. He gets angry when he realizes that Micah is watching, and Micah tells him that his mother's power drove her crazy, but that she fought back and became a hero. Sylar snaps that he's not Micah's mother, and that he shouldn't have brought him back there. Micah suggests that Sylar could use his shape shifting to impersonate someone who can make a real difference, such as Nathan Petrelli. Sylar tells him to get out, and that if he sees Micah again, he'll kill him.

Sylar arrives in Nathan's office and looks through his drawers, finding a folding toothbrush. He begins morphing back and forth between his own form and that of Virginia again. Virginia is impressed by all the medals and ribbons on the wall, and Sylar says that Nathan was born with access to everything--money, schools, family. Virginia says that Sylar is special too, because he has a gift, and that she is proud because he could now become a senator. Sylar tells her to stop, but Virginia says he's better than all of them. Sylar reminds her once again that he killed her but she says it was an accident. He says otherwise, stating that he wanted her to die: she looked at him as if he were a monster and made him feel small. He asks how he can be special since he killed the only woman who ever loved him. Virginia states that this is how he lost himself and why he has brought her back, and says that she forgives him. Sylar says he's sorry and Virginia says that now he can be anything, a senator or maybe even President of the United States. She takes the toothbrush out of its box and Sylar picks it up, agreeing with her. He touches the brush and morphs into Nathan, saying he won't let his mother down.

Matt arrives at Janice's house and finds a note on the door, saying Janice will be back soon. Matt tells his son that he and Janice didn't get along in the past, but that she never knew how quickly Matt would come to love his son. He also discounts the idea of using his power on Janice to mend their relationship. Janice arrives home and hugs her son, thanking Matt for bringing him there. They both say that it's good to see each other, just before Matt hears agents outside the apartment. he tells her they should get out of there and she suggests heading for her parents' lake house. Matt tells her to pack and Janice asks what's he going to do. Matt doesn't know for sure, but he wants to be a part of Matt, Jr.'s life. Janice says they have a lot to talk about.

As Nathan, Sylar gives a live press conference on how the government needs to be ready to meet challenges such as terrorism and global economics. He says that the President is "too busy as usual" to make changes and that once the President decides to meet with him and shake his hand, a change will come. Many people watch this including Hiro and Ando outside a hardware store, and Danko on the set of the conference. At the Coyote Sands Café, Peter, Claire, Noah, Angela, and Nathan himself watch the broadcast in shock. Claire asks how this can be happening and Noah explains that Sylar is now a shape shifter and apparently one step away from becoming the most powerful man on Earth. Claire speculates that maybe the President won't meet with him, but Nathan says that after such a public display of vitriol, the President will definitely respond. Nathan announces that he's going to resolve this situation all by himself but the others disagree, reminding him of the consequences of his recent actions. Nathan insists that he won't try to fight Sylar, but can stop him from meeting the President. Peter says he'll go along too, but Nathan refuses and rushes out of the café, with Peter following close behind.

Hiro and Ando arrive at the front of Building 26. Ando says that if they truly are equal partners, then Hiro needs to consult Ando the next time he devises a plan, and Hiro agrees. They agree to be partners again, and Ando puts his hand on Hiro's shoulder, so that Hiro can stop time for both of them. However, Hiro yells in pain and nearly falls to the ground with a serious nosebleed, saying that his head hurts.

Matt finds his old police badge, and thinks about what Hiro said to him earlier. As Janice announces that she's ready to leave, Matt says he can't go with her. Janice asks why not and Matt answers that unless he helps to end the capture of evolved humans, they can never have a life together. Janice questions the idea of resuming their life together, but Matt says he just wants a chance to get to know her again and he's going to fight to do it. Just then, agents surround the entire house. Janice is scared but Matt calms her, saying that everything will be okay.

Matt reunites his son with his ex-wife.

Nathan arrives at his office and looks in a drawer for his gun, but Sylar has taken Nathan's form and is holding the gun on him. When Nathan tells Sylar to get out of his body, Sylar comments that Nathan loathes himself very much. Morphing back into his own form, he explains that he has taken a stroll through Nathan's privileged life and yet cannot understand why Nathan wants to destroy the only thing that makes himself truly special--his power. Nathan says that Sylar doesn't know anything about him, but Sylar says otherwise, explaining that Angela gave him an ability to know the history of any object he touches; he now knows that Nathan deceived his mother and turned against his brother and daughter, all from having touched Nathan's jacket. Nathan claims he doesn't need to defend himself to a psychopath, stating that people like Sylar are the reason he went to the President in the first place, and boasting that Sylar can never be him. Sylar agrees, saying that he will be better than Nathan, and raises his finger to cut into his head, but Danko appears and tasers Nathan, knocking him unconscious. Sylar is annoyed and Danko tells him to become Agent Taub again so they can go after the fugitives.

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?

As agents move across the country, they capture Mohinder who is examining the Project Icarus films at Coyote Sands. Hiro and Ando are still outside Building 26, with Ando giving tissues to a bleeding and distraught Hiro. Matt, Matt, Jr., and Janice stand together in the house, with Matt making the agents believe there's no one there. Noah, Angela, and Claire are on the road and as they pull over, agents also capture them.

Danko is surprised when Sylar comes out of the bathroom in his own form, instead of Agent Taub's. He says he needs him to be Taub again but Sylar says he's not interested in what Danko needs. Before Sylar can finish his sentence, Danko sticks a knife into the back of his head and Sylar falls to the floor. Danko calls to ask for a clean-up crew but before he can finish, Sylar gets up and pulls the knife out. "That hurt," he says to a shocked Danko.

Memorable Quotes

"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


"Are you Rebel?"

"I'm a rebel."

- Tom Miller, Sylar


"The ability to understand how things work. Who'd you kill to get that power?"

"That's the only one that was ever truly mine."

- Danko, Sylar


"How can I be special? How can I be anything when I killed the only woman who ever loved me?"

- Sylar


"That hurt."

- Sylar (to Danko, after having been stabbed in the brain)


"Get the hell out of my body."

- Nathan (to Sylar in Nathan's form)


"You can save us all."

- Micah (to Sylar)

Character Appearances

Trivia

  • Noah Gray-Cabey is credited as a Special Guest Star for this episode.
  • 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.
  • This episode marks the first time Nathan and Sylar meet each other face to face. It also marks the first interaction between Sylar and Micah.
  • This episode marks the first time a scene has been shown during the "Previously On" section at the beginning of the episode, despite not having been previously seen on Heroes. According to the episode commentary, the scene (which shows Danko suggesting to Sylar that he shape shifts into Agent Taub) was purposely written to be part of the "Previously On" section. Writers Adam Armus and Kay Foster said they did this in order to give necessary background. It should be noted that frequently, the "Previously On" sections of episodes edit previously shown scenes in such a way that they are not shown the way they originally aired, often looping text from other scenes, or splicing multiple scenes into one. However, I Am Sylar marks the first time that a new scene was written expressly for the "Previously On" section.

See Also


previous: 1961 I Am Sylar next: An Invisible Thread
Season Three
Volume Three: Villains

The Second ComingThe Butterfly EffectOne of Us, One of ThemI Am Become DeathAngels and MonstersDying of the LightEris Quod SumVillainsIt's ComingThe Eclipse, Part 1The Eclipse, Part 2Our FatherDual

Volume Four: Fugitives

A Clear and Present DangerTrust and BloodBuilding 26Cold WarsExposedShades of GrayCold SnapInto AsylumTurn and Face the Strange1961I Am SylarAn Invisible Thread

See Also: Volume One EpisodesVolume Two EpisodesVolume Three EpisodesVolume Four EpisodesVolume Five EpisodesHeroes Reborn EpisodesAll Episodes