Sylar's power

[neemer5]

OK I really want to address this whole brain-eating theory once and for all.

Firstly, the producers have said he doesn't eat them.

Secondly, when you eat something, you tend to digest it, rendering it useless. I don't know how people get the eating part. He steals their brains, goes to a safe location, and does what he does.

My theory is that, since he has an ability to understand how things function at the microscopic level, he changes his DNA sequencing (since he has microscopic telekinesis or something) to match that of the brains, which he needs to dissect to use.

Otherwise, it may be a part of the brain that he integrates into his own.

But seriously, it's not eating.

 

[Le Diable Blanc]

He steals their brains, goes to a safe location, and does what he does.

Haha I dunno why that made me laugh. But seriously I don't think he needs to go to a safe location. It must not take very long or else he would've taken Zane's brain over to his house instead of doing it there.

 

[Sentinel X]

I used to think he ate them, in the last episode he said something about how he needed to sink his teeth in (didn't specify what) but he was talking about the people on the list. As of now Im really not sure how Sylar gets those power. Maybe he eats them or maybe its just DNA manipulation but if I could manipulate my DNA Id probably stud advanced genetics to get whatever I want -shrugs-

 

[The Question]

Here's what I'm fairly sure happens: His power, the one inherent to him, is that he can sense all the mechanics of how an object owrks and is put together. He understands exactly how something functions, and can sense when something is damaged or working differently or improperly. He can also, I'm guessing, almost instantly figure out how to fix it or change it. So, by studying the bodies his victims (brains in particular) he can undeerstand:

1) How their genetic make up gives them their powers.

2) How to alter his own DNA to mimick those properties.


Presumably, he uses some kind of chemical injections coupled with the DNA of his victims. That's just a guess, but it makes the most sense to me.

 

[The_Beav]

You say he instantly figures stuff out, but as a watch maker it took him several years to make that one watch. That seems odd to me.

Also it was mentioned that he used microscopic telekinsis. He could not use that on his first victim.

I suspect over the course of time, he may have acquired powers to make his process easier.

There is still a question of what happens with the brains??? I doubt he eats them, unless he calls Ernie ("2lb family meal, but I don't have a family );")

I'm thinking his power is not understanding things, but absorbing powers (or whole brains). Peter gains powers by proximity and sylar by absorbing somehow. In any case, I suspect Sylar would kill his victims whether he has to or not.

 

[Abaddon]

he knew Suresh's watch was off just by listening.

 

[neemer5]

You say he instantly figures stuff out, but as a watch maker it took him several years to make that one watch. That seems odd to me.

Also it was mentioned that he used microscopic telekinsis. He could not use that on his first victim.

I suspect over the course of time, he may have acquired powers to make his process easier.

There is still a question of what happens with the brains??? I doubt he eats them, unless he calls Ernie ("2lb family meal, but I don't have a family );")

I'm thinking his power is not understanding things, but absorbing powers (or whole brains). Peter gains powers by proximity and sylar by absorbing somehow. In any case, I suspect Sylar would kill his victims whether he has to or not.

Remember that these powers are triggered, and accelerate, possibly after meeting Sureh's dad. Before he met him, he had zero powers.

The telekinesis part doesn't make sense with the first guy, so my thinking is that he could be performing his own nanosurgery. Didn't he have a clock-wind on the back of his head when he was captured by HRG? I thought I saw something there.

 

[Mysterio]

Remember that these powers are triggered, and accelerate, possibly after meeting Sureh's dad. Before he met him, he had zero powers.

The telekinesis part doesn't make sense with the first guy, so my thinking is that he could be performing his own nanosurgery. Didn't he have a clock-wind on the back of his head when he was captured by HRG? I thought I saw something there.

Suresh's dad hasn't triggered anyone's power, including Sylar's. he had a power even when he first met with Suresh.

 

[Le Diable Blanc]

Before he met him, he had zero powers.

He didn't have zero powers, he just didn't have an easily observable and analizable power.

 

[DBCrader]

I know this may sound weird but...

I think the choice of having "Sylar" be a watchmaker before his "gift" showed up wasn't made by chance. He's now doing the same thing with the other "heroes"! He takes their brains, and in some way can see what makes their power work, then "rewires" himself to do the same!!!

Peter, on the other hand, merely has to be near another "hero" to absorb their power...

 

[Abaddon]

I know this may sound weird but...

I think the choice of having "Sylar" be a watchmaker before his "gift" showed up wasn't made by chance. He's now doing the same thing with the other "heroes"! He takes their brains, and in some way can see what makes their power work, then "rewires" himself to do the same!!!

Peter, on the other hand, merely has to be near another "hero" to absorb their power...

it doesn't sound weird. it's been said a gajillion times before.

 

[sethcohen]

OK I really want to address this whole brain-eating theory once and for all.

Firstly, the producers have said he doesn't eat them.

Secondly, when you eat something, you tend to digest it, rendering it useless. I don't know how people get the eating part. He steals their brains, goes to a safe location, and does what he does.

My theory is that, since he has an ability to understand how things function at the microscopic level, he changes his DNA sequencing (since he has microscopic telekinesis or something) to match that of the brains, which he needs to dissect to use.

Otherwise, it may be a part of the brain that he integrates into his own.

But seriously, it's not eating.

spoiler about episode 1.22:

Spoiler

Sylar is eating a certain Hero's brain.

 

[Mrh7448]

At first, before evidence suggested otherwise, I thought he was consumming the brains as well. The same way that "primitive" cultures would eat the hearts or drink the blood of their enemies to gain their strengths.

However, later shows depict that this is not the case. I think Sylar's abilities work instictually that was how he picked up the TK abilities. However, after that and continued introspection he has learned to use his abilities in a more efficient way.

Honestly if it was just an alteration of DNA he could do that through any part or the body. Blood, Skin Hair etc, they all hold DNA and if he was just looking to see how that was built then he could just take some blood and wouldn't have to take a gander at the brains of his Vics (not that he wouldn't still kill them) However, it seems that the brain is the key and this goes along with something Suresh says.

 

[psychocheeseman]

You say he instantly figures stuff out, but as a watch maker it took him several years to make that one watch. That seems odd to me.

Maybe he's just really really clumsy...

I used to think he ate the brain, but mainly only cause i was also convinced that he must have some sort of spoon that he would carry around with him. Judging by the heads in the earlier eps which looked as if brains were scooped out. naturally i thought if he'd gone to the trouble of carrying a spoon around why wouldn't he have a bit of a snack whilst he was at it......

 

[IAmHe9]

I, too, am stumped as to how he "fixes" himself. The impression I get is that these abilities are genetic. So Sylar has super vision to be able to "read" DNA? How does he alter his own DNA? Two simple explanations are that he can absorb things similar in a way to peter or perhaps all the heroes have all the powers. Maybe each one has only stumbled on how to work with one at a time. Therefore peter is not absorbing powers, but understanding or a key to unlocking them. sylar goes to the source and learns how to unlock it in himself? Just a theory.

The assumption is that Sylar alters himself, even modern medicine can't alter someone's DNA. So how would a watchmaker do it to the first TK guy, without tools?

Seeing how things work and adapting his DNA so that he can do it too is his power, just like Nathan's is flight and Claire's is rapid regeneration. Trying to explain it scientifically is useless because there is no previous example to base it on in the real world and therefore we can't objectively discuss how it happens.

Point is, he voluntarily cuts people's heads open, takes out their brains, 'sinks his teeth in' (as he so eloquently put it), and steals their power. Peter involuntarily re-writes his DNA (probably only one chromosome or part of a chromosome something, as it's way too far fetched that his entire DNA would be re-written without any other effect except for the ability to toss **** about or turn invisible) when he's in the presence of someone else with a mutation. His body never forgets the power and he can activate it simply by thinking of the person.

OR you can take the spiritual route and say that it's all in the mind and that the only reason Peter can absorb other people's powers is because he's the next step in evolution (homo superior) and has unlocked more his brain power (us homo sapiens only use a small percent, and people that have shown the ability to do crazy **** such as telekinesis have shown more brain activity than regular people, according to a program I watched on the USSR recruiting people with powers) and because he's an empath (meaning he can feel how others feel, whether he wants to or not) he's extraordinarily good at 'relating' to people. It's probably a little of both.

 

[sethcohen]

Seeing how things work and adapting his DNA so that he can do it too is his power, just like Nathan's is flight and Claire's is rapid regeneration. Trying to explain it scientifically is useless because there is no previous example to base it on in the real world and therefore we can't objectively discuss how it happens.

Point is, he voluntarily cuts people's heads open, takes out their brains, 'sinks his teeth in' (as he so eloquently put it), and steals their power. Peter involuntarily re-writes his DNA (probably only one chromosome or part of a chromosome something, as it's way too far fetched that his entire DNA would be re-written without any other effect except for the ability to toss **** about or turn invisible) when he's in the presence of someone else with a mutation. His body never forgets the power and he can activate it simply by thinking of the person.

OR you can take the spiritual route and say that it's all in the mind and that the only reason Peter can absorb other people's powers is because he's the next step in evolution (homo superior) and has unlocked more his brain power (us homo sapiens only use a small percent, and people that have shown the ability to do crazy **** such as telekinesis have shown more brain activity than regular people, according to a program I watched on the USSR recruiting people with powers) and because he's an empath (meaning he can feel how others feel, whether he wants to or not) he's extraordinarily good at 'relating' to people. It's probably a little of both.

thats actually a myth... it was a misinterpreted... at any point in time 5% of our brains are active... but we use all 100% just different parts at different times...

 

[Neptune]

What do you guys think would happen if he "sinks his teeth" into Niki's brain?

 

[Tyrinus]

What do you guys think would happen if he "sinks his teeth" into Niki's brain?

It would be funny if part of her power was a opposite personality and Sylar took her powers and developed a highly moral personality with super strength that tried to stop himself.

 

[Katsuro]

It would be funny if part of her power was a opposite personality and Sylar took her powers and developed a highly moral personality with super strength that tried to stop himself.

As interesting as that would be, I still think Niki's power is super-strength, and Jessica's power was to transfer her conciousness into other bodies. If that's true, i'm not sure what would happen if Sylar took her brain. He'd obviously get the strength, but would Jessica die and Sylar get her power too? That could be interesting.

 

[Lord Doom]

Sylar's power is... ... ... I don't know.

 

[red-five]

As interesting as that would be, I still think Niki's power is super-strength, and Jessica's power was to transfer her conciousness into other bodies. If that's true, i'm not sure what would happen if Sylar took her brain. He'd obviously get the strength, but would Jessica die and Sylar get her power too? That could be interesting.

How can genetically identical twins have different powers???

 

[Neptune]

Who says they're twins?

 

[gambitfire]

How can genetically identical twins have different powers???

because not every thing about them is the same they do have different finger prints for example.

Technically their DNA is the same but this is a fictional world with fictional laws and so in each person the powers manifest differentley.

It could be that the one extra gene that gives them their powers has no specific power attached to it, it just developes one at some point between being a fetus and birth.

 

[sethcohen]

Who says they're twins?

i know... ive never been under the impression that they were twins... just siblings...
i like the theory that jessica could transfer her consciousness into someone else... it had to have manifested itself right before death though... otherwise it could have been used to prevent her own death...