Sylar
| Sylar/Gabriel Gray | |
|---|---|
| Heroes character | |
Zachary Quinto as Sylar
|
|
| First appearance | "One Giant Leap" |
| Last appearance | "Brave New World" |
| Portrayed by |
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| Information | |
| Occupation | Watchmaker |
| Ability | Intuitive aptitude |
| Real name | Gabriel Gray |
Gabriel Gray, more commonly known by his pseudonym Sylar, is a fictional character and a primary antagonist of the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a superpowered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers. He served as the primary villain of the first season and then as a recurring antagonist. Over the course of seasons two, three and four, the writers depicted Sylar attempting at various times and under different circumstances to become a hero or curb his desire to kill, undergoing relapses at various stages. In the series' penultimate episode he experienced over three years of penitence within a mental prison, and later identifies himself as a hero in what became the show's series finale due to cancellation.
TV Guide included him in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.
Sylar was originally created as a cannibal who ate his victims' brains and "digested their power"; however, in order to avoid the potential silliness and zombie associations, the producers deliberately made this fact vague in the series. In an interview with series creator Tim Kring, it is asked if Sylar eats brains, and he merely states "That's the popular speculation. There's a connection between the powers and the brain, and Sylar has found it." The question is addressed in the season three premiere, when he is depicted in the act of acquiring Claire Bennet's regenerative powers through examination of her brain with his hands. When Claire asks him the same question, he sounds surprised and replies "Eat your brain? Claire, that's disgusting." The writers never bridged the gap between the early insinuations regarding what Sylar does with the brains and the final incarnation they reveal in his encounter with Claire.
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Wikipedia