I Am Sylar

"I Am Sylar" is the twenty-fourth episode of the third season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes and fifty-eighth episode overall. The episode aired on April 20, 2009.^[1] It is the penultimate episode of season 3, and volume 4.

Plot

The episode opens with the scene from the previous episode, showing Angela Petrelli and the group seeing Nathan Petrelli, though actually Sylar, giving a press conference on TV. The episode then proceeds to recount what happened 18 hours earlier.

Sylar has been having an identity crisis after being forced by Emile Danko to live the life of an agent. When he tells Danko about this, he suggests Sylar find an "anchor," or something he can relate to so he can remind himself who he really is. Sylar finds an anchor in the form of his late mother's effects, whom he begins having conversations with by morphing into her and back. Later, Sylar manages to acquire an ability to disintegrate objects from a man targeted by the agency; he also finds the man had been contacted by "Rebel" moments before he had arrived. Giving the phone to Danko, his agency is able to track Rebel's location to an abandoned warehouse. Sylar manages to reach Micah first, intending to acquire his ability. Micah, however, tells him he can help him with his identity crisis, and says "You can save us all." At this, Sylar agrees to help him, and then morphs into Micah to lead Danko's men away so that Micah can escape. Sylar, as Micah, is then shot and falls into the pier, where Danko and his men are led to believe he is dead. Later, Sylar takes Micah to his home, where Micah witnesses Sylar having one of his conversations with his mother. Catching Micah watching him, Sylar demands he leave, though Micah exclaims he can use his ability to change into someone important and make a difference; before leaving, Micah suggests he turn into Nathan Petrelli so he can convince the President to terminate the agency.

Matt Parkman contacts his ex-wife, Janice Parkman, who has been released from the authorities, telling her their son is safe and he intends to bring him back to her. Hiro Nakamura and Ando Masahashi plan to raid Building 26 to put a stop to the agency, and wish Matt to come along, though he says he doesn't want to abandon his son. Matt and his son are then reunited with Janice at her home, though Matt uses his telepathy to discover Danko's men have been stationed outside. Matt tells Janice to get packed so they can leave as soon as possible. Initially intending to go with them, Matt later changes his mind after seeing his old police badge, saying he will go help Hiro and Ando take down the agency. The agents soon enter the house, and Matt is shown using his telepathy to essentially make them invisible.

Hiro and Ando head to Isaac Mendez's old loft, which has since been rigged with motion detectors, where they intend to sound the alarm so Ando can be captured and allow Hiro to follow the men back to their headquarters. Although Ando isn't pleased to be used as bait, he agrees and soon Danko's men raid the loft. Hiro stops time, but finds Ando is unaffected as he was touching him. Ando says he no longer needs to be bait, but Hiro tricks him into getting hit with taser darts. Hiro dresses up as one of the commandos and accompanies them along with the captured Ando back to Building 26. On the way, Hiro stops time and tells Ando he needs to play his part. Upon reverting time, one of the agents notices Hiro's glasses, as the original commando didn't, but Ando uses his powers to take out everyone in the van. Hiro and Ando then take a G.P.S. device from one of the commandos to discover the location of Building 26 and they head there themselves. Outside the building, Hiro attempts to stop time again, but instead finds he has a headache and begins having a nosebleed. Elsewhere, Noah Bennet, Claire Bennet, and Angela Petrelli are driving, but are then stopped at a roadblock. A team of commando units is shown moving in on their car. Mohinder Suresh, who is still at Coyote Sands investigating the work his father did there, is also shown being captured by Danko's agents.

Sylar visits Nathan's office, where he manages to find a toothbrush of Nathan's, allowing him to contact his DNA and morph into him. Sylar then gives his press conference on TV. Upon seeing it, Nathan decides to confront him about it, though Peter Petrelli also goes after him. Nathan meets Sylar in his office, where Sylar says he will attempt to be a better version of him. As Sylar is about to kill Nathan, Nathan is shot with a taser dart by Danko. Danko tells Sylar he needs to revert to being his agent, though Sylar refuses. At this, Danko unexpectedly impales Sylar in the back of the head with a knife. As Danko is about to call in a clean-up crew, however, Sylar rises from the ground and removes the knife, apparently unaffected but remarking how it hurt.

Critical Reception

Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club rated this episode a F.^[2]

Robert Canning of IGN gave the episode 7.5 out of 10.^[3]

References

External links

• I Am Sylar at the Internet Movie Database
• Beaming Beeman - Season 3, Episode 24 - Director's blog on the filming of this episode