Revealed! - How Powers Work (Discussion thread)

[getkuhl]

If Mohinder says that the powers come from the adrenal glands, and then it looks as though he is going to extract it from Maya..... then why has the focus for three seasons been on Sylar eating brains?? That sounds like they jumped tracks on us or something:confused::confused:

[Frost27]

Apparently they come from the top of your kidneys... Who knew? And all this time Sylar has been poking around in the wrong place.

[getkuhl]

well if that is true then technically sylar would have zero abilities, maybe i am just missing something, or perhaps mohinder was wayyyy wrong considering the outcome of his situation. i think that formula is right and mohinder is wrong....

[warriorrenegade]

No. The powers manifest through the adrenal glands Like an on/off switch. The brain still holds the key to how and why a power works and is..Nothing has changed.

[Merfish]

The brain has all the info, and tell the adrenal glands to make it i think

[dru-zod2501]

If the adrenaline only activates the process, that would mean there's already something in the bloodstream that is the basis of the abilities, so the brain may still be the loci

[pjack]

If Mohinder says that the powers come from the adrenal glands, and then it looks as though he is going to extract it from Maya..... then why has the focus for three seasons been on Sylar eating brains?? That sounds like they jumped tracks on us or something:confused::confused:


Sylar doesn't eat brains. We never saw what he did until now with Claire and we had to use our imaginations on what he did. They made us all believe that's what he did. Even Claire said, "Are you going to eat my brain?" lol
But I think that's were we tell ourselves HOW to use these powers. The brain is the command center for the body so it say how to walk, eat, sleep and use extraordinary powers. As far as what triggers this, it very well can be from the adrenal glands. I'm sure most of use aren't dr.s so how do we really know that's not possible. :)

BTW. Sylar has the ability to extract that from the brain to use for himself and Peter, well you know....

[warriorrenegade]

If the adrenaline only activates the process, that would mean there's already something in the bloodstream that is the basis of the abilities, so the brain may still be the loci

Yes. Mohinder said this. That a person who was injected with the Hero/virus their individual blood chemistry would determine what powers they got.

[Lex'sLover]

ya thats what im thinking.. its in the glands.. but the brain makes it happen.. and might i add... Sylar is NOOOT a brain eater! notice he did not eat any part of Claires brain? he simply touched it.. an Claire said... 'Aren't you going to eat my brain" and he is like "Claire.. Thats disgusting"

[Yoshua]

Back in episode 2-11 forum there was a debate about how the powers worked. I said that Adam Monroe would never die in the coffin because a chemical in his brain would keep bringing him back to life.


Hmmmm sounds about right.

Original Thread (http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82952)


Ninth Doctor still around? :D

[spokesnwheels]

The pituitary gland is located in the brain and helps to regulate the activity of the adrenal glands.

That is tie between the two.

[Kardiac]

No. The powers manifest through the adrenal glands Like an on/off switch. The brain still holds the key to how and why a power works and is..Nothing has changed.

Exactly... the brain is the steering wheel, the adrenal gland is the starter.

[The Ninth Doctor]

Back in episode 2-11 forum there was a debate about how the powers worked. I said that Adam Monroe would never die in the coffin because a chemical in his brain would keep bringing him back to life.


Hmmmm sounds about right.

Original Thread (http://www.kryptonsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82952)


Ninth Doctor still around? :D

I'm still here lol.:D


This was a very....odd reveal to say the least. Because we've seen plenty of powers that are always on, not brought on by stress. (Adam's was definitely a stressful manifest, but didn't Claire just get a minor cut or something?) And also examples of powers that have nothing to do with adrenalin (IE, Micah).

Anyway, as Sylar showed us, the powers are still in the brain, but the brain just needs to send a signal to the adrenal glands to secrete adrenalin to turn on the powers in the brain. Somewhat redundant, but meh.


(About the Adam debate... let's not start that again lol. Laws of Physics still say that he can't live forever, proof that he can't still exists, proof that he can still exists, neither stance has all the evidence supporting it, and as Mrs. Petrelli dream shows he's going to be dug out before anyone can be proven right or wrong.)

[Mischael12]

The adrenal glands are there for a more instinctual basis, the reaction of fight or flight. It would explain why many manifestations of the powers occurred when the individual was in a life or death situation, this ties in with the instinctual side of the brain reacting. When the individual learns to activate their powers, its now having the brain tell the adrenal glands what to do.

It would make sense as well why Isaac could only paint when he was on heroin, which is known to cause the pituitary gland to signal the adrenal glands to secret adrenaline.

In cases of people like Todd, his powers were pretty much tied to his emotions, the more emotional he got the stronger the radiation released, which also points to a higher adrenaline level in his body. Since we usually have adrenaline flowing in our bodies in small amounts I believe, it would mean that a small amount of his powers would always be active. Not enough to do full harm.

When one learns to control their powers its basically the brain controlling the levels of adrenaline in the system, though I would argue some people always have a consistent level, people like Claire, may have extremely high adrenaline in her body, too be used whenever. This would explain the rapid healing, and her bodies inability to feel the pain, it probably starts healing the moment the damage is done now.

I should point out that adrenaline isn't always triggered by stress, excitement, and happiness can also be factors to trigger it, as well as other emotions that are positive and negative.

Thats just why it makes sense to me though....

[DoomsDay15]

The adrenal glands are there for a more instinctual basis, the reaction of fight or flight. It would explain why many manifestations of the powers occurred when the individual was in a life or death situation, this ties in with the instinctual side of the brain reacting. When the individual learns to activate their powers, its now having the brain tell the adrenal glands what to do.

It would make sense as well why Isaac could only paint when he was on heroin, which is known to cause the pituitary gland to signal the adrenal glands to secret adrenaline.

In cases of people like Todd, his powers were pretty much tied to his emotions, the more emotional he got the stronger the radiation released, which also points to a higher adrenaline level in his body. Since we usually have adrenaline flowing in our bodies in small amounts I believe, it would mean that a small amount of his powers would always be active. Not enough to do full harm.

When one learns to control their powers its basically the brain controlling the levels of adrenaline in the system, though I would argue some people always have a consistent level, people like Claire, may have extremely high adrenaline in her body, too be used whenever. This would explain the rapid healing, and her bodies inability to feel the pain, it probably starts healing the moment the damage is done now.

I should point out that adrenaline isn't always triggered by stress, excitement, and happiness can also be factors to trigger it, as well as other emotions that are positive and negative.

Thats just why it makes sense to me though....

This.

[The Ninth Doctor]

If its a fight or flight response, it makes more sense for the brain to just trigger the powers directly, rather than have the brain trigger adrenalin which then goes through the bloodstream to trigger another part of the brain. The first should work much more quickly.

[Mischael12]

Not necessarily, for instance when your burned and you react, the signal hasn't actually gotten to your brain yet, the adrenaline would be released though even without your brain being aware of what had happened.

The fight or flight part of the psyche is embedded so deep that it precedes natural thought. When you flee from a tiger or any dangerous reaction you don't necessarily think first, even though adrenaline has already been pumped into your body.

[The Ninth Doctor]

You don't consciously think first, but your neurons are still controlling your actions. How would your body know to release adrenalin if the brain didn't interpret that image you are seeing as a tiger?

The Endocrine system, like all biological systems, finds its source in the brain.

[STFanatic]

Like when you are startled, you jump before you know what startled you.

(The proverbial cat in the horror film.)

[Mischael12]

Well when the release happens the brain is simply telling the body release adrenaline, the adrenaline when released is what causes the powers to activate. I guess that would be the best way to describe it.

[Yoshua]

Well when the release happens the brain is simply telling the body release adrenaline, the adrenaline when released is what causes the powers to activate. I guess that would be the best way to describe it.

No.


The addrenaline is the highway the chemical travels down. Not the chemical itself. If adrenaline was all it took to have an ability everyone would have one.


The chemical that activates the ability works the same as adrenaline, but it isn't the same thing. It may even work with adrenaline but we wont know till Mohinder finds more out.

[Mischael12]

Adrenaline is a chemical, I'm not saying that Adrenaline is the power itself, I'm saying that Adrenaline activates it. We seem too have a three way system.

We have the Brain

Blood itself as evident with Claire

and Adrenaline.

Adrenaline pumped into the body activates the chemical in the bloodstream that triggers the ability perhaps?

[The Ninth Doctor]

Well when the release happens the brain is simply telling the body release adrenaline, the adrenaline when released is what causes the powers to activate. I guess that would be the best way to describe it.

Exactly, the brain is subconsciously telling the body to activate the adrenalin to activate the powers, when it could just be telling the body to activate adrenaline while itself activating the ability, just like it does with all other fight or flight reactions.

[Mischael12]

That's what I had basically said, I guess I should have indicated that what I meant when I said not really the brain is that its not the thinking center of the brain that is doing it.

[Yoshua]

Adrenaline is a chemical, I'm not saying that Adrenaline is the power itself, I'm saying that Adrenaline activates it. We seem too have a three way system.

We have the Brain

Blood itself as evident with Claire

and Adrenaline.

Adrenaline pumped into the body activates the chemical in the bloodstream that triggers the ability perhaps?

Can't really say 'blood' I'd agree with, but if it was 'blood' then simply transfusing someones blood who had powers to someone who doesnt would give them powers.

The powers can give different cells the body abilities, such as healing gives claires blood the ability to regenerate, but what about Elle? Her abilities activate different cells in her body to produce electricity to expell.

I don't think blood has anything to do with powers in general, but specific powers utilize the blood for sure. I wouldn't say adrenaline is the chemical that creates the powers but I agree that it is definately ONE of the ways the ability can be turned on. I don't think it is the only way though but that is a personal belief and not supported on screen yet.

Do you think Micah learned about computers after an adrenaline rush? Would be something to tie it together.

[STFanatic]

I know my adrenaline rushed pretty hard the first time I messed up my first computer :p

[Yoshua]

I know my adrenaline rushed pretty hard the first time I messed up my first computer :p

lol nice.

[Mischael12]

Well I base it off, that Adrenaline is in many cases what causes people to suddenly have an increase of power.

Consider the mother whose child is trapped under a car who can lift the car, that is due to the adrenaline rush. It probably isn't the only chemical, but I think its one of the major factors. I mean things like blood circulate through out the body delivering oxygen and many different hormones to the body, so there might be traces of the chemical to unite within the blood as well. Personally I preferred it when they just kept it as the brain. And unfortunately we haven't had a back story to Micah to be able to tell. I mean DL was stressed when his powers first manifested right? Nikki as well, Peter, basically everyone was in some form of danger or had some level of anxiety/happiness.

and consider Isaac whose powers wouldn't work unless he was on Heroin which has been known to cause the body to release adrenaline.