Sylar is ruined!

[Mars Investigations]

The more I think about the writers giving Sylar empathy, the more I believe that they're ruined his character and made the past two seasons worthless for him. His desperation fir, and inability to simply absorb, powers no longer matters, and it's left me feeling like his involvement in Seasons One and Two were pointless because, essentially, he's now a different character.

So basically, he was killing people for nothing.

That seems like an odd message for the writers to send when they've spent most of this season turning him into a hero. Now, he just seems like another Peter clone - with his good-to-evil transformation reversed.

[Xanderman]

I'm enjoying the new Sylar, I think it makes sense for him to be a good guy, as before this all started he was just a mild mannered/gentle watchmaker (or repairman). The power corrupted him, gave him that "hunger". Plus we were recently shown that he was trying to be good back in the beginning, but Elle and HRG messed with him, and pushed him the wrong direction. Peter almost killed Nathan in that future when he first felt the hunger if you recall so even a good guy like him isn't immune to its effect.

And I don't really see his involvement in past seasons pointless, as it gives him a history. It has led to his earning the hatred of many, and that sets up many interesting dynamics and relationships that wouldn't exist otherwise.

What I don't get is why Sylar couldn't figure out he could absorb/copy powers like Peter/Arthur basically do a long time ago, instead of cracking people's heads open and killing them--I mean, doesn't he have that "intuitive aptitude" ability? And why couldn't he figure out Elle's power right away? He seemed to have trouble with it, but again, hello, IA? I hate it when this show is inconsistent with itself...which is now more common than ever with all the history rewriting going on and all.

[loistickyfingerz]

Sylar is far more interesting now, I think. Because under it all, yes, he is evil, but toying with emotion makes him a far better 3-D character than just having him be pure evil for the sake of being evil.

[Sweetie]

I love the old Sylar and I adore the new Gabriel.I think his character is more complex than you think.In the previous seasons,he wasn't able to control himself from his hunger for powers,he'll always want more and more.But,when he took Peter's powers,he gained his empathy power aswell,his old habits came back and took over again because Peter's powers are also unstable.He controls himself perfectly now cause of Arthur,power of persuasion probably.But,we saw in the future that he won't be able to control his hunger alone.He will always needs someone who will help him to control his evil side.

[Pokemonkey]

I Totally agree with MI. empathy is lame and the writers is forcing really hard to make sylar be the good guy. also in the future when sylar gives peter his power he says it comes with an hunger and nothing about empathy. i hope the writers change (them being fired) also bring a change to the show sometime now

[JW_102792]

@Sweetie; Sylar never took Peter's powers, the empathy thing is supposedly something he's always been able to do, which is going against everything they said about Sylar. And why would you think Arthur used persuasion on Sylar? Maybe I just read it wrong.

@Pokemonkey; I agree, they're changing Sylar way too much. I don't mind him being a good guy, just wanting someone to love him more or less, but it was clearly stated in Season 1&2, that hunger or no hunger, he was pretty evil. And it was said that he got powers from his IA, which was his only power at the beginning, because he reprogrammed his brain to allow the power, after looking at the other persons brain. I don't know why now they expect us to believe all he had to do this whole time was be empathetic, it's a completely different power.

I kind of got thinking though... If Arthur is able to give away a power he has to someone else (Pretty sure the writers said he can't in one of the BTE's, but I don't remember) maybe he gave Gabriel Peter's empathy power. That would be the only way to explain it, IMO.

[LOONEY]

He didn't kow how her power worked he just took it. When he cuts them open he sees how they work that power. He will need to merge the two powers to fully understand.

[JW_102792]

As far as Elle's power goes, I think he took on the unstable part of her power, the part she couldn't control. I mean, right after she said "The pain is gone" he showed her power, and couldn't control it 100%. Seems to make sense, although I did at first think it was because she forgave herself, and the whole time her power was unstable was because she was so upset/angry Sylar killed her dad. It's possible both, but who knows?

[Litle bit more bizarre]

I dont think that this emphaty ruins Sylar personality but he will not kill anyone for power but he will kill people because he is always villain

[darthcow]

I'm enjoying the new Sylar, I think it makes sense for him to be a good guy, as before this all started he was just a mild mannered/gentle watchmaker (or repairman). The power corrupted him, gave him that "hunger". Plus we were recently shown that he was trying to be good back in the beginning, but Elle and HRG messed with him, and pushed him the wrong direction. Peter almost killed Nathan in that future when he first felt the hunger if you recall so even a good guy like him isn't immune to its effect.

And I don't really see his involvement in past seasons pointless, as it gives him a history. It has led to his earning the hatred of many, and that sets up many interesting dynamics and relationships that wouldn't exist otherwise.

What I don't get is why Sylar couldn't figure out he could absorb/copy powers like Peter/Arthur basically do a long time ago, instead of cracking people's heads open and killing them--I mean, doesn't he have that "intuitive aptitude" ability? And why couldn't he figure out Elle's power right away? He seemed to have trouble with it, but again, hello, IA? I hate it when this show is inconsistent with itself...which is now more common than ever with all the history rewriting going on and all.

I agree. At first I was angry at ruining an amazing villain, but I've come to love the complexity of his character now. Especially, seeing scenes with him and Elle in the past.