Heroes: “I Am Sylar”

Here’s to hoping you’re a Sylar fan, because he’s front and center for Monday’s new episode of Heroes. It is titled “I Am Sylar,” after all. And Sylar is having an identity crisis. Yes, even sociopathic, murderous, shape-shifters get the blues. Luckily, they get over it by taking on the form of powerful U.S. leaders, like Sylar will do when he becomes Nathan. But before we get to that, we’ll flash back 18 hours earlier, where Sylar wakes up in bed as his alter-ego, Agent Taub, on Danko’s team. Apparently shape-shifting also comes with nasty side effects like extra teeth. Which we’re lucky enough to watch him then rip out.

Matt Parkman meanwhile is bonding with baby Matt Parkman. Does anyone else wonder why his ex-wife, Janice, would name the baby after him? I mean, the baby came after they split, and Matt senior didn’t even know the little guy existed. What jilted woman wants to then name her baby after the guy she just left for being a deadbeat? A little odd if you ask me. What’s also odd is how sweet Matt is to her when he calls her. Didn’t Daphne, the love of his life, just die? Give it a little time, man. Matt leaves Hiro and Ando behind in order to go home and play house, leaving them to find their way to Building 26 alone. Hiro devises a plan to use Ando as bait but the plan becomes a power struggle when Ando complains he’s sick of being a sidekick. They poise themselves in Isaac’s old loft when the agents burst through, and Hiro stops time to save himself, but as it turns out, Ando, is right there too, unaffected by the time pause. Which only furthers his point, right? Give the guy some credit!

Danko shows up at Sylar’s to reprimand him for wearing his own face too often, which doesn’t bode well for the fact that he’s supposed to be dead. Sylar confesses he’s having a personal crisis, now that he’s not morphing back exactly the same, but Danko orders him to remain Agent Tau and puts him back on task for the next target - Tom Miller. Miller is in his home when he gets a warning text from Rebel to run. Too late! Sylar is sitting on his couch - as Sylar. Miller warns him of what might happen if they startle him, which naturally, piques Sylar’s interest. When Sylar sees he can crush things in a single, mental, snap, he convinces him to join him and run from the agents. Poor Tom. This just leads to his death as the latest manipulated victim for Sylar. When the agents finally burst in, they find Tom is beheaded on the floor, and “I Am Sylar” written in his blood on the wall. Back at the office, Sylar appears as if he’s been crying, apparently he’s off his dramatic, egotistical, high from before. Danko is annoyed with the stunt, but pretends to be Sylar’s therapist instead, and channels “Lost,” telling Sylar in order to remember who he is, he needs an anchor, to remind him of himself. Or, as Losties would say, a “constant.” Turns out Sylar’s constant is the last remains of his dead adoptive mother he murdered. He breathes in the smell of her old bloody sweater (which I highly doubt still has her scent, gross), and looks over the scissors he killed her with. It seems he’s fantasized himself into a fake conversation with her as part of a self induced pity-party, but it’s actually more depressing than that. When the doorbell rings we see Sylar was actually shifting back and forth between himself and her, for a post-mortem conversation. But that’s on halt for now - Danko is there and he’s found Rebel.

Ando is still geeking out over the fact that he can move about in suspended time like Hiro. Only Hiro isn’t as jazzed. Case in point - Hiro starts time again but does so when Ando is right in the line of fire of the agents’ tranquilizing darts. That’s a little harsh! It’s part of his plan, which Ando rejected, and Hiro poses as an agent to accompany the group back to Building 26. Hiro stops time again en route to wake Ando up - who’s rightfully pissed off - and all is well until a fellow agent recognizes the agent Hiro is pretending to be suddenly has glasses - and is Asian. Ando is then the one to save the day and uses his power to taser them all out so they can escape. Not just a sidekick anymore, is right!

Danko and his team head to an old factory looking for Rebel. Sylar gets to him first and is surprised to find Micah. Micah tells him he can’t turn on his own kind, and appeals to his identity crisis when he tells Sylar he’s forgotten who he is. Sylar lets him go and soon he’s on the run with the agents hot on his tail. Only, Sylar didn’t just let him go, he shape-shifted into him, to secure his escape. Lucky thing too, as the agents finally shoot Sylar/Micah down and “dead” into the water. Of course, Sylar is fine, and Danko only knows he let Micah go. Is Sylar having a change of heart? It seems that way; he even takes Micah back to his place. Micah wakes up from a nap and sees Sylar shape-shifting for another fake convo with his dead mom. When Sylar catches him; he’s seriously embarrassed. Wouldn’t you be if someone saw you pretending to have a conversation with your dead mother while pretending to be her? Only Micah is enthralled, and urges him to use this power to make a difference, as someone like Nathan Petrelli. But Sylar’s humiliation is too much and he kicks Micah out threatening him to never come back. Though I guess he liked his idea, because he’s next in Petrelli’s office, rifling around for an item to help him morph. As he looks, he talks to his mom, who he makes offer her forgiveness and support to be anyone he can be - like the president.

Matt, meanwhile, goes home to find Janice and accompanying overt sexual tension. It’s cut short when he realizes they’re being watched. They plan to hide out together but that’s short lived. When he sees his old police badge he knows he has to go end things in DC, or they’ll never have a life together.

Soon, we’re back to where we started, and Sylar is on TV as Nathan giving a press conference, demanding an audience with the president. Naturally, this is because he needs contact with him in order to become him. The Petrellis and Bennets see it all on TV and Nathan insists on taking care of this mess himself. Peter, of course follows close behind, despite being told otherwise. Nathan goes to his office and finds Sylar already there, wielding his old gun. He’s about to cut open Nathan’s skull when Danko arrives and shoots Nathan down with a tranquilizer instead.

Hiro and Ando finally make it to Building 26 where they make peace to work as partners and equals. But is it too late for that? Hiro tries to stop time but can’t - he’s hit with a massive headache and nose bleed. And there’s another Lost reference! Time traveling = headaches and nose bleeds! Next thing you know he’ll be stuck in the 70s. Actually that already happened.

It seems Mohinder, who has been hiding out in Coyote Springs, is next to be taken in by agents, and Claire, Noah, and Angela’s car is stopped by them too. What will this mean now that almost all of the major players are in custody? And then there’s this - Danko finally comes to his senses and sticks his knife in the back of Sylar’s head, killing him. How many times has Sylar “died” now? Only he’s not dead. How could he be, really? Instead, he stands back up, and pulls it out. Which begs the question, how do you kill the unkillable man, now that the only known way doesn’t work? Ruh Roh!

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