So, I had a crazy thought last night about Heroes. It just came to me as I was starting to doze off for the night. This may contain spoilers, so highlight below to read:
Mohinder’s dad is pictured on the back of the book that he authored. They chose a fairly recognizable actor for that shot, and that got me to wondering if he is really dead. So, let’s assume that he’s not. Maybe he staged his death or reported news of his death to get his son to come to New York. Regardless, we never saw a funeral, a body, an obit, or any other evidence that his father is really dead. Going further down this line then, I started to wonder where he is, and here’s the kicker: he’s Sylar.
What??? I know that’s your first reaction, but think about it for a minute. Mohinder’s dad has been obsessed with this genetic theory for as long as anyone can remember. He’s written a book about all the possibilities and odds, and he apparently “discovered” patient zero. Suppose that patient zero is himself. He triggered the change in himself and created Sylar a la Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or The Incredible Hulk (if you want a superhero reference). He’s already demonstrated a collection of powers (telekinesis, possible mind control, possible phasing/flight/super speed) that could be result of experimentation. If we accept that this theory may be true, then we understand how Sylar has the same map in his apartment and the phrase “forgive me” starts to have a little more depth. He wants forgiveness for awakening the demon. It also fits with the circumstantial evidence of Sylar calling when he was not home. He could only leave a message because he is calling himself.
It’s a classic dual identity that appears in all superhero stories, but with a little more psychological twist to ground it in reality. And don’t forget that the whole “your father was killed by a young Jedi named Darth Vader” ruse worked well for a whole generation of movie-goers.
So where does this leave the other characters? Unknown. But it may cast Mr. Bennett in a different light. Suppose that our perspective is just a little off right now and that he worked with Mohinder’s dad. He’s seen what Sylar can do and he’s fearful that they all will turn evil. So he wants to stop them before they go bad. Based on the scenes from next week, he and his associate from the bar have captured Matt Parkman, so maybe that dialog will answer some more questions.
Let me know if you think I’m totally off my rocker here.
