Heroes Season 3 Episode 13

Focus on Sylar - the character everyone loves to hate - how powerful is he!

Easily one of the most powerful characters in the whole of the Heroes series Sylar serves as a villain for a good portion of the series, however future visions in Heroes also show that he has the ability to control his power and the hunger that goes with it, allowing him to lead a normal life and even have a son.

Born to a watchmaker, and Virginia Gray, he always dreamed of doing more with his life and was constantly told he was "special" by his mother. After adopting the persona of Sylar, he goes on a muderous rampage, killing anyone he can find with abilities so that he can take them for himself. With his original ability allowing him to see how everything works, Sylar extracts the brain of his victims before analysing them to find out how to use a new ability. Despite being hunted by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, Sylar has managed to avoid them all, and even if they do catch up with him, he can easily get rid of the 'annoyance' that they present!

Like all the 'big three', Peter Petrelli, Aurther Petrelli and himself, Sylar gains and loses powers throughout the series of Heroes.

After being infected with the Shanti Virus, his powers are repressed, but before this event he had acquired the following abilities.

Telekinesis from Brian Davis
Trevor's ability from Trevor Zeitlan
Freezing from James Walker
Enhanced memory from Charlie Andrews
Melting from Zane Taylor
Enhanced hearing from Dale Smither
Precognition from Isaac Mendez
Induced radioactivity from Ted Sprague

After his recovery from the Shanti virus, he finds that he has lost all abilities apart from his original innate abilities. But he soon carries on with his old ways and acquires several more abilities.

Rapid cellular regeneration from Claire Bennet
Alchemy from Bob Bishop
Clairsentience from Bridget Bailey
Sound manipulation from Jesse Murphy
Electric manipulation from Elle Bishop
Lie detection from Sue Landers

He is arguably now more dangerous than he was before, due to the rapid cell regeneration aquired from Claire, meaning he is nearly invincible. In terms of overall power it is probable to rank him third in terms of potential power; however at the time of Heroes Season 3 Episode 13, he is probably the most powerful, with Arthur now dead and Peter without his powers. However, it is possible that Peter will get his powers back during this episode.

A further look at power levels. In terms of powers it is clear that Future Peter is by far the most powerful character ever witnessed in Heroes, even if not all his abilities are demonstrated in the brief time during which we see him, however it is probable that he has others he has been exposed to, but not yet used.

In the '2011' timeline, he demonstrates the following abilities.
Precognitive dreaming from Angela Petrelli.
Flight from Nathan Petrelli.
Precognition from Isaac Mendez.
Space-time manipulation
Rapid cell regeneration
Telepathy from Matt Parkman.
Invisibility from Claude Rains.
Telekinesis from Sylar.
Induced radioactivity from Ted Sprague.
Enhanced strength from Niki Sanders.
Phasing from D.L. Hawkins.
Electric manipulation from Elle Bishop.
Illusion from an unknown source.
Body insertion from an unknown source.

Abilities Exposed To
It is probably that he has these abilities, but does not use them when we see him.
Healing
Power absorption
Persuasion
Enhanced memory
Freezing
Intuitive aptitude
Trevor's ability
Enhanced hearing
Melting
Clairvoyance
Technopathy
Alchemy
Enhanced speed
Future terrorist's ability
Magnetism
Pyrokinesis
Sound manipulation
Clairsentience

He can also be ranked 1st in potential power, due to his ability to absorb powers by merely being in proximity and without stealing them from other people. Whilst present Peter did have nearly all the same powers, his ability to control them properly was much less than that of future Peter, hence the threat he posed was also diminished.

The second most powerful character is easily Arthur Petrelli, although he remains at No. 2 in potential due to his requirements of actually touching a person in order to receive their powers.

Acquired Abilities
The abilities that Arthur had acquired and demonstrated are:
Telepathy
Rapid cell regeneration
Electric manipulation
Telekinesis
Poison emission
Mental manipulation
Space-time manipulation
Precognition
The known abilities that Arthur had acquired but didn't demonstrate are:
Empathic mimicry
Enhanced strength
Flight
Induced radioactivity
Intuitive aptitude
Invisibility
Phasing
Precognitive dreaming
Pyrokinesis
Super speed

Peter and Nathan have a conflict of interest over the use of the formula.

Back on form, Sylar takes Noah, Angela, Meredith and Claire hostage at the Primatech research labs.

With Hiro stuck in time, help is at last on the way as Daphne, Matt and Ando find a way to save him.

Peter is at least able to destroy the power giving formula and Mohinder's experiment / research lab with the aid of Knox and Flint.

Nathan is saved from the conflict by Tracy, Niki's twin sister.

Mohinder is finally able to stop being the 'monster' that he has become as the formula is used to solve his problems.

With powers given out to some, the race is now onto find the evolved humans.