Heroes question

[serai]

.

Okay, somebody explain to me:

I understand that when Nathan was killed, Matt forced his soul into Sylar's body for safekeeping, and then ended up with Sylar's soul taking up space inside his own body. And I understand that Nathan sees himself when he looks into a mirror, and that because it's Nathan's soul, that's who we see - the actor that plays Nathan, not Zach Quinto who plays Sylar, because Nathan is the animating soul.

What I don't understand is - why does everyone else see Nathan? Why aren't Peter and Nathan's secretary reacting to Sylar standing in front of them, since it's Sylar's body? When Sylar takes over Matt's body, although we see Sylar, everyone else sees Matt, because it's Matt's body. But as Nathan is moving around and talking to people, they're seeing Nathan and not Sylar, even though it's Sylar's body. THIS MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE.

Is this as big a mistake as I keep thinking it is, or am I missing a piece of the puzzle here? Because IT'S DRIVING ME FUCKING NUTS.

Comments

[biting-moopie.livejournal.com]

Sylar stole the ability to shape-shift, so he can look like Nathan and anyone else he wants to. I think he has to touch them first, though. So bascially, he touched Nathan and Matt made him think he was Nathan, so the shape-changing kicked in and made him look like Nathan.

[biting-moopie.livejournal.com]

And many, many things about Heroes drive me nuts and make no sense (like Sylar still being alive and what happened the ensemble and international focus of the show), so I sympathise.

[serai1.livejournal.com]

I agree that the focus has narrowed a lot. I miss Ando the most, myself. And I'm very annoyed by Samuel. He's got the same King-Turd-of-Shit-Mountain vibe that Ben had on Lost. I feel like I'm stuck with the Others again.

If you mean why is Sylar still alive after he was shot and buried - he took on Claire's self-healing power, remember. So no matter what anyone does to his body, he can come back from it.

[biting-moopie.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I meant why is that damn character still around when he should have been killed off a long time ago. I'm just bored by him now.

Oooh, yes! He is a lot like Ben! I don't mind him so much but can understand why he would piss people off. He's a bit too smug, isn't he?

If I start talking about how much Heroes annoys me, I'll be here forever. And yet, I'm still watching. Damn my need to see things through till the end! Damn it, I say!

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like Sylar. He brings fun to the series. He's like Lestat to everyone else's Louis - he's the only one of the characters that actually likes having powers. All the others are so angsty about it, but Sylar revels in his abilities. I think it says a lot about American culture that only the evil superbeings actually enjoy their powers. We're so addicted to the Frankenstein myth, that extraordinary abilities must be "against God" or come from the devil, that being common is some kind of blessing, that being exceptional is some kind of curse or disease. It's that anti-elitism that infects our society and makes intellectualism and science something to be suspicious of. Ridiculous.

Heroes and Lost both require patience. We've all grown up on TV series that are essentially collections of short stories, so it can be difficult to keep watching a series that's a novel instead. Some chapters aren't going to be as interesting as others, but since they're all part of the story, you have to keep at it if the whole thing is going to make sense. I'm finding I really like this approach to TV, even though it can be maddening at times.

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Did he? I don't remember a shape-shifter. That would explain it, though. Thanks!

[biting-moopie.livejournal.com]

I think it was in season 3 but can't remember exactly... I think the original shifter was around for a couple of episodes before Sylar found him out.

[gritkitty.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because the actor who plays Sylar was busy with the Star Trek movie. ; )

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

It's just like Quantum Leap! The character sees himself as his own actor, unless that's a problem for the producer, or the scriptwriter, or the cast, or the camera. Other characters "see" the body, even thought he audience sees the soul's actor, unless that's a problem for the producers, the writer, etc., in which case everyone sees a the other character's actor, or *some* other character's actor, or a suspicious gap in the picture. Or something. I honestly think they flip a coin, since this kind of calculation won't stay still, and they want audience recognition of what's going on, but not always.

It is, however, possibly an improvement over the Gilligan's Island era of Transmigrated Souls, in which Mary Ann's soprano voice comes out of the Captain's husky body when she's in residence, and vice versa.