Cult Spy Icon: Sylar - 'Heroes'

You don't know what you got till it's gone. Witness the second series of Heroes. The increasingly mundane nature of the show is instantly forgotten about once Gabriel Gray enters the fray in the third episode.

Better known as Sylar, the brain-muncher is expertly played by Zachary Quinto and is nothing less than compulsive viewing whenever he's on screen. In fact, YouTube must have a compilation knocking about where all the Sylar scenes in the second season are spliced together - and nothing else. That would make life more bearable.

The character has been the more visible Big Bad in the show since its inception, although The Company might ultimately take over that role. A humble watchmaker by trade, Gabriel desired to transcend his mediocre existence and make something of himself, buoyed by an emotionally damaged mother.

Taking the name Sylar from a make of watch, he learned that he could absorb the powers of others and soon started tracking down the names on Chandra Suresh's list... including a certain blonde cheerleader.

Sylar is hardly a barrel of laughs, but he exudes menace through every pore as you know he's licking his lips at the prospect of some cerebral snacking. Yet an added layer to the monster emerged when he visited his mother, for he was desperate to make her proud and prove to her that he was special. Instead, he freaked her out by telekinetically manipulating her collection of snow globes and she went a bit psycho.

In many ways, monitoring the quest of Sylar as he goes from brain to brain is far more enjoyable than charting the epic journeys made by the good guys (with the exception of the legendary Noah Bennet).

His powers may have deserted him so far in the second season, but at least he's back on the trail following his near death experience in last year's finale.

Now Sylar, do you want to be the first ever Cult Spy God? If so, then follow these instructions: Eat the brains of Maja and Alejandro as soon as possible!

> Click here for our review of the latest Heroes episode