Heroes Star Zachary Quinto Reveals Sylar Was Meant to Die in Season 1

The actor says the popular villain character was only supposed to appear for 8 episodes.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Zachary Quinto, who played the villainous Sylar on the hit TV series "Heroes", revealed that the character was originally only meant to appear for about 8 episodes in the first season before being killed off. However, due to the popularity of the character, the writers decided to keep him on the show beyond his planned demise.

Why it matters

Sylar quickly became a fan favorite on "Heroes" despite being the main antagonist, highlighting how audience reactions can sometimes surprise writers and showrunners and lead to changes in the original plans for a series.

The details

In a 2021 panel at the Salt Lake City Comic Convention, Quinto explained that "[Sylar] was written very well, especially in the first season" and that "Originally, he was only supposed to be on the show for about eight episodes. He was supposed to die in the first season, but people really liked him." The popularity of the character led the writers to keep him on the show beyond his initially planned exit.

  • Zachary Quinto revealed this information during a 2021 panel at the Salt Lake City Comic Convention.

The players

Zachary Quinto

The actor who played the villainous character Sylar on the TV series "Heroes".

Sylar

The main antagonist on the TV series "Heroes", who was originally only supposed to appear for about 8 episodes in the first season before being killed off.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“[Sylar] was written very well, especially in the first season. Originally, he was only supposed to be on the show for about eight episodes. He was supposed to die in the first season, but people really liked him.”

— Zachary Quinto (Popverse)

The takeaway

This story highlights how audience reactions can sometimes surprise writers and showrunners, leading to changes in the original plans for a series. Sylar's popularity on "Heroes" is an example of how a villain character can resonate with viewers in unexpected ways.