I did a little "research" using Wikipedia and primatechpaper.com (the 'hidden' files). Here are some ideas and conclusions/theories I came up with.
Looking at Hana's file on primatechpaper.com (PTP), I noticed that they discovered that her occipital lobe and temporal lobe (mainly V1) are abnormal. These lobes of the brain are near the back of the skull. PTP said that Sylar's frontal lobe and hypothalamus are abnormal and that Matt's frontal lobe is abnormal. The frontal lobe is in the front of the brain (duh!).
So then I went to Wikipedia and looked into memory and discovered that short term memory is mainly 'stored' in the frontal lobe and parietal. In order to turn short term into long term memory requires the hippocampus. The hippocampus is also where they believe episodic memory is stored. Autobiographical memory is a subcategory of episodic memory.
Ok so I said all that to say this... the Haitian touches the forehead which is where the frontal lobe is located in order to erase memories. He must interfere with the hippocampus also in order to erase memories. Since he can interupt the frontal lobe, then he can neutralize Sylar's TK and Matt's mind reading, which we have been calling "mental powers" (when in fact we should be calling them frontal lobe powers). Hana's power "resides" in the back of her brain and is a more 'physical' ability. Now I only have three people to look at, but I would be willing to put money on the fact that Nathan, DL, Micah, Claude, Ted, and Claire DO NOT use the frontal lobe of their brains to produce their powers. Thus, the Haitian can't neutralize their abilities.
Before you say anything about Claude and the Haitian... HRG and the Haitian had to use thermal goggles to see them. If the Haitian could neutralize Claude's ability, why use the goggles?
Another theory... I think the Haitian can "read" minds either when he erases them or instead of erasing them. HRG has said to him before, "Erase everything but...[something]" This would mean that the Haitian could see the memories and can select what to erase and what not to erase. He may not beable to see specific memories, but maybe see things like a movie in reverse.
I hope we could get more info like what PTP gave us about other heroes. By the way, no info about Ted's brain was given.
If I may be permitted to extend your logic a little further, you'll see your explanation also allows us to figure out why the Haitian's power appears as two different abilities, one requiring hands-on, one requiring only proximity and awareness
From a distance (the ubiquitous 20ft mental range Peter mentioned way back when, I'm assuming) his ability is quite unfocused, although still (possibly) directional and is only able to make general actions on the subject brain - thus causing a localised damping effect on frontal-lobe powers. I equate this with using a broom-handle to flick the power switch on your PC from across the room.
When in physical contact with the subject, he has a direct connection, and so is able to be much more focussed and selective, and is thus able to erase specific memories etc. Using the "computer" analogy, this equates to sitting down at the PC and, by hitting the various keys, making the thing do what you want.
Of course, this does all throw up one other niggle for me. I agree that some form of telepathy is implied by the Haitians ability. Logically extending all that you've said and my little bit of assumption, we get a vague, unfocussed but (probably) highly directional form of passive telepathic awareness of ANY frontal lobe activity, n'est pas? So the haitian should, at all times, know fairly accurate distance and direction of any person in his range, thus eliminating the need for thermal imaging goggles.
It would be interesting to know if the writers have analysed their characters as deeply as we all seem to, and whether they've given more than passing thought to the why's and wherefore's of the applications of these abilities.
Ooh, I've just thought - could the Haitian be emitting some form of radiation to achieve all of the effects we've seen? This might explain the long-term damage...
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:12 pm Post subject: The Haitian's Powers ?!
So.. originally, it was thought that the Haitian can erase memories and also nullify powers.
Case in point, when Parkman's powers are 1st starting to manifest, he goes to the bar and can hear everyone's thoughts.. except when he tries to read the Haitians.. I believe later he describes it saying all he hears is 'white noise' or something similar.
This happens again when Parkman and that FBI lady are sitting outside of Primatech Paper and Parkman tries to read Bennet's thoughts while he is talking outside to the Haitian.
This, however, conflicts with a few things:
#1.) When HRG and the Haitian take Nathan.. Nathan simply flies off. If the Haitian could nullify powers, Nathan would never have been able to fly off like he did.
#2.) In lastnite's episode.. the Haitian shows up to the Bennet house while Ted is about to go batshiat crazy. If he could cancel ppl's powers, Ted would no longer have been a threat the second he stepped inside that house, and could have been taken easily.
#3.) When Sylar is taken captive in Primatech.. he tries to use his power and it doesn't work.
#4.) At the police station when Parkman is questioning Claire and Bennet, Parkman says he can't hear any of her thoughts.. the camera then pans over around the corner, and the Haitian is standing there.
So this leads me to ask.. Does the Haitian have an ability other than erasing minds? or is that it? I tend to think there's some other component to his power just b/c of those incidents with Parkman and Sylar.. he definitely seems to at least be able to cancel out Parkman's power somehow.
Basically their saying that the Haitian can only block peoples powers that have to do with the mind. Mind reading, TK, edens power. I would assume that Hana's power would be canceled out too. Niki/Jessica's super strength, or Ted going nuclear wouldn't be affected because thats relies on the physical aspect.
Just wanna share my theory on "The Haitian" ability to block Matt and Eden's power. (I have posted this in another topic that seem to be quite irrelevant, so i decided to post it here instead)
1) The Haitian erase memory. This bit has been confirmed.
2) In the case of Matt's mind reading, "The Haitian" could be erasing the info away at the exact moment when Matt is trying to "read". Something like "Read, erase, read, erase", therefore Matt cannot get (or remember) anything.
3) For Eden's situation (power of persuasion). I believe that "The Haitian" erased Eden's Powerful Suggestion from her victim's memory. No Memory = No Influence = No Action.
It seems that "The Haitian" uses his hands on his "Victims" only when he need to "Go Deep". This would mean that he did not own the ability to negate other hero's power.
Well, my theories could be wrong. It might be the work of the new female character that was introduced near the end of episode 17 "Company Man". I doubt it though...since HRG did not recognize her.
I'm more inclined to think that the Haitian can manipulate all parts of the brain. He probably doesnt need to be close to someone to do so (hence this long range power deactivation), but he might need to be close to make huge changes (4 chromosomes effect powers vs half the brain being memory-related)
I think we learned a lot of about The Haitain's powers from this last episode.
First, both F-Hiro (well-trained in his powers) and F-Peter (with countless powers that he's used in his battles) both cannot get close to the Haitain as their powers will not work. Certainly if any of Peter's powers worked around him, he would have no trouble flying up there and freezing/killing/fire-bombing/something else all of the guards and even The Haitain himself.
Earlier we had seen Eden use her powers in the presence of The Haitain, so we knew that he could somehow let others around him use their powers. This is scene with F-Matt when he's trying to read Hiro's mind.
However, we also see F-Syler/Nathan in The Haitain's presence early in tonight's episode, which means (at least to me) that The Haitain has to mute people's powers instead of granting them "access." There's no reason Sylar's "Candice" power would've worked if it were the opposite. (Basically, what I'm trying to say that one of his powers is to stop other people's powers, and not that he can stop people's powers without trying and that he has to grant abilities to those around him).
This is important because present-time Peter could theoretically "take" The Haitain's power as long as he's invisible and/or hidden and The Haitain is nearby. If Sylar is able to take a power that can keep him hidden/keep The Haitain off-guard (either Invisibility himself or Candice's power once again), he also would be able to take The Haitain's power and obliterate anyone who imposes him.
It's my opinion that The Haitian's power will be the most important one at the end of this series, as he can nullify all powers of either the good or bad guy(s). I could also see some sort of anti-powers (in a darker future) medicine/treatment coming directly as a result of what The Haitain does (although that's not as important as the Peter/Sylar/bomb future thing).
Actually, I guess it can be thought that either A.) Future-Haitain's power is greater (he's learned to use it more) or B.) F-Peter either didn't want to leave F-Hiro and Ando or he didn't want to fight without his TK/other abilities that would've been nullified.
So maybe all of what i can type can be disregarded.
Synaptic Static-power negation (since the brain controls most of what you do)
on a side note, a mutation/power of interest would be specialized ganglia clusters throughout a body for enhanced reflexes & physical abilities, said power might be immune to The Haitian's power...
Actually, I guess it can be thought that either A.) Future-Haitain's power is greater (he's learned to use it more) or B.) F-Peter either didn't want to leave F-Hiro and Ando or he didn't want to fight without his TK/other abilities that would've been nullified.
That sounds reasonable. BHustonM made an excellent post about it above, which begs the question, what part of the brain does Hiro use for his power? He must use his frontal lobe, since it seems in ep 20 that he can't use his power around the Haitian. However, Peter would be able to use some of his powers, because they all use different parts of the brain. Only the frontal lobe powers wouldn't work (such as TK).
This means that he could mostly neutralise Sylar as well (in the present), which may be an important part in saving the world. If Sylar is the one who gives Peter Ted's power, then if the Haitian kills/stops Sylar, then he can't give it to Peter. Thus, the world would be saved.
However, it seems unlikely that Sylar will be killed by anyone, since Zach Quinto has been signed on for the second Season. I really wonder how this will all end.
Is it possible that the Haitian could permanently neutralise, or maybe remove a power? That would stop Peter from getting the power from Sylar, while not killing him.
Out of morbid curiosity, why couldn't FH just stop time while he's out of range of the Haitian's power blocking ability and walk right past the Haitian with whoever he wants? During the last episode, my first thought was to stop time and have Peter do the dirty deed while time was stopped. Since it seems he has to suppress people on purpose he *shouldn't* be able to do it while time is stopped.
Hi all.. I havent read all pages so forgive me if theres somewhere an answer to my question.. Well I was always courius what would happen if peter meet the haitian.. Would peter absorb his power and blocked his or the opposite? If he could absorb his power he would be invicible.. But we have to see first if hes gonna explode and if he will survive..
Hi all.. I havent read all pages so forgive me if theres somewhere an answer to my question.. Well I was always courius what would happen if peter meet the haitian.. Would peter absorb his power and blocked his or the opposite? If he could absorb his power he would be invicible.. But we have to see first if hes gonna explode and if he will survive..
peter should already absorbed the power of the haitian, but it's another power that he would have to realize he has to be able to access it in his brain and actually use it (and we really truly don't know what the extent of the haitian's abilities are)
