'Heroes': Would the Kid Be a Brain-Sucking Battery or What?

Today's cuppa: Darjeeling tea

Sometimes when I'm on a set visit, a strange thought comes up and becomes one of the themes of the day. Often it has nothing to do with the show's plot -- it's just something that tickles me. One visit to "Eureka" up in Vancouver, Canada, became about figuring out which female on the show Fargo (Neil Grayston) was going to date. (If you're curious, here's the link.)

On my recent visit to NBC's "Heroes," which opens up its third season -- and third Volume, "Villains" -- on Monday, Sept. 22, I was watching filming of a confrontation between Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who has acquired other characters' superpowers by slicing off the tops of their heads and doing something unspeakable to their brains, and Elle (Kristen Bell), who channels electricity.

Both exist on the shadow side of the "Heroes" universe (after a recent conversation with Cristine Rose, who plays Angela Petrelli, boy, does Sylar have a whopper of a storyline this year) and -- partly because of their unfortunate upbringings and partly because of their own internal darkness -- both often use their powers for evil.

It occurred to me -- what would happen if these two were to hook up and have a baby? (Of course, this presupposes that Sylar will not first slice off the top of Elle's head and do unspeakable things to her gray matter, and that Elle will not first zap him to a pile of crispy flakes -- which is probably asking a lot of both of them.)

So, here are Quinto's and Bell's reactions...

On the question of whether Sylar and Elle have a lot in common.

Quinto: They do have a lot in common, actually, and that's an exploration that we make this year. Elle factors prominently into Sylar's journey of the season at a certain point.

Bell: Oh, we sure do. I really like that they brought that together, because it's really interesting.

On the nature of any possible offspring:

Quinto: Oh, you mean (what would he pass on) to his son? I don't know. We'd have to see what would come of that. It's an exploration worth making, maybe.

Bell: What would happen? God only knows what would happen. It would either be the most angelic creature on Earth or the worst, the most evil demon ever created.

But would the child be blond like Elle (and Bell)?

Bell: Oh, let's hope so, although it's not a very strong gene.

So, there you have it. Of course, this is only one of several possible parental combinations on the show (and I hear that two of the other characters are going to be getting it on big time in short order).

Speculate away...