Sylar's powers do seem to work by him looking (or other) directly at the exposed brain.

Spoiler:
Juvpu vf jul V fnvq gur unvgvna fubhyq unir orra qrnq. Flyne jbhyq unir xvyyrq uvz ol gnxvat bhg uvf oenva nf ur qvq jvgu Anguna, QY, rgp. Nyy bs juvpu jnf irel boivbhfyl vzcyvrq ohg abg fubja va gur rcvfbqr. Jr qba'g xabj jura rnpu bs gur riragf gbbx cynpr ohg gung'f abg gung vzcbegnag sbe gur rcvfbqr.

Rira gubhtu gurl cebivqrq fbzr nqqvgvbany Vfnnp-onfrq cerzbavgvba, gurl qvqa'g cynl gur Flyne natyr ba guvf. Fvapr ur unf Vfnnp'f cbjref ur pbhyq unir rnfvyl frra jung jnf nobhg gb unccra naq unq cynaarq sbe vg. V'z jvyyvat gb qvfpbhag gung natyr gubhtu. Ohg gur Unvgvna punenpgre synj ohtf zr evtug abj. Znlor gur arkg guerr rcvfbqrf jvyy cnvag cnegf bs n zvffvat onpx-fgbel gung jvyy uryc rkcynva zber bs jul jung jr fnj "pbhyq unir orra."

V qvq YBIR gur Flyne gjvfg. N ybg bs snaf fcrphyngrq gung gur cebqhpref jrer bayl yrnqvat crbcyr gb guvax bs Crgre nf gur obzo jura va snpg vg jbhyq or Flyne. Va fgvpxvat gb gur fgbel yvar gur Vfnnp punenpgre ynvq bhg jr trg n zhpu zber vagrerfgvat gjvfg.

That's what SHE said.

Matt, edit the post where you quoted me - that's the line I enclosed as a spoiler in my last edit.