the innocent Asok, and explains his highly cynical world view to the intern. Asok is not really very close to Dilbert, but in the TV series is willing to socialize with him outside of work. Arguably Asok is probably the only character who likes Dilbert as opposed to merely tolerating him. Psychic abilities Asok is trained to sleep only on national holidays, a trait that he allegedly carried over from his alma mater. In addition, he was trained during his time at the Indian Institute of Technology in telekinesis, and despite being told he could not use his powers in front of the ungifted, he has used it for personal gain or for defense on occasion. Once to vaporize an obnoxious Texan and more recently to stealthily steal donuts in a meeting, remove asbestos from the office, and he chokes the Boss by tightening his necktie after the Boss is not happy that Asok invented a superconductor that would eliminate the need for oil, saying that he should have been finding vendors for ink cartridges. After an incident in 2008 where he vaporizes a coworker using the "stink-eye" he was forced to return to the IIT to be punished for his actions. As well, he has mentioned that he is mentally superior to most people on earth. One example is his ability to reheat his tea by holding a cup to his forehead and thinking about fire. The Dilbert TV series offered conflicting views of Asok's athletic abilities. In the episode "The Company Picnic" Asok is shown to be unable to throw a baseball with either hand. In the episode "The Security Guard", Wally calls Asok "a woman", citing the fact he has little upper body strength (it is also mentioned that he once needed assistance to lift a computer monitor). However, Asok is also shown demonstrating impressive athletic feats as well. In the episode "The Shroud of Wally", Asok is able to hurl a briefcase several dozen yards high through the open window of a rocket and sprint away from it in only seconds to escape being engulfed in flames. Asok has also claimed to have killed a coyote with only his keys, although he later concedes that it "might have been a potato". Death and reincarnation Scott Adams stated in a late October 2007 interview that one of the regular characters was to die soon. On December 7,