Darth Shoju
First Post
I don't think it's that Elle was necessarily saner here. It's just that she got attached to Sylar.
[pop psychology]
We've seen in previous episodes that Elle latches onto men very easily; she's basically looking for male validation (probably due to her daddy issues). Having connected with Sylar, and liking the attention she's getting from him, I wasn't surprised at how protective she became.
Take all of that away, and she's left to her dad's whims, who seemed to almost enjoy twisting his daughter.
[/pop psychology]
IMO they've really been pulling back on her insanity this season, and this episode was the most brazen example. I'd say it's due to a combination of Kristen Bell's popularity (I don't know if she actually is -- I'm just guessing here) and inconsistent writing.