Heroes/Peter Petrelli

Peter Petrelli
Heroes
Actor	Milo Ventimiglia
First Appearance	1x01 - Genesis
Series Billing	Main Star
Episode Count	29 (through season 2)
Notable Episodes	1x02 - Don't Look Back 1x05 - Hiros 1x11 - Fallout Cx12 - Super-Heroics

Basic Information

Peter Petrelli is the brother of lawyer and aspiring politician Nathan Petrelli. Peter decided to become a hospice nurse, and became the caretaker of Charles Deveaux. Peter and Charles became friends, and Peter was attracted to Charles’ daughter Simone Deveaux, but she was the girlfriend of artist Isaac Mendez.

Powers and Weaknesses

Powers

Initial

• Power Absorbption — When Peter is near other people with powers, he unconciously absorbs their powers. By remembering how he felt around them, he can activate their abilities. He can mimic multiple abilties at once.
• Peter instinctively knows how to use powers he absorbs.
• His early involuntary attempts mimicked powers to a lesser extent and with little control, but when deliberately trying, he was able to mimic not only Isaac's power, but his painting skill, despite having practically no artistic talent of his own. This instant control seems to only exist while in proximity to the initial power source.

Absorbed

Known: Powers Peter is aware he has.

• Dream Travels — Absorbed from Angela Petrelli — Peter can see things that happened at other places and times he was not present for while sleeping.
• Flight — Absorbed from Nathan Petrelli — Peter can fly at supersonic speeds.
• Precognition — Absorbed from Issac Mendez — Peter can draw the future but he has no artistic skills and can only make crude sketches.
• Time Manipulation — Absorbed form Hiro Nakamura — Peter can change the rate at which time moves around him and others.
• Teleportation — Absorbed form Hiro Nakamura — Peter can teleport himself long distances but do to the difficulty of mastering this power has not done so yet.
• Time Travel — Absorbed form Hiro Nakamura — Peter can travel forward and backward in time but due to the difficulty and chance of side effects has not done so yet.
• Regeneration — Absorbed from Claire Bennet — Peter can regenerate from any wounds including fatal wounds.
• Telekenesis — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter can move objects with his mind.
• Telepathy — Absorbed from Matt Parkman — Peter can read the active thoughts of those around him.
• Invisibilty — Absorbed from Claude Raines — Peter can turn himself and objects he's touching invisible.
• Radiokinesis — Absorbed from Ted Sprague — Peter can emit radioactivity and radioactive energy from his hands.
• Super Strength — Absorbed from Nikki Sanders — Peter can exert forces far beyond his normal strength level.
• Phasing — Absorbed from D.L. Hawkins — Peter has the ability to phase himself and things he is touching through normally solid matter.
• Electricity Generation - Absorbed from Elle Bishop - Peter can generate electrical discharges
• Sound Manipulation - Absorbed from Jesse Murphy - Peter can create concussive sound blasts
• Body Smashing - Absorbed from future Peter (originally abosrbed from unknown) - Peter can force a person's mind and body into another person

Unknown: Powers Peter has but isn't aware of

• Mind Control — Absorbed from Eden McCain — Peter has the ability to compel people to do whatever he says.
• Cryokinesis — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter has the ability to lower the temperature of water near him creating ice.
• Eidetic Memory — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter has the ability to remember anything he sees or hears.
• Intuitive Aptitude — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter has the ability to have an intuitive understanding of how things work.
• Memory Erasure — Absorbed from The Haitian — Peter has the ability to selectively erase memories from other people's brains.
• Power Dampening — Absorbed from The Haitian — Peter has the ability to stop other people's powers from working.
• Molecular Manipulation — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter has the ability to manipulate the molecules of objects causing them to melt.
• Super Hearing — Absorbed from Sylar — Peter has the ability to hear things many miles away and that are really quiet.
• Melting - Absorbed from Sylar - Peter has the ability to melt solid objects
• Machine Empathy — Absorbed from Micah Sanders — Peter has the ability to speak to machines and have them do what he wants.
• Remote Locating — Absorbed from Molly Walker — Peter has the ability to find people any where in the world just by thinking about them.
• Transmutation - Absorbed from Bob Bishop - Peter can transmutate other metals into gold.
• Illusions - Absorbed from future Peter (originally absorbed from unknown) - Peter has the ability to cast illusions so others perceive things differently than they really are.
• Fear Enhancement - Absorbed from future Peter (originally absorbed from Knox) - Peter can channel the fear of those around him into super strength
• Blue Fire Generation - Absorbed from future Peter (orginally absorbed from Flint)
• Magnetism - Absorbed from future Peter (originally absorbed from The German) - Peter can control magnetic fields
• Peter also has any powers that his father, Charles Deveaux, and Victoria Pratt had but it is not known what their powers were.
• Peter also has any other powers Sylar acquired before the start of the show but hasn't demonstrated yet.
• Peter also has any other powers future Peter aquired before he went back in time. Meaning he essentially has any power the writers want him to have.

Possible: Powers Peter may have but has not been proven to have

• Healing — Possibly absorbed from Linderman — Due to the close relationship between Linderman and Peter's family it is likely that at some point Peter met him and absorbed his ability to heal things.

Weaknesses

• When Peter is in proximity to too many supers, or mimicks too many powers at once, the resulting "power surge" can incapacitate him.
• If Peter absorbs an unstable power he may not be able to control it.
• When not in close proximity Peter needs to be able to remember the person whose powers he is trying to imitate.
• Peter retains any inherent weaknesses in the powers he absorbs.

Season One

Peter Petrelli had been having a series of recurring dreams where he steps off a tall building and plummets toward the ground before flying. Sometimes he saw his brother Nathan in those dreams. He also thought his foot hovered for a second when he got out of bed. He decided to tell Nathan that he thought he can fly, but Nathan scoffed at the ludicrous claim. Nathan offered Peter a job to help him improve his image, but Peter declined and left. He got a call from Simone, and met her at her father’s apartment. Simone wanted Peter to give Isaac a shot of morphine to help wean him off of his heroin use. They went to Isaac’s apartment and found him on the floor suffering from the effects of a heroin overdose. Isaac painted a nuclear explosion engulfing New York and was mumbling that they had to stop it. Peter saw what appeared to be a painting of himself just as he saw in his dreams. He spend the night on the roof of the building from his dream, and called Nathan to meet him in the morning. When Nathan arrived, Peter dropped his cellphone off the roof to get Nathan’s attention, and stepped off the roof like had done in his dream. Nathan flew up and caught him, but Peter was too heavy, they started spinning out of control and Peter slipped from Nathan’s grasp.

He awoke in the hospital, Nathan at his side. Nathan tried to convince Peter that he tried to kill himself, but only fell 15 feet and landed on a fire escape. Peter idly sketched some stick figures – one standing and one hovering - when his mother, Angela showed up. She told him that his father never had any heart attacks, he attempted suicide, and the fatal heart attack was a successful attempt. He had a genetic depressive disorder, and Angela was afraid Peter had it too. Nathan found Peter on a hospital roof ledge. Peter demanded that Nathan tell him the truth or else he’ll jump again. He wants Nathan to admit he flew. Nathan relents and tells Peter that they both flew- Peter flew just for a few seconds before he hit the ground. Peter angrily stalked toward Nathan calling him a liar. Nathan pointed down. To Peter’s surprise, he was hovering – like the stick figure drawing he did. He dropped to the roof and embraced Nathan joyously.

Peter attempted to fly again this time starting from only six feet up. He can’t do it. He went to see Nathan and showed him a book by Chandra Suresh that talked about extraordinary abilities. Nathan just wanted Peter to shut up and go away so he can keep the fall from a building out of the press. Peter decided to quit his nursing job so he can figure out what to do about his ability. He told Simone he felt different, like he was destined for greater things. He saw Simone again at Nathan’s speech. He made a toast to destiny, and told Simone he’s been in love with her since the day he met her. Nathan surprised them both by explaining Peter’s fall as a suicide attempt, and he used that to try and score political points. Peter was furious and left. He waited for Nathan after the event was over and punched him. He walked away in the rain, angry. Simone found him. She knows he didn’t try to kill himself. They kissed, went back to his apartment and had sex.

Peter was woken up by a knock at his door – it was Nathan. He thought Peter had told Dr. Suresh to bother him, and offered Peter money to go away. Peter denied telling Dr. Suresh to bother him and declined the money. Peter and Simone talked about Isaac. Peter thought it might be possible for Isaac to be painting the future, but Simone didn’t believe it. She told Peter that she just got out of a destructive relationship with Isaac and she didn’t want to just jump right into another relationship and Peter agreed.

Peter went to see Dr. Suresh to tell him he thinks he might be one of the people with abilities. He told Mohinder Suresh that when he was with his brother Nathan, he could fly, and after he was with an artist he sketched the future. Mohinder was sceptical, but went to see Isaac. Isaac didn’t answer the door so they returned. On the subway, Time froze for everyone except Peter A strange Japanese man wering black and carrying a sword on his back speared from the shadows. He introduced himself as Hiro Nakamura and told Peter that he’s from the future and had a message for him. He told Peter that he had to save “the cheerleader”, Isaac will know what he means. When Hiro calls, Peter has to tell him where to meet. Peter was confused and didn’t understand. Hiro told him “Save the cheerleader, save the world”, and vanished. Time resumed. Peter tried to tell Mohinder what just happened, but Mohinder didn’t believe it. He told Peter that there are no answers. He’s returning to India.

Peter went to see Isaac. He was bitter that he and Simone are a couple. Peter told Isaac that he believes that he can paint the future; whatever is happening to Isaac is happening to him as well. Isaac ruefully comments that if he sounded anything like how Peter sounds now, no wonder Simone left him. Isaac let Peter look at the paintings. Peter found some with the cheerleader. Peter and Isaac arranged a group of paintings that looked related – paintings of the cheerleader in danger or afraid, a painting of Peter dodging locker doors, two Japanese men underneath a bloody Homecoming banner. Peter noted that they told a story like a comic book. Peter asked Isaac who the cheerleader was, but Isaac didn’t know. He was looking for a way to stop the nuke so he got high and painted those. Peter said they have to save her. One of Isaac’s paintings showed a shadowy man in a baseball cap, but it was only half-finished and Isaac didn’t have any more heroin or money to buy some. Peter stares at the painting and sees it ripple, a vague shape is there. Peter told Isaac that he thought he could finish the painting – after he met him, he drew the future in stick figures. He concentrated and his eyes became milky white. He started painting as Isaac looked on. The finished painting showed the man in the baseball cap standing in front of a dead cheerleader in a pool of blood. The top of her head seemed to be missing. Isaac said they had to save her.

Isaac’s phone rang, but he told Peter to ignore it – some Japanese person keeps calling him and leaving messages. Peter realized that the caller might be Hiro. He answered the phone, and when he learned that it was indeed Hiro, he introduced himself and told him about Future Hiro and his message. Hiro and Ando didn’t know anything about a cheerleader either. Peter told them to meet him in New York and they’ll find her together. Peter noted that the arrangement of paintings looked like a comic book, but with one panel missing. Isaac thought Simone took a panel that size to sell, but he didn’t remember what was on the painting. Peter went to see Simone.

Peter had a dream where he and Charles Deveaux were talking. He told Charles that he could fly and took a running leap out of the window and flew out over the city. He woke up to a knocking on his door. It was Simone, she told him that Charles died an hour ago. She cried in Peter’s arms. Later, they went to Isaac’s apartment, but he was gone and so were his paintings. Peter was puzzled because they’d been making good progress. Simone told Peter that just before her father died, he woke up and told her that he had been dying all over the world, but it was a place he didn't recognize. So many people were in terrible pain and nobody looked out for each other. He was worried for them, and for her. But then Peter was there, flying with him. He told Charles that it would all be OK. There were people who cared, who could make a difference. They could save the world. After that, he put his head down and died. Peter told her that he never had a conversation like that with Charles. Simone said that it sounded like something Peter might say. He had left messages on her machine saying that he needed a painting Isaac gave her so he could save the world. She asked Peter what he needed the painting for Peter told her to save the world. Simone smiled and told Peter that she sold the painting to Linderman, a businessman from Las Vegas.

Peter went to see Nathan and was surprised to see an elaborate family brunch that he wasn’t invited to. Peter told Nathan that he needs his help to get a painting from Linderman. When Nathan refused, Peter threatened to cause trouble with the reporter, Oliver Dennison. He told Dennison that Nathan treats his family very well. Peter deliberately chose his words to sound good to the reporter, while being annoying to Nathan’s ears. He covered Nathan’s affair in Las Vegas by telling Dennison that the woman was a doctor Nathan met to get Peter into a mental health clinic.

Later, Peter chastised Nathan for cheating on Heidi, but Nathan told him that she needs hope, not the truth. He told Peter he was unable to get the painting from Linderman. Nathan told Peter about the kidnapping attempt in Las Vegas, but Peter didn’t believe him.

Two days later, Simone called Peter to Isaac’s apartment. She told him that Nathan had the painting he wanted shipped to New York, but he destroyed it. Peter convinced her to help him, and Simone gave him the location and digital photo of the painting. Peter called Ando and arranged to meet him in Midland. Unfortunately, when Peter got there, Ando informed him that Hiro travelled back in time to try and save Charlie Andrews and hadn’t returned. Ando wanted to wait for Hiro so Peter went on alone. At Union Wells, he heard Jackie’s screams from outside and raced in, bumping into a bloody Claire Bennet. When he saw Sylar following her he told her to run. He stood his ground until Sylar telekinetically hurled locker doors at him. He instinctively used the telekinesis he was mimicking to deflect them away and ran. He told Claire to find a crowded place with people around and to not worry about him. She ran. Peter grabbed Sylar and hurled them both off the roof. When Claire reached his body, he woke up and began instinctively setting his broken bones as he healed. Claire was astounded. He sent her to get help. They introduced themselves and Peter asked her if she was the one – did he save the world by saving her? She said she didn’t know. The police arrested Peter.

Peter called Nathan, who arranged for legal protection and warned Peter not to say anything. Peter had a disturbing dream where Nathan turned into Sylar, who offered a cryptic warning. He was taken be interrogated by Audrey Hanson and Matt Parkman. They learned that he was there to save a cheerleader, and he also had abilities. Peter told them that Claire was the killer’s target. Matt confirmed this as the truth and they left. Later, Claire and Mr. Bennet came to see Peter. Mr. Bennet offered to repay the debt he owed Peter at a later time. Claire talked to Peter alone and asked him how long he’s known he was special like her. Peter learned that Claire could heal herself. He told her that he wasn’t like her, he didn’t know he’d heal when he fell off the roof. He tells her that if it wasn’t her he wouldn’t be alive. Claire asked him how saving her saves the world, but Peter didn’t know yet. She told him that he’s her hero.

Nathan entered Peter’s cell. He was free to go. Nathan hoped that Peter got the heroic acts out of his system. Peter tried telling Nathan about the other people with abilities he’s met, and how they have to stop the bomb, then passed out. He had a vision where he was in New York and saw himself exploding. He woke up and told Nathan that the explosion was his fault – it’s him. He fell into a coma.

Nathan took Peter back to New York. While in the coma, Peter's subconcious tried to deal with his apocalyptic vision. He imagined himself as a superhero and defeated a villain, only to see that the villain’s face was his own.

Character History

Peter didn't get along with his father. He used to call him a criminal because he defended criminals. He put himself through Nursing school without using any of his father's money. When Nathan told him that the District Attorney wanted him to prosecute Linderman - who would take their father down with him, Peter warned him he wouldn't forgive himself if he took the case. Peter had a dream where a car ran Nathan's car off the road. Nahtan confirmed that it was Linderman's men. Peter offered to give a depostion against their father and Nathan agreed. But Nahtan came to Peter the morning of the deposition to tellhim that he died of a "heart attack" that morning.

Signifigcant Episodes

• 1x01 - Genesis: Peter decides to act on his bizzare dreams.
• 1x02 - Don't Look Back: Peter discovers surprising facts about his family.
• 1x05 - Hiros: Peter is given a strange mission from an even stranger source.
• 1x07 - Nothing to Hide: Peter tries to get Nathan to do him a favour.
• 1x09 - Homecoming: Peter risks his life in an attempt to save the cheerleader.
• 1x11 - Fallout: Peter has startling visions of the future.
• Cx12 - Super-Heroics: Peter tries to reconcile his vision with what he believes himself to be.