Tracy Strauss

Tracy Strauss
Portrayed by	Ali Larter
First appearance	The Second Coming
In-story stats
Known ability	Freezing (synthetic)
Nicknames	Ice Queen, Tiger lady, Trace, Blondie
Gender
Age	35
Date of birth	August 24, 1974
Place of birth	Beverly Hills, CA
Home	Washington, D.C.
Residences	An apartment in Washington, D.C.
Occupations	Political advisor to Governor Robert Malden, Former aide to Senator Nathan Petrelli, Former Pinehearst consultant
Significant others	formerly Nathan Petrelli (deceased), formerly Robert Malden
Parents	M. Strauss (father), Rebecca Rosenthal (mother)
Siblings	Niki Sanders (estranged triplet sister, deceased), Barbara (estranged triplet sister)
Other relatives	Brother-in-law: D.L. Hawkins (deceased) Nephew: Micah Sanders

Tracy Strauss is a former political advisor to New York Governor Robert Malden. She is an evolved human with the ability to freeze things. After joining forces with Arthur Petrelli's Pinehearst group to give people abilities, Tracy's ability was revealed to the American President by Nathan Petrelli. Tracy was captured by Danko and taken to Building 26 before being rescued by Micah Sanders. After sacrificing her own life, Tracy's powers evolved and she went on a killing spree. She soon saw the error of her ways and began seeking redemption by using her old life to help people.

About

Tracy is one in a set of triplets along with Niki Sanders and Barbara. Upon birth, she was granted the synthetic ability of freezing by Dr. Zimmerman upon the request of the Company. After discovering her ability, Tracy joined forces with Arthur Petrelli's Pinehearst Company so as to give Nathan the opportunity to become President of the United States with her at his side. However, after Pinehearst's defeat, Tracy was fired by Nathan and later betrayed as he turned her information over to the US President. She was then captured by Danko and imprisoned in Building 26. Tracy was later rescued by her nephew, Micah Sanders, who was forming a rebellion against Nathan and Danko, and sacrificed herself to allow him to escape. Tracy resurfaced later with the murder of four Building 26 agents.

Character History

Season Three

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Tracy Strauss: Season Three History.

Tracy attempts to turn herself in for murder.

Tracy and her boss, Governor Malden, see a report on Nathan Petrelli and Tracy is assigned to give him the senate seat (which she already anticipated). While going about her job, she is approached by a reporter who believes she is actually a woman named Niki Sanders. Tracy meets with Nathan who also mistakes her for Niki. Tracy gives him her offer and returns to D.C. where she is once again approached by the reporter. He shows her video footage of Niki and Nathan having sex and Tracy, angry, grabs the reporter and he begins to freeze, eventually shattering. Tracy soon travels to New Orleans in order to discover who Niki really is. However, instead of finding Niki, she meets Niki's son, Micah. The two connect and Micah uses his power to find Tracy and Niki’s birth certificates. Both women were delivered by Dr Zimmerman.

Tracy travels to meet Dr. Zimmerman, who mistakes her for another woman named Barbara. He reveals that he "made" her and gave her abilities. Tracy returns to D.C and attempts to kill herself but is saved by Nathan, who catches her after she jumps off a bridge. The two bond over their powers and end up sleeping together. After learning that Tracy's powers were given to her, Nathan takes her to Angela and they both learn that the Company gave many infants their abilities. Nathan proceeds to take Tracy to Dr. Suresh but they end up being drugged and captured by a now mutated Suresh. Tracy fools Mohinder into holding her hand, and uses her power to attack him and free herself. After learning that Arthur Petrelli is alive, Nathan and Tracy rush to Pinehearst to meet with him. Nathan leaves but Tracy stays behind, teaming up with Arthur and Pinehearst. Tracy continues to work with Arthur and eventually builds an army for him. Nathan joins the team and Tracy introduces him to a marine named Scott who they give the ability of Enhanced Strength to. Following the death of Arthur Petrelli, Tracy attempts to steal the formula but is stopped by Hiro Nakamura and Daphne Millbrook.

Tracy executing her "cold snap".

Two months after the events at Pinehearst, Tracy is attacked in her home by government agents and is hooded, drugged, forced to wear an orange jumpsuit and placed on board Flight 195. Peter Petrelli unknowingly replicates her ability and freezes a side of the plane in mid flight, causing it to shatter and the plane to crash. Tracy and Peter team up in an attempt to stop Nathan but Peter flies away and Tracy is captured and taken to a secure location in Building 26. She manages to escape her cell but is recaptured after killing an analyst. During Danko's investigation on Nathan, Tracy receives a message from Rebel informing her that help is coming.

Rebel stays true to his word and soon shuts down all the power in Building 26, allowing Tracy to escape. She frees Matt Parkman, Mohinder and Daphne but refuses to go along with them as she sees Daphne's injuries would slow her down. Noah Bennet manages to track her down and gives her the offer to turn in Rebel. Tracy takes the offer and is soon contacted by Rebel again, this time receiving a train ticket and a meeting place. Tracy is shocked to discover that Rebel is none other than her nephew, Micah. Micah is outraged to learn that she went along with their plan. The two of them attempt to flee. When agents begin to search the carpark, Tracy asks Micah to "make it rain" and to keep doing what he is doing. She tells him to stay ahead of the ice and steps out into the open, making herself visible to all the agents. As Micah runs, and Tracy becomes surrounded, she makes the ultimate sacrifice for him, completely freezing herself and everything around her in a huge "cold snap". Danko then approaches her frozen body and shoots it, reducing it to shards and supposedly killing her.

Tracy survives her shooting and meets up with Micah, convincing him to give her names of former Building 26 agents. Six weeks after Building 26 is shut down, Agent Harper returns home to find his kitchen overflowing with water. Tracy materializes from the water, reaches out to him and tells him that he is number four.

Season Four

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Tracy Strauss: Season Four History.

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Heroes Evolutions

Save the Cheerleader, Destroy the World

On September 6, 2011, Claire is disappointed that Tracy has not gone public with her ability and is remaining underground.

Evolved Human Abilities

Tracy possesses the ability to freeze objects which allows her to reduce the temperature of matter at will. She is capable of freezing human beings as well as inanimate objects including a rose, a telephone, and glass.

When using her power, Tracy appears to absorb the heat from an individual instead of emitting cold. Also, while she is able to create sub-zero temperatures, Tracy herself retains body heat.

Despite having been frozen solid and shattered, Tracy was still able to move a single eyelid and shed a tear (Cold Snap). In fact, this event seemed to have transformed her ability or make it evolve and change somehow into something similar to water mimicry. Since she was shot, she has been able to physically become water, as well as generate water outwardly from her body. It is not yet known if this is due to a new power, or an evolution of her initial ability. It appears that she is not able to make her clothes become liquid, and is rendered nude when she transforms. When cut by Edgar, parts of Tracy's body turned into water and she was not hurt although she said this was instinctual, not on purpose. Tracy also explained that after she shattered, she melted, and her shattered pieces came back together and reformed with her wanting vengeance (Orientation).

Heroes Reborn App

Prior to Heroes Reborn starting, the Heroes Reborn app was released with a video summary of Tracy's history. The summary included:

• Ability: freezing
• Tracy Strauss is a political operative with an apt nickname: "The Ice Queen." (The Butterfly Effect)
• Rounded up with others, Tracy is almost killed when she transfers her ability to Peter Petrelli. (A Clear and Present Danger)
• On the run, Tracy helps underground leader Rebel make a cool getaway. (Cold Snap)
• Tracy targets government goon Emile Danko, but then runs afoul of a knife-wielding Edgar. (Orientation)
• Tracy turns to Claire Bennet, a self-healing "special," when her freezing gets out of control. (Brother's Keeper)
• Tracy saves Claire and her father, who are trapped underground by evil carnival leader Samuel Sullivan. (Brave New World)

Memorable Quotes

"You don't pay me for the sex, Governor, I give that for free."

- Tracy (to Governor Malden) (The Butterfly Effect)

"I'm running this story with or without your comment."

"You run this story and I will hunt your ass down and destroy you."

- Jim McCann, Tracy (The Butterfly Effect)

"Let me guess... you want me to take away your power."

"No. I'm actually getting used to it."

- Arthur Petrelli, Tracy (It's Coming)

"For your plan to succeed, you need a public face. Now, normally that would be you. Problem is, the world thinks you're dead."

"A thorny issue, I admit."

"But I think Nathan can be that face. The bad news: he's on the fence. The good news: I can push him over. You scratch my back, and I will make sure he lands on the right side."

- Tracy, Arthur Petrelli (It's Coming)

"You want me to beg, screw you! I don't beg for anyone."

- Tracy (A Clear and Present Danger)

"You're one of us, Nathan! You're one of us!"

- Tracy (Trust and Blood)

"I want to know everything you know about Nathan Petrelli."

"He was lousy in bed."

- Danko, Tracy (Shades of Gray)

"While you were busy playing Abu Ghraib, I was trying to make ice in an oven. This is a breezy 68 degrees and I've worked up one hell of a cold snap."

- Tracy (to Noah) (Cold Snap)

"Keep doing what you're doing, Rebel. Go! ...And Micah! Stay ahead of the ice..."

- Tracy (to Micah) (Cold Snap)

"Great! A panic attack with powers."

- Tracy (to Claire Bennet) (Brother's Keeper)

Notes

• According to Dr. Zimmerman, Tracy's ability is the result of receiving the formula rather than a naturally inherited ability. (I Am Become Death)
• Tracy Strauss is named after Aron Coleite's wife, whose maiden name is Tracy Strauss.
• Since Cold Snap, Tracy's ability seems to have evolved from merely freezing into the general manipulation of water.

Trivia

• Tracy's Social Security number is 2856-34-6343.
• According to the birth certificate Micah found on his computer, Tracy weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces when she was born. She was born August 24, 1974 at 12:56 am in Beverly Hills at Our Lady of Perpetual Faith Hospital, and she was delivered by Dr. Zimmerman.
• During Volume 3, Tracy was never seen without her pearl jewelry.
• Tracy, along with Mohinder and Nathan, gives marine Scott abilities, which ends up being enhanced strength. This was also the power given to Niki Sanders, Tracy's sister. Coincidentally, Tracy killed Knox, who also has enhanced strength, after he killed Scott.
• In the first episode of Volume 4, Tracy tells Danko's team to screw themselves when they try and capture her. In the first episode of Volume 1, Tracy's sister Niki, tells Lindermen's thugs to screw themselves when they try to take advantage of her.
• Tracy is watching Nathan on TV in her first scene in both 'Villains' and 'Fugitives'.
• In an interview producer/writer Bryan Fuller said “the tear coming out was totally a shout-out to Zhora from Blade Runner."
• The List mentions another character named Tracy who lives in a town called Frostburg.
• According to Governor Robert Malden, Tracy's favorite drink is the Cosmo. (Acceptance)
• Possibly due to error, the Season Four DVD cover shows Ali Larter's portrayal of Jessica Sanders instead of Tracy Strauss.
• When Tracy was hooded on Flight 195, her hair was slipping out of her hood and she was wearing gloves.
• Tracy is the only character in the main cast of Volume Four to have been hooded in multiple episodes. She is the final character to be seen hooded and unhooded barring being seen hooded alongside Hiro and Sparrow in Flight 195's security footage. Interestingly enough, she is also the first of the characters to be captured.
• Interestingly, Tracy is the only hooded prisoner shown to be gasping for breath when she's unhooded and undrugged. She also seems to have recovered from her drugged up state earlier than her fellow hooded prisoners despite being the first to be captured. Presumably, her gasping may have been a side effect from being hooded and drugged for what may be from morning up until night.
• Why Tracy is never hooded after Trust and Blood is a mystery as it would prevent her from retaliating against her captors as she can't see and her powers have evolved to the point where she can freeze the gloves meant to subdue her powers.

See Also

• For other uses of Tracy, see Tracy (disambig).
• For other uses of Strauss, see Strauss (disambig).
• For images of Tracy, see Images of Tracy Strauss.
• For articles related to Tracy Strauss, see Related Articles:Tracy.
• For Tracy Strauss's history in the "exposed future", see Tracy Strauss (exposed future).
• For a list of her victims, see Tracy's victims.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Tracy Strauss for fan-created theories and other speculation.