Theory:Peter Petrelli

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The following fan theories are about Peter Petrelli.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Peter will gain his scar and then reacquire regeneration, but the scar will not go away.	None	+ It seems Peter cannot scar when he has Claire's ability, but Peter no longer has that ability. + Both versions of future Peter had a scar. - Future Peter did not seem to know Arthur was alive and could still retain multiple abilities; he likely never had his abilities stolen by Arthur. • He could have his memories erased - an ability which Arthur possessed. • It is possible that exposed future Peter lost his powers to his father and somehow regained them. He knows the only way to stop Arthur, and the Earth from exploding, is to give him access to Sylar's power. • That didn't help much. + Peter's ability only allows him to hold one power at a time now, so he may be scarred when not holding Claire's ability. - Claire's ability can cure damage done before the ability is activated. Her ability healed her when the eclipse was gone and the ability back. + If Peter gets a wound that originates the scar and it heals before he gets Claire's ability, the ability won't heal it, since scar tissue from a healed injury isn't an injured tissue. - In 1961, Linderman heals an old scar on the back of Angela's leg, though it is unsure if his healing ability works similarly to Claire's regeneration. + It has been shown in Turn and Face the Strange by Sylar that Claire's regeneration can be suppressed. + If the wound was cauterized, it might not be able to heal correctly.
Peter will always "aid" or inconsequentially be the villain.	"The only future I've ever seen is the one caused by you." - Angela to Future Peter in The Second Coming	+ Peter was the bomb in Season One. + Peter almost released the virus in Season Two. • Angela claims that Peter is the cause of all of her futuristic dreams which has a certain implication of dark futures. - Peter was shown dead in Angela's dream of villains in Level 5. + Future Peter causes a Butterfly Effect which leads to Angela's newest foreshadowing of destruction and chaos. + It was because Peter told Claire to stay at home that Sylar obtained her power. Even Angela stated she "wasn't where she was supposed to be." (The Second Coming) - In the original exposed timeline, Nathan was the cause of the events of that timeline (e.g. evolved humans in camps, experimentation and being hunted down). + Peter has a ability-control percentile of 27% (Assignment Tracker 2.0, under Gabriel Gray's profile), thus sort of making him predisposed to blundering and losing control. - Peter ultimately prevented himself from brining any of these futures to happen, with help from his future self. Therefore, he did not screw up.
In the original timeline (Nov 8, 2007), Peter Petrelli mimicked density manipulation from one of the Moab prison ambush agents.	Graphic Novel snapshot:	+ In Walls, Part 2, everyone is accounted for except for Peter and the agent with enhanced speed. + The agent looks to be stepping backwards (not running), and the silhouette for Peter resembles the image of the larger ambush agent. + If Peter was using enhanced speed, the artist would have drawn jet-trails to indicate this. - There is little evidence of anything from the shadows of the image. That being said, it is clear that the female agent with super speed is running towards the source of light while Peter is running perpendicular to the source of light. Furthermore, people rarely draw jet-trails on shadows. Instead, the shape and size of the shadows are exaggerated to give the illusion of being "in two places at once".
Peter Petrelli's name is a reference to the many Marvel characters having first and last names that begin with the same letter.	None	+ Many of the Marvel comics characters have names beginning with the same letter (e.g. Peter Parker, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Matt Murdock, Scott Summers, Warren Worthington, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange). • Many characters in DC Comics also have this naming convention, with most characters having initials L.L., not to mention characters like Guy Gardner (the Green Lantern) and J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter). + The show's writers have referenced popular culture with other character names: Claude Rains is a reference to the original actor to play a character who was invisible. - Tim Kring does not read comics. • Yet many Comics have entered many other forms of media including film, T.V, games, etc. Why a few characters have a "superstar" fame such as Spider-man or Batman, is unlikely that Kring has not come across a comic character in any media form. - It's not just Marvel that uses this style of name; in fact, the first to do so was Detective Comics, with Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Lana Lang, etc. Alliterative names are very common because they are easy to remember and sound nice.
Someone wanted Peter to come into contact with Ricky's gang.	Ricky commented on the unlikeliness of Peter showing up in the one container that they were set to rob. (Lizards)	+ Ricky and his gang specifically planned to break into one container out of the hundreds in the storage lot. It would be a ridiculous coincidence if Peter just happened to be in that container. + Peter's container was empty, but, according to Ricky, it was supposed to be filled with iPods. + Peter is often considered to be the most powerful hero, due to his ability to absorb the powers of others. It is therefore likely that someone hopes to manipulate him into helping them. + The Company was able to trace Peter to Ireland, without Molly or radioactive isotopes. - Ricky have hidden Peter from Elle if they were on the same side. - Elle wouldn't have killed Ricky if they were on the same side. + Ricky and his gang are not necessarily the ones manipulated the situation. The Haitian or some other character may have wanted Peter to interact with Ricky's gang for reasons of his own, possibly something to do with Caitlin. - The Haitian trapped Peter in a random container, it was just pure luck. • If Arthur Petrelli does have the ability of luck manipulation, this could just explain the pure luck. - Elle was looking for containers at the dock first. If she knew Ricky and his gang had him, she would have gone there first. • This is assuming that the Haitian was working with the company.
Peter exhibited a new use of his dream power by bringing back the evacuation notice in Truth and Consequences.	None	+ Peter has used this dream power before in connection with Charles Deveaux, however this time he brought back a physical object from that place/time. Thus, he is not just a astral projection, but can physically interact with that location. - This could be space-time manipulation. + Adam does not see him "leave" his present location in the building in Montreal. In a sense, he is in two places at once. - Peter could have simply returned to the exact time he left. + Although Adam heard Peter, but neither Caitlin nor the version of Peter with her seemed to hear Peter, which may indicate some sort of transcendent or dream-like state because he was apparently audible and physically present for Adam, but he obtained a flier from the future and brought it back to the past with him.
Peter will go insane.	None	+ It has been suggested that the numerous alterations to Sylar's DNA has unbalanced his mind. The same might happen to Peter. - That was suggested by the Company, which couldn't even figure out what his ability could do without an elaborate scheme. Sylar was already a ticking time bomb: the sheer number of traumas and neuroses he had practically guaranteed his going insane eventually. + He's already started to feel the "hunger" that comes with Sylar's power, even killing Nathan in a potential future. - It has been said that the Hunger is a part of Sylar's power, so it only makes sense that Peter would gain this alongside the intuitive aptitude. - Peter's new ability, which allows him only one power at a time, acts as a safeguard against the problems that caused Peter to begin manifesting The Hunger in the first place. The only way he can attain that problem again would be to take Sylar's intuitive aptitude.
Peter and Nathan Petrelli are brothers with Hiro Nakamura.	Hiro's biological mother may actually be Angela Petrelli, since we know she slept with Kaito Nakamura. (Lizards)	+ That could work seeing as Hiro was about ten or eleven when his mom died, so perhaps Angela had Hiro, then broke up with Kaito and got together with Arthur, while Kaito fell in love and got married to his wife, who adopted Hiro as her own. - This would only work if Hiro is older than Nathan, which he doesn't really seem to be. - Nathan recalled his father didn't like Kaito. The last time Nathan saw him, Kaito shared a long hug with Angela, something which angered Arthur. - Angela Petrelli has openly recognized every one of her other children by this point in time, even Sylar, who wasn't even really her son at all. There would have to be some serious hate between Angela and Hiro for her to not acknowledge him as her son.
The ability Future Peter used to transform is illusion from Candice Wilmer.	None	+ The effects used are exactly the same. - Future Peter may have acquired the power from another person.
Peter is able to use Sylar's telekinesis and intuitive aptitude because he sees Sylar and Gabriel Gray as two separate persons.	Peter did not know of or use intuitive aptitude until he met Sylar in the exposed future.	+ The first (and only) power Peter mimicked from Sylar had been telekinesis (Unexpected), until Gabriel Gray taught him how to use intuitive aptitude. He may forever associate telekinesis with Sylar and intuitive aptitude with Gabriel Gray. - Peter never knew of intuitive aptitude, and therefore never tried to use it, until I Am Become Death.
When Future Peter brought his present self to 2011, he lost his powers at once.	None	+ By bringing his present self along, Future Peter forced him to acquire intuitive aptitude. Thus present-day Peter became aggressive and impatient, he went to Pinehearst and lost his powers. This could have affected Future Peter as well, so when they time traveled to 2011, he rendered himself powerless. - By traveling to the explosion future, Hiro became determined to stop it, and succeeded. By the same logic, Future Hiro should have been affected as well, forgetting that he was from the explosion future. + Future Peter did not heal from the bullet to his chest. - The Haitian was suppressing his ability. That's what allowed Claire to kill him. She even said, "Trying to teleport? That won't work with my friend here." + Future Peter wasn't shot in his head. And he was shown laying on a table dead without the Haitian present. {minus} The Haitian was present. He was in the next room. - Pinehearst could have stuck something in his head to keep him from regenerating. • This could be because Peter needs his empathic mimicry in order to use his acquired abilities, and if the Haitian suppresses it and he dies, he can no longer tap into it. If he dies and his mimicry is working, then he can come back to life due to his passive powers being constantly active. + Peter was able to come back to life when Claire removed the shard of glass from his head. Dead evolved humans cannot access their abilities, so the Haitian had nothing to block.
Peter's empathic mimicry is still the same, it appears to work differently because he no longer connects to people like he used to.	He didn't want to get involved when Claire was on the phone and now he can only mimic an ability through touch.	+ Being betrayed by your brother after having to kill the father who is a manipulative villain could very well make Peter less willing to connect with people. + Hiro's ability weakened when he lost confidence in himself, proving abilities can be affected by ones state of mind. + Arthur said that he would regain his abilities. - Arthur said something like "You'll regain your abilities", yours referring to Peter's abilities. - If Peter's DNA changes like Sylar's when he gains a new ability, then the changes in Peter's DNA could have affected his original ability. + Peter had already mimicked several abilities, none of which affected his original ability. + Peter's ability is changing his DNA to incorporate new abilities, not altering the DNA responsible for his original ability. + Peter mentions in the first episode of Volume 4 that he isn't strong enough, which indicates that if he were stronger he could have kept all of his powers at one time, and saved that person. + Peter doesn't quite know why his ability works the way it does now. If it were an altogether different ability, he should have realized it.
Peter has consciously or subconsciously limited the scope of his ability to prevent himself from acquiring new abilities, ensuring he has a better control over the abilities he chooses to acquire.	Peter made a choice to get Mohinder's ability.	+ The events on the airplane can lead to this theory. - Peter told Tracy about the limitation of his new ability (one power for another). + If the effect is due to a subconscious decision, Peter might not be aware of that, he might be limiting his ability without knowing. + Hiro's ability was similarly affected when he lost his confidence when he could not save Charlie from Sylar. With his trust broken by Nathan, Peter would not be able to hold more than one ability until he regains his confidence and makes amends with his brother.
Aside from the fact Peter has to touch a person to get their powers, Peter's new power works the same as his original power.	None	+ He could only use one power at a time until Claude taught him how to access multiple powers at the same time, and out of the absorbee presence. - This is probably only because multiple evolved humans were rarely in Peter's presence at the same time, back then.
If Peter travels back in time and uses his current ability on his past self he can gain back his empathic mimicry.	None	• Time travel is currently impossible. + Hiro has regained the time traveling ability, and another time traveler has been introduced. • Arnold is dead, and Hiro is dying. • Should Peter absorb empathic mimicry, he'd lose it again if he used ability replication on another evolved human. • He could learn to rely only on his original ability. + It is unknown whether or not Peter can absorb a passive ability, but if he could regain empathic mimicry from his past self it would have to supersede ability replication. He would not lose EM if he used AR. - He would if EM depended on AR to work.
If Peter has Ando supercharge his ability, he will be able to retain multiple abilities at once.	None	+ Supercharging enhances abilities, so it only makes sense that if you supercharge ability replication, you would end up with at least the ability to hold multiple powers at once. • So far, the Ando's enhancements of others abilities are temporary. + However, if Ando charged Peter every time he touched someone, Peter could theoretically hold that power in addition to the ones he already has.
When Arthur stole Peter's ability he removed the ability genes from his DNA. And when he used the formula, it gave him new ability genes which gave him his current ability.	None	- Alternatively, he could have turned the DNA responsible for Peter's ability in non-coding DNA, a.k.a. junk DNA. - The formula might not "give" genes, but unlock those which are inactive in DNA of every non-powered human. + Peter and Sylar alter their DNA, which results in acquiring new abilities. - Mohinder said that a synthetic ability depends upon an individual's unique DNA chemistry. Peter shouldn't have acquired an ability different from the old one. + But Peter's DNA was changed - Arthur must have removed the ability genes from it and insert in his own. Sylar himself refused to kill Peter because the latter had no powers, he couldn't even find them in Peter's brain. • Sylar didn't even look for powers in Peter, he knew Peter had been depowered. - Nonsense. Hiro had his powers stolen the same way Peter did. Once baby Parkman touched him, his powers were activated. At first he was only able to stop time, but before too long he was time traveling and teleporting. As of now, the only thing that seems to be slowing Hiro's powers down is the tumor he has. If his DNA, or genes, had been altered or even taken away his powers could not have been restored.
Peter's weakened ability represents his disgust towards himself for acquiring it, as well as his brother's betrayal.	None	+ Peter has a very fragile psyche, and it tends to manifest itself in his powers. He wanted to become a hero without them, yet still had to inject himself with a serum he was trying to destroy to save a brother who only rejected him. This could cause him to lose his empathy, hence the necessity of contact for his new ability to work, as well as make him lose confidence in himself, explaining why it's been weakened. As the writers have said before, it's more about what's in his heart.
Peter will replicate all of Sylar's abilities one by one, at some point gaining Sylar's intuitive aptitude, then use it to empathically gain other evolved humans' powers the same way Sylar does.	None	- Remembering the experience of absorbing intuitive aptitude, Peter might never attempt to acquire it again.
Peter's ability is simply in it's early stages, similar to how Peter had to learn to use empathic mimicry.	None	+ Peter had to learn how to recall abilities, this took a great deal of time. + Peter's ability is still the copying of others, assuming his "blood chemistry" hasn't changed his ability should have similar traits to his original. + Abilities evolve over time, telepathy, induced radioactivity, electric manipulation and others have all been shown to increase in power, and have the user develop a higher control over it as time progresses. - Peter has learned to control whether or not he absorbs an ability from someone an evolved human he touches. + As stated earlier, Peter's psyche is somewhat scarred from his brother's betrayal of the evolved humans, and, as such, he may have empathic mimicry but may not be able to totally access it because of this mental strife. Hiro went through a similar weakening of his powers in season one, but recovered them after dealing with his inner turmoil by receiving his father's blessing.
The Future Peter from the exposed future had ability replication, not empathic mimicry.	Future Peter did not regenerate, while the Haitian did not stop present-day Peter from killing Nathan. (I Am Become Death)	- The future Peter has displayed more than one ability at a time on numerous occasions. + The future Peter could have learned to attain more than one ability at a time. - Then there would be no reason not to absorb Future Claire's ability when he grabbed her gun. - The future had not been changed yet, so that Peter probably never lost his ability, or injected himself with the formula, getting a new ability. + Future Peter had a scar, which seems to imply that he had lost his ability to regenerate at some point. - Peter from the explosion future had the scar as well, and he was seen to have it in 2007 (Walls, Part 2). - Future Peter may have chosen not to remove the scar (or may have added it for effect). Remember he has the ability to shape shift or cast illusions (either one works).
Peter would regain his original ability if he came in contact with Matt Parkman, Jr..	Matt Jr.'s power was able to jumpstart Hiro's ability, even after it was stolen by Arthur. (Cold Snap)	- Peter has already gained a different ability. + It has been seen that characters are allowed to have more than one ability at a time, like Sylar. - Sylar uses his base ability to integrate others' abilities into himself. No one has more than one base ability. + Matt Jr.'s ability could enhance Peter's synthetic ability so it would work the same way as his original ability. - Matt Jr. only turns things on and off, he doesn't enhance them. + Matt Jr.'s ability could also turn Peter's current ability off, then turn his old ability back on. • Matt Jr. would need to be happy. • That won't be difficult. Baby Matt would certainly like Peter. - Hiro's ability was stolen, but never modified afterwards. Peter re-modified his DNA after his loss of powers. It's like when you go back a page in a web browser. If you go to a different page afterwards, you cannot navigate to the page you initially moved backwards from by simply pressing backward and forward again. + Draph has the exact same power as Peter and can copy multiple powers at a time. - Draph's power is natural, Peter's is synthetic. + Peter's active power is synthetic; his natural power is dormant. Matt Jr. would simply reactivate Peter's power. Or if Peter came in touch with another mimic, he would presumably regain his ability.
If Peter engaged in a group hug with other evolved humans, he could retain multiple powers at once.	None	+ He has demonstrated the ability to hold a power upon physical contact. - Peter loses his retained ability when he replicates a new one. + He might be able to retain multiple abilities if he replicates them at the same time. - Peter evidently couldn't hold Sylar's regeneration along with his shape shifting. + Sylar is not multiple people. • What we know for sure is that Peter can only gain powers through direct contact, and that he loses that power if he gains another. It could be argued that two powers gained at the same time would both function, but they could just as easily negate each other.
Peter did not replicate all of Sylar's abilities because it takes longer to replicate multiple abilities, and Peter could not maintain contact with Sylar long enough to grab them all.	None	+ It is shown throughout the season that it does take him approximately two to three seconds to replicate an ability. It is possible that, when faced with multiple abilities, it takes him two to three seconds per ability to absorb them all. This would explain why he only seemed to absorb shape shifting: he only managed to remain in contact with Sylar long enough to absorb one ability. - Peter can only hold abilities from one "ability grab" at a time. If he took, for example, shape shifting, and then telekenisis, he would only have the latter of the two. Otherwise, in order for Peter to gain more than one ability, he would need to acquire them simultaneously. + A time requirement may be in place with ability replication meaning that broken contact with the individual would result in incomplete replication of abilities. • Even if Peter only got the one ability of shape shifting off Sylar, Sylar is now posing as Nathan and Peter will probably come into contact with Nathan again sometime. He could get the 'multiple powers' then.
Peter will be able to use the abilities of evolved humans that he shape shifts into.	Sylar mentioned his DNA reverting.	+ If this ability allows someone to shift their genes then it's plausible that they may shift their genes to mimic those of another evolved human, granting them an identical ability. - According to the death of James Martin, his DNA remained his own, and did not change to Sylar's when he shape shifted into his form. + Sylar was able to shift a "minuscule" part of his brain, the shifting of his DNA just may be just as capable. - Sylar possibly had to use a combination of shape shifting and intuitive aptitude. + Peter has displayed a significant amount of control over his adopted powers. + He display at least the amount of control the initial user of the power had, and so did Sylar. - Peter no longer has shape shifting. + He could reacquire it in the future. • It seems irrelevant whether he currently has the ability to shapeshift, considering that this is a hypothetical situation.
Peter could not heal people by injecting them with his own blood even though he had Claire's ability.	None	+ Peter absorbed the powers of many other people, altering his DNA. This may make the bodies of other humans reject transfusions of his blood. + Adam Monroe knew of Peter's abilities yet he healed post-explosion Nathan himself instead of telling Peter how to do it. - This (Adam not telling Peter about the ability) may simply have been a function of Adam's endeavor to make Peter think he needs Adam, and nothing more. + Peter didn't think to heal Nathan with his own blood after he was shot, even though Claire suggested that she herself do it. - This was future Peter. He didn't want Nathan to reveal the existence of abilities. - Peter acts out of emotion, he wouldn't think of what he can do in a very logic manner. - Peter was able to heal himself with Claire's ability, which as far as we know, only works through its possessor's blood. + Abilities are not stored in blood, as stated by Mohinder. - Tell that to HRG and Nathan who where healed by "magic" blood. + Matt's blood won't give anyone telepathy, Isaac's or Usutu's blood - precognition etc. Claire is a special case. • Perhaps an evolved human with poison/disease immunity will make an universal cure out of the blood tho perhaps Claire's blood does the same. - Abilities are not stored in the brain but in the adrenal gland, as stated by Mohinder. He doesn't know how it actually works. • Claire's ability most likely relies own the brain, where the information about the ability is stored, which commands the adrenal glands to secrete some sort of healing hormone, which would account for healing others via blood transfusion.
Peter will gain all of Sylar's abilities through constant physical contact.	None	+ Ability replication copies abilities through physical contact. • Constant physical contact?
Exposed future Peter had shape-shifting instead of illusion.	None	+ Peter's transformations resemble a form of trained shape-shifting. - The smoothness of the transformation suggests it was illusion, shape-shifting wasn't introduced at that point, illusion was. • What the ability looked like is subjective, different people will see different abilities. - It's only now when the writers decided to include clothes morphing in shape shifting.
We will never know how many of Sylar's abilities Peter has replicated.	None	+ Peter may use his ability on any other evolved human, making Sylar's powers vanish. • It's possible that his ability develops, allowing him to retain the abilities he replicates. + Peter displayed Mohinder's enhanced strength and later replicated Edgar's super speed.
A little more time for Peter to regain his empathy, and he will be able to cope with intuitive aptitude if he happens to absorb it again.	None	+ When Peter attacked Future Nathan, he didn't finish opening his skull, he stopped. And Sylar didn't, he proceeded taking Brian Davis's power.
Peter absorbed Edgar's super speed for the second time.	None	+ The innocent bystander in I Am Become Death could have been Edgar. • Everyone had powers in the exposed future, and Peter met at least two speedsters - the pedestrian and Daphne.
Peter will be able to retain more than one ability at a time, with proper training.	None	+ Claude once said "Your body remembers how (to use the abilities), it's just you who's not letting them out". + The circumstances aren't that different. Peter used to be able to only use abilities in the presence of another evolved human. Now he can only hold on to one. It makes sense to have him retrain his ability. - That would eliminate any reason to take away his power in the first place, other than to make it an inconvenient subplot. + Bryan Fuller was introduced to restore Heroes to its original flavor. This might include helping Peter regain his power. Besides Peter's ability might become a touch-mimicry like Rogue from X-Men rather than an absorb by proximity like the mutant Mimic. + The original goal was to make Peter less powerful. Mimic touch rather than mimic proximity makes him considerably weaker as he can absorb only two powers at a time, maximum. + Then maybe he'll only be able to hold two or three abilities. The ability could have a lower 'maximum capacity', so to speak, than empathic mimicry. + If Peter could have Charlie's ability (now she is alive again) he would be able to maximize his capacity to retain abilities. He was probably exposed to that power when he fought Sylar in Homecoming. After that he was progressively able to manager more that one power at the same time. - In the current timeline, Peter was never exposed to Charlie's ability, and he would still have it stolen by his father, nothing indicates that Peter's current ability requires memory to function. Even with his old ability Peter could use mimicked abilities after René wiped his memory. + René has shown to be able to erase information selectively. He may not want to leave Peter powerless. And yet, even thought he'd intend to erase abilities, as his power also block powers he could not be able to identify an ability in order to erase it. Samson Gray has stated that he had many abilities but had forgotten them. + In Nathan's final scene, he says that Peter can do anything. - Peter already can do that, just not all at the same time. • Peter could potentially use more than one power by taping samples of multiple evolved humans' DNA to himself. Though he wouldn't be able to use them all at once, it could create a similar effect to what you're looking for.
Peter will become involved romantically with Emma Coolidge or Caitlin.	Numerous meetings and Peter having seen the beauty of Emma's power with her.	+ The story line between Emma and Peter is a typical fairy-tale love story. + When Hiro returns, Peter may decide to rescue Caitlin. - He seems to have forgotten about her. - When Peter saved the world from the virus, he severed the connection between his timeline and the one in which Caitlin was trapped, meaning that he can never see her again unless he goes back in time and retrieves her, creating a paradox that would affect the entirety of the show beyond Season 1. - Deanne Bray said in an interview Emma won't necessarily have a romance with Peter. + They did seem to flirt sometimes.
Peter will travel in time to find his younger self and will replicate his original ability, then will travel to his father and ask him to steal ability replication, leaving him with empathic mimicry.	None	+ Peter is obsessed with becoming a better paramedic. - Peter definitely knows better than trying to go messing with his father. - Arthur steals powers he already has, he'd do this to Peter just because he sees him as a threat. - Taking the ability replication would also remove empathic mimicry. Ability replication does not seem to physically alter Peter's DNA so much as give him the ability to channel others' powers through himself. • It's unknown if Arthur can remove specific abilities rather than taking them all.
Peter, with the help of Hiro Nakamura will be able to travel to the past together an use Peter's replicated ability of healing touch to save people who have died such as Nathan, Niki, Isaac, etc.	None	+ Hiro seems to be more confident in altering the past than ever before, and Peter has a strong desire to help others. - Saving too many people is too risky, it would change history too much. - The actors might not be available to shoot these scenes. • Peter may be too shortly. - This ability cannot revive dead. • It could easily be used before said characters are killed chronologically. - Peter has discarded healing touch and all on-screen character's possessing the ability are dead. • That wouldn't stop them. On the other hand, it seems likely that Nathan, Niki, and Isaac's deaths are necessary to a great deal of the plot, so going back and changing it would have a much worse effect than we've seen from "salvation through time-travel" in the past.
Peter will not regain empathic mimicry.	None	+ Peter's original ability is simply too powerful, no powerful character with a single ability will remain significant if they run into Peter, as he will be able to do whatever they can and more. This would force the writer's to intentionally keep him away from certain characters, restricting their freedom. - Space-time manipulation, gravitational manipulation, telepathy, and mental manipulation are examples of abilities potentially powerful enough to stop a fully powered character with many abilities due to empathic mimicry. + Negated by the fact that instant proximity with any of these power users would give Peter said power, taking away their advantage. + Most of those abilities can be overcome or are an example of ability immunity (Space-time manipulation doesn't affect other time travelers, Stephen Canfield was unaffected by his vortices when he choose to, telepathy is weak against other telepaths, mental manipulation can be overcome, and may not affect other users). Peter could simply absorb their ability by being in close proximity and be unaffected. + If Peter had never lost his original ability, he would have (in addition to the abilities he had already obtained) power absorption, impenetrable skin, weather control, terrakinesis, shape shifting, poison emission, etc. He would be essentially unstoppable. - However, many of the fans of the show want Peter to be restored to his original ability. Most shows will take action if the wants of the fans are strong enough. + They won't if these fans are ignoring the consequences their wishes could bring if fulfilled. + Peter's power can evolve into ability mimicry or something similar to power absorption, allowing him to become more powerful without being near invincible like before. + Peter acquired a new ability with the help of the formula, and his father is dead. Until Peter finds another way to lose his power, he cannot reacquire empathic mimicry. - Abilities are specific to a person's DNA. Simply loosing it then reintroducing it with the genetic modification formula would not change it, unless the genes were damaged when it was removed. Even if Peter's genes were damaged when Arthur removed them, that doesn't explain why Hiro can still use his ability with no limitations. His problems are due to a brain tumor. + Peter's ability involved changing his own DNA to account for mimicked abilities. Arthur had access to Peter's mimicked abilities, it's possible that Peter's changing DNA interacted badly with Arthur's ability, explaining why he got a different ability when he injected himself with the formula. • How Matt Jr.'s ability works is unknown, he may have repaired Hiro's DNA somehow. - Sylar still has all of his abilities. If Peter doesn't regain his original ability, then he (as well as every other protagonist on the show) is almost certainly going to be killed. Sylar does not have ALL his abilities. He only regained telekinesis and intuitive aptitude. + Characters who didn't have empathic mimicry have defeated Sylar on occasions. + When Mohinder was a normal human, he tricked Sylar into drinking a drugged tea. + Claire was able to sneak up on Sylar and stab him in the head, and she has a non-offensive ability. + She was also able to stab Sylar in the chest when he attempted to steal her ability. He was moments away from bleeding to death before he acquired it. + Peter replicated René's ability and defeated Sylar. - Peter didn't defeat Sylar. He was only able to keep him at bay for a short time. + Potentially, he could have. Had he placed a nail in Sylar's skull while he was done with the other appendages, that would have been the end of Sylar. - Peter could not have defeated Sylar in this way because Sylar stated in an earlier episode that the shape-shifting ability has let him re-program his DNA and move his "Kill Spot". + With Peter nullifying his powers, his "Kill Spot" would be utterly irrelevant. As stated above, a nail to the head would have done it. + He could have decapitated Sylar then. He was powerless and Peter can be quite creative. - The 'new' director of the show says that he plans to return the show to its roots. As part of that process, Danko was killed and Tracy moved 'off-screen'. Having Peter regain his original ability would be a continuation of that process. + Nathan and Isaac remain dead. Return to its roots may mean less complicated storylines and revolving cast like in Season One rather than deus ex machina. • Returning the show to its roots could refer to a thousand different things. + Peter had a significant emotional connection with Nathan in his dying moments. However, he still needed West Rosen to replicate flight. • This new ability keeps Peter from going insane, unlike his previous ability. It is also odd that we have not seen a future in which Peter has this ability.
If Peter replicates empathy from Sylar, he'll be able to use ability replication like empathic mimicry.	None	+ It would be a perfect way for Peter to regain empathy. • Having the ability of empathy does not necessarily make one empathic. • Lydia was.
Peter will be sought by Sylar to strip him of his power leading to him getting Arthur and Sylar's powers.	None	+ Sylar's help to Peter can't be just out of gratitude, he wanted to sacrifice his power to get back to normal but Matt double-crossed him, since Peter has Matt powers now and is more reliable he will ask Peter to do what Matt did not, but Peter has no better chance than Matt and he would rather use Hiro's power to copy Arthur's powers and use that to reduce Sylar to powerlessness. - Peter wouldn't risk being depowered again to try acquiring Arthur's ability. - It seems that during the "years" trapped in Matt's nightmare that Peter and Sylar have become close friends. • Elle may actually be the first person to be in some sort of relationship with Sylar, and he killed her. - While that may be true, Sylar was only with Elle for a few months at the most. For "years" he spent every single day with Peter. Also, Peter and Sylar's on again off again friendship began back when Sylar believed Peter to be his brother. Perhaps the two are finally evolving their relationship into a true friendship. • That isn't a friendship so much as a mutual respect and understanding earned by years of forced proximity (there's a difference). Also, Peter's good behavior towards Sylar to this point has almost always been circumstantial.
Peter has learned how to use more than the last ability replicated.	None	+ When he tackles Samuel in "Brave New World", he flies towards him, using West's ability, even though he had already replicated at least two other abilities since then. Precognitive dreaming from his mother and Telepathy from Matt. - Sylar also had the ability to fly, that's who Peter replicated it from. • It still isn't confirmed whether Sylar was actually flying just before he killed Nathan. - It was confirmed in Shadowboxing. - If Peter had telepathy, he could have easily have commanded Samuel to stop. He didn't which implies he didn't have the ability. + As stated earlier, Peter's psyche is somewhat scarred from his brother's betrayal of the evolved humans, and, as such, he may have empathic mimicry but may not be able to totally access it because of this mental strife. Hiro went through a similar weakening of his powers in season one, but recovered them after dealing with his inner turmoil by receiving his father's blessing. Perhaps now that he has finally forgiven Sylar, he is able to access his empathic mimicry and/or further develop his ability replication. + There has always been a very deliberate shot of Peter replicating an ability. Since emerging from Sylar's mind, such a shot hasn't been seen. He's just using abilities. - Incorrect. We never saw him take flight from West, but we know that's where he got it from. • Nevertheless, it wasn't so much as even hinted that Peter took Sylar's flight ability. - It is doubtful that Sylar flew all the way to New York from California, carrying Peter when Peter could easily fly himself. + Peter could've been healed by Clarie's power. When she gave him her power that was the first time since his father stole it he has had the ability to heal himself. - Peter wasn't show to have use of multiple abilities since replicating Claire's ability.
If Peter were to copy Eli's ability, each of his clones would be able to copy a different ability therefore giving a similar effect to him having lots of powers.	None	+ This would be a logical effect. - Not really, Eli's clones aren't known to be able to replicate themselves, only the source one can replicate. If the same happened to Peter, the clones wouldn't be able to do anything. If the root Peter got a new ability, the other ones would simply vanish.
Peter could regain his original powers by replicating Sylar's intuitive aptitude and examining Arthur's brain.	None	+ Sylar can copy powers by examining people's brains, so Peter should be able to do the same. - Arthur's corpse was most likely buried or cremated by now or was too badly damaged by Sylar, for Peter to study his brain. + He could have Hiro take him back in time to the exact moment Arthur was killed or just dig up his corpse if it hasn't decomposed or been cremated and examine his brain to relearn how to use his original powers. - Judging by how unstable his powers were and how he wants to be a better hero, he probably doesn't want his original powers back.
Peter's new power is the same as his father's power, but his desire to help people prevents him from stealing other people's powers.	Both Peter's and Arthur's powers have almost identical functions, taking powers through physical contact.	+ Peter most likely inherited his original powers from Arthur and his personality from Angela, so he was able to copy powers without having to touch people or stealing their powers. After Arthur stole his powers and he used the Genetic Modification Formula to regain his powers, he lost his empathic personality, and he was left with powers that are almost identical to Arthur's. + Peter wanted to help people and Arthur wanted to take out anyone who stood in his way, including Peter. Their personalities most likely influenced their powers. Peter doesn't connect with people like he used to, but he still wants to help people. Because of this, he can't empathically copy powers anymore, but he also doesn't steal people's powers.
The Genetic Modification Formula didn't give him a new power, it reactivated the genes that gave him his powers.	None	+ Both Peter's new powers and his old powers have the same function, but work different ways. Because a lack of confidence can weaken someone's powers,Peter's recent personality change may have altered his powers. - The Formula was designed to give powers to people without powers. + Peter has always had powers, but eventually lost them. Peter was the first known evolved human to use the Genetic Modification Formula. If it didn't give him his original powers back, it at least activated Arthur's genes in Peter's DNA, which activated powers similar to Arthur's.
Peter's new power is a combination of his ability and his father's.	None	+ His father was the last person with ability's that he came in contact with, it's possible that when he injected himself with the serum, his original power uncovered the last power he absorbed. - Peter can't take other people's powers. + Peter's new power could have overwritten the "taking" part. - He can only copy one power, if he copy's another power the old one gets overwritten. His father can hold possibly infinite number of ability's. • The "only keep one" thing could be an unforeseen side-affect of the combination, like him not being able to steal powers.
Peter still has the powers he copied, but lost his access to them.	None	+ Peter technically only has one power, his other powers were a result of his main power. Without his Empathic Mimicry, he has no way to use his other powers. - Arthur's exact words were "you don't have your powers Peter, I have them.", which implies that he stole all of his powers.