Theory:Gretchen Berg

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The following fan theories are about Gretchen Berg.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Gretchen Berg has an ability to learn things quickly.	None	+ She said she was getting better at Guitar Hero with every second. + When she was explaining the Jump, Push, Fall theory to Claire she threw the orange really far on her third example. Every action you do is one you learn. She demonstrated learning through repetition and threw that orange much further, surprising even herself. - Anyone with basic motor skills can throw an orange. + It makes perfect sense for the Guitar Hero event. Which would also make sense for her sudden interest in Claire. With this ability she's probably able to know Claire has an ability just be learning about her. - Learning Claire through an enhanced learning ability makes no sense, not if her supposed learning works like it's supposedly did with the Guitar Hero. + On the contrary, Gretchen may have her power since she was younger. Since Gretchen was from Texas like Claire was, Gretchen may have met Claire before. Gretchen may have met Claire and not known her personally, like a class mate. Not everybody befriends every class mate. They probably talked a few times. Claire wouldn't remember her cause not everybody remembers their class mate that they don't hang out with, and for the fact now that their in college, Gretchen could of changed her looks (dyed hair, lost weight, longer hair etc.) - If her ability is learning things while doing them, like in the Guitar Hero scene, it makes absolutely no sense for her to learn about Claire's ability with her own ability. Claire's ability is an information she acquired, learning like she did with Guitar Hero is a skill, it doesn't work the same way. + For all we know in Texas Gretchen probably didn't go by the name Gretchen but by another name. She could of changed her last name as well. This would make since if she as an ability. She was probably hunted down before by a unknown source that the company doesn't know about. The company didn't know every single people with ability and they didn't know every single hunter. - There may be evolved humans who were never discovered, and therefore were never hunted down. + She may have not been discovered by the Company and other people without abilities, but they could of been an unknown group of people hunting them down. Like the Company who was unnoticed by the outside people, these hunters are unnoticed by the company and the outside people which would make perfect sense for unknown hunters not known by anyone other than their victims. Remember people with abilities are always going to be hunted down by someone, either Noah, Danko, or someone else we don't know about. - It doesn't mean every evolved human will always be hunted down. • This ability can be intuitive aptitude. - Gretchen shows no indication of having the Hunger that it comes with the ability. + It could be a different form of intuitive aptitude, not all versions of the same ability are the same, for example Sparrow Redhouse and Samuel Sullivan both have terrakinesis, but there are huge differences to their ability. Peter, Samson and Sylar all have the same type of intuitive aptitude explaining why they all have the hunger. + She might not be fully aware of her ability yet. She has not used her ability and the Hunger has not shown up. • Sylar had used intuitive aptitude for years to fix watches and stuff before he learned that it was an "ability" and that others had them too. The Hunger didn't begin until he saw Brian Davis's ability in action. - She has stated that she was getting better at Guitar Hero by the second, if she had intuitive aptitude, the learning of something would have triggered it, and she would have the hunger. • Also, it is not known whether the Hunger is a part of intuitive aptitude. It may simply be a manifestation of Sylar and Sampson's own psychoses, cross-wired into their ability. • Peter inherited the Hunger almost immediately after absorbing the ability. • Peter's ability works through empathy, so it's possible that he had to associate the power with Sylar's personality, including the hunger, in order to access it. • After accessing the ability, Peter was long ago confirmed to have every ability Sylar had each time they met. - Samuel can sense evolved humans, he would tell if Gretchen was one too. + Samuel's ability is to sense powerful evolved humans. This ability does not seem that powerful, if it exists. It seems more along the lines of Charlie's enhanced memory, which seemed to surprise Sylar when he discovered it (he could, however, have simply been testing her).
Gretchen Berg might be related to Zach, Claire's best friend.	She's obsessive with Claire.	+ She had pictures that obviously seem like home pictures that Zach might have since he's her best friend. - She knows about the incident at Homecoming, she doesn't have a blog about her. - Obsession isn't a sign of relation. • Most of Zach's memories were erased by the Haitian. It's possible that any memories he might have had of Gretchen were removed. - Only memories concerning Claire and her ability were erased.
Gretchen is actually from California.	None	+ Her comments about cheerleaders is not unlike that of the Costa Verde crew. - Jackie Wilcox and Debbie Marshall are not the only bitchy cheerleaders; look at the ones at Betty's school. - She was never seen at Claire's school. + Those schools are like a thousand students each. + It may turn out that she moved to Costa Verde after what happened to Claire.
Gretchen will be like Zach and lose her memories of Claire.	None	+ Claire confided in Zach in Season One and when Noah found out, he had the Haitian wipe his memories. - Claire has made it clear to Noah that she no longer wants to keep secrets, and that telling Gretchen about her power was her decision to make, not his. It would not be in Noah's best interest to have Gretchen's memories erased. - When Noah said he was going to have Gretchen's memories erased, Claire told Noah that she would ban him from her life if he did so
The writers created Gretchen because of the bisexual Zach and what happened with lesbian April.	None	+ The show has been criticized because Zach's sexuality was left ambiguous at the request of the producers of The Sarah Connor Chronicles (he was originally intended to be gay). + The show promised a gay/bisexual character and the actress who played April left. + There has been a rise in interest in lesbian characters since Willow Rosenberg, from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. • Willow is the first openly lesbian major character on regular television. Xena and Gabrielle's sexual preferences are ambigious and Bianca Montgomery is not a major character on a regular television series. + Following the episode Hysterical Blindness, it has been confirmed that Gretchen has a sexual interest in Claire. + Gretchen is confirmed to be interested in girls in Strange Attractors. • Hayden Panettiere asked the writers to make Gretchen a lesbian. • The source stating it also said that she "just threw it out there", which implies that she wasn't necessarily serious about it being used on the show. Also, on the interview for Madeline Zima and Hayden Panettiere on the E! broadcast that aired shortly before the season 4 premiere, their reactions throughout the interview implied that they didn't seem too happy about what was going to happen on the season. • It doesn't mean that Hayden was joking either. If she wasn't happy with the scenario, it's unlikely the writers would have proceeded with it. • No, not that she was joking, just mentioning something in the air that she doesn't necessarily care about one way or another (hence "not serious"). • Hayden has said that the storyline was "exciting" and "it's almost silly to have a show about people being different and feeling like they don't fit in and not have all lifestyles represented". • Without a link to the aforementioned interview, it is impossible to know if the above interpretation is accurate. Other interviews with Hayden Panettiere do not indicate that she is unhappy with the storyline. • It aired on TV around 4-5 on the same day as the season premiere, and it was near the final moments of that special. • Various quotes from Hayden and Madeline belie the inference that they are somehow "unhappy" with the Claire-Gretchen subplot. • Quite the opposite, various interviews seems to imply they enjoyed it. Madeline Zima said she was looking forward to do it again. Hayden seemed to take pride into having thrown this idea. Also, it is very unlikely that Madeline Zima signed the contract without knowing that she'd had to kiss Hayden Panettiere. • Madeline Zima is playing Selma Blair's love interest in the upcoming film "Driving Lessons". It is unlikely she would have taken the role if she was uncomfortable portraying lesbian/bisexual women. • Madeline Zima also "admitted she would not mind a repeat of that kiss".
Gretchen will suffer the Dead/Evil Lesbian Cliche.	None	+ She is a stalker and has questionable ethics (discussing stealing a cadaver). - She isn't really a stalker, and didn't actually steal a cadaver. + If the writers decide not to set her up with Claire, they might have Becky kill her off. - Or they could call in The Haitian. + Becky already made attempts on Gretchen's life. It is likely that she will try again. - Unlikely. She was acting on orders from Samuel when she was targeting Claire's friends. Her personal target is actually HRG. + Claire revealed the truth about herself in the beginning of the new volume. That might make Gretchen a target for anti-specials groups.
René persuaded Gretchen to come back to campus, instead of flying home.	None	+ René follows Gretchen as she leaves in Shadowboxing. ` + Gretchen initially planned to leave campus and go back home, but she changed her mind. - Gretchen tells Claire that Noah called her and invited her to thanksgiving.
Gretchen will appear in the graphic novels or potential miniseries.	None	+ In a world where specials such as Claire might be discriminated, Gretchen's support will be a major asset now. Claire used to say she needs her, well in this new world, she'll only need her even more. + Her relationship with Claire Bennet is still lacking a proper conclusion. Whether the two girls end up living together happily ever after, or that it end quite badly between those two, a conclusion should at least be expected.
Gretchen will be "phased out" in a manner similar to West Rosen and Molly Walker.	None	+ Claire has just revealed the existence of evolved humans to the world, which should destroy any chances of her living a normal life. Given Gretchen's reaction to Claire's desire to take down the Sullivan Bros. Carnival in The Art of Deception, it would seem as if Gretchen does not want to be part of the kind of life Claire will now leave. - However, Claire's wish is obviously to be able to live a normal life without hiding. And it isn't impossible that they'll achieve this final goal at the end of the next season. Also, Gretchen's reaction in The Art of Deception has been explained in The Wall as being caused by Noah's threat on her memory, so it's not really what she actually believes. - One of Gretchen's personality traits is how supportive she is of Claire. In that Brave New World Claire just created, Gretchen's support could provide a strong asset to the cheerleader, who might face discrimination from many now. + The show has a history of removing characters with only a brief statement explaining why. + Particularly with those who have had a strong relationship with Claire.