Phasing

Phasing
D.L. walks through the wall of Niki's cell.
Originally held by:	D.L. Hawkins, Samir Mellouk
Absorbed by:	Sylar (possible future), Peter
Ability to:	Move through solid matter
Examples of phasing

Phasing is the ability to pass through solid matter.

Characters

Confirmed

• D.L. Hawkins has this ability.
• Samir Mellouk has this ability.
• Peter Petrelli has absorbed this ability. (Lizards)

Future

• In a possible future, Sylar has stolen this ability. (Five Years Gone)

Unconfirmed

• According to NBC.com's interactive map, Felipe Acera has this ability (Heroes Evolutions).

Limits

D.L. can use this ability selectively, passing all or part of his body through a solid object. He can reach through a solid barrier and manipulate something on the other side (like a door handle, for example).

When D.L. phases through something, the surface of the object distorts, as if liquified. The part of D.L.'s body and the rest of the object that is not being phased remain solid.

Phasing changes D.L.'s body, but it is unclear as to whether it also changes the object he is passing through.

D.L. can use this power to put his hand into another human being. This can be harmful to the other person. It is unknown whether the interaction itself is harmful or if D.L. does something inside the other's body. Phasing through Jessica's chest incapacitated her, while phasing through Linderman's head killed him instantly.

D.L. can phase other material besides himself. For example, his clothes stay with him when he passes through walls and other materials. He has demonstrated the ability to phase at least one other person when moving through solid materials (The Hard Part). He has implied that he could use his power to leave another person merged with a wall or other object.

In Four Months Ago..., D.L. used his ability to walk himself and someone else he is carrying through fire, without getting burned. He also uses his power to allow a person's punch to pass through his body.

In Man on Fire, D.L. uses his power to fall through the floor of several stories into a basement.

The phasing ability requires active concentration. In fact, when various clones from Julien Dumont appeared and surprised Samir Mellouk, he lost his focus and became tangible again, allowing Julien to hit him. (Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, Part 1)

Selected Examples

• 
  D.L. phases his arm into Jessica's chest, incapacitating her.
  (Better Halves)
• 
  D.L. phases through a car window to save a woman's life.
  (Nothing to Hide)
• 
  D.L. phases through the solid wood door of a cabin in Utah.
  (Fallout)
• 
  In 2011, "Nathan" phases through a wall and pulls Peter through it.
  (Five Years Gone)
• 
  D.L. phases both himself and Jessica through the wall of Linderman's archives.
  (The Hard Part)
• 
  D.L. phases through Linderman's head with deadly results.
  (Landslide)
• 
  Peter Petrelli phases through ropes that bind him, much to his own shock.
  (Lizards)
• 
  Peter phases through his cell wall.
  (Four Months Ago...)

Notes

• An NBC "Exclusive Video" calls D.L. a "shape-shifter". While this might be an awkward way of describing D.L.'s power, it's more likely an error.
• In a Heroes Unmasked video, Mark Kolpack suggests that D.L.'s "ability to get through things is that he speeds his molecules up so fast that they basically become non-solid."