Ability absorption

Ability absorption
Arthur absorbs Maya's ability.
Held by:	Arthur Petrelli (deceased)
Ability to:	Steal other abilities through physical contact

Power absorption is the ability to steal the abilities of other evolved humans through physical contact, rendering them powerless.

Characters

Confirmed

• Arthur Petrelli is able to strip the powers of an evolved human and use it after.

Limits

With this ability, Arthur can remove the ability of another evolved human by touching them. Arthur seems to gain immediate use of the stolen ability. Arthur can take multiple abilities at once from someone who has acquired multiple abilities. (Dying of the Light)

Firm physical contact seems to be necessary for this ability to work. Arthur hugged Peter to steal his abilities, and Knox forced Adam to place his hand in Arthur's grasp. However, skin-to-skin contact is apparently not required, as he absorbed Maya's ability through her hospital gown and Hiro's ability through his shirt.

When Arthur stole Adam's ability, Adam rapidly died and decomposed due to the loss of the aging-suppression aspect of his ability--his 400 years of age caught up with him in seconds. Peter suffered no obvious ill effects upon losing his powers, although the process appeared to cause intense pain.

Arthur's use of this ability requires active concentration. He can choose to not steal abilities from an evolved human. Knox's hand brushed against Arthur's, yet no abilities were lost or gained. (Dying of the Light)

According to Arthur, the removal of abilities from a targeted evolved human is permanent. (Eris Quod Sum)

All of the powers Arthur stole made him so powerful enough that even the Haitian was only able to block him for a few minutes before he began to manifest his abilities again. Despite all of the powers he has at his disposal, however, Arthur's stolen abilities otherwise still have their normal limitations. For example a bullet through the back of his brain was able to kill him like it would anyone with regeneration.

Arthur seemingly uses his power to take the catalyst from Hiro Nakamura. He later transfers the catalyst into the formula.

Examples

• 
  Arthur grasps Adam's hand...
• 
  ...and drains his ability, causing him to rapidly age...
• 
  ...until he finally decays and is nothing more than a pile of dust.
  (Dying of the Light)
• 
  Arthur can now breathe without the aid of a machine.
  (Dying of the Light)
• 
  Arthur hugs his son, stealing his powers...
• 
  ...and then taunts him with his newly-acquired lightning.
  (Dying of the Light)
• 
  Arthur takes Maya's ability away from her. (Eris Quod Sum)
• Arthur takes both the catalyst and space-time manipulation from Hiro. (Our Father)
  Arthur takes both the catalyst and space-time manipulation from Hiro.
  (Our Father)

Memorable Quotes

"You don't have your powers anymore, Peter... Because I have them now."

- Arthur to Peter (Dying of the Light)

"You're telling me all traces of her ability are gone?"

"I take it all, and leave nothing behind."

- Mohinder, Arthur (Eris Quod Sum)

"I don't have my powers anymore, Nathan. Dad took 'em."

- Peter (Eris Quod Sum)

"You took my abilities."

"You gave me no choice, son."

"Are they gone forever?"

"Yes."

- Peter, Arthur (Eris Quod Sum)

See Also

• For the way in which Sylar steals abilities from others, see ability theft.
• For Peter's ability to absorb powers from others, see empathic mimicry.
• For Linda Tavara's ability to use the abilities of others after killing them, see aura absorption.