Theory:Barbara

Main Article Theories about Barbara Main Discussion

The following fan theories are about Barbara.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Barbara is the one in Angela's dream.	None.	+ Tracy seems too good to turn to a villain, Barbara on the other hand is still unaccounted for. - If the dream is just symbolic, the woman might not be a villain, but just the person who turns her son Nathan against her. + The woman in Angela's dream is not wearing a pearl necklace, which Tracy has not been seen without (she didn't even take it off when she slept with Nathan). - This may just be a consistency error. + Seems unlikely considering their consistency with her pearls so far. - Recent episodes shows Tracy working with/for Pinehearst, like most of the other villains.
Barbara has a mental ability, like telepathy or mental manipulation.	None	• Her two birth sisters, Niki Sanders and Tracy Strauss, have very dissimilar abilities, with one being physical (enhanced strength) and the other being elemental/energy-based (freezing). There may have been an effort to keep the sisters' abilities different from each other, which would make sense if they were being used in an experiment, as it would allow Dr. Zimmerman and his colleagues to test more variations of "induced" abilities. In that case, a mind-based power would make sense for Barbara, as it would be quite different from both Niki's and Tracy's abilities. - There's already a villain who is a telepath. If Barbara is meant to be a villain, then it's unlikely that a new character would possess the ability of someone who is still alive and on the same side (Knox has a variant of Niki's ability because she's no longer around). • Echo DeMille and Jesse Murphy both were villains and both were trapped in Level 5. Both possessed the same ability. • Jesse was initially supposed to have earthquake generation as an ability, but the producers thought this would be too expensive to shoot, and so gave him an ability similar to Echo's at the last minute.
Barbara is a level 5 escapee.	None.	+ There are twelve Level 5 escapees. Not all of them have been shown. + If her and the German know each other then it's possible that they committed a crime together that landed them in Level 5. - Bianca and Gael captured only the German. • Barbara may have escaped capture from Bianca and Gael, but gotten caught at a later date. + She may have been the triplet in the group of villains Angela Petrelli foresaw. + You gotta admit, if Tracy plays for the side of good, having Barbara on the dark side would make a good plotline. • Hypothetically, if Tracy were to play the role of light, while Niki's remorse over her alter's actions leaving her morally gray, then Barbara by default would represent darkness.
Barbara has an ability that Future peter has, but present Peter has not come into contact with yet. Such as Illusion or body insertion.	None.	+ It is almost certain Barbara has an ability. + Candice died, possibly before Peter came in contact with her. + As above theory, Illusion would fit in with a mental ability. - Peter could've absorbed Candice's ability at Kirby Plaza, as he did with DL's phasing. He might not know he has it, though, explaining why he hasn't used it yet. + Candice could of dragged Sylar away from Kirby Plaza after Peter and Nathan flew into the sky.
Barbara's power is super speed.	Dr. Zimmerman, when talking about his power formula utters "Super strength, super speed, something like that?"	- Most evolved humans don't gain their powers until they are teenagers, so chances are Dr. Zimmerman did not keep track of Barbara, Tracy or Niki for that long. He was most likely guessing. + There was a picture of Dr. Zimmerman and someone who is likely Barbara in Dr. Zimmerman's home. She looked to be a teenager, so her powers may have surfaced while he still knew her. - It could have been Tracy or Niki who met Dr. Zimmerman in that picture and then had their memory erased. - Tracy and Niki didn't realize they had an ability until several years after their teenage years, so Dr. Zimmerman was most likely guessing.
Barbara will be recruited into, or already is working for the Pinehearst Company.	None.	+ Every villain that appeared in Angela's dream was shown to be connected to the Pinehearst Company (Knox and Maury are working for them, and Adam was abducted by them). Assuming that the woman who looks like Tracy Strauss is Barbara, she is due to be recruited. + Ali Larter narrated the video on the Pinehearst website.
Barbara's last name is Zimmerman. She was raised by Dr. Zimmerman and his wife. The German was also raised as her brother.	What appears to be a family photo on Dr. Zimmerman's desk. (I Am Become Death)	+ Dr. Zimmerman's reaction to Tracy and the use of only Barbara's first name implies that, unlike Tracy, he personally knows Barbara.
Barbara is dead.	We have not seen her as an alive character in the show.	+ Dr. Zimmerman seemed surprised to see her when he thought she was Barbara. This could possibly be because he knows her to be dead. - Just because we haven't seen her before doesn't mean she's dead. We didn't see Tracy Strauss until Season 3 but she's alive.
Tracy will try to meet with Barbara.	None.	+ Tracy is trying to cope with her ability, so she may look for Barbara for help. - Tracy seems to have control of her ability now.
If Barbara is working for Pinehearst, Arthur will get her to kill Nathan.	None.	+ Because of his relationship with Tracy, he may confuse Barbara for Tracy, just as he did with Niki, and not realize it until it is too late.
Barbara is the good sister.	None.	+ Tracy has aligned herself with Arthur Petrelli. If they are to be on opposing sides, then either Tracy will switch sides, or Barbara with join the Primatech group.
The "Tracy" who is willing to work for Pinehearst is actually Barbara.	None.