Peter Petrelli

Peter Petrelli
Portrayed by	Milo Ventimiglia
First appearance	Genesis
In-story stats
Known ability	Power mimicry
Gender
Age	30
Residence	Peter Petrelli's apartment
Parents	Angela Petrelli, Father (unnamed, deceased)
Sibling	Nathan Petrelli (older brother)

Peter Petrelli is a former home hospice nurse from New York. His brother Nathan and mother Angela also live there. Peter discovers he has the ability to copy the superpowers of others in close proximity.

Character history

Genesis

Peter Petrelli stands on a building before falling. Peter then wakes up in the home of Charles Deveaux, a patient under his care. Peter keeps "having these amazing dreams" that he is flying when he closes his eyes. Turning to his brother Nathan, Peter talks about his intense dreams. However, Nathan is a politician running for Congress and extremely busy. Although he does listen, he disregards Peter's claims that he can fly and wonders why Peter would come to him, anyway. News of their mother's arrest for shoplifting interrupts their conversation. At the police station, Peter and Nathan talk with their mother Angela. Recently widowed, she has been doing odd things such as this for several months. Nathan, more concerned with his campaign than his mother, tells her to "get over it." Peter attempts to be understanding and talks with his mother while Nathan eventually leaves. As they talk, Peter tells his mother about an almost metaphysical connection he feels he has with his brother, recalling a time in the past where Peter knew Nathan had been hurt prior to anyone contacting him; his mother is unconvinced.

Later at the campaign headquarters, Nathan has managed to sweep his mother's arrest under the rug and wishes she'd just get a hobby. Peter, on the other hand, simply sees it as a cry for attention and a sign of loneliness. Nathan then transitions the conversation into offering Peter a job as his coordinator. However, Peter is turned off by Nathan's self-serving intentions and attempt to "do the right thing" by him. He declines, saying he doesn't want his brother's pity, and walks out. There in the street, Peter hails a cab. The driver just happens to be Mohinder Suresh, and the two begin a conversation. Peter asks Mohinder about "being special" and Mohinder eventually tells him about evolution. Suddenly, Peter gets a call from Simone Deveaux—daughter of his patient Charles—telling him to hurry over to her father's place.

Peter and Simone arrive at the apartment of her boyfriend, Isaac Mendez. Simone explains Isaac's ability to "paint the future". Simone finds Isaac lying on the ground, apparently overdosed on heroin. She frantically calls 911 while Peter discovers a painting that depicts him flying off of a building. Isaac has also painted a large floor mural depicting the city being destroyed in a nuclear explosion. Isaac's only words are, "We have to stop it."

Later, Peter stands above a building and summons Nathan to prove that he can fly. However, when Peter jumps, he falls, and it's Nathan who flies up to rescue him. However, Nathan loses his grip, and Peter falls.

Don't Look Back

Peter awakens in a hospital bed. At his side is Nathan, who, when asked, claims neither of them flew and Peter simply jumped, nearly killing himself. Between this and his mother's revelation that Peter's late father had apparently been mentally unstable as well as suicidal, Peter is led to believe he's going crazy. Drawing a crude stick figure image with one figure levitating a few feet above the ground, Peter gets an idea. Attempting to cope and find out the truth, Peter stands on the edge of another rooftop later that evening. Nathan arrives, and Peter threatens to jump if Nathan doesn't tell him what really happened. Nathan tells Peter that they both flew. However, Peter thinks that Nathan is lying to make him feel better, and he becomes angry. Nathan then points out that Peter is walking on thin air, and Peter is relieved to know that they can both fly.

One Giant Leap

Peter repeatedly tries to fly (or at least levitate) while at a playground, only to crash to the ground each time. Heading back to Campaign HQ, Peter tells Nathan about a book written by Chandra Suresh. Peter believes the author "knows what's going on" and wants to find him, but neither Nathan's focus nor his disinterest in his powers have changed. Bumping into Simone after just leaving Charles Deveaux's apartment, Peter tells her he has given up his job as a nurse. He says he no longer feels right "trying to save the world one person at a time" and is meant for something more. As Peter leaves the building, the two comment on hoping to see each other. Later, they do just that at an event held by Nathan. During the event, Peter confesses his love to Simone, stating "I've been in love with you since the moment I first laid eyes on you." During Nathan's speech, he talks about his family, particularly his ill late father. Over the course of the speech, the focus turns to Peter and Nathan publicly refers to Peter's attempt to fly as a suicide attempt. Shocked and offended, Peter eventually runs out, followed by a concerned Simone. After the event, Peter punches Nathan as he is getting into his car, calling him an SOB. Immediately held back by Nathan's bodyguards, Peter furiously denounces Nathan's comment during the speech. When the guards let Peter go, he goes in for another blow to his brother's jaw. Asked by Nathan if he'll at least go along with what was said, Peter angrily shrugs and walks away.

Out in the pouring rain, Peter meets up with Simone while trying to hail a cab. He quickly insists that what Nathan said about him wasn't true and Simone says she knows. Then the two exchange a kiss under her red umbrella.

Collision

Peter and Simone wake up together in Peter's apartment. Nathan comes to Peter's door and tells him about his "visit" from Mohinder, whom he mistakes for Chandra Suresh. Nathan asks Peter to "disappear for a while" and offers him money to do so. Peter refuses the money, instead deciding to visit Mohinder at his apartment. Peter confesses that he does indeed have the ability to copy other people's powers and the two travel to Isaac's apartment to see Peter's power in action. Since Isaac is high on heroin and in a precognitive trance when they arrive, they assume he isn't home and ride back on the subway. Suddenly, time stops and everyone freezes except Peter. Soon, he is confronted by Future Hiro, who says he did not recognize Peter "without his scar", indicating Peter will likely receive a facial injury at some point. Hiro tells Peter that he has a message for him.

Hiros

Peter is on the subway, speaking with Future Hiro. Future Hiro tells Peter that if he "saves the cheerleader" he'll "save the world". Hiro also tells him to relay the message to Hiro's present-day self when he attempts to call Isaac's apartment. After this, Hiro teleports away and time starts again. Peter travels to Isaac Mendez's apartment as instructed by Hiro, where he proves to Isaac that he doesn't need drugs to paint the future by copying Isaac's power and finishing one of his paintings. When present-day Hiro calls to warn Isaac, Peter tells him he's got a message for him.

Better Halves

Peter tells Hiro, through Ando, about his visit from Future Hiro. He relays the message and tells Hiro to meet him and Isaac in New York so they can locate "the cheerleader". He and Isaac work with Isaac's paintings, looking for a clue as to the girl's identity. Peter realizes the last batch of paintings fit together like a comic page—but with one panel missing. Isaac tells him that Simone took a piece which was about the right size and shape to sell in her gallery.

Nothing to Hide

Peter awakens from a dream, where he told Charles Deveaux that he could fly, with a teary-eyed Simone at his door. She tells him that her father just died. They go to Isaac's apartment to tell him, but find it emptied out. Simone tells Peter that, just before he died, her father woke up and told her that he had been flying over the world with Peter, who told him everything would be okay. She then tells him that she sold the missing painting to Mr. Linderman.

Peter goes to Nathan's house in Long Island to enlist his aid in getting the painting from Linderman. He discovers his family having brunch with Oliver Dennison, a reporter from the New York Journal. When Nathan turns him down, he threatens to fly off the terrace, but instead sits down to brunch and proceeds to charm Mr. Dennison. When Dennison mentions he heard Nathan was seen with a blonde in Las Vegas, Peter tells him Nathan was meeting with a depression specialist on Peter's behalf.

Later, Nathan comes to Peter's apartment. Peter tries to convince him to tell Heidi the truth about Niki, but Nathan claims Heidi needs hope more than the truth. Nathan tells him he wasn't able to get the painting.

Homecoming

Peter meets Simone at Isaac's apartment. Simone tells him that Nathan had the painting Peter wanted shipped there. Simone shows him the destroyed painting and tells Peter that Nathan said he did it to protect him so that he wouldn't get himself killed. Peter asks Simone to describe the painting to him. He tells her that people are counting on him and he has to try, even if it risks his life. Simone retrieves a digital copy of the original painting from her pocket book and shows it to Peter. It reveals Peter laying dead outside Union Wells High School. The clock in the background reads 8:12pm. She asks Peter if he's the one in the picture, but he isn't sure. Simone tries to convince him not to go, but Peter tells her he has to. She tells him that Union Wells High School is in Odessa, TX and that homecoming is that night. Peter tells her that he'll come back.

At the Burnt Toast Diner, a cell phone rings. Ando picks it up and asks if it's Hiro. On the other end is Peter. He asks for Hiro and Ando tells him that he'll be right back. He tells Ando that he and Hiro need to get to Odessa, Texas. Ando tells him that they're already in Texas. Peter tells him that he's going to get on a flight and meet him there at the cafe.

Peter arrives at the Burnt Toast Cafe and finds Ando outside reading a newspaper. He introduces himself and apologizes for being late. He asks where Hiro is and Ando explains that he traveled back in time to try to rescue Charlie. Ando tells Peter about Charlie's murder and that Hiro thinks it might be the same man who's planning to attack the cheerleader. Peter tells Ando that he knows when and where the cheerleader gets attacked and needs to stop him. He shows Ando the picture of Isaac's painting. Ando tries to find out what Peter's power is. Peter explains that he can absorb other people's powers when he's around them, but when he's by himself he's "not really anything." He glances at the clock and tells Ando that he has to go. He asks if Ando is coming, but Ando says he'll wait for Hiro and that without Hiro he's "not really anything, either."

At Union Wells High School, Peter checks out a trophy case with a banner calling Jackie their "hero". He notices a newspaper clipping of Jackie, in her cheerleader outfit, accepting an award for rescuing the man from the train wreck. Just then Claire runs into him. Peter asks Claire if she knows Jackie and she tells him she's a cheerleader. Claire asks if he's a reported and he replies that he's an alumni. Claire tells him that Jackie's actually not special. When Peter points out what Jackie supposedly did Claire just claims to be jealous and tells him that she's not winning any popularity contests. Peter tells her that things get better after high school. Peter walks outside and glances up seeing the clock and homecoming banner that's in the background of Isaac's paintings.

Claire runs out of the locker room and into Peter again. Sylar walks out into the hallway and Peter and Claire run away. Peter tells her to keep running and stops to face Sylar. Using telekinesis, Sylar rips the doors off of the hallway lockers and sends them flying towards Peter. Peter dodges a few of them and runs away with Sylar following. Mr. Bennet enters the locker room, sees Jackie's body on the floor and initially thinks it's Claire. Claire runs into the bleachers just as Isaac's painting originally showed. The shadowy figure chasing after her turns out to be Peter, who helps her up when she falls as she's climbing the stands. With Sylar in at the bottom of the stands, Peter tells Claire to run and find a lot of people as he believes Sylar doesn't want to be seen. Claire runs off and suddenly Peter looks up to find Sylar standing right in front of him. Sylar grabs Peter and they both fall off the bleachers and onto the pavement below. The clock turns to 8:12pm and Peter lays on the pavement in a pool of his own blood. Claire comes out and finds Peter laying on the ground. Peter coughs and sits up. He twists his mangled legs back into place and Claire notices the wounds on his head regenerate. Noticing that Sylar is gone, Peter asks where he is but Claire doesn't know. Peter tells Claire to get some help. Before she leaves, they introduce themselves. Peter asks her if by saving her he saved the world. Claire tells him she doesn't know and that she's "just a cheerleader." Claire runs off for help and is found by her father. Claire tells her they have to go back for Peter and her dad tells her the police will take care of everything. He tells her she's lucky to be alive and Claire admits that it's not luck and tells him she has something she has to tell him.

As the police arrive, Peter finishes reorienting his mangled foot. The police draw their weapons and noticing all the blood on Peter arrest him. Peter tells them that "he's getting away."

Powers

Much mystery surrounded Peter's status and powers, or lack thereof before and after the series debuted. While every main character was said outright to have a power in press releases, Peter was simply billed as "trying to convince his brother he can fly". Later, after his brother flew, Peter himself displayed the ability to levitate not long afterward. Peter is actually a power mimic who duplicates the powers of others. His crude levitation sketch shows that he gained Issac's ability to draw the future, but without needing to be induced by drugs. In Hiros, Peter visits Isaac and he finishes Isaac's painting without the aid of heroin or any other drug. It is also unclear what affect, if any, his power has on those whose powers he duplicates. Still, if Nathan is any example, the effect seems to be unnoticeable. Peter's powers appear to be only temporary, as he is shown unable to fly when not in the presence of Nathan.

While Peter's crude stick figure drawings originally seemed to indicate that he could duplicate only someone's powers, and not their skills, the painting he completed at Isaac's studio seems fairly well done. This could indicate that his ability is maturing and developing, much like the other heroes.

It should be noted that Peter began having dreams of flying well before he met Isaac. This probably indicates he possesses a separate power, perhaps an empathic bond with his brother (as his conversation with his mother about Nathan's accident indicates he believes). Some fans have speculated that this empathy applies to others, not merely to Nathan, and is his true power, with the mimicry as a mere side effect. His apparently shared dream with Charles Deveaux in "Nothing to Hide" seems to lend some weight to this theory. Others have speculated that the bond between the brothers may work both ways, but that Peter is more receptive to it because of his "sensitivity".

Notes

• Kristin Veitch of E!, who made a cameo appearance in "Collision" as the roulette dealer, suggests that Peter's scar might be "because Milo Ventimiglia might be shaving his head at some point in the series. Whether this is meant to indicate that Milo himself has an already-extant scar which is being written in, or, as some fans have suggested with tongue-in-cheek that Hiro will be shaving Peter's head for him and notice the scar, is presently unclear.