Rachel Mills

Rachel Mills
Portrayed by	Taylor Cole
First appearance	Our Father
In-story stats
Known ability	Teleportation
Nickname	Rach
Gender
Place of birth	Newport, RI
Home	Lyneboro, CT formerly Calabasas, CA
Residence	Rachel's home
Occupations	Police officer, Member of LAWR, former Agent of Homeland Security, former U.S. Marine Private, former U.S. Marine Corporal
Significant others	David Sullivan (deceased), Volts
Parents	Leona Mills, Unnamed father (deceased)

Rachel Mills is the daughter of Leona Mills and a former soldier for the American government. She worked with Building 26, capturing people like her until she eventually came to accept herself and her ability. She is an evolved human with the ability to teleport.

About

Rachel was a soldier in the United States Marine Corps whose career came to an abrupt end following a disturbing experience while serving in Iraq. Initially, Rachel retained her place in the USMC, at a lower rank, and accepted recruitment into Pinehearst as part of their super soldier program. Ultimately, Rachel's career in the USMC ended when Pinehearst was destroyed; which proved a traumatic event for her as, not only was she discharged from the service, but she unintentionally discovered her ability. Since then, Rachel found work by joining Building 26; a task force agency set up by the Department of Homeland Security to hunt down and imprison evolved humans, at the behest of Senator Nathan Petrelli. Rachel, hiding her ability, served as one of Emile Danko's agents.

Initially, Rachel was uncertain of her abilities and her very identity, but experiences while a prisoner of Angela Petrelli (an old friend of her mother) ultimately convinced Rachel to accept who she was. To this end, Rachel joined LAWR and began working undercover inside the agency as LAWR's mole. This lasted until Rachel was forced to shoot and kill her partner and friend - Agent Jason Pierce - when he discovered her power; an act that set off a chain of events that led to her exposure and exile from Building 26. Rachel joined the fight against the U.S. Government until Building 26 was formally shut-down by The President; putting an end to the hunt for evolved humans. Rachel, after defeating Jason's psychotic sister, Janey Pierce, in a pitched battle, finally gained peace when she reunited with her mother.

Character History

Season Three

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Rachel Mills: Season Three History.

Rachel Mills is recruited by Pinehearst for their elite soldier program, and uses her ability to escape when disaster strikes. However, she is taken prisoner and questioned by Angela Petrelli until sometime after Angela obtains a vial of the genetic modification formula Rachel has been hiding in a shoulder wound. Later, Rachel relives her experiences serving the USMC in Iraq while interviewing for a new job. Rachel gets her new job and becomes an agent in the Building 26 organization. After the rest of a squad under her command is killed in combat, she is partnered with Jason Pierce. Also, she is blackmailed by Rebel into being a mole in the organization. Jason discovers Rachel's ability, and is shot dead by Rachel when confronting her. Rachel continues to work undercover with Rebel and LAWR's help, but she is eventually found out and forced to flee. Finally, working on the outside as part of LAWR, Rachel is captured by Jason's sister, Janey Pierce, and Building 26. Danko offers Rachel freedom in exchage for killing a woman who turns out to be her mother. Rachel falsely believes she has taken her mother's life, and then again confronts Janey. After some fighting, her mother's friends almost take Janey's life, but Rachel rescues Janey and teleports her to safety. Later, Rachel is reunited with her mother and they leave together.

Heroes Evolutions

The Civilian

In chapter 1 of The Civilian, Rachel has begun living in Lyneboro, Connecticut and is trying to put her past behind her. Now working as a normal police officer, Rachel uses her power to save a cat from a tree. Upon seeing that a man is watching her, Rachel decides not to teleport down. She returns the cat and goes to the police station where she learns that something has happened to the spare room of her house. Rachel returns home and notes that a cable guy reffered to it as a Spartan residence. Rachel enjoys this as she thinks that the spartans were strong. She goes to the spare room and finds that the window has been broken. Looking out into the backyard, which is really a forest area, Rachel spots the same man from earlier watching her. He disappears behind a tree and Rachel rushes down to find him. She chases him into the trees and after watching him camouflage, she teleports to stop him. Crazy Tom reveals himself to her and tells her that Leona is waiting.

Rachel goes to the diner where her mother is waiting and finds her alone in a cubicle. Rachel notices that Leona is reading a list of names but Leona quickly hides it before Rachel can see more. Trying to make small talk, Leona asks how Rachel has been. Rachel demands to know why Leona is in Lyneboro and continuously calls her "mom", which worries Leona, who has used her own power to make herself young. Leona tells Rachel that she would like to move in with her to try and mend their relationship and Rachel accepts her offer.

In chapter 2 of The Civilian, Rachel notices that her neighbor is perving on her. She goes over to his house to get some answers and learns that Leona has been meeting with him for days. Rachel decides to go to work and is assigned to locate a missing boy. Chief Parker tells Rachel that the boy's brother, Cooper, may be involved but that she is not to speak with him. Rachel finds out from Tim that Leona has taken a job at Mable's diner, so she goes to find her. Rachel speaks with Leona about the boy, and is warned to stay away as someone in the town has manifested an ability.

Rachel goes to talk with the boy's father, Smokey, and learns that Toby often hangs around in the woods. Smokey tells Rachel that he was last spotted there and she goes to look for him. She encounters a local gang, who are discussing Toby's situation. Rachel chases them deep into the woods and uses her marine training to beat a few up them up. She finds Toby's body near a river but before she can reach him, his brother shows up to stop her. He reveals that he has been protecting Toby, and that Rachel is in the middle of something dangerous.

In chapter 3 of The Civilian, Rachel returns home after a run and sees an intruder in her home. She teleports and pins him to the floor. Tim arrives but upon seeing Rachel attacking another man, he leaves. Rachel gets some information out of her intruder, including his name and why he is in her home. After her shower, Rachel is again approached by Tim, who is sporting a new confident attitude. Rachel guesses that Marc is behind it and finds out more about his ability.

Rachel apologizes to Tim about what happened and then goes to see Leona. Leona explains that Marc is there to search for his cousin Amber. Kelly then enters the diner and glares at Leona, worrying Rachel. After being reassured, Rachel makes her usual rounds around town including speaking with Smokey about his son Toby. Rachel returns to her office and looks in her inbox, finding a digital camera, set of keys and a report on obvious evolved human activities. As Rachel places the report away, Chief Parker takes it from her, stating that it is his. Rachel takes the camera to Tim and has him fix it, revealing the photos to be a battle between gangs in the local woods. Rachel returns the keys to the school where she finds that it fits one of the school’s lockers. Inside she finds a note indicating more gang war activity. From this note (and talking to some local gang members) Rachel stops at a fight at the park later that night. Before any fights can occur, Cooper appears and brings up more questions for Rachel.

The next morning, Rachel is confronted by Tim. Behind him, Marc concentrates and gives Tim confidence, also making Rachel feel weak and ill. Determined to beat it, Rachel asks Tim out on a date but is turned down after she suggests Skydiving. Rachel then goes to meet Marc and Leona at the diner.

In chapter 4 of The Civilian, Rachel has a nightmare regarding her time as an agent. In it, she is speaking to Claire Bennet; reliving the time she came looking for Alex Woolsly. Claire tells her to look at what she has done and Rachel sees Alex’s dead body at her feet. She wakes up terrified, and after telling Leona, she becomes annoyed when her mother speculates that an evolved human may be behind her dreams.

Rachel decides to help out Mykah and Cole, twins who arrived in Lyneboro looking for their cousin Amber. Rachel asks if they know why Amber would be travelling with the newly arrived biker gang and Cole explains that she started going with them while they were fugitives. Rachel goes to Chief Parker to find some more information and learns that the local biker gang is not his main priority. Rachel is shocked to discover that the Chief has discovered the existence of many evolved humans in Lyneboro.

Continuing her search for Amber, Rachel finds Alex Woolsly in the local park. Alex runs from her but after she reveals her ability, Rachel is deemed trustworthy. She and Alex talk to each other and Alex tells her that a former Company agent named Mensen is looking for evolved humans. Rachel goes to the park and confronts Mensen, who flees. While in the park, she finally finds Amber and reunites her with her family. Rachel then goes to investigate a disturbance between some bikers and the local teens and learns that the bikers have found some bodies.

In chapter 5 of The Civilian, Rachel once again has a nightmare about her time as an agent. In this nightmare, she remembers killing her former partner Jason Pierce. Rachel awakens and remembers that she is at the massive gravesite that the bikers uncovered. Rachel inspects some of the bodies and sees that they have been electrocuted. She then speaks with Leona, who tells Rachel that she should not be haunting herself with the murders. Leona reveals that she has been taping Rachel while she has been sleeping, in order to show her the severity of her nightmares.

Rachel returns home and falls asleep on her bed. She has yet another dream, this time featuring Claire Bennet. As her nightmare progresses, Rachel begs Claire for forgiveness. She awakens and finds the actual Claire Bennet sitting with her in her room. Claire explains that Leona called her in to speak with Rachel and that she forgives her. Rachel decides to look at the photos from the camera and eventually discovers a photo of Cooper taking orders from Kelly. Rachel, Claire and Claire’s friend Store head to town hall and find Chief Parker dead, having been electrocuted by Cooper. Rachel warns Kelly not to go through with her plan and, as the city gangs arrive in the town, Kelly listens to Rachel and stops the attack.

Later, Leona explains everything to Rachel, who is pleased that she has finally gotten over her villainous past as an agent.

Faction Zero

In chapter 1 of Faction Zero Rachel goes to Costa Verde to get Claire's help. She enters Sam's Comics and talks with Claire about former company agent Mensen who is apparently in town looking for her. Sandra Bennet enters the store and Claire has Rachel pretend to talk to her boss, Vic. Vic asks Rachel what her power is, throwing her off guard. This question is not literal as he then asks if she has telekinesis or telepathy. Rachel comments on both the "personalities" applied with the powers, stunning Vic who admits that he thinks she is hot. Claire agrees to trick Mensen and exits the shop and talks with him outside. As he is about to attack her, Rachel grabs him from behind and they begin to interrogate him. Before he can reveal any valuable information, he is shot by an unknown assassin.

Because Claire helped her, Rachel is forced to help one of her old targets, Eric Lee Harrison, trick his family into thinking he is engaged to her.

Evolved Human Abilities

Rachel discovers she possesses the ability to teleport herself across certain distances. It is unknown what her range is, but apparently she can activate her ability subconsciously (as it first manifested when she was in danger of being crushed; and her ability sent her to safety).

Notes

• According to the casting call, Rachel is in her 20s. She is described as "ex-military, beautiful, athletic build, and mysteriously troubled."
• The video message of Rachel on Hulu.com was posted on December 9, 2008, and entitled The Recruit: Rachel. It was later added to a video feed included in chapter 5 of Operation Bad Blood. Chapter 5 was released on December 10, 2008, but the video feed was not posted until December 17, 2008.
• Rachel currently holds the rank of Private in the U.S. Marines. In the iStory, The Private, Rachel was called Corporal Mills during her last tour in Iraq during the previous summer. Whether Rachel was a Lance Corporal or Corporal at that time is unknown. (Note: U.S. Marines ranks proceed from Private to Private First Class, Lance Corporal and then Corporal.)
• Although the episodes indicate the Pinehearst program Rachel was part of began and ended in 2007, Rachel's character reference at NBC.com refers to the year as 2008.
• In an interview, writers Jim Martin and Timm Keppler confirmed that Rachel's power is, indeed, natural. It was inherited from her mother.
• At the time of the Pinehearst explosion in 2007, Rachel was at least 23 years old. In an an interview, writers Jim Martin and Timm Keppler said that Rachel's father died in 1983. Rachel was obviously conceived some time before that, and born in 1984 or prior.

See Also

• For other uses of Rachel, see Rachel (disambig).