Tracy Strauss

Tracy Strauss
Portrayed by	Ali Larter
First appearance	The Second Coming
In-story stats
Known ability	Freezing (synthetic)
Nickname	Ice Queen
Gender
Age	32
Date of birth	August 24, 1974
Place of birth	Beverly Hills, CA
Home	Washington, D.C.
Residence	Tracy Strauss's apartment
Occupations	Former aide to Senator Nathan Petrelli, Former Pinehearst consultant, former political adviser to Governor Robert Malden
Significant others	formerly Nathan Petrelli, formerly Robert Malden
Parents	W. Strauss (father), Rebecca Rosenthal (mother)
Siblings	Niki Sanders (estranged triplet sister, deceased), Barbara (estranged triplet sister)
Other relatives	Brother-in-law: D.L. Hawkins (deceased) Nephew: Micah Sanders

Tracy Strauss is a former political adviser to New York Governor Robert Malden. Upon Nathan Petrelli's appointment to Senator, she was hired as the Senator's advisor. Tracy then discovered that she is one of three triplets, her sisters being Niki Sanders and Barbara. She later joined forces with Arthur Petrelli at Pinehearst with Nathan in order to give people abilities. However, after Arthur's murder and the fall of Pinehearst, Tracy was betrayed by Nathan, who fired her and later revealed her special ability to the American President. Two months later, Tracy was one of the many people with special abilities to be captured by The Hunter on Nathan's orders. She would later escape when the transport plane was brought down, though was later recaptured by Nathan. She is an evolved human with the ability to freeze things.

About

Tracy is one in a set of triplets along with Niki Sanders and Barbara. After discovering her ability, Tracy joined forces with Arthur Petrelli's Pinehearst Company so as to give Nathan the opportunity to become President of the United States with her at his side. However, after Pinehearst's defeat, Tracy was fired by Nathan and later betrayed as he turned her information over to the US President.

Character History

The Second Coming

After hearing about Nathan on television, Governor Robert Malden tells Tracy that they may have found whom they're looking for. Tracy playfully reminds him that it's her job to find the person they're looking for. Seeing Nathan on television, she remarks that she likes him.

The Butterfly Effect

Tracy makes a suggestion to Malden for Nathan to serve as Senator for the state of New York. On the way to her car, a reporter stalks her with images from lasvegasniki.com. The reporter informs her that he will make an article about her, but she denies that that is her. However, the reporter's sources claim otherwise, and she makes her getaway.

When she gets to his hospital room, Nathan automatically thinks that Tracy is Niki. Tracy is confused about this. She offers him the Senate, leaving her phone number. Later, Nathan accepts on the condition that she be on his staff. The reporter returns, this time with the DVD of Jessica having sex with Nathan at the Corinthian. She gets so angry at him that her freezing ability manifests, and she accidentally kills him. She is shocked and runs away.

One of Us, One of Them

Alone, Tracy freezes a rose. Later, Nathan Petrelli visits her and asks why she did not attend his swearing in. Tracy shows him the video footage of him having sex with Jessica and asks who Niki Sanders was. Tracy says that the only information she found on Niki was an address in New Orleans. When Nathan only asks if she really is not Niki, Tracy leaves for New Orleans.

Arriving at the Dawsons' home, she finds a coffin containing Niki's body. Shocked and saddened by her death, she tries to leave but is confronted by Micah, who quickly recognizes that she is not his mother. Micah reveals that Niki had super strength and he the power of talking to machines, and then asks her if she has a power--leaving Tracy startled. Micah cross-references Tracy and Niki's information on his computer and finds that they were both born in the same hospital on the same day and delivered by the same doctor.

Tracy then leaves Micah (while spiritually "saying goodbye" to Niki) and visits Dr. Zimmerman, who at first mistakes her for a woman named Barbara. Tracy says he is mistaken and tells him her name, and he comes to the realization that she is "the one from Beverly Hills". When Tracy questions him on how he knew she was from Beverly Hills he claims that he "created" her.

I Am Become Death

Zimmerman reveals to Tracy that she was one of triplets, Niki, herself, and Barbara, and he gave each of them abilities through genetic manipulation. Tracy, overcome with rage, almost uses her freezing ability to kill Zimmerman, but is able to calm down before causing any harm.

Afraid of her ability and guilt-ridden over the death of the reporter, Tracy tries to turn herself into the police. However, her emotional state brings her power forth and she freezes the telephone. Later, Tracy turns in her resignation to Nathan and she then goes to the Francis Scott Key Bridge and attempts suicide. However, Nathan, warned of her intentions beforehand, flies Tracy to safety. Tracy then reveals her power to Nathan and they share a kiss.

Angels and Monsters

After spending the night with Nathan, Tracy goes to the Primatech facility with Nathan to visit his mother and Company leader, Angela Petrelli. Tracy explains to Angela that Dr. Zimmerman gave Tracy her ability to freeze objects and that she is a triplet.

Angela explains that Zimmerman was a Company scientist and that it was under their orders that Tracy be synthetically injected with her ability, and also that Nathan's power was also synthetic. Angela tells Tracy that the process for synthetically giving powers cannot be reversed. After Tracy and Nathan head out to contact Doctor Mohinder Suresh, Angela has a precognitive dream in which Tracy, along with her two sons Nathan and Peter, is lying dead on the floor.

Dying of the Light

Nathan and Tracy arrive at Mohinder's lab, and Mohinder Suresh also mistakenly identifies Tracy as Niki Sanders. Tracy then reveals her freezing power and the two inform Suresh that their abilities were synthetically given to them by Dr. Zimmerman. Mohinder is stunned by this, and injects Tracy and Nathan with a drug that knocks them out. He then straps them to tables in his hive.

Daphne discovers them while attempting to recruit Mohinder for the Pinehearst Company, and escapes the lab using her super speed. After awaking from the drug, Tracy attempts to reason with Mohinder and then uses her freezing power to subdue Mohinder and escape from her bonds. She releases Nathan, and Mohinder recovers and uses his ability to prevent them from escaping.

Eris Quod Sum

After Mohinder escapes with Maya, Tracy waits with Nathan until the Company agents arrive. While waiting, Tracy attempts to free Mark Spatney from his cocoon, and the terrified man attempts to choke her to death. Fortunately, Tracy is saved by Company Agent Noah Bennet. Tracy and Nathan tell Bennet about their encounter, and also meet Meredith Gordon, the mother of Nathan's illegitimate daughter.

Tracy is confronted by Meredith, warning her of his track record. Tracy states that she and Nathan are not together. Later, when the name Pinehearst is brought up, Tracy recognizes it as the bio-tech firm. Tracy and Nathan then plan on journeying to Pinehearst to confront Arthur Petrelli.

It's Coming

Tracy and Nathan then go to Pinehearst and confront Arthur Petrelli. After Nathan's confrontation with his dad, he informs Tracy that he will be going to visit his mother. Tracy stays behind to talk with Arthur against Nathan's knowledge. He asks her whether she wants him to take away her power, and she says she is beginning to get used to it.

Tracy then offers her allegiance to Arthur and Pinehearst so as to get Nathan in the White House. Tracy says that she can get Nathan on Arthur's side, but in return he must help her sometime in the future. Arthur agrees, and Tracy is present as Arthur draws the upcoming eclipse.

The Eclipse, Part 1

In Angela's office at Primatech Research, Tracy looks at a picture of the Petrelli family as she discusses Nathan with Arthur. Once she tells him that Nathan has strayed, running off to find the Haitian, Arthur muses that it's a good plan. By Arthur's tone of voice, Tracy is seriously concerned for Nathan's life and refuses to follow his orders, reminding him of their deal; Tracy puts Nathan on his father's side while Arthur keeps Tracy out of harm's way. Arthur quickly nullifies her refusal by saying that without his help, Nathan won't get to the White House with Tracy. Tracy realizes that she is stuck with following Arthur's commands for the moment. She is ordered to go to Parris Island and use her connections to round up an army.

At that point, Tracy realizes she is being watched and turns to find Angela. Tracy hastily hangs up the phone and comes up with an excuse, saying it's a call from Washington. Angela excuses her politely but smugly has an idea what she's up to.

Our Father

Tracy returns to Pinehearst after recruiting several Marines, one of them Scott. When Nathan arrives, he walks in on a discussion between Arthur Petrelli and Tracy. Nathan is angered at Tracy's betrayal, but she claims that she was only doing her job by helping Nathan. Tracy is delighted to learn that in her absence Nathan had pledged himself to the company. Tracy remarks that though Arthur Petrelli has crossed some lines, his vision is right and that to synthetically give abilities to those who can do good with them is the future. She then shows Nathan her recruited marines, claiming that they are the future.

Once the formula is perfected, Tracy, Nathan, and Arthur Petrelli bring it to Pinehearst's doctor, Mohinder Suresh. Tracy requests that fifty doses be made for the marines, though Nathan suggests that they try it only on one first. Tracy agrees, and they inject the formula into Scott. Almost instantly Scott demonstrates his ability of super strength.

Dual

After Nathan goes to check on Arthur Petrelli and never returns, Tracy sends Scott out to find him, though Scott is soon killed by Knox. Tracy tries to stop Peter, Flint, and Knox from trying to destroy the formula. She manages to catch Knox by surprise as he is about to kill Nathan, and kills him. Tracy then tries to convince Nathan that they can get away and deny involvement in all of this and use the formula to start over, but Nathan refuses. Tracy insists that she is being a realist and doing her job, and so Nathan fires her.

Tracy freezes open Arthur's safe, but is confronted by Hiro and Daphne who arrive to take it from her. Tracy brushes them off and insults Hiro, causing him to punch her in the face and steal the document of the formula from her. Tracy leaves Pinehearst before it's destroyed by Flint, and later picks up a cured Mohinder on the highway and the two drive off together.

Three weeks later, Nathan explains to the President about evolved humans, showing him numerous files and records, one of which is on Tracy.

Graphic Novel:Stuck in the Middle

Tracy and Nathan argue about their upcoming injection session - she wants to inform the marines what they're signing up for, whilst Nathan doesn't. Nathan dismisses Tracy and she claims that they're changing their DNA, while Nathan states they are making them better.

Graphic Novel:What We Have Wrought

Tracy drives her car, and Mohinder is sitting in the passenger seat. She asks Mohinder if he can recreate the catalyzed formula. When Mohinder asks why he would do that, Tracy retorts that it is not important and the real question is if he can. Mohinder says that without a sample to isolate the catalyst, all he can do is create monsters like himself.

When Tracy asks him what if he had a sample to work with, Mohinder asks where the sample would come from. Tracy lifts her skirt to reveal a vial of the formula, and says that this vial is probably the last in existence. She also points out that despite their faults, Arthur and Nathan were right: giving abilities to everyone in the world is the only way to save it. Tracy asks Mohinder to consider being a "hero", and further tries to lure him into the plan, saying that Mohinder will be recognized as the greatest man on earth. As Mohinder is about to give in, he snatches the formula from Tracy's hands and bails out of the car.

A Clear and Present Danger

In the two months following the catastrophe at Pinehearst, Tracy has journeyed back to Washington and returned to her service as Malden's aide. All contact to the world she had recently been exposed to was cut- including her relationship with Nathan Petrelli.

Tracy returns home to find a window in her house open. Malden calls and Tracy, ignoring the window, informs him how Nathan Petrelli has received a lot of press in the last few weeks. After changing and ending the conversation, Tracy bumps into a soldier dressed all in black who has mysteriously made his way into her home. She attempts to freeze him but somehow she is not able to penetrate his suit, and she is thrown onto the floor in her living room.

Tracy remarks that if the men surrounding her wanted her to beg, they will be disappointed, as she is not willing to do so. The leader of the group, Danko, shoots her in the chest with a tranquilizer and she is shipped off. The Hunter then contacts Nathan Petrelli and informs him that 'the first one' has been captured.

After being forced out of her home, Tracy is drugged and placed in an orange jumpsuit and put on a transport plane by Nathan to be taken to a holding facility. Unbeknownst to her, beings such as Hiro Nakamura, Mohinder Suresh, and Peter Petrelli are also being transported on the plane, and that beings around the world with special abilities are being targeted by the government.

Unable to move or defend herself, Tracy is left defenseless on the plane. However, Claire Bennet manages to escape capture from Nathan and stops the drugs being placed in Tracy, as well as doing the same for Hiro, Mohinder, Matt Parkman, and Peter. Peter is able to free himself and absorb Tracy's ability. Unfortunately, he loses control of it and Tracy's freezing power damages the plane, sending it crashing into the ground below.

Trust and Blood

Tracy manages to survive the plane crash along with most of the other prisoners. She survives the night of bloodshed and takes refuge in the forest. While hiding behind a bush, Tracy encounters a fleeing Peter Petrelli, who argues that Tracy should come with him. Tracy, however, is unsure, though Peter manages to convince her. Together, the two of them flea the scene and Peter persuades Tracy to set their sights on Nathan and capture him. They would then use him as a bargaining chip to end this genocide. With Tracy serving as the distraction, Peter is able to subdue two of the Hunter's men and Tracy and Peter take their uniforms.

Peter suggests that they then head out to the site of the crash and capture Nathan, but Tracy suggests a more subtle approach- claiming that she knows Nathan not from their intimate relations, but because they think alike. Peter agrees, and Tracy uses the Hunter's men's cell phone to contact Nathan. Over the phone, she hears the disagreements between Nathan and the Hunter, and then claims that she wants full amnesty from him and that she has Peter with her. Nathan agrees to meet with Tracy where she would give him Peter if he gave her her old life back. Tracy makes a point in refusing to meet with him if she saw anyone else with her.

Though Nathan believes that it is Peter who is being betrayed, Tracy and Peter plan the exchange and meet with Nathan later that night. Peter tells Tracy to use her power to apprehend Nathan, and she grows nervous on whether or not she can keep from killing him, though Peter has faith in her. When Nathan arrives, Tracy makes her presence known and requests that Nathan give her her old life back and that Peter is waiting somewhere safe. Nathan, however, surprises Tracy when he generously pardons her from everything, and her allegiance to Peter begins to waver.

Before she can turn sides, Peter bursts out and two snipers - Noah Bennet and the Hunter - reveal themselves and place their targets on Tracy and Peter. Peter later escapes by flying away, though Tracy is left defenseless and once again captured by Nathan and the Hunter.

Tracy is taken to Nathan's headquarters, Building 26, where she is drugged and kept in a prison van. She is approached by Nathan, who informs her that there is nothing more he could do for her, and that she should not fight or struggle for it would make the process easier. Tracy wis angered by Nathan's betrayal, claiming that he is one of them. Before Tracy can reveal his secret that he is also a person with special abilities, she is drugged and silenced.

Building 26

Tracy is shackled in a room within Building 26, and the room is lined with heating lamps that hinder Tracy's freezing ability. Nathan and his men had attempted to use a special type of gloves, though Tracy had been able to shatter them with her ability. She was also the only person that The Hunter had caught after the plane crash.

A few days after being recaptured by Nathan, Tracy is visited by Nathan and Homeland Security Agent Abby Collins. Abby had been sent by the President to oversee Nathan's operation, and was horrified to see her old friend Tracy being shackled in the room. Tracy pleaded with Abby to let her go and to rescue her, and Abby informed Nathan that what he was doing was torture. She claimed that Tracy and the other people with special abilities were still human and still had rights, but Nathan said they were too dangerous and she couldn't possibly understand since she had never been on the front lines. Abby then left Tracy in her bindings but told Nathan that she would be informing the President and having his operation shut down.

However, while Tracy was waiting in her heated room, she pulled on her chains and realized that it was loose. Tracy managed to pry the chain off of the ground and escape the room. After leaving the confines of her room, Tracy was surrounded by Nathan's men and she captured a man in order to escape. When Nathan and Abby approached, however, Tracy knew she couldn't escape and instead killed her hostage with her freezing ability before she was tazered and placed into her cell once again.

Tracy's murder shed light on Abby, and she began to believe that what Nathan was doing was actually the right thing to do and promised him he would get all the funding he needed. Nathan then visited Tracy and told her that she would have to get comfortable and that she would never leave. Tracy sneered and informed Nathan that she had known he had allowed her to escape- the broken chain and the unlocked door. However, Nathan later confronted The Hunter, who confessed to having allowed Tracy to escape and kill the man in order to convince Abby to leave the matter alone. Tracy promised Nathan that the next time she had the opportunity, she would escape.

Heroes Evolutions

Operation Bad Blood

In chapter 2 of Operation Bad Blood in the iStory, the Pinehearst contracted player passes Senator Petrelli and Tracy Strauss as they leave Pinehearst Headquarters together and head towards the parking lot. Later, the same player encounters her again when the player enters an elevator to head up to Priscilla's office. The elevator momentarily loses power, but Tracy plays it cool and comments that they must have gotten their wires crossed.

In chapter 5 of Operation Bad Blood in the iStory, Tracy stares at the Pinehearst contracted player in the warehouse at Pinehearst Headquarters that contains a platoon of military soldiers.

The Agent

In chapter 1 of The Agent, Rachel Mills watches over Tracy, thinking that she looks scared and that she should be.

Evolved Human Abilities

Tracy possesses the ability to freeze objects which allows her to reduce the temperature of matter at will. She is capable of freezing human beings as well as inanimate objects including a rose, a telephone, and glass.

When using her power, Tracy appears to absorb the heat from an individual instead of emitting cold. Also, while she is able to create sub-zero temperatures, Tracy herself retains body heat.

Notes

• According to Dr. Zimmerman, Tracy's ability is the result of receiving the formula rather than a naturally inherited ability. (I Am Become Death)

Memorable Quotes

"You don't pay me for the sex, Governor, I do that for free."

- Tracy Strauss (to Governor Malden) (The Butterfly Effect)

"I'm running this story with or without your comment."

"You run this story and I will hunt your ass down and destroy you."

- Jim McCann, Tracy Strauss (The Butterfly Effect)

"Let me guess...you want me to take away your power."

"No. I'm actually getting used to it."

- Arthur Petrelli, Tracy Strauss (It's Coming)

"For your plan to succeed, you need a public face. Now, normally that would be you. Problem is, the world thinks you're dead."

"A thorny issue, I admit."

"But I think Nathan can be that face. The bad news: he's on the fence. The good news: I can push him over. You scratch my back, and I will make sure he lands on the right side."

- Tracy Strauss, Arthur Petrelli (It's Coming)

"You want me to beg, screw you! I don't beg for anyone."

- Tracy Strauss (A Clear and Present Danger)

"You're one of us, Nathan! You're one of us!"

- Tracy (to Nathan) (Trust and Blood)

Trivia

• Tracy's Social Security number is 2856-34-6343.
• According to the birth certificate Micah found on his computer, Tracy weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces when she was born. She was born August 24, 1974 at 12:56 am in Beverly Hills at Our Lady of Perpetual Faith Hospital, and she was delivered by Dr. Zimmerman.
• During Volume 3, Tracy was never seen without her pearl jewelry.
• Tracy, along with Mohinder and Nathan, gives marine Scott abilities, which ends up being enhanced strength. This was also the power given to Niki Sanders, Tracy's sister.
• In the first episode of Volume 4, Tracy tells Danko's team to screw themselves when they try and capture her. In the first episode of Volume 1, Tracy's sister Niki, tells Lindermen's thugs to screw themselves when they try to take advantage of her.

See Also

• For other uses of Tracy, see Tracy (disambig).
• For other uses of Strauss, see Strauss (disambig).
• For images of Tracy, see Images of Tracy Strauss.
• For articles related to Tracy Strauss, see Related Articles:Tracy.
• For Tracy Strauss's history in the "exposed future", see Tracy Strauss (exposed future).

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Tracy Strauss for fan-created theories and other speculation. Template:Pinehearst