Empathic mimicry

Empathic mimicry
Peter mimics Isaac's precognition
Held by:	Peter Petrelli
Ability to:	Ability to mimic other powers on an empathic level.
Examples of empathic mimicry

Empathy is the ability to "connect" with other people on a mental level. Empathic mimicry is an effect of this power that allows for the duplication of the superhuman abilities of other evolved humans.

Characters

Peter Petrelli is the only character known to have this ability. Claude, however, seems to have enough familiarity with the power to coach Peter in its use, suggesting there may be (or have once been) another person with similar abilities.

Limits

Peter possesses an empathic ability that has multiple effects.

One aspect of his power is the ability to duplicate or "absorb" the powers of other evolved humans near him. The exact range at which this occurs is not known, but the distance at which he can mimic the power of Claude is just several meters. He is able to duplicate Claude's ability almost immediately upon coming within range. Whether the maximum distance and minimum time is the same to mimic any power is uncertain. Peter does not necessarily have to see other people's powers in use to absorb them. In The Hard Part, Peter begins to absorb Ted Sprague's power even though Ted has not used it in his presence.

Peter's control over other powers that he mimics varies; powers that require active concentration seem to be more difficult for him to manifest or control. Peter seems to absorb powers involuntarily, but he may not be aware of absorbing a power that requires active concentration to use.

Future Peter recalls invisibility and telekinesis simultaneously.

Although in Don't Look Back, Peter shows traces of Isaac's precognition the day after accompanying Simone to Isaac's apartment, it was not clear until Distractions that Peter could manifest a power in the absence of the person from whom he absorbed it. He has since reproduced many abilities without the original holder of the power being nearby. It is not yet clear whether Peter can recall more than one power at a time. Future Peter, however, is able to use at least two powers at once (Five Years Gone). Peter has stated that in order to recall another person's power when they are not present, he has to remember the source of it (Distractions).

Peter sometimes has dreams involving other people that coincide with important events in their lives. He had a dream about Charles Deveaux at the time of his death, and he dreamed that Nathan was in trouble at the time of his automobile accident. He has even seen people in his visions that he hasn't met, including Niki Sanders, Micah Sanders, D.L. Hawkins, and Claude Rains. Some of his visions predict future events, but they aren't completely accurate and may be partially symbolic. Though events very similar to his dream of himself exploding (Fallout) do actually occur (How to Stop an Exploding Man), many details of the actual incident differ substantially from the dream. It is also possible that Peter's dreams are not products of his own empathy but are the results of Isaac's precognition or some other ability he has absorbed without realizing it.

Selected Examples

• Peter duplicates his brother Nathan's ability to fly after Nathan drops Peter. Later, Peter doesn't realize that he is walking on air while in Nathan's presence. (Genesis, Don't Look Back)
• Peter duplicates Isaac's ability to paint the future. (Don't Look Back, Hiros)
• Peter duplicates Claire's ability to heal the fatal injuries he received in a long fall. (Homecoming)
• Peter duplicates Matt's telepathic ability, causing a disturbing feedback loop between them. (Fallout)
• Peter duplicates Claude's invisibility; Peter and Claude can't be seen by anyone but each other. (Godsend, The Fix, Distractions, Unexpected)
• When Peter is impaled on top of a taxi, he regenerates, though nobody with that power is nearby. (Distractions)
• Peter blocks an overhead swing from a staff-wielding Claude using telekinesis. (Unexpected)
• Peter flies away, carrying Claude with him. (Unexpected)
• An enraged Peter tosses Isaac around his studio using telekinesis. He turns invisible when Isaac goes for his gun. (Unexpected)
• Peter meets Ted Sprague, and his hands immediately start glowing with radiation. (The Hard Part)
• Peter hears the thoughts of Sylar while with Claire and Ted in the crowded streets. (Landslide)
• After watching Niki's feat of enhanced strength in clobbering Sylar with a traffic-meter, Peter confidently takes over for Niki, barehandedly pummeling his face into a bloody mess, showing a display of aggression uncharacteristic of Peter until that moment. (How to Stop an Exploding Man)
• Peter duplicates Ted's induced radioactivity and explodes in a bright light in the sky. (How to Stop an Exploding Man)
• Peter duplicates someone's (probably D.L.'s) phasing in order to escape from his bonds. (Lizards)

Possible Examples

• Peter tells Nathan that when he got out of bed that morning his foot hovered before it hit the ground--for a split second--like he was floating. (Genesis)

Memorable Quotes

"Peter's specific DNA allows for a blend. Like colors in a mosaic, resequencing itself to mimic the abilities of those around him."

"Like a chameleon?"

"More like a sponge. It's precisely why I've been studying him."

"Could his condition become dangerous to himself or to other people?"

"If he absorbs too much, or comes into contact with an unstable ability, then most definitely yes."

- Mohinder, Nathan (The Fix)

"You know, before I hit the ground ... when I knew what was about to happen, I had this flash ... in my head, of this girl that I met in Texas. This cheerleader. She could heal herself. Oh, gosh, she's this sweet kid. Sad little smile, and she just ... You were wrong! I don't have to cut her out! I have to remember her!"

- Peter Petrelli (to Claude) (Distractions)

"It's a good thing I can't die, then."

"What?"

"Oh, I got that from Claire. She can regenerate."

- Peter, Nathan (.07%)

Notes

• In doing research for Peter's power, Aron Coleite said that the Heroes crew consulted several scientists about the concept of mosaic DNA.
• Press materials released before Heroes aired skirted the issue of Peter's powers, saying instead that he was "trying to convince his brother he could fly." The exact nature of his ability did not become clear for several episodes.
• Empathic mimicry should not be confused with power theft, Sylar's method of stealing or acquiring the powers of other evolved humans.
• Mohinder says that Peter's power is "like a sponge" to the powers of other evolved humans (and not like a "chameleon"), and it could be dangerous for him to get near someone with an "unstable" power. (The Fix)
• Claude opines that it is fitting for an "empath" to be a nurse, as though he has had a prior familiarity with people of Peter's ability (The Fix)
• In an interview, Tim Kring elaborated on the similarities and differences between Peter and Sylar's powers, calling them "two halves of a similar coin".

  "Both are able to absorb people’s powers, but in two very different ways. Peter’s is based on his empathy and his ability to connect with people and when he’s around them. Sylar actually has to take your brain and do something with it."

• Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli), in a behind-the-scenes video, reveals that Peter passes out at the end of "Fallout" because he is overwhelmed by all of the abilities he has been absorbing.
• When Peter yells at Isaac, some have speculated that he may have (unsuccessfully) used Eden's power of persuasion. However this is more likely a reflection of production effects rather than the use of a power. The sound effects for Eden's persuasive voice (listen) and Peter's yell (listen) are very different (Unexpected). In an interview, it is stated that the voice change was for the "coolness factor."
• Despite Future Peter's simultaneous use of invisibility and telekinesis in Five Years Gone, it is stated in an interview that Peter only has access to one power at a time.

Gallery

• 
  Nathan attempts to save Peter, but drops him. Peter then flies in order to save himself.
• 
  Peter levitates in Nathan's presence.
• 
  As Claude walks away, Peter is no longer invisible.
• 
  After Claude pushes him from Charles Deveaux's rooftop, Peter manages to recall Claire's regeneration.
• 
  Peter mimics telekinesis.
• 
  Peter freezes time.
• 
  Peter mimics flight to carry Claude to safety.
• 
  Peter mimics Ted's unexercised radioactivity.

See Also

• For a list of dreams/visions Peter has experienced, see Peter's dreams.
• For abilities to which Peter has been exposed, see Powers Exposed.