Gretchen Berg

Gretchen Berg
Portrayed by	Madeline Zima
First appearance	Orientation
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Nicknames	Retchin' Gretchen, Gretch
Gender
Home	Austin, TX
Residence	Dormitory at Arlington University
Occupation	Student

Gretchen Berg is the roommate of Claire Bennet and discovered Claire's power shortly after their friend Annie was killed. She has admitted that she has a crush on Claire and has even acted upon it, kissing her after a party.

Character History

Orientation

At the Arlington University campus, Gretchen meets Claire, whose name she recognizes from the murdered cheerleader incident in Odessa, TX on Homecoming night at Union Wells. Gretchen suggests that she would have changed her name, and Claire tells her that she did for a while, and she was hoping that people would have forgotten.

Later, at the dorm mixer, Gretchen apologizes to Claire about ever mentioning the murder, and then the two girls attempt to play Guitar Hero III. Gretchen improves her skill at the game, but neither girl does well.

Jump, Push, Fall

Gretchen waits outside of Claire's dorm room for Sandra to bring Claire back after Annie's death. Gretchen discusses the supposed suicide note with Claire and her mother, who believes Claire probably missed it. When Sandra leaves, Gretchen claims that this must be a murder, and they need to need to find a way to prove it.

Gretchen gets some books on forensic science and brings them to Claire while in a cafeteria. She explains the process of the "Jump, Push, Fall Test" that she learned from Crossing Jordan, using an orange as a visual aid. When she gets to "push", she sends the orange flying into a table of girls, who reluctantly, with disgust on their faces, return it.

Gretchen says they need to get a dummy or cadaver that matches Annie's height and weight. Claire doesn't want to get involved, but Gretchen tells her she already is.

Gretchen sees Claire heal after Claire jumps from her dorm room window. The girls exchange awkward waves.

Ink

Gretchen tries to get Claire to talk to her about what she witnessed. Later, Noah comes by and invites Claire to lunch. Claire goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth and Gretchen approaches her and asks if she's a vampire, some kind of alien or government experiment. She follows Claire back to her dorm room and takes advantage of Noah's visit to get herself invited to lunch.

At the lunch, Gretchen talks about Claire hiding her powers. She then talks about how she plans in majoring in biology and talks about a case she read on the Internet about a girl who didn't feel pain. Noah realizes she's talking about Claire. Gretchen then asks what Claire plans to major in. When Claire says she doesn't have to declare until her third year, Gretchen says that some choices are inevitable. She then asks Noah about his job and he admits that he's retired. She leaves for the restroom and Noah and Claire discuss the situation.

Later, Gretchen and Claire walk back to the dorm and Gretchen apologies for being too pushy. She says that when she was in junior high, students used to tease her and call her "Retchin' Gretchen" because she smelled of vomit and they thought she was bulimic. Claire finds that hard to believe but Gretchen doesn't deny it. Claire invites Gretchen to ask her anything, and Claire reveals her power. Later, the two girls chat and Claire lets Gretchen cut her hand to show her how her ability functions. Shortly after this, Gretchen asks to borrow a book from Claire, who responds by inviting her to be her roommate.

Hysterical Blindness

Claire and Gretchen share breakfast and Claire admits that it's a pleasant change of pace for her to have a normal morning. She tells Gretchen how much she is looking forward to a normal life when suddenly, Rebecca Taylor appears and offers Claire a position in Psi Alpha Chi. Gretchen declines on her behalf, not believing that sororities are a good place for making friends. Claire insists that it will be fun and Gretchen reluctantly agrees to tag along. The two of them arrive late for the mixer and as Claire speaks with a pledge, she learns that Gretchen has only been talking about her.

Claire later notices that Gretchen is wearing her sweater. She allows her to continue wearing it but then finds several pages on Gretchen's laptop devoted to her. Gretchen returns and is disappointed when Claire tells her to go to the mixer before her. During the mixer, Claire is nearly crushed by a pole. When she looks up to where the pole was, she sees Gretchen. The two of them return to the dorm room and Claire reveals that she knows all about Gretchen's computer. Gretchen insists that she is not stalking Claire and then kisses her, admitting that she only has a crush. Before Claire can say anything, Becky and the other sisters rush into the room, announcing that Claire and Gretchen are officially in the sorority.

Becky later returns to the carnival and reveals that it has been her doing all the awful things to Claire, not Gretchen.

Strange Attractors

Claire and Gretchen, while trying to get to sleep, decide to discuss Gretchen's feelings for Claire. Claire is worried that Gretchen may kiss her while she sleeps and Gretchen laughs, assuring her that she will not. Claire then surprises Gretchen by saying that the kiss was not so bad. Becky and the other sisters burst into the room and "kidnap" the girls, placing them inside of a truck. Gretchen is close to Claire in the truck and Claire admits that she does not know how she feels about Gretchen. When they arrive at the slaughterhouse, Claire and Gretchen team up to try and escape before the other girls Olivia and Ashley. Gretchen and Claire walk through the slaughterhouse and Claire asks Gretchen how long she has liked girls. Gretchen admits that she has had more boyfriends than girlfriends and then learns that Claire is a virgin. Gretchen says that they are strange attractors and is then pushed to the floor by Claire, who manages to move her just in time to avoid being hit by a hook.

Claire tells Gretchen that someone may be after her and Gretchen says that no one was in the room with them. Claire explains that there are lots of abilities and that someone may be trying to kill Gretchen like they killed Annie. They meet up with the other two girls and agree to work together to get out. Claire and Gretchen go into one room and Gretchen is attacked by an invisible Becky. Claire tries desperately to save her but Becky pushes her onto a spike. Claire manages to get Becky off of Gretchen just as the girls arrive. As Becky flees, Gretchen helps pull Claire free. She and the other girls then watch her heal.

Equipment

Talcum powder--used to reveal Becky

Laptop--used to investigate Claire, Annie's suicide and Becky

Memorable Quotes

"I wanted to be Claire Bennet again. I thought people might forget."

"No, girl. Google's your enemy."

- Claire, Gretchen (Orientation)

"Where did you get those, the homicide bookstore?"

"Is there such a place?"

- Claire, Gretchen (Orientation)

"I have a crush. I'm crushing on you."

- Gretchen (to Claire) (Hysterical Blindness)

Notes

• Gretchen tells Claire that she tried out to be on the cheerleading team, but the other cheerleaders said her cheers were more like taunts. (Orientation)
• Gretchen confides in Claire that she once was bulimic. (Ink)
• Gretchen is bisexual. She has had at least six relationships with boys. (Strange Attractors)

Trivia

• Gretchen drives a black Nissan Cube with Virginia license plates EI29438.
• Gretchen says that her former roommate smelled like pickles. (Ink)

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Gretchen Berg for fan-created theories and other speculation.