Theory:Claude Rains

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The following fan theories are about Claude Rains.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Claude taught Sylar how to control his powers.	When Peter Petrelli asked Claude if he had trained anyone else, Claude gave him a look and then blew off the question without providing an answer one way or another. (The Fix).	- It is unlikely that Claude taught Sylar, since Sylar would have simply killed Claude to gain the power of invisibility. - It is also unlikely that Sylar could have been able to see Claude, as it seems the only way to see him is to posses Claude's powers. - Sylar possibly learned to control his powers using the power he took from Charlie Andrews. - Because Sylar's own power is to understand how things work, it seems unnecessary to have someone tell him.
Claude was part of a former generation of heroes from the seventies and eighties. Because of this, he has trained or been trained by members of the last generation.	None.	+ Claude appears to be in his 40's which is far beyond the ages of the other heroes (all of whom are between 11 and 35). + His comment "Oh, one of those" may indicate that he has experience hunting down and training someone who has empathic power absorption- and as a possible former hunter, knows what's at stake if Peter doesn't control his power.
Claude trained the Haitian in how to use his abilities better.	None.	+ It appears Claude may have trained other evolved humans in how to use their powers. + Claude's history with The Company is confirmed in Company Man.
Claude is Patient Zero.	None.	+ Chandra Suresh was looking for Patient Zero, two days before he was murdered by Sylar. Claude appears to have had a power far longer than any other character. This could indicate he was the first person to have developed powers. Chandra was looking for Patient Zero in New York, and Claude's invisibility would make him hard to find. - Chandra's journal indicates that he had tracked more than five persons he believed to have powers; at least one of them, the Bangladeshi woman, was much older than Claude. - The term "Patient Zero" indicates that this is some sort of infection, rather than a genetic mutation. For there to be a patient zero in this case, taking into account the incredibly high number of people and families from across the globe who are discovering super-powers--not to mention the fact that this is a cross-generational phenomenon--that person would need to be hundreds of years old and intertwined in the lives of each family. While this could be Linderman, it is unlikely, seeing as we have seen him age from being young to old. - Sylar dossier states that Chandra termed Sylar his "Patient Zero."
Claude removed the tissue containing the tracking mechanism that was planted in his back by the Company.	None.	+ Claude may have had an "old school" device rather than a radioactive isotope. Technology has bound to have changed. The radioactive isotope used to track could be a relatively new method adopted after Claude dropped off the grid. + His scar looked like a crater, as if something had been burned out of his body. + Claude says that Peter led them straight to him.
The evolved human Claude was protecting was a character with whom we're already familiar.	Claude was shot for allegedly protecting an evolved human. (Company Man)	+ It seems likely given the show's penchant for character connections, that whomever Claude was protecting is one of the current roster of characters.
Claude was protecting a young Sylar.	Claude was shot for allegedly protecting an evolved human. (Company Man)	- It seems unlikely that Gabriel Gray's initial ability would have been detected so early, especially when Chandra could not detect it using modern medical equipment that can detect telepathy (such as the equipment measuring the resting rates of Matt).
The evolved human Claude was protecting was either Charles Deveaux or his daughter, Simone.	None.	+ Claude showed no interest in training Peter until he mentioned in passing that he had taken care of Charles Deveaux. Claude's hangout is on the roof of Deveaux's building. - Charles Deveaux was in the group of twelve, there would be no reason to hide from the company
Claude was protecting Meredith.	None.	+ Tim Kring said Claude and Meredith would have a connection, and it's possible that he found her later after the fire or was even him who suggested Meredith to create the fire and play dead. + It has been stated by the writers that the person he was protecting is "...someone we know." - Claude was sent to bag and tag Meredith (Trial By Fire). + Bennet was sent to bring Claire in to the Company, and arranged to have the Haitian stage a attempted murder and kidnapping. This does not rule out that Claude could have Meredith do the same thing.
One of the pigeons on the Deveaux's building roof is an animorph, and the evolved human who Claude was protecting.	None.	+ The only thing that worried Claude were the pigeons.
Claude trained Maury Parkman.	None.	+ We know Claude trained someone who he considered dangerous. - Maury was in the group of twelve, and likely honed his powers before Claude.
Claude Rains is not his real name.	When Peter Petrelli asks him who he is, he states, "I'm Claude Rains, the invisible man." This is the name of the actor who played the Invisible Man in the original 1933 film.	+ For someone who doesn't want to be found, doesn't it seem unlikely that he would right away divulge his full name to a complete stranger? It seems more like he was being witty. - He signed his name "Claude R" in the official report in The Golden Handshake + It's possible that he was using the Rains alias from long before 1990.
Claude Rains is protecting Claire Bennet.	None	+ When Mr. Bennet asks Claude the identity of the person he is protecting, Claude says, "What if it is your little girl?", implying that the child is the one he is protecting. + The fact that Mr. Bennet said that the Haitian should shoot him specifically in one spot so it wouldn't kill him, he shoots Claude Rains in the same spot right after Claude tells Mr. Bennet he might be protecting his daughter. - Mr. Bennet is protecting Claire.
Claude was protecting Rollo Fusor's accomplice.	None	- The accomplice died in 1990. Claude is ordered killed in 1999 for protecting an evolved human. - Claude was one of the woman's victims and has no perceivable reason for protecting her.
Claude's power is dynamic camouflage.	None	+ Dynamic means movement and camouflage keeps people from being seen - If Claude or Peter bent light around themselves, they would be unable to see because light has to hit the retina for us to see.
Claude is one of the group of twelve.	None	- Claude is not visible in the picture of The Twelve. (The Kindness of Strangers) The Group of Twelve - While not being visible is usual for Claude, twelve people can clearly be seen in the photo. Were Claude a founder, Kaito would surely have referred to the founding 13 members of The Company when he talked to Ando. (Four Months Later) + It's possible that Claude is represented by his wife or some other person in the photograph. - Claude seems to be a lower-level bag and tag man, who was on the run since 1999. The photo appears to have been taken place fairly recently prior to 2006, when Claude would likely have been in hiding.
Claude was hiding Adam Monroe.	None	+ Claude was shot for hiding an evolved human in Company Man. + Adam was imprisoned by the Company, he may have escaped with the help of Claude. - Adam says he was locked up for 30 years, before Peter helped him escape. If he had escaped during Claude's time as well, it obviously wasn't for long.
Claude will return in season two.	None	+ He's awesome. Please, Tim Kring... • According to TV Guide, Mr Kring wants him to come back, but Christopher Eccleston is busy.
Claude Rains was killed by Sylar, who stole his superpower.	After an encounter with Audrey Hanson, Sylar was gone within only a couple seconds. (Landslide) At Kirby Plaza, Peter Petrelli warned Noah Bennet that Sylar must be "hiding in plain sight." Indeed, seconds later, he suddenly appeared right in front of them. (How to Stop an Exploding Man)	• As of Out of Time, Claude Rains has not been seen since he abandoned Peter Petrelli in Unexpected. + Peter Petrelli's familiarity with both Sylar's and Claude Rains' abilities was the reason he knew it was possible that Sylar was "hiding in plain sight" at Kirby Plaza. He may have suspected he killed Claude Rains for his superpower. - Of course given that Peter had the ability to see through Claude's invisibility, it seems likely that Peter would have been able to see Sylar standing out in the open if he were using Claude's power. - If Sylar had taken Claude's power, there are many situations between the time we last saw Claude and the time Sylar confronted Peter when it would have been more adventageous for Sylar to have used that power. For instance, he wouldn't need to use super-hearing to listen in on Claire, Peter and Ted if he could stay close but unseen.
Claude is going to be killed by Sylar at some point and have his power taken.	After Peter became invisible in .07% Sylar said that he "couldn't wait to try that one", and when Sylar says something like that it ussually means he is going to kill someone with that ability (Claude.)	- Sylar was referring to the fact that he planned to shortly kill Peter and take all his powers.