Theory:Unknown assassin

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The following fan theories are about the assailant who shot Nathan.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Nathan's assailant is Noah Bennet.	Noah made a deal with Bob and the Company. The assailant shot Nathan when he was about to reveal the secrets of the Company and the existence of evolved humans. (Powerless)	+ Noah Bennet is once again working with the Company to ensure his family's safety. Since Nathan was the father of Noah's adoptive daughter, the Company probably sent Noah specifically to perform this task in order to prove that he truly is loyal to them. + The way the assailant walked and carried himself is similar to that of Noah. The assailant also had his hair and clothes. - The assailant was wearing a hat, so the hair isn't conclusive. Also, we've seen several characters wear black full-length coats. • The next volume is titled "Villains" meaning that Noah could go back to the side of evil. - The title of the volume does not always have a direct meaning, Volume 2 (Generations) did not have any major events linked to the name. • It could be said that 'Generations' referred to the group of twelve, who set into motion the events that the "new" group of heroes faced in the present. As well, it could refer to Kensei/Monroe surviving throughout many generations. • 'Generations' could refer to the fact that there are several generations of evolved humans in the show. + The gunshots are very similar to those heard when Noah killed Thompson. - A number of characters have carried company issued guns, including Noah, Mohinder, Eden, and Isaac. The Company could have given a similar gun to anybody, even a brand new character. - Many guns could sound the same, and it is very possible that the filmmakers used stock sounds. - There is a clear side-profile view of the assassin's head, and he does not appear to be wearing glasses. While this does not completely rule out the possibility of HRG being the assassin, it is a large blow to the theory. + Had the writers shown the assailant to be wearing glasses, everyone would know who it was. The lack of them may be to preserve the sense of mystery about who shot Nathan. HRG may also be far-sighted, and thus not need his glasses to shoot Nathan accurately.
The assailant is Sylar.	None.	- Sylar probably wouldn't care if evolved humans were revealed. It might just give him more potential victims. - Sylar was on the run from Elle and was injured. - Sylar was in New York. The press conference was in Odessa, Texas. - Sylar would be unable to become president with Nathan killed publicly. + The assailant is similarly built, has similar hair and has been known to wear near-identical clothes. + In the Dark Future, Sylar had killed Nathan. - He had also taken his brain, which he would be unable to do because of the witnesses. - Given Sylar's range of lethal abilities, why would he use a gun? It's not as if he'd be afraid of revealing his own powers, or of Matt or Peter.
The assailant is Peter from the future.	None.	+ The assailant had a similar haircut (albeit covered by a hat), build, and gait as Peter. + The assailant's side profile, seen very shortly looks a lot like Peter's. • Viewing of the assailant's haircut was partially obstructed since it was covered by a hat. + Peter has the ability to time travel. If something negative happened in the future due to Nathan's revelation, Peter could go back and prevent it - even if it meant taking his brother's life. - Peter may not be able to time travel to a location within the range of that ability of another version of himself because doing so may create a rift due to the nature of his power. + If Angela was determined to keep the Company secret, and she knew of Peter's ability to time travel (possibly through Kaito), she could have sent a message through time to Peter's future self asking him to prevent the revelation. + Nathan's last words were "Peter." He might not have been calling out to his brother; he might have seen the assailant in the crowd, and was trying to tell the present Peter that the killer was him. - Future Peter would not risk being seen on all of the television cameras and by witnesses when he could have easily met Nathan in the hallway where he would have been out of the limelight for an easy kill and a phase back out. + Future Peter, like Claude, has the ability to make himself invisible, and other abilities (telekinesis, perhaps even persuasion or technopathy), to make others ignore him or unable to record his image. Given Nathan's near-exposure of his ability, proper planning of time and place was not a factor in the shooting. - Peter is completely loyal to his family, and his entire nature as an empath is about the love for those close to him. Nothing we have seen thus far would lead us to believe that he would kill his brother for any reason. Earlier on in Powerless, Nathan is the one who convinces him that Adam is on the side of wrong just by his appearance. + Being loyal or not to one's family, doesn't mean that much especially for Future Peter, who is much more twisted and disturbed than the Peter from the present. + Future Peter may have just come from the fight with Sylar in Five Years Gone and killed his brother to stop Sylar killing him later and stealing his power. - Knowing how Peter feels about family, and assuming that he has the ability of time manipulation, would the Peter we have seen thus far not try a different solution other than murdering his brother? + Watch closely when the person walks away after Nathan is shot. Notice his short dark hair, his height, body structure and how he walks. Compare these facts with all known characters. Only Peter suits all those characteristics. + Having Peter destroying the Shanti Virus, the Outbreak Future is presumed to be changed. Thus a new future timeline has been created (who knows, a dark future where Nathan should have never exposed himself), and another Peter Petrelli from the future, may be sick or disturbed enough, to wipe out his own brother.
Claude is the individual who shot Nathan.	None.	+ It is rumored that Claude will return in Season 3. + If the killer could be seen, the cops would have gone after him/her. - If the man shown walking away is implied to be the assailant, then it also seems to imply that Matt saw him; if the assailant was Claude, he would most likely be invisible to Matt. - Claude has no reason to kill Nathan. He opposes the Company, and wouldn't do their dirty work. And he doesn't need to fear exposure, since he can just hide by staying invisible, the way he always does.
The assailant is Angela Petrelli.	Angela talks about the shooting. (Powerless)	+ After the shooting, Angela is shown wearing a black jumpsuit and sporting a short haircut, the same style as the shooter. + She did not show disapproval to the incident on a phone call. ("It is unavoidable.") + She says to an unknown individual that they've "opened Pandora's box". This could have been the person who ordered her to kill Nathan, and Angela was extremely reluctant to do so. + Angela was willing for Peter to be sacrificed to destroy NYC in the original timeline, so she may have agreed to shoot Nathan to stop him from revealing "the secret". + Angela could be Rollo Fusor's accomplice and thus not have any hesitation about killing someone point blank when need be. + Angela was willing to wreck Nathan's marriage (telling her that craziness runs in the men of their family) in order to keep his wife silent. - It is very clearly a man, or at very least, a tall, broad shouldered woman. Note the height of the man in the cap walking through the crowd. Angela is not nearly that height. - Angela was watching the shooting on T.V. and it is implied that she is talking to the killer on the phone.
West is the assailant.	West tells Claire that he likes his secrets and that revealing the truth to people won't help them in any way. He doesn't want to be exposed. (Powerless)	+ West has the capability (flying) to get to wherever the conference was held. + West really seems to want to keep his secret. - By himself, West lacked the weapons and knowledge necessary to be the assailant. + West would not know that Nathan was Claire's birth father, so he could have been blackmailed into being a hired hit man for the Company. + Bob and HRG were in West's neighborhood, having talked to Claire before the shooting. - West has long, shaggy hair, and is not as tall as the assassin.
Arthur Petrelli is the assailant.	None.	+ Mr. Petrelli may not be dead. (i.e. No body, would make a clever plot twist, etc...) + Mr. Petrelli has been noted as looking very similar to Noah Bennet, so that could account for the assailant being mistaken for HRG. + Angela Petrelli reacts as if the person on the phone is very familiar to her. It could be another family plot to bend the world to their way of thinking. + The Petrellis are known to have very good connections in the Company, so would have access to the same kind of weapons that HRG uses. • With how many connections there are among characters, it does not seem likely that they are completely done exploring the history of the Company's founders. We may well see more connections and relations, or even learn that some of the people listed as deceased are not really dead (i.e. Nana Dawson). • TV Shows are well known for having crazy and unexpected plot twists. It is entirely possible that we will find that a man once thought dead is responsible for shooting his son. • Stating that TV shows have plot twists is not a validation for anything. In fact, it is little more than someone stating "anything can happen" in a discussion citing facts. + In the War Buddies graphic novels, Arthur/Dallas appeared to have no trouble killing people (i.e. Au Co) when needed. Assuming he was alive, it is possible that if he learned his son was going to expose "the secret", he may have felt he had no choice but to kill him.
Haram is the assailant.	None.	+ According to the Golden Handshake graphic novels, Haram has similar features to the assailant (Haram was Claude's partner before Noah). + It is conceivable that Angela was on the phone with Haram, and has been working with him since the Golden Handshake novels. - Haram has yet to be introduced except in the graphic novels. + Now that D.L. is gone, it is more likely that an additional African-American character will join the cast. • Haram is described as Arab by Claude, and he mentions fighting in the Gulf war, but his nationality remains unknown. However, his skin color appears to be African in origin.
Richard Drucker is the assailant.	None.	+ Richard Drucker has a similar power as that of Hana, so he may have had access to the Company's video surveillance system. Files in the Company's archives indicate that no one has been able to obtain a photograph of him, due to his power (this may also explain why no one noticed him). - The uncertainty of his appearance means we cannot use it for visual confirmation as to whether Richard Drucker is the shooter. + Richard Drucker has been introduced both in the graphic novels and is currently the subject of Hana's website. - His last known whereabouts are in Bhutan. It is unlikely that he would have enough time to arrive in the USA to catch the press conference. + As evidenced by Noah's quick travel time from Russia, time may not have been an issue. - Drucker left Bhutan "two months" ago. - Drucker's physical body died on a plane crash in 1992. He could not be the assailant. + He could send someone to do the job.
Traveler is the assailant.	None.	+ Traveler is known in the graphic novels to be doing Hana's dirty work and he fits the assailants appearance. Hana could have the same access to the Company's video surveillance system that Richard Drucker has. - Whether or not Hana would kill to keep "the secret" safe is unknown, but she was trained to realize that necessity. - Traveler has thus far been a graphic novel-only character. - Hana has been working against the Company for a long time now. Going as far as to risk her life out in space in order to take down resources utilized by the Company. If anything Hana would have instructed or guided Traveler to assist Nathan in his attempt to bring the Company along with their activities into the public's eye.
Rick is the assailant.	None.	+ Rick's last known whereabouts are in Mexico, relatively close to the press conference in Odessa. + Rick was on a quest to join a fraternity, one that may worship Richard Drucker, a person who has the ability to know what Nathan said in the vault and instruct his followers on what to do. + Rick's ethics are questionable as he was willing to steal Claire's car and let his friend go to jail while he finished his quest.
Bob Bishop is the assailant.	None.	+ If Bob was monitoring the Company's video surveillance, he may have heard what Nathan said in the Vault. - The assailant appeared to be much thinner than Bob, and Bob tends to hire others to do his dirty work rather than do it himself.
The shooting by Nathan's assailant was part of Nathan's "plan".	None.	+ Nathan asked Matt to ensure that they would listen to him. What better way to draw attention than an attempt (successful or not) on Nathan's life? + Nathan may have decided that he must fake his death in order to take down the Company. Angela Petrelli could be talking with Nathan that they have opened Pandora's box as if something had been accomplished. + If Nathan was worried about Sylar becoming President, by using his image as in Five Years Gone, this would essentially keep that particular "Pandora's box" closed, at least for now. - There's no reason for Nathan, Peter or Matt to believe Sylar is still alive and it hasn't been established that any of them knew about this possibility. + Two other evolved humans, Peter and Matt, stood beside Nathan with the opportunity to pick up where Nathan left off, post-gunshots. Nathan's shooting, whether real or staged, is likely to give them a greater press coverage. - Judging by both Matt and Peter's reactions, it is very probable that the shooting was not staged. + In order for a staged shooting to be plausible, their reactions were appropriate and consistent with the element of surprise. + Also, Nathan may have staged the shooting without telling Peter or Matt. + He was shot in the chest, if he had been shot in the head he couldn't have regenerated with any blood. • Shooting in the chest vs. the head may not mean anything anymore since Claire's blood was able to revive Noah, who had been shot in the eye. • Noah was shot in the eye, the bullet may have not even touched the brain. • Noah was close enough to the gun for the velocity and power of the bullet to easily penetrate Noah's eye and reach his brain.
Thompson, Jr. is the assailant.	None.	+ Thompson, Jr. has a similar appearance to the assailant and works for the Company that Nathan was trying to expose.
evsdropr is the assassin.	None.	+ evsdropr has yet to appear in the show. No one knows who or what they look like.
Donna is the assassin.	None.	+ Donna's ability makes it easy for her to make difficult shots.
The cloaked man walking out at the end of Powerless did not shoot Nathan.	None.	+ It could be someone from the future who came back to the past to witness the shooting so as to find out who shot Nathan.
The assailant is someone with the power of invisibility.	None.	+ We see the assailant walk out and then in the next show he is gone. It is possible that the first shot is supposed to represent Peter's point of view and since invisible people can see other invisible people this could explain how he was seen. + If the assailant is someone invisible this could explain how they shot Nathan without being immidiatly captured.
The assailant is a future Nathan, not staged.	None.	• A future Nathan could have stopped Nathan from making the same mistake, whatever that may be - By killing himself? Great paradox there, killing your past self.