Maya Herrera

Maya Herrera
Portrayed by	Dania Ramírez
First appearance	Four Months Later...
In-story stats
Known ability	Poison emission (lost)
Gender
Home	New York, NY; Montville, NJ; formerly Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Residences	6619 Mayfleet Avenue #305 Montville, New Jersey; Apartment in New York City
Significant others	formerly Sylar, formerly Mohinder Suresh
Siblings	Alejandro Herrera (fraternal twin brother, deceased)
Other relatives	Gloria Herrera (sister-in-law, deceased)

Maya Herrera is an evolved human from Santo Domingo who made her way to New York City to meet Chandra Suresh in hopes that he could help her with her ability, which she believed to be a curse. She was originally on the run with her now deceased brother because they were both wanted for accidental murder. She lived with Mohinder, waiting for a way to get rid of her ability until he attacked her as a result of his ability so she got someone else to do the job. She now lives in New Jersey trying to live a normal life.

Character History

Season Two

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Maya Herrera: Season Two History.

Maya and her brother Alejandro are running for their lives to make their way to New York City so they can find Dr. Suresh. They hire a coyote to take them closer to America, but the two get separated, and every one around Maya dies mysteriously. When Alejandro catches up to his sister, he finds her eyes filled with black tears. Later, the two make it to Guatemala and try to get into Mexico. However, more complications occur, and Maya kills Nidia, their guide into Mexico. Alejandro comes to Maya's side, and makes the black tears disappear. Nidia recovers, and leaves the two to their own fate.

The twins make their way closer to America, but Alejandro is caught breaking into a car. He is arrested, and Maya pleads with the police to free him. When they do not concede, she uses her ability to set Alejandro free, and an American offers them his car to help get to America. On their way to America, they find a man in the middle of the road. They take him into the car, and find that his name is Gabriel Gray. He tells the twins that he know Dr. Suresh and will take them to him, because he needs his help as well.

After leaving Derek in Mexico, Gabriel, Alejandro and Maya make their way to the American border, but are ambushed by a border patrol. While the Border Patrol harasses the twins and Sylar, Alejandro and Sylar begin to yell at Maya, which upsets her. Her eyes turn black and the men fall down as Sylar holds Alejandro back from using his ability, allowing them to escape. Safely within the U.S., Alejandro and Sylar fight, and Maya separates the two. Maya tells her brother she had to do what she did because it was necessary. Alejandro calls her a killer, blaming Sylar. Alejandro then tells Maya that she needs to pick between him and Sylar. She tells him that she needs both of them. In Cook Lake, VA, Sylar tries to get Maya to learn how to control her power. He starts to make Maya angry by telling her how much her brother, Alejandro, hates her because Maya killed Gloria and Alejandro gave up his life for Maya. Even though Maya claims it was an accident, she gets emotional, and begins to cry black tears. However, at Sylar's urging, Maya manages to take control of her ability. After Sylar kills Alejandro, he lets Maya think Alejandro has gone off alone. Maya then leaves to New York with Sylar to find Suresh.

After arriving in New York, Mohinder tells Maya that Sylar is a killer, but she admits that she has killed herself. When Sylar takes Mohinder at gunpoint, Mohinder tells Maya that Sylar is a "monster." Distressed, Maya's ability takes over, which affects Mohinder, Sylar, and Molly. Unwilling to kill the man who could cure her and an innocent girl, Maya controls her ability. Sylar forces them all to Mohinder's lab at gunpoint, making Maya and Molly sit down on a bed while Mohinder treats him. Maya tells Molly about her brother Alejandro. When Molly offers to find him, she says that he "isn't anywhere," meaning that he is dead. Enraged, she tries to attack Sylar, only to be shot. To make sure that Mohinder's cure for the Shanti virus works, Sylar has Mohinder use Claire's blood on Maya, successfully reviving her. Elle attacks Sylar, causing him to flee. She shows frustration for not catching him, but Maya, Molly and Mohinder show their gratitude for saving their lives.

Season Three

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Maya Herrera: Season Three History.

Maya waits for Mohinder to return from the airport but when he tries to get into the apartment, she becomes scared and tries to attack him. He tells her that he will be returning to India and cannot help her, which results in Maya's ability activating. Mohidner realises that Maya's ability only comes out when she is angry or scared so he takes a blood sample and uses it to create an injection that gives people abilities. Maya is angry about this but after seeing the effects of this shot, she spends the night with Mohinder.

As he works on a cure to rid her of her abilities, Maya notices that Mohinder is becoming more and more different. One day, she finsd blood on the floor of his laboratory and discovers that he is cocooning victims. She tries to free them but is herself cocooned after she calls Mohinder a monster. Mohinder continues working to find a cure for Maya, who remains trapped in her cocoon. After fleeing to Pinehearst with her, Mohinder has Arthur pay Maya a visit. Maya's power is removed and she leaves to start a new life.

She becomes a target of the Kill Squad but remains unaware of this as the attack on her life is over before she knows what is happened. When Nathan starts a movement to capture evolved humans, Maya tries to get a new identity from Misha, Harmon and Angie. Rebel contacts them and warns them about a government team that is after them, allowing Maya and Angie to escape.

Evolved Human Abilities

Maya and Alejandro both seem to believe that Maya is responsible for causing the deaths of people around them. They believe that they need to get to New York, where there is a doctor who can help her. Since they have been reading a copy of Activating Evolution, they are presumably seeking Chandra Suresh. (Four Months Later...)

When Alejandro finds Maya after she is kidnapped by some "coyotes", everyone else in the truck has died; their eyes have spilled black tears.

Maya's virulent ability manifests when she begins leaking black liquid from the eyes. Then, her guide to cross the border dies just like the coyotes. However, Alejandro is somehow able to reverse the condition, by gripping Maya's hands tight and praying. The guide comes back to life and flees, and all the black liquid returns to Alejandro's eyes (Lizards). Maya later learns to reverse the effects of her ability without Alejandro's ability. (Truth & Consequences)

At long last, Maya's ability is taken away by Arthur Petrelli. (Eris Quod Sum)

Memorable Quotes

"Gabriel...like the angel!"

- Maya (to Sylar) (The Kindness of Strangers)

"Get away from him. He is a murderer!"

"I am a murderer!"

- Alejandro, Maya (Truth & Consequences)

"You killed my brother!"

- Maya (to Sylar) (Powerless)

"¡Sucia!"

- Maya (to Gloria) (Four Months Ago)

"You are different..."

- Maya (to Mohinder) (The Butterfly Effect)

Notes

• Press releases have placed Maya and Alejandro in their mid-20s.

Trivia

• When Mohinder looks up Maya's address (The Eclipse, Part 1), the computer says she lives at 619 Mayfleet Avenue in Montville, NJ 07045. Her phone number is (973) 555-0110. It should be noted that according to the iStory, Maya lives in an apartment building in New York City.

See Also

• For other uses of Maya, see Maya (disambig).
• For a list of her victims, see Maya's victims.
• For images of Maya, see Images of Maya Herrera.
• For articles related to Maya Herrera, see Related Articles:Maya.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Maya Herrera for fan-created theories and other speculation.