Theory:Nathan Petrelli

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The following fan theories are about Nathan Petrelli.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Nathan's power is aerokinesis, or the ability to control air.	None.	+ This would explain how he flies (propelling himself by riding on air currents), how he protects himself during flight (surrounding himself with a condensed air force field), and how he heard Peter tell Claire, "there is no other way" (How to Stop an Exploding Man). Nathan amplifies the sound waves and carries them to his ears. • If Nathan's power is aerokinesis, then he might be able to do more than fly. He may also be able to control air to create focused blasts of wind, keep the air around him warm or cool, and direct air currents that carry sounds to his ears. + With this, he could have protected himself from the radioactive blast when he sent Peter into the sky. - Nathan was severely scarred from the explosion in Four Months Ago. + That was a pretty huge explosion. Nathan's injuries aren't that terrible compared to actually being caught in the explosion. • It is possible that Nathan hasn't considered that application of his power, and thus was not shielding himself at the time. + This could explain how he appears to be able to breathe normally even at higher altitudes. - It is unlikely condensed air would stop a nuclear blast of that size. Also Elle referred to West as the "flying boy" (he has the same power as Nathan). + Hiro refers to Nathan as the "flying man". Elle could merely be unaware of this secondary function, or she could merely be using the phrase "flying boy" colloquially. West's ability could also be different than Nathan's.
Nathan and Peter Petrelli are brothers with Hiro Nakamura.	Hiro's biological mother may actually be Angela Petrelli, since we know she slept with Kaito Nakamura. (Lizards)	- Ishi loved Hiro too much for him to be the fruit of an extramarital affair. - She would know if Hiro wasn't her son. She wouldn't have been pregnant with him if she wasn't.
Gerald Dickinson was murdered so that Nathan could take his Senate seat.	None.	+ The Company has been trying to ensure Nathan takes a position of power. This is likely still the plan.
Sylar will kill Nathan and take his ability.	In a possible future Sylar had acquired Nathan's ability. Many aspects of that future are still coming true, like Sylar killing Candice (though not taking her ability).	+ Sylar would likely see killing Nathan as a good way of getting at Peter. - Now that Nathan is his half brother maybe Sylar won't want him dead. + Considering that this is Sylar we're talking about, that's not saying much. + Angela and Arthur were both lying. - Sylar has learned how to take abilities without killing people. - In the latest possible future, Sylar stops killing people, with Nathan still alive.
Nathan was healed by exposed timeline Peter.	None.	+ Peter closes his eyes and breathes deep with his hand on Nathan right after he dies. Having absorbed Linderman's ability at some point in the past without Peter's knowledge, the guilt/regret emotion he felt for shooting him triggered the healing ability, as Peter would associate the Explosion with Linderman, thus associating Linderman with guilt/regret and guilt/regret with the healing power. After his brother's healing, Peter realized what happened and decides to try and put Nathan back on the path he left when their powers manifested. - In the operating room, when Nathan is supposedly dead, Future-Peter's body language indicates grief and distress; not the kind of body language you would expect to see from someone who knows he can bring his brother back to life. + It was already stated that he might have absorbed healing without even knowing it. + Future Peter was the only one that touched Nathan after he died. - Future Peter looks genuinely surprised/shocked to see Nathan come back to life on the operating bed. + It was already stated that he might have absorbed healing without even knowing it. + Nathan awoke immediately after Future Peter touched him. + In Villains, Peter was near Linderman. - His absorption may not have manifested yet. His first known ability use was six months after that, during Nathan's accident, which Peter dreamed about. + He might have been exposed to healing, but he wouldn't be able to manifest it unless he touched someone who was hurt. + Apart from precognitive dreaming, Peter still couldn't use an ability out of the original ability holder. - In War Buddies, Part 3 Linderman (Austin) explicitly stated he could not heal the dead. - Because he can't restart the brain. + Claire's blood healed her father, and he was shot in the head, after all. + Linderman was very young back then; his powers were probably undeveloped or he did not control them fully.
Nathan will eventually die permanently.	None.	+ In every single alternate future (Explosion, Outbreak, Exposed), Future Nathan has died. + Nathan does seem to be quite prone to accidents and attempts on his life (hit-and-run six months before the series started, injuries at the end of volume one, assassination attempt at the end of volume two). It's probably only a matter of time before he is unsuccessful at escaping }death. + Everyone will eventually die permanently. • It goes without saying this theory indicates a plot-affecting death... • Adam would have lived forever (had Arthur not taken his ability). Same goes for with Claire and Sylar. - Just because Nathan died in the alternate futures doesn't mean he will die in every future. + Try to note that he has died in every future so far.
Nathan is not blood related to Peter.	None.	+ Peter and Arthur all have similar powers. + Peter was born with abilities, Nathan was not. - Nathan's ability could have been taken from him by Arthur.
Nathan was actually born with a power, but Arthur detected it before anyone else and (for whatever reason) stole it.	None.	+ Based on the powered families in the show, more often than not, two people with powers appear to produce a child with powers. + Nathan could have had a very dangerous ability which could destroy Arthur.
Nathan is a villain.	Shortly before you see Kaito receive his death threat, Ando bumps into him on the street. ("Four Months Later")	+ The writers like to seed possible plot-lines all over the place. + Most fans would speculate that all these possible connections are random. - Nathan has, on many occasions, gone against what he believes is evil, even if it is at the last moment. + But he was still tempted by Linderman and Angela. He could still go evil. - Kaito's death threat was from Adam Monroe. • In the Exposed Future, Nathan's intentions are unclear. + Nathan wants the government to hunt evolved humans. (Dual)
Nathan will be the main villain in Volume 4.	None.	+ Nathan seemed to be leaning toward villainy with his words to Peter about taking power. + Nathan has often been on the cusp of being a villain. - After the events of The Eclipse, Part 2, it appears Sylar is a full-fledged villain once again, so he may be who the writers were referring to in the aforementioned interview. + Sylar, save for the early part of Villains, has always been an antagonist. As such, Nathan seems the more qualified candidate for dramatic tension. - Arthur had Nathan in his plans since the beginning, and as Peter said to Nathan in The Eclipse, Part 1, "you're a puppet". + Nathan wants the government to hunt evolved humans. (Dual)
Nathan became a villain as a result of his encounter with Samedi.	None.	+ Samedi, and his followers, clearly thought of him as a god, and Nathan might have coveted that worship. • Arthur might have wanted Nathan to fancy himself as a god because he might have be more inclined to work with Arthur if he felt that way. After all, many of the founders, and Adam, seem to have viewed themselves in that way. Arthur might have used Samedi to that end.
The Haitian could not prevent Nathan from flying away because he can not stop synthetic abilities.	None.	- The Haitian may simply have been pretending to assist Noah Bennet but was actually preventing him from capturing Nathan since he is Angela Petrelli's son.
The sailor seen at the end of the graphic novel "Playing with Fire" looking at Meredith is Nathan.	None.	+ Nathan served as a U.S. Navy pilot, according to votepetrelli.com. + If you follow the years correctly, Meredith and Nathan would have met about the time of this graphic novel.
Nathan is the son of Maury.	None.	+ Peter and Arthur have similar powers. - That doesn't mean that Nathan is Maury's son. It would be as likely as Angela being Maury's sister. + Matt has the same power as his father. • Arthur also displays this ability. - Nathan does not. • Nathan's ability could have been taken from him by Arthur. • Nathan was given a synthetic ability. Arthur could have felt bad about stealing his ability and gave him a new one. + Angela has alluded to have cheated on Arthur before. - Nothing has been confirmed or even hinted.
Nathan will want to make sure his proposed government "hunt" for evolved humans is kept secret from the public. Nathan will turn against his own people and establish himself as a dictator in another alternative future. He will also have the government force other nations to comply to the hunt or otherwise be invaded by the United States Army.	None.	+ It seems that Nathan does not want the public to find out about the hunt for evolved humans. Otherwise, it may stir controversy and public discontent. Should anyone find out or express opposing views, Nathan may try and silence them. And since the formula was destroyed by his brother Peter, who is also an evolved human, he decided to turn against his own people as revenge. + The ending of Dual/beginning of Volume Four: Fugitives, shows Nathan talking to the president about the evolved humans, thus proving that he decided to turn again his own kind.
Nathan is a part of the President's cabinet.	The President seemed to know him well.	+ The President seemed very trusting of Nathan's information. If he was just a senator that he barely knew, why would he trust Nathan's word? If this is a president that was President throughout Heroes' time on television, maybe one of his cabinet members died and Nathan was his/her replacement.
Nathan somehow lost his powers within the three weeks before he told the President about his kind, so he now resents them because he is no longer "special" like the rest of them.	None.	+ If anyone discovered he had abilities, the plan would go chaotic. So if he lost powers, there would be nothing to cover up. - He might just be a hypocrite. - Perhaps Nathan just wants to be the only person with powers, so that the world might see him as a god (like Samedi did with his followers).
Nathan's warning the President about evolved humans without lumping himself in with them may be a reference to how Adolf Hitler wanted to eliminate Jewish people while being part Jewish himself.	The end of Dual.	+ There is symbolism in the show. - This doesn't mean that everything has to be symbolic or metaphorical in the show. + Dont know about the Hitler part, but Nathan would not turn himself in nor his mother, Claire, and Peter. His mother and daughter have really non atomic powers and Peter is still is brother as for reasons for not turning them in. • Surprising that Nathan would turn in Micah, he was friends with Niki and could relate to her so he may actually show no mercy besides his own family, but then again that's just selfish. - An one-night stand hardly constitutes a friendship. + Nathan could be considered "part evolved human" as he has synthetic abilities. - There hasn't been any definitive, conclusive evidence that Hitler had indeed Jewish heritage.