Peter Petrelli
| Peter Petrelli | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Milo Ventimiglia |
| First appearance | Genesis |
| In-story stats | |
| Known ability | Power mimicry |
| Gender | |
| Age | 30 |
| Residence | Peter Petrelli's apartment |
| Parents | Angela Petrelli, Father (unnamed, deceased) |
| Sibling | Nathan Petrelli (older brother) |
Peter Petrelli is a former home hospice nurse from New York. His brother Nathan and mother Angela also live there. Peter discovers he has the ability to copy the superpowers of others in close proximity.
About
Peter believes he has a greater place in life than just saving one person at a time, and he's willing to sacrifice himself to save the world.
His brother, Nathan, seems to disapprove of Peter's choice to become a nurse. Nathan also considers Peter the less favored son of their father.
Character history
Genesis
Peter Petrelli stands on a building before falling. Peter then wakes up in the home of Charles Deveaux, a patient under his care. Peter keeps "having these amazing dreams" that he is flying when he closes his eyes. Turning to his brother Nathan, Peter talks about his intense dreams. However, Nathan is a politician running for Congress and extremely busy. Although he does listen, he disregards Peter's claims that he can fly and wonders why Peter would come to him, anyway. News of their mother's arrest for shoplifting interrupts their conversation. At the police station, Peter and Nathan talk with their mother Angela. Recently widowed, she has been doing odd things such as this for several months. Nathan, more concerned with his campaign than his mother, tells her to "get over it." Peter attempts to be understanding and talks with his mother while Nathan eventually leaves. As they talk, Peter tells his mother about an almost metaphysical connection he feels he has with his brother, recalling a time in the past where Peter knew Nathan had been hurt prior to anyone contacting him; his mother is unconvinced.
Later at the campaign headquarters, Nathan has managed to sweep his mother's arrest under the rug and wishes she'd just get a hobby. Peter, on the other hand, simply sees it as a cry for attention and a sign of loneliness. Nathan then transitions the conversation into offering Peter a job as his coordinator. However, Peter is turned off by Nathan's self-serving intentions and attempt to "do the right thing" by him. He declines, saying he doesn't want his brother's pity, and walks out. There in the street, Peter hails a cab. The driver just happens to be Mohinder Suresh, and the two begin a conversation. Peter asks Mohinder about "being special" and Mohinder eventually tells him about evolution. Suddenly, Peter gets a call from Simone Deveaux—daughter of his patient Charles—telling him to hurry over to her father's place.
Peter and Simone arrive at the apartment of her boyfriend, Isaac Mendez. Simone explains Isaac's ability to "paint the future". Simone finds Isaac lying on the ground, apparently overdosed on heroin. She frantically calls 911 while Peter discovers a painting that depicts him flying off of a building. Isaac has also painted a large floor mural depicting the city being destroyed in a nuclear explosion. Isaac's only words are, "We have to stop it."
Later, Peter stands above a building and summons Nathan to prove that he can fly. However, when Peter jumps, he falls, and it's Nathan who flies up to rescue him. However, Nathan loses his grip, and Peter falls.
Don't Look Back
Peter awakens in a hospital bed. At his side is Nathan, who, when asked, claims neither of them flew and Peter simply jumped, nearly killing himself. Between this and his mother's revelation that Peter's late father had apparently been mentally unstable as well as suicidal, Peter is led to believe he's going crazy. Drawing a crude stick figure image with one figure levitating a few feet above the ground, Peter gets an idea. Attempting to cope and find out the truth, Peter stands on the edge of another rooftop later that evening. Nathan arrives, and Peter threatens to jump if Nathan doesn't tell him what really happened. Nathan tells Peter that they both flew. However, Peter thinks that Nathan is lying to make him feel better, and he becomes angry. Nathan then points out that Peter is walking on thin air, and Peter is relieved to know that they can both fly.
One Giant Leap
Peter repeatedly tries to fly (or at least levitate) while at a playground, only to crash to the ground each time. Heading back to Campaign HQ, Peter tells Nathan about a book written by Chandra Suresh. Peter believes the author "knows what's going on" and wants to find him, but neither Nathan's focus nor his disinterest in his powers have changed. Bumping into Simone after just leaving Charles Deveaux's apartment, Peter tells her he has given up his job as a nurse. He says he no longer feels right "trying to save the world one person at a time" and is meant for something more. As Peter leaves the building, the two comment on hoping to see each other. Later, they do just that at an event held by Nathan. During the event, Peter confesses his love to Simone, stating "I've been in love with you since the moment I first laid eyes on you." During Nathan's speech, he talks about his family, particularly his ill late father. Over the course of the speech, the focus turns to Peter and Nathan publicly refers to Peter's attempt to fly as a suicide attempt. Shocked and offended, Peter eventually runs out, followed by a concerned Simone. After the event, Peter punches Nathan as he is getting into his car, calling him an SOB. Immediately held back by Nathan's bodyguards, Peter furiously denounces Nathan's comment during the speech. When the guards let Peter go, he goes in for another blow to his brother's jaw. Asked by Nathan if he'll at least go along with what was said, Peter angrily shrugs and walks away.
Out in the pouring rain, Peter meets up with Simone while trying to hail a cab. He quickly insists that what Nathan said about him wasn't true and Simone says she knows. Then the two exchange a kiss under her red umbrella.
Collision
Peter and Simone wake up together in Peter's apartment. Nathan comes to Peter's door and tells him about his "visit" from Mohinder, whom he mistakes for Chandra Suresh. Nathan asks Peter to "disappear for a while" and offers him money to do so. Peter refuses the money, instead deciding to visit Mohinder at his apartment. Peter confesses that he does indeed have the ability to copy other people's powers and the two travel to Isaac's apartment to see Peter's power in action. Since Isaac is high on heroin and in a precognitive trance when they arrive, they assume he isn't home and ride back on the subway. Suddenly, time stops and everyone freezes except Peter. Soon, he is confronted by Future Hiro, who says he did not recognize Peter "without his scar", indicating Peter will likely receive a facial injury at some point. Hiro tells Peter that he has a message for him.
Hiros
Peter is on the subway, speaking with Future Hiro. Future Hiro tells Peter that if he "saves the cheerleader" he'll "save the world". Hiro also tells him to relay the message to Hiro's present-day self when he attempts to call Isaac's apartment. After this, Hiro teleports away and time starts again. Peter travels to Isaac Mendez's apartment as instructed by Hiro, where he proves to Isaac that he doesn't need drugs to paint the future by copying Isaac's power and finishing one of his paintings. When present-day Hiro calls to warn Isaac, Peter tells him he's got a message for him.
Better Halves
Peter tells Hiro, through Ando, about his visit from Future Hiro. He relays the message and tells Hiro to meet him and Isaac in New York so they can locate "the cheerleader". He and Isaac work with Isaac's paintings, looking for a clue as to the girl's identity. Peter realizes the last batch of paintings fit together like a comic page—but with one panel missing. Isaac tells him that Simone took a piece which was about the right size and shape to sell in her gallery.
Nothing to Hide
Peter awakens from a dream, where he told Charles Deveaux that he could fly, with a teary-eyed Simone at his door. She tells him that her father just died. They go to Isaac's apartment to tell him, but find it emptied out. Simone tells Peter that, just before he died, her father woke up and told her that he had been flying over the world with Peter, who told him everything would be okay. She then tells him that she sold the missing painting to Mr. Linderman.
Peter goes to Nathan's house in Long Island to enlist his aid in getting the painting from Linderman. He discovers his family having brunch with Oliver Dennison, a reporter from the New York Journal. When Nathan turns him down, he threatens to fly off the terrace, but instead sits down to brunch and proceeds to charm Mr. Dennison. When Dennison mentions he heard Nathan was seen with a blonde in Las Vegas, Peter tells him Nathan was meeting with a depression specialist on Peter's behalf.
Later, Nathan comes to Peter's apartment. Peter tries to convince him to tell Heidi the truth about Niki, but Nathan claims Heidi needs hope more than the truth. Nathan tells him he wasn't able to get the painting.
Homecoming
Peter meets Simone at Isaac's apartment. She shows him the ruined painting and tells him Nathan destroyed it to protect Peter. She shows him a photograph of the painting and tells him the location of Union Wells High School.
Peter calls Hiro Nakamura's cell phone and speaks to Ando, who tells him they are already in Midland, TX. Peter flies to Midland-Odessa and meets Ando at the Burnt Toast Diner, but Ando tells him that Hiro has vanished into the past to save Charlie.
At the school, Peter examines a trophy case display about "Jackie Wilcox's" rescue of the firefighter from the train wreck. Claire runs into him and they discuss Jackie and high school.
After she encounters Sylar in the locker room, Claire runs back out into the hallway and collides with Peter again. Peter tries to hold Sylar off while Claire escapes. Sylar telekinetically rips doors off of nearby lockers and hurls them at Peter, who follows Claire out onto the stone bleachers. Peter tells Claire to get to the stadium because Sylar doesn't want to be seen. After Claire leaves, Peter and Sylar struggle at the top of the bleachers, and both men fall off the back of the bleachers to the ground below.
Claire returns to find Peter regenerating his wounds, resetting his broken bones. He sends her away for help, and the police arrive. Seeing him apparently unhurt and covered in blood, they arrest him.
Six Months Ago
A party is thrown to celebrate Peter's graduation from nursing school. Among the guests are his brother Nathan, Nathan's wife Heidi, and his mother Angela. He and his mother discuss his father and how he disproved of Peter's career choice. During the party, Peter, Nathan, and Heidi sit on a balcony and discuss Peter's goals for his job - hospice care. Nathan pokes fun at him.
Seconds after Nathan's accident, Peter wakes up in a cold sweat. He believes he dreamt the accident as or before it occurred, and talks about his dream with Nathan, while Heidi is in surgery. Peter decides to give an deposition against Linderman and his organization, who were responsible for the car wreck.
As Peter prepares for his deposition, he is informed by Nathan that their father has died of a heart attack.
Powers
Much mystery surrounded Peter's status and powers, or lack thereof before and after the series debuted. While every main character was said outright to have a power in press releases, Peter was simply billed as "trying to convince his brother he can fly". Later, after his brother flew, Peter himself displayed the ability to levitate not long afterward. Peter is actually a power mimic who duplicates the powers of others. His crude levitation sketch shows that he gained Issac's ability to draw the future, but without needing to be induced by drugs. In Hiros, Peter visits Isaac and he finishes Isaac's painting without the aid of heroin or any other drug. It is also unclear what affect, if any, his power has on those whose powers he duplicates. Still, if Nathan is any example, the effect seems to be unnoticeable. Peter's powers appear to be only temporary, as he is shown unable to fly when not in the presence of Nathan.
While Peter's crude stick figure drawings originally seemed to indicate that he could duplicate only someone's powers, and not their skills, the painting he completed at Isaac's studio seems fairly well done. This could indicate that his ability is maturing and developing, much like the other heroes.
It should be noted that Peter began having dreams of flying well before he met Isaac. This probably indicates he possesses a separate power, perhaps an empathic bond with his brother (as his conversation with his mother about Nathan's accident indicates he believes). Some fans have speculated that this empathy applies to others, not merely to Nathan, and is his true power, with the mimicry as a mere side effect. His apparently shared dream with Charles Deveaux in "Nothing to Hide" seems to lend some weight to this theory. Others have speculated that the bond between the brothers may work both ways, but that Peter is more receptive to it because of his "sensitivity". This empathic bond seems even more apparent when Peter wakes from a dream about Nathan's accident as it is happening, as well as knowing of the second vehicle without Nathan mentioning it.
Fan Theories
Please refer to Theory:Peter Petrelli for fan-created theories and other speculation.
Notes
- Kristin Veitch of E!, who made a cameo appearance in "Collision" as the roulette dealer, suggests that Peter's scar might be "because Milo Ventimiglia might be shaving his head at some point in the series. Whether this is meant to indicate that Milo himself has an already-extant scar which is being written in, or, as some fans have suggested with tongue-in-cheek that Hiro will be shaving Peter's head for him and notice the scar, is presently unclear.