Emma Coolidge
| Emma Coolidge | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Deanne Bray |
| First appearance | Ink |
| In-story stats | |
| Known ability | Enhanced synesthesia |
| Gender | |
| Home | New York, NY |
| Residence | Apartment in NYC |
| Occupation | Hospital file clerk |
| Parent | Dr. Coolidge |
Emma Coolidge is a co-worker of Peter Petrelli. She is an evolved human with the ability to see and manipulate sound waves. She is also deaf.
Character History
Emma's vibration alarm awakens her, prompting her to get ready for work. Before leaving, she pets her cat and puts in iPod earbuds to keep people from realizing that she is deaf, and then notices an odd twinkling from water dripping from her faucet. She smiles and turns off the water. Later, at work, Emma hands Peter some files that he must sign. She wheels across the room and notices that Peter is talking to her. Accidentally knocking over a mug of tea, she sees a flash of red light as the mug shatters. After Peter leaves, Emma goes to see a doctor and she admits that she has been seeing strange lights. The doctor speculates that she may be experiencing a crossover of senses, a condition known as "synesthesia", and asks her why she is disengaged from her work. Emma tells the doctor that she would prefer not to see those who pity her.
Later that evening, while she is eating a sandwich in the park, Emma watches a cellist playing. She sees the music as flowing red energy and when the cellist leaves, Emma stands and plucks a string, producing more lights. She follows the lights, and plays beautiful music. When she finishes and realizes what she has done, she hands the bow to the cellist and leaves in a hurry.
Dr. Coolidge comes to visit Emma in her office to discuss whether or not Emma still believes she has synesthesia. Dr. Coolidge tells Emma that she believes she is suffering from hysterical blindness and Emma becomes angry. She asks the doctor if she follows all of her patients like this and Dr. Coolidge says that she only does when the patient is her daughter. Emma becomes even more angry when her mother tells her that the hospital is willing to give her a residency but Emma refuses. Dr. Coolidge tells her that Christopher died six years ago and that it is time to stop grieving. Angry, Emma tells her that she is not grieving and storms off. Emma leaves the hospital and as she is walking down the street, her ability reactivates and she is overwhelmed by the light that she sees coming from a construction site. She backs away onto the road and is almost hit by a bus, but Peter rushes out to rescue her. He asks Emma if she is alright and tries to take her hand, but she does not want to talk and runs away.
Peter later finds Emma watching a children's choir, whose song is creating an aurora of colored lights. Thanks to his ability, Peter is able to see the lights as well, which Emma notices. Peter tries to tell Emma that she is not alone in the world and that there are others like them everywhere, but Emma is skeptical when he tells her that flight and teleportation really exist. The two of them sit down at the piano begin to play. They are able to produce beautiful music and Peter offers to take Emma to lunch, suggesting that it would get her out of the file room. Angry, Emma says that she is fine in the file room and leaves. Later, at home, Emma finds a cello next to a large blue container with the Sullivan Bros. Carnival logo printed on it. While playing, she suddenly begins to get very intense, and the lights that she creates generate a blast of light and sound that damages her wall. Emma looks shocked.
Emma talks to Hiro Nakamura about her ability.
Emma has the ability to see sound waves as beautiful lights. Her power can also shoot out the sound waves as a concussive blast if heavily pressured enough. She demonstrates this by playing her cello so furiously that a blast of "sound" leaves a scar on the wall. (Hysterical Blindness)
Notes
- Dr. Coolidge tells Emma that she could be treating patients instead of filing papers (Ink). Emma actually has a degree in biomedicine from Arlington University and she used to be a resident at Mercy Heights, but quit after the death of a man named Christopher.
- According to the casting call, Emma is 25 to 28 years old, "attractive, smart, and sensitive."