Empathic mimicry

Empathic mimicry
Peter mimics Isaac's precognition.
Held by:	Peter Petrelli (stolen)
Ability to:	Mimic other abilities on an empathic level
Examples of empathic mimicry

Empathic mimicry is the ability to duplicate the powers of other evolved humans within proximity and reproduce them at will when thinking about the original source of the power.

Characters

• Peter Petrelli originally possessed this ability but lost it in Dying of the Light.

Limits

Peter possessed an empathic ability that allowed him to duplicate or "absorb" the powers of other evolved humans near him. At present he has lost this power, which is presumably now held by his father.

The exact range at which mimicry occurs is not known, but the distance at which Peter could mimic the power of Claude from at least several meters away. He could duplicate Claude's ability almost immediately upon coming within range. Whether the maximum distance and minimum time is the same to mimic any power is uncertain. Peter did necessarily have to see other people's powers in use to absorb them. In The Hard Part, Peter began to absorb Ted Sprague's power even though Ted has not used it in his presence.

Peter's control over other powers that he mimics varied; powers that require active concentration seemed to be more difficult for him to manifest or control. Peter would typically absorb powers involuntarily, but he might not be aware of absorbing a power that requires active concentration to use.

Although Peter shows traces of Isaac's precognition the day after accompanying Simone to Isaac's apartment (Don't Look Back), it was not clear until Distractions that Peter could manifest a power in the absence of the person from whom he absorbed it. He has since reproduced many abilities without the original holder of the power being nearby. He seems to be able to copy both natural abilities and synthetic ones, as he mimicked Nathan's power of flight (Genesis) and Niki's strength (How to Stop an Exploding Man).

Peter once stated that in order to recall another person's power when they were not present, he had to remember how that person made him feel (Distractions). While amnesiac, Peter was still able to recall abilities, even without memories of the person from whom he learned them.

Peter's power and those he absorbed made him one of the most powerful evolved humans. This is mentioned by his mother (Out of Time), and by Claude (Unexpected). With the absorption of so many abilities from many evolved humans, he became the 'swiss army knife' of Heroes. However, he could still be affected by the Haitian's ability (Four Months Ago...).

A side-effect of the ability to mimic is being unaffected by the powers of many other evolved humans. For example, Peter was able to see Claude while he was invisible (Godsend), he could still move when Hiro froze time (Collision), and he was unaffected by Matt's telepathic commands (Powerless).

Peter used multiple powers simultaneously on several occasions.

Selected Examples

• 
  Peter duplicates Isaac's ability to paint the future.
  (Don't Look Back, Hiros)
• 
  Peter duplicates Claire's ability to heal, and heals from the fatal injuries he received in a long fall.
  (Homecoming)
• 
  Peter duplicates Claude's invisibility; Peter and Claude can't be seen by anyone but each other.
  (Godsend)
• 
  In a flurry of duplicated powers, Peter mimics Matt Parkman's telepathy.
  (Distractions)
• 
  Peter blocks an overhead swing from a staff-wielding Claude using telekinesis...
• 
  ...then later freezes time...
• 
  ...and subsequently flies away, carrying Claude with him.
  (Unexpected)
• 
  Peter duplicates enhanced speed from an agent in a future timeline.
  (Walls, Part 2)
• 
  Peter duplicates pyrokinesis in a future epic battle against Sylar.
  (Five Years Gone)
• 
  Peter mimics Niki's enhanced strength, and barehandedly pummels Sylar's face into a bloody mess.
  (How to Stop an Exploding Man)
• 
  Peter duplicates Ted's induced radioactivity and explodes in a bright light in the sky.
  (How to Stop an Exploding Man)
• 
  Peter duplicates the power to create lightning, and sends Tuko flying backwards.
  (Four Months Later...)

Memorable Quotes

"Peter's specific DNA allows for a blend. Like colors in a mosaic, resequencing itself to mimic the abilities of those around him."

"Like a chameleon?"

"More like a sponge. It's precisely why I've been studying him."

"Could his condition become dangerous to himself or to other people?"

"If he absorbs too much, or comes into contact with an unstable ability, then most definitely yes."

- Mohinder, Nathan (The Fix)

"You know, before I hit the ground ... when I knew what was about to happen, I had this flash ... in my head, of this girl that I met in Texas. This cheerleader. She could heal herself. Oh, gosh, she's this sweet kid. Sad little smile, and she just ... You were wrong! I don't have to cut her out! I have to remember her!"

- Peter Petrelli (to Claude) (Distractions)

"You need to focus. You can move objects with your mind, heal; you can paint the future."

"How do you know about that?"

"You absorb abilities from other people. You are the most powerful of us all."

- Future Angela, Peter Petrelli (Out of Time)

Notes

• In doing research for Peter's power, Aron Coleite said that the Heroes crew consulted several scientists about the concept of mosaic DNA.
• Press materials released before Heroes aired skirted the issue of Peter's powers, saying instead that he was "trying to convince his brother he could fly." The exact nature of his ability did not become clear for several episodes.
• Mohinder says that Peter's power is "like a sponge" to the powers of other evolved humans (and not like a "chameleon"), and it could be dangerous for him to get near someone with an "unstable" power. (The Fix)
• Claude opines that it is fitting for an "empath" to be a nurse, as though he has had a prior familiarity with people of Peter's ability or at least an ability that is similar to it. (The Fix)
• In an interview, Tim Kring elaborated on the similarities and differences between Peter and Sylar's powers, calling them "two halves of a similar coin".

  "Both are able to absorb people’s powers, but in two very different ways. Peter’s is based on his empathy and his ability to connect with people and when he’s around them. Sylar actually has to take your brain and do something with it."

• Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli), in a behind-the-scenes video, reveals that Peter passes out at the end of Fallout because he is overwhelmed by all of the abilities he has been absorbing.
• When Peter yells at Isaac, some have speculated that he may have (unsuccessfully) used Eden's power of persuasion. However this is more likely a reflection of production effects rather than the use of a power. The sound effects for Eden's persuasive voice (listen) and Peter's yell (listen) are very different (Unexpected). In an interview, it is stated that the voice change was for the "coolness factor."
• Despite Peter using multiple powers simultaneously on several occassions, it was stated in an interview that Peter only has access to one power at a time.

See Also

• For other uses of mimic, see mimic (disambig).
• For other uses of memory, see memory (disambig).
• For a list of dreams/visions Peter has experienced, see Peter's dreams.
• For abilities to which Peter has been exposed, see powers exposed.
• For Sylar's ability to steal the abilities of others through the process of brain removal, see power theft.
• For Linda Tavara's ability to take the abilities of others after killing them, see aura absorption.
• For Arthur Petrelli's ability to rob an individual of their abilities through physical touch, see power absorption.