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Jessica Sanders

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Jessica Sanders
Portrayed by Ali Larter
First appearance Better Halves
In-story stats
Known abilities Enhanced strength (synthetic, supressed)
Alias Niki
Gender
Age 32 (at death)
Date of birth August 24, 1974
Place of birth Beverly Hills, CA
Date of death March 20, 2007
Home Las Vegas, NV
Residence Jessica Sanders's home
Occupation Hired assassin for the Linderman Group
Significant others formerly Nathan Petrelli,
formerly D.L. Hawkins (deceased)
Parents Adoptive parents:
Hal Sanders,
Kelly Sullivan
Child Micah Sanders
Siblings Tracy Strauss,
Barbara

Jessica is the name of Niki Sanders's first alter ego to emerge. She manifests herself as Jessica, Niki's sister who died in 1987.

Character History

Genesis

After seeing Jessica's reflection in the mirror several times, Niki Sanders wakes up to find Linderman's thugs brutally slain. She again sees Jessica in a mirror, now covered in bloodstains. Jessica gestures for her to be quiet.

Don't Look Back

When Niki watches the videotape from her garage studio, she again blacks out and wakes up four hours later to a phone call from Micah. When she returns home, she discovers that someone has already cleaned the garage. She sees Jessica in the mirror, who gestures across the street at a Cadillac. In the glove box, Niki discovers the car is registered in her name, and a note directs her to the trunk, where she finds the bodies and a map.

One Giant Leap

Niki follows Jessica's map, and buries the thugs. She uncovers the bodies of D.L.'s crew and incorrectly assumes her estranged husband killed them.

Collision

When Niki refuses to go through with her deal to seduce Nathan, Jessica takes control to defend her from one of Mr. Linderman's thugs. She then returns to Nathan's room and seduces him.

Better Halves

After D.L. tells Niki he plans to exonerate himself by questioning the money launderer, Jessica takes control and kills everyone she finds at the poker game. Niki recognizes the carnage and tells D.L. she witnessed the same thing with Linderman's thugs in her garage. Later, Jessica confronts Niki marking her first formal appearance on the show. She confesses to killing D.L.'s crew, Linderman's thugs, and the men at the poker game, and to stealing the money and framing D.L. for the theft. She convinces Niki that D.L. will take Micah and leave her if he finds out. Niki agrees, and retrieves the money, but D.L. catches her. She tries to explain about Jessica, but Jessica takes over and attacks D.L. D.L. strikes back using his powers and incapacitates her.

Graphic Novel:Stolen Time

Six months ago, Jessica robs $2 million from Linderman's sports book with D.L.'s crew. When they take the money, Jessica and the crew discuss how they'll spend their portion. Jessica says she's going to use it for private elementary school tuition. Just then, D.L.'s crew turns on her. Later, she talks to the money launderer who says it will take six months to hide the money. She then drives off into the Nevada desert in a Cadillac to bury D.L.'s crew, whom she recently murdered.

Nothing to Hide

Niki wishes Jessica would take over so she can get Micah back. Niki breaks a mirror, and then Jessica takes over. She sends Tina away, telling her Niki doesn't need her help any more.

Later, Jessica is loading a gun when she gets a call from Micah. At first, she pretends to be Niki, but Micah sees through it and asks to speak to his mother. Jessica tells him his mother won't be back until Jessica brings him home, so Micah tells her the location of the motel where he and D.L. are. After D.L. hangs up the phone, Jessica loads a gun.

Homecoming

Jessica plans her revenge on D.L. for taking Micah after their fight. She buys a sniper rifle from a seller in the desert, and locates D.L.'s location after Micah calls her and tells her where they are. When she looks at her car's mirror, a helpless Niki stares back at her. Later, Jessica locates D.L. and Micah and fires a shot at D.L.

Six Months Ago

After the confrontation between Niki and her father Hal Sanders, Hal returns to his hotel room. There is a knock at the door, and Niki enters, but it is quickly apparent that Niki's alter-ego Jessica is in control. She reveals that Hal abused Jessica (Niki's real-life sister) to the point where he accidentally killed her. Afterwards, Niki became his "punching bag", and Jessica says she hides the memory of it from Niki. After bloodying his nose and throwing Hal on the bed, Jessica tells Hal to go away and never come back, and shoves Micah's tuition check in his mouth.

Fallout

Jessica's first shot strikes D.L. in the shoulder. By the time she manages to fire a second shot, he has phased, and the bullet passes harmlessly through his head. Jessica approaches the car, but finds D.L. and Micah have vanished. She catches Niki's reflection in the car's window, but dismisses her, slamming the car door so forcefully the glass shatters.

Jessica begins to search for D.L., but Niki is able to regain control when Jessica finds D.L.'s bloodied jacket.

When Niki slips and catches her reflection in a pool, Jessica confronts her. They hear Micah call out and head out after him.

At the cabin, Jessica pretends to be Niki, but D.L. is waiting for her. As they struggle, Jessica roughly pushes Micah to the side. Seeing him hurt, Jessica loses concentration and Niki overpowers her.

Godsend

Niki is in jail pending her trial for the murders of D.L.'s crew and the theft of Linderman's money. During the two weeks since she surrendered herself to the police, Jessica has injured at least one of her guards. While Niki speaks with her attorney, Jessica manifests several times, expressing her desire to get out of jail by any means necessary and encouraging the lawyer to plan an insanity defense. During a later visit with D.L. and Micah, Niki asks to be allowed to hug her son. A nervous guard swings his nightstick at her, but Niki or Jessica catches it and breaks it, leaving Niki holding the pieces. The guards quickly take Niki out of the visiting area. Niki is later placed in a padded cell, wearing a straitjacket. Niki prays to God for help, but Jessica asks who needs God when she is around.

The Fix

Dr. Witherson asks Niki if she can talk to Jessica, but Niki says no.

Distractions

As Dr. Witherson talks to Niki about her childhood, Jessica emerges. She says the doctor should have listened to Niki before breaking her bonds and attacking. After being sent home, Jessica takes over again. Leaving Niki trapped, she tells Micah she will play Scrabble with him in a moment.

Run!

Jessica uses makeup to paint over her tattoo of the symbol on her shoulder blade. Believing she is now in control, Jessica heads to Los Angeles to fulfill her obligation to Linderman for being emancipated from the Women's Correctional Facility. She is to track down and kill Aron Malsky and his bodyguard. She meets the men at Ridgway Jewelry, shoots at them, and chases them throughout the building. Despite several distractions from Niki and being halted by Matt when he handcuffs her, Jessica easily breaks free and avoids reflective surfaces to prevent any more distractions from Niki. She finds Matt, tosses him out of a window, and finally bisects Malsky, killing him. Back at home, Jessica receives notice of her new target: a New York politician, Nathan.

Parasite

Jessica is playing a game with Micah at home, still pretending to be Niki. D.L. comes across a photo of Nathan Petrelli (left out by Niki), and confronts Jessica about it. Jessica tries to turn the situation around by accusing D.L. of going through her things. Jessica claims that she is just making a small deal for Mr. Linderman, and with some extra sweet talk, convinces D.L. that her little job is completely innocent.

Jessica later travels to Las Vegas as per Linderman's orders, and shoots Agents Quesada and Alonzo. However, Jessica never gets the chance to kill her true target, as Niki interferes.

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Jessica, upon returning home from her last assignment, is confronted by D.L. over which personality is currently in control. However, Jessica is no longer completely sure of which personality is dominant. They argue about Jessica's actions, and Jessica defends her work as doing what is right for her son. D.L. argues about what Jessica has brought to his and Micah's lives, but Jessica objects countering with how much profit she has brought to the family. But D.L. states that she has also brought "death" to the household and tells Jessica that Niki did not turn into Jessica, but into Hal. Insulted, Jessica tries to talk back but D.L cuts her and angrily says that he will "die before she does to Micah what he did to her". Then, one of Linderman's guards arrives to fetch Jessica.

At the Corinthian Casino, Jessica meets Linderman for the first time. When he asks to use Micah and his power, she leaves, refusing to let her son be involved.

Jessica drives home and sees a woman in front of her house.

The Hard Part

D.L. and Jessica discover that Micah has been kidnapped, and the two have a tense argument about it. Jessica truthfully states that she is innocent and even refused Linderman's initial offer, but regardless of that, D.L. heads off to the Corinthian Casino to find Micah. Jessica remains, feeling conflicted and unsure, but Niki pleads with Jessica to go with D.L. and save Micah, or he will be killed otherwise. Jessica complies.

She and D.L. infiltrate Linderman's gallery by the use of D.L.'s phasing power, and the experience leaves Jessica a bit shaken. She and D.L. also discover, to their horror, a painting of Micah with a fearful expression, surrounded by flames. What's more, they discover that Linderman has been keeping tabs on the family for many years, as they see various documents and photos of their family mounted on a wall, and also find large dossiers with their information. Jessica has difficulty accepting the idea of their entire life being a fake, an experiment, but the shock and denial does not stop her and D.L. from heading off to New York City, where they discover where Micah is being held.

Landslide

Jessica and D.L., on the search for Micah and Linderman confront Nathan in his office with Nathan surprised at Jessica's (or from his perspective, Niki's) survival after her tip-off about Linderman. Jessica is angry with Nathan failing to kill Linderman after he had been so adamant in doing so before, but promises that she and D.L. will finish the job, since Linderman has hurt all of their lives in one way or another. Nathan gives them directions.

At the Company's building, Jessica and D.L. easily bypass security, though the problem of finding Linderman is still a concern. However, they fortuitously end up meeting with Mr. Bennet and Matt Parkman, who offers their aid, as they both want to take down the Company. Jessica amusingly recalls when she had last encountered Matt, which ended up with Jessica throwing Matt out a window.

Matt and Bennet get off at the 42nd floor, and Bennet tells Jessica and D.L. that Linderman is on the 52nd floor. Jessica ignores Matt's words of luck towards finding her son.

Jessica and D.L. confront Linderman in his office just as he finishes a phone call. The two forcefully demand to know where Micah is, and he seemingly complies when it becomes obvious that he won't escape the situation unscathed. But before Jessica can go find Micah, Linderman offers her a large sum of money, so long as she kills D.L. Jessica, being a woman searching for security after having her life ruined by men (as Linderman explains it), is tempted, despite D.L.'s reminders of their search for Micah. But though her honest desire to take the money is overwhelming, she knows that Niki wouldn't do the same and harm her family, so she has her take over.

How to Stop an Exploding Man

As Niki searches for Micah, she ends up seeing "Jessica", in the flesh, with Micah lying on the floor nearby, dead. "Jessica" mockingly calls Niki weak for her failure to protect Micah and D.L. and viciously beats her, but Niki ends up seeing the real Jessica in the reflection of a mirror fragment. Jessica tells Niki that the "Jessica" Niki is fighting is not real, and urges Niki to fight back and find Micah. Niki complains that she is "not strong enough" but Jessica doesn't take control and just encourages Niki to do it herself. Niki does so, using enhanced strength, and quickly dispels the illusion Candice had been conjuring. When Niki finds Micah, she only sees herself in the reflection of a mirror.

Evolved Human Abilities

Jessica possessed the ability of enhanced strength. Her victims are many: she has torn men in half, taken out a room full of armed men in a matter of seconds, and thrown D.L. across a room. Her alter ego Niki also possessed this ability.

Equipment

Memorable Quotes

"It's me, daddy, Jessica. The daughter that you threw beer bottles at. The daughter that you choked. The daughter that you killed."

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"No ... it was an accident. And they left Niki with you to be your punching bag."

"I came to apologize, Nicole."

"Apologize? You don't apologize to Nicole. You apologize to me. Niki doesn't remember. But I do. Someone had to be there to protect her. I remember the stink of alcohol on your breath. I took every punch, so that she wouldn't have to."

- Jessica, Hal (Six Months Ago)


"Oh, God... Please help me."

"Who needs God when you've got me?"

- Niki, Jessica (Godsend)


"Like most women whose lives have been ruined by men, all Jessica really wants is security, and money buys that. Money's all she's ever really cared about."

- Mr. Linderman (Landslide)


"Didn't I throw you out a window?"

- Jessica (to Matt Parkman) (Landslide)

Notes

  • Jessica has a tattoo of The Symbol on her right shoulder. Niki does not.
  • During the fracas at the poker game, several shots can be clearly heard. It's not clear whether the shots came from Ernie's gun or whether Jessica used a gun (or both). After all, Jessica had a gun enclosed with the money. (Better Halves)
  • Jessica's murder of D.L.'s crew appears to be an act of self defense. Her motives for framing D.L. seem intended to benefit Micah. Though many of Jessica's actions are illegal, she is principally focused on protecting Niki and her son. (Stolen Time)
  • When Linderman's henchman corners Niki in the Montecito Casino elevator after she leaves Nathan's hotel room, Jessica emerges and puts him on the ground. She then refers to Micah as "our son" in her threat to kill the henchman. (Collision)
  • In a possible future timeline, Jessica is no longer a presence in Niki's body. However, her words still haunt Niki because of the deaths of both Micah and D.L. In addition, Niki uses "Jessica" as a show name. (Five Years Gone)
  • While a great deal of confusion about Niki and Jessica's relationship persists, Jeph Loeb stated in an interview that the crew "thought this was very clear on the air. Niki's power is the same as her alternate personality Jessica's: unbelievable strength. They're the same person. Niki discovered her special ability through her split personality, but it was always her ability."

Trivia

Gallery

See Also

Template:Linderman

  Season One Characters edit
Main

Claire BennetNoah BennetSimone DeveauxD.L. HawkinsIsaac MendezHiro NakamuraMatt ParkmanNathan PetrelliPeter PetrelliMicah SandersNiki/Jessica SandersMohinder Suresh

Recurring

Lyle BennetSandra BennetCampaign managerSheriff DavidsonFuture HiroThe HaitianAudrey HansonEden McCainAndo MasahashiBrody MitchumMr. MugglesKaito NakamuraJanice ParkmanAngela PetrelliHeidi PetrelliClaude RainsTed SpragueSylarEric Thompson, Sr.TinaMolly WalkerJackie WilcoxCandice WillmerZach

See Also: Minor CharactersSeason Two CharactersSeason Three CharactersSeason Four CharactersHeroes Reborn CharactersFuture CharactersAnimalsWebisodes Characters
Graphic Novel CharactersiStory CharactersEvolutions CharactersBook CharactersUnaired CharactersCast

pt: