Space-time manipulation

Space-time manipulation
Hiro travels six months into the past.
Originally held by:	Hiro Nakamura (partially restored), Arnold
Absorbed by:	Peter Petrelli (lost), Arthur Petrelli (deceased)
Ability to:	Alter the space-time continuum
Examples of space-time manipulation

Space-time manipulation is the ability to alter the space-time continuum, enabling:

• Time manipulation (slowing down, reversing, or stopping time).
• Time travel (moving through time or "folding time").
• Teleportation (moving instantaneously through space or "folding space").

Characters

• Hiro Nakamura has demonstrated all three aspects of this ability, but lost it when Arthur stole it from him. (Our Father) He has since regained the ability to manipulate time due to Matt Parkman, Jr.'s ability (Cold Snap) and later the ability to travel through time (Orientation).
• Peter Petrelli has reproduced all three aspects of this ability (Unexpected, The Line, I Am Become Death), but lost the ability completely when his father stole it from him. (Dying of the Light)
• Arthur had stolen this ability from Peter and Hiro and reproduced the "time travel" and "teleportation" aspects of this ability. (Dying of the Light and Our Father)
• Arnold is known to have this ability. (Orientation)

Limits

Hiro Nakamura

All of Hiro's space-time manipulation abilities require intense concentration, as shown by the way he typically closes his eyes and furrows his brow when attempting to invoke his power. His control has substantially improved over time, however, and he has far greater command of his abilities now than when he first discovered them.

One of Hiro's most frequently used abilities is "stopping time" -- everything around him appears to freeze while he is able to move normally. This may be more a case of Hiro accelerating himself to the point that everything else seems frozen in comparison, since Daphne Millbrook, with her enhanced speed, was apparently able to "catch up" with him and move at normal speed during one of Hiro's "time stops" (The Second Coming). Hiro can interact normally with objects and people without them being "unfrozen" or aware of his activities. If Hiro is touching another person when he freezes time, however, they remain "unfrozen" with him (I Am Sylar). In addition, Hiro can slow time; other people and objects continue moving, but at a much slower pace (Godsend). On one occasion he actually reversed time (Unexpected); this event was particularly unusual, in that his manipulation caused a gun to actually misfire, as though time reversed for the bullet, but only slowed or stopped for the gun itself. This event suggests that Hiro can cause various objects to move through time selectively.

Hiro can teleport himself and other people through space instantaneously. Such teleports can cover at least intercontinental distances. Each time he has carried "passengers", he has been touching the other individual(s). Hiro has shown the ability to teleport himself, a horse, and the horse's rider simultaneously; Hiro placed his hand on the horse's neck.

Hiro can also move himself and another person through time into the future or the past. If moving into the past, he can alter history, but he apparently cannot alter history in such a way that he would eliminate his original cause for going into the past. Both Hiro and Future Hiro (see below) have experienced this limitation. Nonetheless, Hiro's trips into the past create a variety of alternate timelines. Both Hiro and Future Hiro have mentioned that careless use of time travel could cause a rift.

Hiro had relatively limited power upon returning from his attempt to save Charlie. He was unable to go back in time to try again to save her, and when attempting to stop time at the museum, he only succeeded in slowing it. Upon obtaining the sword of Takezo Kensei, he was immediately able to teleport himself and Ando through both time and space with relative ease. However, in the future he did not believe he could control his power enough to teleport back to the right time and place so his future self planned to bring him and Ando back until he got killed. With the encouragement of Ando and Future Mohinder, Hiro managed to teleport himself and Ando back to the time and place he wanted, the first time he was able to teleport to when and where he wanted to go. Afterwards, he was able to control his teleport ability easier without accidentally teleporting through time. He has since shown that he can use his power normally without a sword for a focus. Hiro's abilities rely heavily on his ability to concentrate and his belief in his own abilities, requiring a strong will.

According to an interview (see notes below), Hiro ages normally while using his ability. Thus, if "he lived a year in the past and returned to the present, he'd be a year older."

Hiro's ability has been suppressed by dosing him with fumes of opium, which breaks his concentration and thus prevents him from stopping time and teleporting. (Out of Time)

A person with this ability is apparently immune to the time manipulations caused by others with the same ability. When Hiro froze time to attack Adam Monroe, Peter, an ally of Adam, was unaffected, as he had the ability as well (Powerless). Another instance is Peter's first acquisition of the ability when Future Hiro meets with Peter on a train. As unbeknownst to him at the time his empathic mimicry allowed him to copy the ability and remain unfrozen.

After having his mind forcibly regressed to the age of 10 by Arthur Petrelli, Hiro was still able to slow and stop time, and to teleport himself and another person to a desired location with ease even through time, though Ando had to teach him about his ability. (It's Coming)

Although Arthur Petrelli stole this ability from Hiro, Matt Parkman Jr. has restored Hiro's ability to stop time (Cold Snap). Whether Hiro can regain other aspects of his ability remains to be seen. It also seems that, whether he intends to or not, whoever he is in physical contact with can also move normally whenever he freezes time (I Am Sylar). He has also regained the ability to time travel, but is unable to control that aspect of his power as both times he accidentally traveled through time and was unable to travel back when he wanted to (Orientation). However, Hiro has since regained control of this part of his ability as he was able to time travel 45 times to try to save a co-worker's life (Acceptance).

Hiro has recently experienced negative health effects from using his ability, including headaches, nose bleeds, ear bleeds, and fainting. Mohinder Suresh believes that his body is rejecting his power for some reason and any more use of it could kill him. He has been diagnosed with an unnamed condition that is killing him. (Orientation) Side effects of his condition have also affected his ability, sometimes leaving Hiro frozen in time instead of freezing time to all but him (Jump, Push, Fall). He seemed to freeze in time for a moment after getting a terrible headache while telling Kimiko the truth of his illness, and then disappeared, His teleport takes him to Peter Petrelli's appartment, but he passes out afterwards (Hysterical Blindness)

Future Hiro Nakamura

Future Hiro has the same space-time manipulation abilities as his "present" self, but he appears to be able to use them with less effort. He is also much more proficient in differentiating the teleportation aspect of his ability from the time-traveling aspect. He is also able to selectively include others in his time freezing, without maintaining physical contact, albeit with much more concentration. (Hiros, Five Years Gone).

During the Moab Federal Penitentiary breakout, one of the evolved human guards was able to prevent him and Peter from stopping time. It is unknown which one of them was responsible for this, or how they did it. (Walls, Part 2)

Peter Petrelli

When Peter mimicked this ability, he seemed able to do so without the intense concentration shown by Hiro.

Peter's first demonstration of the ability was to slow time when Mr. Bennet and the Haitian tried to subdue him with tasers. He apparently used the ability instinctively to slow time. When time resumed its normal flow, the taser darts fell to the ground instead of continuing their flight. It isn't clear whether this was a side-effect of Peter manipulating time (like Hiro's manipulation of the handgun in Unexpected) or the result of some other ability Peter used (like telekinesis). In The Line, Peter teleported and time-traveled with Caitlin without intense concentration although it was completely by accident as he wanted to know what the future held and accidentally teleported there. When he returned to his time it was an accident as well.

In Truth & Consequences, Peter is able to speak with Hiro despite Hiro stopping time, indicating that he spontaneously used this ability to interact with Hiro.

In I Am Become Death, Peter demonstrates more advanced control of the ability, teleporting from New York to Costa Verde at will, without moving through time and without intense concentration either. After activating intuitive aptitude with Gabriel Gray's help, Peter is able to teleport and time travel to the correct destination and timeframe.

Future Peter Petrelli or Future Peter Petrelli

In the explosion future, Peter used this ability to teleport himself and others as well as to stop time (Five Years Gone). A different Future Peter has demonstrated teleporting himself and others, stopping time and traveling back in time. He has enough control over his ability that he is able to teleport others without necessarily teleporting himself. (The Second Coming). Like the present day Peter and Hiro Nakamura, Future Peter has also displayed the ability to take people with him through his teleports even in time (I Am Become Death).

Arthur Petrelli

Arthur has used this ability to teleport to Africa, and then to go back to Pinehearst. (It's Coming)

Arthur was also able to time travel sixteen years in the past, to the Charles Deveaux's rooftop, and was capable of sending Claire through time and space without teleporting himself.

Arnold

Arnold has used this ability on one occasion so far, sending Samuel back in time 14 years to visit Hiro. It is as of yet unclear as to whether or not he traveled with Samuel; it's possible he sent him away in the same manner that Future Peter Petrelli teleported Matt to Africa without going with him. As with Hiro, Arnold is also dying. So far, it is unclear as to whether or not this is due to his ability or if it's attributed to another factor. Indeed, Arnold appears to be a great deal older than Hiro.

Selected Examples

• 
  Hiro teleports himself from Tokyo to New York City, arriving five weeks in the future.
  (Genesis)
• 
  Future Hiro travels back to the past to speak with Peter Petrelli.
  (Collision, Hiros)
• 
  Hiro stops time to save D.L. Hawkins and an unnamed passenger from a car explosion.
  (Nothing to Hide)
• 
  On the roof of the Deveaux Building, Peter stops time to avoid being shot with a taser.
  (Unexpected)
• 
  At a Primm parking lot, Hiro stops a gun shot--slowing time, then reversing Hope's bullet. (Unexpected)
• 
  Hiro stops Whitebeard's arrows mid-flight.
  (Four Months Later...)
• 
  Future Peter leaves Nathan.
  (The Butterfly Effect)
• 
  Arthur teleports back from Usutu's hut.
  (It's Coming)

Hiro's Weakened Ability

Hiro believes Takezo Kensei's sword and other factors--such as his own heroic intent -- are sources of his ability. Upon acquisition of the sword, Hiro was immediately able to use his abilities with both greater effect and less effort (Parasite). Prior to obtaining the sword, Hiro is sometimes frustrated by his lack of abilities. Instances of him being unable to control space-time include:

• when Ando and he are in the bathroom while Jessica wreaks havoc. (Better Halves)
• when he teleports "too far". (Six Months Ago)
• when he accidentally teleports while kissing Charlie. (Six Months Ago)
• when he is unable to use his ability to leave the roof of Yamagato Industries. (Six Months Ago)
• when he tries to stop time at the museum; He only slows it. (Godsend)
• at the parking garage, when he stares at the punch clock but is unable to manipulate time. (The Fix)

Following an encounter with his father, Hiro has discovered that his control over his ability depends on his self-confidence, not the sword. (How to Stop an Exploding Man)

Hiro's Partially Restored Ability

When Matt Parkman, Jr. used his ability on Hiro, he regained the time-stopping aspect of his ability. His ability to teleport and travel through time were compromised, though. (Cold Snap)

Hiro has also demonstrated that using his ability too much causes some kind of adverse effect. He had a terrible headache and his nose began to bleed after stopping time at least four times in less than five hours. (I Am Sylar)

After Hiro used his power to free the captured evolved humans and defeat Danko's team, Mohinder Suresh (one of the ones he freed) said that his body is rejecting his power for some reason and any more use of it could kill him. Hiro uses it to save Noah Bennet, stopping time for only a few seconds, but even that proves too much for him and he faints. (An Invisible Thread)

Hiro has recently regained the ability to time travel and has decided to begin fixing the past. However, he seems to lack control over this as he accidentally time traveled to the past and back and couldn't return at will. (Jump, Push, Fall) However, he has since demonstrated full control over this part of his ability again, being able to use it to time travel multiple times to try to save a co-worker (Acceptance). Also, Hiro's control over the ability seems to be greatly increased: he no longer needs to close his eyes in any form of concentration to time travel and has done it with his eyes open every time he used that ability since he regained it. Hiro's teleportation ability suddenly manifested itself when he is telling Kimiko about his illness (Acceptance), and causes him to inadvertantly teleport to Peter Petrelli's appartment, although the strain apparently causes him to faint moments later (Hysterical Blindness).

Memorable Quotes

"The Yogis in India and the Aborigines in Australia, both can bend time and space."

- Hiro (to Ando) (Genesis)

"No one ever got laid by stopping the second hand of a clock."

- Ando (Genesis)

"Oh, it's okay. I keep secret. I bend time and space. Teleport into future. We are both special."

- Hiro (to Nathan) (Hiros)

"Hiro Nakamura can stop time, teleport by folding space. Theoretically, he can fold time as well."

- Future Mohinder (to Future Matt) (Five Years Gone)

Notes

• When talking about merely slowing down time at the Museum of Natural History rather than actually stopping it, Hiro blogs, "Instead of Stop, I casted Haste."
• In an interview, Aron Coleite and Joe Pokaski explain that Hiro did reverse time with respect to Hope's gun in Unexpected.
• According to an entry in Hiro's blog, Hiro's cell phone's memory isn't affected by time traveling. In another entry, Hiro says he can freeze time for one minute pretty comfortably.
• In an interview, Tim Kring noted, "I didn't start off by saying I want a guy who can teleport. I started off by saying I wanted a guy who felt trapped in a life that was not his dream and what could be a power that would be most wish-fulfilling for that character? And that was the ability to teleport out of that life."
• It is unknown if the unconfirmed ability called "transportation" is related to space-time manipulation.
• Writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite explained that Hiro doesn't actually stop time, he just slows it down very much: "Whatever a nano of a nano second is, that's where they live." This is why he is able to have a "normal time" conversation with Daphne, who moves at super speeds.
• In a Super Bowl XLIII commercial where several characters suit up in football uniforms to battle against NFL stars, Hiro uses his ability to stop time, and run for a touchdown.
• Masi Oka explained in an interview that having a time travel companion brought the terminal illness: "That was started the adverse effect in Hiro's brain. The power is meant to have a capacity of one. When you start adding Ando, Suresh, and other people into that world, it just a strain that's put on Hiro's brain."

See Also

• For other uses of manipulation, see manipulation (disambig).
• For other uses of time travel, see time travel (disambig).
• For the similar power of moving instantly from one location to another, see teleportation.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Space-time manipulation for fan-created theories and other speculation.

Evolved Human Abilities edit
Abilities	Extension:DynamicPageList3 (DPL3), version 3.6.1: Error: MediaWiki\Extension\DynamicPageList3\Query::buildAndSelect: The DynamicPageList3 extension (version 3.6.1) produced a SQL statement which led to a Database error.<br/>The reason may be an internal error of DynamicPageList3 or an error that you made; especially when using parameters like 'categoryregexp' or 'titleregexp'. Usage of non-greedy <code>*?</code> matching patterns are not supported.<br/>The error message was:<br/><code></code>
Evolutions Abilities	Extension:DynamicPageList3 (DPL3), version 3.6.1: Error: MediaWiki\Extension\DynamicPageList3\Query::buildAndSelect: The DynamicPageList3 extension (version 3.6.1) produced a SQL statement which led to a Database error.<br/>The reason may be an internal error of DynamicPageList3 or an error that you made; especially when using parameters like 'categoryregexp' or 'titleregexp'. Usage of non-greedy <code>*?</code> matching patterns are not supported.<br/>The error message was:<br/><code></code>
Graphic Novel Abilities	Extension:DynamicPageList3 (DPL3), version 3.6.1: Error: MediaWiki\Extension\DynamicPageList3\Query::buildAndSelect: The DynamicPageList3 extension (version 3.6.1) produced a SQL statement which led to a Database error.<br/>The reason may be an internal error of DynamicPageList3 or an error that you made; especially when using parameters like 'categoryregexp' or 'titleregexp'. Usage of non-greedy <code>*?</code> matching patterns are not supported.<br/>The error message was:<br/><code></code>
See Also: Extension:DynamicPageList3 (DPL3), version 3.6.1: Error: MediaWiki\Extension\DynamicPageList3\Query::buildAndSelect: The DynamicPageList3 extension (version 3.6.1) produced a SQL statement which led to a Database error.<br/>The reason may be an internal error of DynamicPageList3 or an error that you made; especially when using parameters like 'categoryregexp' or 'titleregexp'. Usage of non-greedy <code>*?</code> matching patterns are not supported.<br/>The error message was:<br/><code></code> • Examples of space-time manipulation