Genetic modification formula

Genetic modification formula
Pinehearst completes the schematic for the genetic modification formula.
First mentioned:	The Second Coming
Owned by:	Company version: Half owned by Kaito Nakamura (deceased, formerly), Hiro Nakamura; Other half owned by Angela Petrelli Mohinder's version: Owned by Mohinder Suresh
Current status:	Angela's half: destroyed Hiro's half: destroyed The catalyst: Extinguished Mohinder's version: destroyed

A genetic modification formula, used by the Company, is capable of giving special abilities to people who don't have them naturally. The formula consisted of three parts: two halves of a schematic document placed in the care of Kaito Nakamura and Angela Petrelli, and a catalyst, held within the the body of Hiro Nakamura. Mohinder Suresh created a genetic modification formula on his own, but his version lacked the catalyst, resulting in negative side-effects. The physical formula was destroyed by Peter and Flint and the paper containing the written version was destroyed by Hiro. The catalyst was destroyed when Peter and Sylar killed Arthur Petrelli, its host at the time. A few of vials survived but have been tracked down and destroyed.

About

Graphic Novel:Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, Part 2

Daphne overhears Hiro tell Ando that what is inside the safe is their destiny.

The Second Coming

In his apartment, Mohinder discusses with Maya a means to suppress her ability. He theorizes that her ability activation is connected to her adrenaline levels, not her blood. He separates her tyrosine and combines it with the dopamine produced by her adrenals, then waits to see if the enzymes attach to the cortisol. When they do, he synthesizes a serum that he believes will allow anyone to develop an evolved human ability. After viewing a successful test of the drug on some chromosomes, he creates enough to inject into himself. Maya asks Mohinder to not use the drug and to destroy it, calling it evil. Mohinder takes the readied needle to the docks to throw it away, but decides he can't throw the serum away. He injects himself and passes out. He is awakened by people wanting to mug him, but easily fights them off.

Hiro Nakamura watches a recording of his father entrusting him to a secret that has been passed down in the Nakamura family. The secret is inside a safe at Yamagato Industries, but Mr. Nakamura instructs Hiro not to open the safe, for the contents of which could destroy the world. Hiro opens the safe and finds one half of the complex formula. Suddenly, Daphne Millbrook zooms into the office and steals the formula. Hiro slows time to get the formula back, but she runs off to Berlin, Germany to get the other half. Hiro time travels to a near future to see what happens if he doesn't get the formula back from Daphne. He learns that Ando has acquired the ability to shoot red lightning, and he uses this ability to take the half-formula from Hiro. Additionally, Hiro learns that Tokyo is under mass chaos and destruction. Hiro returns to his time and vows to get the formula back.

The Butterfly Effect

After returning to the lab, Mohinder realizes his ability has also given him enhanced senses and the ability to climb walls. Later, he appears to molt pieces of skin on his back.

Hiro and Ando teleport to Daphne Millbrook's apartment in Paris and look for the formula, which Daphne keeps behind the Mona Lisa. They attempt to make a trade for the document, but Daphne steals the paper and runs off.

One of Us, One of Them

Hiro and Ando pursue Daphne to a moviehaus in Berlin, where the transfer of the second half of the formula is supposed to occur. Hiro and Ando follow the Haitian and witness the transfer of the formula from a woman to the Haitian, who says that Mrs. Petrelli felt it needed to be moved to a more secure location. As the Haitian goes to leave, Hiro distracts him, and Ando knocks him out. Daphne grabs the briefcase and escapes at super speed, but when the Haitian revives, he captures Hiro and Ando before they can try to catch her.

I Am Become Death

The Haitian takes Hiro and Ando to Angela. Angela explains to them that the formula can give people abilities, and that the Company has lost now that another party has both pieces of the formula. Hiro and Ando swear that they will not rest until it is retrieved. She tells them that is a good thing, as Hiro has the key to unlocking the mystery anyway. Also, a future in which the formula is widely used is revealed.

Angels and Monsters

Tracy informs Nathan that a doctor gave them their abilities, dispelling his belief that they were a gift from God. Nathan confronts Angela, and she explains that Nathan wasn't born with a certain genetic code, and that he along with others, including Tracy, Niki, and Barbara, were used in experiments when they were infants and were given the formula.

It's Coming

Mohinder and Arthur wonder why their combined findings have not produced a successful formula. Mohinder realizes that there is a catalyst necessary that can only be found in a human being. Angela later reveals that the catalyst was hidden in a human being by Kaito.

One of Mohinder's test subjects was injected with "Batch 38" of the formula. This caused abnormal finger lengths, scarring, abnormally high heart rate, and scales similar to Mohinder's.

While at Angela's bedside, Claire tells Angela, Peter, Daphne, Matt and Nathan that she believes she is the catalyst.

Our Father

In the past, Hiro learns that his mother Ishi had the catalyst before Claire did and that she wants to give it to her son before she dies, which she believes will happen that night. Kaito refuses and wants it transferred to baby Claire. Hiro visits his mother later and convinces her of his identity. She restores his memories with her healing power and he convinces her to transfer the catalyst to him, after which she dies. On the rooftop, Hiro encounters Claire and informs her of what he's done. Arthur then arrives, having himself traveled through time, and steals both Hiro's powers and the catalyst from him before throwing Hiro off the rooftop and sending Claire back to her own time. At Pinehearst, Arthur adds the catalyst to a batch of the formula that Mohinder has prepared and it is tested on a marine named Scott. As it's tested, Arthur is confronted by Peter, the Haitian, and Sylar and is killed. The catalyst dies with him, leaving the only usable formula the one prepared before his death. The new formula works and imbues Scott with enhanced strength.

Dual

Peter, Knox and Flint team up to destroy the formula. Knox holds Nathan prisoner while Flint and Peter work on destroying the lab. Mohinder tries to convince them not to do it, but before he can inject himself with the formula to cure the problems with his ability, the syringe is stolen by Daphne allowing Ando to grant himself the ability to supercharge other people's powers. In the past Hiro with the help of his younger self steals the formula from the safe to destroy it, but Kaito catches him and tries to kill him. Hiro rips the formula in half, but before he can do more, he's rescued by Daphne and Ando leaving Kaito with the two halves of the formula. In the present Daphne and Hiro travel to Pinehearst and Hiro knocks out Tracy and steals the copy of the formula that's on paper. At Mohinder's lab in New York, he destroys it. At Pinehearst, Flint and Peter overturn a large container of the formula which washes over Mohinder, reversing the damage his imperfect version did to him. Mohinder flees while Flint and Peter destroy all the vials holding the formula, but before Flint can kill Peter and ignite the formula (which is highly flammable), Nathan knocks him out and fights Peter. Flint wakes up and ignites the formula. Peter finds an intact syringe containing the formula and seeing no choice, injects himself with it and -- regaining the power of flight -- flies himself and Nathan out of the building as the formula explodes, destroying Pinehearst.

Webisode:The Recruit, Part 1

Angela Petrelli interrogates Rachel Mills at a Primatech facility in Tappen, NJ. She asks Rachel about the serum that was at Pinehearst, but Rachel claims not to know anything about it. Angela then explains that the serum is dangerous and inferior, as it is not part of the program that recruited her.

Twelve hours earlier, Rachel was with Ryan Hanover and David Sullivan. Ryan gathers three vials of the serum and they begin to argue who should be injected first, when suddenly, an explosion goes off and the building starts to collapse.

Webisode:The Recruit, Part 2

Following the explosion at Pinehearst Headquarters, Ryan appears to Rachel and David, holding two of the three serum vials that had been given to them. He tells them he injected himself with one to aide an injury in his abdomen, and that he is going to keep the other vials. Rachel takes one away from him and injects David, who then begins to convulse and roar, much to Rachel and Ryan's amazement.

Webisode:The Recruit, Part 3

Rachel recalls stabbing the syringe, with the vial of serum in it, into David Sullivan.

Later, as Angela asks her what she did with the serum, Rachel has a flashback of destroying the syringe that the serum was in, but still holding the intact vial of serum in her hand. She tells Angela, however, that she destroyed the entire serum.

Webisode:The Recruit, Part 5

In a gas station's bathroom, Rachel recalls how at Pinehearst, she had taken the vial of serum out of the syringe she broke and hid it inside her shoulder wound. Back in the present, Rachel removes the serum from her wound and redresses the bandage using her shirt to tie it up.

When Rachel exits the bathroom, Angela Petrelli is waiting to take the serum from her. Angela demands the serum from Rachel and Rachel gives it to her.

Graphic Novel:What We Have Wrought

Driving away from the destroyed Pinehearst Headquarters, Tracy Strauss asks Mohinder if he can recreate the catalyzed formula. When Mohinder asks why he would do that, Tracy retorts that it is not important and the real question is if he can. Mohinder says that without a sample to isolate the catalyst, all he can do is create monsters like himself. When Tracy asks him what if he had a sample to work with, Mohinder asks where the sample would come from. Tracy lifts her skirt to reveal a vial of the formula, and says that this vial is probably the last in existence. She also points out that despite their faults, Arthur and Nathan were right: giving abilities to everyone in the world is the only way to save it. Tracy asks Mohinder to consider being a "hero", and further tries to lure him into the plan, saying that Mohinder will be recognized as the greatest man on earth. As Mohinder is about to give in, he snatches the formula from Tracy's hands and bails out of the car. He makes his way off the freeway and looks at the vial of the formula, asking himself if this is what he really wants before stomping on it, destroying it.

Recipients

The following people have been given a version of the formula and have developed synthetic abilities as a result:

Recipient	Circumstances	Ability gained	Notes
Niki Sanders	Injected with a version as part of an experiment performed by Dr. Zimmerman	Enhanced strength	Injected as a child with Tracy and Barbara.
Tracy Strauss	Injected with a version as part of an experiment performed by Dr. Zimmerman	Freezing	Injected as a child with Niki and Barbara.
Barbara	Injected with a version as part of an experiment performed by Dr. Zimmerman	Unknown	Injected as a child with Niki and Tracy.
Nathan Petrelli	Given a version of the formula at the order of Angela and Arthur	Flight	Given the injection by Dr. Zimmerman at Arthur and Angela's request.
Mohinder Suresh	1. Independently created his own version of the formula without the catalyst, and subsequently injected it into himself	Mohinder's ability	Injected himself with an incomplete formula, causing scale-like lesions on his skin and heightened sensitivity.
	2. Later soaked in the completed formula while it was being destroyed	Enhanced strength	His mutated skin and recently developed breathing difficulty were cured.
One of Mohinder's test subjects at Pinehearst	Given "Batch 38" of the formula by Mohinder	Unknown	Acquired skin lesions similar to, yet more severe than, those caused by Mohinder's ability, abnormal limb growth, and an accelerated heart rate before his death; no beneficial effects observed
Scott	Given the final result of the new formula with the catalyst by Nathan, Tracy and Mohinder	Enhanced strength	Injected as one of Pinehearst's recruits.
Ando Masahashi	Injected himself with a stolen vial of the formula in an attempt to save Hiro	Ability supercharging	Has been shown to amplify telepathy and super speed.
Peter Petrelli	Injected himself to save Nathan	Ability replication	Granted a modified form of power mimicry, that requires him to have physical contact.
Ryan Hanover	Injected himself in an attempt to survive a mortal wound	Unknown	Was killed before he could manifest an ability
David Sullivan	Given an injection by Rachel Mills in order to save his life	David's ability	His as-of-yet unknown ability began manifesting immediately, making him extremely fast and strong (although appearing to have a reduced state of mind), similar to Mohinder's ability

Notes

• Abilities given by the original formula appear to be indistinguishable from natural abilities:
  • Nathan and Niki both possess abilities granted this way, and Peter has mimicked their abilities of flight and enhanced strength, respectively.
  • In a possible future Sylar has stolen Nathan's ability.
  • Niki lost her ability to the Shanti virus.
  • Nathan temporarily lost his ability due to the effects of the eclipse, as well as Mohinder, despite his formula lacking the catalyst.
• In a future where the formula was mass produced, flight was observed as a common ability gained through the formula.
• The main molecule that appears in the center of the document which contains the formula is the structure of maitotoxin, an extremely powerful toxin produced by a type of algae. The molecule of caffeine can also be seen in the bottom left.

Gallery

• 
  Hiro looks at the formula his father gave him.
• 
  Future Ando and Future Hiro fight over the formula.
• 
  Mohinder views unaltered chromosomes under a microscope before applying his serum.
• 
  The chromosomes mutate, giving Mohinder the answer his father could never find.
• 
  On a pier, Mohinder injects an imperfect form of the serum into his arm.
• 
  The nearly completed formula resides in a vat in the Pinehearst laboratory...
• 
  ...but after Arthur comes and releases the catalyst into the vat...
• 
  ...the formula glows, signifying its completion.

See also

• For the ability that is capable of restoring abilities, see activation and deactivation.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Genetic modification formula for fan-created theories and other speculation. Template:Pinehearst