Peter Petrelli/Season One
This article archives the history of Peter Petrelli during Season One.
For more about Peter Petrelli, see the main article.
For Peter Petrelli's Season Two history, see here.
For Peter Petrelli's Season Three history, see here.
For Peter Petrelli's Season Four history, see here.
Character History
Genesis
Peter Petrelli stands on a building before falling. Peter then wakes up in the home of Charles Deveaux, a patient under his care. Peter keeps "having these amazing dreams" that he is flying when he closes his eyes. Turning to his brother Nathan, Peter talks about his intense dreams. However, Nathan is a politician running for Congress and extremely busy. Although he does listen, he disregards Peter's claims that he can fly and wonders why Peter would come to him, anyway. News of their mother's arrest for shoplifting interrupts their conversation. At the police station, Peter and Nathan talk with their mother Angela. Recently widowed, she has been doing odd things such as this for several months. Nathan, more concerned with his campaign than his mother, tells her to "get over it." Peter attempts to be understanding and talks with his mother while Nathan eventually leaves. As they talk, Peter tells his mother about an almost metaphysical connection he feels he has with his brother, recalling a time in the past where Peter knew Nathan had been hurt prior to anyone contacting him; his mother is unconvinced.
Later at the campaign headquarters, Nathan has managed to sweep his mother's arrest under the rug and wishes she'd just get a hobby. Peter, on the other hand, simply sees it as a cry for attention and a sign of loneliness. Nathan then transitions the conversation into offering Peter a job as his coordinator. However, Peter is turned off by Nathan's self-serving intentions and attempt to "do the right thing" by him. He declines, saying he doesn't want his brother's pity, and walks out. There in the street, Peter hails a cab. The driver is Mohinder Suresh, and the two begin a conversation. Peter asks Mohinder about "being special" and Mohinder tells him about evolution. Suddenly, Peter gets a call from Simone Deveaux—daughter of his patient Charles—telling him to hurry over to Isaac's place.
Peter and Simone arrive at the apartment of her boyfriend, Isaac Mendez. Simone explains Isaac's ability to "paint the future". Simone finds Isaac lying on the ground, apparently overdosed on heroin. She frantically calls 911 while Peter discovers a painting that depicts him flying off of a building. Isaac has also painted a large floor mural depicting the city being destroyed in a nuclear explosion. Isaac's only words are, "We have to stop it."
Later, Peter stands above a building and summons Nathan to prove that he can fly. However, when Peter jumps, he falls, and it's Nathan who flies up to rescue him. However, Nathan loses his grip, and Peter falls.
Don't Look Back
Peter awakens in a hospital bed. At his side is Nathan, who, when asked, claims neither of them flew and Peter simply jumped, nearly killing himself. Between this and his mother's revelation that Peter's late father had apparently been mentally unstable as well as suicidal, Peter is led to believe he's going crazy. Drawing a crude stick figure image with one figure levitating a few feet above the ground, Peter gets an idea. Attempting to cope and find out the truth, Peter stands on the edge of another rooftop later that evening. Nathan arrives, and Peter threatens to jump if Nathan doesn't tell him what really happened. Nathan tells Peter that they both flew. However, Peter thinks that Nathan is lying to make him feel better, and he becomes angry. Nathan then points out that Peter is walking on thin air, and Peter is relieved to know that they can both fly.
One Giant Leap
Peter repeatedly tries to fly (or at least levitate) while at a playground, only to crash to the ground each time. Heading back to campaign headquarters, Peter tells Nathan about a book written by Chandra Suresh. Peter believes the author "knows what's going on" and wants to find him, but neither Nathan's focus nor his disinterest in his powers have changed. Bumping into Simone after just leaving Charles Deveaux's apartment, Peter tells her he has given up his job as a nurse. He says he no longer feels right "trying to save the world one person at a time" and is meant for something more. As Peter leaves the building, the two comment on hoping to see each other. Later, they do just that at an event held by Nathan. During the event, Peter confesses his love to Simone, stating "I've been in love with you since the moment I first laid eyes on you." During Nathan's speech, he talks about his family, particularly his ill late father. Over the course of the speech, the focus turns to Peter and Nathan publicly refers to Peter's attempt to fly as a suicide attempt. Shocked and offended, Peter eventually runs out, followed by a concerned Simone. After the event, Peter punches Nathan as he is getting into his car, calling him an SOB. Immediately held back by Nathan's bodyguards, Peter furiously denounces Nathan's comment during the speech. When the guards let Peter go, he goes in for another blow to his brother's jaw. Asked by Nathan if he'll at least go along with what was said, Peter angrily shrugs and walks away.
Out in the pouring rain, Peter meets up with Simone while trying to hail a cab. He quickly insists that what Nathan said about him wasn't true and Simone says she knows. Then the two exchange a kiss under her red umbrella (just as Isaac predicted.)
Graphic Novel:Trial By Fire
As Nathan flies to rescue a girl, he thinks of how jealous Peter would be.
Collision
Peter and Simone wake up together in Peter's apartment. Nathan comes to Peter's door and tells him about his "visit" from Mohinder, whom he mistakes for Chandra Suresh. Nathan asks Peter to "disappear for a while" and offers him money to do so. Peter refuses the money, instead deciding to visit Mohinder at Mohinder's apartment. Peter confesses that he does indeed have the ability to copy other people's powers and the two travel to Isaac's apartment to see Peter's power in action. Since Isaac is high on heroin and in a precognitive trance when they arrive, they assume he isn't home and ride back on the subway. Suddenly, time stops and everyone freezes except Peter. Soon, he is confronted by Future Hiro, who says he did not recognize Peter "without his scar", indicating Peter will likely receive a facial injury at some point. Hiro tells Peter that he has a message for him.
Hiros
Peter is on the subway, speaking with Future Hiro, who is risking a rift by being there. Future Hiro tells Peter that if he "saves the cheerleader" he'll "save the world". Hiro also tells him to relay the message to Hiro's present-day self when he attempts to call Isaac's apartment. After this, Hiro teleports away and time starts again.
Peter travels to Isaac Mendez's apartment as instructed by Hiro, but Isaac is hardly receptive of Simone's new beau. But with some goading, Peter convinces Isaac that they must work together and proves to Isaac that he doesn't need drugs to paint the future by copying Isaac's power and finishing one of his paintings. The finished picture shows a man in a baseball cap standing over a a cheerleader with the top of her head cut off, and the two realize they need to stop that from happening. When present-day Hiro calls to warn Isaac of his death, Peter tells him he's got a message for him.
Better Halves
Peter tells Hiro, through Ando, about his visit from Future Hiro. He relays the message and tells Hiro to meet him and Isaac in New York City so they can locate "the cheerleader". He and Isaac work with Isaac's paintings, looking for a clue as to the girl's identity. Peter realizes the last batch of paintings fit together like a comic page—but with one panel missing. Isaac tells him that Simone took a piece which was about the right size and shape to sell in her gallery.
Nothing to Hide
Peter awakens from a dream, where he told Charles Deveaux that he could fly, with a teary-eyed Simone at his door. She tells him that her father just died. They go to Isaac's apartment to tell him, but find it emptied out. Simone tells Peter that, just before he died, her father woke up and told her that he had been flying over the world with Peter, who told him everything would be okay. She then tells him that she sold the missing painting to Mr. Linderman.
Peter goes to Nathan's house in Hyde Park to enlist his aid in getting the painting from Linderman. He discovers his family having brunch with Oliver Dennison, a reporter from the New York Journal. When Nathan turns him down, he threatens to fly off the terrace, but instead sits down to brunch and proceeds to charm Mr. Dennison. When Dennison mentions he heard Nathan was seen with a blonde in Las Vegas, Peter tells him Nathan was meeting with a depression specialist on Peter's behalf.
Later, Nathan comes to Peter's apartment. Peter tries to convince him to tell Heidi the truth about Niki, but Nathan claims Heidi needs hope more than the truth. Nathan tells him he wasn't able to get the painting.
Homecoming
Peter meets Simone at Isaac's apartment. She shows him the ruined painting and tells him Nathan destroyed it to protect Peter. She shows him a photograph of the painting and tells him the location of Union Wells High School. Peter calls Hiro Nakamura's cell phone and speaks to Ando, who tells him they are already in Midland, TX. Peter flies to Midland-Odessa and meets Ando at the Burnt Toast Diner, but Ando tells him that Hiro has vanished into the past to save Charlie.
At the school, Peter examines a trophy case display about "Jackie Wilcox's" rescue of the man from the train wreck. Claire runs into him and they discuss Jackie and high school. After she encounters Sylar in the locker room, Claire runs back out into the hallway and collides with Peter again. Peter tries to hold Sylar off while Claire escapes. Sylar telekinetically rips doors off of nearby lockers and hurls them at Peter, who follows Claire out onto the stone bleachers. Peter tells Claire to get to the stadium because Sylar doesn't want to be seen. After Claire leaves, Peter and Sylar struggle at the top of the bleachers, and both men fall off the back of the bleachers to the ground below. Claire returns to find Peter regenerating his wounds, resetting his broken bones. He sends her away for help, and the police arrive. Seeing him apparently unhurt and covered in blood, they arrest him.
Six Months Ago
A party is thrown to celebrate Peter's graduation from nursing school. Among the guests are his brother Nathan, Nathan's wife Heidi, and his mother Angela. He and his mother discuss his father and how he disapproved of Peter's career choice. During the party, Peter, Nathan, and Heidi sit on a balcony and discuss Peter's goals for his job - hospice care. Nathan pokes fun at him.
Seconds after Nathan's accident, Peter wakes up in a cold sweat. He believes he dreamt the accident as or before it occurred, and talks about his dream with Nathan, while Heidi is in surgery. Peter decides to give a deposition against Linderman and his organization, who were responsible for the car wreck. As Peter prepares for his deposition, he is informed by Nathan that their father has died of a heart attack.
Fallout
At the Odessa Sheriff's Department, Peter is visited in his cell by Nathan, who talks about the happenings during Homecoming. Peter continues to wonder if he saved the world. Nathan insists that he's meant to do a lot of things, but saving the world isn't one of them. Peter then sees Sylar taking the place of Nathan as he finishes speaking, and wakes up.
Matt and Audrey come into Peter's room, and ask him questions that may help them look for leads in the Sylar case. Peter mimics Matt's telepathy, and the two powers collide, creating a disturbing feedback and much confusion. They are unable to get anything out of Peter, but assure him that he's not a suspect.
Later, Claire and Mr. Bennet come to visit Peter. Claire tells him that she can heal and that she is glad that she isn't the only one with strange abilities. Peter realizes his ability is correct, and that he does absorb others' powers, and more importantly that he saved the right cheerleader.
Nathan arrives and informs Peter that he's free to leave the jail. As they are walking out, Peter cannot walk straight. Peter collapses to the ground, and suddenly seems to be elsewhere. Everything is silent, and Peter realizes many people are trying to get away from him, except for his brother, Nathan. He then bursts into red flames, and explodes in the center of the city, causing the massive explosion Isaac's painting predicted. As he regains his consciousness, Peter reveals to Nathan that he is the cause of the bomb in New York City, then loses consciousness.
Graphic Novel:Super-Heroics
While in a coma at the hospital, Peter has a dream that he's a comic book superhero fighting a villain called "The Rocket".
Godsend
Peter's condition worsens in the hospital — he's burning up with a "persistent idiopathic fever". While unconscious, he experiences brief visionary flashes. He sees an unknown bearded man who laughs at him. He sees his hands begin glowing with energy. Nathan approaches, and Peter tells him that he "took his power" and that he can't control it. Nathan asks to help, but Peter tells him he can't. Nathan says that he's not going to leave him. Eventually, Peter loses control completely and explodes, killing Nathan and Simone, and ultimately destroying much of New York City. Peter awakens screaming.
Outside on the street, Peter makes a cell phone call asking for the first flight out of New York City to the Nevada desert, since nuclear bombs have been tested there. Peter makes arrangements to fly to Las Vegas. As he's talking on the phone, he sees the bearded man from his vision stealing money from someone’s wallet. The man walks away, and Peter follows him, calling out to him. Peter grabs the man and asks what's he's doing. The man is surprised Peter can see him. He pushes Peter up against a lamp and tells him that nobody sees him — he's invisible.
The Fix
On a street in Manhattan, Peter tries to convince the man, Claude, to teach him to control his power so he won't destroy the city. Claude refuses; as he walks away, he becomes invisible to Peter, and Peter becomes visible to people on the sidewalk. Later, Peter finds Claude on the roof of the building where he took care of Charles Deveaux. Peter presses Claude to help keep him from exploding, and Claude offers to kill him as a solution. Peter goes to his apartment and packs to leave town. Nathan and Mohinder interrupt him, offering their help. Peter says there's nothing they can do, and runs away. Claude intercepts Peter in the hall. Claude agrees to teach Peter, warning him that it will be hard work.
Distractions
| “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. God she's a sweet kid. Sad little smile, she just -- You were wrong! I don't have to cut her out. I have to remember her!” |
| — Peter Petrelli, to Claude (Distractions) |
Peter continues to work with Claude to learn to control his powers. Claude says Peter needs to learn to hang on to a power that he is duplicating, so he steals a purse from a lady standing on the street, hands it to Peter, and then leaves; Peter quickly becomes visible. Later, Claude tells Peter that his problem is that he is distracted too much by all the people he is trying to please. Claude says that people are all selfish, and Peter needs to stop worrying about them. Peter protests, arguing that not all people are like that, citing Simone as an example.
They follow Simone to the roof of her father's building; Peter denies that Simone's intimacy with Isaac is a sign that his trust is misplaced. Claude tells Peter he needs to stop arguing and just remember how to fly; he then pushes Peter off the roof. Peter falls and lands on a taxi cab, but he rapidly heals from the injury. He duplicates Claire's regenerative power because he thought of her on the way down. Realizing that he needs to remember people — not forget them — to call up their powers, he suddenly starts frenetically duplicating many powers at once, including Isaac's precognition, causing him to see visions of himself exploding again. Claude knocks him out to stop the visions.
Unexpected
At Isaac's apartment, Isaac and Mr. Bennet talk about their continuing search for the invisible Peter. Later, Simone additionally urges Isaac to find Peter, and Nathan to publicize his powers.
On the rooftop of the Deveaux building, Peter and Claude invisibly fight. Peter overpowers Claude using telekinesis, a power he realizes comes from Sylar. Later, as Peter and Claude discuss Claude's pigeons and evolution, Mr. Bennet and the Haitian fire tasers at them. Though they are invisible, they are detected with thermal vision goggles. Peter manages to stop the probes right before they reach him, and after a pause the tasers suddenly drop to the ground. Peter throws Claude off the roof of the building, flies down to catch him, and then flies away to his apartment. For his efforts, Claude punches Peter, accuses Peter of knowing that "they" were after him, and angrily shows Peter the mark on his neck before storming out.
Peter arrives in Isaac's apartment, echoing a fresh painting of Isaac's. Peter confronts Isaac about his association with Mr. Bennet. Peter pushes Isaac down and asks him what the marks on his neck mean. When Isaac claims ignorance, Peter becomes enraged and telekinetically throws him across the room. When Isaac draws a gun, Peter turns invisible and begins throwing paint cans at Isaac. Isaac fires, but hits Simone instead; she collapses into Peter's arms.
Company Man
Matt and Claire discuss Peter and how they know about each other. They both say that he can do what they can do. Matt says that he heard Peter think "save the cheerleader" and that Claire must be the cheerleader. Matt said that Peter told him to protect Claire from someone who was hurting people like them.
Parasite
Peter and Isaac watch over Simone's body in Isaac's apartment, with Isaac frantically telling Peter that it was Peter who was supposed to have been shot. Isaac asks if there's anything Peter can do, but Peter declares her dead. He then picks her up and places her on a bed, sadly watching her lifeless body. Isaac then grabs the gun and begins shooting at Peter once more. Peter manages to dodge the first few shots, and then turns invisible. He creates several distractions, and then manages to escape Isaac's apartment.
Peter then visits Nathan in his office, and tells him Simone has died. Nathan, trying to comfort him, suggests that he go and make an anonymous phone call to report Simone's death. Peter, hardly feeling better, confesses that all he ever wanted to be was a hero, but he only ends up hurting the people he loves. Nathan reminds Peter of Professor Suresh, who is searching for a cure. Peter thinks it is too late, but just then, Nathan's campaign manager comes in to inform Nathan of his flight to Las Vegas. Nathan turns around to talk to his campaign manager, then turns back, only to discover that Peter has turned invisible. Peter then makes his way out the nearby door, and Nathan tries to stop him, but is unsuccessful.
Peter later visits Mohinder's apartment, with nowhere else to go. However, he finds his entry impeded by a chair, and the place is dark. Peter calls out for Mohinder repeatedly, but gets no response. However, he feels some drops of liquid coming down from above. Horrified to see it is blood, he looks up, to see a bloody, but alive, Mohinder. He whispers hoarsely "Sylar". Then, Sylar himself appears before Peter, and Sylar announces his recognition of Peter. He also realizes that Peter is "like him", so he wants to see how. He then pushes Peter against a wall, and begins cutting off the top half of Peter's head.
.07%
As Sylar begins to use telekinesis to cut into Peter's head, the wound instantly heals, surprising Sylar. Peter retaliates with his own telekinesis, throwing Sylar across Mohinder's apartment and into a cupboard. The impact briefly stuns Sylar, causing him to drop both Peter and Mohinder. As Sylar recovers, Peter turns invisible, but Sylar sprays the room with shards of glass, stabbing Peter in the back of his head. Unable to heal this wound, Peter falls to the ground.
Later, at his mom's home, Nathan, Angela and Claire mourn Peter's death. Claire, however, finds the shard of broken glass and removes it, reviving Peter. He later talks with Nathan about the explosion and Claire.
Graphic Novel:String Theory
When Future Hiro needs someone to "save the cheerleader" in order to "save the world", he decides Peter would not fail. Hiro meets him in a New York City subway, freezes time, and delivers the message.
The Hard Part
At the Petrelli mansion, Peter tries to convince Claire to stay in New York to help stop the explosion; she tells Peter about Ted Sprague’s power, explaining to Peter and Nathan that Ted nearly exploded in Odessa. Peter asks Nathan to call the FBI and have them pick up Ted.
Later, Peter and Claire arrive to visit Nathan at his campaign office, but Claire sees Thompson through the shades and refuses to enter for fear of being caught. She tells Peter that her adoptive father used to work for Thompson and endangered himself so that she could escape.
Peter follows Claire back to the mansion to stop her from leaving for Paris. He tells her that he knows how she can save the world. He gives her a gun and asks her to use it to kill him if he ever gets out of control. He also shows Claire his sketchbook, containing drawings of the explosion and a picture Claire confirms to be Ted. Peter recognizes the location of the drawing.
Leaving the mansion, Peter and Claire run into Matt, Mr. Bennet and Ted on the street in the same location shown in Peter's drawing. As Claire and Mr. Bennet embrace, Peter starts absorbing Ted's ability and struggles to control it.
Landslide
In Kirby Plaza, Peter is absorbing Ted’s power and having difficulty controlling it. He tells Claire to do what she has to do, but as she draws her gun, he gets the power under control and tells her it’s okay.
Peter convinces Ted that the two of them need to leave New York before either can cause the explosion, and Claire decides to accompany them. Peter hears Sylar planning an attack on Ted and realizes that that Sylar is stalking them. Before they can formulate a plan, FBI agents ambush and arrest Ted. Peter grabs Claire and makes them both disappear.
Leaving town by car, Peter and Claire become stuck in traffic. They leave the car to see the cause of the traffic jam, which is an overturned FBI van containing Ted’s dead body. Peter realizes that Sylar has killed Ted and that Sylar could be the cause of the explosion. Claire tells Peter he has to stop Sylar, but Peter tells her how Sylar defeated him before.
How to Stop an Exploding Man
While Peter and Claire are leaving the scene of Ted's murder, Claire calls her father. After Claire tells Bennet about Sylar taking Ted's nuclear power, Bennet asks to talk to Peter. He tells him that Peter's the only one who can stop Sylar. When asked how they'll find him, Bennet tells Peter of a tracking system being fixed. Peter pulls the rental car into a parking lot, where Nathan is waiting. Claire tells Peter that Nathan isn't trustworthy and isn't needed, but Peter tells her that he's afraid and needs his brother. He reads Claire's thoughts to reveal Claire's distrust for Peter now. Peter goes to Nathan and informs him about Sylar and that he needs his brother's help. Nathan says Claire doesn't need to be involved, but Peter tells him that she's the only one who can stop Sylar or himself. As Nathan talks, Peter reads Nathan's thoughts about the explosion and realizes that he cannot trust his brother, as Claire had urged. Realizing Claire is not now in the car, he runs to find her, turning invisible. He runs outside, but is overwhelmed by his glowing hands and passes out.
Peter, unconscious in the street, awakes in a dream on the rooftop of the Deveaux building. He's surprised to see himself pushing out Charles Deveaux in a wheelchair with Angela in tow. After leaving the two friends, this other Peter meets Simone. When asked about their parents' connections, the other Peter notes that Angela is full of surprises. He goes on to tell Simone that he is not a hero, but that Charles is, explaining his thoughts on death, beauty and life. After seeing his other self and Simone leave, Peter overhears Charles talking to Angela about Linderman's plan and that he believes Peter is special. He believes that heart will save the world, not strength: Peter is the key, not Nathan. Angela disagrees, and that the bomb will occur and Nathan will lead the world after. Charles expresses his disagreement on the inevitability of the explosion and that he won't live to see the true outcome. Angela wishes him well and leaves her good friend. Charles then acknowledges Peter's presence, and remarks that invisibility would be a good ability to have. Peter asks how he's here, wondering if it's a dream, him time-traveling, or if Charles is doing it. Charles tells him that he's there because he needs to be: to learn that he will save the world. Charles notes that Peter has the ability to love unconditionally, reminding him of a previous conversation that love is all that matters. He yells aloud that he is tired, and Peter watches his other self come and wheel Charles away.
Bennet soon wakes Peter up, noting the tracking system's success in finding Peter. Bennet tells Peter that Claire is with Peter's mother and leaving the city. He tells Peter that he's paying Peter back for saving Claire by helping him stop Sylar. Peter asks how he can be stopped in case he can't stop the radioactive ability, but Bennet tells him he'll shoot him himself. When Peter thanks Mr. Bennet, he replies, "Call me Noah."
Bennet and Peter arrive at Kirby Plaza, where Sylar sneaks up on the two and telekinetically throws Bennet across the plaza, disabling him. Sylar asks if he's killed Peter before, but Peter quips that it didn't take. Sylar begins to choke Peter telekinetically when Matt arrives, firing multiple shots at Sylar. Sylar catches the shots in midair and projects them back at Matt, injuring him. Sylar tells Peter he will not let him ruin it for him by exploding and grabs a nearby parking meter, sending it across the plaza to his hand. After hitting Peter, Niki sees the ensuing conflict and steps in. She catches Sylar's next swing and hits him. Peter gets up and tells Niki to go to her family, then punches Sylar multiple times. Sylar begins to laugh as Peter's hands begin to glow. Peter yells in disbelief, but Sylar tells Peter that he is the villain and Sylar is in fact the hero. Suddenly, Hiro appears and stabs Sylar, proclaiming "Yatta!" and proving him wrong about being the hero, even though Peter is the exploding man. Peter meets Hiro for the first time and asks him to kill him so he will not explode. Suddenly, Sylar telekinetically throws Hiro across the plaza. Hiro quickly teleports away before hitting a building.
Peter continues to grow in intense light when Claire arrives. She takes the gun from her father and approaches Peter. Peter tells her she has to kill him, telling her she's the only one. She asks if there's any other way, but he tells her there is no other way. Suddenly, Nathan flies in, telling his daughter that there is another way. He says the future isn't written in stone and lowers the gun. Peter tells Nathan that he can't control his ability, but Nathan tells him he's not leaving and there's another way to end it. Peter tells Nathan he cannot let his brother die, but Nathan will not let others die. He tells Peter that Peter saved the cheerleader, so they can save the world. After expressing love for one another, Nathan carries Peter and flies high into the sky. As the others look to the heavens, a large explosion occurs, peacefully burning out.