How is Peter using his old powers?

[Xanderman]

Everything from before the memory wipe should be gone. They've established in season one how Peter's abilities are supposed to work -- his abilities are supposed to be empathically based, he must connect with his feelings/memories of the person to use their powers, or simply be near to them.

And yet he's stumbling upon them one after the other, accidentally apparently, and can use them at will. This wasn't the case in the first season where they made a big song and dance about how Peter's talents work and don't work.

Inconsistent writing? Are they abandoning the original concept? Or is that necklace allowing him to access his powers without his memories somehow? They haven't yet explained where he got that necklace yet right...maybe it's the key to all this?

[Merfish]

The Irish chick activates his empath abilities

[XanthusAZ]

I'm pretty sure that they're abandoning the original idea of him only being able to access his powers when he feels what the original power-holders made him feel. Now, he just absorbs powers and uses them, though hopefully they will go back to the original concept of him being an empath, because I liked that a lot more.

[pycer]

Actually, remember one little line...Claude says 'Your body still remembers how' so, makes it sound like to me that once he's picked up a a power, his body knows how to use it, it only takes a particular emotion to or mixture of them to draw them out. Note the anger he displayed when pulling his vader move, but that when he attempted to use his powers on purpose he could not. I think it's more subconscious use rather than conscious desire.

[last man of krypton]

I wonder if it's more reflective of his personality right now; empathy was a big part of his previous life as a nurse, so through empathy he had access to his powers, so without a memory his powers appear randomly (further, Claude thought Peter's powers were activated through forgetting about everyone else, kinda like what he was trying to do with his lonely life).

[KryptonzGirl]

I sort of see it as..when a person loses their memory and have amnesia. They don't forget how to speak,breathe or walk. Peter's abilites are apart of him and are connected to his emotions. Right now, his abilities only come with adrenaline and emotion. Kind of like how a child is able to lift a car off of his trapped father but not able to do so any other time. (story in the news)

[Drolfin]

Let's say that peter used to have to remember Claire or Sylar or whoever to use their power. Well, maybe now when he feels LIKE them, the power comes out. He seems to get telekinesis when he's pissed, phasing when he was trapped, etc. Maybe his emotions now trigger the powers, but he can't do it the other way around.

[Patient101]

Remember when claude was training peter and tried to break his skull with a broom stick? Peter used sylars power without thinking about sylar until after the fact when claude asked him where the power came from. He can trigger them on need and emotion without having to specificly remember the person he got it from...

[Ginx]

Originally posted by XanthusAZ
I'm pretty sure that they're abandoning the original idea of him only being able to access his powers when he feels what the original power-holders made him feel. Now, he just absorbs powers and uses them, though hopefully they will go back to the original concept of him being an empath, because I liked that a lot more.

I don't think they are abandoning it - just showing us that Claude was correct in that Peter had to think of the power not how he felt or the person etc. Peter was just fixated on doing it that way because that is the way he was training his body to do it subconsciously - now Peter's body remembers but Peter does not - so he's learning to use his powers reactivly and not so much thinking about it......

at least that's my take. Best thing that could have happened to Peter was to get a fresh start.

[Merfish]

My thoughts:

I think his powers activate by how he felt or feels about the person that he absorbed the power from.
for instance

Telekinesis=Anger

[Xanderman]

Lots of great ideas guys.

However if it's just a matter of "feeling the right emotion" to draw out the power, how do you account for his auto-healing after he got shot? What feelings does or did he link with Claire? Pain and suffering? Dying?:lol:

Originally posted by Merfish
The Irish chick activates his empath abilities That's a cool idea. You could be right. "Heroes/mutants" are supposed to be naturally drawn to each other afterall and such, right...
I still think it's possible the necklace might be involved.

Originally posted by XanthusAZ
I'm pretty sure that they're abandoning the original idea of him only being able to access his powers when he feels what the original power-holders made him feel. Now, he just absorbs powers and uses them, though hopefully they will go back to the original concept of him being an empath, because I liked that a lot more. I doubt they would abandon something they spent an entire season developing...there's probably an explanation, like the Irish girl doing something, or that necklace?

Originally posted by pycer
Actually, remember one little line...Claude says 'Your body still remembers how' so, makes it sound like to me that once he's picked up a a power, his body knows how to use it, it only takes a particular emotion to or mixture of them to draw them out. Note the anger he displayed when pulling his vader move, but that when he attempted to use his powers on purpose he could not. I think it's more subconscious use rather than conscious desire. Still, Peter made it a point to mention he had a flash of Claire specifically right before he crash-landed to his death after Claude shoved him off the roof. So I'd say it's more than just emotions, it's his emotions as connected to his memories of the person. If it were just emotions, Peter's powers would activate out of his control all the time any time he lost control of his emotions. Based on this line of thinking, he must specifically think about the person as well, which requires memory of them.

Originally posted by last man of krypton
empathy was a big part of his previous life as a nurse, so through empathy he had access to his powers, so without a memory his powers appear randomly But it wasn't always random. Recall he conveniently auto-healed after he was shot. All other instances of regen before that he either first thought of Claire specifically or she was near to him.

Originally posted by KryptonzGirl
I sort of see it as..when a person loses their memory and have amnesia. They don't forget how to speak,breathe or walk. Peter's abilites are apart of him and are connected to his emotions. Right now, his abilities only come with adrenaline and emotion. Kind of like how a child is able to lift a car off of his trapped father but not able to do so any other time. (story in the news) If Peter's powers activate based on his feelings (like fear) or needs of the moment then he would be just like the original power-holder basically to me. Using powers for him is supposed to be slightly different, requiring extra effort on his part.

Originally posted by Drolfin
Let's say that peter used to have to remember Claire or Sylar or whoever to use their power. Well, maybe now when he feels LIKE them, the power comes out. He seems to get telekinesis when he's pissed, phasing when he was trapped, etc. Maybe his emotions now trigger the powers, but he can't do it the other way around. But DL didn't always feel trapped, and Sylar wasn't always pissed....lol. Those powers tended to be used usually when DL felt trapped or Sylar was pissed, yes, but not always. It's supposed to be connected to how Peter feels about the person specifically, which is more complex than a single emotion.

Originally posted by Patient101
Remember when claude was training peter and tried to break his skull with a broom stick? Peter used sylars power without thinking about sylar until after the fact when claude asked him where the power came from. He can trigger them on need and emotion without having to specificly remember the person he got it from... If he can access them from need alone, then it's like he owns the power as the original holder does -- which doesn't seem right to me. And if it's just emotion, I have trouble with the auto-healing he did after he got beat up and also after he got shot. His feelings about Claire can't be those of pain and suffering, can they? Lol I thought he had warmer/nicer/deeper feelings connected with her...

Originally posted by Ginx
I don't think they are abandoning it - just showing us that Claude was correct in that Peter had to think of the power not how he felt or the person etc. Peter was just fixated on doing it that way because that is the way he was training his body to do it subconsciously - now Peter's body remembers but Peter does not - so he's learning to use his powers reactivly and not so much thinking about it......

at least that's my take. Best thing that could have happened to Peter was to get a fresh start. Reactively is great and all, but reactively is how some other people's powers work, like Claire's for example, who reacts to body damage. Peter's powers are supposed to be empathically centered, and not so automatic...if his body reacts to what it or he needs at the moment, then it's like the powers are his completely, just as with the original power-holders.


So anyway, I think I'm confusing myself.:lol: Right now I'm liking Merfish's idea of a connection to the Irish girl. (I'm also liking my idea of a connection to the necklace.:lol: ) Otherwise it would seem like they're changing the basis for how Peter's abilities work....which I don't like.

[Patient101]

Xander you keep making the point of the auto-heal connection with peters emotions and that he doesnt connect claire with pain and suffering and such, whihc im sure is correct but i have one response. You yourself refered to it as 'AUTO-heal' and the correct term is spontanious regeneration (sp?) which means that it isnt somthing that they trigger but rather an automatic response to damage. Really our bodies do the same thing when we are injured but peter and claire's bodies just repair at an excellerated rate, so he doesnt need to think about healing or claire or anything for that matter because he has no control over it.

[jazzylg]

Which basicaly answers many questions: There is no way to know, or catalog how many abilities Peter has, his abilites could be inifinite. Just wait till he rediscovers the time control power!

[last man of krypton]

Originally posted by Xanderman
But it wasn't always random. Recall he conveniently auto-healed after he was shot. All other instances of regen before that he either first thought of Claire specifically or she was near to him.

But he didn't "auto-heal" when the Irishmen were beating him up, it took a little while before he healed, whereas Claire would've healed straightaway.

[pycer]

Another thing in reference to his 'needing to recall a certain person/feeling for his powers to work'...when Claude was training him and went to whack him with the stick was the first time Peter used TK. Claude asked him which one of his friends could do that, Peter didn't remember right away, it took him a few moments to connect the power to Sylar. So, there is already precedence set from the first season for him to use abilities he doesnt know he has without thinking at all about the person he got it from.

[Sasori]

If we look at the graphic novel that just came out, Caitlin told him a folk tale which helped him access his power at will. Basically naming the power as a catch phrase like 'Shazam' or what he used, 'Caitlin'.

His body remembers the powers, but he needs to learn how to access them through a variety of mental tricks or command words, or wait until he is under attack and need them in a life or death situation as he felt in the first episode. But it seems that some of his abilities automatically kick in, such as Claire's regeneration and some times Mind reading/telepathy

[Xanderman]

Originally posted by Patient101
Xander you keep making the point of the auto-heal connection with peters emotions and that he doesnt connect claire with pain and suffering and such, whihc im sure is correct but i have one response. You yourself refered to it as 'AUTO-heal' and the correct term is spontanious regeneration (sp?) which means that it isnt somthing that they trigger but rather an automatic response to damage. Really our bodies do the same thing when we are injured but peter and claire's bodies just repair at an excellerated rate, so he doesnt need to think about healing or claire or anything for that matter because he has no control over it. I'd agree with that IF the show itself didn't make it a point to make it clear that Peter had a "flash of Claire" just before he hit the ground and died...

S1 Ep 14 Distractions:

Peter (to Claude): "When I knew what was about to happen, I had a flash of this cheerleader..."

Peter (later in the convo): "You're wrong, I don't have to cut her (Claire) out, I have to remember her, that's how I--" (then he goes power crazy)

So the show itself explained the rules to us outright. And the next time Peter was dead in the season, Claire was right next to him, thus accounting for that revival from death. So, nothing was "auto" about Peter's "coming back from the dead"/healing experiences, in season 1 at least...

Originally posted by last man of krypton
But he didn't "auto-heal" when the Irishmen were beating him up, it took a little while before he healed, whereas Claire would've healed straightaway. Still, he healed without Claire around or without thinking about her or "how she makes him feel". Against season one's teachings about Peter the empath.

Originally posted by pycer
Another thing in reference to his 'needing to recall a certain person/feeling for his powers to work'...when Claude was training him and went to whack him with the stick was the first time Peter used TK. Claude asked him which one of his friends could do that, Peter didn't remember right away, it took him a few moments to connect the power to Sylar. So, there is already precedence set from the first season for him to use abilities he doesnt know he has without thinking at all about the person he got it from. Was that before or after Distractions? Because if it was before, Peter's statements in Distractions override that in a way. If it was after, you're right. If this is true, Peter is way too powerful. I don't like that. The original power-holders should have an advantage with their one and only own power, but apparently they don't.

Originally posted by Sasori
His body remembers the powers, but he needs to learn how to access them through a variety of mental tricks or command words, or wait until he is under attack and need them in a life or death situation as he felt in the first episode. But it seems that some of his abilities automatically kick in, such as Claire's regeneration and some times Mind reading/telepathy Abilities that "automatically" work in Peter's case is a flaw to me, as that makes him basically equal to the original holder of that power. Makes Peter just too damned powerful.

[last man of krypton]

Originally posted by Xanderman Still, he healed without Claire around or without thinking about her or "how she makes him feel". Against season one's teachings about Peter the empath.

I know, that was the point I made earlier; that I think the method that Peter uses to access his powers is reflective of his nature/mental state. As a nurse, he used his powers through empathy, and as a blank slate his powers appear randomly.

[Xanderman]

Originally posted by last man of krypton
I know, that was the point I made earlier; that I think the method that Peter uses to access his powers is reflective of his nature/mental state. As a nurse, he used his powers through empathy, and as a blank slate his powers appear randomly. That's an interesting way of looking at it...

[JudasAce]

Seeing as how the first night he met Claire he got the crap smacked out of him by Sylar with locker doors, then dropped to the ground and killed, I'd say there's a pretty good chance he associates her with pain, suffering and death, or at least with recovering from those things.

But the idea was already kind of abandoned anyhow, when he used Claire's power when he was technically dead after Sylar stuck that glass in his brain. I don't think he was able to have any memories of anything at that time, but when Claire pulled the glass out, he used her powers.

[eugel]

I would like to refute your argument about Claires powers being auto. When claire has the tree branch in her head, it has to be removed for her to heal. Same with Peter and the shard of glass. Also, if you recall when Claire was shot by Matt Parkman, she did not heal immediately, but it took her a few minutes to revive and cough up the bullet.

I think that this season is showing how Peter's powers and capacities are developing beyond anyones initial impressions, and i think its exciting they're choosing to develop the notion of his powers + his character further.

What will happen when he opens the box?

[Xanderman]

Originally posted by JudasAce
Seeing as how the first night he met Claire he got the crap smacked out of him by Sylar with locker doors, then dropped to the ground and killed, I'd say there's a pretty good chance he associates her with pain, suffering and death, or at least with recovering from those things. Possibly...but it's a little too convenient that what he "feels" about Claire are exactly the feelings that accompany injury to himself, thus permitting him to access her regen power whenever he gets hurt....too convenient, too easy, too cheap... lol

Originally posted by eugel
I would like to refute your argument about Claires powers being auto. When claire has the tree branch in her head, it has to be removed for her to heal. Same with Peter and the shard of glass. Also, if you recall when Claire was shot by Matt Parkman, she did not heal immediately, but it took her a few minutes to revive and cough up the bullet.

I think that this season is showing how Peter's powers and capacities are developing beyond anyones initial impressions, and i think its exciting they're choosing to develop the notion of his powers + his character further.

What will happen when he opens the box? Claire's healing is automatic, she doesn't have to will it to happen. As for the branch/shard thing, since powers lie in the brain, while the special areas are blocked or intruded upon, regen can't work, automatically or otherwise.

As for Peter's powers developing beyond initial impressions, if that's the case then the new Peter is just too damned powerful. They should have stuck with the rules/limitations they described in season one, and left it at that.

[Mello Penelo]

Claude's "lessons" were more than controlling the powers he'd absorbed.

As much as he could call upon the abilities consciously, his body learned how to do it subconsciously too.

I've seen this before. Somewhere. But I can't remember where.

He doesn't need to know who they are for his body to know the powers are there.

[Xanderman]

Originally posted by Mello Penelo
Claude's "lessons" were more than controlling the powers he'd absorbed.

As much as he could call upon the abilities consciously, his body learned how to do it subconsciously too.

I've seen this before. Somewhere. But I can't remember where.

He doesn't need to know who they are for his body to know the powers are there. Why then did they make it a point for Peter to say that he had a flash of Claire just before hitting the ground in Distractions? Why not just make him auto-revive from death and leave it at that....then arguments like mine wouldn't exist and everybody could be happy in the knowledge that Peter is evidently Omnipotent. lol

[Mello Penelo]

Omnipotent is being everywhere at once. Peter can't do that.

Originally posted by Xanderman
Why then did they make it a point for Peter to say that he had a flash of Claire just before hitting the ground in Distractions? Why not just make him auto-revive from death and leave it at that....then arguments like mine wouldn't exist and everybody could be happy in the knowledge that Peter is evidently Omnipotent. lol

Because he was still learning how to manage the powers.

[Xanderman]

Originally posted by Mello Penelo
Omnipotent is being everywhere at once. Peter can't do that.
Um no, omnipotent is all powerful. Omnipresent is being everywhere at once. Hey aren't you a journalism student?:lol: :p (There's nothing sweeter than when people try to correct you and they correct you wrong eh?;) LOL:p)

Because he was still learning how to manage the powers.
Again, I don't like that they had Peter explain to Claude (and us) how exactly he was able to come back from the dead. They should have just made him auto-revive on his own and leave it at that if his body can truly do it without the feeling/memory requirement.

[Xanderman]

So yeah, the new Peter is clearly too powerful. Not sure why they've decided to remove the limitations that made him a much more interesting character, especially considering all the hoopla they put us through regarding the apparent basis/es of his powers in the first season. Just dumb. They sure as heck better give us a good explanation in Four Months Ago....

Again, why go the amnesia route if not to take advantage of or play with the concepts they themselves developed in the first season. Peter should have had no access to pre-memory loss gained powers; only powers he absorbed after the mind wipe should manifest and be accessible to him.

That necklace better turn out to be magical....otherwise they blew it with his character. lol (Alternatively, the Irish chick should be a mutant with the ability to trigger or enhance the powers of other mutants...that'd work too.)

[migo]

Originally posted by Xanderman
I'd agree with that IF the show itself didn't make it a point to make it clear that Peter had a "flash of Claire" just before he hit the ground and died...

S1 Ep 14 Distractions:

Peter (to Claude): "When I knew what was about to happen, I had a flash of this cheerleader..."

Peter (later in the convo): "You're wrong, I don't have to cut her (Claire) out, I have to remember her, that's how I--" (then he goes power crazy)

So the show itself explained the rules to us outright. And the next time Peter was dead in the season, Claire was right next to him, thus accounting for that revival from death. So, nothing was "auto" about Peter's "coming back from the dead"/healing experiences, in season 1 at least...

Still, he healed without Claire around or without thinking about her or "how she makes him feel". Against season one's teachings about Peter the empath.

Was that before or after Distractions? Because if it was before, Peter's statements in Distractions override that in a way. If it was after, you're right. If this is true, Peter is way too powerful. I don't like that. The original power-holders should have an advantage with their one and only own power, but apparently they don't.

Abilities that "automatically" work in Peter's case is a flaw to me, as that makes him basically equal to the original holder of that power. Makes Peter just too damned powerful.

We evidently have gamers on this board. Who cares if his power is more powerful? It's not like they're PCs and yours is going to get overshadowed because of character point imbalance.

Originally posted by JudasAce
Seeing as how the first night he met Claire he got the crap smacked out of him by Sylar with locker doors, then dropped to the ground and killed, I'd say there's a pretty good chance he associates her with pain, suffering and death, or at least with recovering from those things.

But the idea was already kind of abandoned anyhow, when he used Claire's power when he was technically dead after Sylar stuck that glass in his brain. I don't think he was able to have any memories of anything at that time, but when Claire pulled the glass out, he used her powers.

He can also use powers when someone's near him. So that was consistent still.

Thing is, after exploding like a nuclear bomb, he's not going to have a brain or memories, so the fact that he can regenerate after that probably throws the having to think about things out the window.

[j-kent]

Everything from before the memory wipe should be gone. They've established in season one how Peter's abilities are supposed to work -- his abilities are supposed to be empathically based, he must connect with his feelings/memories of the person to use their powers, or simply be near to them.

And yet he's stumbling upon them one after the other, accidentally apparently, and can use them at will. This wasn't the case in the first season where they made a big song and dance about how Peter's talents work and don't work.

Inconsistent writing? Are they abandoning the original concept? Or is that necklace allowing him to access his powers without his memories somehow? They haven't yet explained where he got that necklace yet right...maybe it's the key to all this?

Feeling and remembering the person who had the ability only acts as a conduit to the power he is accessing- making it easier. His powers are essentially triggered through emotion. Emotion needs no fingerprint it...many different emotions can be triggered by an endless number of situations.