Invisibility is the ability to walk in plain view of other people without being seen.
Characters[]
Confirmed
- Claude Rains is the first character to demonstrate this ability. (Godsend)
- Becky Taylor has also demonstrated this ability. (Hysterical Blindness)
- Peter Petrelli absorbed this power from Claude (Godsend), but lost it to his father (Dying of the Light). He later regained it with his synthetic ability, though he did briefly discard it in favor of telekinesis. (Save the Cheerleader, Destroy the World)
- A man nicknamed "Hipster Dude" has used this ability. (Dark Matters, Part 6)
- Farah Nazan possesses this ability. (Under the Mask)
Unconfirmed
- "Disappearing guy" is mentioned in the title of Rami Al-Wazzani's "attempt video". (The Odessa Report)
Limits[]
It is currently unclear how this ability helps its users to avoid being seen, though it is evident that there is some rearrangement of one's molecules (From the Files of Primatech, Part 5). Invisibility seems to be a passive ability which can operate constantly without effort or concentration, although it can also be "turned off" at will.
Users of this ability are not invisible to each other; Claude is not invisible to Peter Petrelli when Peter is mimicking his ability, nor is Peter invisible to Claude. Claude's assignment tracker profile says that "His ability allows him to see what would otherwise be invisible to the average person."
It is unclear whether the ability also hides sound, but it appears that it does not. While Claude covers Peter's mouth when they are hiding from Nathan and Mohinder to stop Peter from making noise (The Fix), Claire is able to hear Rebecca's footsteps when the latter is stalking Gretchen and she in the slaughterhouse. (Strange Attractors)
While users of this power are invisible to normal sight, they can be detected using infrared imaging devices.(Unexpected) At least one user of the ability also casts a shadow when subjected to the direct beam of a flashlight.
This ability can be stopped by The Haitian as Noah stated (Shadowboxing), but it must require close proximity, as on the Deveaux rooftop it did not negate the invisibility of Peter and Claude (Unexpected).
Elle claims that "the rain will help me track him." (Sum Quod Sum, Part 1)
According to Noah Bennet, 10,000 volts from a taser will make them turn visible again, something he learned from Claude, which is proven when Samuel tasers Becky and she turns visible again. (Shadowboxing)
Claude Rains[]
Standing in plain sight at a sidewalk café, Claude was able to pick up a wallet from a purse on a table, remove the money from it, and put it back in the purse without anyone paying any attention to him. However, when he and Peter began struggling and knocked over a table, people nearby noticed something odd happening, even though they didn't see the two men involved.
Claude has demonstrated some ability to make objects that he picks up or carries invisible: his clothes, for example, turn invisible with him. A pretzel he stole on another occasion, however, did not immediately become invisible. In fact, his assignment tracker profile says that Claude "is able to extend his ability to objects and people outside of himself by making physical contact with them while he is invisible. His ability allows him to see what would otherwise be invisible to the average person". Why objects become invisible in some circumstances but not in others isn't yet known. Additionally, Claude can make only certain parts of his body become invisible--when he was partners with Haram, he was able to make only his hand invisible. (Golden Handshake, Part 1)
Peter Petrelli[]
Invisibility was one of Peter's more developed abilities. Peter has spent far more time using it than most of his other abilities, due to the extended period of time spent training while invisible with Claude. This may be why turning invisible has frequently been his first response when threatened. Peter has demonstrated the ability to turn at least one other person invisible in addition to himself while in contact with them (Landslide).
Becky Taylor[]
Becky is able to turn her whole body invisible as well as other objects. Although some objects can be turned invisible, Becky seems to be able to choose which are turned invisible and which are not. For example, she makes Annie's suicide note invisible while she holds it, but not Samuel's cloth, which he throws and she catches while invisible. (Hysterical Blindness) She first manifested her ability when trying to hide from Noah Bennet after he father's death: she wished to remain unseen and her invisibility manifested and made her so, protecting her from Noah. Unfortunately, as this wish came true she began to try to make her other "wishes" come true and became mentally unstable as one of her "wishes" was revenge and she believed that because one came true, she could make the others come true too (Shadowboxing). When Ricky blasted an invisible Becky to save Tracy Strauss, it disrupted her power and made her visible again. (Reaching Out, Part 2)
"Hipster Dude"[]
The goateed man has used his power a few times: at the June 13th summit, he walked around while invisible. He also used his ability to escape hunters in Canada. During Renautas's raid on HeroTruther's launderette. He turned invisible to sneak up on M. F. Harris and knock him unconscious with a fire extinguisher, turning visible again immediately after. While his clothes turn invisible with him, he was either unable or unwilling to extend his ability to the fire extinguisher he wielded at the time, seeing as it was completely visible to Quentin Frady. (Dark Matters, Part 6)
Farah Nazan[]
Farah is able to turn her whole body and other objects she is carrying, such as a backpack, invisible. (The Needs of the Many)
Farah's manifestation of this ability seems less complete than that of others who have had it: she is transparent to visible light, but she causes it to bend slightly as it passes through her, making her outline slightly visible. She is seen as an invisible presence beside Malina as the latter uses her powers (Under the Mask). She is also seen praying invisibly on her prayer mat in the Arctic, turning visible only when done. When a man in Canada realizes that she and Malina are evos and attempts to call the authorities, Farah turns invisible before knocking him out (The Needs of the Many).
Gallery[]
Memorable Quotes[]
"You can see me! Nobody sees me, do you hear me? Nobody sees me—I'm invisible!"
"Interesting. I can't wait to try that one."
"Claude, I didn't see you there."
"That's generally the idea of being invisible."
- - Ivan Spektor, Claude (Comrades, Part 1)
Notes[]
- Flint states that he was tackled by an "invisible man" sometime in 2006 (Villains). At that time Claude was not with the Company participating in bag and tag missions. However, Flint may not have been directly captured as part of a Company mission, or by a Company operative. The identity of the invisible man is unknown. Writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite explained that this line was a mistake made by a new writer.
- According to a billboard in Smoke and Mirrors, the Carnival has an invisible man who can turn himself invisible, but not his clothes.
- According to Aron Coleite, the writers discussed whether invisibility should work only on the user's skin, but ultimately it was decided that the power creates "an invisible field around them that distorts light".
- Arthur Petrelli stole his son Peter's abilities, saying, "I have [your powers] now." It is presumed that Arthur stole all of Peter's abilities, including invisibility. However, it is possible that Arthur did not steal all of Peter's abilities. Since Arthur never used this ability, there is no conclusive evidence that he actually stole this ability.
See Also[]
- For the similar ability to hide objects from sight, see Cloaking.