Arthur Petrelli
Portrayed by	Robert Forster
First Seen	Angels and Monsters
Details
Powers	Power Absorption
Aliases	Dallas
Family	Peter Petrelli Nathan Petrelli
Status	Deceased

Arthur Petrelli was an advanced human with the power to steal other people's powers, rendering them powerless.

Character OverviewEdit

Having first appeared in 'Angels and Monsters', he made his debut as the primary antagonist in the story arc 'Villains'. He was originally believed dead, but after his wife was healed and her memories restored she remembered his plan to kill their son. She had preemptively poisoned his food attempting to kill him first but their son entered and to hide her action, Arthur was taken to the hospital. While his family were in the waiting room, Arthur used his power of Mind Control to make a doctor inform the family of his death, whereas he was in fact merely paralysed. He used other Advanced Humans to carry out his purposes, as well as recruiting some other Advanced Humans to Pinehearst, his company. Additionally, he put his wife Angela Petrelli in a coma because he considered her to be dangerous due to her power of Precognitive Dreaming, although Angela eventually recovered.

His ability of Power Absorption allowed him to steal the power of Adam Monroe, making him heal and thus escape his paralysis. He hugged his other son Peter, taking away his power (the power to copy other people's powers without affecting them) and all of the other powers Peter had absorbed. He also took several other peoples' powers away.

He is later confronted by Peter and The Haitian. Peter has a gun, but struggles to fire it because he does not want to kill his father. When The Haitian's powers start working on Arthur, Peter fires, but Sylar stops the bullet with telekinesis. Sylar asks if Arthur really is his father. Arthur says yes, but due to a new power Sylar knows Arthur is lying. Sylar tells Peter that although Peter is not a killer, Sylar is. Sylar releases the bullet, which goes right through Arthur's head, killing him.

TriviaEdit

In the episode 'Eris Quod Sum', he is seen reading a book entitled 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra', by the German philosopher Nietzsche. Amongst some of the ideas in this book is the concept that God is dead, and humanity must rely on itself for moral guidance and purpose, and also of the 'Superman', individuals who possess such 'Wille zur Macht' (lit. 'Will to Power') that they will ascend and lead the course of society. All of these are themes partly explored and mirrored throughout the series and in Arthur Petrelli's character.