Niki Sanders
Encyclopedia
Nicole "Niki" Sanders is a fictional character
portrayed by Ali Larter
in the television series Heroes
. Niki is the wife of D. L. Hawkins
(Leonard Roberts
) and mother of Micah Sanders
(Noah Gray-Cabey
). Niki, a sufferer of Dissociative Identity Disorder
, displays superhuman strength, being able to literally rip others in half. Initially, she is able to access this power only when her alter ego
"Jessica" is in control.
Tim Kring
, the creator of the show, stated that he originally created Niki with the power to be in two places at once, which stems from her life as a single mother. Niki was also originally written to be a showgirl
. However, Ali Larter
did not have the proper physique to portray a showgirl, so the character's profession was changed to internet stripper
. According to writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite, Niki was written out of the series and replaced with Tracy Strauss
so that Larter could play a different role, as they realized that they could not go further with the character. The change also allowed them to tell an origin story, where the character discovers that she has powers.
alcoholic, Hal would often beat Niki and her sister, Jessica, during his drunken rages. Eventually, Hal choked Jessica to death and abandoned his remaining daughter. As an adult, Niki had no memory of her father's actions and simply believed he ran out on her. At some point in her life, Niki herself became an alcoholic and a problem gambler, but she managed to overcome her problems. On her first anniversary of sobriety
, Niki attended an Alcoholics Anonymous
meeting. There, she was reunited with her father, Hal, who wanted to make amends. Niki introduced Hal to her husband, D. L., and her son, Micah. Hal gave the boy a computer, but when he became angry at his grandson for taking the expensive gift apart, Niki demanded that he leave. After her father's departure, Jessica, ruthless and amoral, seized control and went to confront him. Jessica told her father that she remembers everything he did to her, including his responsibility in "[her] death," even though Niki does not remember any of it. After assaulting him, she forced the check Hal gave Niki into his mouth and ordered him never to contact her again.
and struggles to raise her ten-year-old son, Micah
. She has been working as an internet stripper
to pay the bills. Her husband, D. L. Hawkins
, is in prison
, accused of stealing two million dollar
s from a sports booker and murdering his own gang.
To help pay for Micah's tuition
at a very expensive school that Niki believed would encourage his gifts, Niki borrowed money from Mr. Linderman (Malcolm McDowell
), a mobster
who once employed her husband.
Not having enough money to continue paying tuition or repay the loan, she withdraws Micah from the school. The two go on the run
, as they attempt to elude thugs and police that Linderman sends after her. As Niki attempts to deal with her predicament, she occasionally leaves Micah with her friend Tina. Niki repays Linderman by being the bait in a badger game
with congressional candidate Nathan Petrelli
(Adrian Pasdar
), producing blackmail
material Linderman can use against Petrelli later.
During times of stress, Niki begins seeing her reflection in mirrors and other reflective surfaces moving differently than herself, leading her to be concerned about her sanity. After Linderman sends two thugs to her house to collect the money she owed him, an altercation occurs, with Niki apparently blacking out after being hit by one of the thugs. When Niki recovers consciousness some time later, she is shocked to find the two thugs dead and horribly mutilated. Niki has other blackout spells over the following days, one time losing four hours, always with no recollection of what has transpired. Niki eventually realizes that she possesses a split personality named Jessica, the other being far more sinister and amoral than her usual self, and which possesses superhuman strength
.
Niki is reunited with her husband D. L. after he escaped from jail in order to clear his name. Later, Jessica reveals that she was the one who stole the money, killed D. L.'s crew, and framed him, planning to use the money to give her son a better life and keep him away from D. L.'s influence. After a short but violent fight, in which D. L. reveals the phasing powers that he had used to escape from jail, Niki is defeated and lies unmoving on the floor while D. L. takes Micah away.
The next day, Niki recovers from her injuries and confides in her friend Tina about her dreams and her alternate personality. Jessica then resurfaces and tells Tina that Niki will no longer need Tina's help. That night Jessica answers a telephone call from Micah. She persuades Micah, who knows that she is not his mother, to tell her where he and D. L. are staying. Soon after that, Jessica purchases a sniper rifle, and goes in search of D. L. and Micah. When she finally finds them, she takes aim at D. L. from a hidden location across the street and attempts to kill him. Her first shot hits D. L. in the shoulder, but Jessica is unsuccessful at killing him. After a short chase through the woods, during which Niki fights Jessica for dominance, Jessica attempts to kill D. L. again. She inadvertently throws Micah against some rocks when he tries to restrain her. Horrified, Niki regains control. She apologizes to D. L. and Micah and explains to them her problem. Niki reveals that Jessica is stronger than she is, and that as a result, she can't be trusted. Concerned that Jessica will eventually take over and put her family in danger, Niki turns herself in to the police and confesses to murder.
Two weeks later, Niki is in prison, awaiting trial. She is returned to her cell after being in solitary confinement
. The prison staff is very cautious, as Jessica has emerged previously and injured one of the guards during an attempted escape. During a meeting with the public defender
assigned to her case, Niki is informed that the prosecution seeks the death penalty. Her lawyer asks Niki about the two million dollars, but she feigns ignorance. A rowdy Jessica then emerges to state that Niki is lying. Soon, Jessica recommends the lawyer bring in a "shrink
" to analyze her apparent multiple personality disorder; Niki insists she's not crazy. Later, a meeting with D. L. and Micah indicates that D. L. gave Linderman back the two million dollars. D. L. regrets the whole situation, but Niki believes that it's for the best. She states that she still thinks of Jessica as a completely separate person and not an alter ego. Micah is very distressed by the whole situation and Niki asks the guard for permission to hug him. The guard denies her request, but Niki asks persistently, advancing on the guard as she does so. When the guard attempts to strike her with his nightstick, Niki grabs it and breaks it in half with her bare hands. She appears to be surprised after she does so, as there was no clear indication that the superhuman strength came from Jessica. A now straitjacket
ed Niki is sedated
and placed in a room with padded walls.
In "The Fix
," Niki awakes to find the straitjacket removed, the drugs wearing off, and a psychologist, Dr. Witherson, looking at her. Niki insists that while the straitjacket is useless, the drugs make Jessica weak. The psychologist isn't interested in sedating Niki further, and believes she can help Niki. Niki is visited by D. L., who used his powers to enter her room and proposes breaking her out. D. L. states that he is having trouble raising Micah alone, but Niki is still resigned to her fate.
After Niki gives him a bit of advice, D. L. leaves. Later, the psychologist comes back and Niki agrees to talk to her. The psychologist insists on talking to Jessica. Niki is opposed at first, but the thought of being able to see Micah and D. L. again eventually leads her to give it a chance. Niki reminisces about her sister Jessica's piano playing abilities due to the metronome that the psychologist is using to bring Jessica out. Jessica eventually comes out and attacks the psychologist repeatedly with the Taser
that the other woman brought for protection. Later, while in her padded cell, a man walks into her cell and tells her to get dressed. When asked for an explanation, he tells Niki that a death row inmate has admitted to the killings for which she was being held and that DNA evidence verifies the inmate's story. Once home, Micah is clearly ecstatic to have his mother home and asks her to play a game with him. Appearing to be his mother, Jessica replies that she would enjoy that, and Niki is shown to be hitting a mirror, begging for release. Jessica merely looks at Niki and replies, "You were the one who wanted to be locked up, Niki."
Jessica becomes Linderman's new assassin, and it is revealed that Linderman arranged to have Niki/Jessica released from prison. On Linderman's orders, Jessica kills a man by tearing him in two, throwing Matt Parkman
(Greg Grunberg
) out of the window in the process. (When Niki and Jessica are fighting for dominance when Jessica is about to kill the target, Matt Parkman
who possesses the power of telepathy
, is able to hear them both in his mind, a fact which surprises Jessica. "You heard Niki?".)
Niki manages to gain control a few times. She puts the photo of Nathan Petrelli, Jessica's next target, on D. L.'s pillow, which causes D. L. to question Jessica, who is still pretending to be Niki. Jessica lies and tells him that Linderman called to ask her to be a "dealer" at the casino. Jessica kisses D. L. and assures him that it is nothing more. He leaves the room but is still suspicious.
Jessica murders the two FBI agents, who are working with Nathan to take down Linderman. Later, Niki, who has managed to gain control once again, confronts Nathan in his room and confesses everything to him. She then advises Nathan to either take his family and run or to accept Linderman's offer. Nathan refuses, so Niki suggests that he kill Linderman instead. She gives Nathan a gun, which Jessica had intended to use on him. She tells Nathan that she does not have much time and begs him to knock her out so that Jessica can see that she is not in control anymore. Nathan complies.
In ".07%", Jessica returns home from her failed assignment only to be confronted by D. L who questions her about which personality is dominant. However, Jessica is unsure. Linderman asks if he can borrow Micah for a few hours, given that he let the debt slide and he saved her from the gas chamber. Jessica coldly informs him that Micah stays out of all their affairs, and leaves. Linderman, however, sends Candice Wilmer to impersonate Jessica and give Micah permission to go with Linderman.
In "The Hard Part
", Jessica and D. L. argue about their son Micah's whereabouts, and D. L. blames Jessica for his disappearance. He leaves, intending to rescue Micah without help. Niki pleads with Jessica to assist him, saying that he will die without her help.
D. L. and Jessica phase through walls and into Linderman's office. They find detailed files on their whole family, including Micah. D. L. is angered to find that they had been used. The pair attempts to determine Micah's whereabouts, and find a painting of Micah in what appears to be a burning New York City.
D. L. and Jessica make it to New York, where they work with Matt Parkman
and Mr. Bennet to find Linderman. When D. L. and Jessica corner him, Linderman offers Jessica $20 million to kill D. L. Jessica seriously considers the offer, turning to D.L. and saying that she would kill him for that amount of money... but then she states "Niki wouldn't" and lets Niki take control once more. Niki hugs D. L. and apologizes. Linderman shoots at her but D. L. anticipates him and steps in front of Niki to protect her, taking the bullet. D. L. phases Niki out of the room after he kills Linderman. Niki then confronts Candice Wilmer, who impersonates Jessica. However, once the real Jessica informs Niki that who she is fighting isn't her, Niki is able to access her superhuman strength to knock out Candice. As Niki later leaves the building with D. L., Molly, Mohinder, and Micah, she discovers Sylar
and Peter in a showdown. When Sylar summons a parking meter with his telekinesis and strikes Peter down, Niki disarms him and slams his torso with the weapon. Peter, now capable of using Niki's super-strength, tells her to go back to her family. She does so, and then watches with D. L., Micah, and Molly Walker as Nathan flies Peter into the stratosphere to safely explode.
approaches Niki in fear other personalities may emerge. She refuses his treatment so that she can be with Micah and D. L., who survived a gunshot wound to the chest. She begins taking medication, but stops when she experiences unpleasant side effects. On what is meant to be her first day of work at a new job, Gina, a new personality, appears, sealing Niki away. When D. L. tracks down Gina in L.A., whom he believes to be Jessica, she is dancing with another man. Upon seeing D. L., Niki returns. The two begin to leave, exchanging declarations of love for each other, when the same man dancing with Gina shows up and suddenly shoots D. L., killing him.
Niki and Micah then leave Las Vegas. Niki leaves Micah with Nana Dawson, a relative of D. L.'s, and travels to The Company
to seek a cure for her condition. A promise of service is extracted as payment. In "Fight or Flight
", she attacks a company worker and Bob, forcing Mohinder to shoot her with a Taser. When Mohinder offers to help her escape, she stops him, explaining that she came to the Company voluntarily and they are trying to help her ("I gave up my son to be here"). Later, in the episode "The Line
", she joins Mohinder as his partner, claiming to be cured. When Maury Parkman mounts an assault on the Company, he manages to corrupt her by using her nightmares against her. To stop herself, she injects herself with a modified form of the Shanti virus, which is soon discovered to be immune to the antibodies in Mohinder's blood. In the present at the end of "Four Months Ago...
" she is released into the general population.
In "Truth and Consequences", Niki returns to Nana Dawson's house to be with Micah. One night, she gets a call from Mohinder saying he has found a cure and that he is coming to give it to her. She goes to tell Micah who is supposed to be sleeping, but finds an empty bed. In "Powerless
", Micah convinces her to help save Monica from the gang that kidnapped her. Niki succeeds in rescuing Monica, but is unable to escape herself as the building explodes.
", Niki is revealed to have died. In "I Am Become Death
", it is revealed that Niki, Tracy Strauss
, and Barbara are identical triplets that were separated at birth and had their genes modified to give them superhuman abilities.
and Hiro Nakamura
rescued every prisoner, including her. She is also shown to have taken complete control over her body. Sometime after being freed in "Five Years Gone
" it is revealed that her son and husband have been killed, Micah by the explosion and D. L. by Sylar. Because of this, Jessica has simply disappeared. Niki is involved in a relationship with Peter Petrelli
and works as a barroom stripper under the stage name of "Jessica". She is often emotional and in pain, which only grows when she discovers that Peter caused the explosion and not Sylar, as she originally thought.
Niki was not born with the genetic code for abilities, but was synthetically given powers under the Company's orders by Dr. Zimmerman. She has the ability of enhanced strength, allowing her to pull out the door of a safe box with her bare hands, throw her husband several feet across a small area with a single hit, break away from restraining cuffs that are "strong enough to hold down an elephant", and literally tear her opponents apart. She also displays signs of increased physical durability, being able to endure a blow from a shovel in "Fallout
", only to stand back up again relatively unharmed, as well as able to endure the stress inflicted upon her body by her own strength (she does not, for example, injure her hand when punching through a solid wooden door). The ability is originally only used by her alter-ego, Jessica. In "How to Stop an Exploding Man
", however, Niki is able to fully use her strength after some encouragement from Jessica.
As a side effect of her ability, Niki has "alternate" personalities. Jessica is one of these, named after Niki's late adoptive sister. At the start of the series, Jessica surfaces during times of great stress, but surfaces with increasing ease as the series moves on. When Jessica surfaces, the transformation is instantaneous and almost unnoticeable, but is made apparent by Niki's sudden violent and strong-willed behavior. Jessica also freely demonstrates the superhuman strength Niki has only recently unlocked. She also gains a peculiar tattoo
resembling an RNA
helix on her right shoulder. This helix symbol has been a recurring element in the series.
Jessica seems to have been aware that she is sharing Niki's body for longer than Niki realizes, leaving notes, gifts, and instructions for Niki, and telling a thug not to "threaten our son." Niki becomes aware of Jessica with the aid of reflective surfaces such as mirrors, and begins communicating with her. Jessica's ability to surface seems to increase over time, as Jessica is able to actively surface more often and more easily than she does in early episodes. The blackout effect on Niki also seems to lessen over time; the two personalities often directly fight each other for control and seem aware of what is said even when they are not active.
It is revealed in "Four Months Ago...
" that Jessica is not Niki's only personality. A third personality emerges: Gina, a pseudonym Niki assumed after she ran away to L.A. when she was younger. Whereas Jessica was originally triggered by the stresses of being a single mother and the need to protect herself and Micah, Gina seems to be a manifestation of Niki's suppressed desire to escape her responsibilities as a mother and wife.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
portrayed by Ali Larter
Ali Larter
Alison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the dual roles of Niki Sanders and Jessica Sanders on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes as well as her guest roles on several television shows in the 1990s.Larter's screen debut came in the 1999 film...
in the television series Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
. Niki is the wife of D. L. Hawkins
D. L. Hawkins
Daniel Lawrence "D. L." Hawkins is a fictional character played by Leonard Roberts in the TV series Heroes. The father of Micah Sanders and husband of Niki Sanders, he has the power to phase through solid objects.- Background :...
(Leonard Roberts
Leonard Roberts
-Early life:Leonard Roberts was born on November 17, 1972, in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1995, Roberts graduated from DePaul University Theater School with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting.-Career:...
) and mother of Micah Sanders
Micah Sanders
Micah Sanders, portrayed by Noah Gray-Cabey, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is the son of Niki Sanders and D.L. Hawkins. He is a child prodigy and a technopath.- Beginnings :...
(Noah Gray-Cabey
Noah Gray-Cabey
Noah Gray-Cabey is an American television actor and pianist. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the television series My Wife and Kids and Heroes.-Early life:...
). Niki, a sufferer of Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
, displays superhuman strength, being able to literally rip others in half. Initially, she is able to access this power only when her alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
"Jessica" is in control.
Tim Kring
Tim Kring
Richard Timothy "Tim" Kring is an American screenwriter and television producer, best known for his creation of the television series Strange World, Crossing Jordan, and Heroes.Kring is Jewish...
, the creator of the show, stated that he originally created Niki with the power to be in two places at once, which stems from her life as a single mother. Niki was also originally written to be a showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
. However, Ali Larter
Ali Larter
Alison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the dual roles of Niki Sanders and Jessica Sanders on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes as well as her guest roles on several television shows in the 1990s.Larter's screen debut came in the 1999 film...
did not have the proper physique to portray a showgirl, so the character's profession was changed to internet stripper
Cam whore
A camwhore is an individual who performs sexual services on the Internet with webcam software in exchange for money, goods, or attention. Some of the common ways of doing this is by a fixed per minute fee, by encouraging viewers to purchase items on their wish lists or add to their online accounts...
. According to writers Joe Pokaski and Aron Coleite, Niki was written out of the series and replaced with Tracy Strauss
Tracy Strauss
Tracy Strauss, portrayed by Ali Larter, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. She has the ability to freeze anything that she touches. As the series progresses, her ability evolved to include water mimicry. Introduced in the third season, she is an adviser to the...
so that Larter could play a different role, as they realized that they could not go further with the character. The change also allowed them to tell an origin story, where the character discovers that she has powers.
Background
Niki grew up with a wealthy father named Hal Sanders. An abusiveChild abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
alcoholic, Hal would often beat Niki and her sister, Jessica, during his drunken rages. Eventually, Hal choked Jessica to death and abandoned his remaining daughter. As an adult, Niki had no memory of her father's actions and simply believed he ran out on her. At some point in her life, Niki herself became an alcoholic and a problem gambler, but she managed to overcome her problems. On her first anniversary of sobriety
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
, Niki attended an Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
meeting. There, she was reunited with her father, Hal, who wanted to make amends. Niki introduced Hal to her husband, D. L., and her son, Micah. Hal gave the boy a computer, but when he became angry at his grandson for taking the expensive gift apart, Niki demanded that he leave. After her father's departure, Jessica, ruthless and amoral, seized control and went to confront him. Jessica told her father that she remembers everything he did to her, including his responsibility in "[her] death," even though Niki does not remember any of it. After assaulting him, she forced the check Hal gave Niki into his mouth and ordered him never to contact her again.
Genesis
As of October 2006, Niki resides in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
and struggles to raise her ten-year-old son, Micah
Micah Sanders
Micah Sanders, portrayed by Noah Gray-Cabey, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is the son of Niki Sanders and D.L. Hawkins. He is a child prodigy and a technopath.- Beginnings :...
. She has been working as an internet stripper
Cam whore
A camwhore is an individual who performs sexual services on the Internet with webcam software in exchange for money, goods, or attention. Some of the common ways of doing this is by a fixed per minute fee, by encouraging viewers to purchase items on their wish lists or add to their online accounts...
to pay the bills. Her husband, D. L. Hawkins
D. L. Hawkins
Daniel Lawrence "D. L." Hawkins is a fictional character played by Leonard Roberts in the TV series Heroes. The father of Micah Sanders and husband of Niki Sanders, he has the power to phase through solid objects.- Background :...
, is in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, accused of stealing two million dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
s from a sports booker and murdering his own gang.
To help pay for Micah's tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
at a very expensive school that Niki believed would encourage his gifts, Niki borrowed money from Mr. Linderman (Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
), a mobster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
who once employed her husband.
Not having enough money to continue paying tuition or repay the loan, she withdraws Micah from the school. The two go on the run
On the Lam
"On the Lam" is a song by Kele Okereke, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the band Bloc Party, released as the third single from his debut solo album The Boxer. The music video was released on October 8, 2010, with the digital EP being released on October 25....
, as they attempt to elude thugs and police that Linderman sends after her. As Niki attempts to deal with her predicament, she occasionally leaves Micah with her friend Tina. Niki repays Linderman by being the bait in a badger game
Badger game
The badger game is an extortion scheme, often perpetrated on married men, in which the victim or "mark" is tricked into a compromising position to make him vulnerable to blackmail....
with congressional candidate Nathan Petrelli
Nathan Petrelli
Nathan Petrelli, portrayed by Adrian Pasdar, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a New York lawyer-turned-senator with the power of self-propelled flight. Ambitious and pragmatic, Nathan has a decidedly anti-hero streak, which exacerbates his complex...
(Adrian Pasdar
Adrian Pasdar
Adrian Kayvan Pasdar is an American actor, voice artist, and film director. He is known for playing Jim Profit on the TV series Profit, for his roles in Near Dark, Carlito's Way, Mysterious Ways and as Nathan Petrelli on Heroes. Additionally, he directed the feature film Cement...
), producing blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
material Linderman can use against Petrelli later.
During times of stress, Niki begins seeing her reflection in mirrors and other reflective surfaces moving differently than herself, leading her to be concerned about her sanity. After Linderman sends two thugs to her house to collect the money she owed him, an altercation occurs, with Niki apparently blacking out after being hit by one of the thugs. When Niki recovers consciousness some time later, she is shocked to find the two thugs dead and horribly mutilated. Niki has other blackout spells over the following days, one time losing four hours, always with no recollection of what has transpired. Niki eventually realizes that she possesses a split personality named Jessica, the other being far more sinister and amoral than her usual self, and which possesses superhuman strength
Superhuman strength
Superhuman strength, also called superstrength, super-strength, or super strength, is an ability commonly employed in fiction. It is the ability for a character to be stronger than humanly possible...
.
Niki is reunited with her husband D. L. after he escaped from jail in order to clear his name. Later, Jessica reveals that she was the one who stole the money, killed D. L.'s crew, and framed him, planning to use the money to give her son a better life and keep him away from D. L.'s influence. After a short but violent fight, in which D. L. reveals the phasing powers that he had used to escape from jail, Niki is defeated and lies unmoving on the floor while D. L. takes Micah away.
The next day, Niki recovers from her injuries and confides in her friend Tina about her dreams and her alternate personality. Jessica then resurfaces and tells Tina that Niki will no longer need Tina's help. That night Jessica answers a telephone call from Micah. She persuades Micah, who knows that she is not his mother, to tell her where he and D. L. are staying. Soon after that, Jessica purchases a sniper rifle, and goes in search of D. L. and Micah. When she finally finds them, she takes aim at D. L. from a hidden location across the street and attempts to kill him. Her first shot hits D. L. in the shoulder, but Jessica is unsuccessful at killing him. After a short chase through the woods, during which Niki fights Jessica for dominance, Jessica attempts to kill D. L. again. She inadvertently throws Micah against some rocks when he tries to restrain her. Horrified, Niki regains control. She apologizes to D. L. and Micah and explains to them her problem. Niki reveals that Jessica is stronger than she is, and that as a result, she can't be trusted. Concerned that Jessica will eventually take over and put her family in danger, Niki turns herself in to the police and confesses to murder.
Two weeks later, Niki is in prison, awaiting trial. She is returned to her cell after being in solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
. The prison staff is very cautious, as Jessica has emerged previously and injured one of the guards during an attempted escape. During a meeting with the public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
assigned to her case, Niki is informed that the prosecution seeks the death penalty. Her lawyer asks Niki about the two million dollars, but she feigns ignorance. A rowdy Jessica then emerges to state that Niki is lying. Soon, Jessica recommends the lawyer bring in a "shrink
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
" to analyze her apparent multiple personality disorder; Niki insists she's not crazy. Later, a meeting with D. L. and Micah indicates that D. L. gave Linderman back the two million dollars. D. L. regrets the whole situation, but Niki believes that it's for the best. She states that she still thinks of Jessica as a completely separate person and not an alter ego. Micah is very distressed by the whole situation and Niki asks the guard for permission to hug him. The guard denies her request, but Niki asks persistently, advancing on the guard as she does so. When the guard attempts to strike her with his nightstick, Niki grabs it and breaks it in half with her bare hands. She appears to be surprised after she does so, as there was no clear indication that the superhuman strength came from Jessica. A now straitjacket
Straitjacket
A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with overlong sleeves and is typically used to restrain a person who may otherwise cause harm to themselves or others. Once the arms are inserted into the straitjacket's sleeves, they are then crossed across the chest...
ed Niki is sedated
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
and placed in a room with padded walls.
In "The Fix
The Fix (Heroes)
"The Fix" is the thirteenth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes.-Plot:Niki is still in the county jail. A psychiatrist arrives to work on Niki's case, and diagnoses her with multiple personality disorder; Niki refuses her help. Meanwhile, D.L. is having...
," Niki awakes to find the straitjacket removed, the drugs wearing off, and a psychologist, Dr. Witherson, looking at her. Niki insists that while the straitjacket is useless, the drugs make Jessica weak. The psychologist isn't interested in sedating Niki further, and believes she can help Niki. Niki is visited by D. L., who used his powers to enter her room and proposes breaking her out. D. L. states that he is having trouble raising Micah alone, but Niki is still resigned to her fate.
After Niki gives him a bit of advice, D. L. leaves. Later, the psychologist comes back and Niki agrees to talk to her. The psychologist insists on talking to Jessica. Niki is opposed at first, but the thought of being able to see Micah and D. L. again eventually leads her to give it a chance. Niki reminisces about her sister Jessica's piano playing abilities due to the metronome that the psychologist is using to bring Jessica out. Jessica eventually comes out and attacks the psychologist repeatedly with the Taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
that the other woman brought for protection. Later, while in her padded cell, a man walks into her cell and tells her to get dressed. When asked for an explanation, he tells Niki that a death row inmate has admitted to the killings for which she was being held and that DNA evidence verifies the inmate's story. Once home, Micah is clearly ecstatic to have his mother home and asks her to play a game with him. Appearing to be his mother, Jessica replies that she would enjoy that, and Niki is shown to be hitting a mirror, begging for release. Jessica merely looks at Niki and replies, "You were the one who wanted to be locked up, Niki."
Jessica becomes Linderman's new assassin, and it is revealed that Linderman arranged to have Niki/Jessica released from prison. On Linderman's orders, Jessica kills a man by tearing him in two, throwing Matt Parkman
Matt Parkman
Matthew "Matt" Parkman, Sr., is a fictional character of the NBC science fiction serial drama Heroes, played by Greg Grunberg. Matt is a police officer, who works for the LAPD and NYPD in Seasons One and Two respectively...
(Greg Grunberg
Greg Grunberg
Gregory Phillip "Greg" Grunberg is an American television actor. He is best known from starring as Matt Parkman on the NBC television series Heroes. Other notable roles included the characters Sean Blumberg on Felicity and Eric Weiss on Alias , both created and produced by childhood friend J. J...
) out of the window in the process. (When Niki and Jessica are fighting for dominance when Jessica is about to kill the target, Matt Parkman
Matt Parkman
Matthew "Matt" Parkman, Sr., is a fictional character of the NBC science fiction serial drama Heroes, played by Greg Grunberg. Matt is a police officer, who works for the LAPD and NYPD in Seasons One and Two respectively...
who possesses the power of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, is able to hear them both in his mind, a fact which surprises Jessica. "You heard Niki?".)
Niki manages to gain control a few times. She puts the photo of Nathan Petrelli, Jessica's next target, on D. L.'s pillow, which causes D. L. to question Jessica, who is still pretending to be Niki. Jessica lies and tells him that Linderman called to ask her to be a "dealer" at the casino. Jessica kisses D. L. and assures him that it is nothing more. He leaves the room but is still suspicious.
Jessica murders the two FBI agents, who are working with Nathan to take down Linderman. Later, Niki, who has managed to gain control once again, confronts Nathan in his room and confesses everything to him. She then advises Nathan to either take his family and run or to accept Linderman's offer. Nathan refuses, so Niki suggests that he kill Linderman instead. She gives Nathan a gun, which Jessica had intended to use on him. She tells Nathan that she does not have much time and begs him to knock her out so that Jessica can see that she is not in control anymore. Nathan complies.
In ".07%", Jessica returns home from her failed assignment only to be confronted by D. L who questions her about which personality is dominant. However, Jessica is unsure. Linderman asks if he can borrow Micah for a few hours, given that he let the debt slide and he saved her from the gas chamber. Jessica coldly informs him that Micah stays out of all their affairs, and leaves. Linderman, however, sends Candice Wilmer to impersonate Jessica and give Micah permission to go with Linderman.
In "The Hard Part
The Hard Part
"The Hard Part" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It is the first episode of the three-part finale for season one...
", Jessica and D. L. argue about their son Micah's whereabouts, and D. L. blames Jessica for his disappearance. He leaves, intending to rescue Micah without help. Niki pleads with Jessica to assist him, saying that he will die without her help.
D. L. and Jessica phase through walls and into Linderman's office. They find detailed files on their whole family, including Micah. D. L. is angered to find that they had been used. The pair attempts to determine Micah's whereabouts, and find a painting of Micah in what appears to be a burning New York City.
D. L. and Jessica make it to New York, where they work with Matt Parkman
Matt Parkman
Matthew "Matt" Parkman, Sr., is a fictional character of the NBC science fiction serial drama Heroes, played by Greg Grunberg. Matt is a police officer, who works for the LAPD and NYPD in Seasons One and Two respectively...
and Mr. Bennet to find Linderman. When D. L. and Jessica corner him, Linderman offers Jessica $20 million to kill D. L. Jessica seriously considers the offer, turning to D.L. and saying that she would kill him for that amount of money... but then she states "Niki wouldn't" and lets Niki take control once more. Niki hugs D. L. and apologizes. Linderman shoots at her but D. L. anticipates him and steps in front of Niki to protect her, taking the bullet. D. L. phases Niki out of the room after he kills Linderman. Niki then confronts Candice Wilmer, who impersonates Jessica. However, once the real Jessica informs Niki that who she is fighting isn't her, Niki is able to access her superhuman strength to knock out Candice. As Niki later leaves the building with D. L., Molly, Mohinder, and Micah, she discovers Sylar
Sylar
Gabriel Gray, more commonly known by his assumed name of Sylar , is one of the primary antagonists and antiheroes in the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a superpowered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers...
and Peter in a showdown. When Sylar summons a parking meter with his telekinesis and strikes Peter down, Niki disarms him and slams his torso with the weapon. Peter, now capable of using Niki's super-strength, tells her to go back to her family. She does so, and then watches with D. L., Micah, and Molly Walker as Nathan flies Peter into the stratosphere to safely explode.
Generations
After the events in the season finale, Bob from The CompanyThe Company (Heroes)
The Company refers to a fictional covert international organization in the NBC drama Heroes. Its primary purpose is to identify, monitor and study those individuals with genetically-derived special abilities. The Company played a central role in the plot of Volume Two, during the second season of...
approaches Niki in fear other personalities may emerge. She refuses his treatment so that she can be with Micah and D. L., who survived a gunshot wound to the chest. She begins taking medication, but stops when she experiences unpleasant side effects. On what is meant to be her first day of work at a new job, Gina, a new personality, appears, sealing Niki away. When D. L. tracks down Gina in L.A., whom he believes to be Jessica, she is dancing with another man. Upon seeing D. L., Niki returns. The two begin to leave, exchanging declarations of love for each other, when the same man dancing with Gina shows up and suddenly shoots D. L., killing him.
Niki and Micah then leave Las Vegas. Niki leaves Micah with Nana Dawson, a relative of D. L.'s, and travels to The Company
The Company (Heroes)
The Company refers to a fictional covert international organization in the NBC drama Heroes. Its primary purpose is to identify, monitor and study those individuals with genetically-derived special abilities. The Company played a central role in the plot of Volume Two, during the second season of...
to seek a cure for her condition. A promise of service is extracted as payment. In "Fight or Flight
Fight or Flight (Heroes)
"Fight or Flight" is the fifth episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It aired on October 22, 2007. This episode marks the first appearance of Elle, played by Kristen Bell, credited as a series regular...
", she attacks a company worker and Bob, forcing Mohinder to shoot her with a Taser. When Mohinder offers to help her escape, she stops him, explaining that she came to the Company voluntarily and they are trying to help her ("I gave up my son to be here"). Later, in the episode "The Line
The Line
"The Line" is the sixth episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It aired on October 29, 2007 in the USA.-Plot:...
", she joins Mohinder as his partner, claiming to be cured. When Maury Parkman mounts an assault on the Company, he manages to corrupt her by using her nightmares against her. To stop herself, she injects herself with a modified form of the Shanti virus, which is soon discovered to be immune to the antibodies in Mohinder's blood. In the present at the end of "Four Months Ago...
Four Months Ago...
"Four Months Ago..." is the eighth episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. The episode was written by series creator/executive producer Tim Kring and was directed by executive producer Greg Beeman. It originally aired on November 12, 2007...
" she is released into the general population.
In "Truth and Consequences", Niki returns to Nana Dawson's house to be with Micah. One night, she gets a call from Mohinder saying he has found a cure and that he is coming to give it to her. She goes to tell Micah who is supposed to be sleeping, but finds an empty bed. In "Powerless
Powerless (Heroes)
"Powerless" is the eleventh and final episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes and thirty-fourth episode overall. It was written by co-executive producer Jeph Loeb and directed by executive producer Allan Arkush. The episode aired on December 3, 2007 as the...
", Micah convinces her to help save Monica from the gang that kidnapped her. Niki succeeds in rescuing Monica, but is unable to escape herself as the building explodes.
Villains
In "One of Us, One of ThemOne of Us, One of Them
"One of Us, One of Them" is the third episode of the third season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes and thirty-seventh episode overall. It was written by Joe Pokaski and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan. The episode aired on September 29, 2008.-Plot:The episode opens with Angela...
", Niki is revealed to have died. In "I Am Become Death
I Am Become Death
"I Am Become Death" is the fourth episode of the third season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes and thirty-eighth episode overall. It was written by Aron Coleite and directed by David Von Ancken. The episode aired on October 6, 2008.-Plot:...
", it is revealed that Niki, Tracy Strauss
Tracy Strauss
Tracy Strauss, portrayed by Ali Larter, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. She has the ability to freeze anything that she touches. As the series progresses, her ability evolved to include water mimicry. Introduced in the third season, she is an adviser to the...
, and Barbara are identical triplets that were separated at birth and had their genes modified to give them superhuman abilities.
Alternate future
In the graphic novel "Walls, Part 1", it is revealed that sometime after the explosion, Niki was placed in a prison for evolved humans and put under maximum security until Peter PetrelliPeter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a hospice nurse-turned-paramedic in his mid-20s with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities, or powers...
and Hiro Nakamura
Hiro Nakamura
is a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
rescued every prisoner, including her. She is also shown to have taken complete control over her body. Sometime after being freed in "Five Years Gone
Five Years Gone
"Five Years Gone" is the twentieth episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. It is the last episode before the three-part finale of season one....
" it is revealed that her son and husband have been killed, Micah by the explosion and D. L. by Sylar. Because of this, Jessica has simply disappeared. Niki is involved in a relationship with Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli
Peter Petrelli, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, is a fictional character on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. He is a hospice nurse-turned-paramedic in his mid-20s with the power to absorb and mimic the powers of other people with special abilities, or powers...
and works as a barroom stripper under the stage name of "Jessica". She is often emotional and in pain, which only grows when she discovers that Peter caused the explosion and not Sylar, as she originally thought.
Powers and abilities
Fallout (Heroes)
"Fallout" is the eleventh episode of the NBC supernatural drama series Heroes.-Plot:The episode begins with Mr. Bennet bringing Claire home amidst a discussion regarding her powers. Mr. Bennet admits to Claire that he knew about her powers even before she did. She becomes angry with him, but he...
", only to stand back up again relatively unharmed, as well as able to endure the stress inflicted upon her body by her own strength (she does not, for example, injure her hand when punching through a solid wooden door). The ability is originally only used by her alter-ego, Jessica. In "How to Stop an Exploding Man
How to Stop an Exploding Man
"How to Stop an Exploding Man" is the twenty-third and final episode of the first season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. The episode was written by Tim Kring and was directed by Allan Arkush. It is the conclusion of the three-part finale for season one.The episode started filming...
", however, Niki is able to fully use her strength after some encouragement from Jessica.
As a side effect of her ability, Niki has "alternate" personalities. Jessica is one of these, named after Niki's late adoptive sister. At the start of the series, Jessica surfaces during times of great stress, but surfaces with increasing ease as the series moves on. When Jessica surfaces, the transformation is instantaneous and almost unnoticeable, but is made apparent by Niki's sudden violent and strong-willed behavior. Jessica also freely demonstrates the superhuman strength Niki has only recently unlocked. She also gains a peculiar tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
resembling an RNA
RNA
Ribonucleic acid , or RNA, is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life....
helix on her right shoulder. This helix symbol has been a recurring element in the series.
Jessica seems to have been aware that she is sharing Niki's body for longer than Niki realizes, leaving notes, gifts, and instructions for Niki, and telling a thug not to "threaten our son." Niki becomes aware of Jessica with the aid of reflective surfaces such as mirrors, and begins communicating with her. Jessica's ability to surface seems to increase over time, as Jessica is able to actively surface more often and more easily than she does in early episodes. The blackout effect on Niki also seems to lessen over time; the two personalities often directly fight each other for control and seem aware of what is said even when they are not active.
It is revealed in "Four Months Ago...
Four Months Ago...
"Four Months Ago..." is the eighth episode of the second season of the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes. The episode was written by series creator/executive producer Tim Kring and was directed by executive producer Greg Beeman. It originally aired on November 12, 2007...
" that Jessica is not Niki's only personality. A third personality emerges: Gina, a pseudonym Niki assumed after she ran away to L.A. when she was younger. Whereas Jessica was originally triggered by the stresses of being a single mother and the need to protect herself and Micah, Gina seems to be a manifestation of Niki's suppressed desire to escape her responsibilities as a mother and wife.