Nathan Petrelli

Name: Nathan Petrelli
Portrayed by: Adrian Pasdar
Superpower: Flight
Age: Unknown

Nathan was a lawyer working with the District Attorney's office. The District Attorney wanted to expose the Mafia connections of his father's client, Mister Linderman. As he was driving his wife home from a party in a convertible, another vehicle repeatedly struck his car. Nathan inadvertently flew from his car after one of the strikes, causing the car to lose control and veer off the freeway. The resulting crash caused a significant spinal injury in his wife, Heidi, for which Nathan has blamed himself ever since.

Six months later, Nathan was running for Congress in a district of New York City. In the pilot episode, he was approached by his brother Peter, who told him that he'd been having strange dreams and believed he could fly. Nathan claimed to be unconvinced. Their conversation was interrupted by the news that their recently widowed mother has been arrested for shoplifting. Nathan, still primarily concerned with his candidacy, cut his mother no slack and left her at the police station with Peter. The following morning, Nathan watched from an alley as Peter jumped off a building in an attempt to fly. As Peter fell, Nathan flew into the air and grabbed his hand. They descended for a few seconds, but then the brothers lost their grip on one another.

The next day, Nathan was the first person Peter saw at his bedside in the hospital. Nathan denied that he flew and tried to explain away what happened as if it were simply a failed suicide attempt by Peter. Much later that night, Nathan was called to another rooftop, where Peter threatened to jump unless Nathan admitted that he flew. Nathan eventually admitted that he did fly. Both brothers soon learned that Peter could fly as well, when he began to walk on thin air. Soon after that, Nathan was again approached by Peter with information about the power of flight and other superhuman abilities. Nathan was still more focused on his campaign and his family. That evening, Nathan held a press conference where he broached the subject of depression. He revealed that his father suffered from it, and that it was the cause of his death. Nathan then claimed that Peter's attempt to fly was actually a suicide attempt, to satisfy the press. Peter stormed out of the press conference, later cursing Nathan out and assaulting him, but went along with the story in public.

On his way to Las Vegas to meet with Mr. Linderman, Nathan was "harassed" by Mohinder Suresh, who attempted to warn him that his life may be in danger. Nathan mistook Mohinder for his father, Chandra, assumed that Peter sent him, and ignored the man. In Las Vegas, Nathan encountered Jessica Sanders, and the two shared an instant attraction, ultimately resulting in them sleeping together. Afterward, Mr. Bennet monitored them and had the Haitian kidnap Nathan.

A shirtless Nathan escaped when Bennet is distracted. Flying away, Nathan broke the sound barrier in the process. Nathan landed on his feet outside a diner in the desert outside Las Vegas, though it was not a smooth landing. After entering and getting a shirt from the lady at the counter, Nathan met Hiro Nakamura. Hiro said he saw Nathan fly and told the candidate that he has powers, too. Nathan was skeptical, but humored Hiro, who said he could teleport and manipulate time. Nathan asked about the upcoming election; Hiro said he won by a landslide. Hiro promised to keep Nathan's secret and, when Nathan's ride arrived at the diner, Nathan agreed to give Hiro a ride back to the city. After dropping Hiro off, Nathan went back to meet with Linderman, only to run into Niki on the way. Niki tells him she was supposed to sleep with him by the order of Mr. Linderman. She said they blackmailed her and will do the same to him, using a recording of the incident. When Nathan met with Linderman's associate again, he worked out a deal with her: Though their original deal was for two million dollars, Nathan became more certain than ever of his victory and negotiated for four million, saying, "for two million, you got a congressional candidate in your pocket; for four, you'll get a congressman."

After Nathan returned to New York, he and his family had brunch with a newspaper reporter. During the brunch, the reporter questioned Nathan about his connections to the reputed mobster Linderman, and Nathan's meeting with a blonde woman in Vegas. Peter covered for Nathan, telling the reporter that Nathan was arranging a private clinic to treat him for his mental health issues. That night, Nathan later lied to his wife, Heidi, by assuring her that he really was arranging for Peter's treatment, and that the woman he met with was a doctor. Nathan later told Peter that he cheated because of the guilt he felt about Heidi's confinement every day he looks at her. Before leaving, he also told Peter about the failed kidnapping attempt, and warned his brother to be careful, saying that people would want to lock them up if they realized the two brothers had powers.

At home, Nathan inquired about a painting by Isaac Mendez which Linderman had purchased and Peter wanted back. Linderman sent it "straight to [Simone's] gallery". When the painting arrived, Nathan viewed it with Simone. The image depicted a man resembling Peter, dead under a homecoming banner and a clock. After seeing it, Nathan destroyed it, telling Simone that he was protecting Peter from getting himself killed. Nathan later appears to bail Peter out in "Fallout".