Identity theft is the ability to take on another's form so completely that it'd be impossible to distinguish between the two.
Characters[]
- An unnamed Pinehearst employee in World 5 has possessed this ability naturally.
- Ceri Petrelli will also have this ability naturally.
- Sadie Hathaway will also possess this ability naturally.
Limits[]
Unnamed Pinehearst Employee[]
The man was shown using the ability to impersonate Peter Petrelli, and it is also known that he impersonated Thomas Thompson throughout his employment, so that his real identity was never known. He copied a person's physical appearance, voice, mannerisms, emotions, thoughts and abilities. He didn't need to meet a person before he could impersonate him or her, but may have possibly needed to see a photograph. His identity theft continued even after he was killed, meaning that he retained Peter's appearance.
Ceri Petrelli[]
This ability can be used to impersonate another so successfully that Ceri and that person cannot be told apart. In addition to copying appearance, mannerisms and voice are also mimicked, and the person's thoughts and emotions are copied so closely that no telepath or empath could detect the deception. If the person copied possesses an ability or abilities then these are also duplicated. However, Ceri can choose to either copy one of a person's abilities and thus keep her other two, or copy all of their abilities and lose the use of her other ones until she reverts to her normal form. This ability can be used to deceive anyone, even a person with lie detection or reality perception. However, it is known that Ceri will have to have met a person before she can impersonate him or her.
Sadie Hathaway[]
Sadie will be capable of perfectly impersonating any person she has met. It will not matter for how long she has known the individual, even if it was just a brief introduction lasting a few minutes, but she will have to have met them: hearing about someone or seeing a photo won't be enough. She will copy the appearance and personality, will have the same memories and will even appear to have the same thoughts and emotions. She will also copy the person's abilities. As a result, she won't be able to access her own abilities while impersonating someone else, and she won't be able to transform back deliberately. The effect will simply have to wear off on its own, and will do so after a few hours normally. Because of this, she will use the ability very rarely.
Similar Abilities[]
- Shapeshifting is the ability to change one's appearance
- Contortion is the ability to change appearance, form and shape
- DNA manipulation, metamorphing and formshifting can all be used to alter appearance
- DNA mimicry is the ability to copy another's appearance and abilities
- Illusion can be used to trick others into believing that someone is someone else
- Telepathy can induce others into believing that someone is someone else