Heroes: Electric Manipulation

Electric manipulation (also referred to as lightning) is the ability to generate and propel charges of electricity ranging from minor to fatal voltage.

Characters
 Confirmed   Future 
 * Elle Bishop had this ability.
 * Peter Petrelli has absorbed this ability from Elle but lost it after having it stolen by Arthur.
 * Arthur Petrelli stole this ability from Peter.
 * Sylar has empathically absorbed this ability from Elle.
 * Cooper has this ability.
 * An agent in a possible future has this ability.
 * In a possibl efuture, Future Peter absorbs this ability from the agent.

Future Agent
The agent can throw electric arcs that incapacitate people they strike. He can also levitate himself at least a few inches above the ground, though how high he can levitate and how fast he can propel himself are not known. Whether his ability to levitate is a function of his electric manipulation or stems from another source has yet to be determined.

Future Peter Petrelli
Future Peter mimicked the agent's ability and used it to throw electrical arcs. He did not employ the levitation aspect from the agent.

Elle Bishop
Elle has extensive control over her ability. Sh ewas able to adjust the strength and power of the electricity she generates, such as creating a small spark which causes a minor electric shock, a medium-level bolt which stuns or produces concussive force and a powerful surge which can kill. She did not need to use her hands to use her ability, as seen when she zapped Peter with her mouth or when she used her whole body to generate electricity. It has been implied that Elle could manipulate existing sources of electricity, causing a major blackout and causing the lights inside the Bennet home to fade in and out and Noah's computer to turn on. Elle was not immune to the electricity she created, and being wet could turn her ability against her. Additionally, Elle did not seem to be able to absorb large amounts of electricity, if any at all.

In addition to the aforementioned phenomena, Elle could also create ball lightning. After creating it, she could immediately release it, charge it for more powerful bursts, or simply use it to intimidate. Ell ewas also able to levitate her ball lightning. She could also fire blasts of sheet lightning and ribbon lightning in battle. She was able to hone her finesse for sharpshooting, firing small pinpoint, but powerful, lightning bolts that could shatter glass and cause objects to catch fire.

While being attacked by Sylar, Elle released a massive shock wave of electricity from her entire body, which shorted out the power grid on Level 5 of Primatech Research, effectively freeing all the prisoners. It also knocked Sylar unconscious. After this incident, Elle's control of her ability dropped dramatically. She was still able to use her ability, but she lost her fine control over it, causing herself severe pain from electric shock when she bathed or stood in the rain. Additionally, she almost caused a plane to crash after accidentally overcharging the plane.

During a tense encounter with Sylar at Pinehearst, Elle was able to produce enough electricity to disintegrate part of Sylar's clothes and severely injure him. After their talk, Elle regained control of her ability.

Noah states that the brain is not meant to handle the amount of electricity to which Elle was subjected during testing when she was first brought into the Company. He implied that this is at least in part why Elle had some psychological issues.

Peter Petrelli
Peter can fire lightning bolts but has not demonstrated the same degree of control as Elle. The only levels that he has demonstrated is a powerful concussive blast, a stun effect and a bolt of electricity strong enough to char flesh. Peter can also control the lightning by making a sphere or conduct it through a metal object.

As time progressed, Peter learned to wield this ability more effectively. In Dying of the Light, Peter fires a constant stream of lightning to electrify Sylar. As he enters Pinehearst, Peter summons a sphere of lightning in each hand and is able to sustain both for a few minutes.

Aside from telekinesis, electric manipulation is Peter's most commonly observed offensive ability.

Arthur Petrelli
After stealing Peter's abilities, Arthur demonstrated his newfound ability by creating and levitating ball lightning on his first try.

In Eris Quod Sum, Arthur was seen to be directing short bursts of lightning from his hands at Peter. He appeared confident in his mastery of the ability as he was able to control the blasts to a level that he believed would not kill Peter, though it should be noted that his confidence could have been misplaced: none of the blasts even hit Peter.

Sylar
After his talk with Elle, Sylar manifests her ability. Unlike with his other abilities, Sylar doesn't have an immediate mastery over this ability, prompting Elle to coach him, after which he is able to aim and shoot properly. Sylar has demonstrated he can fire a continuous stream of lightning or unleash short bursts. He can also fire a small spark from his finger to shatter objects. He also has enough reflexive control of the ability to take on several soldiers at once and strike them all down in a matter of seconds. He was able to power up one in each hand while battling Nathan and Peter and used this ability a lot in the battle given the amount of electricity seen flying around.

Cooper
Cooper was able to use this ability to electrocute several city gang members to such an extent that they were severely burned. Also, when threatened by Rachel, Claire and Store, he generated some electricity that flowed all over his hands and arms.