Nathan Petrelli (portrayed by Adrian Pasdar is a New York-based lawyer/politician. He also has the ability to fly, which he discovers as he saves himself from a car crash. However, he learns that he was not born with his powers and that they were synthetically given to him by his parents. Though he seems to be morally ambiguous, he often does what he believes is for the greater good, however misguided he may be.
He is the eldest son of Arthur and Angela Petrelli. Nathan often looks after his younger brother Peter, but does not always share the same ideals.
It is revealed that Nathan is Claire Bennet's biological father, as he once had a relationship with her mother Meredith Gordon, but believed an infant Claire to have died in a fire.
Nathan's political ambitions turn towards becoming President of the United States, during his campaign for a seat in Congress. In multiple alternate futures, Nathan is elected as President (though one future reveals that Sylar is really impersonating Nathan). When he decides to make his powers known to the public (in an effort to bring down The Company, which experiments and moniters people with abilities), he is shot twice in the chest by a future Peter who wants to stop him. Nathan survives, and believes he was saved by God. On this path, he is convinced to get back into politics and take over a position in Senate.