Just two short horizontal slanted lines. Matt the cop and the Radiation guy are the only ones so far with it.

Does this mean their powers are not fully eveloved yet?

We know Matt has been "mugged" by HRG and the Haitian, perhaps radiation guy has too? This could be a mark so they could be identified later.

Looks like it. Those two marks may be just a part of the 'RNA' thingamajig.

i hope they arn't using it to set up teams or something, though it could show what part of there dna is mutated if it is another type of helix, though that would be an odd helix, i'll have to watch it again to get a better look at it.

i think the men that have powers have a different Symbol than the women

Good point. CHECK THE QUARTERBACKS NECK!

In agreeance. Thought this indicated that these guys are in the early stages of their metamorphosis.

Can anyone take a screen cap of that episode with the QB in the hospital bed after MBG visited him. Thats a great point. I would think it was a mark left by MBG and HRG as a way to tag them. Nikki has the "S" thing when she is Jessica, but the Radiation guy and Matt just has two lines. I would think it means something different then Jessica's mark, like it was a tag made by MBG and HRG.

Niki has it when she is in 'Jessica-form'. Radiation man and Matt are getting it. Since Niki has her powers for about 6 months, it makes sence for others to get it, I think.

Did Nathans wife say how long she had been in the wheel chair because Nathan had his powers at least that long. I'm betting it doesn't come with time, but with use.

I think Jessica's mark might be a tattoo (sp?) she had gotten when not Nikki (remember, she's been having "bad dreams" for a while), or it could just be a symbolic thing. Not everything in a T.V. show has to be realistic or significant, it could be something to aid the viewer in discerning the two. I do think that radiation guy and Matt both had them put there involuntarily somehow. Regrettably, I don't have Tivo or any of the episodes purchased on iTunes so I can't help you much.

I definitly think its a mark left by MBG when he does... whatever he does. Erases their memory and probes their brain or whatever.

It's like with nature researchers. Matt and Rad Guy were tagged and released back into the wild.

It's either the tagged symbol for people who have been released by HRG and MBG already. That, or it shows the beginning of the DNA symbol. But I doubt this. It is most likely that is why they only took Nathan too. They had already collected and tagged Niki's DNA.

Might I also point out that this is most definintely DNA and not RNA. RNA signifies the worker part of a design. DNA is the boss or map. DNA tells the body how to form. Also, RNA comes in strands and DNA comes in helixes. And if you notice actually at the toip of the board screen in the upper left next to Uluru and below the green block with the symbol in it, there is a cutoff of the word helix. Meaning, it has to be DNA.

Take note. I have said it and proved it. And there it is.

I don't think the mark has anything to do with HRG/MM.

Why would Peter draw it in a drawing of him flying?
Why would it randomly show up in an RNA strand?

If they have something to do with it, I doubt it's them running around marking all their targets with it. If anything they might have done a genetic experiment and while giving these people powers, decided to also encode a birthmark on all of them that only shows over time. Not all birthmarks are fully developed at birth, after all.

Could someone point out which episode it was that we saw Matt's symbol? I must've missed it.

Literally 5 seconds after they showed Boilyhandsman with it on his neck, in the lockerroom they showed it on Matts neck.

The two little marks on Matts and Radiation Hands neck are definitley the upper two hash marks on the Double Helix Symbol

I'm not too sure about this, but did anyone else notice the symbol on the potential robber in the store that Matt stops? I think it was on his neck, but it may have been just a regular tattoo.

Yeah, that was just a regular tattoo. Some tribal thing, just watched the clip over again to make sure.

RNA is a single stranded nucleic acid. DNA stays within the nucleus of the cell; it does nothing.

RNA is created from DNA, essentially it is the reverse/opposite copy of one helix of the double helix. RNA also comprises the ribosomes which makes the proteins in your body.

i have no idea what the 2 lines could be though :\

I like where you're going with this... I'd have to agree with you.

Maybe this is just me but...if you believe that it is an after effect of the HRG's right hand guys power. Maybe it grows over time...they were not interested in Niki just Nathan maybe because they already saw her and deleted her memory. Experence but she was Jessica because of the threaten me thing and that is why it is only on her.



Just my idea...

Or marks from a tracking device implanted under the skin.



I don't know if I can suspend my belief to include a magical tattoo of an RNA molecule that naturally appears on them when they discovered their power.




This is most likely I believe.

Seeing how the parents can have kids that have a special hero power, what about Peter and Nathan's mother? Does she have a hero gift?

dun dun DUN! I think that's going to be dragged on forever, but hopefully we'll find out eventually. Daddy seems to be somewhat significant.

As for the symbols, I'm sure they're just brands after being tested. Maybe Nikki got tested by different researchers. Or it is a female / male differentiation (not that it's hard to tell a male from a female...you know what I mean).

They're not 2 different symbols. The symbols on Matt & Ted just aren't as fully developed as Jessica's...

I think so. I think thats part of the reason behind him killing himself.

There are some really wild theories on here and some I just had to laugh at, no offense meant to anyone.

I'm going with the tracking device theory. I've thought that since the first time I saw it in a preview.

And more importantly... did their FATHER?

Does anyone here remember 'Dark Angel'? With the barcodes on the backs of their necks? That was caused by their particular DNA sequence controlling skin pigmentation. That was coded into their DNA, why not the same for the Heroes?
And as far as the different marks (rad man and matt), could it be not that it is developing, but fading? I mean, Matt was 'wiped' by the Haitian. Maybe he is missing the full sequence now...Just some thoughts...

i'm wanting to go with a diff theory, 2 different evolutionary paths... like Cromagnum and Homosapien?

could it be that simple?

instead of goodguys and badguys its more of a battle for evolution

sometimes i think we are looking too far into this show for answers

its definitely not a tattoo. Only Jessica has it and thats what is weird. It isn't there when Nikki is around. So what does that mean?

I'm thinking they all will exhibit a small part of the DNA sequence that makes up a whole strand; Nikki has a major portion, the others have smaller "ladder step" parts; all of their powers combined will make a full DNA double-helixed tattoo.

I think Sylar/Patient Zero has the full double-helix tattoo, not just part.

I'm thinking they isolated parts of his DNA and put each part in individuals; he has all their powers, they have one aspect of his. They just had to wait and see which DNA part put in which person exhibited which power.

I think HRG adopted Claire knowing she had one DNA "step" put in her, but didn't know what power would manifest.

How/why the decided to put these DNA splices into worldwide humans...can't tell.

See my post in the "HRG" thread in Characters and My thread in General Discussion under the title "TAG! YOU'RE IT! I was there first..WOO HOO!

i really enjoy this theory, new and refreshing and definitly possible in my opinion

Just chiming in to agree with it being tied to HRG somehow, although I really like Agent42's suggestion as well.

My theory is this:

The signs slowly take form on the Heroes bodies as they grow into their powers. Since Niki's alter ego is technically different and has the power, she gets the full sign.

And if HRG was marking the people, he would have put the FULL mark on Matt. But he did not. HRG has nothing to do with the mark.

Matt, Theo, and Niki's alter ego (Jennifer) has it on them. There coukd be more to it, but it's impossible to know.

Well since we are all putting our wild theories into play on here I will cast my lot as well.

Perhaps what it is is people get different peices to the puzzle. Nikki/Jessica has the squiggly peice, matt and radiation guy have a couple lines.. what if when all the peices are found and put together they form a full strand? Perhaps this strand is what they will need to look for when checking DNA to find people with "super-human" powers.

Just a thought

The problem with the symbol as a marking device is that the heroes tend to doodle it obsessively. For example, Claire has it marked on the binding of one of her school books. The symbol itself is not likely to be indicative of an actual DNA strand either. If you look closely at the data on Mohinder's father's laptop... as he scrolls through the data the symbol apears in the data as an area of lesser density. If the data is genetic code (which I can't say for sure it was now) then it is perhaps a pattern of genes that indicates a person's potential for superhuman abilities. I tend to think it is something that manifests in the minds of the heroes and surfaces psychosomatically when they are in the grip of their abilities. Something they can subconsciously sense about their genes. Which would explain the painting of the symbol, Claire's doodling and all the other odd places it appears in their homes or belongings.

BTW, Has anyone verified that the tattoo Jessica has and then Nicky doesn't have is/isn't on the same shoulder? I don't Tivo or anything so I'm just asking because I can't say.

I am weighing in on the markings having something to do with the development, existence of their powers along the lines of Agent42.

The whole tagging and release into the wild although very funny and amusing just strikes as an unnecessary step. It's not like there are several Matt's running around all looking alike and displaying the same power or several Ted's capable of an instantaneous nuclear explosion, and thereby need some sort of tagging system to keep them all straight. These are unique people and not hard to keep track of particularly once found - so tagging just seems out.

All in due time. . . .

When Jessica was with Nathan, they made a point to show her right shoulder as having the mark, and again they made a point to show Niki's right shoulder as NOT having the mark when she was in bed the next morning...alone.

i'm just pondering about it, but what if the 2 symbols technically symbolizes who's good and who's bad?

ooh, just had another thought...besides the previous question...do you guys think it also distinguish who's more advanced with their powers?

I really hope there's no relevance to people being good or bad based on the symbols' orientation. That gets into icky territory of insinuating that whether or not you're a good or bad person is all in the genetics, and I'd hate to go that route.

J

what has been the theme so far! "save the cheerleader,save the world". what if she has the final peice to the tattoo that completes the said helix and that is why hrg was assigned to her. without her giving any indication she may already have seen the tattoo or marking and just doesnt wont anyone to know it.

Folks, just keep in mind that we've seen, thus far, two different symbols. The Helix and the Two Lines. The Helix is what Jessica has on her shoulder, it was also drawn by Peter and Claire, as well as painted by Isaac...twice (if you count the one on Jessica's picture as a second one).

The Two Lines is on Matt and Ted. We know that Matt was taken by HRG. I don't feel it's a stretch to believe those marks have something to do with HRG.

Will Two Lines develope into the Helix? Honestly, who knows. However, I seriously doubt that it'll evolve into a double helix because of the significance of the Helix. The Helix is everywhere on the show, as has already been illustrated. Just look at the top of the board and it's there again. That really looks like the finished product.

Tom

I don't think it's the helix fading. If so, then Matt would not have been as shocked to see it appearing on his shoulder.

Also...i'm on the side that favors there being two different symbol. Even the orientation of the two lines leads toward it being a different symbol all togther

Maybe. I think its part of the strand of RNA/DNA. When you have a power, you get one line (the lowest one) and its so small that maybe they dont think of it. Then once you begin to use the power ,purposely or not, you get another line(the one right above the first). When you start to hone the power you get the third little line thing and when your power is completely controlled, you get the rest. If you think my theory falls apart when you think about Jessica's symbol at Nathan's that night, i dont think so. Remember, Jessica can come out at any time she wants, meaning her power is completely controllled. maybe not by Nikki, but its controlled!

Here's my opinion, I've been reading this board a lot and finally decided to speak on somethings. In regards to this, it seem fairly obvious what the symbol means.

It means they haven't reached their full potential. It probably means they don't know how fully control it. I don't believe they're [HRG or The Haitian] marking people, and I don't recall seeing a scene in episode 1.7 where Ted was captured by HRG.

THE FOLLOWING MAY BE A SPOILER IF IT BECOMES TRUE BUT IT MY OPINION OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

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I believe that Ted is gonna blow up NY..it makes the most since. Don't know how, but I"m pretty sure it's him that makes that mushroom cloud. This is probably only possible if he gains full control of his power.
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this are my opinions, no facts ...I'm not sure if we should get very detailed into why this person has a tattoo like this or that, or the whole RNA/DNA thing b/c at the end of it "Heroes" is a sci-fi TV show and they wouldn't make it overly complicated