That's how it seemed in last night's episode anyway...it looked like before he got sick, that was his main ability

No I believe that was one of the abilities he has stolen and he obviously likes using it to manipulate people into doing what he wants.

It just means he took that ability from another mind reader sometime in the past.

I don't know, it could be that, similar to how Sylar picks apart brains to acquire powers, Arthur can use his "brain-mojo" to steal powers. Linderman did point out that the pushing thoughts into someone's mind leaves physical scars.

I can see this being a way that his stealing powers can be impermanent. He doesn't actually steal the power, but his method of acquiring the power scars whatever part of the brain "produces" the power (or however it is Sylar gets the powers himself).

Well, that's my new theory, anyway.

Like Sylar and his TK, Author likes to use one of the powers that he has gained. Telepathy is his power of choice.

You mean Angela's scars? That was just like the scars Angela had from the Haitian. Arthur was using his power to make her forget.

Right. Perhaps when he absorbs someone's power, he also makes them "forget" the power. If that is the case, perhaps he is more like Peter in that he doesn't have to leave the person powerless, but in his case, he chooses to.

Granted, if this is the case, it may mean that Matt also has this potential, which would just add yet another all-powerful character to the list, and I'm sure the writers don't want to have to deal with that. Then again, Matt could just never realize that potential...

Hey, crazy theories, I know, but it's a crazy show!

Also, wasn't it Mrs. Bennett that had the scars from the Haitian that were healed? Or Claire?

Yes, that's what I'm saying - Mrs Bennet had scars, but they weren't healed. Someone should tell Claire her blood could do it. Angela has her power so Arthur didn't take it. The scars Linderman talks about as he explains has to do with Arthur forces his thoughts into her head.

God, no wonder she freaked out when Matt figured out how to use his power.

Depends? Is Telekinesis the only ability Sylar had? As in, was it his only natural ability?

Didn't think so.

The same answer fits here. It's the ability he uses most often, not the only natural ability.

So anyone wonder if maybe Arthur can only use the powers of one Host at a time - like a real Parasite. I kind of doubt it, but it did come to mind because he just used the one power, but it's a great co-to that doesn't bring notice. With the Haitian there, must have been more things he could do.

It's not just his power of choice, nor is it simply used without using any other powers in conjunction. I might have missed something here, but isn't it...

the only power he uses prior to his paralysis?

He doesn't use any other powers. I was looking for clues and at one point Angela refers to "your power" not "your powers" although it was fairly ambiguous. Did I also see a momentary glimpse of fear in Linderman's eyes when he shook Arthur's hand in the first scene? Or was I imagining it? Apart from that was there anything at all to suggest he had any powers other than mind reading/mind control?

Ed

Interesting thought I've had: As Linderman's "heal" removed the effects of telepathy on Angela, does that mean Claire/Adam would be immune to telepathy? And Peter, Sylar, and Arthur too. ' would explain why Maury served Adam so... religiously.

Peter did heal himself. They just need to do it. It is not something that just happens they have to focus their power on healing those scars.

No, no, you misunderstand me. I mean would they be immune to the "forcing on" of a Telepath's thoughts?

No only people with the same power can cancel eachother out like Peter and Matt.

Now that I say that Matt and his dad did not cancel eachother out.

I was confused by his only using one ability as well. The feeling I got as soon as the episode was over and it soaked in, was that the reason he ordered Sylar to be provoked into giving away his secret was so they could figure a way for Arthur to gain that ability. Angela mentions "When Peter manifests he'll be a great man", bringing back the old discussion if it was he or Sylar who were always meant to be the bomb. Obviously, if Arthur was a power thief, he could have exploded himself, as by the time these flashbacks occurred, Ted had been bagged and tagged... Dunno, that was just the feeling I got. Otherwise, provoking Sylar to kill seems to have no purpose, nor does the fact he was kept alive in custody as they studied him.

Yes! This is starting to make sense... Although I'm not sure about the timeline... Was Arthur running the show at the company when HRG and Elle were studying Sylar?

I'm leaning towards the idea that Arthur only had telepathy before paralysis.

Otherwise, as Sylar did, wouldn't he have made sure he made RCR a priority purchase? He had Adam on Level 2. And it also explains why Adam only really got the fear after Arthur had spoken to his mind - until then he didn't realise that Arthur could do what he did.

Great idea... If I understand what you are saying the scar would "cover up or over" the other person's ability. It is not really gone, just inaccessible. Someone like Adam/Claire/Peter should be able to contradict the scaring...

I think that Arthurs power was and still is the powers theft ability. He just used the ability he needed to manipulate his wife through all the years so she does his bidding with no questions asked. :/

As about canceling each others ability:
Actually Maury should had been immune to Matts ability since they are sharing the same one.
However, he wasn't when it came to the nightmare part so it can be the case that matt wouldn't be able to put a thought into maury or to scan him if maury doesn't want to and blocking it but they both could still put each other into a nightmare depending who made the fastest draw. O_o

Since matt and peter never used or needed to use that part of this power I guess we will never know.
In my opinion though they actually should had been totally immune to each other instead of being it only partially.

Maybe Claire's blood can give Peter his powers back, as it would heal the scarring Arthur made. As far as we know Arthur doesn't know about Claire's healing power, which is why he said they were gone forever.
This would explain why she didn't use her blood to heal him after Gabriel TK'd Peter out the window, because then Peter would regain his power instantly and obviouslt the writers don't want that.

There is no "scarring", so that definitely wouldn't work. Reminds me of the *cough*DELETED*cough* who said Claire could heal Elle's depression.

Maybe Arthur only took one persons ability and never had the need for anymore? I've ben thinking its Maury's but somehow they shared it? Or maybe Maury's dad? Who knows..

Are you referring to this post Citizen? Didn't Linderman say something about he could heal the scars the mind control left, and restore her memory. I can not remember exactly.
I think the powers are still their and the scars are covering them up or at least not allowing access to those parts of the brain.

It's true Arthur wasn't involved with Primatech when Sylar got taken down, but the fact he was bedridden in Jersey didn't keep him from intimate knowledge of the goings-on with his old Company. Presumably, he has some sort of spy network or something thaat keeps him updated. (He knew which and where level 5 villians were kept, not to mention how to spring them!) Like I said, I have no evidence for believing Arthur was only given Power Theft from the tweaked Formula after the research on Sylar was finished, that was just the impression I got to explain what I saw. (Which also jells with our old clue on his power, that he was great at poker, evidence of Telepathy, not Power Theft)
On an unrelated note, knowing how we do that the Haitian's mind-wipes cause damage to the brain (Sandra) does that mean Linderman could also reverse his memory tampering?

Yes, I think Linderman could have healed Sandra's scars as well.

I'm sure Arthur knew what was going on while he was incapacitated and building Pinehearst. As for level 5 and where they were kept and how to spring them, I think that just comes from working there. Angela for one knows there is an incinerator on level 3 and has a pass code.

Like pretty much everyone else I think Arthur's main ability is to absorb powers through contact and he passed that on to Peter and Gabriel (hey Peter Gabriel! ) through genetics. They each have a different version of the power of they're father. Arthur just probably favors telepathy just like Gabriel favors TK (I refuse to call him Sylar when he's not a ruthless killer, that was his persona as a murderer).

Imagine if he took Knox's power though. Everyone already fears him, I wonder if that would enhance all his other abilities when he absorbs people's fear!

I think he has Knox's power now through Peter's empathy and that's how he was able to kill yet another pre-cog painter.

It seems as though Arthur has a similar power to that chic in the graphic novels. I don't know her name, but it was tthe one who started to see the aura of everyone. Then she saw who had powers and who didn't because they shinned brighter than the others. The only thing different about Arthur's powers is that when he takes them, the person doesn't die.

Her name was Linda, and I wonder if Linda had learned to control her power she could have taken a power and not killed them. Arthur seemed to push Peter off him at a certain point.

Arthur absorbed (through Peter) Niki's Strength and Knox's Fear Strength, making his ability to tear off heads as easy as I would pick up a pencil.
But going back to his original power, I lean toward Telepathy, and at a level much more forceful and blunt than the Parkman's. While they, Maury and Matt, can induce temporary commands and visions, Arthur's appear to be more permanent and actually cause damage to the brain. Why else would Maury so fear Arthur unless he knew his own gift would offer him no protection from a bedridden, paralyzed old man?