<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Heroes Character
Nicole "Niki" Sanders
Status	Deceased – "Powerless'"
Gender	Female
Species	Human
Origin	California
Portrayed by	Ali Larter
First Appearance	"Genesis'"
Profession	stripper, assassin
Relatives	Hal (father) Jessica Sanders (sister) Micah Sanders (son) D.L. Hawkins (husband) Paulette Hawkins (mother-in-law)
Special Features	Split personality, Super strength

Niki Sanders (b. August 26, 1974 – 2008) is a fictional character on the NBC series Heroes played by Ali Larter.

Character overview

Niki is the mother of a ten-year-old boy, Micah. They live together in Las Vegas where Niki struggles to make ends meet performing on an adult website. Her son, Micah, is a prodigy and Niki borrowed several thousand dollars to pay for his private school tuition. The school took the payment as a donation and, unable to provide more funds for his education, she is forced to withdraw Micah from school. She drops him off at a friends house, hoping to keep him safe while she returned home.

Recently, Niki has been seeing a strange image of herself looking back at her from the mirror and can't fight the feeling she's constantly being watched. Her wariness is justified but for altogether different reasons. Her creditor, Mr. Linderman, has sent men to collect the money she owes him. They demand that she perform for them. Niki sees herself in the mirror covered in blood. It is the last thing she recalls before waking up in the midst of the bloodied bodies of her captors.

She realizes she must have killed them but she doesn't know how. Niki's alter ego seems to take over and take care of things. She finds a new car registered in her name and the bodies of the men she killed in the trunk. She picks up her son up and drives out to the desert where she buries them. While doing so, she discovers the bodies of Micah's father's associates.

Niki is later stopped by a police officer working for Linderman. She is informed by one of his associates that her debt will be paid off once she agrees to seduce congressional candidate Nathan Petrelli. Niki meets Nathan but is unable to go through with the plot. She is threatened by one of Linderman's thugs and her alter ego takes over. She assaults him and returns to Nathan's room and fulfills her end of the bargain. She awakes the next morning with no idea what she'd done.

Niki returned home only to be confronted by the police who believe her fugitive husband may be planning to visit her. She asks for police protection but they are all surprised to find that her next visitor is not D.L. but Ando Masahashi, a devoted fan and one of her customers.

D.L. returns later and Niki, though initially wary, welcomes him back. After spending the night together, D.L. is determined to go after Linderman's associates. When he finds them however, they have been torn apart. Niki recognizes the sight and later, when she is alone her alter ego reveals that she was the one who killed D.L.s associates and framed him. She stole two million dollars from Linderman and hid it in the house. She tells Niki to make a choice between herself and her son and D.L. who will kill her when he finds out what she's done. This statement proves accurate when D.L. finds her with the money.

Niki's alter ego, Jessica, takes over and attacks D.L. She attempts to strangle him but he shows his own abilities, and phases his hand through her torso. After she recovers, she goes after them and attempts to kill D.L. When she accidentally hurts Micah, Niki returns and realizing she's a danger to her own family, turns herself into the police for murder.

Niki is a recovering alcoholic. She attends AA meetings with friend Tina.

Jessica

When Niki was 12 she lost her sister Jessica. Jessica was killed by their father Hal who is an abusive alcoholic. It's likely that Niki developed Jessica as an alter ego at this time to protect herself. Jessica took the brunt of their father's abuse leaving Niki with no memory of what their father did.

Niki has only recently come to terms with Jessica's existence. When Jessica takes over she has a tattoo of a half DNA strand on her shoulder. Jessica possesses superhuman strength and the will to do what Niki can't. In the episode "Six Month's Ago" Hal sanders returns, wanting a place in Niki's life. Niki invites him to dinner hoping he'll offer financial help for Micah's schooling. He soon displays his short temper and stalks out. He is visited later by Jessica who throws him against the wall, returns his check, and warns him to never return.

Jessica arranged a deal with Mr.Linderman for Niki's release from prison after Niki confessed to several murders. In exchange for the release, Jessica took on several jobs for Linderman including the assassination of former henchman, Aaron Malsky. Niki appeared to have disappeared completely.

Later, when Niki's son was kidnapped by Linderman and taken to New York, D.L. convinced Jessica to go with him and get him back. Linderman attempted to bribe Jessica but she declined and returned control to Niki. Linderman admitted to having arranged her relationship with D.L.. D.L. was shot by Linderman before dying at D.L.'s hand

Season 2

Niki was approached by Bob Bishop who offered her a job and his help with her split personality. Bob also paid D.L.'s medical bills but Niki declined the job opportunity he offered but took his offer of medication that would help repress her other personality.

Niki and her family settled into a normal life. D.L. took a job as a firefighter and Niki got a job as a car salesperson. Frustrated by her inability to feel, she quit taking her medication and another personality, Gina, emerged. Fun loving Gina, took off for LA on the first day of Niki's new job. D.L. followed and found her in a club. Niki returned but her dance partner took offense and shot and killed D.L.

After her husband's death, Niki and Micah left Las Vegas. Niki took Micah to stay with relatives in New Orleans and left for a Company facility in New York to receive treatment for her problems.

In exchange for their help, Niki agreed to work with The Company and was partnered with Mohinder Suresh. Their partnership didn't last long however as Maury Parkman used her mind against her leading her to believe she was suffering delusions. He attempted to force her to kill Bob but she instead injected herself with a strain of the Shanti virus intended for Parkman. The strain took away her abilities and was incurable by Mohinder's antibodies.

Knowing her life was in danger, Niki returned to New Orleans to spend time with Micah. When Micah's backpack was stolen, he and his cousin Micah attempted to retrieve the bag which contained his comics as well as his father's medal. Monica was discovered by gangsters and taken prisoner and abandoned in a building set on fire. Micah and Niki tried to rescue her and Niki succeeded in freeing Monica only to become an apparent victim of the building's explosion.

Powers

Niki's superhuman strength have mostly been seen in use by her alterego Jessica. Jessica, is a more confident, ruthless, and daring version of herself who seems to take over to do the things Niki is unable or unwilling to do herself. "Better Halves"

External Links

• Stolen Time graphic novel at NBC