I'm betting the fire that was started was so bad that there was no way that someones remains would be identifiable so hrg had to claim she was dead for the benefit of the normal police around

She may have accidentally set the fire herself, perhaps in anger or self defense (from HRG???) and has been in mourning for her daughter all these years. She seemed surprised when Claire told her she was her daughter. It was pretty cool, or hot I guess???

Yeah her mom does kinda freak me out, but she's prolly been living through heck since the fire thinking her daught died, and it must have been a relief! Cause Merideth asked if it was a joke

I agree though she didn't seem all that emotional to hear that her long lost daughter was still alive, actually Claire's mom kind of freaks me out

Since Claire's mom works for HRG (supposedly) then maybe he threatened her to never make contact with her again? Or there could be another reason for her not being very excited or emotional about hearing from her.

i'm wondering how hot she can make that fire and how much control over it she has cause by the flames on her fingers it was just low heat probably under extreme temps like the kind of stuff that melts glass and metal

that would be an interesting and disturbing way to get out of motherhood just fry your child and everything else to make it look like your dead. that would be horrible if she did that

if you go to some places they would pay a lot to see the burning lady and the girl that can not be killed or there is always the best guinnea pig in the world

It will be interesting to see how her story plays out. I sensed an alterior motive when she was talking to Claire. I believe she will attempt to profit to a degree (not a fire starter pun) off her daughter's return. The guy on the phone with her looked as if he had means, and she may use Claire for financial gain....just my thought....

I wonder If Meredith has the Indestructability within her; since she can't be harmed with Fire, and that is what Claire got from her mom. So MG could actually go Head to head with Ted, and that his Fusion balls won't affect MG.

Can you imagine her trying to use her power and getting burned because of it?

She can't be immune to Ted's power because that is radiation but fire she is immune to

It's a Gift. and a curse. If she's immune to Fire why Not Plasma Burns?

Well obviously fire can't harm her, but perhaps only fire. Same with Ted, and his abilities not harming him, but harming others around him.

No I don't think she is, but Claire is, as we saw in Company Man.

and Meredith will Hunt Ted down. I wonder if she fires streams of fire or similar to Ted as Fire Balls?

Yes BUT the question is how their powers manifest when they blast/fire them?

that would be an interesting and disturbing way to get out of motherhood just fry your child and everything else to make it look like your dead. that would be horrible if she did that

I'm certain that she set the fire on purpose to fake her own death and whetever by accident or design saw Claire "die".

*nods* The question is, how did she know they were coming? Was she the one Claude was protecting?

I don't think she knew that's why she blew up the apartment accidentally with her child in it.

I think it was also as a means of escaping HRG and Claude

Well I hope Meredith will come back in season two and will make use of her power to protect or help someone somehow.

Well even she wasn't THAT honest about the money to she got from Nathan to claire, she still cared for her as it seems and was determined to show her to Nathan while he wasn't THAT interested.

After all she didn't lied to claire when it came to how her father was/is.
So in my eyes she is still a good person that probably has her reasons why for having to stay away most of the time which hopefully will be revealed in the second season.

It is possible that her body creates and secretes through the pores of the skin two chemicals, we'll say hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.(courtesy of wiki), that when combined, they create a flame. He skin is protected by a third chemical, vaseline like, that makes her impervious to the flame catching her skin. The reason I think vaseline like, is because it can also be used as tinder when coated on cotton balls. The combination can easily be ignited by a fire starter, burning hot and long, but the petroleum keeps the cotton from getting wet. If the cotton ball is protected, then so should the skin.

However, she cannot throw fire balls, because there's nothing to sustain the flame once it's left the chemicals. No 'fire streaming' from the body, again, she cant 'shoot' the chemical outward. Also, theoretically, she could ignite her whole body, similar to Johnny Storm, minus flight and superspeed.

Again, however, her clothes would burn off; unlike Claude, she cant manipulate her clothes too. She can't make them impervious as well, rational yes, possible... maybe if she extricated the chemicals from her body slowly and allowed her clothes to soak at home rather then wash them. But along the lines of 'she can't control her clothes,' therefore, when her clothes caught fire, she'd be naked after they burned away. Her hair was a funny thing... hair has natural oils (I've seen the commercials, you have too) that could theoretically produce the same seelant as vaseline-like properties. Downfall; her eye's would have to remain closed, the pores on her eylids blocking the fire from scorching out her eyeballs (which produce nothing of the sort of chemical needed to stay impervious, minus tears).

Now the 'why not manip? she burned down her house...'

Well, we don't know she shot fire from her hands... maybe she fellasleep, cigarette in hand and it fell onto the rug. we aren't sure she started the firewith her abilities even. If she did, however, then if she can manipulate fire. Why not cause the flames to burn out?

But, the only thing to dissprove my theory, one of many actually I'm sure, is why she doesn't have really bad rosatia on her face and arms... if the body is secreting all these chemicals to produce a chemical reaction starting a flame, why aren't theses 'natural' oils clogging up her pores, causing bad acne or blackheads. Or is it because she has that kind of control over her bodies chemicals that she can keep it 'clean, clear and under control...'

I've always figured the fire was started accidentally the first time Meredith ever saw her powers. Look how long it was before Nathan took flight a second time after the car crash. And much like Nathans discovery, another accident caused by a manifesting ability.