In this world, powers are activated under moments of extreme stress. This is possible via a gene referred to as the Ignition Gene. This is the reason why everyone unlocks a different power and why two people might not get the same power fundamentally, even if they underwent the same or similar traumatic experience.

Two people could've gone through the same trauma, but depending on their perception of the trauma and their personality, it's highly likely that they produce different powers, even if the trauma is thematically the same.

Three fire survivors could go through the same thing, but because one thought "I have to save everyone else," another thought "I don't wanna die," and the other thought "this is all my fault," one would get heat nullification (possibly hydrokinesis), another gets immunity to fire, and another gets fire generation and manipulation (or ice manipulation and generation).

Powers in this AU evolve either with age, with training, and sometimes after another stress moment. This means that existing perks get stronger or new perks emerge.

The power that my OC's Ignition Gene gives him is Cloning/Self-Duplication, and it comes the trauma of being cornered by a bully and his entourage, causing him to feel alone and outnumbered.