Usutu

Usutu
Portrayed by	Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine
First appearance	The Butterfly Effect
In-story stats
Known ability	Precognition
Nickname	Mr. African Isaac
Gender
Date of death	Post-March 2007
Home	Botswana
Residence	A handmade hut
Occupation	"Prophet"

Usutu was a wandering shaman in the desert sands of Africa. He was an evolved human with the ability to paint the future, making him a "prophet". He was succeeded by Matt Parkman Sr., and, despite being dead, sometimes still appears to Matt in visions to guide him on his journey.

Character History

The Butterfly Effect

Matt is teleported to the continent Africa. After a day in the hot sun he collapses, only to be found by Usutu. He helps Matt get back on his feet and gives him some water. He tells Matt he is in Africa, though he is not supposed to be here. As the two take a "spirit walk" back to Usutu's home, Matt asks to use Usutu's cell phone. Usutu replies that his phone is not getting service in this remote area, and that he should have "gone with Sprint" The two continue walking.

One of Us, One of Them

Usutu listens to music while painting the future.

Matt and Usutu continue "spirit walking" throughout the African desert. Matt asks Usutu how he knew his name, and Usutu replies by saying that he read Parkman's police badge. Usutu then shows Matt a painting on the ground depicting Matt and Molly Walker on the day that Matt rescued Molly from the Walkers' home. He says that when he was a boy, he was compelled to gather berries of many colors and paint. He says he painted this painting when he was a boy, and that he is no longer a boy. Matt then sees a large cliff face, covered with Usutu's prophetic paintings.

Usutu then brings Matt to his desert dwelling outside the cliff face. Matt sees a painting of him and a blonde woman carrying a baby, but Usutu says that the future has changed, and proceeds to cover the painting with a new coat of white paint. Matt asks Usutu what his future is, but Usutu doesn't respond and just paints on the newly cleaned rock. Annoyed, Matt grabs Usutu and turns him around, but his eyes are white. Usutu finishes the painting, which depicts Matt carrying a limp body. Matt asks Usutu who this is, and he responds that it is Matt's future, and not his.

Later, Usutu and Matt go into the desert dwelling and Matt eats some food from a bowl, but claims that something isn't working. Usutu gives Matt his music to listen to, and Matt's eyes go white.

I Am Become Death

Usutu gives Matt a substance and his walkman, and Matt sees into the future. When Matt comes back from seeing the future, he says he needs to find Daphne, who is the body that Matt is carrying in the painting. Usutu tells Matt that he needs to find his totem, which is usually an animal, to guide him. Matt finds a turtle and leaves Usutu.

Dying of the Light

Hiro gets the assignment from Daphne to capture Usutu. Hiro and Ando teleport to Africa to capture him, but Hiro, fulfilling the prophetic painting he has seen in the Hut, is hit in the back of the head with a shovel by Usutu. After Hiro wakes up, he goes back in time a couple of minutes for a second attempt, but is knocked out by Usutu again. Hiro and Ando then go to Usutu's hut on foot, where Usutu is waiting for them. Usutu tells Hiro he has passed the test by using his head instead of his powers. He then shows a painting of the four villains to Hiro and Ando, telling Hiro to make the choice between taking him in and fighting them.

Eris Quod Sum

Usutu informs Hiro that if he does not choose his destiny, then someone else will. Later, Usutu deceives Hiro into eating the food that allows the consumer to go on a spirit walk.

Villains

Usutu is killed by Arthur.

Usutu watches over Hiro while he is on his spirit walk. When Hiro shows signs of waking, Usutu prepares a fuming mixture that puts him fully back under and warns Ando not to wake Hiro until the spirit walk is complete. Upon waking from his spirit walk, Hiro and Ando hear a scream. They rush out of the hut to find Usutu lying on the ground, decapitated by Arthur Petrelli.

It's Coming

Arthur berates Hiro for not being able to complete a simple job - killing Usutu - and says that he had to do it himself.

Later, at Primatech, Matt sees a vision of Usutu in the hallway, leading him to the comatose Angela Petrelli.

Dual

After Hiro destroys the formula and celebrates with Ando, Daphne, and Matt, Matt sees a vision of Usutu standing on the top of the staircase in Isaac's loft. Usutu smiles at Matt.

A Clear and Present Danger

Usutu appears to Matt as an illusion. He tells him he has a message for him and that he is on a journey to become a prophet, by learning how to paint the future.

Trust and Blood

Usutu appears to Matt again, this time directing him into a trailer outside the Flight 195 crash site, where Matt finds paper and drawing tools. When Matt starts drawing the future, Usutu reappears and tells Matt to focus.

Heroes Evolutions

Usutu is mentioned as a citizen of Botswana, Africa, on the assignment tracker map.

Equipment

• Paintings--painted on rocks
• Paste--an unknown paste he gives to Matt Parkman and Hiro Nakamura
• Walkman--worn when Usutu paints
• Shovel--used to knock out Hiro in Dying of the Light
• Wandering-stick--used to walk with. Is seen in Matt's visions of Usutu.

Evolved Human Ability

Usutu had the ability of precognition, which allows him to perceive information about future places or events before they happen. He knew who Matt was from his visions of the future, and stated that his presence in Africa meant that the future he saw had been changed. Like Isaac Mendez, he typically records what he sees in his visions in paintings.

Usutu was known to have developed this ability when he was relatively young, making him an experienced precog. He seems to be able to extend his ability to other people who share his ritual food and other paraphernalia.

Memorable Quotes

"Why are you talking to a turtle?"

- Usutu (to Matt) (The Second Coming)

"I gotta use your cell."

"No service! I should've gone with Sprint."

- Matt, Usutu (The Second Coming)

"You come from America."

"Yes, how did you--?"

"Do you know Britney Spears?"

"...No."

"She is from America."

"Yeah. America's a big place."

"Yes. Africa is too."

- Usutu, Matt (The Butterfly Effect)

"I see the future is not how I painted it."

- Usutu (to Matt) (I Am Become Death)

"Hello? Mr. African Isaac?"

- Hiro (Dying of the Light)

"Evil forces gather. The dark sun rises. Soon, it will be too late."

- Usutu (to Hiro and Ando) (Eris Quod Sum)

"If you do not choose your destiny, it will be chosen for you."

- Usutu (to Hiro) (Eris Quod Sum)

"Focus, Parkman."

- Usutu (to Matt) (Trust and Blood)

Trivia

• In an interview, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine said that Tim Kring originally conceived of Usutu to be an archetype of "Yoda" from Star Wars. In fact, early scripts had Usutu speaking in broken English akin to the way Yoda speaks.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Usutu for fan-created theories and other speculation.