Theory:Eric Doyle

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The following fan theories are about Eric Doyle.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Eric Doyle is somehow related to Matt Parkman or Maury Parkman.	None	+ Eric has abilities not unlike Matt or Maury. - How is telepathy similar to puppet master? + Eric has similar features to Maury. - They would have mentioned this earlier as both were locked up in Level 5. + Saying puppet master is similar to telepathy is only logical in the sense that they are both at certain levels of mind control, but the starting theory is like saying that Eric Doyle is somehow related to Brian Davis as telekinesis has more in common with puppet master than telepathy does.
Eric Doyle is a misogynist.	None	+ Eric Doyle tormented no less than three different women in Dying of the Light. To date Doyle has tormented no men. - According to graphic novels and his assignment tracker profile, Doyle was responsible for at least four male deaths: his uncle, his neighbor, a guy who bullied him in school and a complete stranger who cut him in traffic. + These men are all killed coldly and efficiently - his uncle by drowning, his neighbor with a gunshot to the head, the bully with sleeping pills, and the stranger with a car crash. All are simple murders, as opposed to the psychological torture he inflicts on Claire, Sandra, and Meredith. - Doyle didn't go after the three women, they came to him. He may have done the same thing if a man arrived as well. - His uncle's callous destruction of Doyle's toys (the only material reminders he had of his mother) caused Doyle to manifest. He almost certainly despised his uncle, but at the time, he was probably too surprised to think up an elaborate means of murder. He has control over the man's movements, the house was next to a lake, he makes the man swim out and drown himself. It's very simple and hurried. - The man who cut him off in traffic was a complete stranger - Doyle killed him on an impulse. If he killed a stranger for cutting him off in traffic, what would he do to someone who accumulated a lengthy list of grievances? The viciousness of his killings were probably inspired by anger and frustration, not a psychological hatred of women. + Eric Doyle rejects Meredith's love. Maybe he never really wanted her to love him, he just wanted to force her to bend to his will? - Eric didn't reject Meredith's love. He just didn't believe her. + Eric Doyle never married, nor has had any known healthy relationship with a woman. Perhaps it's because he hates women. - Doyle's social skills are almost nonexistent. He would have extreme difficulty blundering through a first date, much less a lengthy relationship. + In Shades of Gray while about to use his ability on Rachel Mills, Eric quotes "I just have this effect on women". - A single quip doesn't equal misogyny. Not everyone who says a mildly derogatory thing about a gender/race/culture is a chauvinist/racist/xenophobe. - People often imagine horrible tortures for those who anger them. Doyle's ability allows him to make them happen. Also, we don't know what else he did to some of his male victims (especially the man who shot himself). - He threatens to hurt Kyle if he ever hears about him mistreating a woman again. This implies a negative attitude towards misogyny.
Eric Doyle is Claire's real father.	None	+ Doyle's lecherous behavior towards Meredith combined with her contempt for him are consistent with that of a rapist and his victim. + Nathan's paternity of Claire was never verified with a DNA test. He only thinks he's her father because Meredith told him so, in an effort to extort money from him. Meredith may have been lying. - Nathan's sexual adventure in Texas happened at the same time Meredith became pregnant. - Nothing suggests Doyle has ever been to Texas. + Meredith may very well prefer to let Claire think she's the daughter of a famous and wealthy politician rather than the offspring of an incident of rape. - Meredith can defend herself with her power. + She couldn't during Angels and Monsters and Dying of the Light. Doyle has demonstrated the ability to control other people's powers before. + Angela may be going along with Meredith's lie due to information from a precognitive dream. She's known to be willing to lie to someone about their parentage for her own benefit. + Every confirmed member of the Petrelli family except Claire has black hair. • This is because all the Petrelli's significant others have black hair. Meredith has blonde hair however. • So does Flint, which means Claire has 'Gordon' hair. • Dark hair is dominant over light hair. Based on this and the fact that Meredith appears to have slightly darker hair then Claire, it seems unlikely that Nathan could be her father. - There are many exceptions in real life. - Nothing suggests this. - Angela Petrelli tracked Claire from the beginning. She would not do so unless she was 100% certain of her relation. - Also, Angela was a chairman of the Company, which had Claire when she was an infant. They would have run DNA tests to ensure that she had no genetic defects which might screw up the Catalyst.
Eric Doyle's real ability is telekinesis.	Webisode: Nowhere Man, Part 4	+ At the end of the episode Doyle shuts the door using his powers, the puppet master ability is only the ability to control people's actions. • That was only added at the actor's suggestion, it wasn't part of the original script. • His ability could have evolved. + Sylar used telekinesis on Audrey, in a way that made it look like he was controlling her. Just like Eric. + Recently, as Doyle's psychological condition has improved, his ability has started to resemble telekinesis more and more. + Also, in Brave New World, Doyle had reverted to using "miming". It's possible that his psychological well-being is directly linked to his ability's effectiveness.
Eric Doyle's original ability was telekinesis, but his psychological trauma caused it to transform.	None	+ Eric's lifelong obsession has been with puppets. He may have psychologically 'limited' his ability, enhancing the fine control aspects of it while negating its ability to affect objects. - Recently, Doyle's ability has apparently spread to affect objects. • Eric Doyle's psychological recovery may be 'unlocking' the repressed parts of his power. • In an interview, Jim Martin (one of the writers of Nowhere Man) said, "I think he can do some telekinetic control type things, but not all the time...". This seems to imply his ability is telekinesis, or something involving kinetic force. + As his mental health has improved, his ability has become more like telekinesis. For example: originally, he would have to 'mime' the actions his victims performed. Now, however, he is able to force people to perform complex actions (such as making a waiter walk over to his table) with simple hand gestures.
Eric Doyle will die.	None	+ Eric Doyle is a evil man who mistreats women like Meredith. + Eric Doyle was a close follower of Samuel, who is now a enemy of the Carnival. - As of Brave New World, Eric Doyle was unaware of Samuel's true plans (and of how he manipulated the entire Carnival). All he knew at the time was what Samuel had told him. + Eric Doyle is the enemy of Claire Bennet again. Noah tends to hurt his daughter's enemies. - He was afraid she would destroy the only place he felt accepted in. That does not make them enemies. + Eric Doyle is the enemy of Peter, Sylar and Emma. - Doyle was being used by Samuel. He thought they were taking the side of normal humans (who he thought had killed Lydia.) - Sylar used to be everyone's enemy, but he's still alive. - Sylar has had numerous opportunities to kill Doyle, but in the end, he didn't do it, even when he was still at large for abilities. - Eric is too interesting to die. • That is debatable since people have different opinions on characters.
Eric Doyle will eventually murder Lauren Shapiro.	None	+ Eric Doyle is a murderer who already tried to kill Meredith. + Eric Doyle has become evil again. - Eric was simply following Samuel and the rest of the carnival. He was not there when Claire revealed Samuel's true intentions. + Eric Doyle will want revenge on Lauren for hurting him. - After his involvement in Samuel's plan, it's possible he was also arrested (or placed into psychiatric care.) + Lauren is afraid of specials. She might tell people about Eric, which might force him to kill her. - After Claire Bennet's actions at the end of Brave New World, the existence of evolved humans will probably become public knowledge. - Most non-specials are afraid when they first witness evolved humans' abilities. - Eric Doyle seemed to care for Lauren.