Theory:Telepathy

Main Article Theories about telepathy Main Discussion

The following fan theories are about telepathy.

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Theories

Theory	Citations	Notes
Telepathy could extend to incorporate aspects of Mental manipulation.	Bob claims that Matt can manipulate any of the functions of the brain (Out of Time)	+ Memories are kept in the brain. + Abilities are also thought to be centered in the brain, meaning that it is possible that Matt might be able to manipulate someone's brain to "forget" how their ability works. + Arthur made Angela forget he planned to kill Nathan and made Hiro think he's ten years old. - Telepathy is only communications through thoughts, i.e. hearing another's thoughts, not controlling or changing them. + This has been disproven several times on the show. Telepaths can create illusions, control the thoughts of others, and erase memories. - Then that is more than telepathy. The definition of telepathy is communication through thought, no more than that. Saying they have telepathy is understating their abilities. They have an ability beyond merely telepathy. + Not really. It still falls under the definition of telepathy, which is "the supposed ability to communicate information from one mind to another without the use of extra tools such as speech or body language". Manipulating what a person sees, does, or thinks is all simply communicating those images, actions, or thoughts to the person's brain (or, in this case, communicating to the brain to destroy its own memories). It's still telepathy. • Conceded, communicating images, thoughts, etc. to another mind to manipulate what they see or think is believable as being part of telepathy. But telling a brain to destroy its own memories isn't believable. One can't tell their own brain to destroy memories. It is doubtful that someone could tell another person's brain to "destroy memories". Destroying a memory would be a separate ability, as the neural pathways in the mind would have to be physically or electrically altered in some manner. • It wouldn't work on yourself because self preservation instincts, and that is very hard to overcome, now to do it to another person, fairly possible. • But physically or electrically changing actual physical neural pathways in the brain is something a telepath could not do. They control thoughts, they can't move physical parts of the brain around. • Thoughts are the result of bioelectrical impulses. Telepaths in theory would have some sort of control over those, otherwise telepathy wouldn't be a power.
Telepathy could extend to incorporate aspects of Bliss and horror.	Bob says that like his father, Matt can manipulate people's actions. (Out of Time)	+ Maury created similar sensations to these during the "raid" on his apartment by Nathan and Matt. While he may not be able to create the emotions themselves, he can certainly create a mental scenario which leads to them, which is essentially the same conclusion.
Telepathy may be, more so then most powers, a corruptive influence on the user.	Angela says to Matt: "If you take this secret from me, you're not just like your father. You are him!"	+ Maury and Future Matt were both noticeably dark individuals. Matt has certainly become more like them as the show progresses, ripping out and implanting thoughts as his power develops, plus trapping Maury in his own nightmare (a very Biblical form of revenge). This trend of using his powers to get what he wants may continue as his powers grow. - Matt trapped Maury in his nightmare but it was really the only way to defeat him without giving him the Shanti Virus and was thus somewhat more humane as it wouldn't kill him. Also Matt has only used his powers to implant thoughts and things like that for a good cause and not to harm anyone like Future Matt and Maury do. + The temptation to wield potentially absolute control over a person's actions would be very strong and hard to resist for anyone. It has already had, in a fairly brief timespan, a large impact on Matt who is a kind individual at heart.
Telepathy could extend to mimicking/nulling/etc. abilities.	Bob claims that Matt can manipulate any of the functions of the brain (Out of Time)	+ If it can control anything the brain controls, and the brain controls abilities, telepathy may be able to control abilities. - Maybe what Matt has is more than telepathy, then. An ability that should be called something else, perhaps. + Telepathy as it is defined in the show is an umbrella ability, it accounts for more than one effect.
Telepathy, mental manipulation and ability suppression should be considered separate abilities.	None.	+ The definition of telepathy is communication from one mind to another (i.e. hearing another's thoughts). Thus telepathy would have nothing to do with control over another's mind. Mental Manipulation would be the ability to change or control the thoughts of another person, or block or erase memories, or anything else in their mind, etc. One could have Telepathy by itself, if they are not able to control another's mind (which is what it appeared Matt had before he demonstrated the ability to control another's thoughts). Matt, Maury (before he was killed), The Haitian, and Arthur appear to have the ability of Mental Manipulation. The Haitian's ability of "Ability Suppression" should be a separate ability in itself, and not part of Mental Manipulation, because it appears to be a passive ability in which he does not control another's thoughts, i.e. he does not manipulate another person mentally (therefore not mental manipulation). + It has been verified that Arthur has mental manipulation as a separate ability from telepathy. + Arthur has Mental manipulation but has not shown the ability to suppress other's abilities by being in their presence. This leans towards mental manipulation and ability suppression as being separate abilities. - Arthur has had no need to nullify any other person's abilities yet. • Perhaps Arthur suppressed Hiro's ability, thus allowing him to not escape the area by Usutu's home while he erased/blocked Hiro's memories.
Being telepathic would allow a person's mind to survive after their physical body's death.	None.	+ The minds of Charles Deveaux and Hana Gitelman both seem to have survived their physical deaths through their abilities. + This would allow Maury Parkman to return, whether it be in someone's head or in a new body which would make for an interesting plot device. • It would depend on if at the point of someones death, they consciously expelled their mind out into the world. • Not necessarily, because psychics' minds could exist on a different level to others'.