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Matt Parkman

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Matt Parkman
Portrayed by Greg Grunberg
First appearance Don't Look Back
In-story stats
Known ability Telepathy
Formal name Matthew Parkman
Aliases Officer Ramsey,
The (Sunstone) Director
Nicknames Carnac,
Einstein,
Matty
Gender
Age 47
Date of birth June 10, 1968
Place of birth Los Angeles, CA
Home Los Angeles, CA,
formerly New York, NY
Residences Janice Parkman's home,
formerly Mohinder Suresh's apartment in Brooklyn, NY,
formerly a single-family home in Los Angeles, CA
Occupations Director of Sunstone Manor,
Renautas employee,
LAPD detective,
formerly NYPD detective,
former private security guard,
former LAPD officer,
former pizza delivery boy
Significant others formerly Janice Parkman,
formerly Daphne Millbrook (deceased)
Parents Maury Parkman (deceased), Lillian Parkman
Grandparents Paternal grandparents:
Mr. Parczak,
Edith Parczak
Children Matt Parkman, Jr.
Ward formerly Molly Walker
Other relatives Unnamed brother-in-law

Matt Parkman is a detective of the Los Angeles Police Department, though he had immense trouble getting to his desired position because his dyslexia made it difficult for him to pass the entrance exam. After being hunted by Homeland Security, Matt has now decided to embrace his role as a father and protect his family at all costs. He is an evolved human with the ability of telepathy.

Character History

Season One

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Matt Parkman: Season One History.

Matt is abducted by The Company.

Matt Parkman is an officer for the LAPD, busy securing a crime scene, when he discovers he has the power of hearing people's thoughts. This enables him to locate a missing girl. However, upon mentioning the name "Sylar", Matt is arrested, but proves to Audrey that his power is real, and goes to work for the FBI. Meanwhile, after a row with his wife, Matt goes to a Los Angeles bar, collapses, and wakes up strapped to a table in a medical facility. Mr. Bennet instructs a mysterious man to "clean Matt out". Later, he discovers he has two marks on his neck, something he shares in common with Ted Sprague, the FBI's newest target.

Obsessed with Mr. Bennet, Matt orders a SWAT raid on Primatech Paper Co., which ultimately proves to be a bust. He is suspended from his job, takes a job as a body guard, and steals some diamonds. Desperate, Matt joins with the fugitive Ted to confront Mr. Bennet in his own home. When things turn sour, Matt is apprehended by the Company, but quickly escapes his cell with Bennet's help. He joins with others to head to New York City and destroy the Walker System, and is horrified to learn that the system is actually Molly. Matt uses Molly's locating ability to hunt down Sylar at Kirby Plaza. However, just as he shoots the serial killer, Sylar telekinetically stops the bullets and flings them into Matt's abdomen, leaving him wounded.

Season Two

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Matt Parkman: Season Two History.

Matt hears one of Molly's nightmares.

Matt is now a detective with the NYPD and lives with Mohinder to take care of Molly. When picking up Molly from school, her teacher shows Matt frightening drawings that Molly made of eyes intertwined with the symbol and informs him that she thinks Molly is living in a bad environment due to his recent injuries and divorce from Janice. At their new residence, Matt and Molly eat, and Matt tried to talk to Molly about her drawings and her nightmares but she refuses. Later he uses his telepathy to listen to Molly's dream and discovers that she is dreaming about the someone who can see her. She awakens and tells him that the person in her dreams is extremely dangerous, and if Matt tries to go after him he will die.

Matt is assigned with the investigation of Kaito's death. Detective Fuller shows Matt a portion of a photograph of Kaito with the symbol drawn on top. He informs Matt that Ando was a witness and that he saw Kaito being pushed off the building despite there being only one body found. Fuller continues and tells Matt that the photo had Angela Petrelli's fingerprint on it. While interviewing Angela, Matt hears her thoughts, and finds out that someone is seeking revenge for something terrible they did. Matt meets Nathan when Angela starts screaming in the interrogation room, and Matt breaks through the glass in the adjacent room. Nathan holds her as Matt asks who did this. Matt finds Angela holding another picture fragment of her with the symbol also drawn across her face.

The next few days, Matt and Nathan try to figure out who killed Kaito and attacked Angela. Nathan recognizes the photos that the killer sent to Kaito and Angela and shows the original to Matt. Matt sees his father in the photo and tries to get Molly to find him. Molly uses her ability and becomes unconscious after revealing Matt's father's location. Matt and Nathan find Maury, and after finding that Maury is stronger than Matt with the same ability, Maury escapes using his ability. Nathan and Matt find a picture of Bob, and go to warn him. Working with Niki and Mohinder, Bob plans to capture Maury using Matt's ability. However, Maury outsmarts Niki and turns her against Bob, Nathan and Mohinder. After dealing with them, Maury finds himself in his old home where he is keeping Molly, and where Matt has found her. Matt argues with his father, then leaves the nightmare with Molly.

Angela tells Matt to kill Peter if he has to.

Matt discovers his ability allows for him to implant thoughts into other people's mind, and uses it to his advantage on Molly and Det. Fuller. Matt interrogates Angela Petrelli to find out who the last woman in the photo is, but is too late to save her. Later, Angela explains to Matt and Nathan that 30 years ago, Adam decided the world needed to be wiped clean, and so the founders locked him away. Matt and Nathan are told to put a bullet through Adam's head to stop him, and before leaving, Matt hears Angela's thoughts, telling him to kill Peter, too, if he must. Matt and Nathan go to Primatech Paper Co., and they run into Hiro. They go to the Company vault. Matt tries to use his telepathy to convince Peter to stop Adam, but Peter resists and starts pushing Matt back with telekinesis. Later, after Peter destroys Strain 138, Matt, Nathan, and Peter discuss how they will expose and take down the Company. With Matt's telepathic assistance, Nathan calls a press conference to expose the nature of the various evolved humans and the Company. During his speech, he is shot twice in the chest by an unknown assailant. Matt looks up at the crowd, and tries to catch a glimpse of the shooter before he exits the building.

Season Three

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Matt Parkman: Season Three History.

Matt rushes after Nathan Petrelli's assassin with Peter but arrives too late to catch him. Matt later finds "Peter" searching for the gun and demands some answers. Future Peter reveals himself and teleports him to Africa, where he meets Usutu. Matt travels with Usutu until they come to his camp, where numerous paintings of Matt are located. The paintings depict many different events in Matt's life and Usutu reveals that he can paint the future and that Matt has been one of his main subjects. Usutu proceeds to paint over an image of Matt in a happy family and instead paints Matt clutching the dead body of an unknown woman. After discovering that in the future, he is married to a woman named Daphne Millbrook, Matt goes home to America to find her. Daphne finds him instead and attempts to recruit him to Pinehearst. Matt tries to convince Daphne about the vision he had in Africa but she does not believe him until he mentions the name Daniella, which is the name of Daphne's grandmother. The two of them continue to talk and Matt tries to get Daphne to leave Pinehearst. Daphne tells him that she can't and runs away.

Matt and Daphne confess their love for each other.

While at home, Matt is once again approached by Daphne, who has been ordered to kill him. Matt convinces her that she can't do it as she is a good person and the two of them go to Primatech to speak with Angela Petrelli. While there, Matt uses his telepathy to get inside Angela's comatose. Matt is almost killed by Arthur Petrelli but Daphne manages to get inside and helps him. They rescue Angela but Daphne runs away, not wanting to be found by Arthur. Matt, Hiro and Ando go to Kansas to find her and after a new eclipse occurs, Matt discovers that Daphne is unable to walk without her powers. When their powers return, Matt convinces Daphne that she is not a villain and that he does love her. The two of them return to Ando, who informs them that Hiro is missing in time.

Matt, Daphne and Ando return to New York to find the final 9th Wonders! comic. After finding it, they learn that they need another time traveler to help Hiro, so Daphne steals an injection of the formula for Ando. Matt's ability is amplified by Ando's new power so Daphne and Ando use their combined powers to rescue Hiro.

Two months later, Matt and Daphne are trying to live normal lives but are finding it hard to do so with Daphne's need for speed. Matt begins having visions of Usutu and is told by him that he is destined to become a prophet. Matt gains the ability of precognition and is then captured by the government. After escaping from the crashed Flight 195, Matt teams up with Mohinder and Hiro to try and escape from them. The three of them meet up with Daphne, Ando and Claire and Daphne is shot by some agents, resulting in Matt going on a path of revenge.

Matt, Mohinder and Peter kidnap Noah Bennet and use Matt's telepathy to get information out of him. Matt manages to discover that Daphne is still alive and goes with Peter to try and get evidence to use against Building 26. Matt is captured and placed under sedation until he is freed by Tracy Strauss. Matt frees Daphne and takes her to the hospital, where he tries to give her a storybook ending. Daphne dies in his arms and Matt goes after Danko, seeking to kill the one person he truly loves. Matt is unable to kill Alena and is rescued by Hiro, seconds before Danko shoots him. Hiro and Ando introduce Matt to his infant son, baby Matt.

Matt is overjoyed to see his son.

Now a father, Matt seeks to protect Baby Matt by returning him to Janice. He faces many problems, as he does not know how much of a family they will be once they are all together once more. After returning Baby Matt to Janice, Matt goes to shut down Building 26 to ensure his son's safety. Before doing so, he is confronted by Angela Petrelli, who informs him that he is the only one that can save Nathan from being killed. The two of them go to Nathan's suite but arrive too late, as Nathan has been killed by Sylar. Noah and Angela quickly come up with a plan to kill Sylar and bring back Nathan, and they get Matt to carry it out. Matt uses his telepathy to wipe away every memory and thought that Sylar has and replaces them with the memories and thoughts of Nathan, causing Sylar to fully become Nathan. Matt, angry and guilty over what he has done, leaves them and returns to his son.

Season Four

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Matt Parkman: Season Four History.

Matt has moved in with his wife and son in their home in Los Angeles, promising to be a better husband to Janice and a good father to Matt Jr. Unfortunately, Matt's chances of living a normal life with his family are diminished once again by Sylar, whose consciousness has been lurking in the back of Matt's mind ever since Matt brainwashed Sylar's body into thinking it belonged to the deceased Nathan Petrelli. Sylar frequently appears to Matt, demanding his body back and making various threats against Matt and his family. Aiming to keep both his family safe and Sylar contained, Matt attempts to ignore him and even suppress him with alcohol, but Matt soon discovers that Sylar has learned how to control his body whenever he is unconscious. After Sylar kills a man while in control of Matt's body, Matt realizes that he must make the ultimate sacrifice to kill Sylar once and for all, and alerts the police by leaving a threatening note at the Burnt Toast Diner. When the police show up, Matt attempts to commit suicide by cop by forcing Sylar to mimic pulling a gun on them. A bullet-ridden Matt is driven to hospital, where he survives and is visited by Peter and "Nathan", much to his dismay.

Matt finally tells them both the truth about Nathan and Sylar, and that Sylar's mind still exists within his own. Sylar takes over Matt's body and tells "Nathan" that he needs to take his hand. "Nathan" is pulled away, but as he is, his hand brushes against Matt's, releasing Sylar's mind back into his own body and freeing Matt from his living nightmare. With Sylar gone, Matt calls Janice to tell her that the craziness of the past few weeks is finally over and that he's coming home. Matt returns to LA, but it's not long before he's visited by Noah Bennet, who has another favor to ask of him. Matt initially refuses to help Noah in his war against Samuel, but is persuaded when Noah tells him that Samuel could one day come for baby Matt. Following Noah's instructions, Matt telepathically persuades Vanessa Wheeler to call Noah if Samuel contacts her again, and fights off some Eli clones when they are attacked. Matt decides that Noah has what he needs, and returns home. To his horror, he finds Sylar waiting for him there.

Sylar tries to convince Matt that he has changed for the better since the last time they talked, and wants Matt to find a way to block his powers so they do not become a temptation for him. Matt, not believing Sylar, instead opts to trap him in a mental prison where every hour that passes in the real world equals a year in Sylar's mind. After Matt partially cements Sylar behind a brick wall in his basement, Peter arrives and attempts to rescue Sylar from his mental prison so that he can save Emma. A few hours later, Eli and his clones arrive and attack Matt, but Matt is saved by the newly-awakened Peter and Sylar. Matt is at first hesitant to let Sylar walk away, but after taking another glimpse inside his head, sees that Sylar really has changed.

Heroes Reborn

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Matt Parkman: Heroes Reborn History.

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Evolved Human Abilities

Cranial imaging

Matt has the ability of telepathy, an ability that he was originally only able to use to hear thoughts. In Fight or Flight, Matt is able to project his thoughts to another in a moment of crisis, though he cannot explain what happened afterward. In Out of Time, Matt's power grows as he is able to bring Maury into the "nightmare" that Maury places Molly into. Matt then overcomes his father's advanced use of telepathy to trap Maury the same way Maury trapped Molly. By Cautionary Tales, Matt has learned how to use his abilities to command others mentally.

Matt's mind reading abilities have improved, able to read Daphne's thoughts quickly with little effort and only needing to concentrate to read more complex thoughts. In Eris Quod Sum, Matt can implant telepathic illusions in another's head, making Knox think he killed Matt and Daphne when they were actually in the other room. The illusion was convincing enough to fool Knox's sense of touch, something his father Maury was seemingly unable to accomplish (Daphne was able to reach through Maury's projection of Linderman). Matt also implied that he can kill with his power, and forced Homeland Security agents to shoot at each other after they shot Daphne. Matt was able to use his power to enter Angela's mind and release her from her coma after Arthur "unbound" her mind, even managing to bring Daphne in with him.

Though Matt was initially unable to control his abilities and would often become overwhelmed, he has apparently overcome this obstacle. In fact, he has gained considerable control over various aspects of his ability. For instance, Matt was able to use his ability to discern Daphne's location when she was nearby, but hidden from view (The Eclipse, Part 2). The range of this aspect of Matt's ability is unknown.

Recently he has displayed the ability to scan people's memories as a form of interrogation, as shown when he used it on Noah Bennet. Attempting to resist Matt's telepathic interrogation causes the person pain. He sees these memories in the form of a flashback. (Cold Wars)

He has also displayed the ability to mentally control people, not just give them mental commands that they follow. He telepathically controlled two guards from a different room in Building 26 in order to keep Danko, Bennet and his men away. Later he managed to regain control of the two gunmen and immobilize Bennet, Nathan and Danko. (Exposed)

A weakness to his abilities has been displayed: according to Bennet, Matt's senses are extremely raw when he uses his powers so loud noises can disrupt his concentration and cause him pain. (Exposed)

Matt is able to use this ability to create dreams for people. He used this aspect of the ability to create a "storybook ending" for a dying Daphne; he was also able to enter her mind so he was in the dream with her too. (Cold Snap)

According to his assignment tracker file at primatechpaper.com, Matt's control index is 25%. His data analysis shows his biological level at 25, cerebral at 90, elemental at 45, and temporal/spatial at 20.

An illusion of Usutu appeared to Matt and told him he must become the prophet. Afterwards, Matt was able to access the same place of consciousness that other precognitives are able to (A Clear and Present Danger).

Matt has also attempted to use this ability to remove Sylar's powers by placing a mental block on them. Matt experienced feedback that prevented this, but was able to read Sylar's mind enough to know he was actually serious about his request. Matt ends up entering Sylar's mind when he's motivated enough, but instead of blocking his powers, he uses telepathy to trap Sylar in a nightmare where he has no powers and is all alone, similar to how Maury Parkman once trapped Molly in a nightmare (The Art of Deception). Anyone who enters it gets trapped as well, such as Peter when he replicated telepathy and entered the nightmare, but eventually Peter and Sylar were able to free themselves after considerable effort. (The Wall)

Equipment

Memorable Quotes

"If you take this secret from me, you're not just like your father. You are him!"

- Angela (to Matt) (Cautionary Tales)


"No! I'm not scared of you anymore! I'm a good man; I'm a good cop. I'm a good father, which is something you know nothing about. You don't know what it's like to fight for someone that you love; you left. You left. All you have are your nightmares."

- Matt (to Maury) (Out of Time)


"With my ability, I could get promoted to chief. But I don't. I just want to be a normal guy."

- Matt (to Daphne Millbrook) (A Clear and Present Danger)


"You know, some days maybe you just can't save the whole world. Maybe you're better off getting your own house in order."

- Matt (to Noah) (Close to You)

Notes

  • Matt is on the List.
  • On the official NBC Heroes page for Matt Parkman, a link hidden in the monitor on the squad car displays a video clip of an unaired incident of Parkman using his powers to locate a man speaking in a foreign tongue under a grate in the floor. This scene is from the unaired 72 minute version of In His Own Image shown at SDCC 2006.
  • In an interview, Greg Grunberg insinuates that Matt is Jewish. This is also backed up by Future Matt's use of the Yiddish phrase "Mazel Tov". (Five Years Gone)
  • In a deleted scene from Seven Minutes to Midnight, it is revealed that Matt is allergic to avocados and hates coconuts.
  • In the Season 3 week 13 edition of Behind the Eclipse writers Aron Coleite and Joe Pokaski explained how Matt became precognitive: "Matt's ability is to access the mind--or at least that's how it started. But as he grew powerful and as Usutu opened it up more to the "dreamtime", he began to access that same plane of consciousness that Isaac and Usutu drew from to paint."

Trivia

  • In an interview, Jason La Padura said that originally, the prototype for Matt's character was Ryan Phillippe in Crash.
  • Matt's NYPD detective badge is number 8954 (Four Months Later...). Matt's LAPD detective badge is number 2150 (I Am Sylar).
  • According to a Post-it note on Suresh's map, Matt lived in a home on Highwater Lane in Los Angeles, CA. The house number of his home was cut off, but it ended with 0, possibly with 10.
  • According to his case file (password: MPggtn75x) at primatechpaper.com, Matt weighs 190 pounds.
  • According to Matt's birth certificate, Matt was born in Los Angeles, CA on June 10, 1968. His mother was from Van Nuys, CA, was born in 1939, and was 26 when she had him. Of course this is impossible--if she was 26, she would have been born in 1942.
  • The LAPD squad car that Matt drives has California license plate number 1939871 (Six Months Ago). The red car that Matt (via Sylar) drives to Midland has California license plate number 6GDG994 (Shadowboxing).
  • The scene where Matt assists in drugging Noah in a bar and abducting him mirrors a similar scene from season one. Noah drugs Matt in a bar and abducts him. This is a common theme in Season Three as there have been many throwbacks to Season 1.
  • Another throwback is his most recent and most terrifying drawing yet: a mural of Washington D.C. being destroyed in a nuclear blast that is very similar to Isaac's of New York's destruction in the same manner and is painted in the exact same spot.
  • When Matt and Noah drive to track down Vanessa's homing device, Matt's license plate is California 3PCI324. (A Clear and Present Danger)

See Also

Fan Theories

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

  Heroes Reborn Characters edit
Main

Noah BennetTommy ClarkJoanne CollinsLuke CollinsEmily DuvalQuentin FradyCarlos GutierrezErica KravidMalinaMiko Otomo

Recurring

Caspar AbrahamClaire BennetBradMauricio ChavezAnne ClarkDennis CollinsCommanding officerFrancis CulpCole CutlerJames DearingPhoebe FradyJose GutierrezM. F. HarrisDahlia HaysJOWT reporterTaylor KravidLogueMick the Ice GuyHiro NakamuraFarah NazanHachiro OtomoHachiro Otomo (construct)Matt ParkmanAngela PetrelliRenéMicah SandersRichard SchwenkmanRen ShimosawaMolly Walker

See Also: Minor CharactersSeason One CharactersSeason Two CharactersSeason Three CharactersSeason Four CharactersFuture CharactersAnimalsWebisodes Characters
Graphic Novel CharactersiStory CharactersEvolutions CharactersBook CharactersUnaired CharactersCast