Matt Parkman/Season Four

This article archives the history of Matt Parkman during Season Four.

For more about Matt Parkman, see the main article.

For Matt Parkman's Season One history, see here.

For Matt Parkman's Season Two history, see here.

For Matt Parkman's Season Three history, see here.

For Matt Parkman's Heroes Reborn history, see here.

Character History

Orientation

Matt is playing with Matt Jr. when his phone rings. He answers it and discovers that Angela Petrelli is on the other end. She asks Matt to erase Sylar's memories again but Matt denies her, stating that what he did was wrong and he has quit using his ability. Angels states there is no such thing but Matt tells her to deal with her own problem. He hangs up.

Matt goes to find Matt Jr. and almost trips on one of his toys. He discovers his son in the arms of Sylar, who calmly tells Matt that he wants his body back.

Jump, Push, Fall

Matt confronts Sylar, saying that he is not real. Sylar tells Matt that he is part of his mind now and will not leave without his body. He comments that Janice is coming home and Matt worries. Sylar chucks Baby Matt to Matt and disappears. When Janice arrives Matt discovers that Baby Matt is fast asleep in bed.

As Matt prepares for work, he discovers the water cooler guy, Roy, playing with Baby Matt. Matt isn't happy that he is on a first name basis with Janice and complains to her that he isn't sleeping well because he needs the name of this big drug lord but isn't using his ability just like he promised. Matt goes to an officer's recovery group and talks about his problems. Sylar appears and taunts Matt, causing him to flip out in the middle of the group. Matt's partner witnesses this. He and Matt begin to interrogate a suspect but find him unwilling to talk. Sylar appears yet again and taunts Matt, causing him to eventually throw a chair, narrowly missing the suspect. Out of fear, the suspect gives the name to Matt.

Returning home Matt finds Roy there yet again. Matt offers him $100 to stay away from his family and then mentally persuades him to obey. Sylar is pleased with this and tells Matt that he got him.

Ink

Matt goes to work again with his partner and the two enter a suspected drug dealer's home. Sylar appears to Matt and tells him that he doesn't want to be stuck in his mind. Sylar warns Matt of the drug dealer's actions and Matt listens, avoiding gun shots. Matt then captures the dealer and he and his partner begin searching for the drugs. Sylar teases Matt, stating he could find the location from the dealer but Matt refuses to listen. Sylar leads him into a bathroom and tells Matt that something isn't right. They both notice a stuffed rabbit and Matt goes on to find a ransom note.

Matt beats the suspect and demands to know where the child is. He uses his ability and discovers that the little girl is dead beneath the stairs. Matt, outraged and appalled begins to beat the dealer until his partner arrives, stating that there is no body. Matt is shocked to learn this and Sylar reveals that he used his own ability against him.

Matt's partner tries to figure a way out of the situation but doesn't find one and tells Matt to get a lawyer. Matt tells him this will ruin his life and telepathically alters his partner's memories, causing him to forget what he saw. Sylar congratulates him on using his ability.

Strange Attractors

Matt has a nightmare in which he is making love with Janice. Suddenly, Sylar takes over and continues making love with Janice. Matt awakens, believing it to be a dream. Janice hugs him and tells him that he was amazing. He then looks at Sylar, who is sitting and remarking that he enjoys "forbidden fruit". Matt soon finds Sylar, who continues to taunt him about the fact that he can take over his body. Matt warns Sylar that he will find a way to get rid of him.

Later, Matt is caught packing to leave by Janice. She asks him what he is doing and Matt explains that he has to leave to protect the family. Janice demands to know what has happened and Matt explains that he used his ability to make someone believe he was another person. He then says that the man he did this to is a killer and that he has somehow latched onto his mind and can take control of his body. Janice tells him to stay at home and deal with it while she and Matty leave for the night. After they leave, Matt sits alone and drinks. Sylar appears and talks about how Janice wishes that Matt were more like him. Matt then notices that every time he takes a sip of his alcohol, Sylar grimaces and groans in pain. Matt then drinks until Sylar disappears and he passes out.

"Matt" soon awakens and informs Janice and Mike that he is fine. Sylar then walks to the shower and Matt, now a telepathic projection, says that Sylar won't get away with this. Sylar laughs and asks if Matt would like his body back.

Shadowboxing

Sylar is an airport, intent on finding out the truth of how he was trapped in Matt's body. As he passes through the X-Ray, the guards arrest him for bringing a gun. Matt tells him that Sylar thought he packed socks earlier but was actually packing a gun. Matt tells Sylar that even though he's controlling his body, he won't let Sylar control his ability. The police aptly takes him away.

As they are on the road, Matt and Sylar stop when they get a flat tire. Matt mocks Sylar, and explains that he clouded Sylar's perceptions so that he failed to see a big chunk of metal in the road. A truck comes along and stops, and the driver steps out and offers to help. Intent on proving that the world is his hostage and that he is really in the "driver's seat," Sylar kills the man. Sylar demands no more sabotage in exchange for no more killings.

They arrive at the Burnt Toast Diner where Sylar tells that he almost killed a waitress there once. Sylar demands to know the truth from Matt. Matt eventually tells him that he, Angela Petrelli and Noah Bennet "changed" him into Nathan. Sylar resolves to kill everyone who was even "remotely involved" to what happened to him.

While Matt and Sylar are still at the Burnt Toast Diner, Matt makes Sylar subconsciously write down on a napkin that he has a gun. Sylar gives the napkin to Lynette. When they go outside, Sylar is surprised to see the police, but Matt has it all planned out. Matt forces Sylar into pretending to take out a gun from his jacket, thus prompting the police to shoot him.

In an ambulance, the paramedics try to resuscitate Matt.

Brother's Keeper

When "Nathan" touches his own corpse, he has a flashback that includes Matt Parkman. He and Peter are shown a report by Nathan's assistant, revealing that Matt tried to commit "suicide by cop" in Midland, TX and is now in critical condition. Peter explains that he can heal people now and suggests that they go and save him.

At the Midland Hospital, Peter and "Nathan" arrive and slip into Matt's room. "Nathan" shuts the blinds and Peter uses his replicated power to heal Matt. Matt revives and finds himself facing the mental image of Sylar. Sylar says that he only needs one touch to get his body back. Matt yells at him, puzzling the others, and insists that Sylar is in his head, and is planning to use Matt's telepathy to get his body back. When Peter protests that Sylar is dead, Matt explains that Nathan is the one who is dead and that he used his telepathy to put Nathan's memories in Sylar's body. Impatient, Sylar takes control of Matt. Sylar says that Nathan can take his hand and he'll make everything all right. "Nathan" starts to reach for the restrained Sylar, but then backs away. When Sylar continues to insist, Peter threatens to kill him, but "Nathan" uses his telekinesis to shove Peter aside. Sylar says that it's okay and that it's time to end it. As "Nathan" steps forward, a police officer comes in and pulls "Nathan" away. "Nathan"'s hand briefly brushes Sylar's hand as he telekinetically shoves the officer away. Matt finds himself back in his own body and wonders where Sylar is now.

At the hospital, Matt telepathically forces a police officer to take him to a closet and then forget what happened. He then has the officer remove all his clothing.

Matt, dressed in the officer's uniform, calls Janice and tries to explain what happened. He assures her that the craziness is finally over and that Sylar has returned to his own body. Matt believes that Sylar has gotten what he wanted.

Thanksgiving

When Peter confronts Angela about Nathan being Sylar, he mentions Matt, but before he can finish his sentence he gets interrupted by Angela, who asks what Matt said. Angela says that Officer Parkman is suicidal, and Peter replies saying that Sylar is in Matt's head.

Upon This Rock

Matt's name appears in Noah's files.

Let It Bleed

When Lydia uses her empathy on Sylar, she sees visions of great love, one of which includes Matt meeting his son for the first time.

Close to You

Now at home and reunited with his family, Matt is approached by Janice, who tells him about a job with her brother that has become available. Matt turns it down and Janice worries that Matt is wasting his life. Matt insists that he is taking care of his family. When Janice leaves, Noah Bennet enters and asks for his help. Matt refuses but Noah insists that one day Samuel may come for Baby Matt. Defeated, Matt agrees to help Bennet. The two of them find Vanessa Wheeler and Noah tries to talk to her about Samuel Sullivan. When she refuses to answer, Noah suggests that Matt uses his telepathy to force her. Matt reluctantly obeys and Vanessa tells them all about Samuel's obsession with her. She agrees to call them if he contacts her again.

Later that night, at Vanessa's house, Samuel comes to take her away. Noah and Matt try to save her but they are both attacked by Eli clones. After killing the clones, Noah chases after Samuel while Matt gets the car. When Matt speeds to Noah, he jumps in and the two of them race after Vanessa's signal. They come to an empty field and Noah finds a poster of the carnival. He tells Matt that the carnival can disappear and Matt wonders if Claire's compass could help. The two of them return to Matt's home and Noah tells him that they need to find Vanessa. Matt says that he won't go and Noah calls him a coward. Angry, Matt tells him to fix his home life before he saves the world.

Matt and his family sit down to dinner and Matt feeds his son. Janice comments on the good cooking and asks what he did all day. Matt wonders if he is a coward and admits that he has responsibilities to help people. He says that he doesn't want to have to leave and Janice stops him, saying that he is not a coward. She says that he is taking care of his family, and that nothing else matters. Matt agrees to this and the family continues to have a nice dinner.

Pass/Fail

Sylar goes to Matt's home and speaks with Janice, asking where Matt is.

The Art of Deception

Matt returns home and finds Sylar there waiting for him. He is convinced that Sylar is another mind trick but Sylar laughs and says that he is real. Janice comes in and tells Matt that "Gabriel", Matt's old partner from the force, has come over to catch up. Matt sees that Sylar has fooled Janice and plays alone to ensure her safety. While eating lunch, Matt offers to show "Gabe" his project in the basement. While down there, Matt demands to know what he wants and Sylar explains that in order for him to be human once more, he has to lose all of his powers. He tells Matt to get inside of his head and remove them but Matt says that Janice must leave first. Sylar agrees to this condition and Matt goes upstairs to ask her to leave.

Matt tries without success to strip Sylar of his powers and Sylar becomes aggravated. Janice comes home and, to Matt's horror, Sylar telekinetically pins her to the wall. Matt convinces Sylar to let her go and he takes Janice aside to explain what is happening. Janice tells him that they have to get rid of Sylar once and for all and Matt agrees. He goes inside and offers to try one more time to remove Sylar's powers. He puts his hand on Sylar's head and Sylar discovers that his powers are gone. He then learns the truth, that Matt has locked Sylar inside his own mind. In reality, Matt hides Sylar in the basement and builds a brick wall to hide his body. The doorbell rings and Matt opens it, letting Peter inside. Peter replicates Matt's ability and finds Sylar. Before Matt can stop him, Peter touches Sylar and is caught in the same trap that Sylar is.

The Wall

Peter tells Sylar that Matt trapped him in his own brain. Sylar does not believe Peter and Peter keeps telling him that Parkman is behind it all.

Brave New World

Matt gets some food out of the fridge and turns round to find multiple copies of Eli. They tell him that they were sent by Samuel to stop Peter and Sylar and that they assume him as well. Matt tries to convince them to leave, but they reply saying that only one of them thinks enough to be manipulated. Matt goes to grab a knife, but they note that he is outnumbered.

Three clones hold Matt down on the counter as one kicks his knee, dislocating it. The three clones grab knives and raise them to kill Matt, but disappear before they can. Peter and Sylar come out of the basement, along with an unconscious Eli, having defeated him and several of his clones. Peter gets Matt a chair informs Matt that his knee has been dislocated. He asks Matt to find out where the carnival is. When Matt refuses, Peter does so himself, and he and Sylar begin to leave. Matt however, uses his ability to stop Sylar from leaving.

Peter and Sylar try to convince Matt that Sylar has repented, noting that they spent what felt like five years inside Sylar's mind. Sylar convinces Matt to look inside his head and see that he is genuinely telling the truth about wanting to help, and Matt lets them go. Matt then concentrates his ability on Eli, commanding him to do something, later revealed to be telling the truth to the other carnies.

Graphic Novel:Consequences

Angela Petrelli remembers all of the times they put off Nathan's death and remembers Matt standing next to Nathan as he got shot.

Heroes Evolutions

A Hero's Quest

In Hiro's eighth blog post, "More Strange Video", Hiro comes across a reference of a Maury Parkman and wonders if it is the same Maury that is Matt's father.