I'm calling it. You heard it here first. They showed us a lot in this six months ago episode, but that just scratched the surface. Things run a lot deeper than they're going to reveal to us now. I think this is where the writers are heading.

Six months ago Nathan found out his Dad not only worked for Linderman - but WAS Linderman. What do you do if you are a crime lord and the target of cops and thieves alike? You invent an alias. Daddy Petrelli got away with what he was doing for so long cuz he was doing it under an assumed name. Nathan was charged by the DA to go after Linderman, so he started digging around. He feared digging around would reveal that his Dad worked dor Linderman. Little did he know what he'd find.

He got too close which is why that black van ran him off the road. After he found out by the doctor that his wife was now going to be confined to a wheelchair, Nathan went ballistic. He now wanted Linderman for himself - so he went to his father and demanded Dad tell him who's Linderman really? Nathan wanted blood - personal payback for what happened to his wife. And since Daddy Linderman loved Nathan so (and had not yet heard that Nathan's wife was in the hospital), he not only told Nathan his greatest secret, but he promised Nathan that when he died, Nathan could take the reins and be the next Linderman. "It's like the Dread Pirate Roberts in Princess Bride," his father confided in him.

"I'll go ya one better, Dad. I'll take your reins now." Then Nathan took Daddy for a brief flyby - thus causing his heart attack. He killed his dad for sending those thugs and maiming his wife, but then Nathan realized that he had to take the mantle of Linderman, for the power and to keep alive the family fortune.

Then Nathan went to Peter's apartment and told him Daddy was dead. "At least he won't live to know his sons were going to stab him in the back." Puts a whole new slant on those words, doesn't it?

And here's the beauty of all this. Nathan pulls the strings. The whole Linderman thing largely runs by itself anyway. His Dad has all of his operatives working in secret. They don't know each other and they never meet Linderman face to face, so nobody knows the truth. There's a couple few things Nathan has to do in his father's stead to keep up the charade but mostly it's just making sure certain monies get transferred to certain places at certain times. Linderman is essentially a non-entity. One of those many operatives runs a front disguised as a paper company. In his spare time this operative is using some of the resources he's been skimming from Linderman for years, and he uses it to build up his own group of special powered people. His name is Bennett, and he's never met Linderman face to face either - but that's where he gets his money.

Another operative is Hal Sanders - Nikki's father. His job is to make sure certain monies get to certain places at certain times, and then ask no questions. Which he's done for many years. He is allowed a sizeable percentage of the monies he helps to launder. That's how he made his own fortune. There's other operatives too, and none of them know who Linderman is, so when Nathan went to Las Vegas to allegedly convince Linderman to fund his political campaign? It was all an act - a public appearance for both the criminals and the press. What's a political campaign without a little dirt? Then you rise above the fray and it just makes you look that much more human to the public - worked for Clinton.

So when Bennet tried to kidnap Nathan? Nathan wasn't scared. He was frustrated, but it was required so that all these people wouldn't suspect. It's like when Superman finds ways to appear in public at the same time Clark Kent does - so people never suspect the truth.

NATHAN IS LINDERMAN

however, in episode 7... Nathan calls Linderman and asks him for the painting that Simone sold.

he says, "directly to the gallery. Mr. Linderman, i appreciate it. good night."

he then heads to Peter's and lies about the painting.

Zach! You're at it again! LOL

this makes no sense at all.
Sorry but it is more likely that Mr. Muggles is linderman than your theory

Yes, we heard it here first, but hopefully we won't hear any more of this baloney anywhere. Of all the things you could be predicting and trying to figure out, this is what you get? Sorry, but no.

Linderman also set up that whole sex in the hotel room with Niki situation. I don't think he would be blackmailing himself.

i agree not happening

I think It's Micah...the kid is a smart kid...you never know...

(I realise you might not be serious, but let's humor you...)

This theory is almost great, but what about Nathan calling Linderman?
He recorded it to put up an act?

And why is this in ep 10 discussion? This is a theory, dude!

papa petrelli didn't have a heart attack, he killed himself.

so you are saying that nathan got linderman's assisstant to film him having sex with niki in order to black mail himself into giving himself 4 million dollars? why? why not just use the 4 million as an anonomous gift and not have the need to blackmail himself... unless it was all so he could sleep with niki.

All I can say is I'm glad this theory is out there becuase now there's no way in hell I could ever be this wrong!

Chance of Nathan being Mr. Linderman: 0.000000%

Chance of Mr. Muggles being Mr. Linderman: 0.000004%

Chance of Claire being Mr. Linderman: 0.00000039%

Chance of HRG being Mr. Linderman: 0.000049233%

Chance of Petrelli Senior being Mr. Linderman: 1.021749%

Chance of Rufus being Mr. Linderman: 2.591002%

Chance of MBG being Mr. Linderman: 4.948201%

Chance of Eden being Mr. Linderman: 6.389724%

Just my guesses.

We are all speculating that Linderman sent the car after Nathan, any chance it was their father sending the car? He may have found out through different channels that his sons were about to backstab him. It would fit the theory, and it gives the father a motive to commit suicide, after giving the okay to take out his eldest son.

Rufus...hahaha.
I really had to think hard to remember him.
Which makes him the perfect candidate!

I'm not trying to figure out who Linderman is. Maybe I get a big surprise out of this one. I guess I shouldn't read the threads, then. I'm a hypocrite, sorry.

Or Papa Petrelli is still alive and kicking as..Linderman. Perhaps he always was Linderman, but when Nathan was getting too close..he faked his death as Petrelli Sr., but continued living as Linderman. Peter and Nathan's mom always said their dad was depressed, perhaps this is because he was living a double life..?

C Angel

Zach, I love the theory or some variation of it. You lose me with the HRG connection but that's ok. Peter and Nathan's father did not die of natural causes, no way. Remember how Nathan lied and said Peter was suicidal and so was the dad, well Peter is not therefore neither was the dad. Unfortunately I don't think we'll get to the bottom of this one until mid 07.

Because you know all the spoiler up to that point?

Just tell me if I should ignore you (as per that button, I mean) and I will. I hate spoilers of any kind. And you seem to spread them everywhere you go. Already saw two replies with wink-wink-nudge-nudge.

I think I'm just gonna do that now before I regret it.