How was Maury able to create the illusions of Linderman to Nathan? If Maury was released when the Level 5 villains were released, how was he able to project the illusion of Linderman to Nathan before all of that (during the very first episode of the season)? It seems strange that he could've done it from within his cell. You would think that Angela or Bob would somehow make sure that at least he couldn't use his powers in there. If he wasn't released with the Level 5 villains, how did he get out before? Arthur could've assisted him somehow, maybe, but we don't know what Arthur's power is and it seems strange. I'm just confused about all of this was managed.

Was he ever even on Level 5?

They had a profile on him, but I don't think they ever had him locked up.

As far as I remember, the last we saw of him was in S2 (I think) when Matt left him stuck in an apartment (in his mind).

The writers said in a recent "Behind the Eclipse" that he was in Level 5. And in season 2, after the last time we saw Maury Parkman (when he was lying on the floor, trapped in his own dream), Matt was looking at the photo of the group of 12 and while Charles Deveaux, Linderman, Kaito and the others were labeled "dead," Maury was labeled "incarcerated." So it was shown on the show (albeit via an easy-to-miss prop and no spoken dialogue on the subject) that Maury was locked up.

I was thinking about this after last night's episode (whether we saw Linderman in the premiere before the Level 5 breakout) but I wasn't sure and didn't feel like rewatching the season premiere. If Nathan really was seeing Linderman BEFORE the breakout, that would indeed seem to be a continuity error.

If I remember correctly, while Nathan was in the hospital dying, the breakout on Level 5 was happening. It seems like they presented them at the same time. Somehow Maury and Arthur must have connected very quickly after the escape to present Linderman to Nathan...

It's all so odd though. If Linderman is an illusion created by Maury, how did Nathan heal and be saved from death?

The writers are sending me on such a mind trip!

Actually, the breakout was in episode 3.02 "The Butterfly Effect." Nathan started having the visions about half-way through 3.01 "The Second Coming."

I think this belongs in the same category as "How did Sylar get from New York to Costa Verde in less than an episode?" Storylines could be occurring at different times; Stephen Canfield committing suicide doesn't necessarily happen at the same time as Angela's dream.