Matthew Patel

Matthew Patel is an antagonist from the Scott Pilgrim comics, video game and film.

Matthew is Ramona's first Evil Ex boyfriend and the first Evil Ex whom Scott battles. Despite his embarrassing defeat by Scott, he plays the important role of introducing the League of Evil Exes to Scott, who promptly ignores his messages.

In the Heroes Coalition fics, Matthew is a member of the Dark Forces and is part of the Dark Forces' Seven Deadly Assassins and Shinsuke's Faction.

Appearance
Matthew is a dark skinned young man with black hair and dark make-up. He wears a red and black sports shirt with white collar underneath a khaki jacket, gray cargo pants and black army boots.

Personality
Matthew's attire, hair, and reason for retribution against Ramona and Scott stylizes him as some sort of goth/hipster hybrid (despite his claims that looking like a pirate is "in"). He was used by Ramona back in seventh grade because he was non-white and non-jock, and with his mystical powers, the pair used to destroy the annoying jocks interested in her, and then was promptly dumped after a week and a half. Nine years later, Matthew still hasn't gotten over it; now a brooding, angsty adult, Matthew clearly hasn't grown as an individual at all.

Matthew is both short-tempered and rather oversensitive. He becomes angry upon learning that Scott only "skimmed" the email Matthew sent him prior to their fight. Also when asked about his relationship with Ramona as well as his choice of outfit, Matthew reacts very defensively.

In the Heroes Coalition fics, Matthew alongside Flirtare would make fun of the Summoner's failures.

Abilities
Matthew, along with levitation and pyrokinesis, is able to summon Demon Hipster Chicks which aid him in combat. He's a highly accomplished martial artist, capable of fighting on Scott's level and, along with Ramona, battling defeating several jocks. Despite Matthew's powers, he is arguably the weakest member of the League; Scott has little trouble defeating him compared to the other members of the League. This could be a video game reference on how the first boss in a video game is usually the easiest to defeat. Scott also gets $2.10 ($2.40 in the movie) for beating Matthew.

In the Heroes Coalition fics, Matthew is an Immortal.

Trivia

 * Matthew Patel is the only Evil Ex without a known occupation.
 * Matthew is also the only Evil Ex who attacks by singing.
 * Matthew's character incorporates several references to the number 1. Matthew appears to have one eye due to his hairstyle, he often points up in the air with one finger, Ramona says he was "the one non-white and non-jock" in her school, he gets called "that one guy" by Wallace Wells and he and Ramona only kissed once. The patch on his jacket is the rank for Private, the first rank in the military, and his Demon Hipster Chicks have one star on their shirts.
 * The song "Slick" that Patel sings in the movie has the same name as the final boss in the video game, River City Ransom. Curiously Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game is a beat 'em up game just like River City Ransom.
 * In the game he is the only boss who does not appear at the beginning of the stage.
 * Matthew is a much more challenging opponent for Scott in the movie than in the book.
 * Matthew's defeat also makes a lot more sense. In the book, Scott somehow stuns Matthew with just his words (or perhaps his inability to rhyme). In the movie, Scott throws one of Kim's cymbals at Matthew, hitting him in the head.
 * Matthew is also the only ex that Scott manages to defeat entirely on his own in the movie; All the other ones were won by tricking his opponents (Lucas and Todd), Ramona fighting for him (Roxy), or with someone jointly fighting with him (Katayanagi twins and Gideon).