Martin Prendergast

Sgt. Martin Prendergast is the main antagonist of Falling Down (1993). He was played by Robert Duvall.
==Personality==
Unlike William Foster, who often takes his anger out on the frustrations of modern society, Prendergast handles his own problems with empathy and maturity. Prendergast has had a similar life to Foster's, as his daughter died at 2 years old. This made his wife Amanda paranoid of losing her husband but Martin, although scarred and depressed as a result of the incident, moved on with his life nonetheless. An intelligent man with an affinity for deduction, Prendergast put all the pieces together involving Foster's violent rampage through Los Angeles, although he received little credit for it in the end. Prendergast is a quiet, unassuming and meek man who just wants to see justice done at the end of the day. 
He never utters a single profanity until the end of the film, which shocks his boss. 
==Character Biography==
The movie begins with Prendergast in a traffic jam. When Foster leaves his own car, Prendergast walks over to look into the problem. He suggests to both another cop and a random civilian, who happened to witness Foster leaving his car, to push Foster's car out of the way.
Back in his office, his fellow cops were talking with him about his retirement. He also has a picture of his deceased daughter in his drawer. At that moment, Amanda calls him. She was feeling lonely and paranoid, so her husband helps to calm her down by singing "London Bridge is Falling Down".
Later on, Mr. Lee, a Korean Convivence store owner came to Prendergast's office. Lee explains to Prendergast that a man smashed up his store with his baseball bat, and that he thought that the man was a robber. After the man finished smashing up the merchandise, he left after paying for a soda. Lee also describes that the man was wearing a white shirt and a tie.
The next witness to a series of crimes on that very day is Angie, whose boyfriend was killed in a drive-by attempt on Foster. She could only indicate that there was a gym bag with lots of guns in it. The clues lead Prendergast to find out about the same car in the traffic jam earlier. He finally realizes that the man was none other than someone called "D-Fens".
Prendergast and Detective Sandra Torres then visit Foster's mother. Mrs. Foster said that her son was acting strange around her. She then shows Prendergast her son's bedroom. Mrs. Foster then said that her son barely speaks to her during dinner, staring at her as if he was going to kill her. She was also surprised about why her son was going back and forth everyday from a job that he was laid off from a month ago.
Later on, back at the police department, Prendergast learns about a murder at an Army Surplus store. Torres was surprised that the victim was none other than the Owner, a homophobic Neo-Nazi that she talked to. The man was found stuffed in his own display case.
Prendergast also hears about a "G.I. Joe" scaring a man into a heart attack and accosting a family. Prendergast then receives yet another call from his wife. He finally stood up to her, telling her just to cook chicken for dinner and to leave the skin on the chicken. Everyone in the office threw a retirement party for him, but couldn't fit his name on the cake. However, Prendergast had no time to attend the party. Detective Lydecker then insults Prendergast's wife, causing the latter to punch him in the face.
In the next scene, Prendergast and Torres went to Foster's ex-wife Beth's house, just before Foster could leave. Torres was shot while trying to stop Foster. Prendergast then called out to the by-standers to call an ambulance, then took Torres' revolver and chased Foster down.
When Prendergast catches up to Foster, who was talking to ex-wife and daughter Adele, he said that he's retiring to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He also talks to Foster about his own daughter, who died while she was 2 years old. Prendergast then offers his cup of popcorn to Adele. With Foster distracted, Beth helps to throw Foster's gun away, and ran away while Prendergast himself draws out the revolver, insisting that Foster gives himself up. Prendergast could tell that Foster was about to kill Beth, Adele and then himself. He also refers to the cops as the "good guys", causing Foster to realize that he's the "bad guy". Foster then tries to say that he helped to build missiles and protect the United States, and that he should be rewarded for that, and that he was lied to. Prendergast acknowledges his problem, but doesn't except that as an excuse for his actions, and that the only thing that makes him special is his daughter. Foster then wishes for a duel involving a "showdown between the sheriff and the bad guy". This causes Prendergast to shoots him in self-defense. It turns out that the weapon that Foster pulled out is a water gun, the same toy that Beth brought for Adele earlier. Foster warns the detective that "I would've gotcha", before falling dead into the sea. Prendergast then looks over the pier, feeling sorry that he had killed Foster as the man's dead body floats on the water.
Prendergast then went back to Beth's house to make sure that both Beth and Adele were okay. He then stood up to Captain Yardley, his boss who always disrespects him. After a conversation with Beth, he then talks to Adele. Prendergast then jokes with Adele, saying that his name is "Mud" when his wife finds out that he's "still a cop", meaning that he will stay on the force.
==Gallery==
Martin_Prendergast_traffic_jam.jpg|Martin Prendergast in the traffic jam.
Martin_Prendergast_pushing_car.jpg|Prendergast, as he helps to push the car.
Martin_Prendergast_in_office.jpg|Prendergast talking to his fellow officers.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Mr._Lee.jpg|Prendergast talking to Mr. Lee.
Martin_Prendergast_interviewing_Angie.jpg|Prendergast's interview with Angie.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Cpt._Yardley.jpg|Prendergast with Cpt. Yardley.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Sandra_Torres.jpg|Prendergast and Sandra Torres.
Martin_Prendergast_visiting_Mrs._Foster.jpg|Prendergast and Torres visiting Mrs. Foster.
Martin_Prendergast_in_party.jpg|Prendergast in the goodbye party with his fellow co-workers.
Martin_Prendergast_helping_Det._Torres.jpg|Prendergast helping the wounded Torres.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Foster's_family.jpg|Prendergast with Foster and his family.
Martin_Prendergast_confronts_William_Foster.jpg|Prendergast telling Foster to give up.
Martin_Prendergast_and_William_Foster.jpg|Prendergast with Foster, moments before the latter's suicide by cop.
Martin_Prendergast_after_shooting_Foster.jpg|Prendergast realizes that he was squirted with Foster's water gun.
Martin_Prendergast_insulting_Cpt._Yardley.jpg|Prendergast standing up to his boss.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Elizabeth_Trevino.jpg|Prendergast consoling Elizabeth Trevino.
Martin_Prendergast_and_Adele.jpg|Prendergast talking to Adele.
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Category:Live Action Heroes
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