Mattia Ingram, a childhood friend and former neighbor of Barnaby Brooks Jr., shared a playful youth across from Barnaby’s home, including deliberately popping bubblegum in his face. At their reunion during the Hero Festival on November 7, NC 1980, Barnaby initially fails to recognize him until Mattia gifts him bubblegum from their youth, triggering Barnaby’s memory. They later reconnect over dinner to reminisce.

As a research lab scientist, Mattia develops a drug to stimulate cranial neurons, aiming to grant non-NEXT individuals abilities by enabling full brain utilization. Inspired by Barnaby as both a hero and friendly rival, he faces sponsor threats to withdraw funding, risking the lab’s closure. Under pressure, Mattia self-experiments and collapses in his lab, accidentally mixing drug variants into a glowing substance. This results in severe illness and hospitalization.

During Barnaby’s November 27, NC 1980 lab visit with Kaede Kaburagi and Saroja—part of a school assignment where Saroja voices distress about her NEXT status—Mattia explains his goal to eliminate societal barriers by granting universal powers. Despite setbacks, lab director Mr. Randle reveals the accidental substance enhances existing NEXT abilities, not non-NEXTs. Sponsors then resume funding, though their identities remain undisclosed to Mattia.

Observing enhanced performances by heroes Fugan and Mugan on Hero TV, Mattia deduces his drug’s misuse. Investigating further, he overhears Gregory Sunshine’s associates discussing its distribution and discovers the bodies of Nicolai, Fugan, and Mugan after Gregory murders them. Mattia reports the incident and body locations to police.

He also supports Barnaby personally, discussing Barnaby’s concerns about mentoring Thomas Taurus and reassuring him that his presence alone inspires courage in others.