Moira MacTaggart - Phase 1
This page is about the Phase 1 incarnation of the character. For other uses, see Moira MacTaggart (disambiguation).
Moira MacTaggart - Replaced in Phase 2 | |
---|---|
Portrayed by Julianne Moore | |
Known Aliases: | None |
Affiliations: | Muir Island Research Facility |
Socked By: | Jen - all logs must be cleared by the modlist before posting |
Introduction: | August 23, 2003 |
One of the most brilliant minds on the planet in terms of mutant genetics, Moira MacTaggart cared deeply about her work, her students, and her husband and daughter. She was killed during the raid on Muir Island in the Dark Phoenix Saga in 2015.
Contents
Details
Character Journal: x_mactaggart
Real Name: Moira MacTaggart
Codename: Cornucopia (briefly)
Aliases: None
First Appearance: August 23, 2003
Date of Birth: May 15, 1967
Place of Birth: Muir Island, Scotland
Citizenship: United Kingdom
Relatives: Nathan Dayspring (husband), Rachel Kinross (daughter), Kevin (son, deceased), Billie (uncle), Anna (cousin), Joe MacTaggart (ex-husband)
Education: PhD in Genetics, Registered Nurse (UK)
Relationship Status: Married to Nathan
Occupation: President and CEO, Muir Island Research Facility
Team Affiliation: None
Biography
The Early Years
Moira was born the only child of Lord and Lady Kinross, on the Scottish island of Muir. She was somewhat doted on in her early years, and after her mother died in 1976, this only increased as her father focussed himself on his remaining family. This, plus her naturally above-average intelligence, served to make the young Moira somewhat rebellious, leading her to act out in a variety of ways - smoking, drinking, staying out late and associating with less than savoury types. Her attendence at university some years ahead of her peers served to exacerbate this, although she still managed to do well with her academics, gaining a PhD in genetics. It was during this time that she met (and briefly dated) the young Charles Xavier and Sean Cassidy, before falling pregnant to Joe MacTaggart and marrying him, against her father's wishes.
Moira's marriage to Joe, an abusive, arrogant man, failed after the birth of their son, Kevin. Kevin manifested as a mutant early on, and his mutation - a form of reality warping - proved maladaptive. in this time Moira created the Muir Island Research Facility, at that time one of the only centers of research into the mutant genome and mutation, especially maladaptive ones. Such experts as Henry McCoy and Rory Campbell worked with the Center, with Dr. Campbell remaining as assistant to Moira, helping her care for Kevin. However, despite the efforts of Moira, Rory and Nathaniel Essex, another colleague from her university years, Kevin died at the age of six. His death hit Moira hard and she descended into alcoholism.
The next few years were dark ones for Moira, passing in a haze of alcohol and work. During this time Mistra brought to her one of their agents, Nathan Dayspring, after he was infected with an experimental virus during a mission. Moira developed a cocktail of drugs to slow the progress of the virus down, and taught Nathan to use his telekinesis to prevent it from spreading further, and in this time the two established a somewhat wary friendship. When Nathan later broke his conditioning, it was eventually to Muir and to the only friend he could remember, that he came. It was Nathan's intervention - in the form of a ducking into an ice-cold sea in the middle of winter - that made Moira realise the state she was working herself into, and she began the long, hard battle for sobriety. Her work at the research facility continued, with Muir Island becoming a world-famous name and Moira assisting such mutants as the young David Haller, deep in a coma for much of his adolescence following his manifestation.
Moira's connections to Charles, Essex and others from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngstersremained strong, and in 2003 she came to the mansion to assist with the training of young mutants in their powers.
Living At The X-Mansion
Moira quickly adjusted to life at the mansion, enjoying her tasks in teaching the students about their powers and regular science classes. Her help in the medlab became invaluable following the departure of Hank, and she and Madelyn Bartlet commiserated on a regular basis about being the only powerless individuals in the school in between crises. Following the Firefountain incident, during which she and Madelyn gained powers, Moira set up the funding for a new foundation to help the poor and needy - The Anodyne and Cornucopia Foundation.
The source of many of those crises was Nathan Dayspring, who had called Moira asking for help in February 2004 following issues with his precognition. He remained at the school, and he and Moira eventually began a relationship, admitting their long-term feelings for each other. Life as Nathan's partner was fraught with stress, particularly in that first year, where his issues with the Askani and Mistra threatened his life - and Moira's - on an almost regular basis. Their relationship was a strong one, however, based on their years-long friendship, and despite the frequent crises, they had more than their share of happy moments (including moments where they delighted in scandalizing the students).
Another source of stress was Moira's closeness to some of the more troublesome students, in whom she saw echoes of herself. In particular Amanda Sefton, whose battles with addiction Moira could understand, and try to help with. She was also one of Cain Marko| Cain's first friends, helping the large man with his powers and his anger management issues.
Not all the trouble was caused by others, however - at a New Year's Eve party on Muir, Moira found herself facing her ex-husband again, with a genetically altered mutant whom he had imprinted with Kevin's DNA. In a bizarre attempt at revenge, Joe set the mutant to attack Moira, Nathan and their various guests from the school. Tragically, the mutant died as a result of the genetic tampering, Moira reliving her son's death as a result. It was during this time Rory Campbell vanished, leaving Moira with the task of running the Muir facility from Xavier's.
Moira eventually developed an ulcer, which surprised no-one. Jean and Hank's returns came at just the right time, as the two Xavier's doctors were finding themselves besieged by injuries and calamaties. Hank also recruited a replacement for Rory - Curt Connors, enabling Moira to spend more time at the school again.
Nathan proposed to Moira in October 2004, and several months later they discovered they were expecting a baby, which proved to be a difficult issue given both had lost children in the past. Rachel's manifesting her powers ( telepathy and telekinesis) in the womb did little to ease those fears, however they worked through them and were married in May 2005, with Rachel being born in August of that year. With the birth of her daughter, Moira's schedule was reduced, but she was still juggling a wide range of responsibilities.
Moira's expertise was often called upon in 'special circumstances', as when she advised Remy LeBeau concerning a case of mass mind-control in New Orleans, and when Haroun al-Rashid was critically injured. When Amanda drained energy from Moira and the other doctors in a last-ditch effort to save Remy's life, Moira was one of the few staff who acknowledged that the girl had fallen through the cracks and needed a second chance. She and Amanda remained in contact during the witch's time in New Orleans, and it was to Moira that Amanda went for help when her powers reemerged.
Moira continued to utilize her skills and experience to help staff and students in need. When Scott Summers lost his eye in the Seattle riots, her help and advice was invaluable in his recovery and struggle to gain control over his optic blasts. She was also part of the group effort to help Marius Laverne when he was infected by a virus meant for Hank, and consulted when Scott was turned into a living bomb by a mutant terrorist. Moira also continued to use her connections to address wider mutant health issues, as when she brought evidence gathered by her husband of NGO misconduct regarding unborn mutants in Southeast Asia to the WHO.
Further Information
Eventually, the burden of balancing Muir, her family, and the school took their toll, with Muir suffering despite Dr. Connors' efforts. Moira's purchase of a plane (nicknamed "Cupcake") made the decision to commute regularly between the two that much easier. She now spends half of her week on Muir, and half at the school, with Rachel spending part of her month on Muir and part in Westchester. Moira is 'on call' for emergencies and has frequently come back to assist with students, and continue her powers classes. One such emergency struck a little too close to home, when her former friend and colleague Rory Campbell, now calling himself "Ahab", kidnapped three students and used a bastardised version of Essex' Project Tearaway techniques to genetically splice their powers together and turn them into mutant hunters that he called Hounds in an attempt to gain revenge on Moira for rejecting him. Moira is still coping with this betrayal.
Another source of stress emerged when the Taygetos program threatened her husband's life on numerous occasions. When the program was finally taken down by the X-Men, she was called in by SHIELD to assess infants found in a Taygetos creche. Caught up in the fighting when John Lense attacked the facility, she led the evacuation of the children, but was badly shaken when her husband was critically injured by his ex-colleague.
Tragedy struck in June 2012, when, as 'punishment' for her role in offering asylum to two Genoshan teens, her daughter, Rachel was kidnapped and put through the mutate process. It appeared she did not survive the process, her powers burning out her physical body. Charles, wracked with guilt, gave the news to Rachel's parents. Since then, Moira and Nathan have retreated into their grief and away from the mansion entirely. News of Rachel's "resurrection" only served to confuse things further, as it was first believed the teenaged girl was an alternate version from another timeline. This proved to be another of Essex's manipulations, and Rachel has been proved to be the psinoic imprint of Moira and Nathan's missing daughter, rescued from destruction by Essex and raised on the astral plane for his own purposes. It's all very complicated.
The End
In January 2015, Moira's dream fell apart when Magneto and the Brotherhood invaded Muir, destroying it and killing most of its inhabitants, including Moira herself and Nathan.
Physical Characteristics
Height: 5'5"
Weight:
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red
Other Features:
Powers
None.
Equipment
None.
External Links
Phase 1
Trivia
Moira regularly threatened to wheel Charles into the lake.
Plots
2004
2005
2006
As an NPC
Operation: Don't Leave Me With The Germans
2007
As an NPC
2008
As an NPC
2009
As an NPC
2012
As an NPC
London to Ladysmith via Pretoria
2015
As An NPC
Meta
Moira was retired as a PC in June 2006 and is now a mod-controlled sock for medical purposes.