Proteus (comics)
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Kevin MacTaggert, best known as Proteus and also called Mutant X, is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #125 (September 1979), though hints to his character appeared in earlier issues.
Kevin was the mutant son of Scottish genetic researcher Moira MacTaggert and politician Joseph MacTaggert. Kevin had reality warping and possession powers and lived most of his life in forced seclusion at his mother’s Muir Island research facility.
His attempt to break free and find his father made up a classic 1979–80 Uncanny X-Men storyline that was adapted in the 1990s X-Men animated series.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
Proteus is one of the strongest and deadliest mutants ever to appear in Marvel Comics. Despite being one of the most powerful mutants, Proteus was not fortunate enough to have a happy life. Even his conception was under unpleasant circumstances. He was the son of Moira MacTaggert and her sinister husband, Joseph MacTaggert, who forced Moira into an unhappy marriage. Kevin was conceived after his mother, Moira, was severely beaten by Joseph. After this traumatic experience, Moira left Joseph. She did not notify him that she was pregnant with his child.
Moira and Kevin lived on Muir Island, off the coast of Scotland. Kevin eventually began manifesting his mutant abilities and became a danger to everyone around him. His abilities gave him an uncontrollable hunger for energy. To protect herself and others, Moira was forced to confine Kevin. To keep the truth about her son secret, she began to describe him to others only as Mutant X.
For years, Kevin remained inside his cell, until one day, after a battle between Magneto and the X-Men, Kevin was able to escape. During his escape, Kevin came into contact with Phoenix, Polaris, and Multiple Man. While he was able to defeat Polaris and Multiple Man, he barely escaped with his life when he confronted Phoenix. The only problem was, without the isosteric energy fields of his cell to sustain him, Kevin began to burn his body out. The only temporary solution he could find was to possess several human host bodies, including a duplicate of Multiple Man's.
Kevin eventually encountered the X-Men and proceeded to rename himself as Proteus, after the Greek god. Proteus eventually went to Edinburgh, to possess his father, Joseph. After possessing his father, Proteus made a last stand against the X-Men. He destroyed the body of Joseph MacTaggert in battle. Before Proteus could take another host, Colossus (in his metallic form) punched Proteus in his energy form. Due to Proteus' weakness to metal, Proteus was unable to maintain his energy form. His energy was therefore dispersed across the world.
Some time after his death, Moira MacTaggert thought about cloning Kevin, but she was discouraged successfully by Sean Cassidy.
Several years later, A.I.M. attempted to recreate Proteus. The organization used a woman named Harness and her mutant son, Piecemeal, to absorb all of the dispersed energy of Proteus. As the boy went about absorbing the energy, his body grew too large for his system to handle. Eventually, what was left of Proteus' consciousness and Piecemeal merged as one being.
The combined efforts of the New Warriors, the New Mutants, the Muir Islanders, and the original X-Factor wasn't enough against this new creature. When the amalgamated being decided that it would not find happiness, it decided to disappear.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Proteus is a being made out of psionic energy, and as a result he possesses many psionic abilities. He possesses telepathic abilities, the ability to possess human bodies (eventually, these human bodies "burn out", due to the nature of his powerful energies), and powerful reality-warping powers - able to practically change the face of the world by pure force of will. For example, he can easily turn a standing building into liquid, turn buildings into bees that attack at his mental command, and transform Cyclops' optic blasts into flowers. Proteus' main weaknesses was to metal, such as a bullet entering his host body or, to a greater extent, when his energy form came into contact with the organic metal of Colossus' body. He is also vulnerable to magicks and other reality-warpers.
The combined Proteus and Piecemeal creature was not vulnerable to metal and did not have the need for host bodies.
[edit] Other versions
[edit] Star Trek/X-Men crossover
In the Star Trek/X-Men crossover, the spirit of Proteus crosses over to to the universe of Star Trek because of a rift created by classic Star Trek antagonist Gary Mitchell (who also had reality-warping powers). Proteus is able to reanimate and inhabit Mitchell's corpse, which does not deteriorate like other hosts. While chasing Deathbird, the X-Men end up teaming up with the crew of the USS Enterprise to stop Proteus, who forms an alliance with Deathbird to escape the planet.
At one point, Proteus compares Mitchell's fate (as seen in the Star Trek TV series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before") to the kind of anti-mutant prejudice that the X-Men are fighting.
[edit] House of M
When the Scarlet Witch re-shapes Earth-616, Proteus is resurrected as the serial killer Mutant X, who steals bodies across two continents and is hunted down by Moira MacTaggert, who is framed by the government for Proteus' deaths. He encounters the Exiles and actually manages to escape the House of M by stealing data from the Panoptichron. Something notable is when he leaves his home reality, he only inhabits bodies of superhumans from "approximation" realities or Exiles members. He has inhabited the bodies of an unnamed mutant, Blunderbuss, and Angel Salvadore in House of M; Mimic and Morph in Exiles; Justice from the New Universe; and the Hulk from the Marvel 2099 universe. None of these bodies last for long and eventually wither away, with the exception of Angel Salvadore. Mutant X's current body, Morph from Exiles, also does not seem to deteriorate while Proteus is inhabiting it.
In Exiles #76, Proteus states that he could not stop thinking about Blink. Whether it was because he still had some of Mimic's memories or because he actually felt something for her is not yet clear. He states he was tired of fighting and that he just wants to talk, but before he can say anything, Longshot shields Blink, allowing her to teleport to safety. It is revealed by Proteus himself that his mind is able to recall all memories and feelings of his previous hosts. Blink tricks Proteus into wearing a portable Behavior Modification System (from Squadron Supreme's world), which she teleported into the crown he was wearing. The device brainwashes him into believing he is actually Morph and leaves him able to recall only Morph's memories prior to his possession. Unaware of his true identity, he begins behaving exactly like Morph and a member of the Exiles, much to the discomfort of the other Exiles.
[edit] Ultimate Marvel
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Proteus is named David Xavier and is the son of Moira MacTaggert and her ex-husband Professor X (Charles Xavier). Like in the mainstream version, he escapes his mother's keep on Muir Island, seeking his father in order to kill him. Before David can finish his deadly vendetta, Colossus mercy-kills him by crushing him under a car, while he was possessing Psylocke. Given his name and biological relationship to Xavier, this version can be considered an amalgamation of the Regular Marvel Universe versions of Proteus and David Haller (Legion), Charles Xavier's son.
[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Television
- Proteus appeared in a two-part Season 4 episode of the animated X-Men series. He was voiced by Stuart Stone.
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] List of titles
- Uncanny X-Men #125–128
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #15
- Classic X-Men #32
- New Mutants Annual #7
- New Warriors Annual #1
- X-Factor Annual #6
- Star Trek/X-Men
- Exiles #69–82
