John "Soap" MacTavish (Original)

 "Soap" MacTavish is a main character in the game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as a Sergeant serving as the team's sniper and demolitions expert, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as a Captain and commanding officer of Gary Sanderson (the main playable character of Modern Warfare 2), and is considered to be the general protagonist in the Modern Warfare series. He plays a major role during the Ultranationalist crisis, a newcomer to the British SAS and part of Captain Price's Bravo Team. Players assume the role of Soap in Modern Warfare as well as others. He is present as a NPC in Modern Warfare 2, except the last three levels of the game where the player retakes his role. Soap is the apparent field commander of Task Force 141.

S.A.S. Career
"Soap" begins his SAS career hours before the six-day global war begins. Initially, Soap started out as a Sergeant, unusual in that newcomers to the SAS are usually demoted to Trooper (However, they still retain their rank and the level of pay the previously received the rank of trooper is only given to show that all the new recruits are equal). Whilst in the SAS's training camp in Credenhill, UK, Soap recieved a quick training session in weapons and techniques by a fellow SAS member Gaz, before being introduced to Captain Price and the rest of Bravo Team. After passing the C.Q.B. test (Close Quarters Battle, Intended to be reminiscent of the real SAS "Killing Houses"), Soap is briefed on the mission to infiltrate and assault a cargo ship in the Bering Strait. On board the ship, they discover a nuclear bomb bound for Russia, though enemy MiGs interrupt their investigations, and Soap barely escapes with his life. In the process of escaping the doomed vessel, Soap was forced to leap for the ramp of the team's helicopter, just as it was beginning to fly away. However, he lost his grip, and mere seconds before he was bound to fall off the vehicle, is rescued by Captain Price.

Upon completing the mission, Soap, Captain Price and Gaz travel to Caucasus Mountains in Russia to extract the informant who supplied them with the intelligence for the cargo ship, a man codenamed Nikolai. Working in close conjunction with Russian government Loyalists led by Sergeant Kamarov, they successfully locate and extract Nikolai from the battle zone, though their helicopter is shot down by Ultranationalist anti-aircraft missile fire. Bravo Team, Nikolai and another SAS operator are forced to fight their way through enemy lines, before being provided with support from an AC-130 Spectre Gunship, call-signed "Wildfire." They are extracted by helicopter under cover of heavy air support from Wildfire.

Soap's next mission with Bravo Team would take him to Azerbaijan, clearing through an abandoned village in search of Khaled Al-Asad. Upon locating him, Soap witnessed Al-Asad's interrogation and execution at the hands of Captain Price, learning that Imran Zakhaev had been Al-Asad's weapons supplier. The next day, it appears Soap was designated the team's support man, being equipped with both an M249 and M21 sniper rifle. He was placed in charge of covering the team's retreat with the Minigun from a downed Black Hawk (destroying several Ultranationalist Helicopters in the process) and detonating the explosive charges placed at Phase Line Bravo. Afterwards, he was the point man when the squad had to backtrack to the lower part of the village due to heavy coverage of Anti Aircraft weapons in the vicinity. Following this, Soap and the rest of Bravo Team were extracted by US Marines led by Sergeant Griggs.

MacTavish's final mission in the Russian civil war saw him infiltrating Russia as part of the joint task force of US Marines and SAS operators in order to eliminate Imran Zakhaev's nuclear capability. After grouping with US forces, Soap and his allies proceeded to enter a Ultranationalist outpost and secure it, as part of plan to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor Zakhaev. The following day, a convoy arrives in the outpost, led by Victor himself. Bravo Team, disguised as Russian guards, allow Victor to enter the facility, though quickly reveal their true intentions and attack his forces. During the battle that followed, Soap and Griggs provided sniper support for the rest of the team from a high tower. However, a jeep crashes into one of the legs of the tower, sending it tumbling to the ground. Stunned, Soap was unable to take down Victor before he could get away. After chasing him through a small village, and a five story building, Soap and the rest of the team corner Victor. Unwilling to betray his father's secrets, Victor commits suicide before Soap could take away his weapon.

Angered at his son's death, Zakhaev threatened to launch Nuclear missiles at the East Coast of America if Price did not withdraw from Russia. In order to handicap Zakhaev's nuclear threat, Soap, Price, Gaz, Griggs, and several other SAS members parachuted into the Altay Mountains in order to reach his launch facility. However, their mission was delayed by Grigg's separation and capture at enemy hands. After eventually locating and recovering him, Soap planted a set of C4 on a power towers, destroying the electricity supply to the facility. Following this, the team regrouped with US sniping forces before witnessing a double nuclear missile launch at Zakhaev's hands. Entering the facility, the team furiously fought against time to reach the launch control center, and eventually deactivated the missiles. However, the team were unable to prevent Zakhaev's escape, and he managed to depart the facility before anything could be done. The group then attempted to escape, with Soap provided all-around covering fire for their jeep as they made their way to the extraction site. However, Zakhaev's Mi-24 Hind damaged the bridge, forcing Soap and his companions to fight their way on foot.

Fighting fiercely at the bridge in a massive penultimate battle, Soap was thrown to the floor and severely injured by an exploding tanker. He was pulled into cover by SSgt. Griggs, moments before Griggs himself was killed. He then watched helplessly as Imran Zakhaev and his bodyguards execute Gaz and two other SAS operatives. Just as all hope seems lost, a Loyalist Mi-28 gunship destroys the Ultranationalist Mi-24 Hind, forcing Zakhaev and his henchmen to turn away from Soap and open fire on the helicopter. A heavily wounded John Price slid Soap his M1911 pistol, which enabled him to personally kill Imran Zakhaev and two of his bodyguards.

Moments later, Loyalist forces flood the scene and Kamarov comes to Soap's aid, placing him onto a stretcher, assuring him that he will be alright. Soap passes out during the middle of extraction, though survives his wounds alongside Price.

Task Force 141
At some point during the five years after the events of the civil war, MacTavish was promoted to the rank of Captain, and was also recruited into the elite Task Force 141, comprised only of the best, and most experienced soldiers. By 2016, MacTavish had become the task force's field commander, and worked alongside Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley and Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson. Later, MacTavish and Sanderson were sent to infiltrate a Russian airbase to recover an ACS module within the Tian Shan mountain range in Kazakhstan. They recovered the module, though were forced to escape on snowmobiles after they were compromised by Major Petrov and his forces. Shortly after the mission, MacTavish led Task Force 141 into Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, to capture Rojas, who had supplied the Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov with his arms during his assault on Zakhaev International Airport. However, they only managed to learn from Rojas, that Makarov has a strong hatred for Prisoner 627 in a Russian gulag. The task force was then swarmed by the Brazilian Militia, though are then saved by Nikolai, who had fought alongside Soap during the events of Second Russian Civil War.

Shortly after being extracted from South America, MacTavish and Task Force 141 initiated a two-stage operation. The first stage being to secure a modified oil platform in order to disable SAM sites on the platform, and the second phase to infiltrate the prison itself. After infiltrating the prison, MacTavish led his troops through the Russian gulag, and eventually reach Prisoner 627, who turns out to be none other than Captain Price. Although Price is at first hostile towards Roach, he rejoins after recognizing Soap and the squad manages to extract (via SPIE rig) from the area. During this time, MacTavish returns John Price's M1911 pistol he used to kill Imran Zakhaev five years earlier.

During the events of "Contingency", MacTavish facilitates Price's infiltration inside a submarine by providing Predator drone support. After the events of the nuclear launch, Task Force 141 was split up to go investigate two locations, with Price and MacTavish investigating an arms deal in Afghanistan, while Ghost and Sanderson and the bulk of the task force investigate one of Makarov's safehouses in Russia. Price and MacTavish are attacked by Shepherd's men and attempt to warn Ghost and Sanderson, only to be late in the process. Soap and Price manage to escape the arms deal with the help of Nikolai while getting some intelligence from Makarov, focusing on killing Shepherd.

The duo then pursues Shepherd through Afghanistan, where they eventually corner him and attempt to kill him. However, as MacTavish attempts to stab Shepherd, the latter disarms Soap, knocks him to the ground and impales him with a knife. Before Shepherd can execute MacTavish, Price tackles Shepherd and engages him in a long hand-to-hand fight, with Shepherd eventually gaining the upper hand. However Soap, now awake takes out the knife in his chest and throws it at Shepherd, killing the general. Price then comes to Soap's aid and the two are evacuated by Nikolai, who arrives in a MH-6 Little Bird. During the course of Shepherd's betrayal, Soap and Price are labeled as international fugitives, and are on the run at the end of the game.

Quotes
"Right. What the hell of a kind of name is Soap, eh? How'd a muppet like you pass selection?"

"Ghost, our driver is dead. We're on foot, meet us at the Hotel Rio."

- MacTavish to Ghost, after Rojas' Assistant shot the driver of the car.

"Nikolai! We're at the top of the favela surrounded by militia!"

- Soap talking to Nikolai at the beginning of "The Hornet's Nest".

"Roach is down!"

- Soap, if Sanderson dies in "The Gulag".

"Ghost, we got a situation here...GET DOWN! GET DOWN!"

- Soap, when Rojas' assistant opens fire on the car the squad is driving in.

"Too right, mate. Now in the eyes of the world, they're the victims. Nobody's gonna say a word when the Russians club every American they can reach."

- Soap in the cutscene before "Takedown".

"I know a guy. Let's find a pay phone - they still exist?"

- Captain MacTavish in the briefing of "The Hornet's Nest".

"Ok move upstairs. Control - we're advancing to Dock Two"

- Captain MacTavish after they cleared a room on the oil platform.

"Negative. They've stopped twice already - no sign of him."

- Captain MacTavish at the beginning of "Takedown".

"Place is filled with living casualties of the last war... which I swear I thought we'd won."

- Soap, in the cutscene before "The Gulag".

"This belongs to you, sir."

- Soap giving back the M1911 he received on the bridge to Captain Price in "The Gulag".

"It's good to have you back old man."

- Soap to Captain Price in "Contingency".

"We've got one good UMP. They've got a thousand."

- Soap, in the cutscene before "Just Like Old Times".

"Break's over, Roach. Let's go."

- Soap to Roach in "Cliffhanger".

"Oi Numpty! Watch your fire."

- Soap, if you shoot him by accident.

Trivia

 * Soap seems to be a designated marksman, as he starts with a long range weapon at least one time during every operation. The only two exceptions are during "Crew Expendable", as a sniper rifle would be inappropriate for such a setting, and during the events of Act Three, as an American Sniper Team is already covering the squad. Also, Kamarov refers to Soap as "your sniper" while talking to Price.
 * Soap's face in "Cliffhanger" looks much different than his face in all other missions. This is due to the fact that he is unshaven and is concealing his mohawk with a hat. Also since most of his face is covered in snow.
 * Soap is referred to as the F.N.G. in the level of the same name. This is military slang for "Fucking New Guy".
 * Soap is the second highest-ranking playable character in the Call of Duty series, with the first being Major Badanov from Call of Duty: Finest Hour.
 * Soap has killed two high profile enemies; (Imran Zakhaev and Shepherd), something few playable characters have done in the Call of Duty series.
 * Soap takes a more mature role as leader than Captain Price. He only swears on one occasion when he loses sight of Alejandro Rojas and gets pinned down by militia, he doesn't make as many jokes and even disiplines his second in command, Ghost, for making a comment about Americans which may annoy some American task force members.
 * Soap's first name is John, as seen during the 2007 E3 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare gameplay. However, during the SAS mission briefings in the actual game, his nickname is only shown. However, on Twitter, Robert Bowling confirmed his name was John.
 * Soap's rendering in Modern Warfare 2 may have been based off Navy SEAL Kelly Lake, a character from the film Tears of the Sun, and he also resembles Joseph Turok.
 * In "Crew Expendable", Price and MacTavish slide their respirators onto their faces. This indicates that Soap was not wearing a helmet during the mission.
 * Soap is the second playable character to be involved in a sequel, as in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 he returns as an NPC and playable character. The first returning character was James Doyle, who also came back as a playable character.
 * There is a scar above MacTavish's left eye, most likely a wound that he received from the events of "Game Over".
 * There appear to be many similarities between Soap and Captain Price.
 * 1) They like to smoke before missions, like in Cliffhanger and Crew Expendable.
 * 2) They have the same first name (John).
 * 3) In Modern Warfare 1, Captain Price's name when looked at is 'Captain Price' - the only name featured to have an unabbreviated rank. In Modern Warfare 2, Soap seems to inherit this distinction, as he is similarly titled without abbreviation, as 'Captain MacTavish'.
 * 4) Like Captain Price, MacTavish has a right-hand man. Price's was Gaz, and MacTavish's was Ghost. Oddly enough, both Ghost and Gaz end up being personally executed by major antagonists (with high-caliber pistols) on Day 6, and were voiced by the same person.
 * 5) Their use of the word "muppet". In Modern Warfare, Price asks Soap "How'd a muppet like you pass selection?" In Modern Warfare 2, Soap tells Roach,"These muppets have no idea we're here."
 * 6) They were both under the command of a Captain at one point in Modern Warfare. Price was under the command of Cpt. MacMillan, while Soap was under the command of Cpt. Price.
 * 7) They both have blue eyes, as do many characters in the game.
 * 8) Both appear as snipers in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
 * On Soap's vest, a patch is clearly seen with the letters SAS, this could mean that even though Soap is a part of the 141 he still is a part of the SAS (most likely on loan, as is a common practice with Special Forces units), or it could simply be there for sentimental value on Soap's part.
 * Soap is one of only seven playable characters to have his face revealed (the others being Captain Price and the Nazi Zombie characters).
 * A sculpted head of MacTavish is available with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition.
 * After finding Price, Price greets him as Soap. This confuses the members of Soap's team, meaning that Soap never told them his nickname and they simply call him Captain MacTavish. Worm even asks "Who's Soap?"
 * In addition to the above statement, the only person to call Soap MacTavish in the campaign is General Shepherd, and he only does it once (before "The Only Easy Day...Was Yesterday"). Price just calls him Soap, Roach doesn't talk, and Ghost and the rest of the Task Force call him "sir".
 * In Modern Warfare 2, he is referred to as "Captain MacTavish" until "Contingency", where the subtitles refer to him as his nickname: "Soap."
 * If the player take awhile to get to capture Rojas, he/she will hear Soap say, "Shite" whenever Ghost gives him a visual of Rojas.
 * In Modern Warfare 2, whenever a C4 needs to be setup, Soap always refers it as "Plan B".
 * It is unknown how Soap became quickly ranked from Sergeant to Captain in just 5 years (perhaps the fact that he killed Imran Zakhaev may have encouraged the SAS to give him the rank so soon into his career), whereas Price became Lieutenant to Captain in 15 years (the ordered rank goes Sergeant -> 2nd Lieutenant -> Lieutenant -> Captain, assuming he received a Late Entry Commission). Though it is possible he was promoted through the rank order over the five years it is both highly unusual and highly unlikely that this would occur.
 * Despite speaking in earlier missions as an NPC, Soap no longer speaks (aside from grunts) when the player takes control of him.
 * Additionally, all of his grunts and breathing audio when controlled by the player sound nothing like Soap's usual voice and instead are identical to the other playable characters.
 * In "Just Like Old Times", when hanging from the rope and stabbing the enemy soldier, Soap sighs in his actual voice.
 * In the mission "S.S.D.D.", one of the U.S. soldiers refers to Soap as "a guy with a mohawk", who "spoke with some funny accent", "British maybe", which is technically correct as Soap is Scottish (Scotland is part of the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"), though it can be classified as a Scottish accent as accents are not just national but also regional things (America has many accents based on which region of the country someone is in for example).
 * Furthermore in S.S.D.D, a conversation regarding the performance of "Deltas" in the obstacle course "The Pit" can be heard by two soldiers. A man with a "freaky mask", referring to Ghost, and "that mohawk guy", referring to Soap, are said to have beat the course in 18 seconds, a feat which from the perspective of the two men made the actual Delta Force members on base look like they were moving in slow motion by comparison. The two men were so amazed that they thought that the men they saw run the course may have been something more than Deltas. Apparently Soap is also said to have "bitchslapped" the guys on base, which likely means that his score on the Pit made the other guys look pathetic by comparison.
 * At the end of Endgame, when Soap pulls the knife out of his chest, the player can clearly see the Infinity Ward logo near the hilt.
 * It is implausible that Soap is still alive at the end of Endgame after falling down a waterfall, smashed into a car, stabbed in the chest and being face stomped, as he would have lost a considerable amount of blood which would have only been hampered even more by Soap dragging his body along the ground to reach Shepherd's Magnum. Also notice how Price doesn't give any attention to his head (though the process of Price patching up Soap's wounds is blacked out briefly so his head may have been attended to off screen), as it probably would have been very damaged.
 * Soap seems to respect America, as can be evidenced by when he tells Ghost to cut the chatter when he starts yelling at the Navy, this is possibly because Griggs, an American sacrificed himself in order to save Soap's life, and put Soap into a position to kill Imran Zakhaev. Though this could also be explained with how him and the American forces had a reasonably good partnership during the six day war with Zakhaev in COD4, or Soap could simply be respectful of how the British and Americans have generally had a lot of good will towards one another through their numerous economic and war related partnerships over the past century or so (save for matters involving the British Imperial possessions). Though it could have been Soap redirecting Ghost's and the rest of the squad's concentration towards the mission and is simply doing his job as Captain by maintaining discipline.
 * What's interesting is that most TF141 members use an ACR or other weapons like Ghost and Roach but Soap usually uses an M4A1 Carbine, MP5K or M1911. Maybe because they're his favorite weapons, because his main weapon was an M4A1 SOPMOD in the original Modern Warfare, also, Soap used an MP5SD in Crew Expendable, and Soap killed Imran Zakhaev with Price's M1911 so he probably keeps it as his own little trophy.
 * When Soap finds Captain Price in "The Gulag", he says "This belongs to you, sir" and hands a M1911 to Captain Price. This is the same M1911 handed to Soap by Price in the original Modern Warfare, used to take down Imran Zakhaev for good.
 * Soap and Sanderson appear to be good friends, as he smiles at Roach at the beginning of Cliffhanger, risking his life in The Hornets Nest at the end, beckoning Roach towards the helicopter. The player can hear him mutter "No!" in the Hornets Nest when Roach falls off the building. Also during Contingency, Soap appears to be concerned of Roach's well being as he asks Price what his status is (probably since it was the first time Soap and Roach weren't side by side), so it's likely that, other than Ghost, Roach was Soap's favored comrade.
 * On that note the music that plays during "The Enemy of My Enemy...", plays as if it is reflecting Soap's mourning of the loss of his comrades, it sounds particularly melancholy and it stands out in a level where there is so much chaos and action going on all around the player.
 * Also, Soap is the only NPC to acknowledge when the player dies in combat (and of course the player is Sanderson). He usually alerts the team that "Roach is down" though sometimes he will simply shout "Roach!". However, this only takes place in the mission The Gulag.
 * Soap has a unique phrase if the player shoots him. He yells "Oi! Numpty, watch your fire".
 * MacTavish is voiced by Kevin McKidd in Modern Warfare 2''.
 * Many fans have ranked Soap among heroes of war genre video games such as the Master Chief from the Halo series and Solid Snake from the Metal Gear/Metal Gear Solid series.
 * It is unknown why Soap's nickname is "Soap". It is possible that its his nickname for having clean kills. Price's feelings of discontent for having a "Fucking New Guy" put on his watch seems odd in the event he had known the meaning of the nickname was for having clean kills, though his famous line at the top of this article seems to suggest he didn't know what kind of name "Soap" is and what it meant, so Price may have just been rubbing in the silliness of the nickname regardless of any positive meaning it may have.
 * In "Endgame", before the player throws the knife at Shepherd, if he/she waits a moment before throwing the knife, the player can hear Soap quietly mutter "Shepherd", albeit not in his voice. He most likely does this to get Shepherd's attention and get a clear shot on him. This makes him one of the few playable characters in the series to talk during gameplay (the others being the Nazi Zombie characters and the AC-130 TV Operator).
 * It is possible that Soap met Private Joseph Allen before he was killed by Makarov, as Soap seemed to know a lot about Allen and what he was doing.
 * In the briefing for "The Enemy Of My Enemy...", Soap's tone of voice seemed to feature regret when he says "Shepherd betrayed us.", and unlike Price who says "You have to trust someone to be betrayed.", it seems that Soap respected and trusted the General and is sorrowful that he has to kill a man who he thought was his comrade.
 * It is possible to conclude that Soap is ambidextrous, as in "Endgame", after waking up from the crash, he takes out his knife and holds it in his left hand before attacking Shepherd and being impaled.
 * In the Museum, it takes 2 knife stabs to kill him.

Appearances

 * Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
 * Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2