The Call of Duty series is home to numerous iconic characters. John MacTavish – better known as Soap – is no exception. He is playable in the first and second Modern Warfare, appearing only as an NPC in Modern Warfare 3. Soap is responsible for killing Imran Zakhaev, as well as operating behind the scenes of World War III.
While players learn about his actions through the Call of Duty games, intel and dialogue can tell players more about his life. While Soap might have been disavowed and considered a traitor, players will be glad to know his name is cleared.
Updated December 4, 2022, by Jerrad Wyche: The recent release of Call of Duty: MW2 has seen the sub-brand of Call of Duty coming into focus with the fandom, sparking internet memes about main characters Ghost and Soap. Despite the first-person shooter series making its mark in the world of multiplayer gaming, there's still a dedicated audience who enjoy the single-player campaigns that introduce captivating and inspiring characters like Soap MacTavish.
13 The Voice Of Soap
Call of Duty as a series doesn't generally see its actors get the recognition or spotlight for their performances, and it's unclear if it's an issue with the series being multiplayer-focused, or the genre generally being seen in a different capacity.
Either way, since the beginning, an actor by the name of Kevin McKidd has provided the voice of Soap MacTavish in the Modern Warfare sub-series of Call of Duty. McKidd is an accomplished Scottish actor who earned roles in films like Trainspotting and Pixar's Brave, as well as appearing in the television series Grey's Anatomy and Star Wars: Rebels.
12 He Was Originally English, Not Scottish
Soap MacTavish stands as one of the most popular and significant Scottish characters in all of the video games, but the truth is that he wasn't originally created as a native to Scotland. Back during E3 2009, a preview was available for audiences of Infinity's upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and in it, Soap MacTavish can be heard with an English accent.
Thankfully the change was made before the game was launched to have him sport a Scottish accent instead. This move not only made him a bit more unique, but it established him with a unique voice that played a big role in fans growing attached to the character.
11 His Favorite Football Club
If there's one thing Americans should come to assume about Europeans, whether fictional or real: they almost always have a favorite football team they support. Outside of the United States, not only does everyone else not refer to it as soccer, but they ride or die for their local clubs.
Soap MacTavish is no different and he is known to support "The Glasgow Football Club", a fictional team that likely serves as the most successful team in Scotland in the Modern Warfare universe. Glasgow happens to be the city in Scotland with the largest population, so it makes sense that Soap MacTavish would be drawn to support the team that calls it home.
10 Took Part In Mission To Capture Makarov In 2013
After the events of the first game, Soap is responsible for the creation of Task Force 141. One of the first iconic missions was Operation Kingfish, which was meant to capture Vladimir Makarov. It took place on October 8, 2013, in the Karkonosze Mountains.
The operation ended in failure, with Captain Price being captured and Soap being injured. This event led to Price being sent to the gulag.
9 Referenced In S.S.D.D.
During the first mission of Modern Warfare 2, the player has to complete The Pit. In this live-action firing range, players must shoot enemy cutouts under a certain time. Before running The Pit, players can hear rangers at the base talk about two individuals who dominated it.
One man will say a guy with a mohawk completed the course in 18.26 seconds, and another with a skull mask completed the course in 18.28 seconds with an M1911. Of course, this is a reference to Ghost and Soap. For anybody who beats this time, just know they are better than these two.
8 He Has A Tattoo On His Neck
With how much action goes on in the games, it might be easy to look over this detail. Soap has a revolver tattoo on the back of his neck. It might require the player to get a good angle and look through a sniper scope, but he is one of the few characters with a tattoo.
One of the better places to notice the tattoo is when Soap is in Africa with Price. During a lull in the fighting, looking at the back of Soap's neck will reveal the tattoo.
7 He Can Be Killed In Cliffhanger
During the mission Cliffhanger, Soap and Roach infiltrate a Russian base to recover an ACS module from a downed satellite. After retrieving the module, the hangar doors will open and enemies will surround Soap. An enemy officer will demand that Roach shows himself before counting down.
Soap will tell the player to go to plan B, which would distract the enemies with an explosion and allow for escape. Players do not have to do this. However, waiting for the enemy to count all the way down or for the player to show themselves will cause Soap to get gunned down.
6 Dog Line Is A Reference To Indiana Jones
It should come as no surprise that Soap hates dogs. Throughout the first Modern Warfare, attack dogs will jump on the player and attempt to kill them, leaving Soap with a distaste for the animals. During the mission Contingency in Modern Warfare 2, players get to hear how Soap really feels about the animals. Price will say the Russians have dogs, to which Soap will reply, "Dogs...I hate dogs."
This is a reference to Indiana Jones. In the first movie, Indy has a similar line regarding an old fear: "Snakes...I hate snakes". Maybe Soap is a big Indiana Jones fan, or maybe it is just a coincidence.
5 Players Can Learn More From Dog Tags
During an assassination attempt on Makarov, Soap is mortally wounded after an explosion goes off. He is brought to a safe house but dies on a table next to Price. Players can notice Price that takes a few things off of Soap's corpse, including his dog tags. During the next cutscene, players can see what they read.
Players can learn that Soap has O-Positive blood and is also a Roman Catholic. They may also notice that his ID number is 20735-, though blood splatter obscures the rest.
4 Players Can Read His Journal
Another object that Price takes from Soap's body is his journal. Any player who purchased the hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3 was able to acquire Soap's journal and read through it. Entries include what happens throughout Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, and the period of time between the two games.
Players can read that Soap took his training seriously, and even practiced more after the events of the first game. There are even plans for the mission Mile High Club, showing that it is considered canon and was a Task Force 141 operation.
3 He Was Awarded Highest Honors
In the mission after Soap's death, Price pulls up his old file. Players should notice that Soap was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, and the Distinguished Service Order. These are the three highest awards a person can receive while in the British military.
With all of the operations he was part of, it should be no surprise that Soap received these awards. While the events of the first game remained a secret from the public, Soap should still receive recognition for what he did. Stopping nukes from hitting the US and killing Zakhaev is most likely what gained him these.
2 UMP In Infinite Warfare Named After Him
In the game Infinite Warfare, the UMP45 makes an appearance. The name is a bit different though — here, it's called the MacTav-45. Infinite Warfare is also made by Infinity Ward, with the new name being a reference to John MacTavish. Set in the future, the game makes reference to the events of the Modern Warfare series.
Soap had his name cleared in Modern Warfare 3, and the public celebrated his heroics again. His influence seems to have reached the future as well, as he had a gun named after him.
1 Honored After His Death
Price told his old commander about Soap's death, causing his name to be carved into the clock tower at Hereford. This is an honor for fallen SAS soldiers. Price also helps rescue the Russian president, leading to Task Force 141's reinstatement and for Soap's name being cleared after killing General Shepherd.
Soap's death also fueled Price's quest for revenge against Makarov. While Makarov is staying at a casino in Dubai, Price launches an assault to kill him. The game ends with Price hanging Makarov, avenging everyone who died in World War III.