Maggott

Template:Distinguish Template:Infobox comics character Maggott (Japheth) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was briefly a member of the X-Men.

A flamboyant Zulu<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> mutant who uses exaggerated Afrikaans slang, Maggott is advertised as one of the strangest X-Men. His digestive system takes the form of two slugs which can eat through practically any substance. After feeding, the slugs reenter Maggott's abdomen and pass nourishment into him, giving him incredible power.<ref name=regrettable>Template:Cite book</ref>

Publication history

Maggott was created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Madureira, and first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #345 (June 1997).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Fictional character biography

Maggott was first seen as a mysterious mutant who is searching out the X-Men's adversary Magneto for an unknown reason.<ref>Uncanny X-Men #345 (June 1997)</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His search led to Antarctica where Magneto was holding the X-Men captive. Maggott then joined up with the team and returned with them to their Westchester, New York headquarters.<ref>X-Men (vol. 2) #70 (December 1997)</ref>

For a short period of time, Maggott believed his companions were going off on their own and killing innocent people. He even tried to turn himself over to the police before being stopped by the X-Men. His companions turned out to be innocent, as the people had been slain by a faction of N'Garai, though they hated to be called so. These entities are a demonic-type race that the X-Men had faced many times, mainly because a regenerating magical portal lies deep in the woods on the mansion's grounds.<ref>X-Men (vol. 2) #75 (May 1998)</ref>

Maggott later was tempted by the entity Shadow King with promises of a better life in exchange for his loyalty and abandonment of the X-Men. He managed to resist the villain. Marrow and Cecilia Reyes were also propositioned by the King, but also resisted. Psylocke then rescues the X-Men after keeping Shadow King in a psionic prison, which forced her in retirement as she could not use her mind powers for anything or else the Shadow King would be released from the prison within Psylocke's mind.<ref>X-Men (vol. 2) #77-78 (July - August 1998)</ref>

At first, he kept his past to himself, but Maggott eventually revealed his origin to Wolverine.<ref>X-Men #76 (June 1998)</ref> Maggott had been born a sickly child in Apartheid-era South Africa and was named Japheth. He was always very ill and could not digest solid food. Feeling himself to be a burden on his family, Japheth ran away from home with his younger brother. Having left home, hoping to die, he was found by Magneto, who uncovered the mutant slugs living in his digestive system. Compassionate at heart, Japheth rejected Magneto's philosophy and his offer to join him after witnessing him massacre white soldiers who were engaged in racist atrocities against black South African civilians. In spite of this, he later sought out Magneto when he got older, for help in easing the pain caused by his unique mutation. After the then-current roster of the team parts ways, the X-Man Beast suggests Maggott transfer to the junior team Generation X, but his tenure there lasts only one issue.<ref>Generation X #49 (March 1999)</ref>

Maggott later appears as an inmate at Neverland, a concentration camp run by Weapon X where he is executed.<ref>Weapon X (vol. 2) #5 (March 2003)</ref> One of his slugs, which he gave to two children after foreseeing his death, was seen in a container in Mister Sinister's laboratory.<ref>Weapon X (vol. 2) #14 (December 2003)</ref>

In the "Necrosha" event, Maggott is resurrected via the Transmode Virus to serve as part of Selene's army of deceased mutants. Under the control of Selene and Eli Bard, he takes part in the assault on the mutant nation of Utopia.<ref name="XMLegacy231">X-Men: Legacy #231 (January 2010)</ref>

Maggott is later confirmed to be alive and powered, as he was a guest at a superheroes and supervillains-themed costume party of New York branch of the Hellfire Club and was later apparently passed out drunk with other party guests around an outdoor swimming pool.<ref>Wolverine and the X-Men (vol. 2) #10-11 (December 2014)</ref>

Maggott briefly appears during the X-Men Disassembled storyline battling Nate Grey.<ref>Uncanny X-Men (vol. 5) #9-10 (March - April 2019)</ref> He later becomes a citizen of Krakoa and a member of the Morlocks during the Krakoan Age.<ref>House of X #5 (November 2019)</ref><ref>Dark X-Men (vol. 2) #2 (November 2023)</ref>

After the end of the Krakoan Age, Maggott returns to the Morlocks.<ref>NYX (vol. 2) #3 (November 2024)</ref> During the "X-Manhunt" event, Maggott is among the X-Men members who attempt to apprehend Charles Xavier after he escapes prison, but is wounded by Juggernaut, who rips off his right arm. Storm infuses Maggott with the power of Eegun, which empowers him, restores his arm, and transforms him into an Omega-level mutant.<ref>Storm (vol. 5) #6 (May 2025)</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Powers and abilities

Maggott's digestive system consists of a hollow cavity that houses two slugs called Eany and Meany. They share a telepathic link with him and can temporarily emerge from his body to digest solid matter, giving him superhuman strength and durability. He additionally possesses a form of psychometry that enables him to view the recent past and future by reading psychic imprints from the environment.

Reception

In 2014, Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly ranked Maggott 100th in his "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list, coming in last place. Franich criticized Maggott's "absolutely ridiculous" powers, stating that they "wouldn't be useful ever for anyone".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Other versions

Age of X

An alternate universe variant of Maggott from Earth-11326 appears in Age of X: Universe #1. This version is a prisoner of Camp Gorge before being killed by Iron Man.<ref>Age of X: Universe #1 (May 2011)</ref>

Ultimate Marvel

An alternate universe variant of Maggott from Earth-1610 makes a cameo appearance in Ultimate X-Men #47 as one of several mutants killed by Mister Sinister.<ref>Ultimate X-Men #47 (August 2004)</ref>

Battleworld X-Tinction Agenda

An alternate universe variant of Maggott from Earth-24201 appears in X-Tinction Agenda.<ref>X-Tinction Agenda #2-3 (September - October 2015)</ref>

Age of X-Man

An alternate universe variant of Maggott who became a disciple of Apocalypse appears in Age of X-Man.<ref>Age of X-Man: Nextgen #2 (May 2019)</ref><ref>Age of X-Man: Nextgen #4 (July 2019)</ref>

In other media

Maggott makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the X-Men '97 episode "To Me, My X-Men".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Template:Marvelwiki
• Maggott at UncannyXmen.net
• Maggott at World of Black Heroes