Michael Edward Moon made his first appearance on 1 October 2010. He is the father of Scarlett and Tommy Moon and late husband of Janine Butcher. He is portrayed by Steve John Shepherd.
Backstory[]
Michael Edward Moon was born on 29th January 1972 to Eddie and Maggie Moon. Michael had a traumatic childhood as his mother was mentally ill and took her own life whilst home alone with him, leaving a 6 year old Michael to find her lifeless body on the sofa. Michael grew up resenting Eddie for this, believing that he pushed Maggie to her death. He never truly forgave her. Michael also grew up believing that he was an only child, not knowing of his one full sibling and three half siblings.
In secondary school, Michael met a young Jack Branning and the two became friends. This also allowed Michael to get to know Derek Branning, who bullied Michael frequently.
Storylines[]
2010-2013: Arrival, marrying Janine Butcher and death[]
Michael loves danger and takes big risks to get his own way. He's also very competitive and flashy, with a manipulative, jealous nature. He wouldn't think twice about screwing people over - even those he loves.
Michael arrived on the Square honking his car horn and shouting for Alfie. Alfie was happy to see Michael and Michael quickly helped Alfie out of a sticky situation with Phil Mitchell involving the rent for the Queen Vic. Michael explained that he was visiting Walford from his home in Spain. Michael is revealed as the biological father of Tommy Moon, after he and Kat had a one-night stand whilst Alfie was imprisoned in Spain.
Michael starts a relationship with Roxy Mitchell. However, Ronnie Mitchell begins to desire an end to the relationship, as well as Michael's friendship with Jack Branning as she believes that Michael may be able to find out that she swapped her deceased baby, James Branning with Tommy Moon. She tries to frame Michael for making a move on her in order to antagonise Michael. However, Michael begins to torment Ronnie and prove her accusations wrong by telling Jack that Ronnie has photo of Michael stuffed in her drawer. During this time, Michael actually does flirt with Ronnie, but it is not clear whether he is doing this genuinely or is doing it simply as a way to annoy her.
When Ronnie's baby swapping secret is revealed. Michael begins to try and antagonise Ronnie and get revenge on her. He tries to twist situations and spread rumours to try and worsen the impending charges on Ronnie for her offences. One instance in which he does this is when he babysits Tommy and takes him to the park. He then lures Ronnie to the park and hides, leaving Ronnie to see Tommy all alone. He then calls for Kat and cruelly accuses Ronnie of another kidnapping attempt, which leaves Ronnie swearing that it was Michael's fault and Kat being so angry that she doesn't even attempt to believe her.
Michael's father, Eddie Moon came to the Square and Michael began to share his extreme hatred for him, blaming him for the death of his mother Maggie Moon. Alongside Eddie, Michael was also introduced to his two younger brothers, Tyler and Anthony Moon. Michael appeared somewhat jealous of the two men for having received their fathers love whilst he felt abandoned. In a cruel act of revenge in order to try and make Eddie pay, Michael deliberately placed Tyler in a boxing match with dangerous boxer Artie Stiller, Michael then committed several actions that implied he wanted Tyler dead such as deliberately making sure that there were no doctors at the fight to treat Tyler's injuries. During this time, Eddie decided to reveal to Michael that he also had a younger full brother by the name of Craig Moon. Craig has down syndrome and was living in a home which Eddie took Michael to in order to introduce him. Michael seemed to genuinely like Craig's presence. After it was revealed that this was down to Michael, he was kicked out of his house by Tyler and Anthony and forced onto the streets, where he began to blackmail Vanessa Gold into helping him take down Eddie, which failed when Vanessa told Eddie the truth. On 6 October 2011, Eddie left the Square for Spain alongside Craig, having failed to have reconnected with Michael. He would never see his son again, and would never even bother to attend his funeral.
Love isn't something that comes easy for Michael. His relationship with son Tommy is lukewarm at best. However, in winning the heart of Janine, Michael showed his more fluffy, warmer side. Although he declared himself 'fond' of Janine, pushing her to rip up the prenup on her wedding day didn't give us much confidence in his motives, and Janine obviously saw this too when she delivered Michael an ultimatum; everything he desires (e.g. a massive suitcase of money) or her.
While Michael chose Janine, it was still not enough to banish the doubts she had about him out of her mind, and she departed The Square, leaving Michael holding the baby. While there were doubts over Michael's ability to step up and be a dad to baby Scarlett, with the help of Kat and Alice (who has developed a big old crush on Michael), he seems to have formed a strong bond with his daughter.
Becoming a responsible parent hasn't changed his ways too much though. He didn't miss an opportunity to bed Kat (again) after hearing that Alfie had asked her for a divorce.
When Janine finally returned to The Square she took taken Scarlett from Michael and banned him from seeing her! Michael managed to manipulate his No.1 fan Alice into sneaking in daddy/daughter meetings... but the stress of this cloak and dagger behaviour became too much for Alice who blurted out the truth to Janine. Realising that she had been well and truly had, a furious Janine fled The Square again, promising Michael that he will never be part of his daughter's life. But after a sneaky piece of reverse psychology from Michael, Janine has decided that she can't keep away from the glamour of Walford...
While Michael was initially furious at Alice, his feelings seemed to make a quick turnaround as he ended up bedding the besotted girl, but that was just another part of his manipulations. Alice seems to have forgiven him however and his main issue now is Danny Pennant, whose romantic entanglements with Janine is getting Michael jealous and frustrated as he finds Janine has bought half of his business.
Still jealous, Michael continues to manipulate a starry-eyed Alice despite her dating Tamwar, and is using every opportunity to upset things between the pair, so that he can continue to use Alice against Janine. However, when Alice discovered that Michael had started to delete messages from her phone, she returned to Tamwar with open arms. Is this one step too far, or will Michael manage to manipulate Alice again, as his battles with Janine escalate?
With Janine taking out an injunction on him, the battle has reached an almighty peak. But Michael continues to plot his next move, using an infatuated Alice to his advantage. Will his seducing of Alice lead to sweet revenge, the duo plotted to kill Janine with an overdose of sleeping pills, but when she got cold feet, his insults led to Alice giving him a shot in the groin before fleeing their home. Luckily for Michael she reappeared the next day willing to help him with his plan. On Halloween night, Alice went to Janine's whilst Michael waited patiently in The Vic. After receiving a call, he returned home to find a distraught Alice with blood on her hands. Had Michael been successful in getting her to kill the Wicked Witch of Walford? Unfortunately not. Alice in fact had already told Janine the plans Michael had, and in turn, Janine had plotted to frame Michael. When it all came to light, the three faced each other at Janine's. Michael attempted to get Alice back on side, but with the police on the way it was too late. Angered by her actions, Michael grabbed Janine by the throat, not letting go. He finally loosened his grip when a desperate and distraught Alice stabbed him. She ran off to let the police in, but Michael got back up and went for Janine - who proceeded to stab him a second time. Michael Moon finally lost the battle when a fatal stab ended his action packed life. Killed by: Janine Butcher.
Kill count[]
Attempted murder victims[]
- Tyler Moon (13 September 2011) (instigated/implied) - Deliberately placed Tyler in a boxing match with dangerous boxer Artie Stiller, Michael then committed several actions that implied he wanted Tyler dead such as deliberately making sure that there were no doctors at the fight to treat Tyler's injuries.
- Janine Butcher (25 October 2013) - Ordered Alice Branning to spike Janine with crushed sleeping tablets to put her to sleep so they could kidnap Scarlett Butcher, however Michael overdosed the tablets in a bid to kill Janine. Which Alice realised and refused to drug Janine.
- Janine Butcher (31 October 2013; aired 1 November 2013) - Strangled her until he was stabbed by Alice.
Quotes[]
First line to Alfie Moon: "Alfie, you upsetting the neighbours again."
Famous rant to Alice Branning: "Just, just, just help, help me to understand why I would put such faith in a wrech like you? Huh I'm waiting! You need to know your place girl, because you ate an acolyte! You serve me! Me! You love, you talk of love, your own father didn't love you!"
Second part of rant: "No he didn't, the day he died he probably cried a cry of blessed relief! Hallelujah he would of said, because I've rid myself of this pathetic and feeble prodigy!"
Last line before being stabbed by Alice and then killed by Janine Butcher: "I don't care! Get off!"