Miranda Kavanaugh was the mother of Victor and Eloise and was trapped along with her children in the Township. Miranda tragically died trying to find a way to escape by journeying to the Lighthouse.
Biography[]
Background[]
Miranda and her husband, Henry, used to be hippies, however they gave up drugs and alcohol after she became pregnant with their son Victor. They also had a daughter, Eloise. Miranda worked as an artist in their hometown of Camden, Maine and had many successful projects and installations. On Henry's 35th birthday, she decided that they would take acid as a reminder of the old days. However, she began to have visions of a mysterious Town that trapped all who happened upon it, as well as Ghoulish Children that needed to be freed from a tower. She believed herself chosen to free the children and therefore the trapped townspeople, but there had also been many others chosen before her and all had failed. Miranda painted all of her visions and dreams of the Township.[1]
In 1978, Miranda and her children became trapped in the Town. Miranda used to tell her children stories, which they would make drawings of. She also used to play the violin and sing them "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." During that time, one of their fellow inhabitants was the jovial Christopher, who became cold and withdrawn after becoming obsessed with the mysterious symbol. Christopher's behavior alarmed Miranda, who told her children to hide somewhere that Christopher did not know about.[2]
That night, Miranda had her children hide in the Root Cellar, and told them not to come out until morning. Meanwhile, she planned to go to the Lighthouse deep in the Forest and "free the children," believing that it was the key to escaping the Township. As she left, a scared Eloise ran after her, while Victor remained in the Cellar. The next morning, Victor discovered that everyone else had been killed, including his mother and sister. Victor found his mother's body by one of the Bottle Trees in the Forest. The trauma of the event and his guilt over his failure to protect his sister caused Victor to block out any memory of Eloise.[3]
Season 2[]
In exchange for telling him about the symbol, Victor asks Jade Herrera to play the violin. He leads him to the Car Graveyard, the sight of which shocks Jade. Victor then sits on his mother's car and asks Jade to play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on the violin, which Jade agrees to. Victor then explains what happened with Christopher, how his mother came to distrust him and the death of everyone when he was a child.[2]
Tabitha Matthews convinces Victor to try and remember what happened. He takes her to the Car Graveyard and unlocks the trunk of his mother's car, where he finds several drawings. Victor then realizes that the drawings are not his, but his sister's, unlocking the memories he had repressed, causing him to break down in tears. They find the drawing of the Lighthouse, and Victor explains that Miranda went there in order to free the children so they could all escape the Township.[3]
While they take shelter in the Lius' home and try to keep each other awake so as not to fall prey to The Musicbox Monster, Victor tries to comfort a scared Ethan by telling him that his mother used to say everything was a story, and they’re the ones who get to decide how it ends. Ethan asks if his mother's story ended the way she wanted, prompting Julie and Tian-Chen to scold him.
After Julie becomes possessed by the Musicbox Monster, Tabitha decides to go to the Lighthouse to see if it can help Julie. She explains the situation to Jim, who is reluctant to let her go, pointing out that Victor's mother died trying and Victor had to grow up alone, but agrees. She then asks Victor to lead her to the Lighthouse. Victor leads her to the Bottle Tree, which he reveals is where he found his mother's body, as she didn't make it inside in time. He then explains how the tree transports people to the Lighthouse.[4]
Season 3[]
After being transported from the Township to Camden, Maine Tabitha Matthews finds the childhood home of Victor Kavanaugh, where his father, Henry, still lives. Henry is suspicious of her due to her possession of Victor's Lunchbox, but after she explains her story, including the visions of the Ghoulish Children, he shows her Miranda's paintings in his basement, and explains how she had visions of the Township before she disappeared.[1]
After examining Miranda's paintings, Henry takes her to the backyard, where there is a tree adorned with glass bottles, similar to the one in the Township. Henry explains that the one in his backyard is based off an installation that she did in a nearby town, which is where they took acid and she first began to have visions of the Township.[5]
After finding Jasper in the Tunnels, Henry Kavanaugh finds a scarf that belonged to Miranda. After they escape the Tunnels, Henry asks why the Creatures had it, and Victor simply answers that they like to take things.[6]
After Tabitha Matthews realizes that she has also had visions of the Township prior to her arrival, Jade Herrera theorizes that she may have also been chosen and destined to arrive, as Miranda was.[7]
Henry explains to Jade that Miranda had visions of the Township, and he wishes he had listened to her. He asks Jade why he thinks he will figure it out, when many smart people have tried, and Jade answers that he is smarter.[8]
While Jade recreates a Bottle Tree, he is startled, causing Henry to come outside. Observing the tree, he tells Jade that Miranda made one in his yard. Later that day, Tabitha finds Victor in the Root Cellar, blaming himself for his mother's death. After comforting him, Tabitha begins having flashes of the night Miranda left her children in the cellar. As Tabitha runs outside, overwhelmed, she sees Miranda running to the Bottle Tree, only to be attacked by Smiley.[9]
After receiving these visions, Tabitha explains to Jim that she experienced Miranda’s memories, and it felt like Miranda was trying to tell her something. After Jim gets Jade, Tabitha explains how Miranda almost got to the Bottle Tree, but was attacked by a Creature. Jim notes that Jade has had visions previously, but Jade explains that he sees things that should not be there, like the Civil War Soldier. Jade asks Tabitha what Miranda was trying to tell her. As Tabitha admits she sounds crazy, Jade says she is not, and explains that according to thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed. He theorizes that the energy behaves in unique ways in the Township, and says that the Children appear to want her to see Miranda’s memories. He asks where she was when she saw the child, and she says near Victor’s truck.
At the truck, Jade says that if the Children made the tree, then the numbers must also matter. Jim says that they do not even know who put them on the tree, and they could be some sort of delusion. Tabitha argues that Miranda knew they were important, as Miranda made a replica in her yard. Jim notes that the 2 and the 7 were backwards. As Jade rants about trying to solve the puzzle, Jim notes that there are 12 notes in a musical scale. Jade hails him as a genius, and tells Jim to find Miranda’s violin while he and Tabitha go to the Bar.
After Jade finishes the song, the child approaches Tabitha and tells her “anghkooey.” Tabitha realizes that the word means “remember.” Tabitha runs off, and when Jim asks what happened, Jade only says they used to sing them lullabies. Jim runs after Tabitha and begs her to talk to him. Tabitha explains that the reason she and Jade can see them is because they are reincarnations of Miranda and Christopher. The two are reincarnations of the people who tried to save the children from being sacrificed, as one of the children was their daughter
Meanwhile, Victor leads Henry to Miranda and Eloise’s graves. As Henry is overcome by emotion, Victor tearfully reveals that it is his fault that they died, as he told Miranda about the Children. Victor says had he not said anything, they would still be alive. Victor adds that he should have died that night, and Henry should pretend that he did and stop being his father. Henry stops him, telling Victor that he will never stop being Victor’s father, and that Miranda did what she did because she loved Victor. Henry tells Victor that it is now his job to protect Victor, pulling him into a hug.[10]
Appearances[]
Season 2[]
- Forest for the Trees (flashback)
Season 3[]
- Revelations: Chapter One (flashback/vision)