The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been successful in bringing its most iconic, brand-identifying characters to life while weaving an intricately tangled web of universes, storylines, and ambitious crossover events. As the universe expands, it outgrows characters and is in need of new, more mature concepts to drive the next phases forward. The gradual shift from Marvel’s most recognizable headlining characters to exploring a more diverse roster allows the studio to push past the boundaries that they have previously tethered themselves to. In overcoming these challenges, the MCU prepares to tackle one of comics’ most complex characters: Moon Knight.
Moon Knight was an enigmatic addition to Marvel Comics after making his first appearance in Werewolf by Night #32. Outside his Moon Knight persona, Marc Spector is a Jewish-American CIA Agent who became a mercenary following his time in the Marine Corp. After an attack in Sudan had dramatically wounded Spector, he found himself seeking shelter in front of a statue of the Egyptian Moon God, Khonshu. Though Spector dies, his death is short-lived, and he is revived by Khonshu. The Moon God explains that in exchange for sparing Spector, he must become his earthly avatar and use his strength to take vengeance for the innocent by protecting them. Spector agrees and becomes the crime-fighting Moon Knight. Beneath the kinship with Egyptian deities, Spector is asked to continue to cope with his Dissociative Identity Order (DID) throughout his daily life. Ahead of Moon Knight's release on Disney+, when asking a simple question - who is Moon Knight? - the answer is not as simple as it’s assumed to be.
Who Are Moon Knight’s Five Personalities?
Unlike previous Marvel Studios solo projects that clearly outline a singular central protagonist, Moon Knight is daring to take a risk to ensure that the series is faithful and honest to its source material. The series will revolve around a typical hierarchy of characters but will keep Marc Spector's five personalities at the center of the show. In order to share an accurate depiction of who Moon Knight truly is, all sides of him must be included. Marvel Studios, Disney+, and the Moon Knight creative team have dedicated themselves to clearly understanding the intricacies of DID and presenting it as authentically as possible. Previous statements insisted that the violence featured in Moon Knight is not to be associated with those living with DID, and are making strides to destigmatize the disorder. Additionally, the show will grasp an understanding that DID and schizophrenia are not interchangeable when introducing each alter-ego.
Marc Spector is the primary personality that is most prominent within Moon Knight media and has become the most-known persona associated with the character. Chicago-native, he served in the Armed Forces before enduring a brief stint with the Central Intelligence Agency. Spector departed from the CIA and began his life as a mercenary. In the comics, his mercenary lifestyle was the defining live event that connected him to Khonshu. Steve Grant emerged as the initial fully-developed personality that first appeared during Spector's youth. Grant was imagined as a philanthropic millionaire who was responsible for financially supporting Moon Knight in his vigilantism and has since seen his profits swell tremendously. His wealth has been dispersed through his successful film studio endeavor, and he has created a network of rich, powerful connections.
New York cab driver Jake Lockley uses his street smarts to keep his thumb on the pulse of underground crime while keeping in touch with crime-doers. Lockley serves as a way for Spector to gain an understanding of where and when to strike next and is viewed as necessary when executing Moon Knight's attacks. Mr. Knight was the last identity to form and is typically present when Spector meets with his psychiatrist or interacts with civilians. His character design is incredibly unique and allows Mr. Knight to stand out significantly. The conversation around alternative identities has questioned whether Moon Knight is an alter or an entirely separate entity. The character exists on its own as the fist of Khonshu and doubles as his High Priest. He sources his power from the lunar phases and is granted the ability of speed, endurance, and enhanced strength. Only a fraction of Khonshu's power is directly transferred to Spector, which further contributes to Moon Knight's intensity.
Is Moon Knight a Hero or a Villain?
It's easy to assign certain archetypes to certain characters upon their creation, though Moon Knight remains not to be as clear-cut in comparison to others. While his actions can be viewed heroically from a distance, the most comfortable label that would apply to Moon Knight would be "anti-hero." His actions serve both the greater good of New York's citizens while seemingly allowing Spector to make amends with his troubled past as a mercenary. The anti-hero avoids villainous deeds, though does not act out of complete selflessness. Their self-interest is not transactional but contributes to the motivations of protecting others. Moon Knight is blatantly a morally gray character, and his past struggles with both himself and the world around him have presented him with extreme challenges. In the comics, Spector is asked to face Khonshu during certain storylines, which elevates the moral compromises that he must go through. Situations such as these test Spector to make the best decision for himself, even when his choices come at a cost.
Is Moon Knight an Avenger?
Across the span of the comics, Moon Knight has found himself among the ranks of the Avengers. He originally teamed up with the Californian subset of the Avengers, the West Coast Avengers, before briefly associating with the Avengers. Short stints on the Secret Avengers, the Defenders, and the Midnight Sons have indicated Moon Knight as a fleeting member across multiple collaborative efforts. The nature of the character comes with his preference of working alone, which is emphasized in the comics and therefore expected to carry out across the MCU.
Marvel Studios has become skilled at timing their releases tactically so that each release falls into place, laying down a foundation with the intention that each event will build up at a gradual rate. Moon Knight's arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe teases plenty of potentials as the mysterious series releases on Dinsey+. It is anticipated that, within the stretch of six episodes, the series will allude to some sort of larger, collaborative effort, whether it be with current Avengers or with a completely original team. Leading man Oscar Isaac has confirmed that Moon Knight is a limited series, though the open-ended opportunities of such can tap into other possibilities across other projects.