Moon Knight is off to a great start as the latest addition to the Disney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup of shows. However, producers faced plenty of challenges in telling the hero’s origin story, which differs vastly from the usual MCU subject matter. First introduced in Marvel Comics in 1975, Moon Knight is a one-of-a-kind vigilante with dissociative identity disorder, mystical Egyptian powers, and a darker tone than most Marvel-related comics, shows, and movies. His comedic, brutish, timid, and, above all, varied personalities make him one of the most fascinating and complex characters in comic book history.

Like most Marvel adaptations, the show borrows much of its storylines from the comics and presents them in a format better suited for TV or film; however, die-hard comic-fans have praised Marvel’s willingness to diverge from the norm and retain many of Moon Knight’s harsher qualities. It’s the type of risky move that has the potential to invite new MCU fans who may be uninterested in the PG-13 subject matter and action of other MCU entries. Introducing Moon Knight as a Disney+ series gives viewers the opportunity to acclimate to the character’s complexities and establish his brutality before sharing the screen with less-controversial MCU heroes. With Oscar Isaac starring as Marc Spector, Marvel is certainly setting Moon Knight up to be one of the premiere characters in phase 4 and beyond. Here's how Moon Knight separates from MCU norms.

Related: Oscar Isaac: What Makes the Moon Knight Actor So Great

Inclusion of Horror Elements

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Marvel Studios

Moon Knight’s genre is closest to psychological thriller or horror, an area that Marvel has strayed away from besides the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. For example, the first episode ("The Goldfish Problem") uses classic horror techniques by suspending the reveal of the action, villain, and hero (Moon Knight) until the end of the episode. Skipping Steven Grant’s psychotic lapses is an unconventional, yet powerful method to simultaneously build suspense and portray the character’s lack of control over the situation.

Audiences grow immensely anxious when a protagonist loses control of themselves in any story because it feels like they can’t trust anything happening within the narrative. Steven Grant is an “unreliable narrator”, and his mental health conditions foster the unique terror of lacking control of your own mind and actions. Using the “voice of God,” (or the voice of Marc in this case) viewers feel the fear that Steven endures because of his conflicting personalities. He goes as far as chaining himself to his bed in an effort to prevent the mysterious overnight blackouts that consistently turn his life upside down. As the series continues, it will only delve further into the darkness associated with Steven Grant and Moon Knight, opening the door for much more horror-based scenes.

Deep Dive into Mental Health Disorders

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Marvel Studios

While the MCU is not without common mental health disorders like depression, PTSD, and anxiety, it has largely lacked a deeper connection to major disorders that afflict a smaller portion of the human population. Not to say that the MCU has to be an advocate for mental health on top of all the other things it’s trying to be; however, Marvel Comics provides so many diverse and interesting characters to draw from that it’s almost impossible to not find a few mentally-Ill characters to adapt into the MCU.

Moon Knight’s exploration of its titular character's dissociative identity disorder is unlike any other representation of mental health in the MCU; whereas Hulk is a major character, he’s never really been given the screen time to explore his struggles maintaining his mental health as Bruce Banner. That’s the advantage of Marvel’s Disney+ shows and the company’s generational success — in phase 4 and beyond, MCU producers will feel much more able to explore tougher topics, darker storylines, and to truly take risks in their work because there’s a wealth of trust behind them from previous MCU entries. For Moon Knight, his mental health problems don’t define him; rather, they contribute to his overall persona in a way that fans love and find especially captivating.

Character-Focused Storyline

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Photo Credit - Marvel Studios

Many MCU critics cite its overwhelming scopes, universe-encompassing storylines, and unmanageable cast of characters as reasons why the films and shows will never be as narratively powerful as other cinema. With Moon Knight, however, the MCU is proving its commitment to narrowing the scope for certain characters and stories. Moon Knight’s first season is largely disconnected from the wider MCU (besides taking place in it) and will likely focus more on the hardships of Steven Grant instead of establishing him among other MCU characters. Given the time and attention to focus on Steven Grant, his character will start off much stronger when introduced to ensembles in future crossover films.

For now, fans will enjoy this smaller scale, more introspective story that offers a substitute to the plot-based stories MCU fans are accustomed to. Additionally, Moon Knight is a perfect character to explore because there’s so much depth within the multiple personalities he has and the gray areas that lie between them. Intimate scenes like Steven’s conversation with the statue street performer, and Steven’s conversations with his alters (Marc), will illuminate a more developed and sympathetic character as the story moves forward.

Related:

Is Moon Knight the MCU’s New Batman?

Stranger Power Origins

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Marvel Studios 

Moon Knight’s powers are much stranger and more ambiguous than other MCU heroes. He derives certain abilities from Khonshu, the Egyptian "God of the Moon,” who dwells inside him and uses Marc Spector as an avatar to do his bidding. Marc became the present-MCU Moon Knight by being revived by Khonshu and although it hasn’t been revealed in the show, this likely means Marc is immortal while being Khonshu’s avatar. This association to mythic gods is unlike any other MCU hero besides Thor and Loki who are literally Norse Gods. Unlike them, Marc wasn’t born with his powers, nor is he a god himself.

Besides being Khonshu’s avatar, Marc doesn’t have any special abilities that would bolster his combat abilities against the MCU’s fiercest villains. However, being a former Marine, he is adept at hand-to-hand combat, a marksman of the highest degree, and a highly intelligent tactician. These qualities are sometimes thwarted by his other personalities who don’t possess the physical skill that Marc does, but instead are brilliant problem-solvers and knowledgeable across many subjects.