While Steven Grant and Marc Spector grapple with the fact that they are two personalities living within the same body in Moon Knight, they have another presence to deal with. Often towering above them with a booming, rather demanding voice is F. Murray Abraham‘sKhonshu. While Episode 2 of the series gives only a very brief rundown of the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu is absolutely vital to Moon Knight’s character. Here, we give you a more in-depth look at Khonshu.
AvengersMoon Knight
In Egyptian mythology, Khonshu is revered as the nocturnal God of the Moon, God of Vengeance, and the Shepherd of the Lost. He was a protector of travelers in the night. The nitty-gritty of Khonshu and other Egyptian gods in the comics is that these gods are members of the Heliopolitan race of gods who live in the Othervoid, an extradimensional realm adjacent to Earth and worshipped by the people of Ancient Egypt. Moon Knight has adopted a more modern take on the appearance of the character, specifically opting for the bird-like skull head that appears in many recent adaptations.
Moon KnightMarvel Studios’ Moon Knight
Because Khonshu, and the other gods, are unable to be physically present on Earth, they choose human avatars to carry out their will on Earth. For Khonshu, his chosen avatar is called the Moon Knight. As we know, Khonshu chose Marc Spector to be his avatar after Spector died and was revived under a statue of Khonshu.
For Marc Spector and his alters, being the “Fist of Khonshu” originally looked like standard vigilante work, and it still does generally. But lately, there is more emphasis on the protection of nighttime travelers. Khonshu often appears to Marc, but there are times when it is suggested that he may be a figment of Marc’s imagination. Khonshu often appears as himself, but Spector has seen him in many forms including the form of a faceless Bushman after Moon Knight tore the face off of the villain. Khonshu early on was more professional, and sort of seemed like a more traditional authoritative presence. But he has certainly developed a personality, whether as the actual god or as Spector’s mental projection.
So far in Moon Knight, Khonshu has been a bit rude, short, and “snotty”. As you can tell from the series so far, he has no problem calling Steven Grant “the idiot” or flat-out insulting or criticizing anyone. He does not appear to exhibit patience or empathy when dealing with humans. Likewise, in the comics, nowadays you can indeed expect him to be quite rude and often demanding. Sometimes this takes more of a sadistic and manipulative form (such as the Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood run in which he tries to break Spector’s mind completely), and in others, he is sarcastic, vulgar, and absurd (the page from Moon Knight #15(2006) below should say a lot).
Moon Knight #15 (2006)
Khonshu has a colorful, long, and detailed history in the comics, some unrelated to Marc Spector. For example, around 1,000,000 B.C., Khonshu was upset that he was not offered membership to the Stone Age Avengers. He chose his first Moon Knight in part to antagonize those Avengers on his behalf. Khonshu has taken over Spector’s physical body during Moon Knight’s time with the West Coast Avengers, and he revived Spector once again during the events of Marc Spector: Moon Knight (1989). In Jason Aaron’s recent arc, Avengers: The Age of Khonshu, Khonshu uses Moon Knight to defeat several Avengers in an attempt at taking over the world for the supposed purpose of protecting it.
Avengers
Whether Khonshu remains as a more passive companion throughout Moon Knight is yet to be seen. It is likely that we will not see too much Khonshu-specific storytelling in this series that focuses on Steven Grant and Marc Spector’s dissociative identity disorder and introduces Moon Knight as a concept. It is interesting that neither Marc Spector nor Khonshu have been truly explained in detail yet, and “Moon Knight” as a name has not yet been used. Still, Khonshu is likely to remain around as an integral part of Moon Knight.
The second episode of Moon Knight continued to explore and emphasize the relationship between personalities Steven Grant and Marc Spector. With the confirmation that Moon Knight and Mr. Knight are simply the costumed versions of Spector and Grant, rather than separate personalities, the question lingers whether any other alters associated with Spector’s dissociative identity disorder from the comics will make an appearance in the Disney+ series.
It is a strong bet that Spector’s third classic identity in the comics, Jake Lockley, could be revealed at some point. While Moon Knight has been silent on the matter, Episode 1 may have hidden some nods to Lockley’s existence. Episode 2 followed suit, though, and there are fresh hints at Spector’s third personality.
The Reflections
While many are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, there are numerous times Steven or Marc’s reflection in a mirror is split into three or the mirrored identity seems to have an extra with him. That might seem trivial, but considering how Moon Knight uses mirrors and reflections as the nearly exclusive means of navigating the separate identities, the visuals likely carry much more meaning and intention than the average reflections.
Perhaps one of the most interesting potential clues comes with Marc’s and Steven’s argument near the very end of the episode. Things got heated, and Marc ultimately goes into a mini-rage to smash the reflection he is seeing Steven in. Marc so far has certainly been depicted as more serious and violent than Steven but never before has he expressed any heightened anger or animosity towards Steven. It certainly stood out as a somewhat out-of-nowhere expression of hostility, frustration, and brutality. So, while this moment could be a moment where Marc is overwhelmed and simply acts out, we possibly just saw Jake Lockley in action.
In the comics, Jake has more recently become known as the hyper-violent, somewhat more psychopathic identity. He is willing to take the violent or darker action that even Marc, the ex-mercenary, hesitates on–and he does so without a guilty conscience. If Moon Knight does bring Jake to screen, there is a good chance this is the interpretation of him viewers will see. This moment in Episode 2 may be a tease at Jake’s ability to take control of their body when he sees fit.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight’
Side Comments from Layla and Arthur Harrow
Nothing that any character has said would definitively confirm or deny that Marc and Steven are the only two personalities in their bodies. If Moon Knight does want to introduce another identity in some “surprise” reveal, spoiling it now would not make sense. Still, a couple of comments in Episode 2 are curious.
First, and most interesting, when Layla meets ad confronts Steven for the first time, she asks: “Is this Steven the latest fake identity for you?” That would imply that Layla was aware of other times Marc went by another name. Considering he seems to have a shady background, it would not be surprising if he used fake names to stay out of trouble or go places Marc Spector could not go. But Layla could also be referring to a time when Jake was in control of Marc’s body and told her his name was Jake Lockley.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight’
Arthur Harrow also makes a comment that is less convincing but perhaps also speaks to how much Harrow knows about the protagonist. He says to Steven: “It must be difficult having all those voices inside one head.” He refers to Marc and Khonshu, but he could be hinting that he knows more about the current Moon Knight than we see. After all, he is Khonshu’s former avatar, plus his cane somehow let him know that there is “chaos” in Steven–maybe it told him much more than that. Still, it is hard to shake the feeling that Harrow knows more about our protagonist than we do, and almost certainly more than Steven.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight’
The first two episodes of Moon Knight are streaming on Disney+.
So, you are excited for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The sure-to-be memorable film is coming up quickly, and anyone who wants to prepare for it should probably start thinking about it soon. While most sequels only rely on the first film in terms of backstory, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 28th movie is a bit more complicated than that. This article is a comprehensive list of every movie or series you should — or might — want to watch in preparation for Multiverse of Madness. Because of the nature of this movie, the list has a four-tiered system. First, there are projects that are essential to watch before the Doctor Strange sequel. Second, there are projects that we would strongly encourage you to watch but likely are not strictly necessary. Third, there are extra stories that will no doubt heighten your Multiverse of Madness experience but may ultimately have very little impact on the film. Fourth, we list some of the Marvel properties relevant to the most rampant unconfirmed cameo/character appearance rumors.
Essential
The six projects — listed in order of importance — you should absolutely watch or rewatch before Multiverse of Madness are Doctor Strange, WandaVision, Spider-Man: No Way Home, the final episode of Loki, What If… ? Episode 4, and Avengers: Infinity War.
1. Doctor Strange
It should need little to no explanation why Doctor Strange is essential viewing for its sequel.
Doctor Strange
2. WandaVision
WandaVision marked the first time Wanda Maximoff truly got the spotlight. Not only did it expand upon and reveal the origins of her powers, but it also spent its 9-episode run on Disney+ giving her one of the most in-depth character development arcs of the MCU. Of course, WandaVision also debuted Wanda’s Scarlet Witch persona, and the end of the series revealed her connections to the Darkhold. Considering all of that plus the fact that Doctor Strange himself was originally meant to make a cameo, it is safe to say the events of WandaVision lead directly to Multiverse of Madness.
WandaVision
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home
No Way Home has the most recent appearance of Doctor Strange in the MCU, and it also showcased the first major live-action multiverse storyline. The disruption of the multiverse was caused by the spell that Doctor Strange cast, so it is more than likely his activities in No Way Home will at least be a starting point in Multiverse of Madness.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
4. Loki Episode 6
The finale of the Disney+ series Loki was notable and memorable in a lot of ways. Important here, of course, is the fact that the multiverse was essentially created in this episode. It almost serves as an origin story for the MCU’s multiverse, and it has the best explanation of it yet, though Multiverse of Madness will surely dive deeper into multiversal lore.
‘Loki’ Episode 6
5. What If… ? Episode 4
If you are wondering why a What If… ? episode is so high on this list–you haven’t seen this episode. The fourth episode of the anthology series features a variant of Doctor Strange (Doctor Strange Supreme) who takes a darker path than our main Doctor Strange. This episode will feature so many similar themes to Multiverse of Madness, and Doctor Strange Supreme might even make an appearance. The film creators have even cited Episode 4 as inspiration for the live-action story. And, quite frankly, this is hands-down the best Doctor Strange story the MCU has given us.
‘What If… ?’ Episode 4
6. Avengers: Infinity War
Infinity War really toes the line between “essential” and “encouraged,” but overall there’s enough important content to call it essential. Doctor Strange is a major part of the plot due to his connection with the Time Stone. His character seemed to develop significantly between Doctor Strange and this movie. It also features his most intricate and visually-stunning fight scenes, showcasing how strong his sorcery can be. Infinity War also contributes to Wanda’s character development, serving as the bedrock for her grief in WandaVision. It also hints at how powerful she is, as she has the power to destroy the Mind Stone.
Avengers: Infinity War
Encouraged
If you are familiar with Doctor Strange’s and the Scarlet Witch’s major appearances and story arcs, you should be prepared enough to watch Multiverse of Madness without a problem. Still, there are several more major MCU outings that could enhance your understanding of the film’s main characters, major MCU events, and even just multiversal themes and mechanics. So, these five viewings are highly encouraged but likely not necessary.
Avengers: EndgameAvengers: Age of UltronCaptain America: Civil WarWhat If… ? Episode 8Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
1. Avengers: Endgame
Neither Doctor Strange nor Wanda Maximoff have much screentime or development in Endgame, because they were both snapped out of existence at the end of Infinity War. Still, it just seems odd not to recommend Endgame for any Phase Four MCU project–the events are just too significant. Plus, the Avengers’ time travel hints at the concept of alternate universes, and Steve Rogers’ ending certainly suggests that, even without the events of Loki, at least one other universe could have been created.
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Age of Ultron comes before Doctor Strange’s appearance in the MCU, but it is the first appearance of Wanda Maximoff, which is obviously significant. The Multiverse of Madness trailer also featured what looks like Ultron Sentinels, so that connection may be of some value as well.
3. Captain America: Civil War
The Scarlet Witch’s level of power will no doubt play a major role in the events of Multiverse of Madness. Civil War was really the first time her ability to control them was called into question, though WandaVision did later expand on that idea. The film also is part of Wanda’s on-screen character development in the MCU and hints even more at her growing relationship with Vision.
4. What If… ? Episodes 8 and 9
If Multiverse of Madness does anything, it will take our characters on quite the trip through the multiverse. The final two episodes of Disney+’s What If… ? heavily feature that concept. The visuals from the Watcher’s universe-shattering fight with Infinity Ultron might be the standard to look out for in live-action. Plus, these episodes brought the Guardians of the Multiverse, which in a sense was a glorified grouping of variant cameos. Audiences should certainly be prepared for some glorified cameos from MCU variants in Multiverse of Madness.
5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi is another tricky one. While it is not particularly highlighted, the film definitely suggests that Ta Lo is an alternate universe, so the mechanics of traveling to and from it certainly implicate interesting multiverse questions. The film is also the most recent appearance of Wong (other than his three-second cameo in No Way Home). The post-credits scene with the Ten Rings beacon likely is not connected to Multiverse of Madness, but you never know.
Extra
At this point, if you have watched everything above, you almost certainly know everything that Multiverse of Madness wants or expects you to know going in. If you want to keep going, here are some extra suggestions that will likely add to your experience, but are not overly important.
Since Patrick Stewart is actually confirmed to be Charles Xavier in Multiverse of Madness, it does mean that viewers will get something out of being familiar with the character’s past in the general Marvel film universe. How much is hard to say–he could be a four-second cameo for all we know, and the variant might be nothing like the Professor X from the X-Men movies. Considering the wealth of cameo possibilities as well, maybe familiarity with other characters in the franchise will come in handy.
2. Thor: Ragnarok
Ragnarok features the final (in terms of this list) live-action Doctor Strange appearance in the MCU. So, if you are looking to check off all of those boxes, you should give this one a watch. His role is very minor and is more of a fun cameo, but still.
3. What If… ? Episode 5
Yes, there is yet another What If… ? suggestion. The Multiverse of Madness trailer features what looks like a zombie Doctor Strange, so this might be a fun one to be able to reference. It is also a pretty enjoyable episode, so there are not many drawbacks to adding this to your list.
4. The Rest of What If… ?
Multiverse of Madness is going to explore the multiverse. The only other MCU property to truly do that is What If… ?. It almost certainly will serve as a primer of some sort for the Doctor Strange sequel, but no particular plotline (other than Episode 4, as noted above) will likely have much influence on the events of the film. Captain Carter from Episode 1 is, however, very heavily and convincingly rumored to make an appearance in Multiverse of Madness. If you enjoyed the specific episodes higher up on this list, you might as well give the rest of the short series a shot.
Easter Egg Hunting
There is a certain point with Multiverse of Madness where the watchlist recommendations get overly complicated. Of course, the movie is rumored to have an inordinately large amount of cameos from across literally all of Marvel’s properties. If you want to be prepared for any possible cameo, you practically have to watch every Marvel (MCU and non-MCU) movie and series to date. Still, here’s a quick list of some films to watch based on some of the bigger and more popular (and unconfirmed) rumors that would not necessarily already be included in the films or series listed above:
Captain Marvel
Fantastic Four (2004)
Deadpool
X-Men Prequel Films
Inhumans
Daredevil (2015 series and/or 2003 movie)
Ghost Rider
Captain MarvelFantastic Four (2005)DeadpoolX-Me: First ClassInhumansDardevil (2015)Ghost RiderDaredevil (2003)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.
One of Marvel Studios’ biggest films is just around the corner. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be breaking MCU barriers by heading into the the greater Marvel multiverse with both new an established characters. The Doctor Strange sequel will feature main characters Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch facing off against multiversal threats–including variants of themselves. But newcomer Xochitl Gomez portrays America Chavez, a new character who also has connections to the multiverse.
In an interview with Fandango, director Sam Raimi described Chavez’s “spirit of youth” and teases her tense relationship with Doctor Strange. But Raimi also confirmed that Chavez is from an alternate universe:
Well, she adds an exciting spirit of youth. She’s a newcomer to her powers and to our world. She actually comes from another universe. I think she brings a sense of lightness and youth. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange can be a very egotistical and stuffy character, a know-it-all. She just flies in the face of that. She doesn’t really have respect for him originally. She sees right through the fronts that he puts up. She’s much more down to earth and one of us, and she doesn’t take his attitude. I don’t think he likes that at first. So, she creates a contrast.
Sam Raimi
This is not too surprising, given that in the comics America Chavez’s traditional origin story is that she used her dimension-hopping powers to travel from a universe known as the Utopian Parallel after her mothers gave their lives to save that universe. So, Raimi’s confirmation suggests that the character might be at least somewhat comic-accurate. In any event, we should expect to see her as one of the first live-action leading characters from outside of the main MCU we are familiar with.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on May 6, 2022.
Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow is a mysterious villain in Moon Knight. This is partly due to the fact that the show’s creators stated that they opted to invent an original villain rather than use a classic antagonist from the comics. Still, Hawke’s Harrow undeniably shares strong similarities with several villains seen in more recent Moon Knight comics. While this could simply reveal where the series’ writers got their inspiration for the character, it might also provide clues as to what could be revealed about Harrow as the series progresses.
Sun King
There was plenty of speculation that Hawke would be playing a version of Patient 86, also referred to as the Sun King. While being treated for bipolar disorder at Ravencroft Institute, a doctor introduced him to Egyptian mythology because she recognized similarities between Patient 86 and Marc Spector/Moon Knight, and she thought it might help him. He became obsessed with the Sun King Amon Ra and seemed to gain flame powers while institutionalized. He sought to destroy Moon Knight because of the contentious relationship between the two Egyptian gods they represented. The “Sun King” became a cult leader on a small island with a significant following.
Obviously, we know Hawke’s Harrow is quite the cult leader himself, as he’s seen seemingly leading a community of followers in the name of an Egyptian god. He also revealed he was the previous Fist of Khonshu, so he may have a specific or obsessive grudge against Marc Spector that hasn’t been fully explored. Speaking of, this brings us to the next inspiration from the comics.
Other Fists of Khonshu
There are times throughout Moon Knight’s history that Khonshu choosing other avatars comes into play. So far in Moon Knight, we know that Khonshu is interested in Layla as his next avatar. More importantly, though, we know that Harrow was a past Fist of Khonshu. A couple of somewhat similar situations have arisen recently in Moon Knight comics. Both instances involved the other “fist,” or wannabe’s fist, having a much different idea of Khonshu’s will or vengeance.
First, while it was ultimately a front, a psychologist Marc employed convinced Khonshu to allow her to be his avatar. Her cover story, at least, was that she and her family were victims of a genocidal war, and she sought the assassination of the General who was now leading the country. The main themes associated with this psychologist were that killing the General could prevent future deaths and that Marc Spector was too weak to do the type of preventative “justice” she imagined was required of a Moon Knight.
Hawke’s Harrow is completely set on preventative justice–his dedication to Ammit centers around ending evil before it can be committed. While the psychologist from the comics ultimately ended up being someone else, perhaps Moon Knight’s Harrow has a surprise reveal down the line that demonstrates his true intentions unrelated to Ammut.
‘Moon Knight’
In the current comics run of Moon Knight, another purported Fist of Khonshu emerged. Yet another doctor, went by the name of Hunter’s Moon and claimed to be the second “fist” (after all, people have two hands). Whether he actually was or not, he also called into question whether Spector was adequately carrying out Khonshu’s will. Hawke’s Harrow is slightly different, though, because he believes Khonshu’s approach the justice is simply wrong. But he does question Moon Knight’s values and likely seeks to turn him to his side. Still, Hunter’s Moon is so recent in the comics that it is highly unlikely the series had him in mind when writing Moon Knight.
Dr. Arthur Harrow and His Possible Connection to Another Major Villain
This one is a bit more of a stretch, but it could explain why Moon Knight decided to name its original villain after Dr. Arthur Harrow, a comics character that appeared in a single issue of a Moon Knight comic in 1985. Dr. Harrow was a scientist who used techniques from Auschwitz to research pain theory in horrific, illegal ways. A future Moon Knight villain, Ernst, is a Nazi, torturer, and serial killer that posed as a member of Marc Spector’s childhood Jewish community. Spector’s escape from Ernst is credited as a major event in terms of the development of his dissociative identity disorder. The connection between Dr. Arthur Harrow and Ernst could be their shared affinity for pain. Ernst later led the Société des Sadiques, a group that celebrates sadism and pain. For his part, Hawke’s Harrow does open the series by putting broken glass in his shoes to cause himself pain at all times.
The second episode of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight follows up Episode 1’s prologue with masterful pacing and at least the fundamental pieces of a plot. While the caped crusader’s concept might leave a bit to be wanted in this episode, Oscar Isaac absolutely shines in the main role as both Steven Grant and Marc Spector. While overall Episode 2 shows that the series has its rockier components, it truly excels as a character piece with the backdrop of a darker, peculiar story of Egyptian gods and their human employees.
While the last episode found Steven Grant in a mysterious and confusing situation, Episode 2 begins to lay out, presumably, the series’ plot. It does not spend much time mincing words that Marc Spector and Steven Grant exist in the same body. We learn that Marc and his (separated) wife, Layla, have been working together to track down the golden Scarab, which seems to act as a guide to the Egyptian god Ammut’s lost tomb.
All of that matters because Marc is the avatar of the Egyptian lunar god Khonshu. In other words, Marc is Khonshu’s muscle on Earth. Ethan Hawke’s mysterious cult-leader villain, Arthur Harrow, is apparently a former avatar of Khonshu’s. His disdain for Khonshu’s methods led him to worship Ammut, who supposedly can eradicate evil before it is committed. Harrow essentially embodies the classic debate of whether it is moral to punish someone before they do something if you know it’s coming. He has a magic cane at his disposal that seems to sense whether people are worthy of living and can also open up some sort of portal to the underworld.
We also get a glimpse of Khonshu’s personality—he’s not particularly respected by the other gods, likes to throw temper tantrums, but also chooses avatars with strong moral compasses. Marc and Khonshu seem to have a fairly rocky relationship, each resenting the other but seeing one another as necessary. Layla comes into play not only as a worthy partner in all of the madness but also as part of Marc’s motivation to serve Khonshu—apparently, the moon god is eyeing Layla as his next avatar and Marc’s replacement.
While all of that seems nutty to explain, what makes it even more interesting is that the Egyptian god plot is mostly the foundation that the true story about Steven and Marc plays out on top of. But yes, Marc does moonlight as a costumed hero-type, presumably known as Moon Knight. It is revealed that Moon Knight is merely a costumed Marc, rather than a separate personality like he often is in the comics. Plenty of fans may be a bit disappointed by that, but it highlights the Marc-Steven dynamic in such a strong way. As explained, Steven is also technically the Fist of Khonshu, but when he attempted to summon his Khonshu-divined armor, he ends up looking like an all-white bank robber in a suit.
Mr. Knight, who also isn’t actually named at this point, is similarly just a dressed-up Steven. Honestly, it’s a pretty genius way to fully develop the two personalities. Steven’s vigilante comes out as an odd, sort of awkward, out-of-place character in contrast to Marc’s hooded and caped persona. Both personalities get to play out as avatars of Khonshu, which makes their roles much more potent than if they were competing with a separate Moon Knight.
The great news about those roles being so meaningful is that Isaac is phenomenal in his portrayal of them. The use of mirrors and reflective surfaces is a smart way to allow Marc and Steven to be in constant bickering communication without awkwardly adding in another off-screen voice or bulking up the screen with a second “imaginary” Oscar Isaac. The way Isaac just changes his face while switching alters is exquisite. And he wears each face so convincingly, without much help from outside influences like makeup or effects. The two personalities also interact with each other in such a grounded, realistic, but intense way that seems appropriate for two people unhappily and unwillingly sharing the same body.
The pacing of this episode is absolutely phenomenal. It moves fast enough for everything to feel urgent and exciting, but it does not take all of its supernatural and complicated elements too far in any given moment. It does not seem like it would have been easy to make sure the human element stayed at the same solid stride with the gods, canes, and Scarabs. A major piece that is a bit off in the episode, though, is how much necessary Moon Knight background is completely skipped over. There’s definitely a benefit to not trudging through an origin story, but Khonshu and Moon Knight feel like somewhat minor side characters at times despite being—at least in theory—extremely important to Moon Knight.
The action scenes with Moon Knight and Mr. Knight also felt a bit off at times. There will probably be a lot of conversations about the quality of the visual effects, but overall the choreography at least felt decent. But the episode chose some odd moments to go into slow motion and it can come across as too forced. Mr. Knight fighting the invisible Jackal is fine until it isn’t, and eventually, Mr. Knight flailing around lost its charm without anything extra to sort of organize it. And yes—anyone dying to watch some “brutal” violence will likely not be satisfied.
While some of the major changes the series makes from its source material will almost certainly disappoint fans, Episode 2 demonstrated that Moon Knight’s own strengths are vying to make up for that. While a history lesson with respect to Marc and Khonshu feels much needed, the episode moved at a very smooth, steady, and lively speed that makes the story much easier to be a part of and much more enjoyable. Isaac brings something truly special to his now dual role as Steven and Marc, and their dynamic is undoubtedly the heart of the series.
Those looking for an MCU installment that is geared to younger or more wholesome audiences are in luck. Disney+ revealed that the next MCU series, Ms. Marvel, will be rated TV-PG, making it the first time that any Marvel Studios movie or series has received a rating this low. All MCU movies to date have been rated PG-13, and every Disney+ MCU series to date has been rated TV-14, which is the television equivalent of a PG-13 rating.
Ms. Marvel recently unveiled its first trailer and set up a story focused on Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan. It is perhaps not too surprising that a series about a teenage girl set in a high school-type setting would be the first series to nab a PG rating, though the MCU has dealt with similar ages and setting in its Tom Holland-led Spider-Man trilogy.
The battle over the streaming service’s ability to provide a family-friendly service while also showcasing its incredibly successful range of more mature properties will surely rage on. Recently, some fans spotted shots in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that had been edited to be less violent, but Disney+ quickly retracted the altered scenes. At the very least, it does not look like Ms. Marvel will pose much of a challenge for the streaming service on that front.
Unlike the last Marvel Studios series, Hawkeye, Moon Knight has made it pretty clear so far that the series does not draw its inspiration from any particular comic book run. While that makes it more difficult to pull any particular page or panel from the comics and compare it to the live-action series, it does give us an excuse to explore much more of Moon Knight’s comics history. The premiere episode of Moon Knight had a heavy focus on Steven Grant’s dissociative identity disorder (DID) and his discovery of Marc Spector, his alter. Here, we give a rundown of Marc Spector’s DID throughout the character’s history.
The origin of Spector’s DID was not explored until much more recently. But the first appearance of Moon Knight’s personalities came with Moon Knight #1 (1980). After Spector died under the statute of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, he was seemingly revived. He vowed to act as the human fist of Khonshu as Moon Knight. Causally, though, it was mentioned that Marc Spector had two other personalities as well: millionaire Steven Grant and taxi driver Jake Lockley. In that first story, the caped Moon Knight persona was referred to as a combination of Spector, Grant, and Lockley, though later stories have considered Moon Knight his own personality. In Episode 1 of Moon Knight, Jake Lockley has yet to appear or be referenced. Spector has also had other identities including Mr. Knight, Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine.
‘Moon Knight’ #1 (1980)
Some Moon Knight stories had a tendency to downplay the fact that Spector had multiple identities, not mention it at all, or inaccurately reference it as schizophrenia. In 2016, the Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood run first acknowledged that Spector’s DID manifested as a child:
‘Moon Knight’ #10 (2016)
Not too long after that, Max Bemis and Paul Davidson exposed that Spector’s DID may have been triggered by a traumatic event. Specifically, a family friend, whose real name was Ernst, was actually a Nazi and a serial killer, who brutally tortured and killed members of Spector’s Jewish community. Spector escaped, though his DID was apparently a coping mechanism to handle the trauma.
‘Moon Knight’ #194
Generally speaking, Spector, Grant, and Lockley are aware of one another. Often, particularly in Moon Knight’s early days, they worked together as a unit in order to make the whole caped vigilante deal work.
‘Moon Knight’ #189‘Moon Knight’ #195
Episode 1 of Moon Knight, however, depicts a Steven Grant that has no idea Spector or Khonshu exists. A similar moment in the comics also comes from the Lemire-Smallwood run where Spector confronts his alters (or at least versions of them) in order to gain control.
Marvel Studios ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 1
‘Moon Knight’ #14 (2016)
The episode also depicts Steven blacking out when Marc takes control of his body. That also is not something that the comics Moon Knight seems to have much issue with, although there are times when certain personalities–often Marc–are intentionally suppressed for long periods. But in the Bemis-Davidson run, it’s revealed that Jake Lockley had a relationship with Marlene and fathered a child with her, and Marc was completely unaware of it.
‘Moon Knight’ #190
Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 1
How Moon Knight will continue to explore the titular character’s DID will be interesting, to say the least. It could take on the primary focus of the series like it did for the Lemire-Smallwood run, or it could remain somewhat on the sidelines as it has for most of Moon Knight’s comic book history. For now, enjoy one of the most iconic Moon Knight pages out there:
Bringing Moon Knight to live-action was always a risk. Marvel Studios not only took on the task of telling the story of a lesser-known character, but it also grappled with a complex character. Perhaps most notably, Marc Spector, the person behind the caped crusader Moon Knight, has dissociative identity disorder (DID). Previously referred to as multiple personality disorder and often mislabeled and misunderstood, Spector’s DID causes him to have several distinct personalities co-existing in his mind and body.
Mental health can often be tricky subject to portray accurately or sensitively in fiction. While Moon Knight creators have apparently put in the effort to explore DID respectfully, series director Mohamed Diab says that the fiction of the show keeps it from being a truly accurate depiction of the mental health condition. In an interview with Variety, he noted:
I learned a lot, and I think everyone is going to learn a lot through the journey of the show, about DID…But I still would say that, as respectful as we were, this is not an accurate depiction of DID. We are in a supernatural world and sometimes we over-dramatize stuff.
Mohamed Diab
Diab’s quote seems entirely fair considering at the end of the day, Moon Knight is meant to be a Marvel Studios superhero show. Still, the first episode of the series already places extreme emphasis on the character’s DID, and it looks to be an integral part of Moon Knight going forward. It is positive that Diab notes that Marvel was respectful of the condition, as Moon Knight comics sometimes missed the mark historically. Fans can watch Oscar Isaac’s stunning performance as Steven Grant and Marc Spector while the Disney+ series progresses, but they should perhaps take the portrayal of DID with a grain of salt.
While Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight premiered only yesterday, it is already making a name for itself in terms of treading ground no other Marvel Cinematic Universe property has. The series is bringing a somewhat obscure Marvel character to live-action and is focused in part on the hefty psychological nature of Moon Knight. And despite being led by Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, the characters and show are heavily influenced by Egyptian mythology, symbology, imagery, and location. Award-winning Egyptian writer and director Mohamed Diab serves as an executive producer and director for Moon Knight.
In an interview with Variety, Diab discussed the significance of being the first Arab director in the MCU:
“It was very important for me to show that I’m not here because I’m an Arab or an Egyptian…I’m here because I’m a good director. I’m here because I can tell the story better than anyone else. And if I succeeded, I might open doors for minorities around the world. I hope that happens.”
Mohamed Diab
While Diab rightfully emphasizes that his ability to bring Moon Knight to life is the reason Marvel Studios brought him aboard, he undeniably brings valuable insight to the series with respect to its portrayal of Egypt. He goes on to say:
The drama of it and the Egyptian part of it feels like an extension of everything that I’ve been doing…One of the most important things was how to depict Egypt, the present and the past, in an authentic way. Egyptians see that Hollywood always sees them in an Orientalist way. We’re always exotic. Women are submissive. Men are bad. So it was very important for me to break that.
Mohamed Diab
While the first episode of Moon Knight mostly featured Egyptian artifacts and lore rather than the country or region itself, viewers can expect to see how Diab’s vision plays out in future episodes of the Disney+ series.
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