What You Need to Know Before You Watch ‘Moon Knight’

With ‘Moon Knight’ set to premiere on March 30th, we take a look at everything you need to know about the popular Marvel Comics character.

Of all the Marvel characters that have gotten a live action adaptation, ’Moon Knight’ is one of the more obscure. Hailing from the same dark corner of Marvel comics as The Punisher, Moon Knight is much more supernatural, and his comics often included such beings as vampires.

Yes, ‘Moon Knight’ is totally on the far end of what Marvel has done in the past, but even with how obscure he is as a character, he is one of the most interesting anti-heroes in all of Marvel’s mythology.

Here are the top five things you need to know about ‘Moon Knight’ before it premieres on Disney+ March 30th!

1. Moon Knight is a Hero with DID

As described by the Cleveland clinic, Dissociative Identity Disorder, or multiple personality disorder, is having two or more personalities in a single person. These personalities can take full control of the person and cause missing memories.

In the comics, the character has five personalities. Marc Spector, his main personality. Steven Grant, the millionaire. Jake Lockley, the detective. Mr. Knight, the snappy dresser, and Moon Knight himself.

Everyone of Marc’s personalities help Moon Knight in some way, from detective work to getting the funds for his weapons and gadgets. How the show will touch on this (and handle a major MCU character with mental illness) is yet to be seen, and how they will handle a neurodivergent superhero.

Contrary to what the older comics have suggested, Marc’s DID was most likely a side effect of the powers given to him by Khonshu, the Egyptian god. Which leads into our next important fact to know…

2. The Comics Deals in Ancient Egyptian Myth

Not many viewers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know that Marvel comics love to dip into the idea of ancient myths and lore. Obviously, we have stuff like Thor and all of the Viking mythology, but Marvel also has delved into ancient Egyptian myth as well.

While this God is not based off any existing God in mythology, Khonshu is the Egyptian God of the Moon. But in all actuality, is a God so old, he was worshipped by multiple ancient peoples. Of course, this would go to anyone’s head, and Khonshu is no different.

If he had to be compared to actual, historical Gods, he’d be close to Atum, the self-created God of real myth. How far the show is planning to go with Khonshu will be interesting to see, as he dives into a side of Marvel comics that hasn’t fully been touched on.

We’ve seen the Eternals mention false Gods/androids but not “real” Gods as Khonshu is. It’s a mythical corner in a universe that’s kept grounded as far as Gods and monsters go.

3. Moon Knight Has Always Worked Alone But There Are Times He Hasn’t

Moon Knight is as close as we’re going to see on screen to what you would consider a ‘loner’ when it comes to heroes. In the comics, he’s solo. Working for himself and taking down the seeder supernatural side of Marvel’s universe. But this hasn’t always been the case.

Moon Knight has been a part of every group from the Avengers to the Midnight Sons, the latter being an upcoming video game. Avengers are straight forward, we know them, but the Midnight Sons is incredibly more interesting. Nine heroes that were brought together by Doctor Strange, all having ties to the occult at some point, to take on the villainous Lilith.

Now the chances of Marvel bringing in Doctor Strange is incredibly unlikely, but this would connect ‘Moon Knight’ with the greater MCU and give him a larger place in the Marvel Universe as a whole. With the addition of a darker side of the occult, Marvel can bring in some villains that normally wouldn’t fit in, with Mephisto being a big one that comes to mind (and has been heavily rumored for a while).

4. Let’s Discuss Arthur Harrow

Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke in 'Moon Knight.'

While this is indeed a guide to understanding Moon Knight, we need to take a look at his villain, Arthur Harrow. Portrayed by Ethan Hawke in the TV show, in the comics Harrow was a brilliant scientist studying pain theory, even winning a Nobel prize for this work, which was taken away due to his questionable ethics.

In the comics he is closer to a one-off villain then a recurring character, which is how the show portrays him. But the possibilities of how they could use him in the series are intriguing. There are huge doubts that Marvel is going to leave his old backstory behind, but it seems they are leaning him more towards the supernatural while keeping his disability from the books.

He suffers from Trigeminal Neuralgia, meaning that basically the left side of his face is paralyzed. We have seen him using a cane on the show, which could be a hint towards a backstory they chose to keep. But we can only guess what other aspects of the characters they kept, as the trailers have hinted at him being some sort of self-help (cult) guru.

5. Moon Knight is Not Your Normal PG-13 Superhero

When it comes to the gallery of superheroes we’ve seen on Marvel’s big screen, they’ve varied in spectrum from the family-friendly ‘Avengers’ to the very adult oriented streaming series such as ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Luke Cage’. So, here is your subtle warning before the show’s release; ‘Moon Knight’ is not going to be a show for children.

The show is going to be violent and push the limits on what Disney+ has shown up to this point. In the comics Moon Knight, while being a hero, is brutal and deadly. Other than fighting a deplorable scientist and some of the scariest supernatural creatures, Marc Spector is a man plagued by his own mind. Which obviously leaves him to (most likely) be an unreliable narrator.

The series may contain some disturbing and scary imagery, which can be scary to young kids. While it’s great Marvel is leaning more towards its adult audience, parents with children should take note of what they might be showing their young kids.

For fans of the Marvel streaming-verse, ‘Moon Knight’ is everything they could have wanted. Another dark, gritty and fascinating hero story. But for those who are not too familiar with the new hero, they’re about to enter a series that strays a lot from Marvel’s mainstream!