Disney Plus series Moon Knight has finally arrived on our silver screens, as Oscar Isaac takes up the ancient cowl against Ethan Hawke’s mysteriously malevolent Arthur Harrow.
For years, the offbeat hero has been a comic fan-favourite, partly due to the dark humour injected into the titular figure’s personalities, often serving as an off-kilter foil against some of the universe’s more stable figures like The Avengers and Spider-Man.
Marc Spector/Moon Knight has also been one of Marvel’s most reinterpreted figures, partially due to his complex backstory involving the intertwining of his possible Dissociative Identity Disorder with his status as the vessel for the Egyptian god of the Moon, Khonshu.
As a result, unlike many of the other Marvel heroes, many of Moon Knight’s comic runs can feel like a re-introduction to the character, with his backstory and the personalities of his various identities shifting and changing. So what has Disney Plus’ Moon Knight taken from the comics, and what has it introduced? Starting with the first episode – so be warned, there are episode 1 spoilers ahead – let’s take a look…
How does Moon Knight episode 1 change Marc Spector from the comics?
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It’s clear from this debut that Steven is aware he suffers from some kind of disorder, however, he chalks it up to a sleeping issue initially. Marc’s diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder began in Alan Zelenetz & Chris Warner’s run called ‘Fist of Khonshu’, where it was revealed as a side-effect of Marc maintaining multiple personas in his head.
The reality of this illness has been intentionally complicated over the years – for example, Warren Ellis’ run depicted Marc’s ailment of different personalities as the result of brain damage due to Khonshu’s brain chemistry alterations.
However, one of the most influential runs for the MCU’s incarnation appears to be Jeff Lemire’s Moon Knight Volume 8. Lemire revised Marc’s history to reflect a life-long struggle with DID from childhood, with Steven Grant the first identity to emerge during this time. The show’s initial focus and centring of Steven seem to imply that Lemire’s run will have a greater influence on the show as it develops.
Read more: What are Moon Knight’s powers?
Who is Arthur Harrow in Marvel Comics?
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Another addition from Zelenetz and Warner’s run is the first and only appearance of Ethan Hawke’s sinister minister Arthur Harrow. His comic-book counterpart is a Nobel Prize-nominated scientist who researches pain theory; Harrow’s glass penance in the show could be referencing the character’s origins, but aside from that, Hawke’s Harrow and his comic-book version are like night and day.
Still, there might be a reason for this. Show-Harrow’s cult-like following and dedication to Ammit appear to be a potential amalgamation of Harrow and another well-known Moon Knight villain: the Sun King.
The Sun King has been rumoured as the ‘true’ identity of Hawke’s villainous figure, and there are elements of the character that align with Harrow’s reinterpretation – both become avatars for Egyptian gods and amass followers to do their bidding. While it appears Harrow is who he says he is now, it’s entirely possible if it’s a ruse, we may discover our true villain down the line.
Easter eggs hint at future characters
This first episode is very much planting the seeds for greater reveals down the line, and one of these is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hint at the appearance of a classic Moon Knight character. When Steven discovers Marc’s hidden burner, whilst flicking through his recent calls, there’s one to a ‘Frenchie.’ ‘Frenchie’ is better known as Jean-Paul “Frenchie” Duchamp in the comics, Marc’s close friend and often a sidekick throughout the Moon Knight series.
Given Frenchie’s name-drop, it seems likely that we will also see Raul Bushman in some capacity down the line – Bushman is integral to the origin of Marc and Khonshu’s relationship, and is one of the most prolific Moon Knight villains. It feels inevitable that we’ll get more on the history between Bushman and Spector as the series progresses.
During the production of Moon Knight, rumours swirled that we may see a potential Werewolf-By-Night cameo. This is due to the fact that Moon Knight’s comic debut actually came in Werewolf by Night #32, where he attempted to take down the lycanthropic figure, making a possible Jack Russell appearance not out of the realm of possibility, especially as Marvel is set to introduce the character in his own special later this year.
However, as it turns out, that possible werewolf sighting in the trailer was actually the jackal that Harrow sets upon Steven in the episode’s closing moments. Perhaps we’ll instead see their confrontation leap onto our screens this Halloween.
Moon Knight releases new episodes on Disney Plus on Wednesdays – sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now.
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