Moon Knight is coming to Disney+ this march, bringing the bloody vigilante into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Moon Knight’s first trailer has a lot to unpack, with fans looking for clues about the show’s nature in every frame, the trailer also gives us the first look at Khonshu, the Egyptian god of the Moon who empowers the titular vigilante. But who exactly is Khonshu? And how does the god relate to Moon Knight? Taking a look at the character’s comic book history might give us clues about how the MCU will introduce the supernatural being.
Is Khonshu Real?
Khonshu is shown only for a few seconds in the Moon Knight trailer, walking menacingly through a corridor. However, there’s no question that this is Marvel’s Moon God, as the creature is depicted with its iconic bird skull head, white garment, and crescent moon scepter. Does that mean that the MCU will open another supernatural door, making the Egyptian gods canon? Probably, but maybe not. In the comic books, the mercenary Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) is left to die in the sands of the desert, only to be saved by Khonshu.
The Moon God resurrects Marc in exchange for his services and gifts the mercenary with the power to protect those who walk below the moonlight. While that seems a pretty straightforward origin story, things get a little more complicated due to Marc’s condition. The mercenary suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, which leads him to assume different personalities. Marc’s mental health also leads to the question of whether Khonshu is even real or if the Moon God is just another figment of the mercenary’s mind, created to justify his vigilante actions.
When Moon Knight was first introduced in the comic books, Marvel played with readers, keeping the mystery around Khonshu’s identity. Since Moon Knight is a vigilante without superpowers, it could be that Marc is just imagining the Moon God while doing all the work of catching bad guys himself. The MCU incarnation of Moon Knight could follow the same steps. The first trailer leans heavily on Marc’s (or is it Steven?) fragile mental health, so the series could trick the fans and not let us know what’s real and what's imaginary. All the supernatural elements present in the first trailer could very well come straight from Marc’s mind. Or not. Maybe the MCU version of Moon Knight will skip the doubt period of the comics and show that Khonshu is real right from the start.
The Moon God’s Many Faces
After playing around with the idea that Khonshu was just a figment of Marc’s mind, Marvel Comics decided to give a definitive answer and turn the Moon God into an actual entity. While Khonshu is frequently associated with the Egyptian gods, the entity’s origin is still a mystery, as there’s evidence that Khonshu is also an Elder God, a creature that predates Earth’s creation and who just adopted the image of a human divinity to mingle around. Be it as it may, a long time ago, Khonshu decided to choose a champion who could enforce his will on Earth. Marc Spector, then, is not the first Moon Knight, but only the latest warrior to be blessed with the title of “Fist of Khonshu”.
While Marc indeed suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, Marvel Comics doesn’t deny the existence of Khonshu anymore. However, different stories explore how the Moon God might have caused Marc’s mental health issues, allowing the divinity to control his human body easily. Other stories determine that Marc has always had Dissociative Identity Disorder and that his mental health is why Khonshu chose the hero as his vessel. More recently, Khonshu even helped Marc face his mental health issues, with the hero gaining control of all his personalities.
While Moon Knight is a vigilante, Khonshu’s will is not always directed at the greater good. The Moon God is often at odds with other Egyptian Gods, which might explain why Moon Knight is beating an inhuman creature that resembles Anubis in the trailer. Khonshu also ruled Earth a few millennia ago, and the Moon God never gave up his dream of controlling humanity once again. So, while Khonshu frequently helps Moon Knight take down villains and protect the night, the divine entity has already turned itself into one of the big menaces the Avengers had to take down.
Just as Marc Spector has multiple personalities, Khonshu also assumed different roles in the comic: a conqueror, a guiding hand, a protector of the night, a jealous divinity. The Moon Knight series could explore any aspect of Khonshu, grounding him as an imaginary figment or opening the door to interdimensional threats. We’ll know the answer once Moon Knight debuts on Disney+ on March 30.