Running away from problems never really works because, eventually, they tend to catch up and that is certainly the case forMoon Knight, the MCU’s new troubled superhero. As was revealed in its penultimate episode, Marc Spector is the real star of the show and his life givesMarvelfans the crudest origin story seen to date with the promise of more to come for its finale.
Marc’s confession to the council of Egyptian gods that he is unwell had already foreshadowed something similar to the traumatic childhood that wasfinally revealed to Steven and viewers in “Asylum”, and yet somehow his reality exceeded expectations, even in Disney’s sugar-coated world. From the death of his brother to the burden imposed on him by Konshu, and his estranged relationship with Layla, it’s hard not to sympathize with Marc, all of which makes his future in the MCU all the more interesting.
RELATED:Moon Knight Episode 5 Easter Eggs
An Unworthy Hero
Moon Knight’s most distinctive trait is that he wasn’t born, destined, trained, or even really chosen to be a hero for his merits, but rather due to the fragility of his own tormented mind. Marc’s journey is not one of taking on the responsibility of saving the world because he was a virtuous man like Captain America, it’s a heavy burden that he must carry, and one that he continues to bear for the safety of his wife.
Eventhat sole happy aspect of his life, Layla, is tainted by its own beginning as Marc had to confess to the woman he loves that he first approached her after being partly responsible for the events that led to her father’s cruel death. The briefing Steven gets is short, nevertheless, it sums up pretty well that Marc did not have many good things going in his life prior to leaving his Chicago home and joining black ops forces, but even that turns sour when he’s left in the dark.
Marc even sees himself as undeserving of practically anything good that happens to him because, ever since he was a child, he’s the first one to blame himself for his little brother’s death. To make matters worse, as an adult Marc continues to be completely unable to cope with the fractured relationship he had with his mother, who abused him for most of his upbringing, being the trigger event that actually caused his mind to fracture into two, or possibly three different personalities.
On the other hand, there’s Steven, the facet that got to live a normal, perhaps even semi-happy life, but also the one who seems surplus to requirements now that Marc has been forced to face his demons to escape the Underworld. This is symbolized by Marc’s scales finally balancing themselves only after Steven perishes in the fictional sands of the Duat, so what comes next?
Picking Up The Pieces
First of all, it remains to be seen what kind ofrole Moon Knight will play in the MCUas the character could either be killed off (an unlikely proposition), be tied to the next core group of Avengers currently under construction, or follow the road that is being paved for Bladeand Dane Whitman. Nonetheless, the latter scenario appears more favorable for the type of character Oscar Isaac has played up to this point, especially asBladeshould allow for a more mature explorationof the character.
Isaac deserves plenty of praise for playing Marc and Steven so convincingly, yet it’s one must admit that imagining the Moon Knight role in a less contrived environment would further unlock the actor’s abilities. As seen throughout a series that loves to tease thriller genre influences,Moon Knightis a darker kind of superhero, and imagining what Isaac would do with a more mature script is a tantalizing prospect.
IfJake Lockley show’s up in the series finalewhile Steven is shunted to the background, that could leave Marc battling for control who has been teased as a really dark persona. The fifth episode unpacked a ton of trauma, and even then there’s still an unopened sarcophagus in the asylum that could very well be the final surprise the show has to offer.
The main thing to keep in mind about Marc is that all the trauma and dead bodies that were exposed in the Asylum, they never really go away for a superhero whose entire motif is his personality disorder. Even the comics leave the door open for his little brother, Randall, to somehow be brought back to life and fill the vacant Hatchet-Man or Shadow Knight roles, thus potentially triggering worse breakdowns than the ones he’s suffered so far.
The MCU’s Disney Plus shows fulfill the role of being there either to give more exposition to characters that didn’t get their chance to shine in Phase Three, or to present viewers with new heroes that for entertainment’s sake, cannot be quite the same as the previous bunch.Moon Knightsure is different, and the traumatic journey he’s endured so far is the introduction he needs to slot in alongside the rest of Marvel’s heroes, even if his worst enemies are always the ones inside his head.
MORE:What’s Next for the Assassin’s Creed Franchise: Rift, Nexus, and Infinity
