Moon Knight may be the first Marvel show on Disney+ to be filled with completely new characters but it is also an incredible introduction to the character and one that doesn’t feel like an origin. Learning about Steven Grant, Marc Spector, Khonshu, and the world that exists for Moon Knight was more of a push in the pool of the story in the best of ways.
Watching the first four episodes of Moon Knight was like getting 3/4th of your birthday present and then you have to wait a full moon cycle for the rest. This is a compliment because the show is so good and takes you on such a journey that you just want more of Marc Spector and Steven Grant. Starring Oscar Isaac, the series brings to life Steven Grant first.
Steven Grant
Steven is a museum gift shop worker who, seemingly, knows a lot about ancient Egypt. When his life is upended by dreams that transport him to places he doesn’t want to be, he’s disoriented and can’t figure out what’s happening in his real life and these “dreams” that he’s happening.
With Steven, we learn about his DID and his other alters including Marc Spector and their connection with the God of the Moon, Khonshu. But Steven is, for the most part, a bit of a fool and the joke is that he’s the “idiot” of them, something that Khonshu says to Marc when he’s trying to take back control of their body.
Marc might be a mercenary and the one who can fight back but Steven is smart and sweet and genuinely a funny character, especially in the first episode when he’s complaining about some piece of merchandise being historical inaccurate. He’s bright and no one trusts him because they all think that he’s less than but he constantly proves himself to be important throughout the series to not only himself but to Marc as well.
Marc Spector
The Chicago-born mercenary is another alter and explains to Steven (and us as the audience) what is going on. Why this show doesn’t necessary feel like an origin story is because it’s already all happened to Marc and we’re learning about it through him just as Steven does. So it isn’t a strict origin story but more of an introduction.
Marc though is a fascinating character because he’s almost the polar opposite of Steven to the point where Steven’s warmth and kindness helps Marc even though the two bicker with one another. Marc is trying to protect his wife Layla (May Calamawy) and will do anything to keep her out of Khonshu’s games and that means making himself miserable. But that doesn’t mean Steven plays by the same rules.
So watching as Marc and Steven figure out their own dynamic with each other as well as their connection to other characters in the series is part of why Moon Knight is so good.
Layla
May Calamawy brings to life Layla, Marc’s wife who is angry that he found the scarab they’d been searching for and while he clearly doesn’t tell her the truth about anything, she isn’t the kind of character that makes it her entire personality. She has too much on her plate and too much at stake to completely worry about her relationship.
It’s one of the reasons she stands out instantly. She’s looking for Marc because she cares but once she finds him, she’s thrust into this Indiana Jones-esque adventure and can clearly hold her own without him. Layla is smart, strong, and obviously knows more about this situation than Marc and Steven and even when they refuse to loop her in, she figures out what is going on.
Arthur Harrow
Talk about a villain that is just terrifyingly everywhere. There’s a part of this show where I finally said out loud “doesn’t he have anything better to do” and then realized that that is what makes him so scary. He doesn’t. He can dedicate his time and energy into tormenting Marc and Steven into getting what he wants. He looms over everyone as the avatar for Ammit and refuses to stop his mission until she is free.
Where we’ve left off with the show, it’s still a bit of a mystery into where Harrow and Ammit are taking us. But he’s frightening in the fact that you never know what kind of lie he’s willing to tell or the full extent of his powers.
Overall thoughts
What I didn’t expect from the show was how genuinely funny it is. Steven may be depicted as a bumbling fool to those around him but he doesn’t see himself that way and it’s what makes his character so fascinating to watch. Pair that with Marc trying to figure out his own feelings towards Layla and what’s happening to them, the show has its moments that are genuinely hilarious and now I have to reckon with the fact that they left us on a huge cliff-hanger and I have to wait a full month before I know what happens!
Moon Knight is a much watch not only for fans of the MCU but for everyone!
(image: Marvel Entertainment)
