Marvel fans are only a few weeks away from finally seeing Moon Knight, the studio’s latest Disney+ original series. The highly anticipated superhero show will officially introduce Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac), a man with dissociative identity disorder who is bestowed with supernatural powers and given the title of “Moon Knight.”
The character is frequently referred to as Marvel Comics’ version of Batman, and it’s not hard to see why. Both characters are considered vigilantes in their respective universes and make a habit of beating any criminals they stumble upon at night to a pulp. However, some key differences separate Moon Knight from Batman.
The most significant difference is, arguably, the fact that Moon Knight gets his powers and superhero moniker from Khonshu, a literal god. The powerful deity has been featured several times in previous trailers for Moon Knight. He promises to be one of the most visually audacious characters Marvel has ever brought to life on-screen.
With that in mind, here’s everything you should know about Khonshu before Moon Knight makes its long-awaited premiere on Disney+.
Who is Khonshu in Moon Knight?
In the comics, Khonshu is also known as Chons and hails from the same pocket dimension as the Marvel Universe’s other Egyptian gods. He represents the Moon and is a protector of those who travel at night but is said to be constantly battling his father, Ammon Ra, the god of the Sun.
When he was not invited to join the Stone Age Avengers, he chose a mortal avatar who could enforce his will on Earth and cause trouble for the superhero team. The avatar became the first of Khonshu’s Moon Knights, a line of warriors who enact Khonshu’s will on Earth. As part of the two gods’ everlasting battle, Khonshu’s Moon Knights have also come to blows multiple times throughout history with Ammon Ra’s mortal avatars, known as Sun Kings.
Over the centuries, Khonshu and his Moon Knights have also repeatedly come into conflict with Kang the Conqueror. They have frequently prevented the time-traveling villain from possessing certain powerful artifacts.
Meanwhile, Marc Spector crossed paths with Khonshu for the first time when he was still a boy. During their first meeting, Khonshu chose Marc to be his new avatar despite the boy’s mental health struggles, and in the years that followed, Khonshu frequently attempted to speak to Marc.
However, the god only managed to establish a real connection with Marc after he was murdered as an adult. Khonshu resurrected the fallen man and bestowed him with superhuman powers. From that point on, he guided Marc through various missions, including some that sent Marc traveling into the past.
Now, it’s worth noting that Khonshu is not known for being morally correct. Not only does he frequently taunt and torment Marc with visions of his various victims and failures, but he has also possessed and taken over Marc’s body several times in the comics.
At one point, Khonshu even took over Manhattan in the hopes of beginning a global conquest of Earth. That decision poisoned Marc’s relationship with his god. It motivated him to find an alternative source for his powers in the Phoenix Force, which he used to defeat Khonshu, who was subsequently imprisoned on Asgard.
The Inverse Analysis — While we know that acclaimed actor F. Murray Abraham will voice Khonshu in Moon Knight, it’s not clear whether he’ll be encouraging or antagonistic toward Oscar Isaac’s Marc Spector in the series. In the comics, he’s behaved both ways toward Marc, but we’ll have to wait and see which aspects of the character survive his transition into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Previous Moon Knight trailers made it clear that Khonshu will look similar in the Disney+ show to how he does in the comics. Beyond that, fans will have to wait for the show’s premiere to find out the true nature of Khonshu’s role in Moon Knight.
Moon Knight premieres Wednesday, March 30th on Disney+.
