The second episode of Moon Knight hit Disney+ earlier today, and "Summon The Suit" definitely didn't disappoint. As well as offering plenty of superhero action, we learned more about Marc Spector and his connection to Egyptian Moon God Khonshu. A major new character was also introduced, while a shocking revelation about Arthur Harrow made his villainous intentions a little clearer.
While the first episode very much served as an introduction to this character, the second starts dropping some revelations about this hero and a few big teases about where the story could goe next.
With that in mind, we're now breaking down the biggest reveals and Easter Eggs from Moon Knight's second chapter, delving into the comic books for clues about what exactly is going on. Marvel Studios has definitely put a fresh spin on the hero, but the source material is clearly a big inspiration.
To take a look through this breakdown, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below!
5. Marc Spector's Deal With Khonshu
As Steven Grant learns more about Marc Spector, so do we. The former mercenary explains that he's in debt to Khonshu and is now forced to serve him, even if that means getting blood on his hands. Marc isn't happy about being the Fist of Vengeance, but clearly believes he will be freed upon completing this mission.
Comic book fans will know that Marc is indebted to Khonshu because he raised him from the dead after Bushman and his fellow mercenaries left him to die at the feet of the Moon God's statue.
This episode makes it clear that Khonshu views Steven as a nuisance, though Marc at least seems willing to permanently surrender control of his body to the Englishman once all is said and done. Just like on the page, Steven is seemingly meant to protect Marc from the trauma of what happened to him, though some interesting questions are certainly raised about his fractured mind...
4. The Truth About Arthur Harrow
The sinister Arthur Harrow wonders whether Khonshu chose Marc because he could easily break his mind or if it was already broken. The truth lies somewhere in between, as the vigilante has suffered from DID since childhood. As a boy, Steven was first to surface as a friend to Marc, with Jake Lockley later emerging when he was an adult (Jake is typically portrayed as being a little more unhinged).
We're expecting Moon Knight to follow the comic books in that respect, but it all depends on whether we get an episode exploring the character's origin story in the next four weeks.
One big change, however, comes when we learn more about Harrow. It turns out he was Moon Knight before Marc, and the idea of Khonshu having multiple avatars is definitely new for the MCU. We don't yet know the full story behind why Arthur was rejected by the Moon God, but it's pretty obvious that this is a big part of why the villain is now looking to unleash a different type of vengeance.
3. Meet Layla
Layla El-Faouly is finally introduced in the second episode of Moon Knight, and we quickly learn that she's a huge part of Marc Spector's history. A newly created character for the MCU, it seems as if she's meant to serve as a replacement for the Spector's comic book love interest, Marlene Alraune.
Marc chose to cut Layla out of his life (we'll get to why that was soon), filing for divorce and vanishing from her life. That didn't happen when he became Moon Knight, though, as Layla alludes to several adventures they went on together, clearly aware that he's capable of accessing those crazy superpowers.
His DID is news to her, though, and that could be significant. It also seems as if Marc chose to walk away from Layla after Khonshu tasked him with stopping Arthur Harrow, so perhaps that was the breaking point for this supernatural vigilante? Future episodes have a lot of explaining to do, anyway.
2. A Comic Accurate Origin
Like many recent stories set in the MCU, Marvel Studios has decided to forgo the typical origin story in favor of a less traditional approach. This is obviously why we're learning about Marc Spector and Moon Knight at the same time as Steven Grant, but even though Mr. Knight's portrayal somewhat veers from what we've seen in the comic books, key parts of this story don't.
When Steven is apprehended by some of Khonshu's followers, it's revealed that Marc Spector was indeed a mercenary and believed to be among those who attacked a dig site in Egypt. He's actually a wanted fugitive as a result, so hiding behind Steven makes sense for him on a number of levels.
In the comic books, Marc was recruited by Bushman and took part in a mission to rob a tomb. However, they met resistance from an archaeologist and his daughter, and Bushman's violent actions led to the future Moon Knight stepping in...which got him killed. Marlene was that explorer's daughter on the page, and we can't help but wonder whether Layla will fill that role here.
1. Khonshu's Sinister Plan
If you're familiar with the Moon Knight comic books, you'll know that Khonshu, well, he's kind of an asshole. A few years ago, he even created a mental prison for Marc Spector in an effort to break his avatar's mind so he could take over his body and deal out vengeance on Earth as he saw fit.
The MCU's Moon God is similarly sadistic, keeping Marc under his control by threatening to force Layla to become his next host. It appears Khonshu can simply choose whoever he wants to represent him in this world, though there's always the possibility it's an empty threat to keep his current avatar in line. Either way, it's certainly interesting that the possibility of Layla being Moon Knight has been teased.
With Oscar Isaac confirmed to have a contract that only covers this six-part series, could the show end with the mantle being passed to Layla? If so, that's going to upset a lot of comic book fans...