The latest episode of Moon Knight hit Disney+ earlier today, and it took us to a lot of weird places. While it was a little jarring to be thrown into the midst of a supernatural horror story, "The Tomb" appropriately contained plenty of surprises. It's those we're taking a closer look at today, and with one of the craziest cliffhangers we've seen from Marvel Studios on Disney, there's a lot to discuss.
While fans of Jeff Lemire's Moon Knight run will be all too familiar with the sight of Marc Spector trapped in a padded cell, we have a feeling the MCU is going to put its own unique spin on the concept.
Here, we take a deep dive into the Egyptian mythology introduced in this episode, explore the truth behind Marc Spector's origin story, and unpack the many references in the mental asylum Marc finds himself in. We also have a pretty good idea about who was trapped in that sarcophagus!
To take a look through this Moon Knight breakdown, click on the "Next" button down below!
5. Ammit's Final Avatar
We were hoping this reveal might set the stage for Rama-Tut (a Kang the Conqueror Variant) to make his MCU debut, but Ammit's final avatar was, in fact, Alexander the Great. Her Ushabti is hidden down his throat because he was her voice, but this doesn't appear to be teasing that long-dead historical figure as a major player in this world. For starters, he's very, very dead.
Plus, while Alexander the Great has appeared in the Marvel Comics Universe, his history is near-identical to his real-life historical counterpart, meaning there are no major comic book ties here we expect to see play out in the next two episodes. However, on the subject of Ushabtis, we see The Ennead imprisoned a lot of Gods before Khonshu. What madness will ensue if they're unleashed?
4. Real-Life Mummies?
Marvel Studios is clearly beginning to embrace the supernatural side of this world in Moon Knight, and that's evident from the presence of what appear to be mummified Heka Priests. We never learn how those creatures are roaming Ammit's tomb, and we can only assume they were left there to protect what lies within. Heka is the God of magic and medicine, but is known as Heka-Nut in the comics.
On the page, Heka-Nut has close ties to Atum/Amon Ra, Khonshu's father. His avatar is Sun King, one of Moon Knight's greatest foes in the comic books. We're not expecting that to be addressed and explored in this limited series, but it's fun to see the MCU potentially laying some groundwork for future stories here. Plus, we're pretty sure this is officially Marvel Studios' first full-blown horror story.
3. The Truth About Marc Spector
Marvel Studios has taken its time shedding light on Marc Spector's origin story, but we finally learn in this episode that the mercenary was indeed there when Layla's father, Abdullah, was killed. While he's never named, the partner who gunned down the archaeologist (and Marc) is almost certainly Bushman, Moon Knight's main foe in the comics who many fans hoped would be this show's big bad.
It's clear now that Layla is taking Marlene Alraune's place in the MCU, and that's a change we can live with. The day Bushman left Marc for dead was the same night he was saved from death and chosen to be Khonshu's avatar, and we're very curious to see whether he can earn his wife's forgiveness before all is said and done. Either way, the truth is out, and Arthur Harrow no longer has that secret to hold over the hero.
2. Enter The Asylum
You can read more about Taweret's MCU debut by clicking here, but let's take a closer look at what else happens in the asylum. Crawley, the golden statue from the first episode who is calling out the bingo numbers, is a close ally of Marc's in the comic books who helps him escape this mental prison. Layla, Donna, and other familiar faces also make an appearance.
The initial inference is that everything we've seen up until this point has been in Marc's head, but the show wastes no time in showing us otherwise. With that, Marc pulls Steven out of a sarcophagus, proving that there's more to this place than meets the eye. We're not sure who has trapped the hero here, especially with Khonshu imprisoned by The Ennead, but the ramifications of this could be huge...
1. Jake Lockley's Coming...
Regardless of who placed Marc and Steven in this apparent purgatory after he was gunned down in the real world by Arthur Harrow, we're pretty sure Jake Lockley will make his presence felt next week. There have been a few hints about a third, far more violent personality, and he clearly wants out of his own sarcophagus. What will happen when he's free, and what does that mean for Marc and Steven?
That's the million dollar question, but if this series is following the comic books, it's here that Marc will reconcile with Steven and Jake, becoming a fully formed Moon Knight capable of stopping Harrow once and for all. We're sure his DID will still be a factor moving forward, but perhaps as personas he uses to remain undercover, similar to the comics (where Jake is a cabbie and Steven is a film producer).