Marvel Studios’ newest series, “Moon Knight,” hit streaming platform Disney+ in late March and is more than halfway through its first season. So far? So good.
With an 87 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, fans have enjoyed the series and are eager for what’s yet to come surrounding the Egyptian-mythology-themed show. The series brings a new aspect of the Marvel comics to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and introduces characters and heroes not seen before on the big screen.
The first episode of “Moon Knight” introduces protagonist Steven Grant, played by Oscar Isaac, a regular guy with a love for Egyptian history, alleged sleeping problems and an all-over-the-place lifestyle. He goes through his day-to-day with no problem, leaving voicemails for his mother and taking care of his one-finned fish.
However, Grant’s life is only ordinary for the first few moments in the first episode.
Just like any Marvel production, no time was wasted diving into the thick of things. Viewers were dropped in the action when Grant woke up in the middle of a shootout and a voice inside his head telling him to “surrender his body” to someone else and taunting him.
Is he insane? For sure, but you have to keep watching to figure it all out.
That voice belongs to the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Another main character in the series, Khonshu is only visible to Grant and ties into his identity as a whole, which is explained in more detail later on in the show.
From this point on in the first episode, viewers are left with more questions than answers about what direction the show is going to take. It’s trippy, but also in classic Marvel fashion, audiences are going to have to sit tight for all of their questions to be answered.
Especially when covering topics on Egyptian mythology, Marvel has done a good job providing context and giving each episode structure. Without putting too much out there at once, fans were slowly introduced to the first Egyptian god Khonshu and over the course of the next two episodes, learn about other gods like Ammit and the rest of the Ennead.
Grant’s split personalities are handled with precision by Isaac and are easy to follow in each episode. Using mirrors and reflective surfaces, Marvel devised ways for Grant’s multiple personalities to show in each episode without becoming overwhelming and intrusive. The show’s soundtrack and cinematography also help navigate Grant’s adventures.
Many fans are eager to follow Grant and Khonshu through their time together and fight for what they believe to be the right cause. With two episodes left to air in the coming weeks, “Moon Knight” is in a good position to bring new potential to the MCU and beyond.
Tying into the bigger picture, the Egyptian gods are right alongside the other deities, celestials and multiversal entities in the MCU. As Phase Four of the MCU starts to gain traction in theaters, MCU fans can expect a new take on our comic book heroes as movies like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” hit theaters in the next couple of months.