How Many Identities Moon Knight Has

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Moon Knight.

Moon Knight episode 3 has made the series’ most explicit hint yet about the existence of another alter, begging the question of how many identities Moon Knight has. So far, Moon Knight has revealed the conflict between Steven Grant and Marc Spector, who is assumed to be the primary identity, with Mr Knight and Moon Knight being more traditional superhero alter-egoes, in contrast with how they're presented in the comics. Now there's a hint of a third Moon Knight identity, but could there be more?

Moon Knight Episode 3 “The Friendly Type”, suggests that, as with the comics, Marc Spector is the host, who has kept his dissociative identity disorder “under control until very recently.” Moon Knight’s multiple identities (or alters) differ from the comics slightly, with Steven’s role being markedly different from their comic book origins. It also becomes clear during a bloody rooftop fight that neither Steven nor Marc are aware of who was in control when undertaking the killing spree against Arthur Harrow's henchmen. By the end of the episode, it becomes clear that Spector will have to work with his alters to avert the resurrection of Ammit and to free Khonshu.

It’s still unclear exactly how many alters there actually are in Moon Knight’s Disney+ adaptation. The differences between Grant in the comics, and Grant in the series also suggest that the identity of the mystery third alter may not be all it appears to be. So how many alters does Moon Knight's Marc Spector have?

How Many Identities Moon Knight Has In The Comics

Moon Knight's personalities assemble in Marvel Comics.

Moon Knight's Batman parallels make sense given that the Marvel character was created by Batman writer Doug Moench, who debuted the character in a two-issue arc on the Werewolf By Night series in 1975. That story saw the mercenary Marc Spector hired to capture a werewolf called Jack Russell for a shadowy group of businessmen. The Moon Knight character returned in 1976’s Marvel Spotlight #28-29, which introduced Spector’s two alter-egos. There was Steven Grant, a millionaire who funds Spector’s vigilante activities, and Jake Lockley, a lowly cab driver who cruises the streets looking for leads on criminal activities. In all, Moon Knight's Marc Spector has 5 identities in Marvel Comics including Mr Knight and Moon Knight.

The early comics portray Grant and Lockley as secret identities that complement each other towards Marc Spector’s superhero goals, rather than alters of a person living with a dissociative identity disorder. It was Warren Ellis’ 2014 - 2015 Moon Knight series that introduced Marc’s psychological condition. Ellis suggests that Marc’s DID is the result of Khonshu colonizing his mind. He and his three alters - Steven, Jake, and the newly introduced detective figure of Mr. Knight are taken on by the god’s four aspects - The Embracer, the Pathfinder, the Defender, and the Watcher of overnight travelers. It's Warren Ellis’ reimagining of the Moon Knight character that has clearly inspired Justin Benson’s MCU show.

How Many Identities Moon Knight Has In The MCU

The MCU series flips the usual perspective from the comics, first focusing on Steven Grant rather than Marc Spector. It’s a smart move that portrays the amnesia and depersonalization experienced by those living with DID. While Moon Knight episode 3 makes it clear that Spector is the primary, and Steven is an alter, it’s still unclear exactly how many other identities are yet to be revealed. For example, in the comics, Mr. Knight shares traits with Steven but is a unique alter in his own right. Mr. Knight in the MCU also shares traits with Steven but feels more like the awkward Grant coming to terms with superpowers and exists as an accidental response to him trying to "summon the suit". In the MCU, Moon Knight does not appear to be a separate fourth identity - or the culmination of Spector, Grant, and Lockley together - and is more simply a superhero secret identity in the most traditional sense. So far, Jake Lockley is conspicuous by his MCU absence, so the dogged investigator may be the mysterious and violent persona hinted at in Moon Knight episode 3. With Harrow evading justice, and Khonshu imprisoned by the end of episode 3, Moon Knight is teasing the introduction of a third Oscar Isaac character.

NEXT: Moon Knight: Who Is Marc Spector’s Third (& More Violent) Identity