Moon Knight is coming much sooner than expected to the MCU, with his Disney+ series debuting on March 30, 2022. Het is a relatively minor character in the larger Marvel Universe, so the decision to devote an entire series to him somewhat unusual. But comic book fans know Moon Knight is a character with a rich history and deep ties to significant groups and characters in Marvel Comics.
Many of those connections are likely to be leveraged in the streaming series and beyond. Moon Knight first appeared in Werewolf by Night #32, a product of an era where horror was very popular in comics. The MCU seems to be headed in this direction with Blade and other characters, meaning Moon Knight is likely to fit right in.
Marc Spector, Mercenary
The character of Moon Knight has evolved considerably since his debut in 1975, but at his core, he remains essentially the same. Marc Spector, co-created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, is a mercenary with a background both in the military and the CIA.
He was a troubled young man who was ultimately booted out of the military (or left, depending on the version of the story) and became a mercenary. His training and experience make him one of the best Marvel martial artists. They also make him ideally suited to being a superhero, even if that's not what he ever wanted and arguably, isn't who Moon Knight is.
The Fist Of Khonshu
Moon Knight doesn't have any superpowers as such but derives many of his abilities from Khonshu, an ancient Egyptian deity and god of the moon. Khonshu is a being who exists in Otherworld, another plane of existence, and uses people as his avatars in the real world. He chose Marc Spector to become "the fist of Khonshu."
Khonshu imbued Marc Spector with some of his massive mystical abilities, including the ability to come back to life after dying. At various points in the comics, he also had greater strength and speed. These shifted as his association with Khonshu did, an uncertain link made more complicated by the fact that Khonshu might not even exist.
Different Personalities
Comic book fans know that one of the most unique things about Moon Knight is that for much of his relationship with Khonshu, it seemed the god might not be real. Marc Spector has dissociative identity disorder and has displayed many different personalities.
The comics eventually established that Khonshu is in fact real and influencing Marc Spector. In fact, Khonshu exploited Marc's condition, targeting him because of perceived weakness. But the comics have been much less certain about other personalities Marc has shown, including a billionaire named Steven Grant.
Similar To Batman
Some of the best Batman comic book arcs make great use of Bruce Wayne's privilege as a billionaire who is able to fund a small private arsenal. The same is true of Moon Knight in the guise of Steven Grant, leading some comic book fans to point out the many similarities between the two.
Both characters don't have superpowers, they fight crime with their own personal wealth, and they have similar choices of weapons. Batman's trademark batarangs seem very familiar to the crescent-shaped weapons that Moon Knight employs against his enemies.
Werewolf By Night
Moon Knight's first appearance in Werewolf by Night #32 introduced him as a much less complicated figure. He initially appeared as something of a villain to Jack Russell, the werewolf of the title, using silver weapons in the shape of the moon against him.
Moon Knight would realize that Russell was in fact a good man, and the two would eventually become allies. He also became a much more prominent superhero, moving relatively quickly into his own solo title and also briefly serving with the Defenders.
West Coast Avengers
Comic book fans know one of the most iconic teams Moon Knight is associated with is the West Coast Avengers. Moon Knight joined the team in issue #21 and remained an integral part of the team along with Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and others, for the next two years.
Moon Knight is certainly a character who could join the MCU version of the West Coast Avengers. With many of its characters now present in live-action, including the White Vision, the team could eventually come together on-screen in the near future.
Midnight Sons
Another major Marvel Comics team Moon Knight was part of is the Midnight Sons, and given the direction of the MCU, it's very likely he will be affiliated with them in live-action. Moon Knight joined the team when it came together in the early '90s to battle supernatural threats.
The team included Blade, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, and others, all characters who are already in the MCU or about to be. With Blade already recruiting Dane Whitman, whom comic book fans know as the Black Knight, he could ask for Moon Knight's help next.
The Shadow Cabinet
A group of characters who could very well appear in the Moon Knight streaming series is the Shadow Cabinet, a loose network of experts and informants whom he relied on in the course of his fight against crime. They first appeared in Marc Spector: Moon Knight #38.
This group is both unknowing and unwilling in some cases when it comes to their involvement with Moon Knight. Many of them, like Stash, Penny Annie, and Spector's own personal psychologist Sigmund, don't know they're working for Moon Knight or have been coerced into doing so.
Mr. Knight
The Moon Knight costume is fairly well defined in the comics, but in recent years, the characters got one of his most dramatic and best makeovers. He started wearing an all-white business suit to go along with his new identity, Mr. Knight.
He continued to wear a version of the classic Moon Knight costume when dealing with crime, but in all other matters, wore the Mr. Knight identity. During this period, his identity and the true source of his separate personalities become even more confused than before.
Midnight Man
It remains to be seen who the main villain of the Moon Knight MCU series will be, but there is a good chance it will be Midnight Man. Midnight Man is one of Moon Knight's classic villains in the comics, a thief who would turn into the dark avatar of everything Marc Spector represents.
Anton Mogart was dramatically disfigured after falling into the river following a battle with Moon Knight, leading to a bitter campaign of revenge. This could play out in the MCU if some of the rare objects Mogart is stealing happen to also be the rare Egyptian artifacts that played a role in the earliest versions of the Moon Knight origin story.