Caution: spoilers ahead for Moon Knight episode 2
Which MCU Easter eggs and references did you uncover in Moon Knight episode 2? Disney+'s Moon Knight dedicated its debut installment almost entirely to establishing Oscar Isaac's Steven "with a V" Grant - a mild-mannered ancient Egypt enthusiast with a misdiagnosed sleeping disorder. As he transforms into a costumed superhero and pummels a magical undead jackal, it rapidly becomes clear there's more to Steven than selling candy scorpions to children.
Compared to past MCU TV shows, Moon Knight episode 1 was shockingly light in connections to the wider Marvel universe. Even in the moments you'd naturally expect Easter eggs, precious few were forthcoming. Moon Knight episode 2 ("Summon The Suit)" is - fortunately for us - more generous in that regard, dropping nods to both Moon Knight's comic lore and MCU releases of yore. Steven's whirlwind sophomore effort sees him get fired, meet his wife for the first time, become a vigilante, and try some surprisingly nice lentil soup.
Encompassing nods to the Avengers, references to Marc Spector's most famous comics, and a great Falcon & The Winter Soldier shout-out, these are all of the Marvel Easter eggs in Moon Knight's "Summon The Soup."
More Moon Knight QR Code Freebies
QR codes have become so common, they often blend into scenery - both in real life and onscreen. Moon Knight episode 1 subtly sneaked a working QR code into a museum scene which, when scanned, would take viewers to a Marvel comic book giveaway for the Werewolf By Night issue in which Moon Knight made his debut. This week's QR code is found beside the "43" on Marc Spector's storage locker, and will allow fans to download yet another Werewolf By Night issue.
MCU Marc Spector Shares His Comic Counterpart's Home City
In the Marvel comics, Marc Spector hails from Chicago, Illinois, honoring his co-creator, Doug Moench. Though we've only seen Steven Grant as the world's least convincing Cockney so far, Moon Knight episode 2 reveals Marc's passport, confirming the Windy City as his live-action birthplace too.
May Calamawy's Layla Is The MCU's Marlene Alraune
Despite their different names, MCU theorists have long suggested May Calamawy's Moon Knight character, Layla El-Faouly, is actually a live-action interpretation of Marc Spector's comic book love interest, Marlene Alraune. Moon Knight all but confirms this in episode 2, revealing Layla is already Marc's wife. Both characters also share a deep interest in Egyptian culture, and Layla being Marlene would also address how she knows about Marc's Moon Knight transformation, since Marlene brought him to Khonshu in the comics.
"Man In The Ice" References Captain America
When Steven Grant takes this surprise new wife back to his flat (sorry, his mother's flat - that explains how he affords it), Layla admires Steven's extensive collection of books - almost as if she never realized her husband was so well-read. Standing beside one particular shelf, the spine of a book over Layla's right shoulder reads "The Man in the Ice." Now, The Man in the Ice is a genuine archaeology volume written by Konrad Spindler. In the MCU, however, "man in the ice" can only ever mean one thing - Captain America. It's incredibly pleasing to imagine Moon Knight episode 2 might've featured this particular title so prominently because of that tacit connection to Steve Rogers.
Moon Knight Episode 2's Police Are From Marvel Comics
Just as Steven Grant begins wrapping his head around having a wife, Moon Knight episode 2 brings a pair of "police detectives" to his door - DC Fitzgerald, and DC Kennedy - but a glance toward the end credits reveals this pair by their real names, Bobbi and Billy. In Moon Knight's comic adventures, Bobbi and Billy were orderlies working at a hospital in which Marc Spector was imprisoned by Ammit. Though their cover stories might've changed, the MCU's Bobbi and Billy are, once again, servants of the Egyptian goddess.
Marc Spector's File Nods To Moon Knight's Producer & Comic Debut
En route to their rendezvous with Arthur Harrow, Bobbi pulls up Marc Spector's Interpol file, revealing his extensive list of violent crimes. Marc's profile page also proffers two great Marvel Easter eggs. Firstly, the case file number is listed as 1975 - the year Moon Knight debuted in Werewolf By Night #32. Secondly, the "assigned agent" is a "Nick Pepin," which honors a long-serving Marvel producer of the same name. Pepin has been with the franchise since Captain America: Civil War, and serves as "manager of production & development" on Moon Knight specifically.
Moon Knight Episode 2 References Marc Spector's Comic Origin
According to Bobbi, Marc Spector is wanted for the execution of archaeologists at a dig in Egypt, all of whom were brutally bound and shot. This backstory pulls directly from Marc's comic origins. Spector and Duchamp (who was referenced back in Moon Knight episode 1) joined the criminal Raul Bushman for a job in Egypt, only for Bushman to promptly begin slaughtering a team of archaeologists. Marc actually stepped in to stop the atrocity, and Moon Knight alludes toward this when he tells Steven, "It's not what you think."
"Yucatan" References Arthur Harrow's Comic Story
Touring Steven Grant around his definitely-not-a-cult HQ, Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow introduces Victor, a cult member who kindly provided the group with a lovely recipe for lentil soup. Harrow mentions Victor is from the Yucatan, and this line nods toward 1985's Moon Knight #2, where Marc Spector hunts the villain down in, you guessed it... Yucatan.
Moon Knight Revisits Avengers: Endgame's Thanos Dilemma
Attempting to sell Ammit's brand of preemptive justice to Steven Grant, Arthur Harrow broaches the age-old "Baby Hitler" debate - if you could travel back in time and murder Hitler as a child, should you? The MCU has, of course, addressed this matter before. After inventing time travel in Avengers: Endgame, Rhodey and Hulk engaged in a back-and-forth over the moral complexity of killing a little, purple baby Thanos. Despite his stance on the Mad Titan, War Machine might look less kindly upon Arthur Harrow's philosophy.
Arthur Harrow's Purple Magic Is Similar To Agatha Harkness
Arthur Harrow summoned his jackal minion off-screen in Moon Knight episode 1, but episode 2 finally shows the spell being cast. Curiously, the magic Harrow uses adopts a purple hue. Different types of magic are color-coded in the MCU, and purple was previously established as dark magic by WandaVision's Agatha Harkness. Maybe it's a coincidence or Marvel retconning its magic rules again, but the similarity could confirm that just as Harrow siphons his magic from Ammit (an Egyptian god), Harkness was drawing hers from another god, such as Chthon.
Moon Knight References Falcon & The Winter Soldier
As Steven Grant's Moon Knight and Layla battle against Arthur Harrow's summoned jackal, a red London bus stands in the background. The billboard on the side bears an advertisement for the "GRC." The Global Repatriation Council was introduced in Falcon & The Winter Soldier as an organization dealing with the aftermath of Thanos' snap and the missing 50% suddenly returning five years later. Moon Knight episode 2's GRC poster is the Disney+ show's first proper connection to the MCU, finally grounding Oscar Isaac's character in wider franchise lore.
The Bus Number Is Moon Knight's Comic Debut
Same bus; different Easter egg. Atop the vehicle's white roof is the code "WBN0032." On the surface, this reference slips by as a seemingly innocuous bus number. In reality, however, the combination of numbers and letters is a coded tribute to Moon Knight's comic debut. "WBN 0032" stands for "Werewolf by Night #32" - the very first appearance of Khonshu's costumed errand boy.
Moon Knight's Comic Book Weapon & Costume Callbacks
Moon Knight episode 1 already debuted its titular character's primary costume - a very similar design to the original comics - but episode 2 reveals much more. When Steven Grant "summons the suit" in place of Marc Spector, his Moon Knight armor becomes an actual tuxedo, with a Dr. Manhattan-esque mask over the entire head. This design takes inspiration from "Mr. Knight," a version of the hero introduced by Marvel in 2014's Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey run. During his (latest) jackal scrap, Moon Knight wields nightsticks and moon-shaped blades. Both of these can be found in the source material, where the blades are crafted from Adamantium - the same metal used on Wolverine. Could Moon Knight's weapons bring the X-Men one step closer to an MCU debut?
Marc Spector's Death Was Hinted At In Episode 1
Finally letting Marc Spector share the screen with Khonshu, Moon Knight episode 2 reveals details of the pact between them, and how the Egyptian god brought his soon-to-be-avatar back from death in exchange for servitude. This revelation completes the origin tale recounted earlier by Bobbi. After Marvel comics' Marc Spector defended the archaeologists from Raul Bushman, the criminal left his former mercenary colleague for dead, and Marc would've perished right there had he not struck a bargain with Khonshu. Moon Knight's latest crumbs of backstory suggest this same scenario transpired in live-action also. Moon Knight subtly hinted toward Marc's death in episode 1, when the young museum guest asked Steven Grant about passing through the Field of Reeds.
Moon Knight continues Wednesdays on Disney+.
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