Marvel Studios' series Moon Knight, starring Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, features a brand-new MCU character, yet the origin of Moon Knight's powers is somewhat mysterious. So, how did Moon Knight get his powers? Moon Knight was Marvel Studios' first MCU release of 2022, and their first TV series to serve as the introduction of a new Marvel hero into the MCU. Oscar Isaac plays the namesake vigilante in what is one of Marvel's darkest releases to date, as it explores themes of psychological horror coupled with brutal action, the like of which has never been seen in a Marvel Studios release.

Moon Knight highlights Marc Spector's Dissociative Identity Disorder, and focuses a good deal on the man under the mask, in addition to showing off the superpowers he puts on display when donning his white cowl – and those glowing white eyes that represent his use of the moon's power. A key question at the heart of Moon Knight is the genesis of Moon Knight's powers. During the lead-up to Moon Knight, Marvel kept this information largely under wraps, but after the season 1 release, audiences finally got to learn more about Marc Spector's backstory.

Related: Is Moon Knight British? Why Oscar Isaac Speaks With That Accent

Moon Knight has one of the most unfortunate yet unique histories in Marvel Comics, which is one of the main reasons the character is such an underground fan favorite. The fantastical nature of his origin, paired with his unique powers, sets Moon Knight apart from other MCU releases. So far, Marvel Studios' Moon Knight is accurately adapting Marc Spector's dark background – so how did Moon Knight get his powers in the comic and show?

How Moon Knight Gets His Powers - Marvel Comics Origin Explained

Moon Knight Trailer

In the source material, Marc Spector was raised by a rabbi on the poor side of Chicago and grew up to become a U.S. Marine. Dishonorably discharged from the army due to his history of mental instability leading to dissociative identity disorder, Marc Spector became a mercenary for hire. Using the skills he picked during his three years of service, Spector carried out assassinations and rescue missions across the African Continent. He came face to face with the villain Bushman on his last mission as a mercenary, who mortally wounded Spector in the middle of the Egyptian desert. A gravely injured Marc Spector managed to reach the tomb of Khonshu, the Egyptian Moon God, where he seemingly died at the feet of a statue of the deity. Spector's spirit encountered the Moon God, who offered to save Marc's life in exchange for his eternal service, to which Spector agreed. So how did Moon Knight get his powers in the MCU? The show sticks closely to the comics in that regard, although he wasn't raised by a rabbi, for some an erasure of Moon Knight's Jewish identity (though that's handled well in the show).

As in the MCU Moon Knight show, Khonshu imbued Marc Spector with a sliver of his godly powers. Besides the usual superhuman strength, speed, and durability, Moon Knight displays a wide array of formidable powers in the series. A prominent ability of Moon Knight is his lunar strength, which makes him significantly more powerful at night, especially on full moons. In the comics, a lesser-known ability of Moon Knight's is his "lunakinesis" that allows him to control the universe's moons and any objects made out of them, including Thor's hammer Mjolnir. Additionally, Moon Knight employs a set of divine ankhs that allow him to absorb the powers of Marvel heroes, which he used to borrow the powers of Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man in the comics. Marc Spector is also seemingly immortal; due to his vow of eternal service to Khonshu, the Moon God has resurrected Moon Knight on numerous occasions.

Why Moon Knight's Eyes Glow White

Moon Knight Season 2

Because Moon Knight's powers come directly from Khonshu, without his connection to the diety, Marc Spector would just be a skilled mercenary without any special abilities. Moon Knight's suit and his glowing white eyes are symbols of his connection to Khonshu, which sets him apart from most heroes. In the simplest terms, Moon Knight's eyes glow white because he is drawing on Khonshu's supernatural power and his connection to the moon. As the earthly avatar for the moon god, Moon Knight has special abilities that are explicitly tied to the lunar cycle. The moonlight emanating from his eyes is one more manifestation of this power. More than just a detail to make him look more mysterious or intimidating, Moon Knight's eyes glow white because he's drawing on Khonshu's moon magic.

Related: Moon Knight: Marvel’s Egyptian Gods Explained

How Moon Knight's Healing Factor Works - Is He Immortal?

Oscar Isaac in Moon Knight

Moon Knight's Khonshu connection is also what gives him his impressive healing abilities. The Moon Knight suit makes Marc Spector invulnerable, so he can be shot, stabbed, bludgeoned, etc., without suffering adverse effects. Even more impressively, because his protection and healing powers come from Khonshu rather than the suit, Moon Knight can still heal rapidly from various injuries even when he isn't wearing it. This is how Steven can walk away from a fall out of a third-story window without too much concern in Moon Knight episode 1. As for whether Moon Knight is truly immortal, that question could be up for debate. As previously mentioned, Khonshu has brought Marc back from the dead on numerous occasions, which is itself a sort of immortality. Whether Marc could live forever without dying of old age would depend on how long he was actually the earthly vessel for Khonshu's power.

Since the MCU's Moon Knight show accurately portrays Moon Knight's origin from the comics, it stands to reason that the Disney+ version of the character will continue to have similar powers to his comic book parallel and that more will be revealed in later seasons. While certain powers may be absent from the MCU, Spector's divine connection to the Egyptian God does remain a central part of the character. The hero's powers in the Disney+ series Moon Knight carry on the comics' tradition pretty well given the different media.

Moon Knight vs. Mr. Knight: What Are The Differences?

Moon Knight Mr Knight

How did Moon Knight get his powers and then manifest as another alter, Mr. Knight? While Moon Knight and Mr. Knight are both technically Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector, Mr. Knight is really a product of Steven Grant and his interpretation of Khonshu's power. Given that Steven is Marc's alter and acts entirely as his own separate person, Moon Knight and Mr. Knight feature distinct personalities, some different powers, and even a different set of costumes. Both characters get their powers from Khonshu, though they use them differently. For example, Mr. Knight has a set of truncheons he uses for battle. Both of them share superhuman strength, but Mr. Knight also has superhuman intelligence and sky manipulation powers. They also share the same healing capabilities, as Stephen Grant could heal his jaw exceptionally quickly after it was knocked out of place even without Mr. Knight's presence.

Regarding their separate abilities, only Marc Spector's Moon Knight can fly. He demonstrated the capability of flight when he hovered over the pyramids using his cape during the battle of Cairo to stop Arthur Harrow. Both characters can summon a variety of weapons to their aid, which often comes in handy as the two also have somewhat varying fighting styles. While Mr. Knight does have some combat skills, it's Moon Knight who is shown doing most of the martial-arts heavy lifting due to Marc Spector's time being trained by the CIA and the Marines. Moon Knight and Mr. Knight on Disney's Moon Knight are fantastic manifestations of Marc Spector's fragmented mind, and Mr. Knight in particular has a mind-boggling hero origin – he's an alter created by an alter.

Next: Is Moon Knight Marvel's Most Brutal Ever? How Violent & Gory It Is

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