ā I ā Iāve been sick my whole life. And Iāve felt ashamed of that. I tried to hide it. I think thatās what the mask really was. Another way to hide. But I donāt want to hide anymore. I donāt want to be ashamed anymore. I just want to be me. ā
Breaking down the Comics: Writing a legend, building a history.
Today we aren't reviewing an issue of Moon Knight. Today we are going to talk about something important.
So who wrote Moon Knight?
"Easy!", you might say. "Doug Moench!"
Sure. But you'd be surprised to find that it's not as much as you'd think.
Doug Moench wrote issues 1-15, 17-26, 28-33.
He returns in 1998 for a 4 issue mini seires Vol 3 "Resurrection Wars" which revives Marc Spector, who had been killed off in the previous volume.
He continues in 1999 with Vol 4, another 4 issue mini series "High Strangers/Strangeness" which won an award for favorite limited series.
He also wrote werewolf by Night, which gave us the first iteration of Moon Knight. An instantly popular character that made appearances in other comics like "The Hulk" before he was given his own comic.
He had time to work on the designs with Bill Sienkiewicz. They built up the weapons, the costume, the cab, and the copter.
He also built up the side characters of Gena, Gena's two boys, Crawley, Frenchie, Detective Flint, and Marlene.
He set the ground rules:
Moon Knight system is Jewish.
Marc, Jake, and Steven are a part of a system and are not one man pretending to be someone else
Jake is the one that is friendly and loves being with the people.
Steven is posh, collected, and takes care of things.
Marc is the one with experience, has the skills needed to get things done, and holds all the pain.
They are former Mercenaries who did terrible things and have deep guilt.
Khonshu resurrected them to act as Moon Knight
They strive to protect any who would come to them for help that perhaps might not get it elsewhere
I would even argue that he was building up to the fact that Moon Knight himself was his own form of alter but it has since been glossed over and replaced with the idea that Marc is most often the one under the mask.
Pretty simple rules to follow to make it a Moon Knight comics, but you'd be surprised what some writers have done with it.
These comics were written long before DID was acknowledged and the different forms of PTSD and Dissociation were defined.
And yet, here we stand with a traumazied man from Chicago slowly working through a freshly cognizant system and trying to figure out how three (four) people can work together towards not just a life, but life as a superhero who wants to help people.
Further more, an odd thing happened in this.
We had a comic that often focused more on mental health than on super powers, heroics, or villains.
More often than not, we watched Marc, Jake, and Steven struggle with themselves and one another. We watched stories unfold from the villain's point of view, often just being ordinary people pushed too far by a system that failed them.
More so, we watched Moon Knight sympathise with these villains.
How often he let them walk away or he let them kill their abusers, wondering if he was doing wrong himself.
How can he help when sometimes the help he offers is not what is needed?
We even watched him fail. We saw him lose his temper and cause damage. We saw him curl into a ball and break. We saw him get lost in his own nightmares and dissociative fuges.
Moench stepped forward and often handled current events with raw emotion. We saw his characters cry over the loss of public iconic figures. We watched people struggling as they returned from war. We saw child abuse and poverty. We watched economic struggles with classism and we watched people struggle to deal with grief.
We even watched them deal with antisemitism over and over again. How many times were the victims of his stories Jewish and trying to survive in America? What about the story that took place with the mass shooting in the Synagoug? We heard stories of Generational trauma as elders struggled with survival after the Holocaust.
Moon Knight was a unique comic unlike any other I've ever come across. For it's time and for it's topics at the time. What's more, this comic continued.
It was no 'special of the week' comic and spanned multiple years as they grew.
What do we know about Moench? Who did he write this comic for?
The Moon Knight in the Were Wolf by Night certainly didn't have all this depth. He was just a man dressed in silver, fighting a monster and ultimately choosing the side of the monster.
Moench himself was from Chicago. He knew what it was like to live in the city and see the fall of factories and hard times on the streets. We know he witnessed the times of Vietnam veterans being forgotten and abused. He witnessed a lot of changes happening in the world and the places he was writing about.
He wrote about what spoke to him and what he saw around him.
And in his stories, there often were no clear heroes, winners, or villains.
But there was one issue that he chose to add into this comic that was already filled with so many things that other comics avoided.
Moon Knight wasn't written as Jewish in that one shot cameo. He wasn't written with DID either, but I'll get to that.
There are interviews of Doug admitting that "I didn't say, 'I'm going to sit down and create a Jewish character.'"
In fact, he picked a name and later found out it was a Jewish name. This made him do research. Not just into Judaism, but into the areas that Marc Spector fought in and where his family came from.
Do you have any idea how many writers of that time and our current time simply slap the label of "Jewish" on a character and refuse to actually look into what makes them Jewish?
I can't say how much he researched and how much he got wrong or right, but I do know that when he did choose to dive into topics that touched on certain issues, he handled them with a grace that is often overlooked.
The writer that came after Moench? Alan Zelenetz, a former Jewish day school principal from Brooklyn.
Zelenetz had been acting as an editor for a bit before he took a look at Moench's early start.
And it was in Issue 37 and 38 where we get the real backstory of Marc Spector. A man running from his Rabbi father.
Marc now became the son of an Orthodox Rabbi who had been forced to flee Czechoslovakia after the Nazi invasion.
Here, we get the story of Marc running to the Marines. Running to the mercenaries, and running from home. Perhaps even, running from G-d.
Zelenetz wanted to lean into the Jewish past and Jewish story. He explored themes of using a holy book to create a villain while playing with Jewish myths. He also explored Antisemitism without toning it down or hiding it under comic bookish villainy. He portrayed Moon Knight facing white supremacist vandalizing a Jewish Cemetery. He showed Moon Knight saving the Torah from a Synagogue fire. He also showed a strained relationship and the question of Moon Knight finding his own relationship in what he does with his father's views.
Alan Zelenetz edited/wrote shorts for issues 18, 21ā22, 27, 32, Then wrote the whole story for issues 36ā38.
Zelenetz voiced that he was looking to add some Jewish representation into his workforce and perhaps into the comic industry at the time. Considering his background, perhaps he was the only one at the time that had the proper knowledge to play with things the way that he did in the story of Elias Spector's death and Marc Spector's pain.
He did not stick around with Moon Knight for long after. Though, he admits that he wanted to play with the fact that Khonshu was an Egyptian god and Marc was from such a Jewish background. I am sad we didn't get to see that story.
After that, Moon Knight's original 1980s run was finished. The question of what to do with Moon Knight, where to take him, and who would take up the mantle of writing him now lay in the hands of Marvel.
Many failed after this. They failed to keep the heart of what Moon Knight stood for and who Moon Knight was. His Jewishness was forgotten and his mental health became a joke.
Not to say all of them failed. There are a few shining stars that gleamed in the darkness and I like to think that it was these moments that kept Moon Knight going all these years.
Moench didn't set out to write a story about mental health, and yet his approach is the most real I've seen. Hardly a shining picture of perfect representation, there is still something there in watching the character almost seem to push back against the unintended desire to push him into a corner.
No matter how often Jake and Steven and Moon Knight were seen as Marc pretending to be someone else, there was always ALWAYS that correction. Always that push back.
Call it the writer's curse of characters misbehaving and taking on a life of their own, but perhaps there was something more there. Perhaps he felt the weight of time and cry of the suppressed and overlooked.
So many of his stories danced the line of "I can't say it because it will get edited out by the big wigs at Marvel, but if you would just look... Just look over here for just a moment..."
And years upon years later, a writer did see the whispers there and said "I see the story of pain. I see the cry of mental health." Lemire told the story that Moench couldn't and from that, we are still pushing forward with McKay.
And more, perhaps we will see the Jewish story that hides in all that also get a spotlight again.
In the era of big battles, cross-over events, explosions, and super villains cackling about domination... I still look back at Stained Glass Scarlet, The Druid, the Music Box, And Colloquy.
As I finish the original 1980s run, I brace myself to dive into what comes next.
I think I'm trying to find where and how the original run ventured so far into the dark and insulting territory it did and the journey back into a revival that now means so much to so many.
In a way, perhaps it mirrors a journey into our own mental health. How easy it is to become lost in what everyone around you tells you that you are and how you are supposed to be until your own doubt sets in to drown you. Perhaps it is the journey of Moon Knight's character emerging from this to find a path to healing that is what kept us here so long.
In honour of Gus, the one finned wonder (justice for Gus!!) and the one year anniversary of the airing of "The Goldfish Problem", I want to take a closer look at Gus' tank and the decoration.
From left to right, we have
the sphinx
a pyramid, probably a reference to the Great Pyramid of Giza
a Neferititi head, which is one of the most popular souvenirs. She is also rumoured to have been a Pharao
a boat, or a barque frequently used by multiple egyptian gods. Probabaly a reference to Tawerets boats in die Duat
behind the barque, an obelisk
could be a tomb, a temple or maybe a gate. so either probably a reference to Konshu's temple or the Gates of Osiris
Hello and welcome back to Moon Knight Thurday with episode 2!
aka the thursdays were i pretend it's wednesday and moon knight just came out
and today i just want to talk about Steven.
About Steven and his strong moral views and his need to share himself with others that became so obvious this episode.
I love love love how strong his morals are and how much he just wants to do the right thing (and not hurt anyone). He is even willing to turn himself over to the authorities for crimes he hasnāt even committed just so no one gets hurt again.
And in the scene pictured above as well as the ones before where Harrow shows Steven his little community, Harrow obviously tries to manipulate him. He's trying to relate to him and gain his trust and convince him that Ammit is better than Khonshu.
But Steven is having none of that.
He sees through the holes in his logic and has his own strong beliefs.
We can also see that in Steven standing up to Marc at the end, during their argument. Steven is outright threatening him that he wonāt leave him alone. And this point in the story, he thinks Marc is absolutely in the wrong and dangerous. So he is standing up for what he believes in.
As for Steven just having a huge need to share himself, we see that multiple times throughout this episode.
For example, when he talks to Crowley. Someone who doesn't respond. Who is not involved in the conversation. But Steven wants to share his experiences so badly, he doesn't care.
He also repeatedly asks for help and tries to explain his situation to others and connect with them. And itās a shame heās not really getting the support he needs.
And then of course, the scene pictured above with Steven and Layla talking in his flat. Steven was so excited to be able to share his interest in egyptian language with Layla and even more excited about her knowing what he's talking about. Or them sharing a favourite poet.
I loved that moment. Steven deserved that.
In conclusion: I love Steven. I relate to Steven. I miss Steven
Welcome back to Moon Knight Thursday number 3!
Today, I want to talk about another signifcant moment that is in tune with this moment, where Steven refers to him and Marc as "we" for the first time.
Similar, episode 3 also give us this moment (and excuse the quality):
The full quote goes "Steven, when the gods imprison me, tell Marc to free me"
First of all, Steven never tells him.
But more importantly! This is the first time Khonshu uses Steven's name!!
Before, he referred to him as "worm", "parasite" or "idiot". But now, in this vulnerable moment, just before they have to work together, he calls him by his name.
It feels like he truly recognises him and his skills for the first time. He trusts him both to pass on his plea as well as to assist with the ritual. And ultimately, he trusts Steven (and Marc) to save him.
Despite all the negative things you can say about Khonshu, I like this little more intimate between them and to see their relationship change. Idk
And additionally, I just want to point out how pretty them turning back the night sky is
How long do you think Layla was watching Marc in Cairo before she approached him?
She obviously missed the part with the gang or she would have tried to help him institutionally.
But after all that and Marc getting his hat back... How long do you think she watched him wander around trying to find the right guy to ask?
She had not properly seen him in months. She thought he was dead. Then she meets Steven, who she doesn't understand at this point and still isn't convinced it isn't just Marc with amnesia or something. Then she sees Mr. Knight, who is so different that she's starting to wonder if maybe she has the wrong guy after all, because she still has not seen any sign of Marc...
And then she sees Marc in his suit and she knows it's him without any doubt in her mind. And you can see by the way she looks up at him that she knows it's him without even seeing his face. And then he runs off on her AGAIN. Only this time she knows what he is going.
So she goes to Cairo and finds him and watches him.
Watches him move around. Watches him talk to people. Watches him BE Marc Spector. He isn't the timid scared man she saw back in London. There's no sign of that man right now. It's just Marc.
Do you think she stood back for a while, trying to decide how she felt on the whole situation? Wondering how she was going to confront him. Wondering if she was going to go in yelling or if she should just act like he never left? Wondering if he was going to see her and somehow fall through the cracks and vanish again.
Wondering if he would suddenly be someone else she didn't know. What he was hiding and why. Wondering if she even wanted to speak to him. If she could without being hurt or angry. Deciding that she needed to know why he left. Why he was someone else. Why he lied to her.
How long do you think she watched him before she couldn't take it anymore and had to look him in the eye and see that it was not only him, but that he was alive and if there was still any love left between them?
How I think the Moon Boys would react to meeting Other Heroes
I want to eventually turn these into fanfics relaying the events in detail (and if you want to as well, please do and tag me in it, I'd love to see what you make!) but for now we just do meta :] I'm gonna do the OG 6 avengers first, but I'll likely reblog later with other heroes if people seem interested, so lemme know if you wanna see more!
Tony Stark
Marc: Definitely assumes this guy is an asshole before ever meeting him. He's a billionaire, he's cocky, he built a giant tower with his name on it--he's got all the makings of a real asshole. Upon meeting him? Well, yeah, he has to admit the guy is smart and fights well. They can work as a team when in battle for sure. Still cannot stand his personality though, and it's in part because Marc can see some parts of himself in Tony. He really doesn't like the idea that he might relate to guy who used to be fine with building weapons for awful people.
Steven: Definitely hesitant about him, in part because Marc is so adamant about his assumptions. However upon meeting him, I think Steven could grow to like him in some ways. Sure he's cocky, and has a hard exterior, but it's not like he doesn't know how to deal with that, sharing a body with Marc and Jake. He likes to hear Tony explain science and machines to him, and I could see them talking about their weapons and armor, exchanging ideas. He too is fine to fight alongside Iron Man
Jake: He's also hesitant about Stark, both because of Marc and because of his role as the protector, but he can't help but admit... the guy has fuckin style. He particularly likes Tony's cars, and when he sees magazines in the store detailing all of Tony's cars, he can't help but snag one. And when he MEETS Tony? Well it takes help from Steven outright telling Tony that he'd love to see them, but Tony does show Jake his garage full of cars, and they chat about it for so long that Marc and Steven have to practically drag the body back home before midnight. Fighting enemies with him is an entire different playing field however. Jake really hates being told what to do, so generally he'll let Marc or Steven handle battles alongside Iron Man
Steve Rogers
Marc: Mixed feelings about Cap before meeting him for sure. He was a soldier like Marc was, and for that Marc feels a sense of loyalty or comradery with him. Cap also fought in WWII and helped save a lot of Jewish people, which obviously puts him in a good light. But at the same time, he's named Captain America, the same nation that spit him out of the marines with no support, no option but to become a mercenary to survive. After meeting him though, he finds that he quite likes Cap. They bond over their pasts as soldiers, and exchange stories of punching fascists right in the kisser. He considers it quite an honor to fight alongside Cap in any battles
Steven: He liked Cap from the very beginning, since he was a kid. Not obsessed, he never collected cards like Coulson, but he always regarded him as a hero for what he did in WWII. He's never liked to be called Steve, always the full name Steven, but it still made him just a little bit proud to share the same name as Captain America. After meeting Cap, he found he appreciated him as a person as well, not just as a hero. He enjoyed hearing Cap's stories about what life was like in his time, and they exchanged song recommendations together often. He too finds it an honor to fight alongside Cap
Jake: Jake didn't think much about Cap before meeting him. Sure, he was glad for what he did in WWII, saving Jewish people and punching Hitler, but he kind of thought that should've been the standard anyways. He didn't feel the need to praise the guy just for standing up for Jewish people, if anything he preferred to praise the Jewish doctor that MADE the super soldier serum, he was the one that gave them this great hero after all. After meeting Cap he did find he warmed up to him though. He was a good man, even if a bit robotic at times. Again though, he cannot stand people telling him what to do, especially in the commanding, soldier-like way Cap does it. At least Tony makes a funny comment when he tells people what to do, Cap just orders you, and Jake does NOT like that
Thor Odinson
Marc: VERY hesitant about this guy, as past experience with gods has not exactly gone well for him. Upon meeting him he realizes quickly that Thor isn't much of a threat (to him at least), and he gets less cagey. He doesn't exactly become friends with Thor, but they're nice enough to each other, and can fight as a team well. Secretly tho? He thinks Thor's whole lightning and thunder thing is pretty cool
Steven: Also again hesitant due to Thor's whole God-ness, but also realizes he wouldn't harm them. He is INTENSELY interested in Asgardian/Norse mythology though, and spends several evenings asking Thor a million questions about the different realms, the culture of Asgard and all the magic that exists there. Thor promises to one day show him the Bifrost and Asgardian palace library, as well as introduce him to Heimdall, who could tell Steven more about the realms than Thor ever could
Jake: AGAIN, not exactly excited about meeting another God, and even after meeting him, Jake is still unsure for a long time. He's always quick to remind Steven that Thor is a god and things could go bad with him at any time. With time he learns to trust Thor, and have a tentative relationship with him, at least enough that he's willing to fight alongside the god in battle
Clint Barton
Marc: He'd heard of someone called Hawkeye fighting in the Battle of New York, and mostly thought he must've been insane (or stupid) for fighting aliens with a bow and arrow. However after meeting him he did find a new respect for him. I think of all the people to spar with, he'd often choose Hawkeye, both because they're similar in strength (without the suit at least), and because Clint has a similar fighting style to him. They both utilize rooftops, darts/arrows/grappling hooks, and hand-to-hand combat, so he's a great person to practice with. They work well in battle together.
Steven: He was impressed hearing about a guy fighting aliens with a bow and arrow for sure. After meeting him I think he does like Clint, but might feel intimidated by him. He doesn't seem to be the most open of people, and he can see why Marc enjoys his company because of that, but Steven himself just finds Clint a bit difficult to talk to. They work fine in battle, but not as well as Jake and Marc do.
Jake: I think of anyone in MK system Jake probably is the one that can talk to Clint the most easily. He's relaxed enough that he doesn't worry about Clint being cagey at times, and good enough at bantering and talking with people to get Clint to relax and open up more. If anyone is able to start a good friendship with Clint, it's Jake. This also makes it so they work well fighting together
Natasha Romanoff
Marc: Absolutely just cannot vibe with this woman, at least at first. He could tell immediately that she was analyzing him and trying to get information about himself and his past out of him when they first met, and it just threw him off instantly. Something about the spy, manipulation tactics stuff, and honestly her being a woman, just reminded him too much of his mom. Over time he would learn to be less nervous around her, especially as he realized her analytical first impression was part of a mask she put on, but he couldn't say he ever truly relaxed around her. He doesn't enjoy fighting alongside her much, but he's willing to do it
Steven: He honestly thought she was fine upon meeting her, and that Marc was freaking out over someone just being friendly to him. It's not that he didn't realize she was analyzing them, but more that he understood quickly that it was a mask. She reminded him of Marc and Jake really, and similar to them, it was just a matter of being open enough that the other person felt comfortable taking of their mask too. I think they'd get along pretty well honestly, almost a grumpy+sunshine dynamic similar to him and his alters. They don't fight very similarly though, so while they get along, there's a lot more communication happening between them to try and fight better together.
Jake: Would also tell immediately that she was trying to analyze them upon first meeting, and I think that might actually trigger him to front when they first meet. She also reminded him of their mother, and Jake would immediately start handing that same energy back to her. I could honestly see a scene where she's asking them questions, and Jake starts to front and responds to her questions with his own questions. However, I think this would result in a friendship to be honest haha! I think through analyzing each other they would figure out they're similar in a lot of ways, and Jake would end up trusting her a lot. He would know that she understood what it was to have secrets and to be constantly striving to be better than the person you were in the past, and he would understand her for the same reasons. I also think they would bond a bit over their protective natures, with how she's protective over Clint and Yelena, and how he protects Marc and Steven. Oh and they would 100000000% dance together. It's basically their version of sparring haha, and in battle in makes it so they barely have to talk in order to coordinate seamlessly together, which works perfectly for him because he doesn't have to be told what to do but he can still work well with her
Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Marc: He'd heard of the Hulk before, and wasn't really sure what to think of it. Some people said he was a good guy, some people said he was bad, overall Marc just kinda hoped he'd never be on his bad side. After meeting Bruce he found that he wasn't afraid of the Hulk at all when he transformed. Cautious of course, but not afraid. He liked Bruce, he kind of reminded him of Steven in his awkwardness and nerdy ramblings. He wasn't exactly close with either Bruce or the Hulk, but they gained a mutual trust
Steven: Steven was very interested in Bruce and the Hulk ever since he'd first heard about them, and at first thought it might've been a weird, magical, or mutated version of DID. Obviously he quickly found out that wasn't the case at all, but he was still very interested in the duality of Bruce and The Other Guy and he ended up having long talks with Bruce about it when they met. I think if they'd met back then, Steven might've been able to help Bruce a lot when he was trying to figure out how to find a balance between himself and the hulk, help him figure out how to merge the best of both worlds. Steven's interactions with Hulk weren't as amicable in the beginning though, because Hulk viewed him mainly as "Banner's Friend", but Steven was still kind to him, so eventually The Hulk grew to like him too
Jake: Jake thought the Hulk was really cool honestly, but he could understand why Bruce didn't like it, because he understood the frustrating feeling of switching when you didn't want to, losing control when things got too emotional. However he didn't really voice how he related to Bruce until much further into their friendship. He still liked Bruce a lot though, for the same reason Marc did, he reminded him of Steven. He likely gets along with The Hulk a bit more though, because of he enthusiastically encouraging he is of the Hulk. He's considered the Hulk's friend, and he fights well alongside him. Overall I also think the Hulk likes the MK system because he understands that they switch similarly to how he and Bruce do, and may actually think about them working together so well when Bruce proposes the idea of them merging and working together better.
BONUS
Loki Laufeyson
(this one I actually already have a fanfic for, which is why there's a link, though it's set in a sort of AU where the Mind Stone hypnotized Loki and made him more violent and evil than he actually is. Here I'll talk about a more canon-ish reaction)
Marc: Obviously, none of the MK boys are gonna like this guy initially. The man sent an alien army to earth, he's not made a good first impression. Getting to know him over time is where things begin to change. When Marc starts to figure out that his swagger and menacing personality is more of a persona than how he actually is, he starts to kind of connect the dots and figure out that this guy may have been manipulated in some way, and may be going through things similar to what Marc went through when he was a mercenary. However he doesn't dig much into it, because he really doesn't love the idea that he might relate to a guy who tried to take over the entire earth (similar to how he doesn't want to relate to Tony either).
Steven: Steven would again, not be a fan of Loki, but unlike the other two, he would be the one actively looking for any sort of redeeming quality in him. Steven would be the one to find out about Loki's father, and how poorly he was treated, and would be able to communicate that to Jake and Marc. He would be the gentlest with Loki, and would likely be able to see through Loki's mask much easier than Marc or Jake would. Whether this would result in a friendship is harder to say though. He would be happy to talk to Loki about his problems, but I can't see him easily finding something to connect with him about. Maybe through magic, and Loki talking about spells and things he knows, similar to how Steven bonds with Thor.
Jake: Again, not a fan at first, but that changes over time. Unlike Marc, Jake would likely trust Steven's ideas about Loki, and how he may not be as horrible as he seems, or at least, he may have been manipulated into being what he is now. Jake I think would be able to talk to Loki and create a stronger friendship with him than the other two, being the people person he is. He wouldn't be able to easily talk about the trauma-related stuff, that's more Steven's expertise, but he would be able to see what Steven does eventually, and realize Loki isn't so different. He'd be able to analyze him similarly to how he did with Natasha, and while he won't talk to Loki about what he realizes, his opinions will still change, and he'll see him in a different light.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Lemme know if you want to hear about the MK boys (or Layla???) reacting to more heroes! Again, if you make anything based of of these ideas, definitely tag me, I wanna see what you made!!
I wanna talk about this little easter egg. Itās been pointed out before by all those āeaster eggs you missedā things floating around. BUT thereās more to it.Ā
Khnum: One of the earliest-known Egyptian deities. God of the source of the Nile, creator of the other deities, āLord of created things from himselfā, āDivine Potterā.Ā
The story is that he is the source of the Nile, thus the source of life giving himself. He created the gods and humans from the silt that washes down the Nile, thus he is the Divine Potter. Sometimes called both the father and mother of Ra.Ā
Iām rewatching Moon Knight while Iām cleaning the house bc cleaning the house sucks and Iām trying to keep it āØfunāØ but ANYWAY I wanna talk about this scene real quick
Because this is the sneakiest little bit of forshadowing/plot clues I have EVER seen and I fucking love it
āWormā is Khonshuās lil nickname for Steven, for lack of a better term, so you would assume that Khonshuās speaking to Steven here. He does, after all, call Steven āwormā 95% of the time from here on out.
However.
This is the first time Steven and Khonshu have ever interacted. Steven, up until this point, has never had anything to do with the Moon Knight side of the business. And yet Khonshu reacts to Stevenās sudden appearance like itās happened before. āGo back to sleepā has a very this is not for you to take care of kind of vibe. Itās not a dismissal. Itās a go back to sleep and Iāll talk to you later.
And then Khonshu immediately follows up with this.
And he says it in a panicked and frazzled sort of tone. Khonshu sounds worried here. Which I find a little odd, since Marc has always been easily able to take back the body from Stevenāup until this point at least. Steven has never been a concern for Khonshu because he knows and, for the most part, trusts Marc to keep Steven out of it. And Marc has largely been successful with that. Stevenās appearance here should be no different, and, at the end, for all of Stevenās reappearances, it wasnāt different. Marc took the body back and Marc handled it like he always does. There was no need for Khonshu to be worried.
But then Khonshu says this.
Which I think is a very interesting choice of words.
āSurrender the bodyā is nowhere near as harsh of a language as Khonshu usually uses with Steven. Itās a command, sure, but itās also an ask. Surrendering is a voluntary action. And the language Khonshu uses with Steven is never like that. Itās demanding. Itās commands. Itās threats. Khonshu wants Steven gone and heās not shy about letting Steven know.
We see it right here
He also, if I may point out, calls Steven āparasiteā here. Not āwormā. āWormā does not come into play until after this, almost like Khonshuās trying to cover up a slip up of words.
But anyway.
For as worried as Khonshu sounds here, there is no hesitation when he says āyouāre not supposed to be here.ā There is no hesitation when he says āsurrender the body to Marcā It is instant and itās direct and he knows exactly who heās speaking to.
Except he doesnāt.
The idiotās in control.
Not the worm.
This is when Khonshu realizes who heās talking to.
This when when Khonshu realizes heās talking to Steven and not who he thought he was talking to.
And we know Khonshuās not talking to Marc, so who else could he be talking to? Who would Khonshu know about, who would be able to easily take the body from Marc and keep it, who Khonshu would have interacted with before and would have been panicked and worried about showing up unannounced because heās not supposed to be there?
The biggest difference we are meant to see between Marc and Steven is the fact that Steven is so open and expressive. When we first meet Marc, he is glaring, stone faced, and so stiff. He is a rock and Steven is water.
In reality, Marc is sand. Slowly breaking down beneath the brutal winds that have been beating at him all his life.
As the show progresses, we see Marc have little breakthroughs of exasperation, irritation, stress, and anger. An eye roll, a twitch of the lips, and pulling away to reset.
We see his exhausted and extreme control to control everything about his emotions. We see him fidget. We see his fingers twitch. We see him sigh and run his hands over his hair.
Ticks or someone that has been taught not to stim. Not to draw attention. Not to show weakness.
When he was younger, he probably bounced his legs till he was chastised to stop. He probably would vocal stim till he was told his voice was too much. He probably excitedly flapped his hands over his favorite show until he started to get hit.
This right here? This is a reset. A lapse in control that he catches and controls. We see it the most around Layla.
The peaks behind the curtain. The way she moves her hands when he starts to close in on himself. His hands are together pressed so tightly in on himself. Look at the way she moves to touch his fingers rather than holding him still or clasping his hands into a cage. She does this while watching his face so intently. She knows. She is opening him up, encouraging him to stim. To touch her fingers. To move.
Even here, when we first see him, cold and trying his best to be intimidating while frustrated. He knows he fucked up here. He knows he fucked up real bad and he isn't smart enough to fix it.
It's the way he settles into that spot. The shift. It's a small shift in feet. A shift from someone that used to walk a little differently. Someone used to the off balance and toe step. A step that has been drilled out of them.
Even just his eyes, intimidating, but honestly a stare that is locked and scared. Look at his arms slowly settle into that "standing man" position he's so good at. He's halfway debating on trying to pretend to be Steven. You can see it in the way his face shifts JUST the smallest bit around the jaw.
Even here. He's in so much pain physically and emotionally. His lips are SO pulled tight. He's probably been tortured before. Used to pain. Used to being hit. Used to hiding how much something hurts. He's breathing through it and rembering his training.
But he's tired and his system stability has been compromised by this point and he's been fighting Steven up to this point (and probably Jake who probably has thoughts about this situation).
The way he goes from full grimace to exhale to a perfectly calm face. He knows how to mask to the extreme.
So what is this? And of course....
Marc is unable to mask in the Duat. Not just because of the extreme stress he is under or the fact that he is dead.
I have a few theories on why:
Being dead, he has no body and has lost the fine control he has gained over the years. Before he could feel the need to express himself and his muscles would shut it down automatically. A sort of self preservation and natural response he has honed over the years.
This of course means that in their head space, he is also unable to mask. Remember the first time he spoke to Steven? The frustration in his voice as he demanded that Steven stop looking? Even when he's seen in the reflections, you see more of Marc's expressions than when he has the body.
2. He is being judged on the boat and being prevented from masking. The duat is seeing his true self to balance on the scales. All those who pass through, might lose the ability to hide themselves. Those who are evil are more evil and easy to see. So here, Marc's true feelings are exposed. His worries, his frustrations, his confusion, his utter reliance on Steven to tend to his emotional state.
In the scene here, Marc's hand is fidgeting and twitching. Many times when Steven is explaining things to Marc in the Duat, we see Marc look to him with utter trust, adoration, and eagerness. He is unable to hide how he feels about Steven. Not the irritation or impatience he showed in the real world, but kindness and love.
Here, we see the real Marc Spector. The real reason why his scales balanced.
A theory on why he was suddenly worthy when Steven went over the edge? All of Marc's love for Steven was realized. It wasn't because he was suddenly 'whole' or 'singular'. But because he was seen to care for Steven. To do everything for Steven. He himself suddenly realized how much he needed Steven and depended on him. (just one of the theories that avoids the implied able-ism that could be taken away from the scene because I am hopeful and want to see the good in Marc and in why he was worthy).
3. He has been separated from his head-mates. Steven, who is his emotional protector is not there to help him reign in his extreme emotions. Jake, who is (in my headcannon) gate keeper and physical protector, is not there to save him and keep away the more harmful memories.
Not to say that Jake or Steven keep Marc masked, but more along the lines of they help Marc not get overwhelmed in certain situations.
4. Mirroring. This is an unfamiliar situation. He has lost his body. He has been separated from Jake and Steven as mentioned above. He is exhibiting the ultimate form of masking, by copying the energy of those around him. He has the same excitement that Steven has. The same open face and more so: When with Harrow, he shuts down and pushes out the same cool exterior while desperately trying to figure out what Harrow wants and how to please him so he can get out of the situation. Something he probably did a lot with his mother. What can he do and display to appease her so she won't hurt him.
Ironically, when Marc mirrors Steven, it shows his true side and we get to see who Marc really is under his gruff exterior: A kind and loving man.
A man that needs someone to see him. To really see him. Who has been afraid his whole life of people seeing the real him while also desperately wishing to be understood.
He still masks once resurrected and out of the Duat, but we see him smile, really smile, when he sees that Layla is alright. We hear the joy in his voice when talking to Steven. We see the fear when he doesn't understand what happened when Jake saved them.
We even see how his face twists and contorts when faced with killing Harrow with Layla and Steven there.
He is a man that does not have to be seen as the cold killer. He is starting to understand that he has found his safe people. People that maybe...just maybe... He can trust enough to be vulnerable and open around. People he can love.
