#moonstrange

[doctorofmagic]

Ultimate 616 Strange Ship - Round 1

Spouses Supreme (Stephen Strange/Clea Strange)

Moonstrange (Stephen Strange/Marc Spector

Voting ended onFeb 10, 2023

[consilio-cameos]

Swapping cloak with your boyfriend!

Because Stephen doesn't have a hood, Cloakie was willing to fold on Marc's head (and making cat's ears for our meow meow 😻) and of course Moon Knight's cloak has its dramatic moon shape :)

[tethrarisms]

So this is basically how Moonstrange works.

[doctorofmagic]

So today I saw discourse over the Moonstrange tag and decided to not be silent about it.

While I know Marc and Stephen barely share a solid backstory, Stephen was canonically the first person to tell Steven that the supernatural was real, and that his life was in danger in case he didn’t open his eyes to magic.

He also performed a mystic surgery on Marc to get rid of Hobgoblin’s infection.

And had pity on Marc when he was trying to steal his power.

Not to mention that, although they never exchanged words during the event, Mr. Knight agreed to save Stephen from Mephisto when Wong assembled the Midnight Sons. Oh, and they also were summoned by the Goddess in Infinity Crusade AND worked together on the same team in Original Sin.

EDIT: I forgot about Contagion, where Stephen tries to guide Marc during his mission.

Oh, and don’t forget the Smallwood’s Midnight Sons that never made into canon.

Also since we’re talking about 616, I’ll not include the Spidey’s shows with their interactions. But they exist.

Keep your discourse to yourself. Shipping does not require a solid background. It’s just for fun. Chill.

[consilio-cameos]

Lazy morning, magic coffee and lagic boyfriend

[tethrarisms]

NOW both Marc and Stephen being afraid of hurting people due to their burdens as the Fist of Khonshu and the Sorcerer Supreme, respectively, is such a good trope for them because...

Marc just confessed to his therapist that he lost everyone in the name of Khonshu and he regrets it because it cost him everything. He hates himself for it, so he invests his entire being in Moon Knight/ Mr. Knight because he doesn’t want to be Marc Spector.

Whereas Stephen also hates himsef for every mistake he has ever made, except he doesn’t have a coping mechanism to avoid his own self. He does reject love and tries to find comfort in one-night stands, but nothing works for him because, every time he looks in the mirror, he’s disgusted. Well, at least no one gets hurt, right?

But what if Marc and Stephen realized that they’re both safe in each other’s arms because, please, Marc could never ever hurt the Sorcerer Supreme by being Moon Knight Age of Khonshu never happened, while Marc can’t really die, can he? So of course, they’d still have their insecurities and fear of hurting each other by actions and words, but getting hurt because of their line of work? Never. In a sense, they find comfort in each other because they wouldn’t hate themselves for putting their loved ones in danger. They’d realize they don’t need to be alone. They’re stronger together.

Stephen wouldn’t love Moon Knight, or Mr. Knight, or Jake Lockley or Steven Grant. He’d love Marc Spector, he’d love Marc for the man he is and in return Marc would love himself because he’d realize he deserves love. On the other hand, Stephen wouldn’t hate himself for pushing Marc away because he fears Marc would get hurt because of him.

Again, THE POTENTIAL THESE TWO HAVE AS A COUPLE, THE ANGST AND THE HURT/COMFORT???? MUTUAL PINING??? SLOW BURN? THEY HAVE IT ALL!!

[tethrarisms]

When I first pictured the idea of shipping MoonStrange, I just saw it in the light of two introverted, mysterious men getting along. But I failed to realize that, in fact, they have TONS of potential as a couple because 1) they’re both driven by guilt and self-loathing and 2) they can totally support one another emotionally.

While Stephen regrets his time as an arrogant neurosurgeon, plus his successive mistakes as the Sorcerer Supreme, Marc can’t erase the things he’s done during his mercenary days.

While Stephen is constantly drowned in pain, Marc is constantly haunted by violence.

While Stephen thinks he’s responsible for his sister and brother’s deaths, and indirectly his parents’, Marc is sure he killed his own brother. And they both deal with constant guilt over these events.

While Stephen struggles with the certainty that he deserves loneliness (as in, “disappearing” from society), Marc’s afraid of disappearing among his other identities.

Lastly, the first person to tell Marc that the occult was real, including Konshu, was Stephen. And somehow, Marc believed in him, which would later lead him to believe in his own visions instead of assuming he was having an episode.

Stephen can provide Marc with an anchor regarding reality and the supernatural, as well as his other identities, while Marc can provide Stephen with the reassurance of worth.

You see the potential here? The angst? The hurt and comfort? I’m drowning.

[tethrarisms]

Stephen: So, Marc... You told me you're not very fond of teamwork. But I'm aware you were part of the West Coast Avengers and also became a Midnight Son for me.

Marc: Well... I was also in Cap's Secret Avengers, Marvel Knights, Heroes for Hire and the Defenders. But you know me, I'd rather work alone.

Stephen: I see... Wait. Did you just say you were in the Defenders?

Marc: Yeah, it was my very first team!

Stephen: H-How were you in the Defenders and I didn't know it?

Marc: Wait. You're telling me you were a Defender too?

Stephen: Marc. I founded the Defenders.