the ending of MK2016 means a lot to me
The way the writers conclude the story of Khonshu and Moon Knight is really well done and hits pretty hard. I feel like many storylines in media depicting mental illness involves recovery or healing or whatever. A troubled character overcomes their illness, blah blah blah, because they were "broken" and now they aren't and that's their "happy ending."
It's always something about how Character wasn't happy before, but now they are because they're "cured." But Moon Knight is portrayed in a much more compassionate way. He doesn't get "fixed" at the end of this story. That's not what makes him happy. What makes him happy is breaking away from his abuser and learning to accept his identity and his past, and learning to love his alters as well as himself. Because even though they have struggles, they're going to live in the best way they can.
That really speaks to me.
Speaking of abuser, I really appreciate the depiction of Khonshu in these issues. He's written as, bluntly put, a groomer. He's manipulative and exploits Marc's weaknesses (life-or-death, parental figures, identity, etc). It just seems important to me to have Marc go through this development in his relationship with Khonshu. He goes from relying on Khonshu, depending on him, doing everything he wants him to do, to realising that he doesn't need Khonshu.
It's a development of identity and self-worth and acceptance. The part where he realises that he and Steven and Jake are still Moon Knight without Khonshu hit really hard. The part where they realise they are free and they mean something.
And I love the use of plural pronouns at the very end because throughout the series, Marc referred to himself and his alters as all completely separate people with no connection whatsoever, even seeing them as things he needs to get rid of to "cure himself." It's always been I/Me/Myself and Them. The use of our/we is really powerful because he's starting to accept and embrace himself and the other identities.
He's not trying to fix himself anymore because yes, he struggled, and yes, he suffered, but they were never broken. And they're happy now.
