Moon Knight's Second Suit Explained
This article contains spoilers for "Moon Knight" episode 2.
With "Moon Knight" now fully underway, it's clear that Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) and his second identity Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) have their work cut out for them. The second episode of the Disney+ series puts Steven, Marc, and their super-powered vigilante identity Moon Knight smack in the center of a conflict with Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) — and brings a new ally into the mix with Layla (May Calamawy). While Marc's fight sequences in episode one were shown in fits and starts, we now get to see Moon Knight in full hero mode. Even Steven gets in on the action at one point.
Episode 2 works so well because it unspools the mystery of Moon Knight and Marc through Steven's eyes, while also allowing him to hold onto his agency. Steven, rightfully, is reluctant to relinquish control to Marc again after watching his life fall apart at the seams. But this means that, when Harrow inevitably finds him again (and unleashes yet another jackal to recover that mysterious scarab totem we saw in episode 1), it's Steven who steps up for the rematch. He even manages to manifest a super-suit of his own: an all-white three piece number with a dapper mask to match.
It's a weirdly perfect fit for the good-natured Steven Grant, and this suit actually has roots in the Moon Knight comics — though it has been reworked a bit to accommodate the changes in the series.
Meet Mr. Knight
Most Moon Knight fans know that the vigilante struggles with DID, or dissociative identity disorder, and has at least four identities (or alters) total — including Moon Knight himself. But Khonshu, the Egyptian deity who sponsors Moon Knight (voiced by F. Murray Abraham), possesses four disparate aspects of his own. He is Pathfinder, Embracer, Defender, and the Watcher of Overnight Travelers. He also has another, secret aspect called The One Who Lives on Hearts, and each of these are believed to affect Marc differently.
In writer Warren Ellis and artist Declan Shalvey's "Moon Knight" Vol. 7, Marc's therapist suggests that his DID is actually just a manifestation of Khonshu's four aspects. Her theory is never outright confirmed, but each of Marc's alters have been known to embody specific aspects of Khonshu at certain times. The One Who Lives on Hearts is considered to be the most violent manifestation of Moon Knight. On the other side of the coin is "Mr. Knight," and though he isn't exactly a pacifist, he's definitely got a more level-headed approach to fighting crime and the forces of evil. And he wears that slick three-piece suit while he goes about his business.
Mr. Knight, much like Steven Grant in the comics, is the hero's most public-facing identity. Moon Knight can be brash and uber-violent, which often puts him at odds with local law enforcement. Mr. Knight, on the other hand, is merely a "concerned citizen." A citizen that shares Moon Knight's affinity for crescent-shaped paraphernalia, sure — but not his criminal record. As a result, Mr. Knight can work with the NYPD without having to answer for any of his cowled confrere's misdeeds. He even protects the boys in blue from more dangerous fights against forces beyond their control.
How this changes in the Disney+ series
The "Moon Knight" series takes a number of liberties with the hero in question, especially when it comes to Steven's relationship to Marc. The Steven Grant in the comics is a well-off philanthropist who essentially funds Marc's exploits as Moon Knight, but the Steven of the series is a regular Joe who can barely hold down his life as it stands (though, to be clear, that's through no fault of his own). That means that his role in Khonshu's plans — as well as Mr. Knight — had to be tweaked to fit this new characterization.
Steven is very much averse to this new life he's found himself thrust into. He has no desire to be a superhero at all. He's pretty averse to violence. He's vegan, for crying out loud. But when faced with the idea of Marc emerging again, and the threat of Harrow's conveniently-invisible jackal, Steven makes a surprising choice. He becomes his own version of a superhero: Mr. Knight, complete with a dapper suit. It's a brilliant way to further distinguish Steven from Marc, and show that he's not nearly as useless as Khonshu may have believed.
Though Marc inevitably takes over again at the end of episode 2, effectively silencing Steven for the time being, we'll hopefully get to see the return of Mr. Knight in future episodes.
"Moon Knight" is streaming Wednesdays on Disney+.