Of all the icons in the Marvel Universe, Moon Knight is one of the least well-known, despite having an enormous amount of untapped material. His complex character makes him one of the most interesting figures to ever don a cape and cowl. He remains one of the most strikingly mysterious vigilantes that have yet to be involved with the MCU, embodying the paradoxes that make both a superhero and supervillain in equal parts.
As rich as Batman, as agile as Spider-Man, and as ruthless as The Punisher, Moon Knight appears in the shadows of the full moon to dispense vengeance on the criminal underworld. With a character arc that depicts one man’s journey from damaged goods to the embodiment of an Ancient Egyptian deity, his mission vacillates between getting revenge on the man who left him for dead and doing the bidding of the Moon God that gave him a new life.
Updated on February 28, 2022 by Scoot Allan: The first look at the newest MCU hero and star of the upcoming Moon Knight series has fans who are unfamiliar with the character looking to the comics for more information on the Lunar Avenger. While he's frequently compared to DC's Dark Knight, Moon Knight has quite a few elements that separate him from Batman. Exploring his unique history and motivations will help readers learn everything they can about Moon Knight.
25 He First Appeared As A Werewolf Hunter For The Committee
Since he's a vigilante with moon-based powers, it seems only natural that Moon Knight hunted supernatural creatures of a similar ilk. Moon Knight first appeared in comics tracking down Jack Russell – a werewolf who used his transformative powers to take down corrupt bureaucrats. In Werewolf By Night #32, Russell runs afoul of some malevolent businessmen called the Committee, who hire Moon Knight to solve their werewolf problem.
Moon Knight’s moon-based costume and weapons, made from silver, were specifically given to him to combat Jack Russell’s powers. Although Moon Knight began the issue as a villainous mercenary who eventually caught Russell, when he found out that the Committee planned to use the monster as an instrument for evil, he heroically let him go.
24 He Developed Multiple Personalities After A Childhood Trauma
One commonality among Moon Knight's various incarnations is his Disassociative Identity Disorder. Whether he’s being manipulated by an ancient Egyptian God or slowly descending into madness, he’s displayed no less than ten different alters. He has Moon Knight, Marc Spector (the host personality), and other characters that connect him to his bloody past. Strangely, this includes versions of all the Avengers!
It’s no surprise, given his multiple personalities, that a recent incarnation of Moon Knight from 2016 woke up in a mental hospital. Hospital personnel were convinced his heroics as Moon Knight were simply hallucinations brought on by paranoid schizophrenia, a completely separate mental health condition.
23 He Uses His Alters To Fight Crime
While he was born Marc Spector, his Dissociative Identity Disorder created several alters (alternate personas) within the character. He was ultimately sent to a psychiatric facility as a child to help him cope. However, he managed to use his alters to assist him with his crimefighting career as Moon Knight.
Spector was the mercenary who gave Moon Knight the skills, although he also used the public identity of millionaire playboy Stephen Grant to draw attention away from his activities and fund his mission. He also created the identity of Jake Lockley, a cab driver who kept his ear to the street for information. It's hard to say if all of these individuals are meant to be seen as alters or as cover identities, like Batman's Matches Malloy.
22 His Abilities Were Lunar-Based And Changed With The Moon
Recent versions of Moon Knight depict him as a stripped-down superhero with no real superpowers, but exceptional martial arts training and gadgets. However, there are versions of Moon Knight who developed augmented powers based on the phases of the moon.
In 1985’s Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu, Marc Spector was possessed by an ancient Egyptian god who resurrected him and made him the Moon Knight. As the avatar of Khonshu, he gained enhanced speed, agility, night vision, and accelerated healing. However, his abilities were only present when the moon was out and diminished when the moon waned.
21 Moon Knight Wears All White For A Specific Reason
Not one to hide in the shadows and carry a Tide stick, Moon Knight wears all-white on purpose. Many superheroes dress for stealth (Batman, Black Panther), while others dress to stand out from the crowd (Deadpool, Wonder Woman). Moon Knight wears white so that his enemies see him coming.
It takes a certain amount of confidence and bravado to wear all-white, and Moon Knight exemplifies both. He’s convinced that even though he presents a prominent target, fear of his unpredictably brutal nature ensures his enemies never hit it. Incidentally, Moon Knight’s costume does sometimes incorporate yellow accents (much like in his Civil War run), but only about as much as Batman’s insignia.
20 He's Against Joining Super Teams (But Joins Them Anyway)
Like Batman, Moon Knight is a bit of a loner. He doesn’t do well as part of super teams like the Fantastic Four or the X-Men. But like Batman, he begrudgingly helps his fellow superheroes from time to time and even becomes a card-carrying member of the Avengers. In 1987, the Egyptian God Khonshu instructed Moon Knight to join the West Coast Avengers, which he dutifully did.
In recent years, Moon Knight has been made an official Avenger, rather than a superhero who occasionally answers Captain America’s distress call. It’s just as well since it grants him access to infinite supplies, funds, and tech (not that he didn’t have that already).
19 Moon Knight Has Worn Multiple Costumes Over The Years
While Moon Knight first donned his costume to honor his role as Khonshu's fist of vengeance, he wore a few different costumes over the years that reflected either his commitment to his mission or his ever-changing mental state.
He added gold artifacts to his costume when he began working with the Cult of Khonshu, and he later adopted a heavily-armored suit during his time with the Secret Avengers. He also dressed up for his new role as Mr. Knight – a supernatural detective with a nice white suit, gloves, and a simple white mask with a crescent moon. And he also wore a modern black and white costume.
18 He Branded Criminals With The Sign of The Moon
The run of Moon Knight issues in 2006 depicted a darker, more violent Marc Spector. Much like Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, which depicts a Batman who has no qualms about his brutality with the criminals he encounters, so does Moon Knight, who loses his patience with "the scum of the Earth."
Taking on the literal worst of the worst of humanity, Moon Knight showed no mercy. He branded their forehead with a crescent-shaped mark (and did so several times if they were a repeat offender). Moon Knight never felt like he could go far enough in exposing the twisted depravity of the criminal underworld, especially since, more often than not, it seemed to lurk in plain sight.
17 Moon Knight Uses Tech And Vehicles That Are Similar To Batman
Like a certain playboy turned Caped Crusader, billionaire Marc Spector has the ability to invest in as much Moon Knight tech as he needs. Like Batman, he developed a cape that he can use to glide from rooftop to rooftop, as well as various grappling hooks that shoot out from his telescoping fighting staff made from adamantium.
From supersonic jets to crescent-shaped throwing darts, Moon Knight has everything an obnoxiously rich modern crime-fighter could need. His vehicle of choice is his Mooncopter, which is basically a hovercraft with all the latest artillery in one sleek package. He also has a moon-inspired limousine and motorcycle (because of course he does).
16 He Has Dated Several Of His Teammates
Being part of the Avengers means office romances are founded on a super level. Marc Spector began dating Tigra when he became part of the West Coast Avengers. However, their romance was fiery, volatile, and ultimately resulted in them realizing they valued their independence too much to keep each other tied down.
After Tigra, Moon Knight became involved with Echo, who'd joined the Avengers as Ronin. Two misfits with a penchant for brooding moodiness, they fell in love over their shared bond of feeling like drifting outcasts with too much baggage. Echo passed away in front of Moon Knight, adding to his trauma. Unfortunately, his lone wolf mentality often prevents him from meeting anyone outside of work.
15 He Has A Unique Fighting Style
The 2006 version of Moon Knight was dark, gritty, and merciless. Becoming an agent of the Egyptian God Khonshu’s vengeful will, Moon Knight didn’t care how violent his dispensing of justice got, and the more Khonshu tightened his grip on his psyche, the worse his wrath and brazenness became.
Moon Knight’s unique fighting style lies in his dogmatic onslaught. He blocks nothing, letting knives and bullets pierce him, and is driven purely by his own insanity or belief in Khonshu’s protection. When Taskmaster (the infamous mercenary who's hired by a crime syndicate to take Moon Knight down) fails, it's because his powers of perfectly mimicking the fighting styles of his opponents would have resulted in his death.
14 His Father Was A Rabbi Who Escaped Nazi Germany
A prominent Jewish Rabbi in war-torn Germany, Marc Spector’s father evaded capture by fleeing to America and taking up residence in Chicago. Although he was routinely harassed by thugs for his spiritual beliefs, his unwavering pacifism held firm. Marc was disappointed in his father’s perceived cowardice and started training him as a boxer from the moment he was a young boy.
His father disapproved of his violent lifestyle and tried to make him put down his gloves for good. This resulted in Marc punching his own father and knocking him out before signing up for the Navy the following morning. His father later died of cancer, having never seen his son again. This was later retconned and the new story had Elias place his son in a psychiatric facility when he was a child.
13 His Brother, Randall, Was A Serial Killer Who Became Shadowknight
Marc's younger brother Randall was frequently bullied as a child, leaving his older brother to protect him. They had a troubled relationship over the years. They both entered into the military and worked together as mercenaries, although Randall caused the death of Marc's loved one and their relationship ended with the apparent death of Rand.
He later returned as a manipulated serial killer known as the Hatchet Man. After that, he tried to take the role of Khonshu's avatar away from his brother by becoming the murderous and demented villain known as Shadowknight.
12 He's Been Resurrected By Khonshu A Number Of Times
The entire basis for Moon Knight’s character lies in the death and resurrection of Marc Spector. Hired by Raoul Bushman for mercenary work in the Egyptian desert, Spector ultimately disapproved of Bushman’s ruthless nature and challenged him on a mission. Bushman responded by killing Spector and leaving him there. It was there that he encountered the Egyptian God Khonshu, God of Vengeance, who deemed him a worthy vessel of his powers.
Marc Spector’s pact with Khonshu came with the advantage of immortality. Consequently, Moon Knight has been brought back to life on numerous occasions. Fatal wounds that would end any other mortal superhero are healed by the Moon God, allowing Moon Knight to continue his vengeful spree.
11 Moon Knight Is A Highly-Trained Soldier, Martial Artist, And Olympic-Level Athlete
It’s a given that most superheroes have quite a bit of training under their utility belts. Like fellow Marvel superheroes Deadpool and The Punisher, Moon Knight was a highly trained mercenary before he donned his white cape and cowl. From all his training, Marc Spector gained an elite set of skills that perfectly transferred over into a life of fighting crime.
An expert in Judo, Karate, and Savate, Marc Spector could take down an opponent with a single blow applied specifically to nerve clusters on the human body. This was in addition to being a former Olympic-level gymnast, as well as an expert marksman with a variety of firearms.
10 His Weapons Were Designed By Hawkeye In The Ancient Past
Like the timeline of a Terminator movie, Moon Knight was once connected to the West Coast Avengers... 5,000 years before he would eventually join them. One particular story follows Hawkeye (the then leader of the West Coast Avengers), Iron Man, Tigra, and others as they get flung back in time to Ancient Egypt.
Fleeing civil unrest in the streets of Cairo over the current Pharaoh, the West Coast Avengers hold up in the temple of Khonshu, the Moon God. Hawkeye ends up fashioning all manner of weapons for the priests to protect themselves, including dozens of crescent darts. These would be the weapons presented to Marc Spector when he became Moon Knight, the Fist of Khonshu, 5,000 years later.
9 He Has Been Known To Go Too Far
Moon Knight has sometimes been regarded as an unusually sadistic superhero. The fact that he can be possessed by the essence of the Moon God of Vengeance at any time means Marc is a crime fighter who makes Batman look like a boy scout.
For years, Moon Knight sought revenge on Raoul Bushman – his former employer who left him for dead in the Egyptian desert. He eventually caught up with Bushman and engaged him in brutal combat. Despite suffering from two broken knees, Moon Knight whipped out two crescent darts and did several unsavory things to Bushman's face.
8 His Understanding of Reality Has Been Called Into Question
Creating a different personality that matches each chapter of someone's life is a heavy lift but it's integral to who Moon Knight is. Certain areas of his life were filled with violence and tragedy, and he created uniquely tailored aliases to handle them. Unfortunately, he's also sometimes had trouble distinguishing his real life from his fantasies.
More recent issues of Moon Knight bring Marc Spector’s mental health issues to the forefront, often making readers ask how much of what's presented on the page is reflected in reality. In recent years, Spector was committed to a mental health facility, where the staff tried to convince him that his escapades as Moon Knight were never real.
7 He Began His Life As A Mercenary
Although his first comic appearance depicted him as a supervillain, Moon Knight’s reasons for allying with a crime syndicate were retconned as deception, implying he didn’t so much work for them but try to topple them from the inside. After he began showing up as a superhero in Spider-Man comics, writers developed a new origin for the character.
He became known as Marc Spector, a mercenary for hire. He sought employment with Raoul Bushman in Africa, but when his employer was happy to slaughter a village to get to at an Egyptian treasure, Spector stood up for what was right, even when it meant sacrificing himself.
6 He Serves As The God Khonshu's Avatar On Earth
When Marc Spector found himself clinging to life after his former employer left him for dead in the Egyptian desert, the tomb of Khonshu provided welcome solace. The Egyptian God of Vengeance, Khonshu, also represented the spirit of the moon, and Spector felt like he owed his life to the ancient deity.
He made a pact with the ancient god to restore his health, and in return, he would fight crime as an act of worship. Khonshu accepted and Spector donned the traditional robes of Khonshu’s priests, becoming Moon Knight. Defined by vengeance more than heroism, Moon Knight often became the embodiment of Khonshu’s will, known as the Fist of Khonshu.