One of the unique features of superhero comics is the strange cosmology that arises when creators start combining disparate plot threads. It's how, for example, an Asgardian god can end up fighting time travelers from the far future, or high-tech robots can end up in Christian hell. The trick is to develop a coherent continuity around it all and enough logical rules to make it all work. That's far harder than it looks, but if it can be done -- and the Marvel Cinematic Universe most assuredly has crossed that finish line -- then the really weird stuff becomes much easier to manage.
A new Reddit theory from poster PocketBlackHole applies the principle to Khonshu, Marc Spector's divine patron in the Moon Knight miniseries. Though both Khonshu and the show remain a largely separate part of the MCU by design, he may hold deep connections to Kang the Conqueror. The theory spells it out, and while it comes with a few holes, it has some strong points to make. With Kang gearing up to be the central villain for Phase 5, Khonshu may suddenly be the fulcrum for a very weird confluence of MCU elements.
The MCU Theory Claims that Moon Knight's Khonshu Is the God of Time
According to the theory, Khonshu holds dominion over the realm of time, along with the moon and justice. That's suggested by his belief in justice as a matter of cause and effect. Unlike his foe Ammit, who wants to punish the guilty before they commit their crimes, Khonshu stresses free will, which means waiting until the deed is done before pronouncing judgment. It's a subtle affirmation of the flow of time, as events follow prescribed patterns rather than being altered by prescient knowledge beforehand.
Furthermore, as the theory states, his command of the heavens involves the ability to move the stars back and forth. He uses it in Season 1, Episode 3, "The Friendly Type," allowing Steven and Layla to find Ammit's tomb by consulting the position of the constellations in the distant past. Ancient societies used astronomy and the positions of heavenly bodies to calculate things like the change in seasons, which is very strongly associated with time. His healing abilities could be interpreted in a similar fashion, essentially giving a wounded person more time in their life path back, fixing any injuries.
But the most telling example involves an Easter egg in "The Friendly Type," in which Marc's version of Moon Knight battles a group of cultists. One of them has an image of what appears to be Rama-Tut on the back of his jacket. Rama-Tut is a variant of Kang the Conqueror, who traveled back in time to rule as a pharaoh. The connection may be more than passing, especially with Kang set to make a serious impact on The MCU.
A Clash Between Khonshu and Kang May Be in the Works
As the theory observes, it wouldn't be much of a leap to set Khonshu against Kang at some point in the past. The villain's attempts to alter history to his liking would draw the ire of a "god of time," should Khonshu choose to adopt that mantle. It might even bolster the reasons for Khonshu's expulsion from the Ennead, as he periodically seeks to thwart Kang's incursions and repeatedly violates their policy of noninterference in the process.
It all entails a fair amount of conjecture and runs against the miniseries' careful placement separate from the larger MCU. There's certainly enough going on with both Kang the Conqueror and Phase 5 as a whole to leave Khonshu out of it without missing him unduly. But should The MCU choose to integrate Moon Knight more fully at some point in the future, Kang could be a means of doing so, owing to his Rama-Tut incarnation. If that comes to pass, Khonshu would be the natural fulcrum for it. It would even be in keeping with his ability to get Moon Knight's various personas into all manner of trouble.