Moon Knight has always been one of the more bare-bones Marvel superheroes. Although he has been shown using some advanced gadgetry and vehicles in the past, it's more common to see him fighting in an alley similar to other street-level heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man. This is best expressed through the character's costume, which is nothing more than a cloth outfit with varying degrees of protection. However, the new trailer for the upcoming Disney+ series looks to be giving Moon Knight's suit a more supernatural flair that could totally reinterpret the importance of the outfit from head to toe.
In the comics, Marc Spector's role as Moon Knight makes him the fist of the Egyptian moon God, Khonshu. As a result, his outfit is almost always white, illuminating the moonlight before his enemies. There are also instances where the moon gives him the strength to continue his fight for vengeance. But unlike the TV show, Marc's outfit isn't bound by any supernatural laws, meaning he can alter its appearance whenever he desires. But Moon Knight's new suit looks to be an extension of the God and may carry more thematic weight than ever before.
How Moon Knight's New Costume Changes the Character
Although the role of Moon Knight makes Marc Spector/Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) an agent of justice, there's an element of horror that makes up this new iteration. One scene in the trailer reveals that rather than having him put on the suit, it envelopes him at night, similar to the bandages that wrap around a mummy. In essence, the suit now makes Moon Knight seem more like a monster trying to be a hero. This is evidenced by his natural inclination for brutality against his enemies, showing that the humanity that remains when he dons the suit is what keeps him being a hero and not a rampaging animal for justice.
The suit's image of enveloping Marc/Steven also teases how this "gift" is actually a prison for the character. The trailer showcases how Marc can't sleep and when he awakens from another seemingly bad dream, his bed is surrounded by sand. Ever since being Khonshu's servant, Marc/Steven's life no longer appears to be his own. As a result, Moon Knight's transformation sequence isn't supposed to look heroic, but tragic, expanding on how Marc/Steven's role has affected his mind and well-being.
Will Moon Knight Be Treated Like Royalty?
Aside from thematic changes, the suit's visual alterations also look to change the character's importance significantly. In the comics, Moon Knight is the one thing that can enact the justice and vengeance that Khonshu desires. As a result, he is his fist and servant and is meant to deliver his will on criminals nightly. But in a world of superheroes, Marc's outfit doesn't have a regal appearance that a role like his should have. That said, the new series looks to embrace his regality fully.
As an Egyptian knight, Marc/Steven's transformation is meant to be a divine moment where the power of Khonshu compels him to complete his mission. The suit's designs also signify his agency to Khonshu in unique ways. For starters, the hood has a small crescent moon, Khonshu's symbol. The outfit also has a gold crescent moon chest piece and other smaller gold armor pieces that are wrapped in bindings, giving a mummified look to the suit. Finally, even his waist has a gold belt that connects to a front-facing cloth that extends to his knees, giving a knight or priest-like image. With these more royal-looking changes to his suit, Moon Knight's significance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may carry more weight than ever before as the supernatural world continues to expand.
To see all the changes to Moon Knight's costume, the series will begin streaming on Disney+ on March 30.