Moon Knight is well-known for his skill and ruthlessness in combat. However, as cunning as he is, Moon Knight has fought against a laundry list of foes that have given him a run for his money. Beyond the everyday lowlifes Marc Spector faces, he's often tasked with bringing Khonshu's justice to enemies that are much stronger than most average criminals.
Moon Knight's villains come from all corners of the Marvel universe. From supernatural foes like Mephisto to humans like Bushman, each bring their own set of challenges and perils for Mark Spector and his alters to face.
10 Mephisto Is A Villain Of Faustian Proportions
First introduced in the 1968 comic, Silver Surfer Issue #3, Mephisto ranks as one of Marvel's most powerful villains. His list of powers and abilities is extremely long, though some honorable mentions include superhuman strength, regeneration, virtual immortality, magic, and the ability to grant wishes through deals reminiscent of Christopher Marlowe's classic play, Dr. Faustus. During the "Age of Khonshu" storyline, Moon Knight faces off against Mephisto in Avengers Issue #34 (2018). Using Thor's hammer Mjolnir, Moon Knight is able to muster enough strength to dispatch the devil in a fight for the ages.
9 Taskmaster Is A Worthy Opponent
Taskmaster is without a doubt one of Marvel's most skilled fighters. With the signature ability to imitate anyone's movements through photographic reflexes, Taskmaster has mastered every form of martial arts imaginable. Combined with weapon skills and fighting styles based on a slew of familiar characters, Taskmaster is a truly formidable opponent.
Moon Knight and Taskmaster's battle comes to a head in Moon Knight Vol. 5 Issue #6. Moon Knight is able to overpower Taskmaster and concludes their duel by carving off Taskmaster's mask (as if he was removing his face).
8 Shadow Knight Is A Familiar Foe
Out of all the villains Moon Knight has faced, Shadow Knight is the only one who was quite literally born to be his nemesis. Behind the mask, Shadow Knight is Marc Spector's brother, Randall "Rand" Spector. The character was first introduced in Hulk Magazine #17 as a serial killer known as The Hatchet Man, though this was later retconned to be an imposter. Randall later reappeared as Shadow Knight – a figure with inhuman durability and a power set that mirrors Moon Knight's own abilities. These were all gained from the character Nepthys, also mirroring Marc Spector's deal with Khonshu. The two rivals ultimately clashed, leading to Shadow Knight's demise at the hands of Moon Knight.
7 Bullseye Never Misses A Shot
Bullseye is another deadly figure in the Marvel universe, boasting an impressive suite of abilities from expert marksmanship to increased durability and martial arts skills. He's able to use any object as a projectile, making him an incredible threat in almost any situation. First introduced in Daredevil Issue #131, Bullseye quickly established himself as a lethal opponent with the cover declaring, "Bullseye never misses!" Moon Knight and Bullseye meet in a knock-down-drag-out fight in Moon Knight Vol. 5 Issue #25, showcasing the sheer brutality of both characters.
6 Khonshu Might Be A Villain
Moon Knight and Khonshu are best known for their bargain, which turned Marc Spector into Moon Knight. Despite the fact that the primary conceit of this deal involves meting out justice to evildoers, there's a potential argument to be made that Khonshu is more villainous than he appears. Due to his nature as a god, Khonshu has displayed power over life, death, time, and space. However, his motivations can sometimes be highly capricious and manipulative. Yes, he saved Marc Spector's life, but Moon Knight can occasionally appear more like Khonshu's prisoner than his beneficiary, and the power dynamic between the two is hardly unclear.
5 Bushman Was The Foe Who Started It All
One could say there would be no Moon Knight without Bushman. When Marc Spector was a mercenary in his earlier years, he teamed up with Raul "Bushman," who was another gun for hire. Bushman would ultimately mortally wound Marc and leave him for dead, leading to Marc forming a pact with Khonshu to become Moon Knight.
Marc later went on to defeat Bushman multiple times, but it was his original defeat at Bushman's hands that set his path in motion. Compared to some of Moon Knight's other enemies, Bushman isn't a supernatural force (at least, at first) and instead makes use of his razor sharp teeth and various firearms and bladed weapons.
4 Midnight Man Is A Master Thief
Anton Mogart, also known as Midnight Man, is a master thief introduced in Moon Knight Issue #3. After an incident with Moon Knight that left him disfigured, Midnight Man was consumed with his desire for revenge. Like Bushman (with whom he's teamed up before) Midnight Man is another villain without powers, though that doesn't make him any less dangerous. He and Moon Knight would later get a chance to duke it out, and despite Moon Knight ultimately coming out as the victor, Midnight Man fought surprisingly well, even displaying some martial arts skills that rivaled Moon Knight's.
3 Moon Shade Is Yet Another Doppelgänger
Moon Shade first made his debut in the pages of Infinity War Issue #3. Originally created by Magus (who's actually an evil variant of Adam Warlock from the future), Moon Shade has the ability to absorb other Moon Knights from across the multiverse to increase his power. This ability alone sets him apart from villains like Shadow Knight, as his absorption powers give him a potentially infinite skill ceiling. Moon Knight didn't let Moon Shade stick around long enough to take advantage of that infinite potential, as he was able to eventually put an end to his evil counterpart.
2 Werewolf By Night Has O.G. Status
When Moon Knight first appeared, it wasn't in his own comic. His debut appearance was actually in Werewolf by Night Issue #32, where he initially played the role of the villain.
The two would bury the hatchet later on and team up, leading to Jack Russel crossing over into the Moon Knight comics. However, their first encounter gives readers a clear look at what a matchup between them would look like. As per usual, Moon Knight wins the exchange, though Jack gives it his all.
1 Black Spectre Uses Politics and Brawn
Black Spectre is unique among Moon Knight villains as he attempts to take advantage of two very different types of power to gain the upper hand. Black Spectre's plan makes use of treacherous political scheming and sheer brute force to achieve his ends. By day, Black Spectre is Carson Knowles, a corrupt mayoral candidate. By night, Carson uses his Black Spectre persona to blackmail officials to support his political campaign. This mix of social manipulation and ruthless combat skill makes Black Spectre especially threatening. Moon Knight was eventually able to expose Knowles, and would later kill him in their bloody confrontation.