Moon Knight’s Most Fascinating Concept Opens the Door for the MCUs [SPOILER]

Moon Knight’s Most Fascinating Concept Opens the Door for the MCU’s [SPOILER]

Moon Knight introduces a new kind of superpower to the MCU. He may be leading the way for another prominent Marvel hero to enter the franchise.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Moon Knight’s Most Fascinating Concept Opens the Door for the MCUs [SPOILER]

The following contains major spoilers for Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight, Episode 6, “Gods and Monsters,” now streaming on Disney+.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has unfurled its various powers with delicacy: retaining the structural differences between different “fields” such as Doctor Strange’s magic vs. Asgardian abilities. It has the benefit of deepening and enriching the world, as well as giving new heroes a distinctiveness that might otherwise blur into a homogenized mass of nondescript special effects. It also means spelling out the rules and adhering to them consistently, which takes a lot more work, but pays dividends with the veracity of the universe.

Moon Knight has found a particularly elegant way of defining the rules of its particular corner of the MCU. Marc Spector – and the various other personalities existing in his body – is an avatar for the deity Khonshu. That gives him the ability to act in the god’s name on Earth, along with all the attendant superpowers that come with it. It has the benefit of being distinctive, but it also has implications for other heroes in the MCU, and by extension, demonstrates just how carefully the franchise assembles its various components.

Moon Knight’s Most Fascinating Concept Opens the Door for the MCUs [SPOILER]

The avatars on Moon Knight still possess their souls and facilities, but are beholden to their patron for their powers. On Moon Knight that manifests in Steven Grant’s “Mr. Knight,” who differs significantly from Spector’s more overtly superheroic look, as well as Layla’s emergence as Scarlet Scarab in Episode 6, “Gods and Monsters.” The remaining Egyptian deities in the Ennead have similar human avatars, though they don’t appear to have superpowers owing to the gods’ desire to steer clear of human affairs.

See also  Endgame & Hawkeye Producer Teases New Owner Of Avengers Tower

That’s new for the MCU, which helps Moon Knight draw a sharp distinction in its storytelling. Asgardians like Thor are simply born with their abilities. Doctor Strange studied for his, which is why his power differs from Iron Man’s, who relied on nanites, which differs from Captain Marvel, whose power was created by alien technology, and so on. Avatars don’t gain their powers from science or sorcery or mutation, but from a constant process of negotiation with their patron deity. It differs from possession in that it’s more or less a mutually consensual arrangement, but the powers won’t work unless both halves of the equation are in agreement.

Moon Knight’s Most Fascinating Concept Opens the Door for the MCUs [SPOILER]

It’s a self-contained system, which suits Moon Knight’s purpose of sticking closely to its roots. The series never delves into other kinds of powers, nor does it introduce characters who might. And yet the premise is applicable to the greater MCU as well, and indeed some specific heroes might naturally follow the same rules. Chief among them is a figure whose canon status in the franchise remains a big question mark: Ghost Rider.

Johnny Blaze made an ever-so-brief appearance in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Season 4, Episode 5, “The Good Samaritan,” though its canon status is highly debatable. Nicolas Cage previously played the character in a pair of stand-alone films, and his performance remains well-regarded among fans (even if the movies themselves have been forgotten). That leaves Ghost Rider ripe for a more formal entry into the MCU – in either or neither of those incarnations – and thanks to Moon Knight, his abilities can easily be codified into the existing rules. Ghost Rider gained his powers of “The Spirit of Vengeance” in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a manner similar to Moon Knight.

See also  Next Borderlands Game Confirmed To Be In Development At Gearbox

That’s important because, if and when Blaze becomes a formal part of the MCU, there needn’t be lugubrious explanations about how his abilities work. At the same time, it moves Moon Knight closer to the rest of the MCU, and with his distinctive abilities and shortcomings spelled out, any potential pairings with other heroes is bound to be unique. Ghost Rider could fill a similar role very easily, and with the heroes of the first three Phases bowing out one by one, the MCU could do a lot worse than bringing him onboard in Phase Four. Moon Knight may have helped pave the way.

All six episodes of Moon Knight are currently streaming on Disney+.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/moon-knight-avatar-concept-opens-door-mcu-ghost-rider/

Movies -