“Who is Moon Knight?” That’s something casual Marvel fans are asking after news broke Monday that Oscar Isaac plans to play the shadowy superhero in a new Disney+ series.
The question itself is really the answer. One of the unique aspects of this character, who originated in 1975, is that he struggles with dissociative disorder and has multiple personalities. Originally a CIA agent named Marc Spector, childhood trauma led to a psychic split, which was exacerbated by his sometimes violent work for the government. Later, he became a mercenary and assassin; when he was betrayed and left for dead in the Egyptian desert, the moon deity Khonshu rejuvenated him and gave him superhuman strength so he could serve as his new avatar.
Is Khonshu real or just another aspect of Spector’s struggle with mental illness? Over the past 45 years of comics, writers and artists have answered that question in different ways—sometimes making it clear he is the earthly agent of an actual god, and other times playing with the possibility that Khonshu is merely a fantasy crafted to help Spector deal with his inexplicable powers.
Most of the time, Moon Knight is depicted as an operative of this otherworldly being, and his dissociative disorder is explained as something that makes him a convenient vessel for the ancient god. There’s always room for one more personality.
All of this may sound preposterous (welcome to comic books!) or borderline offensive to those who actually do struggle with this type of mental illness. But in the right hands, with the right approach, it could also provide an opportunity for Isaac and showrunner Jeremy Slater (Umbrella Academy) to bring some unique depth and emotion to the superhero. A source close to the project confirmed the news of his casting, which was first reported by Justin Kroll of Deadline.
A character like Daredevil, who is blind, showed that disability does not preclude other super abilities. There’s similar potential in a character who struggles to maintain balance despite cognitive struggles, harnessing the disability into a crimefighting advantage.
As originally conceived by writer Doug Moench and illustrator Don Perlin, Moon Knight had several alternating “real” identities, which gave the character a chance to adopt different personas beyond his signature luminous mask. But subsequent comic storytellers have leaned into the reality of the disorder, including a 2011 run from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev.
Those stories hold more interesting potential if they factor into the Disney+ adaptation. In them, Spector’s multiple personalities appeared to him as other superheroes such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America, each of whom mentor him during his nighttime patrols. Adding Tom Holland, Chris Evans, or a new Logan to the series as guiding forces would make it an instant must-watch for Marvel devotees.
Another interesting facet for Isaac to play comes from another question: Is Moon Knight actually a good guy?
As originated in the ‘70s, he was a villain who gradually came to use his powers for good. But he maintains a tenuous grip on decency, sometimes using violent or cruel tactics that would revolt the more mainstream heroes. He’s not above killing his enemies, sometimes in gruesome fashion.
Moon Knight is forever a character trying to figure out who he really is. Often, he doesn’t like the answer.
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