Moon Knight Episode 1 Explained

 

Moon Knight's first episode "The Goldfish Problem" aired on Disney Plus March 30th, 2022 and it cast a lunar eclipse across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first episode unwinds with a glimpse into Steven Grant's (portrayed by Oscar Isaac) internal battle with dissociative identity disorder formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Grant discovers he shares his body with mercenary, Marc Spector as part of a rare mental disorder triggered by trauma that can cause "memory loss, delusions, or depression." It cannot be ignored, Marc Spector's psychological connection to Steven Grant offers a much needed acknowledgement of mental health awareness in pop culture. But, who exactly is Moon Knight? 

    Moon Knight was created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin in 1975, making his first official comic book appearance in Werewolf by Night #32 (the previous issue has a text teaser). In this issue, Marc Spector embodies Moon Knight to capture Werewolf and the reader discovers Marc is a "Soldier of fortune, mercenary, veteran of 3 African Wars, five South American revolutions, brief flirtation with the C.I.A., weapons expert, versatile practitioner of virtually all the martial arts, ex-prize fighter, marine commando for 8 years prior to beating a lieutenant within an inch of his life." The Moon Knight story further unravels in Marvel Spotlight #28 (1976) in which the original creators reveal Marc Spector's first personalities: Steven Grant and Jake Lockley. Writer Doug Moench and illustrator Doug Perlin bring forth the first solo Moon Knight narrative including the first appearances of Bertrand Crawley and Marlene Alraune, a long term love interest. Nevertheless, Moon Knight's origin is finally explained in his first self-titled ongoing series, published in 1980. Co-creator Doug Moench and legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz carve out an obscure genesis that aligns with the mystery of this character. Marc Spector is left to die in the desert by Bushman as punishment for protecting Marlene. Then, Marlene takes Marc to the tomb of Pharaoh Seti where he has an encounter with Khonshu also known as "The Taker of Vengeance." Khonshu is the nocturnal "God of the Moon," and one of The Ennead or gods of ancient Egypt from the realm of Heliopolis. Khonshu claims Marc as one of his descendants and utilizes him as a mortal avatar. 

  In the beginning of the show there is much ambiguity about Steven Grant's mental separation. One of the opening scenes unfolds with Steven restraining himself to his bed before going to sleep. He tapes the door and places a circle of sand around his bed to record any visible proof of movement while Engelbert Humperdinck’s “A Man Without Love” is playing in the background. The spectator dives into the peculiar character of Steven Grant who lives a seeming existential life. He is clearly brilliant but falls victim to verbal and mental abuse on behalf of his female boss. Steven works at a museum gift shop, knowing he would be the ideal museum curator since he is extremely knowledgeable about the exhibits. For instance, he points out a mistake on an Ennead frame for sale in their gift shop. However, his abusive boss (conveyed by Lucy Thackeray) dismisses his comments as nothing more than a stunt to gain a promotion. 

    Later, he is seen talking to a man posing as a golden statue who happens to be Bertrand Crawley (played by Shaun Scott), a Moon Knight informant. Steven Grant seems desperate, utterly lonely, and undervalued. Nevertheless, the presence of Marc Spector convolutes Steven's ordinary existence. In this episode, Marc is an omniscient voice that appears after the time sequence leaps. Similarly, the comic book highlights Marc's thoughts in the form of a caption that fills the reader in on key details. Odd activity is happening by night and he suspects he is sleeping walking. Steven does everything he can to avoid sleep; solving a Rubik's cube, reading ancient Egyptian texts, and listening to voice recordings. Suddenly, Steven is thrust into a field with a bloody and broken jaw. He unexplainably has a scarab in his pocket and makes his way to a nearby village while being shot at. 

    Here, the blackouts intensify almost as much as the action. He comes across Arthur Harrow (depicted by Ethan Hawke) the unorthodox cult leader who wants the scarab. Steven continues blacking out as the level of danger intensifies. When it seems like Steven is about to lose, Marc takes over and eliminates all the threats. In the comics, Dr. Harrow is a Nobel Prize candidate who becomes disqualified when he is linked to secret experiments done at Auschwitz. Nevertheless, in this episode Dr. Harrow is one of the characters that reinforces the potential for good within the outlandish nature of Moon Knight. Dr. Harrow places judgement upon others and eliminates those who are not worthy. After Steven gets away Dr. Harrow goes to his work place in England. After a hard chase, he let's him go. "There's chaos in you," Dr. Harrow hauntingly reveals.

    Furthermore, Steven is in the museum doing inventory when he starts being chased by an ancient Egyptian deity. Steven flees yet his connection with Marc is elucidated as the conflict ensues. Visually Steven captures Marc in front of a mirror. It is a reflection of Steven's body but Marc is articulating and speaking independently. "Give me control," Marc Spector demands. Before the episode ends, Moon Knight is revealed in full costume. Overall, Marvel successfully sets the stage for this complex character. The spectator must pay attention to all aspects of the show to catch the personality shifts, specially language. Bringing in a persona that is not popularly known is an ingenious move on behalf of Marvel. This provides an opportunity to draw from different texts and artistic renditions of Moon Knight to create something completely original and distinct. The artistic tradition of Bill Sienkiewicz unquestionably comes forward. A beloved Bronze Age comic with a postmodern influence. Obscurity, existential dread, and the role of the individual feeling out of place within a desolate society. Watching this episode becomes a glimpse into the mind of an individual posing a serious set of philosophical questions. Does the astral self exist? What are the limitations (if any) of the mind? Can one's seeming "weakness" or disability go hand in hand with one's true strength? I absolutely cannot wait to experience the next installment of this show and discover the interpretive twists of this show's characterization.