The upcoming Moon Knight series on Disney+ will feature a much darker, tortured hero, very much a contrast from the typical MCU main character thus far. This is a great thing for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it can establish a different tone that could then be carried over into other properties.
From the beginning, half by design and half because a combination of factors conspired for it to happen, Marvel’s flagship heroes were more about the quips and the charisma than the brooding. When hitching the MCU wagon to Tony Stark and handing the reigns to Robert Downey Jr, that’s pretty much a given. And yet even the more serious heroes that followed, like Captain America and Thor, ended up much less serious versions of themselves than their first appearances would have predicted. Cap might have never become a jokester, but he was more earnestness than darkness. Thor, meanwhile, was a regular comedian in Thor: Ragnarok and the last two Avengers movies in the Infinity War Saga.
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Even characters who struck a more serious tone in general, like Natasha Romanoff and Carol Danvers, can’t truly be called dark and tortured heroes. Both had lighter moments within more somber storylines, but still fit in pretty well with the established tone of the MCU. Moon Knight, is, however, a far cry from Peter Parker, and the Disney+ series has no choice but to explore that. In doing so, it can effectively set up a deeper exploration of some of Marvel’s darker corners. This could be a very effective lead-in to some darker characters, like Blade.
Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight – who all rumors seem to indicate will be played by the Star Wars sequel trilogy’s very own Poe Dameron, Oscar Isaac – is not a very mainstream character. He’s also not the typical comic book hero fans have seen adapted, particularly by Marvel. In the comics, Spector is a highly trained US operative, turned CIA agent, turned mercenary. He’s also very much a grey character and someone who struggles with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Iron Man 3’s PTSD storyline for Tony Stark aside, Marvel hasn’t really explored mental health issues in conjunction with its heroes, and Marc Spector isn’t really a character that can be explored without going into that.
This will require a much darker, grounded approach to storytelling. Though very little is known about the Disney+ series, when an obscure character like Moon Knight is introduced, fans are always looking for the origin story. It makes sense for the series to start there. That will require exploring Marc’s early life, and the trauma that caused him to develop his Dissociative Identity Disorder, as well as his turn from Marine to CIA operative to mercenary. Just that last part is already more than Marvel is used to, since morally-grey characters have a way of turning mostly good in the MCU. Except for Loki, that is.
Even Loki, who is getting his own Disney+ series, and who is one of the most beloved Marvel characters, got a full redemption arc before dying. Of course, since Avengers: Endgame introduced time-travel, fans got the little gift of another version of Loki to follow on adventures. But the suggestion that all of Loki’s villainy, particularly during Avengers, was done while being controlled by Thanos, makes him less morally grey and more misguided. Is Loki truly a villain, or even an antihero? Or is he just a petulant child lashing out in the hopes of getting the attention of his family?
A good argument could be made for both, but the truth remains that Loki’s turn as the most morally dubious character in the MCU slate will come to an end with the introduction of Spector. And if the Disney+ series is willing to delve deep not just into Spector’s issues, but also his at-times ambiguous morality, the Moon Knight series could serve as a before and after for the MCU. Particularly if the series’ success allows the character to cross over into movies, as Marvel no doubt intends. This could open the possibility of other TV shows exploring not just some other lesser-known Marvel characters, but even some villains. Marvel loves setup, and they have a chance to take that to the next level.
For all that Moon Knight seems like a gamble on Marvel’s side, it might end up being a much bigger one than anyone can even anticipate now. Character-wise, Marc Spector is a complicated hero to build the show around, and the tone of Moon Knight will definitely be darker than what fans are used to seeing from the MCU. But by testing the Disney+ waters first, Marvel is setting itself up for success. If Moon Knight succeeds, the Blade movie will just be the beginning of what can follow. And even if it doesn’t, there’s time for them to regroup and try something else.
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