Throughout Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight, the Egyptian God of the moon, Khonshu, is depicted as a skeletal determine, which is vastly completely different to depictions of the opposite Gods. Launched on Disney+ in March 2022, Moon Knight introduced the Fist of Vengeance into the MCU, with Oscar Isaac within the lead position of Steven Grant/Marc Spector/Jake Lockley, a person with dissociative id dysfunction who can also be the avatar for the Egyptian moon God, Khonshu. A number of Egyptian Gods debuted throughout Moon Knight, although Khonshu’s skeletal look is wildly completely different from the others, who all appear to embody their full bodily kinds, which raises many questions on why this is perhaps the case.
Moon Knight’s Khonshu makes use of his avatars, at present Marc Spector however beforehand Arthur Harrow, to enact his justice on those that’ve executed incorrect. Normally, Khonshu is depicted as a logo of childhood, usually carrying the top of a falcon or eagle, which interprets into his Moon Knight depiction as a humanoid determine with the top of a fowl. Nevertheless, within the MCU, Khonshu is depicted as a skeletal determine, his physique wrapped as if mummified, and his head merely a fowl cranium. There are a number of theories as to why Khonshu is depicted this fashion, as lots of Moon Knight’s different Egyptian Gods aren’t proven to have decayed, regardless of being historic deities. Whereas there isn’t a concrete reply to this downside, one chance is that his behavior of lending his energy to his avatars – not like different, less-involved deities – might have an effect on his look. In enjoying a extra lively position within the mortal world, Khonshu might pay a bodily value.
Moon Knight Hints Khonshu’s Look Is Unusual
Throughout Moon Knight episode 6, “Gods and Monsters,” the Egyptian Goddess of judgment, Ammit, is launched by Arthur Harrow. Upon coming face-to-face with Khonshu, Ammit expresses shock at his look, stating, “time has not been variety to you,” which means that Khonshu did not at all times look skeletal. Ammit herself is proven to have her full, crocodilian look, which appears to be one consider making her a formidable opponent to Khonshu because the pair battle by means of Cairo. The truth that Ammit had been imprisoned for hundreds of years and nonetheless expressed shock at Khonshu’s look means that Khonshu hadn’t seemed skeletal when the Goddess Ammit was imprisoned, which means he’d been decaying over time.
Imagery all through the Disney+ sequence additionally depicts Khonshu as a fully-formed determine with the top of a fowl, not that of a skeleton, pointing to the truth that his look has modified drastically over time. That is additionally the case when his ushabti is revealed after his imprisonment by the Ennead Council throughout Moon Knight episode 3, “The Pleasant Sort,” and through scenes exhibiting Marc initially turning into Khonshu’s avatar. Which means that one thing will need to have triggered Khonshu to decay over his centuries of inhabiting human avatars, with one principle suggesting that it’s merely the continuous use of his powers which have triggered the speedy change in his look.
Khonshu Makes use of His Energy Extra Than Different Gods
Except for Khonshu and Ammit, Moon Knight launched many Egyptian Gods into the world of the MCU, most notably the Ennead, which incorporates the likes of Horus, Isis, and Tefnut. What units these different Egyptian Gods aside, nevertheless, is the truth that they not often use their energy, as an alternative selecting to remain comparatively hidden, solely turning into lively when particularly known as upon, simply as what occurs throughout episode 3 when Khonshu causes a photo voltaic eclipse to name the Ennead Council to order. Whereas the opposite Gods are principally stored within the shadows, Khonshu recurrently makes use of his energy all through the sequence, which may very well be the reason for his decay right into a skeletal look.
It is proven in Moon Knight that Khonshu has powers far past what’s seen when Marc dons his Moon Knight swimsuit. Khonshu demonstrates the power to manage the sky, proven when he causes an eclipse to name the Ennead, and when he turns again the evening sky two thousand years in order that Steven and Layla can pinpoint the proper stars on their map pointing to Ammit’s tomb. Khonshu has additionally been confirmed to take over the our bodies of a number of avatars over time, whereas he at present inhabits Marc, Arthur Harrow has talked about that he was beforehand Khonshu’s avatar, and it may be assumed that there have been extra previous to him.
Principle: Moon Knight’s Powers Make Khonshu Decay
One principle suggests that it is the fixed use of his energy that has triggered Khonshu to decay into the skeletal determine that is seen throughout Moon Knight. Most of the Egyptian Gods have spent their time throughout the partitions of the Nice Pyramids, or imprisoned simply as Ammit was, however Khonshu has lived free from the confines of his ushabti, which means his physique has maybe gone by means of the identical course of as growing old. Khonshu has spent a long time exerting his will on others, making varied avatars into his Fists of Vengeance, and combating consistently to battle people who’ve executed incorrect, that is certainly an motion that will take a toll on the God.
It is potential to think about that Khonshu’s bodily kind was as soon as that of the bird-headed determine proven together with his ushabti, however that point and the intensive use of his talents have aged him past recognition. This results in Ammit nearly defeating the moon God within the Moon Knight season finale, since Ammit has been imprisoned for hundreds of years so continues to be as younger and vibrant as she was again then, however Khonshu is bodily older, and maybe weaker. This principle is probably the clearest clarification for Khonshu’s skeletal look all through Moon Knight, however there’s one other clarification for the design of his bodily kind that connects to his strained relationship with the Ennead.
Khonshu’s Banishment Can Additionally Clarify His Look
When introduced in entrance of the Ennead in Moon Knight episode 3, it is revealed that Khonshu had been banished years beforehand, inflicting him to go off on his personal and begin to use his avatars to enact his justice. It is this banishment that may very well be one other explanation for the God’s decaying kind, because it may very well be the connection to Moon Knight’s Ennead that retains Gods trying like they did through the instances of Historical Egypt. If the connection to the opposite Gods is what retains them trying younger, this might be an ideal clarification as to why Khonshu has decayed, since his connection to the Ennead was severed years prior.
All through Moon Knight, solely three Gods are proven of their bodily our bodies: Khonshu, Ammit, and the Goddess Taweret, who guards the Duat, the Egyptian afterlife realm. Ammit had been imprisoned, and Taweret was nonetheless finishing up her duties, in order that they had been nonetheless linked to the opposite Gods and stored their fully-formed our bodies, however Khonshu had been left to fend for himself, explaining why he’s proven with a skeletal look. It hasn’t been confirmed why Khonshu truly appears the way in which he does, however with talks of a Moon Knight season 2, and the likelihood for the character to point out up in different initiatives, extra solutions may very well be on the way in which.
