Khonshu

In Marvel's Moon Knight, Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) is given powers by Khonshu, an Egyption moon god. Here's who Khonshu ("Khonsu" and "Khons") is in the ...

In the comics, Khonshu is a night guardian and protector for travelers. Khonshu’s modern day vessel is Marc Spector, the mercenary with whom Khonshu bestows superhuman powers. Many scholars agree his name is derived from a word meaning “to cross” or “to travel.” He was also thought to be a protector of kings and the common people—the meaning most relevant to Marvel readers. Khonshu is the son of Amon Ra, the Sun God. The two have been battling for millennia, each choosing successive Earthly avatars to battle one another. There are several different sides to the deity, making Marvel’s choice of its representative having disassociative identity disorder also somewhat in keeping with his namesake’s mythology. It appears to Steven Grant first, then to Marc Spector, as a tall, half-mummified creature with a hooked skeleton beak floating over a cloak.

As 'Moon Knight' fans know, Marc Spector acts as Khonshu's avatar. Now, Khonshu seems to be more antagonistic — but is Khonshu actually evil?

He could be a villain to Marc/Steven, but a hero to the world. Because he lives in an extradimensional realm, in order to operate on the Earthly plane, he picks champions who operate as his “Moon Knights.” Over time, Khonshu has chosen pharaohs, pirates, vikings, and even a Patriot Moon Knight. Khonshu’s bidding is typically to protect travelers through space and time. Plus, Khonshu saves and protects Marc Spector numerous times, so we have to assume that Khonshu at least has good intentions. Khonshu is clearly not the most peaceful of beings, and Marc seems troubled by his debt to Khonshu, so is Khonshu evil? We know that Steven only wants to do what’s best, which is what makes Moon Knight told from his perspective so fascinating — he is still figuring out what’s right and wrong, what’s good and evil. It’s now completely clear that Moon Knight is Egyptian God Khonshu’s avatar, meaning that Moon Knight is forced to do Khonshu’s Earthly bidding.

In Moon Knight Episode 2, Marc explains to Steven that he's Khonshu's current avatar, but Khonshu already has plans to replace him if necessary.

Marc has been finding ways to remember Layla through Steven, which may further prove that Marc would be willing to continue as Moon Knight if it means Layla remains free. He promises a miserable Steven that once he repays Khonshu his debt that he'll be out of Steven's life forever, and will give up his work as Moon Knight. But he doesn't want this life for his wife, who will be forced to take up the mantle once he's finished. His conflict makes Arthur's point about Khonshu always needing "one more thing" pretty logical, especially learning that Arthur was Khonshu's avatar before Marc. Khonshu might not even truly want Layla to be the next Moon Knight; he could just be using her as an excuse to keep Marc in the white suit. She accuses of him "creating" Steven as a fake identity to sleep around, which no one can blame her for considering the duffel bag of cash and weapons that Steven found earlier, along with his job as a mercenary. The first episode introduces Layla as some sort of ally to Marc when Steven finds her name in a phone hidden in his apartment. Besides finding out that his other personality Marc Spector has a wife, there's also the revelation that the Egyptian god Khonshu wants said wife to be his next avatar.

The new show stars Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant, a London gift shop worker who has (thus far) found himself caught up in a dangerous world of Egyptian gods, ...

The second episode gave us a good look at the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, a figure Steven heard the voice of throughout Moon Knight’s first episode, and whom we discover has a deal with Marc that lives inside. We’ll just have to wait and see where the character goes… The new show stars Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant, a London gift shop worker who has (thus far) found himself caught up in a dangerous world of Egyptian gods, mythical creatures, and a murderous, sandal-clad cult leader played by Ethan Hawke. With Grant blacking out and having his body taken over by the mercenary Marc Spector that lives inside him, Moon Knight is proving itself to be one of the more fantastical works within the MCU, with the potential to be one of its best television shows of the bunch.

Marc Spector is the MCU's current Moon Knight, but Khonshu already has eyes on his replacement. Here's why he wants Layla to be his next avatar.

Marvel has also demonstrated that Layla is a capable fighter in her own right and has knowledge about Egyptian mythology and gods - not to mention she is fearless. It is partially due to these frustrations that Khonshu is already threatening Marc with Layla becoming his next avatar. Marc Spector might be the lead hero in Moon Knight, but Khonshu already is interested in having Layla pick up the mantle as his avatar next.