Is Moon Knight an Avenger?
The first episode of Moon Knight has finally released Khonshu and Ammit be praised! We got to see our lovely cinnamon roll Steven Grant having a heck of time in the premiere as he tried to figure out what was happening to him, and I can’t wait for more. It seems as if he might finally have to confront Khonshu, Marc Spector, Moon Knight and possibly the fact that he is Marc’s alter (and not the other way around), but what happens after?
We know that Moon Knight will have to face off against Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, priest of the goddess Ammit. But will he team up with other heroes in the MCU? Is he going to be an Avenger for Marvel’s Phase 5? Let’s look to the books and find out!
So is Moon Knight an Avenger in the comics?
The short answer is … sometimes. It remains to be seen still what Marvel has in store for Marc Spector in regards to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there are several ways that they could go depending on which storyline from the comics they choose to use. Moon Knight often works solo, but there have been times that he has teamed up with the Avengers.
The West Coast Avengers
While the original line-up of the West Coast Avengers in the comics was led by Hawkeye and his wife Bobbi (codename: Mockingbird), and consisted of Tigra, Wondra, and the Invincible Iron Man (who was actually Rhodey posing as Iron Man), it did change members frequently. They were a more irreverent bunch than the traditional Avengers team and often referred to themselves as “Wackos.” In a 1987 storyline, Moon Knight joined their team and was integral in saving their lives from Kang the Conqueror (who was posing as the ancient Egyptian king Rama Tut.)
This could be an enticing storyline for Marvel to pull from down the line considering that Kang is set to be a main antagonist (if not THE main antagonist) for Phase 4 and 5. Played by Jonathan Majors, and introduced at the end of Loki, it will be interesting to see how he comes into play moving forward and which of the new heroes will have to face him.
The Secret Avengers
At one point Spector also joined forces with the Secret Avengers, led by Steve Rogers, and including Black Widow, Ant-Man, Sharon Carter, Valkyrie, Nova, and War Machine (among others). They were a black ops team that was founded after Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin) had taken control and helped manufacture the “Fifty-State Initiative.” Once Osborn was exposed and removed, the government tasked Rogers with assembling the new team. As a team, they tangle with a group led seemingly by Nick Fury and acting on behalf of a group created by the Watchers.
It will be interesting to see if any of these storylines get used considering that Rogers and Black Widow are both currently dead in the MCU. However, we do know from What If…? (and the trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) that at least one of the Watchers is going to be a lot more involved, and we have just met Shang-Chi who also becomes heavily involved with them. Marvel is also developing a Nova movie, which could connect the dots to Moon Knight as well.
Avengers vs. X-Men
And finally, Moon Knight also had to help out the Avengers in one of the biggest showdowns in comic history. The Avengers had to take on the X-Men when the Phoenix Force began to be a threat. Moon Knight teamed up with She-Hulk and Falcon to visit Jean Grey’s school and prevent a new generation of mutants from joining their enemies. Spector’s alters made it hard for Rogue to focus during the battle, but ultimately the Avengers couldn’t defeat the mutants.
This storyline is probably the least likely to pull from considering the ongoing negotiations over character rights between Disney/Marvel and Sony. Yes, we know we will be getting at least Patrick Stewart’s voice as Professor Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and yes we did get our Sony Spider-Men teaming up in No Way Home, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up on a full MCU X-Men event happening anytime soon. However, we are getting a She-Hulk series and Falcon just became the new Captain America, so it is entirely possible that Moon Knight will cross paths with them in other ways!
(featured image: MARZ VFX/Marvel Entertainment)
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