Moon Knight Theory Explains Khonshu's Dark Future In the MCU

By Pierre Chanliau Posted:
Moon Knight Khonshu Limo

Fans of the comics knew Khonshu well enough that he should never be trusted, which seemed to be no different from his portrayal in the MCU's Moon Knight on Disney+. This distrust is validated in the final post-credit scene, which holds dark implications for the lives of Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector and Steven Grant, as well as Khonshu's future ambitions on Earth.

Not only was Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow killed, along with Ammit, but Khonshu was revealed to still be intrinsically tied to the lives of Spector and Grant through another alter unbeknownst to them: Jake Lockley. Someone who Khonshu ominously declared to be "my friend" and who seemed to follow Khonshu's orders better than either Spector or Grant, almost devotedly.

So, what could Khonshu possibly be planning next, now that he has Lockley under his bony thumb?

Khonshu Lives! Ammit Dies!

In the season finale of Moon Knight, Khonshu and Ammit engage in a public brawl under the full moon next to the pyramids of Giza as skyscraper-sized kaiju. The fight ended with Khonshu as the victor for all to see, which may cause the moon god's reputation in the mortal realm to grow.

Moon Knight Graffiti Layla
Marvel Studios

One fan noticed that there was graffiti on a wall in Arabic, خونسوعاش, which roughly translates to, "Khonsu lives!" At first, it was odd that such an obscure god would have graffiti dedicated to them, but Khonshu has continued to be active on Earth, unlike his fellow gods, so it'd make sense he'd still have worshippers.

Khonsu Lives Moon Knight
Marvel Studios

Harrow was able to gather disciples for Ammit, despite her being trapped inside an ushabti, so it's more than likely that Khonshu could have his own cult of followers. After the death of the crocodile goddess, no doubt her disciples are ripe for the picking, whether to be culled by Lockley or absorbed into Khonshu's flock, especially since Ammit and his goals were so closely aligned.

The Cult of Khonshu

In the comic series "Marc Spector: Moon Knight," a group calling themselves the knights of Khonshu emerged, who saw Marc Spector as an imposter and attempted to kill him in the name of Khonshu. The group believed that Khonshu was "the true ruler of heaven and Earth" and wanted the whole world to know it, even if it meant executing innocent people.

Knights of Khonshu Moon Knight Comic Panel
"Marc Spector: Moon Knight" (1989) — Issue #25

After the group was defeated, with the help of Ghost Rider, their leader was killed. They disappeared, only to reform as the cult of Khonshu. The cult and its new leader still saw Marc Spector as unworthy of being Khonshu's Avatar and sought to replace him with another.

A replacement that was quickly revealed to be Marc's estranged brother, Randall Spector, who was thought for years dead. After he transformed himself into Shadowknight, Randall fought Marc in combat for the right of Khonshu's blessing, which ended with Marc being the winner.

Moon Knight Cult Comic Panel
"Marc Spector: Moon Knight" (1989) — Issue #35

Marc defeated the cult once again and, thanks to the Punisher, the cult's new leader was slain and the group once again went dormant. It would be decades later until the cult would reemerge in the comics, but this time actually gaining the attention of their god of worship.

Mr. Knight Cult Comic Panel
"Moon Knight" (2014) — Issue #17

However, it wasn't the good kind of attention, as Khonshu would direct his Avatar, Marc Spector, to another of their failed attempts at appeasing him, which involved human sacrifice. Obviously, Mr. Knight was able to put a stop to it as the cult went dormant for one final time.

Eventually, the cult would finally get their act together with Khonshu using them, after stealing the powers of several other superheroes, to help establish his rule over the Earth. Khonshu sought to take over the world for the good of humanity.

Sound familiar?

The Difference Between a Crocodile and a Vulture

The season finale of Moon Knight went out of its way to draw comparisons between Ammit and Khonshu. The crocodile goddess herself tells Khonshu that "there is so little difference in what we want for this world," and even Marc Spector accuses the moon god of "sounding just like [Ammit]" after he insists that she will kill again.

Khonshu Ammit Fight Moon Knight
Marvel Studios

Additionally, in "The Friendly Type," when Khonshu spoke about the inaction of the other gods on Earth, he declared that "Avatars are not enough! We need the might of gods," showing that even Khonshu wasn't completely satisfied with only acting through an Avatar to dispense vengeance. A similar mindset drove Ammit to rebel against the other gods and attempt to enact her judgment on the world.

So, after helping stop Ammit from killing millions, Khonshu is likely in good graces with his fellow gods again. Also, now that Ammit is out of the picture, Khonshu is the only active Egyptian god on Earth.

Will Khonshu be satisfied with simply using Jake Lockley as his Avatar, dispensing vengeance, one evildoer at a time, or does Khonshu have far bigger ambitions?

Bringing Vengeance Globally

It doesn't help that the post-credit scene of Moon Knight is framed like a classic gangster movie with one mob boss disposing of another and taking their territory. All with Jake Lockley, Marc Spector's secret second alter, acting as Khonshu's enforcer.

Lockley appears to be far more devoted to Khonshu, killing Harrow and Ammit without question or hesitation, unlike Spector. Lockley even took great pleasure in shooting Harrow, telling the man (and goddess), "today is your day to lose," before pulling the trigger several times with a grin.

Perhaps Khonshu has plans to branch out since he can't depend on just Lockley. Spector and Grant are already suspicious, as seen in the finale, when both are still making it a habit of tying themselves to the bedpost, despite both being at peace with one another.

Cult of Khonshu Moon Knight Comic Panel
"Avengers" (2018) — Issue #34

So, why couldn't Khonshu take a page out of Harrow's book and bring on disciples of his own? Why not start his own congregation with Jake Lockley at its head? After all, the graffiti on the wall clearly shows that Khonshu has followers on Earth to this day, which he could exploit for his own ends.

Could the other gods become concerned and seal Khonshu in stone again? Certainly, but, the Egyptian gods seem to do a terrible job at observing humanity if they allowed Harrow to operate as he did under their noses unchecked.

It's unlikely that Khonshu will be satisfied with only protecting a few city blocks in London and that the moon god would want to enact vengeance on the deserving across the globe. It could even lead to Moon Knight becoming an antagonist, like in the comics when Spector opposed the Avengers for the sake of Khonshu's crusade.

Except, it could be that Jack Lockley's Moon Knight and Khonshu could find themselves confronted by the Midnight Sons instead of the Avengers.

Moon Knight is currently streaming on Disney+.

- About The Author: Pierre Chanliau
Pierre Chanliau began as a news & feature writer for The Direct at the site's launch in 2020. As a longtime reader of superhero comic books, Pierre's knowledge of Marvel and DC is extensive, informing his reporting and editorial pieces regarding the MCU and DCU.