Warning: SPOILERS for the Moon Knight episode “Gods and Monsters” are ahead!
Coming out of the Moon Knight finale, arguably the biggest things on viewers’ minds was the finale’s game-changing end-credits scene that finally introduced the Jake Lockley personality after being teased in earlier episodes, as well as May Calamawy’s Layla El-Faouly debuting as Scarlet Scarab, the MCU’s first Egyptian superhero. But before “Gods and Monsters” wrapped up, we also took one last trip to the mental institution where Marc Spector and Steven Grant awoke at the end of “Asylum,” and director Mohamed Diab hopes that the brief return to the location in the Moon Knight finale will inspire Disney+ subscribers to rewatch the Marvel series.
After being shot by Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, Marc Spector awoke in the mental institution at the end of “The Tomb,” and it was initially presented as though this was his actual reality, and everything else we’d seen up to that point was a fantasy. However, soon after Marc came across Steven Grant as a separate individual, and in “Asylum,” they learned from the Egyptian goddess Taweret that the mental institution was really just a boat sailing through the Duat to the Field of Reeds. However, there were still some brief flashes to the mental institution as though this was indeed real life, so after watching the Moon Knight finale, I inquired with Mohamed Diab about what he wanted fans to take away from the brief return to this location. Here’s what he had to say:
We kept it as a hint… We don’t know in a way. If you went back to the show, you’re gonna find that there’s a lot of loops. Nothing is that clear. Even like, what’s the reality of Marc’s memories? Ok, if Marc’s memories are true, then his brother drew the fish. Then how come Steven has a fish with one fin? Which started what? Which inspired what? Which one? So I love that there are a lot of layers and loops, and I think a lot of people are gonna go back and watch the show again and try to analyze it and have their own theories. It’s intended to be a show for a second viewership.
During “Gods and Monsters,” Marc Spector found himself back in the mental institution after he, Steven and Layla imprisoned Ammit in Arthur Harrow’s body, and Khonshu agreed to Marc and Steven no longer having to serve as his avatar. Once back in the institution, that version of Harrow, who’s a therapist, once more tried to convince Marc/Steven that all his superheroics and the Egyptian gods were figments of his imagination. But when Marc/Steven noticed Harrow leaving bloody footprints, they were content to view the mental institution as the true fantasy and then woke up in Steven’s apartment. It’s pretty cut and dry, right?
Not necessarily, as Mohamed Diab pointed out there’s still some uncertainty regarding the Marc/Steven dynamic in this Marvel TV show, particularly when it comes to that one-finned fish. Did this all still originate from Marc and the trauma he endured from his mother after Randall Spector died, or is there still a possibility that Steven might be the original personality? That answer may simply end up being whatever’s preferable to the viewer, but Diab is hopeful that Moon Knight fans will rewatch the show to pick up on subtler clues and come to a determination. Since Moon Knight is one of the more self-contained offerings in the MCU canon, at least viewers who choose to do this will be more attuned to spotting said clues rather than keep on the lookout for other Marvel easter eggs.
Right now, it’s unclear if Moon Knight Season 2 is happening or if this show was a one-and-done deal, though either way, I suspect we haven’t seen the last of Oscar Isaac playing in this franchise. For now, MCU fans can look forward to Ms. Marvel premiering June 8 on Disney+, and Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8.
