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While the inner conflict between Marc Spector and Steven Grant is fascinating, fans of the new show have also wanted to know as much as possible about the mysterious Egyptian deity who imbues people with the incredible powers of the Moon Knight. This is the history of Khonshu throughout the Marvel Comics.
Mythological Roots
Many of the characters in the Marvel Comics come straight from the mythologies of different cultures, Thor being a prime example from Norse mythology. The character Khonshu is derived from Khonsu, his name meaning “traveler” while other titles describe him as “defender”.
This aspect of Khonsu mirrors the Marvel Comics representation almost exactly as in episode 5 of the miniseries, Khonshu asks Marc to protect the travelers of the night in order to become the Moon Knight. There are a few changes to these mythological roots in the Marvel adaptation, mainly with the addition of new powers.
Powers and Abilities
The powers of Khonshu in the Marvel Comics mostly come under the umbrella of his ability to manipulate magic in different ways, his most prominent ability is his power to turn someone worthy into the Moon Knight, which gives them super-strength and super-healing.
Other less known powers include super-strength and durability, which would make him a competent fighter despite his lack of actual fighting skill, his ability to control Uru (the metal of Thor’s hammer), and the ability to absorb people’s superpowers and store them away.
Origins
Khonshu’s activities started around the year 1,000,000 B.C. when he began to choose humans to become Moon Knights in order to antagonize the Stone Age Avengers because he was not chosen to be a member of the team. These Stone Age Avengers were a group of powerful beings brought together to stop a Celestial from destroying the earth.
It is also revealed in these early years that Khonshu is also the God of time as well as the God of the moon, this would explain why Khonshu is able to turn back the stars in the Disney+ miniseries. Due to him being the God of time, he had many clashes with Kang the Conquerer who is also a self-purported master of time.
Cult of Khonshu
The Cult of Khonshu arose around the time of the first chosen to become the Moon Knight. They treat Khonshu with extreme reverence in the hopes that they one day might be chosen as the Moon Knight. However, the only cult-like presence we have seen in the Moon Knight miniseries emanates from the ones who desire to find Ammit with Harrow as their leader.
It is not known whether there will be a representation of this side of Khonshu’s past in the Disney+ show, although this particular cult has existed since Ancient Egypt, so it’s possible we could see further representation through flashbacks.
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Age of Khonshu
The Age of Khonshu Comics shows Moon Knight and Khonshu at their most powerful, utilizing his ability to steal the powers of many strong heroes to conquer the earth for the greater good. Khonshu believed that by doing this he could stop Mephisto, although this line of thinking had corrupted him and caused Marc Spector to strike out at his friends.
This depiction of Khonshu as the antagonist shows his complexity as an anti-hero and a lack of compassion for those less powerful than him. Although malice is in his nature he directs it at only those he feels deserve it, which is why when his mental state is corrupted, he is incredibly dangerous.
His Relationship With Other Gods
The Ennead in Marvel Comics has had a cantankerous relationship since coming into existence. Khonshu in particular has warred against his adoptive father Amon Ra for millennia, beating him every time. They both come from the Celestial Heliopolis, a grand city in a dimension adjacent to Earth.
This would explain why Khonshu does not have direct contact with the physical realm, because he cannot access it directly from his plane of reality. As we have seen in the Disney+ show, the other gods find Khonshu to be too extreme and unreliable, and therefore their trust in him is nearly non-existent.
He Helped Marc Spector Regain His Sanity
One of the most impactful character arcs for Khonshu and Moon Knight concerns the Dark Reign Comic arc where Norman Osborn (Green Goblin) and many other supervillains ascend to power. In this arc we see Khonshu try to help Marc by sending him to an illusory mental hospital to try to cure him of his insanity.
This could be inferred as the inspiration for episode 5 of the Moon Knight show where Marc confronts his memories with Steven Grant. Here we see Khonshu’s true desire to help his avatar despite his often childish and aggressive tendencies.
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