Somehow, this past week has both flown by and drug on, and it’s a feeling I really can’t explain. However, I’m happy that we’re down another week, but that means we have a new episode of Moon Knight to watch.
But as a heads up, I go into detail about the latest episode, so consider this your spoiler warning.
On the heels of last week’s episode, “Summon the Suit” begins with Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) waking up in his flat, chained to his bed. The previous night’s events feel like a dream until he arrives at work to discover that the bathroom has been trashed. With security guard J.B.’s help, Steven sees the video footage and discovers that he was alone on camera: that no one else could see the jackal. He has J.B. advance the footage to when he comes out of the bathroom and sees himself — or really, Marc Spector — staring straight at the camera.
Needless to say, he’s fired. So to find answers, he chases down the storage unit that belongs to the key he found with the cell phone. Upon finding the unit, he discovers a bag full of cash, a passport with Marc Spector’s name, and the golden scarab. When Marc appears in a reflection and tells Steven to relinquish control, Steven freaks out and runs from the storage unit, only to be hunted by Khonshu.
Steven runs out of the building and almost gets run over by a motorcycle, only to discover that it’s Layla (May Calamawy), the woman from the cell phone. She takes him home where Steven learns that she and Marc are married and much of the knowledge Steven has — like French poetry and the ability to read hieroglyphics — she also has.
Layla finds the scarab and accuses Steven/Marc of trying to cut her out of the find. As they argue, they are interrupted by a pair of detectives at the door. The DCs muscle into Steven’s flat, forcing Layla to scurry out the window to avoid being caught. Finding the passport with Marc’s name on it, the cops arrest Steven and bring him to a remote part of the city.
When Harrow (Ethan Hawke) shows up to release Steven, he explains that the officers were his disciples. He shows Steven around the neighborhood. Harrow explains that it was a crime-ridden area, but now it is safe and inviting for the denizens. Harrow also understands Steven’s “bond” with Khonshu, revealing that he was Khonshu’s previous avatar.
At this point, we get some information about Harrow and the scarab, and their connection to Ammit. Harrow needs the scarab to find Ammit’s tomb so he can release her and unleash “heaven on earth,” as he says. But when Steven questions Ammit’s methods —that of killing those who supposedly commit evil in the future — he wants nothing to do with Harrow.
Layla shows up to reveal that she has the scarab. She tries to get Steven to “summon the suit,” but he has no idea what she means. Instead, she leads Steven away from Harrow and his followers. Harrow uses his cane to unleash another jackal, confirming that Steven is the only one who can see the creature. Steven is knocked through a window. As he falls, Khonshu yells at him to summon the suit. Steven tries and just before landing, transforms into…
Mr. Knight.
The reveal is funny and somehow fitting considering Steven’s understanding of what “the suit” could mean. But before Marc can explain it to him, the jackal attacks, and he and Layla battle with it in the street. Steven gets in one good hit and manages to subdue it for a while, but Marc, in a reflection in a bus window, convinces Steven to give him control.
With Marc running the show, he transforms into the Moon Knight armor and leads the jackal away from the populated area. He defeats it, impaling it on a spike, and it disintegrates to dust. Steven tries to take control of the body, but Marc refuses to relinquish it.
Khonshu appears to Marc, concerned that he plans to renege on their deal. Marc agrees to continue to help Khonshu, but only because if Marc casts him out, he will choose Layla as his next avatar. Marc refuses to let that happen. Marc asks Khonshu where they will go next, just before he wakes up in a hotel room in Egypt.
My one complaint from last week was resolved. We got a lot more Moon Knight action. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say “a lot more,” but definitely more. The scene with Moon Knight leaping across the London rooftops and leading the jackal away from the city was a visual feast. It really drove home the kind of powerhouse MK is.
I was also pleased with the amount of exposition we got concerning Harrow. The revelation that he was Khonshu’s avatar before Marc was pretty surprising. I enjoyed that he seemed to know what Khonshu was saying to Steven.
Though it was strange to introduce the series without the main character (Marc Spector), it paid off in the audience’s favor. Just as with Harrow explaining to Steven his connection to Khonshu, it didn’t feel out of place or forced. It was information that he needed to know while also being information the audience needed to know. Too often, shows will dump exposition just to fill in plot holes, explaining things to characters who are well aware of what’s happening. It’s always a dump shock and just can’t be done well. But with Steven as the audience stand-in, most information he gets is new to him as well as us.
As far as “Summon the Suit” goes, it was a great episode. Though light on action, what was there was well done, showing the styles of two different identities. I like Layla as a character and her insistence to help despite Marc continually pushing her away. And the snippets we get into Marc’s history certain lay the track for more in-depth origin stories, which I’m excited to see.
Oh, and Khonshu… The way he’s being portrayed is fantastic. I like that he’s just a dick, forcing Marc to do his bidding. Though I haven’t caught up on the recent comic portrayal of Moon Knight and the “Age of Khonshu” storyline, I don’t know how true to the source material that aspect is, but I really enjoy it.
Between the cinematography, the direction, and the shot composition, Moon Knight is one of the best-looking and imaginative Disney+ shows yet. Moon Knight is one of my top five Marvel characters, and so far, Moon Knight is not disappointing me.
