TheMoon Knightseries promises to be unlike anything Marvel Studios has produced in the past 14 years and that is largely down to the superhero’s diverging personalities that make watching Oscar Isaac in it such a treat. However, the series also has the fantastic benefit of being the onlyMCUproperty to be able to launch a new character without the burdens pushed onto him by the Avengers and company.
It might sound counterintuitive to think that detaching itself from the most successful movie franchise in history is a good thing, nonetheless, it bears saying that same interconnectivity is starting to hurt newer Marvel properties as was seen with last year’s superhero class.Moon Knightis for people who’ve never watchedan MCU flick or series before, and even for seasoned comic book fans, it’s a break from yet again hearing what’s been going on in Marvel’s world since the Blip but here’s why that’s a real win.
RELATED:Moon Knight Episode 2 Easter Eggs
The MCU’s Current Problem
Four movies and five Disney Plus series, that was last year’s creative output for Marvel, and yet if one begins to dissect those numbers it becomes clear the MCU is showing the first cracks in its vibranium armor. Out of the four movies, onlySpider-Man: No Way Hometurned in a healthy profit (and what profit that was), with the other three failing to recoup their investment per Disney’s own corporate briefings; meanwhile, although the Disney Plus exclusives don’t need to meet such expectations and the revenue they bring is harder to measure, it’s already been proven thatStar Warsshows alone are enough to sustain the service to a certain degree.
The common weakness practically all of Phase Four’s productions have is they can’t quite find their place inside the MCU, as more casual fans have to listen to thepost-Blip briefing over and over againfrom newer heroes they don’t particularly care about. WhileShang-Chiwas at least directly recruited in the aftermath of his debut film, theEternalswere not, and their place in the MCU seems shakier after the movie became the worst performer in Marvel’s history.
Elsewhere, in streaming land, while the longer miniseries do a better job at getting people to care about the new Captain America and Hawkeye’s protégé, it’s hard to form the same level of attachment with these characters. It could be argued thatDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesscould fixthat for Wanda Maximoff, as the sequel’s return will be followed by two other MCU heavy-hitters like Taika Waititi’sThorand the wildcard that isBlack Panther 2after Chadwick Boseman’s death, but otherwise, the landscape looks pretty much the same as last year on television and film, new heroes but same old story.
Even for more hardcore fans, watching every single thing Marvel releases can feel like homework at times, it’s a neverending cycle of “go watch A so B makes better sense”, unfortunately, even accounting for the pandemic, numbers say more casual viewers are growing tired. Fret not, however,becauseMoon Knightmight just save the day.
Moon Knight’s Just Not A Team Player
Starting with the obvious, a guy struggling to get a hold of his four different personalities probably doesn’t make for the best teammate to have around, and on that very premise is that viewers meet Steven Grant and Marc Spector. If every other new MCU hero is burdened by succeeding Steve Rogers or someone else, well Moon Knight is just off doing his own thing and that’s something that stands out in both the story and artistic values the show’s creators are pursuing.
Every other MCU newcomer’s story starts the same way, they are either trying to find their place in this superpowered world they’ve been thrown into.Moon Knightis not like that in the MCU, because the comic book character wasn’t conceived in the typical Marvel mold, but rather more like a mentally impairedBatman at first, who is doing marvelously wellin DC’s non-connected universe.
Moon Knightis bringing six episodes of pure Moon Knight, and that same detachment allows the show’s creators and directors to depart from the tired and tested MCU formula, with even the special effects that are used being implemented in a more unique and selective way. Besides a likely post-credits scene when the show ends, there’s no epic cameo scene or crossover on the horizon -or lack thereof- viewers can be disappointed by, instead, Steven and Marc’s journey gets all the attention he deserves and needs.
On top of all that,Moon Knightis also the MCU’s first dark superhero, he’s not been blessed with his powers but more like cursed, considering Khonshu did in fact pick him due to his mental weakness. Producers have saidMoon Knightis all about storytelling, and superhero with multiple personalities sure sounds like a one of a kind tale, especially with Isaac getting a chance to shine in a role that’s undoubtedly more complex than most parts in the MCU.
Moon Knightis uniquefrom an aesthetic and narrative standpoint, but all of that is only possible because he doesn’t have to deal with the rest of the MCU. Not everything has to be connected and as for where was Steven before, during, and after the Blip, well, Moon Knight simply doesn’t care, for Khonshu’s sake.
MORE:New Witcher and Tomb Raider Games Are in The Same Boat
