There are a number of recent and upcoming games, films and tv shows that use various cultures and mythologies to drive their stories. This series aims to explore the relationship between an IP and its surrounding mythology and how this shapes its characters. Today, we look at the tv show Moon Knight, exploring the character design of Khonshu and his links to Egyptian Mythology.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Moon Knight. 

Moon Knight

Moon Knight is Disney+‘s latest TV show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oscar Isaac stars as Steven-‘with a v’-Grant, a museum gift-shop employee, who has blackouts and a sleeping disorder. Steven learns he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with Marc Spector, a mercenary. Steven is suddenly thrust into a world of violent Egyptian mythology when it turns out Marc Spector is the chosen avatar of Khonshu, the Egyptian god of the moon. Under the guise of Moon Knight, Steven and Marc must work together if they are to overcome the evil forces that seek destruction of the world.

But who exactly is Khonshu?

In the TV show, Khonshu is a mysterious figure that seems to haunt both Steven’s mind and city rooftops. A violent god who uses his avatar to kill people – the god seems to be a mix of a petulant child throwing temper tantrums and a narcissist, claiming to be “true justice”. This unpleasant mix is also seen in the comics, with Khonshu manipulating Marc Spector to do his bidding and bring “vengeance” on those he deems deserving. The similarities between the comics and the TV show also extends into the character design of Khonshu. The god is presented as a looming figure, wrapped in bandages with a large bird’s skull for a head. But who exactly is this god?

Khonshu is based on the Egyptian god Khonsu. Khonsu was the god of the moon, but also associated with fertility and healing. It’s thought the name Khonsu comes from the Egyptian word, khenes, meaning to wander or travel. Khonsu, as the personification of the moon, would travel across the sky and was changeable in his nature – waxing and waning throughout the year.

Seen as the sole source of light during the night, Khonsu was seen as a protector against evil – battling the darkness, while Ra descended into the underworld to do battle there. Closely related with the darkness, therefore, Khonsu was also seen as a violent and vengeful god – and it’s here we see the links with the comic book Khonshu. In fact, Khonsu is mentioned in both the Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts – Ancient Egyptian sources – as a force of vengeance. The Pyramid Texts state “he is the envoy who is sent to punish” and this is clearly echoed in Moon Knight, where Khonshu declares “I only punish those who deserve it, I am true justice.”

On a side note, it is also interesting how the concept of Khonsu changed over time. This is the only mention of Khonsu in the Pyramid Texts, suggesting he wasn’t that prevalent in early Egyptian mythology. This might explain why in the TV show, Khonshu seems to be sidelined by the major deities of the Egyptian pantheon. However, in the later Coffin texts, Khonsu is mentioned far more often, suggesting he had grown in importance. And by the time of the New Kingdom, when his temple was built at Karnak, he was described as “the greatest god of the great gods.” An epithet that was also used in Vol 188 of the Moon Knight comics.

The Iconography of Khonsu and Khonshu

The Egyptian god Khonsu was either depicted in mummiform or wearing a bird head. In the TV show and comics, we see Khonshu’s design takes both these elements. The mummified aspect in Egyptian iconography was probably used to point towards the eternal aspect of the god. But it also perhaps points to his protection of the wandering souls, seen in the Coffin Texts. In the comics and TV show, it serves to connect Khonshu with Ancient Egypt and also adds a disturbing element to the character. The flowing robes of the character also makes it feel ghostly – as well as a priestly image.

The TV and comics also make use of the bird head depiction. However, whilst in Ancient Egypt Khonsu was presented with a hawk or falcon head, Khonshu seems to have a raven or crow head. The falcon or hawk in Ancient Egypt was a symbol of power and sight – king of the sky overlooking his domain. However, the character design of Khonshu once again focuses on death imagery, with ravens and crows being carrion and scavengers of corpses. In addition, the use of a skull creates this unsettling image and the long, overreaching beak creates a more threatening feel than that of a hawk or falcon.

With this in mind, it is clear the character design seems to pull as much from Grim Reaper iconography as it does Egyptian mythology. With his flowing bandages, hollow skull and crescent moon-adorned staff, the character seems designed to evoke the image of Death – which can only be bad news for Steven ‘with a v’.

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The post Mythology Corner: Moon Knight and Khonshu first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The murderous symbiote serial killer was first introduced in 1992 and has been making carnage ever since…

Something a little different today- a certain symbiote is about to turn 30 next year and it has been announced he will finally be receiving his very own one-shot, which will turn into an ongoing comic series.

Carnage from Marvel Comics, the adversary of Spider-Man and the archenemy of Venom, first made his appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #361 and has gone on to feature in several more comics, animated films and tv shows, video games, and most recently, the 2021 film Venom: Let There Be Carnage. 

Carnage Forever

Carnage Forever will be written by the current Superman writer, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, along with current Venom co-writer Ram V, and writer Ty Templeton, who will each write their own story in the one-shot. Templeton will also provide art, along with Edgar Salazar, and other artists that are still to be named.

Johnson promises the one-shot will give the readers a new take on the symbiote, with aesthetics still fueled by the horror film genre, but will be leaning more towards “almost Exorcist-like” rather than the typical “slasher film” type portrayals that Carnage receives.

 

Without spoiling it, we see him make an unexpected bond with a very unexpected kind of character, with all the grisly and horrifying consequences Carnage fans have come to expect. – Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Writer.

Now with Carnage Forever, I’m thrilled to have a chance to tell some absolutely twisted tales for the killer symbiote for this anniversary collection and perhaps seed some ideas for things to come! – Ram V, Writer.

The announcement also promises an ongoing comic series for Carnage, yet doesn’t give any more details on what to expect or what the title for the series will be.

Speaking of symbiotes, Venom has been confirmed to be the antagonist for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Carnage was also featured in Fortnite Season 8 to celebrate the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Carnage Forever is out on February 23 2022.

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The post Marvel Comics: Carnage Celebrates 30 Years with this New Comic Series first appeared on Get2Gaming.