One of the coolest parts in episode two of Moon Knight is when Steve Grant summons his superhero suit for the first time. And it’s quite literally a white three-piece suit. And a very dapper one at that. Marvel Comics fans of course recognize this outfit Oscar Isaac wears as part of Moon Knight’s “Mr. Knight” identity. But in the comics, Mr. Knight isn’t attached to any pre-existing personality of Marc Spector’s but is its own separate identity. One created very much out of necessity, as “classic” Moon Knight was a vigilante that couldn’t exactly blend in with police on an investigation.
The Comics Origins of “Mr. Knight”
The Mr. Knight costume and persona was a brainchild of creators Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey, and it’s less than a decade old. The suit first appeared in 2014’s Moon Knight Vol.7 #1, and was an iteration of the character that worked with the police to investigate crimes. The hooded and caped Moon Knight really was all about beating criminals to a pulp. Mr. Knight persona presented themselves as a “concerned citizen” who represents Moon Knight but passes himself off as another person. We’re guessing the Marvel universe cops just didn’t ask too many questions.
In the most recent comics, the Mr. Knight persona ran a place in New York called the Midnight Mission, which was designed so that anyone can come in and ask for help if they needed it. It’s a little reminiscent of Angel Investigations, a name Buffy fans will recognize. In the comics, Mr. Knight is clearly a separate identity from the other personas (one of five). Unlike the standard-issue Moon Knight, Mr. Knight was far more compassionate. A lot more about helping, less about hitting. Not to say he didn’t fight, because he certainly did. In fact, he seemed to prefer two batons as weapons. So he’s hardly opposed to a little fisticuffs.
How the MCU Mr. Knight is Totally Different
The Mr. Knight we met in Moon Knight’s second episode was very different from his comics counterpart. Although, from a visual standpoint, the “Mr. Knight” suit is one of the most comics-accurate costumes we’ve seen from the MCU yet. In the show, however, the costume itself is mystical in nature, an aspect of Khonshu’s magic. It wrapped around Steven Grant when mentally summoned it and responded to what he perceived the suit to look like. Most importantly, the suit doesn’t show Mr. Knight as a separate persona from Grant, as he was in the comics. Of course, that may change as the show rolls on. Or in potential future seasons. But as of right now, Mr. Knight is just an extension of Steven Grant’s mind, the same way Iron Man is Tony Stark.
The Moon Knight Comics Costumes Are a Lot More Kevlar, a Little Less Magic Suits
The mystical suits seem to be the MCU’s biggest departure from the comics in terms of Moon Knight‘s visual iconography. In the comics, they were merely something that Mark Spector (or one of the other personalities) put on the old-fashioned way. But perhaps for the sake of efficiency, the series writers and producers went a more cinematic and efficient route. In the comics, Moon Knight’s costume was one made of Kevlar (later adamantium) armor. It had a built-in two-way radio system so that Spector could summon his assistant Jean-Paul Duchamp, who has yet to appear in the series. There was nothing magical about Moon Knight’s costume (or Mr. Knight’s suit), although some of his weapons were of presumably ancient Egyptian (and magical) origin.
With four episodes left of Moon Knight, it feels possible we could see Mr. Knight develop into his own personality. Not to mention, other Moon Knight personas like Jake Lockley may yet appear. But as for right now, it looks like the comics-accurate costuming is mostly accurate aesthetically, but not in terms of story. Still, the MCU is an ever-evolving thing, so who knows? Mr. Knight might have his own unique Oscar Isaac accent before it’s all said and done.