Caution: spoilers ahead for Moon Knight episode 5
Moon Knight episode 5 follows two intrepid explorers venturing into the unknown – but this isn’t Dr. Grant and Rosser searching for ancient relics, this is Steven Grant and Marc Spector digging up Marvel Easter eggs. After Moon Knight‘s shock transition from Egyptian tomb to mental health ward, episode 5 wastes little time providing answers. Marc Spector (alongside Steven Grant and the angry fella in the red sarcophagus) are heading into the afterlife, but their hearts aren’t balanced enough for entry. If the pair hopes to revive themselves and stop Arthur Harrow, they must first figure out how to calm Taweret’s rocking scales.
Unfortunately for Marc, this means trawling through painful past memories. It’s another MCU Disney + therapy session, albeit this time with an actual therapist. “Asylum” is largely dedicated to filling the many blanks of Moon Knight’s origin story – the death of a loved one, parental abuse, the onset of Marc’s DID (dissociative identity disorder), the death of a not-so-loved one, and a brush with danger in Egypt.
As Marc and Steven cut through the vines of history and push back the boulders of youth, their exploration yields many a Marvel Easter egg. They discover direct references to the MCU (a rarity in Moon Knight), even more direct references to Marvel comic lore, and emotional callbacks that cast previous episodes is a whole new light. Here are the Easter eggs we found in Moon Knight episode 5.
Putnam Medical Facility Carries A Deeper Meaning
Following episode 4’s surprise introduction of Taweret, Moon Knight episode 5 snaps back to Marc Spector attending therapy with Dr. Harrow, who confirms the name of this fantasy ward is “Putnam Medical Facility.” The title is a nod to “Putnam Psychiatric Hospital” from Jeff Lemire’s Moon Knight comic book run, which heavily informs this live-action storyline. A young Marc was sent to this hospital by his father when early signs of DID began manifesting.
Marc’s Therapy Session Contains A Donna Callback
Everything in Moon Knight‘s hospital sequences derives from scenarios Marc Spector and Steven Grant have experienced in real life, from fellow patients to Dr. Harrow’s office layout. It’s curious, then, to hear Harrow mistakenly call Taweret a rhinoceros. Marc corrects him by pointing out Taweret is a hippo, and this exchange feels eerily similar to Steven’s conversation with Donna from Moon Knight episode 1. The belligerent museum supervisor disrespectfully called Taweret a “hippo,” and Steven corrected her by pointing out the god’s true name.
Taweret References Black Panther’s Afterlife
Moon Knight has been suspiciously light on concrete connections to the wider MCU thus far, but did include a subtle Black Panther nod in episode 3 when introducing Hathor – the sibling of Wakanda’s panther god, Bast. Moon Knight episode 5’s Easter egg is slightly less subtle, with Taweret openly mentioning Wakanda’s Ancestral Plane. This is the ethereal afterlife where T’Challa speaks to his father, and Moon Knight explicitly confirms multiple versions of the afterlife exist in the MCU, depending on the deceased’s belief system. Atheists presumably just get a video of Captain America rambling about patience.
Taweret’s Boat Was Foreshadowed In Moon Knight Episode 1
Marc and Steven are terrified / delighted to discover they’re aboard Taweret’s boat, sailing across the dunes of the Duat. This distinctive vessel actually appeared way back in Moon Knight episode 1. The boat (smaller, obviously) was among the Egyptian-themed ornaments in Gus the Goldfish’s tank.
Another Moon Knight QR Code
Disney + ‘s Moon Knight has scattered QR codes in specific scenes, all leading to free comic book downloads when scanned. The latest comes when Marc and Steven peer through a hospital door and glimpse the day of their mother’s Shiva.
Moon Knight’s New York Victim Is Another Jake Lockley Hint
The hospital lounge area that was previously filled with Marc and Steven’s acquaintances is now populated by dead bodies – the victims of Moon Knight’s vengeful servitude to Khonshu. Perusing the rotting faces, Marc clocks former targets from Dubai, Gabon … and New York. In Marvel comic lore, Marc moves to New York after becoming Moon Knight, so it’s no surprise to hear Oscar Isaac’s live-action version squashed some bad seeds from the Big Apple. New York is, however, more closely associated with Marc’s Jake Lockley alter, who worked as a cab driver.
Marc Spector’s Brother Is A Marvel Comic Villain
Steven Grant is as surprised as Moon Knight‘s audience to learn he had a brother named Randall. Though the younger sibling’s MCU stint is short, the comic character actually grows up to become the supervillain Shadowknight. Moon Knight doesn’t appear to be taking this route; even if Randall was brought back by some Egyptian god magic, he’s still just a child.
Moon Knight Explains Steven Grant’s Goldfish
Possibly the most upsetting Moon Knight episode 5 Easter egg is the crayon picture Randall is seen drawing on the day he died – a goldfish with one fin. This is evidently why Steven Grant has Gus the one-finned goldfish as a pet – the residual imprint from a forgotten trauma. Randall’s artwork is later spotted in a frame upon Marc’s bedroom wall.
“Laters Gators” Came From Marc, Not Steven
Hang on, this is the most upsetting Moon Knight Easter egg in episode 5. Marc Spector’s childhood memories reveal him affectionately saying “laters gators“to his mother. The phrase was used by Steven during a phone call to his” mother “back in Moon Knight episode 1. Like the goldfish, this cute farewell is another Marc memory being repurposed by Steven without the painful association. He talks fondly to his mother just how Marc did before Randall’s death.
The Reeds Outside Marc’s Room Foreshadow His Moon Knight Fate
After a young Marc Spector is berated by his drunk mother, he runs to his bedroom and slams the door. Outside the youngster’s sanctuary is a vase full of large white reeds. Masquerading as an innocuous house decoration, the reeds are exactly like those from Moon Knight episode 5’s Field of Reeds – the afterlife Marc finds himself languishing in once Taweret’s scales are balanced in the final act.
Moon Knight Episode 5 Confirms A Classic Comic Villain
Moon Knight already hinted toward Marc Spector’s involvement in the death of Layla’s father, and episode 5 finally visits this memory. The archaeological dig site attack is taken directly from Marvel comic lore but, for the very first time, Oscar Isaac’s Marc reveals the name of his mercenary commander – Bushman. Originally known as Raul Bushman, this figure is a major antagonist in Moon Knight’s source material, and episode 5 now confirms its existence within the MCU.
Marc’s Khonshu Ritual Copies The Marvel Comics
Moon Knight episode 5 finally shows how Marc Spector came to be possessed by a ruthless Egyptian god. A bloody Oscar Isaac slumps onto the altar beneath Khonshu’s statue, draped in a scarf and assault gear, and he accepts the recently-vacated Vengeance Administrator position. His eyes glow white as Khonshu’s power flows. The imagery and arrangement of this scene feels like an intentional homage to 2021’s Moon Knight # 1 by Jed MacKay, which depicted Marc Spector’s origin in almost identical fashion.
Marc Spector’s Spaceman Toys Hint Toward A Fourth Alter
Aside from Tomb Buster, Marc Spector’s other childhood obsession appears to be space. Around his bedroom, various astronauts and rocket models are scattered. The spaceman toy is particularly interesting, since it references one of Marc’s Marvel comic alters – the unnamed astronaut from Jeff Lemire’s run.
Young Marc’s Toy Scales
Marc Spector’s childhood bedroom is filled with the trinkets of a typical youngster – rockets, cars, Tomb Buster action figures, etc. Slightly stranger is the set of toy scales to the right of Marc’s full-length mirror. These, of course, ominously foreshadow Marc and Steven’s trip through the afterlife with Taweret. It’s not clear whether Marc genuinely owned this toy as a kid, or whether the scales (as well as the reeds and the Khonshu bird skeleton) are only present because these memories are being viewed from beyond the veil.
Moon Knight’s Movie Poster Pays Tribute To His Comic Creators (& Others)
As Steven beholds the Tomb Buster poster that explains his secret origin, the first name among the credits is “Doug Perlin.” This is a shout-out to Doug Moench and Don Perlin, the duo responsible for creating Moon Knight in 1975. Other Moon Knight Easter eggs among the names include Melissa Russell (wife of showrunner, Jeremy Slater), Dylan Beck (Moon Knight crew member), and Wyatt & Dylan Curtis (relations of Moon Knight executive producer, Grant Curtis, perhaps?)
Waterson Food & Liquor Nods To A Key Marvel Figure
As Marc Spector stands drinking outside his mother’s Shiva, he’s directly in front of “Waterson Food & Liquor.” This store name is likely a tribute to Trevor Waterson, who has co-executive produced every MCU Disney + TV series so far, Moon Knight included.
Moon Knight concludes Wednesday on Disney +.
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