And right here we’re, as they are saying, now dealing with the huge unknown. For the final 4 weeks, I’ve been ready for this second once I would lastly be capable to absolutely speak about Moon Knight past with simply my colleagues and lastly transfer previous that cliffhanger to search out out what the hell is happening. In a twisty episode of Moon Knight, “The Tomb”, we see our heroes and our villains lastly attain the tomb of Ammit, however all just isn’t because it appears. Supernatural threats prowl the halls of an notorious pharaoh’s tomb. “The Tomb” is definitely my favourite episode to this point of this sequence. It doubles down on the wackiness, the creepiness, the bizarre relationships, the angst, the Egyptology, all of it. Whereas “The Goldfish Drawback” merely noticed us on the streets of London, we’re deep in it now.
With Khonshu (in addition to many different gods) on ice, it’s clear that Marc/Steven are alone. The episode begins with individuals chasing them down, assumedly from Mogart’s property, but it surely doesn’t actually matter. Layla, with out the assistance of Marc, takes them out all on her personal with a well-placed flare. Grabbing their car, Layla and Steven head to Ammit’s tomb. Steven retains Marc at bay, telling Layla Marc promised to vanish after Khonshu was gone, whereas Marc is pushing to take management.
It’s an fascinating episode for Marc/Steven/Layla interactions. Part of me is clearly indulging within the potential of all of it, somewhat blinded by how sturdy the chemistry is between Oscar Isaac and Could Calamawy. However there’s clearly one thing problematic about this love triangle made up of two factors. With Jake Lockley all however confirmed on this episode, throwing a fourth particular person into this sophisticated threesome would possibly make their interactions much more unwieldy. It’s clear that regardless of Steven’s attraction to Layla and Marc’s jealousy, Steven continues to be looking for his alter. He tells Layla the reality about why Marc is pushing her away, about Khonshu’s intent to make use of her as the following Moon Knight, however… then he additionally kisses her.
Rappelling down into the tomb (or falling, in Steven’s case), the 2 rapidly deduce that they’re standing in a large maze formed within the type of the Eye of Horus. With some fast detective work, they make their means towards the place the Ushapti of Ammit may be, however alongside the best way, there are some obtrusive, bloody, purple flags. There’s recent blood all over the place, bullet casings, indicators of an assault. However who was preventing who?
The reply comes not too lengthy after Steven and Layla are separated. In a transfer way more in keeping with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead‘s type, we discover the basis of our downside. One of many heka monks who have been entombed to guard the lifeless pharaoh is now reanimated, horrifying, and mummifying individuals alive. It’s pure nightmare gasoline as Steven watches from the rafters to see Layla narily escaping the screeching horror of a heka priest.
Though there have been clearly some horrific moments within the second episode of Moon Knight, the sequence that follows, exhibiting Layla preventing and barely surviving the assault from one other heka priest positively tops the MCU as probably the most terrifying scenes. On the common scale of horror it’s small potatoes, however for a model identified for its clear, family-friendly content material, this firmly lives within the PG-13 territory. Attacked by and managing to outlive one other heka preist assault, Layla is met by Harrow. Though they’re separated by a bottomless pit (and doubtless extra zombie monks), he nonetheless manages to harm her.
He reveals, as many individuals have theorized and assumed, that Marc was seemingly accountable or not less than current for the demise of her father, Abdullah El-Faouly. This heartbreaking revelation splinters no matter goodwill Marc might need been profitable again along with his spouse.
Whereas Layla has been surviving assaults each bodily and psychological, Steven has made it to the middle of the proverbial maze. Steven’s inner nerd (and my inner nerd) begins freaking out on the sight of Macedonian carved into the facet of the sarcophagus. Is that this the ultimate resting place of Alexander the Nice? Am I shocked {that a} conquering warlord would develop into the avatar of a ruthless heart-devouring, baby-killing goddess? No, not likely, in hindsight.
Yanking the Ushapti out of the throat of Alex’s mummified corpse, Steven proudly presents his hard-won prize to Layla when she arrives on the tomb, however she is in no temper to have a good time. Confronting Marc and dragging him to the floor, she calls for solutions. No, he didn’t kill her father. Sure, he was there. That is clearly the second when Marc was speculated to die and he was saved by Khonshu, however the harm is finished to Layla. Her father’s demise is the rationale why Layla and Marc even met and Layla barely has time to course of this earlier than Harrow’s males come charging in.
Hiding to the facet, she watches as Marc confronts Harrow, who monologues for a bit earlier than Marc reaches for a hatchet in Alex the Nice’s sarcophagus and begins hacking at his guys. Clearly, he’s outnumbered, however Harrow offers a deadly blow. He shoots Marc twice within the chest, muttering, “I can’t save anybody who gained’t save themselves.”
However, unsurprisingly, it doesn’t appear to be our hero(es) are lifeless! Marc wakes up in a facility, tied to a wheelchair. In a sequence that feels prefer it’s been ripped proper out of FX’s Legion, the individuals in Marc’s life at the moment are fellow sufferers on the facility. Layla is one other affected person, a few of his enemies are the orderlies, and his doctor is Harrow. Regardless of the lies, Marc escapes Harrow and the orderlies and makes a run for it, satisfied that that is all a lie.
He hides in one of many rooms and finds a sarcophagus with somebody screaming inside. Who’s it? It’s Steven! A genuinely touching scene exhibits the 2 personalities hugging for the primary time and allying with each other as an alternative of opposing one another. They agree that this all appears to be a hoax and make their means stealthily down a hallway, making an attempt to determine a means out. In one other room, a second sarcophagus shakes with another person inside. Jake, is that you simply? I assume we gained’t be discovering out this week as a result of each Marc and Steven go it.
Making it to the tip of the corridor, they open the door, solely to be shocked by … an Egyptian hippopotamus goddess (Antonia Salib). She says hey, they usually reply the one logical means: screaming. Utterly leaning into the bizarre, Episode 5 is primed to be probably the most fascinating episode to this point. After attending to know Marc and Steven so nicely, will Marvel debut Jake with solely two episodes left? It doesn’t really feel like sufficient time, and we already know there must be a giant CGI battle scene, so how far more of the story is there left to inform? Will we be exploring extra of Marc’s previous? Time will inform!
Scattered Scarabs
Though I nonetheless assume this sequence is way from the bloody mess that some have been hoping for, it’s value noting that folks have positively been dying left and proper, and most of them by the hands of our heroes. I assume that counts for one thing proper?
If I had one other character who kissed my vital different whereas I used to be unable to voice my opinion or my disdain, would I punch myself within the face? Yeah, most likely.
I’m not even certain the blokes of Inception would have found out the form of the maze that rapidly, however I suppose we should transfer the story alongside.
I do know everyone seems to be saying it, however the best way Oscar Isaac can swap between Steven and Marc is completely wonderful. It kills me that this may be the one and solely outing we get Isaac as Moon Knight.
“Why do all males like you need to be so condescending?” Layla, converse the reality.
Colin Farrell returns to the MCU not as Bullseye, however because the mummified corpse of Alexander the Nice! Am I the one one who noticed this film? Most likely. However, look, is that Thena in a previous life? And an MCU crossover with DC with a Val Kilmer Batman? (I’ve taken this too far, however let me have my enjoyable.)
So, the goddess our two heroes stumble upon on the finish of the episode is Taweret, she is the goddess of childbirth and fertility in Egyptian mythology, a protector of moms and kids. Is she a pal of Khonshu’s? We noticed the final episode that he was clearly pals (or greater than pals??) with Hathor, one other fertility-associated goddess. Possibly Khonshu was a a lot chiller god again earlier than he acquired ousted? Or, maybe Taweret will lead us into the previous of Steven’s childhood? Or, maybe she has been entombed like Khonshu, and wherever they’re is the place the opposite entombed gods are? It’s anybody’s guess!
Moon Knight streams on Wednesdays completely on Disney+.
