One of Marvel's lesser-known heroes is coming out of the shadows on Disney+.
Let's break down the symbolism, foreshadowing, and music cues of the first episode of "Moon
Knight" – including that song you probably thought was Jay-Z.
"What are you?"
"You sure you want to know?"
The "Moon Knight" series begins by focusing not on the main character, but rather its
villain, Arthur Harrow, in a small but painful introduction.
As he performs a ritual, placing crushed glass into his shoes for unknown reasons, the song
"Every Grain of Sand" by Bob Dylan is heard playing on the soundtrack.
The music's somber tone helps to set the scene, but more than that, the words suggest certain
things about the plot that will be revealed later.
They also seem to illuminate the nature of Arthur Harrow himself.
Dylan's offering could be studied in its entirety to relate to the character on many levels,
but the most notable line describes where he stands and who he serves:
"In the fury of the moment, I can see the master's hand."
Dylan later sings,
"I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea / Sometimes I turn, there's someone
there, other times it's only me."
Considering where the series seems to be heading, exploring the fractured personality of its
protagonist, and the influence of the gods on normal people, it's a prescient line that
says a lot about where the show seems to be going.
The intro may be a brief scene, but it leaves a strong impression, and is way more meaningful
than it appears at first glance.
As Steven Grant is leaving his job at the museum, much of the audience will be focused
on the interaction between him and the security guard, whom Steven corrects for calling him
the wrong name.
That's a bit of foreshadowing unto itself, but many viewers might notice a familiar flute
sound playing in the background – one that sounds unmistakably like the beat for "Big
Pimpin'" by Jay-Z.
Weird song choice, right?
Turns out, it's not that song at all.
For "Big Pimpin," Timbaland and Jay-Z sampled "Khosara Khosara," a 1957 piece by Baligh
Hamdi, in their song.
This led to a years-long court case from the family of Hamdi HAM-dee, who claimed copyright
infringement over improper use of the song.
Even though the case was eventually thrown out of court, it shed a greater light on how
Arabic artists influenced western music.
Ramzy's version is the tune being played in the scene, even though most viewers wouldn't
catch that right away.
It's an Egyptian piece of music that helps to show how "Moon Knight" will be embracing
a culture so centrally tied to the character.
It's also just an incredibly catchy tune.
It has to be weird to find an unfamiliar flip phone hidden in your home, especially when
it has thirty-plus missed calls from someone else's ex.
Amongst the many notifications of "Layla," though, sticks out the singular instance of
another caller, "Duchamp."
Though the name is clearly important, it won't ring any bells for those unfamiliar with the
comics.
The character, who Marc Spector calls "Frenchie," is a big part of the books -- but it doesn't
look like we will be seeing him in the show just yet.
Jean-Paul Duchamp was a soldier, like Spector, but one who joined the French Legion.
He was a mercenary when the two met.
He spent many issues fighting alongside his comrade, not only as a soldier and his personal
pilot, but as a close friend as well.
His association with Moon Knight and others often put him in danger, which saw the loyal
companion get beaten badly on occasion, and even required him to use cybernetic leg enhancements
at one point to walk.
Duchamp's closeness with Marc was also explored when the character came out as gay, but the
two would continue to remain just friends.
Frenchie began dating his physical therapist and opened a restaurant.
Though Duchamp seems to have moved away from the action-adventure lifestyle in the comics,
this Easter egg implies he might have a big role in the show one day.
Ethan Hawke does an amazing job as the primary antagonist of "Moon Knight," Arthur Harrow,
but no one should be discouraged if they don't recognize this particular villain or know
what he's about.
Harrow only appears in one issue of the comic, "Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #2" from 1985.
Though he makes an impression in the issue, it appears all the show really wanted to use
was his name.
The actual comic book character was a geneticist who studied the lengths at which humans experience
and deal with pain, eventually creating soldiers who couldn't feel it.
All of this knowledge was gained from experiments that involved torturing various subjects,
mostly during World War II.
The opening scene of "Moon Knight" sees Harrow putting glass in his shoes and walking in
them as some type of self-flagellation, and he is shown to have an enormous number of
followers.
These aspects of the character had most readers believing that he could also be a version
of the villainous Sun King -- but the powers, and the fact that Harrow serves Ammut, The
Soul Eater, don't quite add up to that.
"I judge you, in Ammut's name, with but a fraction of her power."
This makes sense: Why wouldn't the creators save someone that hot for another adventure
later on?
There are a lot of great superhero costumes, but white isn't usually a major color in them,
especially for vigilantes.
Who would make an entire suit white while operating mostly after dark?
Moon Knight, that's who.
The explanation is simple though, he's an avatar, dispensing justice, a symbol for Khonshu.
Spector wants to be seen and easily identifiable, to strike fear into his prey when he comes
after them, but it also looks cooler when he has their blood all over him.
In many superhero movies, the characters will wear their preferred color schemes even in
their secret identities or normal lives, but it's usually a subtle stylistic choice or
a character's natural affinity.
With someone like Steven Grant, who doesn't know about his alternate identity yet, it
comes off as more subconscious when he's seen sporting a white t-shirt or hoodie.
This adds an extra level to the concept of Grant attempting to figure out his true nature,
and it's a neat little detail for fans.
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