Duality in Darkness: Oscar Isaac’s Dual Roles Unraveled in *Moon Knight*’s Intriguing Premiere

Moon Knight episode 1 has premiered on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar, presenting an unusual and somewhat chaotic introduction to one of Marvel’s most enigmatic characters. Even the initial action sequences are sporadic, with the lead character, Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac), losing consciousness during crucial events. As revealed at the end of Moon Knight episode 1, this is due to Steven not being a singular identity; he shares his mind with Marc Spector, a mercenary who is vastly different from Steven. This reflects a classic case of dissociative identity disorder — although Moon Knight episode 1 doesn’t label it as such — explaining the time Steven has lost from his life.

However, we are left in the dark about that nightmarish tall figure with a bird skull for a head. Could it possibly be Khonshu, the Egyptian moon god who resurrects Marc Spector in the Marvel comics? The apparition he bears does, after all, feature a crescent-shaped tip.

While Moon Knight episode 1 does not explicitly mention Khonshu, the antagonist Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) — who appears for just two scenes aside from the opening — references another Egyptian deity, Ammit. It appears that Moon Knight will lean into an Egyptian theme; even Steven’s workplace has a connection to it. Egyptian-Palestinian actress May Calamawy is also part of the main cast, albeit we only hear her voice in episode 1.

At the conclusion of the first episode, we are left with more inquiries than resolutions — perhaps this is the intention from Marvel at this point.

Moon Knight episode 1, titled “The Goldfish Problem”, was directed by Mohamed Diab, with a script from Moon Knight creator Jeremy Slater. The episode starts with Bob Dylan’s 1981 track “Every Grain of Sand.” It opens with a character drinking from a glass, shattering it with a hammer, placing the shards into his slippers, and then walking in them. What’s with this self-inflicted pain? Although Moon Knight cuts around his face, one can discern it’s Ethan Hawke from the silhouette.

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Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Moon Knight episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

After the Marvel Studios logo, the music shifts to Engelbert Humperdinck’s “A Man Without Love” from 1968. Steven (Isaac) wakes up, one ankle tethered to a bed frame. He manages to free himself, feeds his single-finned fish Gus, and calls his mother. Steven has a job at a gift shop in London’s National Art Gallery, where he sells sweets to visiting children and possesses considerable knowledge about Ancient Egypt. He consistently shows up late for work, lacks enthusiasm, and his boss, Donna (Lucy Thackeray), isn’t particularly sympathetic. During the workday in Moon Knight episode 1, Steven discovers he has a date lined up with a coworker for the following day, though he strangely has no recollection of asking her out. Furthermore, their dinner is scheduled at a steakhouse, which is even more baffling considering Steven is a vegan.

Later that evening, Steven attempts to keep himself awake through the night in Moon Knight episode 1. Despite his efforts, he ultimately appears to fall asleep, because when he awakens, he finds himself in a field — with a dislocated jaw. As he regains his awareness, a disembodied voice states, “the idiot has gained control,” instructing him to “surrender the body to Marc.” As gunmen begin shooting at him, the voice urges him to flee. Steven complies and runs towards a village that has a distinctly European feel, evident from the signage.

In a crowd, people part ways for him, touch him, and bow to someone as if they have encountered a deity. Hawke’s character, Arthur Harrow, enters the scene. He possesses supernatural scales of justice on his arm and carries an odd cane, which he employs to judge people on behalf of the Egyptian goddess Ammit. If the scales turn green, you are free; if they turn red, Arthur drains your life force. As Arthur’s armed followers relay grim news — a man has killed two of them and taken something — he speaks in a language understood by his followers, prompting them to kneel.

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Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Moon Knight episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Only Steven remains among the crowd in Moon Knight episode 1, making him stand out. Arthur approaches Steven, recognizing him as a mercenary and demanding the “scarab.” What scarab? Steven checks his pockets and unexpectedly discovers a small golden scarab-shaped artifact. He is poised to give it to Arthur, but the voice within him prevents him from complying — quite literally. His body revolts, and as the scarab is forcibly taken from him, his other identity — Marc? — surfaces, resulting in the nearby individuals ending up lifeless and bloodied.

Steven “returns” to comprehend the chaos he has caused and escapes in a van, all while Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” plays. The voice urges, “Wake up, Marc, this fool is going to get us killed.” Whenever Steven finds himself in peril, Marc appears to take over and handle the situation. The car chase culminates with Steven facing the last of the henchmen, when logs fall from a tipped truck and eliminate them. The frightened Steven wakes up in his bed in Moon Knight episode 1, believing it was all a dream. After all, his restraints and setup appear to be intact.

But was it just a dream? Steven notices that Gus now has two fins instead of one. He heads to the pet store to lodge a complaint — a nod to Finding Nemo, and kudos to Disney for the subtle humor — only to realize he’s late for his date. However, upon arriving at the restaurant, Steven finds he has missed two days due to Marc’s actions. He orders the steak, even though he is vegan. Later, back home and feeling disheartened, he drops the chocolate balls he was munching on and uncovers hidden compartments in his apartment. Inside, he finds a key and a flip phone with numerous missed calls from Layla. Just then, Layla (as revealed in the Moon Knight episode 1 credits, played by May Calamawy) calls again. She refers to him as Marc, expressing confusion about “Steven’s” issue, before abruptly ending the call.

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Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Moon Knight episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

Soon after, the lights begin to flicker in Steven’s apartment in Moon Knight episode 1. Marc seems to communicate with him through mirrors, prompting Steven to flee into the elevator. He arrives on a dimly lit floor where he sees a towering figure approach — only to find out it’s an older woman. They engage in awkward small talk until she exits on the fifth floor. As Steven turns back, he encounters that bizarre large figure yet again, but just as he screams, he finds himself on a bus. What’s occurring? Steven glimpses the strange creature for a brief moment outside — and in panic, he rushes off the bus, spotting Arthur aboard. He realizes that the man is indeed real.

Upon arriving at work, Steven believes he has seen someone from the bus. He goes in search of him — it turns out to be Arthur, who is probing the alias that Steven used during their last encounter. “I don’t possess your Scarab,” Steven insists, to which Arthur retorts: “The scarab belongs to Ammit, not to me.” Arthur inquires whether Steven is familiar with Ammit, an Egyptian deity, whom he describes as the first bogeyman. According to Arthur, she only targeted wrongdoers; he believes that had Ammit been free, she could have averted every act of evil, from Nero to Hitler. “But she was betrayed by sluggish fellow gods — and her own Avatar,” Arthur elaborates.

Throughout this dialogue, Steven is seeking a way out from Arthur, but he soon discovers that there are numerous cleverly-placed followers surrounding them. Arthur then reveals his knowledge of the voice within Steven’s mind. When he grips Steven’s hands, a frightened Steven points out that he murdered a woman in the Alps, echoing the manner in which he is holding him now. Arthur positions his cane between Steven’s arms, and the mystical scales of justice on his arm begin to shift. “There is chaos within you,” Arthur observes, yet Moon Knight episode 1 refrains from indicating the scales’ color as it did previously. As a nearby museum door swings open, Steven seizes the opportunity to dash for it — and Arthur instructs his followers to let him pass.

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Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Moon Knight episode 1
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios

During the late hours in the museum, with no one else around, Steven finds himself assigned to inventory duty. Just as he’s about to leave, he hears a dog and goes in search of it. As he navigates through the exhibits, he comes across a massive figure stalking him — but this one is different from the previous encounters. Arthur’s voice comes through the speakers, demanding the Scarab, assuring Steven he won’t be harmed if he complies. However, Steven is occupied by the creature — resembling some supernatural jackal — that is on the hunt for him in Moon Knight episode 1. He sprints through the museum and ends up locking himself in a restroom.

For the first time in Moon Knight episode 1, Marc confronts Steven, demanding he relinquish control of the body to save them from “that thing.” Initially resistant, the panicked Steven ultimately consents. As he shifts control, Steven/Marc transforms into Moon Knight — bandages materialize from nowhere to cloak Isaac’s form, complete with a hood and a cape. Moon Knight episode 1 briefly diverts before returning to the bathroom, showcasing Moon Knight ruthlessly beating the creature to a pulp with his bare hands. The episode concludes with Moon Knight staring directly into the camera.

Moon Knight episode 1 is currently available for streaming on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. New episodes are released every Wednesday around 12:30 PM IST/12 AM PT.