Moon Knight Episode 5 Review: An Emotional and Traumatic Mind Game
Moon Knight dives deeper into the psychological realm than any other Marvel story and notably provides the darkest moment in MCU history. Through the previous episodes, there is an emphasis on Steven’s perspective while Marc fades into the background. However, the fifth episode turns the page to the next chapter in discovering more about Marc Spector.
Here’s the scoop on the fifth episode of Moon Knight!
Summary
The whole episode chaotically jumps from the psychiatrist to traumatic moments, to converting into the afterlife. Once they come across a talking hippo, Marc and Steven learn that they have died and seemingly have to remember their memories to prevent eternal punishment in hell.
As they attempt to complete the mission, they are pushed into a corner by evil creatures that take on a human appearance. It is not until the last five minutes of the episode that the chaos develops into peace.
Background of Marc Spector
The introduction to Marc Spector gives light into the mind games of the last four episodes. When Marc starts to recall the death of his younger brother, the rest of the puzzle pieces slide into place including how he became Khonshu’s servant.
We can understand why Steven was created based on the guilt drowning him from the inside out. With no one to turn to, Steven gave him a reason to shut out the dark memories.
Asylum of Memories
A CGI hippo makes its appearance to guide Steven and Marc through the Egyptian afterlife. The charming hippo helps them to make sense of why they are in an asylum by telling them that people imagine a world that is most familiar to them.
Marc and Steven find themselves going through a long, white hallway lined with doors as glimpses of memories appear before them. The disorienting asylum leads even the viewers to question where to start in recovering memories.
Comic Relief from Harrow
Marc and Steven are forced to come to terms with their memories with hell reaching out to grab them. But Harrow continuously reminds Marc about reality through his comical lines, especially when mistaking a hippo for a rhinoceros. His mental illness is then classified as a ‘fantasy’ created from his own imagination.
Egyptian Afterlife
Moon Knight effortlessly ties in Egyptian culture with the weighing of the hearts on the Scales of Justice. Marc and Steven end up separated into two bodies with a time set for their doom.
Their vague lesson from the hippo sends them scrambling last minute to balance out the scale. The judgment day has come to decide on the fate of their souls.
What Fans Need To Know
Moon Knight projects the astonishing performance of Oscar Isaac as he executes both roles for a major part of the episode. “Asylum” is an emotional rollercoaster contributing to the loss of family, the mention of traumatic memories, and the delightful CGI hippo.
The Marvel show is coming to an end with one last episode, but Moon Knight seems far from over as the series is only laying down the foundation.
Hope you loved our recap of episode 5 of Moon Knight! Watch episodes 1-5 on Disney+!
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