Moon Knight episode 5 was packed to the brim with emotion but still stayed on track with a phenomenal story. Let’s break it all down in this Moon Knight episode 5 recap and review. Warning, SPOILERS for Moon Knight Episode 5 ahead!!
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR MOON KNIGHT EPISODE 5
“Asylum”
Moon Knight episode 5 starts off by showing viewers, who we found out later, is Marc’s mom. This transitions us into the ending of the last episode with the hippo — but almost immediately we move back to Dr. Harrow’s office. Harrow is used wonderfully in this show. The way he was set up as the villain in the first half, but still given a purpose in these later episodes.
After a conversation between the two we go back to Marc, Steven, and the Hippo where Marc discovers they are in the afterlife and on their way to eternal death — unless they come to peace with each other. Then, and only then, they can live eternal peace in the Field Of Reeds. The only way for them to come to peace with each other is for their hearts to balance on a scale — and we are told by the Goddess Taweret that they aren’t at harmony.
This plot point of having to come to peace with one another is the perfect catalyst to move the show forward because it allows us to explore the past of this character, as well as move forward in understanding Marc and Steven’s relationship. Viewers discover some crazy stuff about the relationship of these characters as the episode progresses, but some stand outs from their memories are how everything started.
Marc’s brother died because of an adventure Marc and him went on as children. His brother drowned and his mother forever hated him for it, while at the same time causing Marc to believe he is a monster and a killer. She is abusive, both mentally and physically. Marvel is unafraid to completely tackle this dark and emotional concept. It is done in a very respectful way, but one that can also be triggering for those who have suffered abuse.
One of the standout scenes of the episode is a room full of people that Marc killed. He mentions that these were all people that Moon Knight told him to kill, and that they were bad people, as if to try to justify it. It clearly still had a major effect on him though, and is something he struggles with. As Marc looks at each of the bodies, he knows exactly where he killed them — he remembers them all.
Bushman is mentioned in this episode, and it would have been nice to dive into that relationship a little bit more. In the comics Bushman is one of the most popular villains of Moon Knight, which makes is surprising they mentioned him. With the direction the show is heading. it would have made sense for them to completely blow past Bushman for now, and revisit him sometime in the future. Perhaps if Moon Knight gets a second season, an episode could be spent detailing Bushman and Moon Knight’s history.
In Moon Knight episode 5, viewers also see the first time Steven voluntarily handed over his body to Marc from the first episode — when fighting the Jackal in the museum bathroom. Fans are also shown the exact moment when Steven and Marc started to blend together — at his mother’s Shiva. It is learned that Steven has been the dominant personality for these last two months, but that Marc is the one that created him in order to suppress the way his mother treated him.
What works so well with Moon Knight episode 5 is that viewers are watching it through Steven’s eyes. Since Marc was the one that technically lived through it all, we are discovering these things right alongside Steven, which makes it so much more relatable. This allows for a super emotional and heartfelt journey through Marc’s past – whether it was Steven accepting that his mother has died, or even him finding out that he was created by Marc, none of this would be possibly if it wasn’t for the story structure of this show thus far.
After this extremely emotional scene between Marc and Steven, they come back to Taweret to unfortunately find out they did not balance the scales by finding closure with one another. They have reached the end of their journey, and even though Taweret says she was rooting for them, there is nothing else she can do. The unbalanced dead rise up in order to claim Marc and Steven, and drag them into the desert sands of the afterlife.
Here is where we get the one action scene of the episode, as the two try to fight off the undead to save themselves. Steven finally finds the confidence inside of himself to fight, which is a joy to see. There are also some really cool effects as sand shoots off of the bodies they are fighting. Unfortunately things do not end well. Steven ends up falling off of the ship and is claimed by the desert, which seems to cause the scales to balance. This sends Marc to the Field of Reeds.
So what does this mean for the upcoming finale episode of Moon Knight? Of course, we don’t know, but it could mean that Jake Lockley, Moon Knight’s third personality, was on the boat and in the sarcophagus from the previous episode. While Marc, Steven, and Jake were on the boat the scale wouldn’t balance because there are three people, but only 2 hearts on the scale. When Steven fell of the ship, there was still two hearts on the scale, and it balanced. This could very well mean that there is a second personality still on the ship.
Moon Knight episode 5 is the best episode of the show so far — and might even be the best Marvel Disney+ episode ever. Only time will tell, but for now we have to prepare for the epic finale to come next week.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
NEXT: 50+ Of The Best & Most Bonkers Marvel’s Moon Knight Quotes
About Moon Knight
The series follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.
“Moon Knight” stars Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke and May Calamawy. Mohamed Diab and the team of Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead directed the episodes. Jeremy Slater is the head writer, and Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Mohamed Diab, Jeremy Slater and Oscar Isaac are the executive producers. Grant Curtis, Trevor Waterson and Rebecca Kirsch serve as co-executive producers.
Moon Knight episode 5 is streaming exclusively on Disney+ now.
Aryan is an aspiring content creator and journalist who loves all genres of movies. He is passionate about discussing and having conversations about anything and everything pop culture related.