Moon Knight Is Not The MCU’s Only Religious Hero

Steeped in Egyptian Mythology, Moon Knight is a character defined by his religious roots. However, he’s not alone within Marvel Comics and the MCU.

The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe release Moon Knight debuts this week on Disney+. Steeped in Egyptian mythology, Moon Knight is a character defined by his religious roots. However, he’s not alone in Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Religion is always a challenging subject to tackle due to its inherently polarizing nature. While delving into mythological roots is an easier approach, Marvel has populated its pages and screens with many characters with strong religious backgrounds that define their nature and often provide their motivation and alter their perspective.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight is an avatar of the Egyptian god Khonshu, represented by his crescent moon symbol. Khonshu serves as the guardian of those who travel by night—within that guardianship, is care for those who are often refugees or outcasts, making Khonshu closely aligned with the isolated and oppressed. This aspect is mirrored within his avatar Moon Knight. Marc Spector, the human aspect of Moon Knight, was the son of a rabbi that fled to America to escape the Holocaust during World War II.

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Thor

Thor differs from the others on this list in that he is not a worshipper or follower of another deity but is instead a god himself. The mythological Thor is one of the oldest of the Norse pantheon. The Marvel incarnation of the god of thunder is vastly different from the original Viking deity. Yet, this modern version of Thor has done much to reinvigorate interest in Norse mythology. While it’s easy to assume that the Norse gods have been relegated to a simple collection of action-packed stories, the worship of the Norse deities is a very active religion today.

Daredevil

Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil firmly established the character’s Catholic roots. Matt Murdock is the son of a nun who often retreats to his local cathedral for reflection and prayer. Time after time, Matt has been seen in confession with his local priest. One of the most iconic covers of Daredevil’s history shows him with his arms wrapped around a cross. Even one of the defining story arcs of Daredevil is titled “Born Again” and carries a deeply Christian motif throughout its pages.

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler is a juxtaposition of religious imagery. His unalterable physical appearance mirrors that of the classic descriptions of demons, including the barbed tail and leaving behind a smell of sulfur when he teleports. Simultaneously, Nightcrawler has been a distinctly devout Catholic. Over the years, Nightcrawler’s faith (and the subsequent crises of faith he’s experienced) has defined his super-heroics. In the most recent years, highlighted in the series Way of X, Nightcrawler has taken his faith-filled focus and applied it to developing a philosophical practice with a religious connotation for the mutants of Krakoa.

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The Thing

Like his creator Jack Kirby, Benjamin Grimm is Jewish, a fact that was not established until years after his creation. However, within the comics, the Thing has many times been shown as actively practicing his religious faith. Grimm’s rocky exterior resembles a mythological creature from Jewish lore: the golem—a stone monster that protects Jews everywhere. In his wedding to Alicia Masters, Grimm is dressed in a traditional Jewish wedding garb. In addition, the Thing sends a card to Moon Knight every Hanukah.

Kitty Pryde

Like Ben Grimm, Kitty Pryde is Jewish. Her understanding of persecution as a mutant has often been explored through the Jewish experience of a persecuted religious group. The Holocaust and its horrors have been echoed in her own story, not least of which is the dystopic “Days of Future Past.” Kitty is often seen wearing the Star of David. When she originally believed Colossus had died, she held a Yahrzeit for him in remembrance. Kitty is quite proud of her Jewish roots and is not afraid to display her faith.

Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider’s superpowers derive from the Devil himself—or at least, Marvel’s version of the Devil, Mephisto. Bound to a literal demon, Zarathos, Ghost Rider exacts vengeance on Earth for those truly guilty and evil. Ghost Rider is a character birthed out of the sharp dichotomy of the Christian perspective on good and evil. While not deeply religious himself, Ghost Rider, in all of his various manifestations, is still a character whose very nature is religious, albeit one on the darker side. Throughout Johnny Blaze’s comic book history, he has come into direct contact with agents of both Heaven and Hell, including Lucifer himself. Blaze’s journey even took him to the very gates of New Jerusalem, the city at the heart of Heaven.

This list is not conclusive as Marvel Comics often dives into the religious histories of their characters and explores the faiths and mythologies of cultures across the globe. Moon Knight’s recent prominence has brought the connection between religion and superheroes back into the spotlight.

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