Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Behind the Aegis

(53,959 posts)
Mon May 9, 2022, 12:21 AM May 2022

(Jewish Group) Moon Knight's DID and Jewish Representations Aren't Equal (Spoilers)

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had multiple streaming series come out, Moon Knight is the first one to introduce a new hero as the titular character, so there was a lot riding on it. Along with that, Moon Knight marked a major opportunity in regard to representation, with Marc Spector being a Jewish man with dissociative identity disorder.

When looking at how Jewishness is represented in the MCU up until Moon Knight, it's very minimal at best, as seen with Kate Bishop's aunt, and erasive at worst, as seen with the erasure of Wanda's Jewish and Romani ties. Meanwhile, DID has an even worse reputation on screen at large, with many movies villainizing those who have DID, using DID as a twist or simply mischaracterizing this disorder. Come Moon Knight, the series has marked a positive shift in how DID is depicted, but the same cannot be said for Marc's Jewish heritage, which is a shame given the role it plays in the comics.

In the comics, Marc's father is a rabbi who escaped Czechoslovakia before Hitler invaded; however, his father was still subject to discrimination in America, as was Marc's younger brother, Randall. A young Marc could not understand why his father didn't fight against antisemitism, thus developing long-lasting issues with his dad. On top of that, in Moon Knight Issue 194 (2016-2018), Marc learns that a family friend is a Nazi deserter who's been murdering Jewish people, and after their tragic confrontation, Marc develops DID.

While it is understandable why some changes were made to Marc's history given the time period of Moon Knight and his father's age, one of the key motivations for Marc is fighting antisemitism and hate, especially in light of the treatment of his family and community. This simple detail could've helped inform why being a vigilante matters so much to Marc, especially with Steven's closing line in the mental hospital -- "we'd rather go save the world." Doing so is noble on its own, but there could've been a more personal reason for this drive that also connects to Marc's heritage.

more...

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»Jewish Group»(Jewish Group) Moon Knigh...