The Most Powerful Moon Knight Villains Ranked
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands, it continues to bring new characters from the comics to life. Joining the MCU roster on Disney+ in 2022 is Moon Knight, a former mercenary who believes he is the avatar of the Egyptian god Khonshu. Portrayed by actor Oscar Isaac, the character's real name is Marc Spector, although his dissociative identity disorder causes him to experience multiple personalities.
Using the money gained from his violent past, this vigilante has made it his mission to protect the innocent. Like Batman, who Moon Knight is often compared to, he has no superpowers or abilities. Instead, he relies on expert fighting skills and advanced technology to give him an edge against his enemies.
Throughout his history, Moon Knight has fought against a wide variety of enemies. Some are superpowered villains intent on destroying the world, while others are ordinary humans with a grudge against the vigilante. With a selection of them appearing in the Disney+ series, now seems like a great time as any to rank all of Moon Knight's foes and see who is the most powerful.
14. Black Spectre
Black Spectre is one of the earliest supervillains who appeared in "Moon Knight." The character made his debut in 1982 when he appeared in "Moon Knight" #25 and he has since become one of Moon Knight's most frequent enemies. Black Spectre's journey begins as Carson Knowles, a war veteran who fought in Vietnam. When Knowles returns home, he finds that his son is dead and his wife has left him. Receiving no support from the government or the city of New York, he turns to a life of crime in the hopes of getting revenge on those who have refused to help him.
Despite being one of the greatest villains for Moon Knight, Black Spectre doesn't actually have any special powers or abilities. While he is a good planner, showing particular skill with strategic thinking, he is not particularly strong or impressive. His most notable trait is his desire to take over New York City and remove Moon Knight. As such, he can't be considered one of the most powerful villains that Moon Knight has faced, even if he is a major thorn in his side.
13. Arthur Harrow
Trailers for the "Moon Knight" Disney+ series quickly revealed that Dr. Arthur Harrow will be one of the featured villains. Played by Ethan Hawke, the character is influential in persuading Moon Knight to use his dark powers. However, Harrow played a relatively minor role in the comics and only appeared in a single issue of the "Moon Knight" series.
In "Moon Knight Vol. 2" #2, Harrow is a genius-level scientist and researcher who is responsible for carrying out experiments on unwilling human test subjects. An expert in pain tolerance, his ultimate goal is to make humans immune to the effects of pain, but he is stopped thanks to the efforts of Moon Knight and Dr. Victoria Grail.
Dr. Harrow doesn't have any superpowers of his own and is not a particularly challenging foe for Moon Knight to overcome in the comics. However, he does possess a brilliant mind and impressive intellect. Working as both a surgeon and scientist, Harrow has even been nominated for a Nobel Prize. Yet he also suffers from trigeminal neuralgia — a condition that leaves part of his body paralyzed and keeps him in constant pain.
12. The Committee
Unlike most villains in the "Moon Knight" series, the Committee is not a single character but rather an organization made up of multiple individuals. It is essentially a secret organization of shadowy businessmen, financial leaders, and important political figures. Their ultimate aim is to covertly influence world events behind the scenes in their favor so that they could make as much money as possible.
Moon Knight actually worked for the Committee for a short time and was offered a $10,000 bounty to take down the Werewolf by Night. However, Moon Knight eventually turns on his masters and begins working against them. He has since worked tirelessly to topple the Committee and stop its questionable and illegal activities, although he has not found much success.
There is little doubt that the group is incredibly powerful and may have a hand in many of the things that Moon Knight encounters, yet, their exact reach and influence is hard to calculate. What is known is that the Committee has been responsible for attempting to kill or otherwise subdue Moon Knight, including hiring other villains like Profile and Bushman to do their bidding.
11. Midnight Man
Midnight Man is the alter ego of the master thief Anton Mogart. While little is known about his past, Midnight Man is known for stealing artwork, jewelry, and other priceless treasures from across the globe, with those crimes often taking place in the dead of night — hence the name. Midnight Man appears in the "Moon Knight" Disney+ series portrayed by actor Gaspard Ulliel. However, Ulliel tragically passed away in early 2022, leaving the future of this villain's place in the MCU in question.
Midnight Man was one of the first enemies of Moon Knight, and he goads Moon Knight in notes left behind for law enforcement after his heists, something that the hero does not take kindly to. The two meet each other on the roof of Anton Mogart's mansion, where he demonstrates his gymnastic and hand-to-hand combat abilities. However, Midnight Man is seemingly killed during the encounter.
While the character does not possess any superpowers, he has shown that he is a great planner and an expert thief who is capable of stealing almost any item. He can also hold his own against Moon Knight when they fight, although it's impossible to know who would have come out on top if they were allowed to continue their battle.
10. Bushman
Raul Bushman is the oldest of Moon Knight's enemies and made his first appearance in "Moon Knight" #1 in 1980. Born in the African country of Burunda, he is first seen working in Sudan as a mercenary along with Marc Spector. However, the villain senselessly killed the archaeologists who found Egyptian gold in order to steal the valuable treasure, turning Spector against him. The two fought and Bushman almost killed Spector before Spector was chosen by Khonshu to be his avatar on Earth and became Moon Knight.
Bushman is later killed by Moon Knight but resurrected by The Hood, battling Moon Knight several times without much success. Moon Knight has proven time and time again that he can outmatch his former colleague. Despite being thoroughly beaten in his appearances in the comics, Bushman does have some impressive skills and abilities. Even without superpowers, he is an experienced soldier with lots of knowledge of guerilla warfare. He is also an expert in many martial arts and exceptionally proficient in close-quarters combat, where he can use his fierce strength and sword skills.
9. Stained Glass Scarlet
Stained Glass Scarlet is a character who has appeared in "Moon Knight" comics since the early days of the series. Making her debut in the 1981 comic "Moon Knight" # 14, Stained Glass Scarlet has become a regular villain who has crossed paths with Moon Knight on several occasions. She experiences a troubled childhood and is abused by her father, who she eventually kills. According to ScreenRant, Stained Glass Scarlet was originally a nun before becoming a vigilante after she was forced to kill her son and began tracking down those who had led him down his criminal path.
Like many of Moon Knight's villains, Stained Glass Scarlet does not have any superpowers of her own. However, she is an expert in various martial arts and a superb marksman, able to take out enemies with her signature crossbow. The character is also proficient with other weapons, including bayonets and firearms. She does appear to share some sort of psychic bond with Moon Knight and can communicate with him through dreams. After she is resurrected, Stained Glass Scarlet has the power to manipulate shards of glass.
8. Midnight
Like most of Moon Knight's adversaries, Midnight is human. However, unlike the other ordinary people that Moon Knight fights against, Midnight eventually gains some cybernetic enhancements, becoming an upgraded cyborg that is more powerful than a simple man. The son of Midnight Man, he tracks down Moon Knight following his father's death. Rather than confront the hero, Midnight joins up with Moon Knight and acts as a sort of sidekick, and the pair battle against enemies side-by-side. However, he is captured by the Secret Empire and seemingly killed, although the group has him covertly transformed into a cyborg.
Midnight is already a skilled fighter before his conversion into a terrifying cyborg. This advanced technology adds to his abilities, giving him rocket-powered feet that can propel him through the air at high speed and extendable arms to provide him with a far larger reach. In this form, Midnight can fire lasers from his body and utilize augmented strength. However, his biggest advantage against Moon Knight is that he has first-hand knowledge of the character from his time working with him, making him a formidable foe.
7. Taskmaster
Taskmaster is not a villain that many people will associate with Moon Knight — at least not at first anyway. After all, Taskmaster is an established character within Marvel Comics and has already made an appearance in the MCU as a female, appearing in "Black Widow" as the alter-ego of Antonia Dreykov. In fact, Taskmaster is probably best known for his battles with Captain America and Spider-Man. However, Taskmaster does go head to head with Moon Knight following the enactment of the Superhuman Registration Act, as he is contracted to take out Moon Knight on behalf of the Committee.
An expert fighter, Taskmaster can instantly mimic any fighting style simply by seeing it in action. This is a result of a drug that enhanced his procedural memory, although it does mean that he struggles to form new memories and suffers from memory loss. Thanks to this ability, Taskmaster is more than a match for most street-level heroes and can even hold his own against superpowered opponents such as Captain America. He cannot replicate superpowered feats, though, and can only emulate actions and styles that his human body is capable of.
6. Morpheus
Robert Markham is an average person until he is infected with a novel virus, which he attempts to cure with an experimental drug with a rare side effect that drastically mutates his DNA. As a result of using the drug, Markham's appearance is significantly altered, and he no longer feels the need or desire to sleep. These terrible consequences drive him on a murderous revenge mission against the doctor who supplied the drug, forcing Moon Knight to intervene. After this, he becomes a regular foe of Moon Knight and is often in conflict with him.
One of the consequences of his lack of sleep is that Morpheus does not naturally lose the psychic energy that all humans produce in the Marvel comics. Instead, ebon energy builds up in his body and gives him access to abilities that other humans cannot use. This includes telekinetic powers, allowing him to move objects without physically touching them, along with psionic blasts and protective shields. Perhaps more mysterious are his telepathic capabilities, as Morpheus is capable of manipulating and enthralling people, especially while they are asleep.
5. The Human Fly
There are several versions of the Human Fly in Marvel Comics, although the one we are concerned with here is the supervillain best known for being an enemy of Spider-Man. However, the fact that he operates in New York City has brought him into conflict with Moon Knight. Before his transformation into the Human Fly, Richard Deacon is a career criminal who is almost killed while attempting to kidnap a wealthy heiress. Close to death, Deacon stumbles upon scientist Harlan Stillwell and forces Stillwell to give him superpowers. His DNA mixes with that of a fly, drastically altering his appearance and abilities.
The genetic mutation that Deacon suffers significantly augments his strength and capabilities. He has a variety of superpowers, such as enhanced strength and stamina, vastly improved agility and reflexes, along with the ability to stick to almost any surface. His fly-like eyes give him compound vision so that he can take in visual information from 360 degrees. Most importantly, Deacon has a set of wings that give him the ability to fly, deflect firearms, and create shockwaves with their intense buzzing.
4. The Zodiac
Like the Committee, the Zodiac is not a single enemy of Moon Knight. Instead, it is a group of supervillains themed around the astrological star signs of the zodiac. The original Zodiac Cartel comprises a collection of 12 individuals who want to dominate the world. They lack superpowers of their own but use technology to give them access to abilities that aid them in achieving their goals. This group is weakened when members fight the Avengers and are imprisoned. They are then effectively replaced by a group of Life Model Decoys created by Jacob Fury. These androids come into conflict with Moon Knight while he is part of the Defenders.
The second incarnation of the android Zodiacs has the advantage of being stronger and more powerful than the ordinary humans that made up the original team. Each of the members has abilities based on the signs of the zodiac. Taurus, for example, had deadly horns, while Virgo can drain energy from those around and use it to augment their power. What really makes the Zodiac a threat, though, is when the entire group combines their powers, making them a challenging adversary for teams like the Avengers and Defenders to handle.
3. Shadowknight
Shadowknight is easily one of the most powerful foes that Moon Knight has to fight. Randall Spector is the younger brother of Marc Spector and shares many of the same skills and abilities that his sibling possesses. Initially believed to be a serial killer preying on nurses, this villain is soon revealed to be a ploy by Shadowknight to get his brother out in the open.
Shadowknight develops a hatred of Marc because he believes his brother left him to die in Egypt after being shot. After witnessing Marc's transformation into Moon Knight, Shadowknight asks Khonshu for the same powers but is ignored, leading to intense jealousy. Working with Nepthys, he is given chemical treatments that give him superhuman strength and make him resistant to damage.
Unfortunately, these treatments also lead to Shadowknight becoming more crazed and increasingly intent on replacing Moon Knight. He loses much of his humanity and intellect, eventually becoming determined only to destroy his brother once and for all. This makes him a dangerous villain who is prepared to do anything, and he almost succeeds in killing Marc several times.
2. Werewolf By Night
Jack Russell inherits the werewolf mutation from the Russoffs, as his grandfather is Gregor Russoff. Unlike previous werewolves, Russell can transform into a werewolf at any time, rather than only being forced into the form during a full moon. Technically, Werewolf by Night is the first antagonist for Moon Knight, as the hero made his first appearance in "Werewolf by Night" #32 in 1975. The two quickly developed a fierce rivalry that continued into the 1980s as Moon Knight grew in popularity.
Whenever he finds himself around a full moon, Russell is forced to transform into a werewolf, at which point he loses all of his human compassion and intelligence. Instead, he becomes a ferocious beast that is effectively out of Russell's control. At other times, he retains his intellect and stays in control but still has access to the frightening powers the curse gives him as Werewolf by Night. These powers include super-strength, heightened durability, prolonged stamina, and incredible speed. He also has a vastly enhanced sense of smell and is resistant to almost all forms of injury other than those caused by silver or magic.
1. Moon Shade
Created by the evil Adam Warlock variant Magnus during the crossover events of "Infinity War" #3, Moon Shade is a twisted doppelgänger of Moon Knight. He is sent to Earth to attack the assembled heros there alongside other doppelgängers, including one of Franklin Richards.
After transferring some of Richard's abilities to himself, he sets out on a mission to track down and absorb the powers of every single version of Moon Knight from across the multiverse. This prompts an inter-dimensional chase through the multiverse as Moon Knight attempts to stop Moon Shade from becoming all-powerful and destroying the other versions of him.
As a doppelgänger of the hero, Moon Shade shares all of the same abilities that Moon Knight possesses. However, his absorption of different versions of the character augments his power and makes him a far greater threat than Moon Knight typically is. This is especially true when Moon Shade demonstrates his ability to travel through the multiverse and cause so much destruction across different realities — something no other Moon Knight villain has been able to do.