The Marvel Cinematic Universe has kicked off in 2022 with the brand-new Disney+ show, Moon Knight. The show stars Oscar Isaac in the title role, and promises MCU fans a new take on a Marvel hero. Moon Knight is a character closely tied with Egyptian mythology, with villains also important to the supernatural side of Marvel.
For Moon Knight's first season, that villain is none other than Arthur Harrow, played by film legend Ethan Hawke. Even diehard Marvel fans may be clueless when it comes to Arthur's comic book origins. However, the character that Hawke plays has deep roots in Marvel lore, and these ten facts may interest curious fans.
10 Arthur Harrow Debuted In Moon Knight Vol. 2
Surprisingly, Arthur Harrow was not Moon Knight's first nemesis. That role belongs to Werewolf By Night, a creature who had his own solo series that Moon Knight originally appeared in. However, Marvel later gave the character his own solo series, where he faced villains like Raul Bushman and the White Angel of Death.
However, the creators of the Disney+ show decided to look deeper for a villain worthy enough to face Oscar Isaac's interpretation of the character. They landed on Arthur Harrow, who first appears in the second issue of Moon Knight's second solo series. The specific comic where Arthur appears first debuted in 1985.
9 He Only Appears In One Issue
Strangely, Arthur Harrow isn't just an obscure villain chosen for the MCU debut of Moon Knight. He's also a one-shot character, only ever appearing in that 1985 issue of the second volume of Moon Knight. The character hasn't made a comic appearance since then, but maybe his role in the show will increase his popularity.
Given Arthur Harrow's differences from his comic book character, this puts him on a level with many other MCU characters. Some fan-favorite characters, such as Darcy Lewis and Agent Phil Coulson, were created during the making of Thor and Iron Man, respectively. They also eventually received comic book counterparts.
8 Arthur Harrow Was A Scientist
The MCU version of Arthur Harrow appears to be a cult leader who serves the Egyptian goddess Ammut. However, the comic version is almost entirely different aside from the name. Moon Knight initially encounters Harrow as a scientist working for a corporation known as O.M.N.I.U.M.
While Harrow's scientific research almost earned him a Nobel Prize, he and O.M.N.I.U.M. has ulterior motives. It's possible that Harrow's cult in the Moon Knight series will take some inspiration from O.M.N.I.U.M. However, it's also possible that Marvel just stole Harrow's name for their completely original character.
7 Arthur Harrow's Secret Scientific Research
Harrow initially joined O.M.N.I.U.M. after they discovered his work involving pain theory. However, Dr. Victorial Grail became suspicious of Harrow's research and eventually traced his work back to human experiments in Auschwitz. Fortunately, Grail is able to team up with Marc Spector to expose Harrow's true identity.
The goal of Harrow's human experiments was to potentially cure himself of paralysis, which affected the left side of his face. However, Ethan Hawke's portrayal of the character is absent of any kind of facial scarring like the comic character. It's possible his character still has roots in Auschwitz, but viewers will have to wait and see.
6 Marc Spector Has A Vision Of Arthur Harrow
Marc Spector, who assumes the identity of Moon Knight, is set on the course of finding Harrow after a pretty gnarly incident. While driving, the Priests of Khonshu appear to him, causing him to crash. Suddenly, Spector has a vision of Arthur Harrow, as well as Dr. Grail and a Mexican pyramid.
Once Spector encounters Dr. Grail, he asks her about a scarred man, who Grail realizes is Arthur Harrow. This sets the two on a combined effort to take down the corrupt scientist. In the Moon Knight series, a similar thing happens to Oscar Isaac's Steven Grant, who feels like he's seeing Arthur Harrow in visions and daydreams.
5 Harrow Is Not Moon Knight's Greatest Nemesis
Given that Arthur Harrow only appears in one issue, it may be odd for hardcore comic book fans to see him chosen as Moon Knight's nemesis in the show. Especially considering that Moon Knight has much bigger enemies in the comic books. One of the first of Moon Knight's antagonists was Raul Bushman.
Raul Bushman is an African mercenary who Marc Spector encounters in his early days as Moon Knight. While the creators of the Disney+ show considered Bushman to be the villain, they ultimately felt he'd be too similar to Erik Killmonger from Black Panther. Therefore, they went in a different direction and chose Arthur Harrow.
4 Harrow May Have Ties To Other Characters
Not much is known about Arthur Harrow's backstory after watching episode 1 of Moon Knight. However, many fan theories tie the character back to the comics in some way or another. Some fans think Harrow is actually Dracula, which would make sense given his ability to drain the life from his followers.
He also seems to have the ability to sic a rabid werewolf-like creature onto Steven Grant towards the end of the episode. Perhaps this ties Arthur Harrow some way to Werewolf By Night, a character very closely related to Moon Knight in the comics. The character is even due to star in a Halloween special on Disney+ in 2022.
3 Arthur Harrow May Be A Stand-In For The Sun King
Suffice it to say, the MCU Arthur Harrow is a far cry from the mad scientist in the comics. However, the character's change into a religious zealot actually mirrors another character from the comics: The Sun King. The Sun King has received many iterations throughout the comics, though one is known as Patient 86.
In the comics, The Sun King typically surrounds himself with a group of followers. He also proves to be a very personal and dangerous villain for Marc Spector, a.k.a Moon Knight. It's possible giving Ethan Hawke's character the name Arthur Harrow is a misdirect for comic fans, and the character is actually a take on The Sun King.
2 The Sun King Also Struggles With Mental Health
Patient 86 was a mental patient introduced to Egyptian mythology by his doctors. After becoming a servant of the sun god Ra, Patient 86 vowed to destroy Marc Spector. This is perhaps a logical route for the MCU to take with Arthur Harrow, with the name being fake or the true alias of the mysterious Patient 86 in the comics.
Spector and Patient 86 have lots in common, given that they both struggle with mental health. However, there's a clear dichotomy between them, as Spector serves the moon god and the Sun King serves Ra. The MCU Disney+ series have all had villains who test characters' strengths, so perhaps Harrow will fall in line with them.
1 Ammut Also Appears In The Comics
While Arthur Harrow doesn't serve Ra in the Moon Knight show (as far as we know), he is a devout follower of Ammut. In Egyptian mythology, Ammut is known as the "Devourer of the Dead", closely tied with Anubis, the god of the afterlife. However, the MCU version of the character combines both Egyptian gods into one.
According to Arthur Harrow in the first episode of Moon Knight, Ammut decides the fate of people based on their past, present, and future. Allegedly, if Ammut is freed, that could prevent historical tragedies like the Holocaust from happening. Perhaps Arthur Harrow is truly a follower of Anubis masquerading as Ammut.