The Disney+ series Moon Knight officially establishes a pantheon of Egyptian deities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This falls in line with the character of Moon Knight's origins in Marvel Comics. The hero, played by Oscar Isaac in the series, is a devoted servant of the Egyptian moon god, protecting travelers of the night by acting as its Avatar.
Many other Egyptian gods appear in Moon Knight, including Ammit and Tawaret. However, the comic books feature a much wider selection of Egyptian deities that make up the group of gods known as the Ennead. These nine gods of Egyptian mythology appearing in Marvel Comics are among the strongest and most fearsome gods that Moon Knight interacts with.
Updated November 26, 2022 by Blaise Santi: Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe focuses on many different mythologies. The Disney+ series Moon Knight formally introduced Egyptian mythos into its canon with gods like Khonshu, Ammit, and Tawaret. However, the exploration continued in films like Thor: Love & Thunder, which features a long sequence that takes place in Omnipotence City, a gathering hub for gods of various mythologies, where Thor and his companions meet Zeus, the Greek god of thunder.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also delves deeper into Wakandan mythology, as well as the culture of Namor’s home of Talokan. Hopefully, more deities appearing in the MCU will give way for some of these additional gods to make their screen debuts.
12 Sobek
In real-life Egyptian mythology, Sobek was the god of military prowess, often depicted with the head of a crocodile. His Marvel Comics counterpart features a similar reptilian design, though takes less prominence than gods like Bast. In Wakanda specifically, Sobek is only worshiped by the Crocodile Cult, who rival the reign of T'Challa.
The Crocodile Cult remain antagonists to the Black Panther throughout the comics. At one point, they revive Morlun in order to weaken the Wakandan throne, though the vampire would later betray them. Nevertheless, Sobek has remained a combatant of many Marvel Comics deities, albeit not a very successful antagonist to any of them.
11 Seth
This god is referred to by his Greek-given name "Seth," though other translations call him "Set" or "Sutekh." In Egyptian mythos, Seth is notable for overthrowing the god Osiris before the god of the dead was eventually resurrected. However, other myths paint Seth as a protector of Ra, helping the Sun god to defeat a giant serpent creature known as Apep.
The Marvel Comics iteration of Seth, however, is the embodiment of this serpent. Known as the Destroyer of Worlds, Seth was an adversary of Thor after the Norse god of Thunder and his father, Odin, freed him. Seth was ultimately defeated in combat by Odin, making him one of the Egyptian deities who didn't fare so well against gods of other mythologies.
10 Isis
Isis is the sister-wife of the Egyptian god Osiris, acting as a maternal figure to the Egyptian people. It was said that she would help dead souls pass through the afterlife, becoming a figure for Egyptian funeral rituals. In the Marvel universe, however, Isis is known for being a manipulative goddess who took advantage of her husband after Seth killed him.
Isis' abilities in the comics include the ability to resurrect the dead, which aligns with her ancient origins. She also stood beside her husband Osiris when they were freed in the modern era of Marvel Comics by Thor and Odin. She and Osiris were instrumental in helping Thor to defeat Seth, as depicted in a 1975 issue of Thor's first solo series.
9 Thoth
Thoth was a member of the Ogdead, the precursor to the Ennead in Egyptian mythology, and is featured prominently in certain comic runs. The god shares duties as the moon god with Khonshu, while also being the patron of wisdom, science, and art. His role in Egyptian mythology was vital, with him acting as an arbitrator among the gods and an ally of Ra.
Like many other Egyptian gods, Thoth was tasked with judging the souls passing into the afterlife. Those who would fail to pass on to the Duat would be devoured by Ammit. Eventually, by the 5th century, Thoth was even able to transition from a god worshipped by Egyptians to a god worshipped by Wakandans, along with Bast and Ptah.
8 Osiris
Osiris is familiar to viewers of Moon Knight, as the god's Avatar plays a key role as the leader of the Ennead Council. While he doesn't appear with his signature green skin from hieroglyphs, the god does have an integral role in the Ennead as the god of the dead. Ironically, the god was also later killed by his brother Seth before being resurrected by Isis.
Osiris would also come into contact with Thor and Odin, being among the Egyptian deities who helped the Norse gods to defeat Seth. His resurrected was later attempted again by Satan, a.k.a. Marduk Kurios, but it was prevented by Daimon Hellstrom. Perhaps Osiris will appear again in the MCU, as his Avatar was murdered in Moon Knight by Ammit.
7 Horus
The god of the sky, Horus, is interchangeable with the Greek god Apollo. He is often depicted with the head of a falcon or eagle. The son of Osiris, Horus was notable for manifesting itself as the pharaoh for many years prior to Ra's inheritance of the role. The Marvel Comics stories involving Egyptian gods often include Horus in the Ennead.
In the comics, Horus remains the god of the sky, possessing the power of flight and being able to harness solar energy for attacks. The god played a role in the Secret Invasion story arc, fighting against Skrull gods. It would definitely be interesting to see Marc Spector's Moon Knight interact more with this god with a very rich background in Egyptian mythos.
6 Oshtur
Oshtur is one of the oldest gods on Earth in the Marvel canon, as one of its earliest life forms. Famously, the benevolent Oshtur gave birth to Agamotto, who eventually became the first Sorcerer Supreme and created Doctor Strange's Eye of Agamotto. In Strange's world, Oshtur is also known as the creator of the Book of Vishanti.
While not strictly an Egyptian god, Oshtur became a part of the Ennead during her time masquerading as Ma'at, the goddess of truth. During this era of Oshtur's rule, Ma'at was worshipped by a civilization of Bird-Men who lived in the ancient city of Akah Ma'at. Suffice it to say, Oshtur is responsible for a lot of powerful beings in the Marvel universe.
5 Ra
This Egyptian god is often known as "Ra," but also goes by "Atum," "Amon Ra" or "Amun Ra," depending on the translation. This god is incredibly important to the history of Moon Knight, as Ra is the Sun God, the counterpart of Khonshu. Like Khonshu and Moon Knight, Ra often operates in Marvel Comics through an Avatar, known as the "Sun King."
Throughout history, Ra and Khonshu have been at odds, often leaving Ra to be killed by a Moon Knight. Ra became an adversary of Marc Spector when his Avatar, an unnamed psychiatric patient known as Patient 86, began leaving a wake of devastation in Ra's name. The Moon Knight once again defeated this Sun King and took his cult of followers for himself.
4 Sekhmet
Also known as the Lion God, Sekhmet was the sister to Bast, the patron goddess of Wakanda. However, while Bast became a notable deity worshiped in the African country, Sekhmet only remained worshiped by fringe cults. She eventually became a goddess of war, deeming herself "the lady of slaughter" as she wrought her wrath upon the world.
As the Lion God, Sekhmet became a recurring antagonist for the Black Panther. Following her defeat by the Avengers, Sekhmet took a back seat to the conflicts of the Marvel comic universe. However, the goddess is mentioned by T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War as one of the two goddesses in Wakanda who welcome passed souls into the afterlife.
3 Anubis
Anubis's role in both Egyptian mythology and Marvel Comics is similar to Tawaret's role in the Moon Knight series. As the God of Death, it would be Anubis's responsibility to weigh the hearts of souls to determine whether they were worthy of entering the afterlife. He would often be compared to the Greek Lord of the Underworld, Hades, in real-world mythology.
In Marvel Comics, Anubis is a major antagonist of Daimon Hellstrom, also known as Hellstorm. In the 1975-1977 run of Son of Satan, Anubis fights Hellstorm, who is teamed up with a killer named Mindstar. He even appears in the form of a jackal, proving a formidable foe for the Son of Satan, though he is still defeated and is forced to release his human minions.
2 Khonshu
One of the most notable Egyptian gods in Marvel Comics is Khonshu, the Moon God. In the real world's Egyptian mythology, Khonshu was also a creator of new life and a close ally to Thoth. However, his most noteworthy contribution to Marvel Comics is through his Avatars, whom he manipulates to serve him as the "Fist of Khonshu," or Moon Knight.
It was Khonshu who rescues American mercenary Marc Spector from near death, choosing him as the newest Moon Knight. The MCU series deeply explores this relationship, as Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector finds himself at odds with the will of Khonshu, voiced by F. Murray Abraham. He's also the source of power for Moon Knight, adorning him with his ceremonial armor.
1 Bast
The only Egyptian god who appears more powerful than Khonshu is Bast, also known in Egyptian mythology as Bastet. Often depicted as a cat, Bast was notable for being a warrior goddess, often associated with the Sun god Ra. In the Marvel universe, however, Bast has an even more important role as a primary figure in the pantheon of Wakanda.
It is through eating a Heart-Shaped Herb and forming a connection with Bast that Wakandan royalty inherit the title of Black Panther. For T'Challa, played in the MCU by the late Chadwick Boseman, this means fighting some of Bast's fiercest battles. With the protection of Bast, T'Challa has defeated villains like Mephisto, Doctor Doom, and the Shadow King.