Marvel Comics has plenty of heroes with expansive and memorable rogues’ galleries, from Spider-Man to Thor to the X-Men. However, not every Marvel hero is lucky enough to have a large roster of beloved villains — for a perfect example of this, one need not look any further than Moon Knight.
Moon Knight has been a fan favorite hero among comic readers for years now, but none of his villains have managed to reach similar levels of popularity. In fact, Arthur Harrow — the main antagonist of Moon Knight Season 1 — only ever appeared in a single comic issue before being adapted to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So even though Moon Knight’s rogues’ gallery is a rather small one, there are still several villains who are likely to show up if the show is renewed for a second season.
Bushman
The most obvious candidate for Season 2’s main antagonist is one of Moon Knight’s most prominent comic book foes: the ruthless Raoul Bushman. If the name Bushman sounds familiar to viewers of Moon Knight Season 1, there’s a good reason for that. Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) briefly mentions Bushman as his commanding officer during his time in the Marine Corps. After being discharged from the Marines, Spector joined a band of mercenaries led by Bushman, leading him to the Temple of Khonshu in Egypt. During the raid on the temple, Bushman ordered his men to execute all witnesses, including Layla’s father Abdallah El-Faouly. Marc turned on Bushman, only to be shot and left for dead in the temple — as such, Bushman is indirectly responsible for Marc Spector becoming Moon Knight.
This backstory is directly lifted from the original Moon Knight comics, in which Bushman served as Marc’s most personal and enduring nemesis for years. In one memorable 2006 storyline, Marc eventually went too far and murdered Bushman, prompting Khonshu to prey on Marc’s guilt by manifesting in Bushman’s form. Bushman’s close connection to Marc’s backstory makes him one of Moon Knight’s more compelling antagonists. Plus, his status as a former ally of Marc’s makes him a sort of dark reflection to Spector, showing what he could become if he went down a different path. Since Bushman has already been name-dropped in the MCU, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him cross paths with Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight in the near future.
Black Spectre
Another major contender for the title of Moon Knight’s arch-nemesis is Carson Knowles, aka the Black Spectre. Debuting in 1982’s Moon Knight #25 by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz, Black Spectre was driven by a desperate need for praise and acceptance. After losing his wife, his son, and his job, lonely veteran Carson Knowles decided to strike back at the world that rejected him. He became the armored supervillain Black Spectre, using blackmail and intimidation to support his campaign for mayor of New York. But of course, Moon Knight put a stop to his schemes.
Years later, a NYC cop named Ryan Trent became the second Black Spectre out of envy for Moon Knight, hoping to surpass and replace the man he saw as a rival. Both Black Spectres were dejected, isolated men obsessed with earning love through fame and influence. So while both Black Spectres have very short histories, their well-defined personalities and motives have made them fan-favorite members of Moon Knight’s rogues’ gallery.
Stained Glass Scarlet
Another classic foe who first appeared in Moon Knight #14, Scarlet Fasinera was a former nun who became a murderous vigilante to punish the criminals involved in the death of her son. Donning a red dress and wielding a crossbow in battle, Fasinera took the name Stained Glass Scarlet during her crusade of vengeance, but was stopped by Moon Knight. Scarlet battled Moon Knight several times before meeting her eventual demise. However, even death couldn’t stop her, as she’s recently returned as a superpowered ghost in the pages of Jed McKay’s currently ongoing Moon Knight comic. Scarlet became an urban legend after her passing, known as a saintlike figure who answered prayers for vengeance. Her spirit empowered by the people's belief in her, Scarlet became far stronger in death than she was in life.
Shadow Knight
Viewers of Moon Knight Season 1 will remember the revelation that Marc Spector once had a brother named Randall, who died as a small child. But in the comics, Randall survived into adulthood, becoming a Marine-turned-mercenary just like his brother — albeit far more unscrupulous. After learning of Marc’s supposed death in Egypt, Randall discovered the Temple of Khonshu, leading him down the path of becoming a fanatical cultist of the moon god. Allying with the Cult of Khonshu, Randall became the Shadow Knight, attempting to kill his brother and usurp his position as Khonshu’s champion.
Obviously, it’s highly unlikely that Marc’s dead brother will be returning as a supervillain in the MCU. However, the concept of a darker, more ruthless Moon Knight could easily be adapted in the form of Jake Lockley. Judging by the post-credits scene of the Season 1 finale, it seems like Jake is fully loyal to Khonshu, and has no issues at all with killing his targets. Even if Jake probably won’t use the name Shadow Knight, we might see elements of the character used in Season 2, especially if Jake ends up becoming an antagonist to Marc and Steven.
Khonshu
Of course, the most likely character to serve as the main antagonist for a second Moon Knight season is none other than Khonshu himself, the god of vengeance who gave Moon Knight his powers. Despite serving as Moon Knight’s benefactor, it’s clear by now that Khonshu sees his avatar as nothing more than an expendable pawn to be manipulated for his own ends. And though Khonshu’s vision of justice is more fair than Ammit’s, he’s still a cruel and bloodthirsty schemer. Once Marc and Steven learn of Khonshu’s deceptions, there’s no doubt that a reckoning is due between the moon god and his avatar.