Ultimate Black Panther vs. Moon Knight, Explained

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I’ve been following the Ultimate Universe stuff for a while now, and it’s seriously cool! It’s basically an alternate version of the Marvel Universe we all know, but with a really interesting twist. This universe, called Earth-6160, split off from the main one because of this villain called the Maker – he’s a twisted, evil version of Reed Richards! He basically changed things so that all the heroes we know never became heroes. Like, poor Peter Parker never got bitten by that spider, so he just lived a normal life instead of becoming Spider-Man. It’s a fascinating take on the familiar stories!

Even with the Maker’s interference – and sometimes because of it – heroes and villains have still emerged in the Ultimate Universe. Similar to the original Ultimate comics that introduced Miles Morales, this version of the universe allows Marvel’s writers and artists to create fresh, new takes on familiar characters. A prime example is Moon Knight, who appeared in Bryan Edward Hill’s Ultimate Black Panther and is quite different from his counterpart on Earth-616.

Ultimate Moon Knight is Very Unlike Other Versions of the Character

In the Marvel Universe (specifically Earth-616), Moon Knight is actually Marc Spector, a man who used to be a mercenary. He was left to die in the Egyptian desert after a fight with a colleague. Just before the heat and lack of water overcame him, he dragged himself to an old pharaoh’s tomb and passed out in front of a statue of…

Khonshu saw promise in Marc and resurrected him as Moon Knight, a hero who watches over and defends travelers at night. Marc also struggles with dissociative identity disorder, meaning he shares his body with two other personalities: Steven Grant, a wealthy benefactor who secretly supports Moon Knight’s work, and Jake Lockley, a cab driver with ties to the criminal world.

In the Ultimate Universe, the Moon Knight isn’t a single person, but a group. It’s a technologically advanced team of soldiers led by two men, Khonshu and Ra, the latter named after the Egyptian sun god. These two are villains, serving on the Maker’s Council and ruling the northern African kingdoms.

The first issue of Ultimate Black Panther depicts Moon Knight’s army conquering Africa, killing anyone who refused to obey Khonshu and Ra. These soldiers didn’t initially look like the traditional Moon Knight, but later comics showed assassins wearing similar outfits. Eventually, even Khonshu adopted this costume, complete with a mask resembling the skull-like appearance of the Khonshu from the main Marvel universe (Earth-616).

In this alternate reality, Moon Knight’s opponents were two heroes: Killmonger and Wind-Rider, who is similar to Storm from another universe. While T’Challa still became King of Wakanda and the Black Panther, he mostly stayed within Wakanda’s borders. He received reports that Moon Knight was planning to attack, but he wanted to learn more about their motives and powers before responding.

He would later regret this decision when a Moon Knight operative killed his father, T’Chaka. Filled with rage, T’Challa donned the Black Panther suit and announced, “Our enemy is… Moon Knight. Wakanda is now at war!” He then allied with Killmonger and Wind-Rider to defeat Khonshu and Ra.

Ultimate Khonshu Pretended to Be a God

Moon Knight was searching for a rare, green mineral that was essentially the opposite of vibranium. Like vibranium, it arrived on Earth via a meteor, but instead of enhancing technology, it had the power to manipulate life – healing injuries and even reshaping the land. In Ultimate Black Panther #5, Matron Imala described it as representing the “God of Flesh,” contrasting with vibranium’s “God of Material.” She explained this mineral could rapidly accelerate life, potentially giving rise to entire kingdoms.

Once Khonshu obtained anti-vibranium, he started performing what seemed like miracles throughout Africa, leading people to believe he was a god. Meanwhile, Ra worked quietly in the background, less interested in worship and more focused on the power he gained through Moon Knight. Gradually, Khonshu gathered a devoted following willing to give their lives to destroy Wakanda.

The conflict between T’Challa and Moon Knight in Ultimate Black Panther had a fascinating religious dimension. T’Challa didn’t want to simply defeat Moon Knight’s army, because as long as people believed in Khonshu as a god, others would always step forward to follow him. Instead, T’Challa tried to undermine Khonshu’s reputation and strengthen his own. Both sides used impressive displays of power and encouraged their supporters to spread their names. This wasn’t a battle over land, but a fight for the people’s belief and loyalty.

The latest version of Moon Knight offers a unique twist on the idea of multiple identities. Rather than one person with different personalities, Moon Knight is comprised of many bodies all sharing a single identity. They’ve given up their individual selves to completely focus on serving the gods Khonshu and Ra. This is further emphasized by the Moon Knight soldiers, who wear masks that hide their faces and individuality.

The conflict with Moon Knight forced T’Challa to rethink his approach to protecting Wakanda. Because Wakanda had long remained hidden from the world, few knew of Black Panther before this war. Wakanda’s past policy of allowing neighboring countries to struggle had made them vulnerable to the influence of Khonshu and his promises. As T’Challa realized, as stated in Ultimate Black Panther #11, Moon Knight’s emergence was unavoidable. He understood that the Black Panther’s responsibility extended beyond Wakanda’s borders if he hoped to prevent future dangers.

Honestly, after all the fighting between Moon Knight and Black Panther didn’t really solve anything, Khonshu just lost his patience and demanded a one-on-one fight with T’Challa. Black Panther, being the hero he is, stepped up, and even said something powerful about Wakanda giving people new hope after a god falls. That fight in Ultimate Black Panther #20 was incredible, but after it, the series kind of moved on from Moon Knight. Khonshu and Ra still popped up now and then, but they weren’t the big, scary villains Wakanda had to worry about anymore.

Black Panther and Moon Knight Have a Surprising Amount in Common

Black Panther and Moon Knight haven’t historically teamed up much in Marvel comics. However, in one storyline from Black Panther Vol. 2, Brother Voodoo asked Moon Knight (Marc Spector) to assist Black Panther in the afterlife. T’Challa needed help defeating Nightmare and reclaiming his throne after losing it to Killmonger.

As a big Black Panther fan, I remember when he actually went up against Moon Knight during that ‘Age of Khonshu’ storyline – it was in Avengers Vol. 8 #36, if I recall correctly. After everything went down, Moon Knight offered Black Panther a spot on the Avengers, which was a surprise! But T’Challa turned it down, saying he was happy just looking after Wakanda and keeping things as they were. It felt a little sad, but also really in character for him.

Although Black Panther and Moon Knight haven’t had much interaction in the main Marvel universe, a connection between them feels natural. Both T’Challa and Moon Knight draw power from ancient Egyptian deities – Bast for Black Panther and Khonshu for Moon Knight. While both are connected to mystical forces, they rely more on physical combat and weaponry than on traditional magic. Their contrasting costumes – Black Panther in black and Moon Knight in white – also create a striking visual connection.

Exploring a villainous side for Moon Knight also fits the character, as Marc Spector is often portrayed as a forceful and sometimes brutal crime fighter who has clashed with other heroes. While fans of the traditional Moon Knight might be surprised by the different take in this version, there’s still a possibility Marc could appear in other stories, as his role in the Ultimate Universe remains open.

It’s unclear what happened to Marc – The Maker may have harmed or captured him, but Marc could also be living a normal life, similar to Peter. If so, he might eventually become a superhero like Peter did. However, there isn’t much time for this storyline to develop, as the Ultimate Black Panther series and the entire Ultimate Universe are ending soon.

The next issue of Ultimate Black Panther, #24, will finish the series and also wrap up the entire Ultimate line. While this might be the end for Ultimate Moon Knight, the story suggests Marvel could explore more team-ups between Black Panther (T’Challa) and Moon Knight (Marc) in the main Marvel universe (Earth-616). The series has shown that the two characters work well together, with their themes and styles complementing each other.

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2026-01-11 06:40