This week’s Moon Knight left many viewers confused, much like the series’ two (or three) protagonists. Along with surprise plot twist, the Disney+ series starring Oscar Issac (The Card Counter) revealed a new character in the form of the Egyptian goddess, Taweret, according to Comicbook. Often appearing in the form of a hippopotamus, the goddess’ mythos is varied throughout Egyptian culture.
According to Comicbook, Taweret is known as the goddess of childbirth, fertility, and rejuvenation. With these characteristics, she is described as being a nurturer and formidable protector of life, for the living and undead. The deity is also closely associated with the cleansing and renewing of souls once they pass to the afterlife. Her appearance at this juncture in the series makes sense given both Issac’s mercenary Marc Spector, and Egyptian historian, Steven Grant, have found themselves in somewhat of a purgatory.
The following will contain spoilers for episode four of Moon Knight.
Before we meet Taweret, who is voiced by Antonia Salib via Comicbook, our double-minded hero has found the burial place of Ammit’s tethered statuette inside the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. However, this victory is short-lived when Ammit’s avatar Arthur Harrow, played by Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird), arrives with his henchman for the same artifact. Alone and without the protection of Khonshu’s powers, Marc’s attempts of defense are shattered when Harrow shoots him twice.
Assuming this is the end of Marc/Steven, he collapses into a shallow pool of water only to reemerge in what appears to be a psych ward, filled with characters from the show as either patients or caretakers. Could have all the escapades been a hallucination? And why is Harrow, the apparent antagonist, Marc’s psychiatrist? In disbelief, Marc attempts to escape where he stumbles upon Steven, who is now in his own separate body. Together they seek a way out when they are met by Taweret.
While this is the first time the goddess has appeared in live form, viewers have already surmised this isn’t the first time the hippo goddess has appeared in the series. In a full-circle moment, Comicbook reports a fan catching Taweret in episode one, entitled “The Goldfish Problem,” as a plush doll in the museum’s gift shop. Perhaps the appearance was a deliberate act of foreshadowing what was to come for our troubled Steven.
Some have even hypothesized that Taweret appearing now may be related to Marc’s previous resurrection or future return.
We may only know when the fifth episode of Moon Knight arrives on April 27th exclusively on Disney+.