Arguably, the MCU's Phase 4 is the most ambitious thing that the franchise has ever undertaken. The long-running universe of films and television shows seeks to expand to greater heights while also filling out the jam-packed universe with even more characters.
With its release on Disney+, Moon Knight will become the latest entry in the MCU, and it already shows great promise. Indeed, the show provides the perfect opportunity for the MCU to explore some of Phase 4's most crucial and lingering storylines while still delivering the funny and action-packed adventure Marvel fans have come to expect.
Secret Avengers
Phase 4 is juggling several potential team-ups without outright committing to any. However, the current status of the Avengers, with many of them dead and others on the verge of falling apart, allows Phase 4 to introduce a new status quo.
The Secret Avengers are one of many Marvel teams that have yet to debut in the MCU. They are a black-ops team adjacent to the Avengers that operates on more dangerous and sensitive missions. In the comics, Steve Rogers leads the Secret Avengers, which include Moon Knight among its ranks. So far, it's unclear what Contessa Valentina's plan is, but it's obvious she's forming a team. It's unlikely that she plans to create the Secret Avengers, but the possibility exists. However, with Steve in the past, the MCU's version of the Secret Avengers would look substantially different.
Dark Avengers
And speaking of Contessa Valentina, the character's plans could be to form something along the lines of the Dark Avengers. In the comics, the Dark Avengers are a group of supervillains posing as superheroes under Norman Osborn's leadership.
Osborn is not a player in the MCU's main Earth, as evidenced by Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, another villain could create the Dark Avengers, perhaps Baron Zemo or even an antihero like Loki. Moon Knight could the group, although it's difficult to find an established MCU hero for him to impersonate.
The Thunderbolts
The most likely explanation for Contessa Valentina's presence in the MCU is that she's trying to create the Thunderbolts. The team has a somewhat complicated history and a troubled reputation but remains a crucial force for good in the Marvel Universe. The Thunderbolts line-up consists mainly of reformed superheroes or antiheroes, making it the perfect organization for someone like Marc Spector.
Moon Knight could continue setting the stage for the Thunderbolts' eventual arrival to the MCU, whether by including another cameo from Julia Louis-Dreyfus or by having someone like Yelena or John Walker recruit Marc. The Thunderbolts have had some strange in its ranks, but Marc would perfectly fit the team's profile.
The Ever-Expanding Mystical World
Moon Knight's superhuman abilities result from his being the Fist of Khonshu. He acts as the god's conduit on Earth, receiving all kinds of powers in return. The Moon Knight trailer reveals many details about the plot, but one of the most crucial is that Oscar Isaac doesn't seem to be playing Marc Spector, at least not at first. Instead, the Steven Grant persona appears in control, which means he'll have to rediscover his Moon Knight identity.
Phase 4 is becoming increasingly magical, and Khonshu's arrival is a major stepping stone for the MCU's mystical corner. Characters like Doctor Strange or even Agatha Harkness could help Spector learn more about his bond with Khonshu and understand the true extent of his abilities.
Chaos & Everything In Between
The Moon Knight trailer includes several lines where Ethan Hawke's character refers to chaos. He encourages Marc/Steven to "embrace the chaos" in a rather ominous tone.
Moon Knight isn't the first time the word is mentioned in the MCU. It featured prominently in Comic book fans know chaos magic is unpredictable and ancient, so perhaps there's a relation between it and Khonshu. Moon Knight has a few supernatural powers like enhanced sight, a degree of precognition, and apparent immortality; furthermore, his relationship with Khonshu is mystical, so there are multiple magical aspects to his storyline.
Legacy & Generational Trauma
Surprisingly, one of Phase 4's lingering themes seems to be legacies and, to a much lesser extent, generational trauma. Projects like Eternals explore the duties and burdens that come with living up to a legacy while vaguely tackling the pain that carries on from one generation to the next.
Thanks to Marc Spector's Dissociative Identity Disorder (or DID), Moon Knight provides the perfect opportunity for the MCU to go even deeper into these issues. In many ways, Marc is a stranger, not only in the MCU but in his own body. To complicate matters, he needs to deal with the burden of being the Fist of Khonshu, one of the god's many vessels on Earth. The show can use its extended run-time to examine Spector's subconscious and develop him as a three-dimensional character.
Marvel Supernatural
Marvel's supernatural corner is growing exponentially by the minute between Moon Knight, the Blade, Dane Whitman's Black Knight, and the recently announced Werewolf by Night Halloween Special. Moon Knight could explore Marc's developing relationships with the vampire hunter and the werewolf, paving the way for a team-up of Marvel's supernatural beings to fight the MCU's paranormal threats.
Moreover, some of the best Moon Knight comic book issues of the 2000s feature him teaming up with and occasionally fighting against Doctor Strange, who is currently the MCU's leading mystical figure. Strange could show up in Moon Knight and bring everything together. Blade already ed and perhaps recruited Dane Whitman at the end of Eternals, so the team is already halfway done.