Even Diehard Moon Knight Fans May Have Missed the Hero's Fourth Identity

Few superheroes have as complicated a relationship to their identity as Moon Knight. Moon Knight doesn't have just one secret identity; he has three. Between Marc Spector, Jake Lockley, and Steven Grant, most fans can be forgiven for thinking those are all the identities Moon Knight has used, but he did have a short-lived fourth alter ego.

The surprising fourth identity was revealed in Moon Knight #22 by Jed McKay and Alessandro Cappuccio. In this run, Steven Grant's wealth, which is how Moon Knight is able to operate, was completely drained by the new villain known as Zodiac. With all of his wealth stolen, it's unclear exactly how Moon Knight continued to operate the Midnight Mission and keep all of his equipment maintained.

Curiously, at the same time as Moon Knight's money woes begin, one of his oldest enemies, the Midnight Man, returns and begins robbing specifically the corrupt and criminal. While Moon Knight's allies, such as Tigra, seem concerned at the return of this old enemy, Moon Knight is surprisingly relaxed. Once Tigra hunts the Midnight Man down and removes his mask, she's shocked to realize that it's Marc Spector's new identity.

Moon Knight Stole the Midnight Man's Identity as a Brief Fourth Alter

Moon Knight #22 by Jed McKay, Alessandro Cappuccio, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Cory Petit

The Midnight Man's original identity was Anton Mogart, an incredibly talented thief who committed all of his crimes at the stroke of midnight, which earned him his name. He was a minor Moon Knight villain who was continually defeated by running water. In his first encounter with Moon Knight, he was beaten and fell into a river. While he survived this fate, his face was horribly disfigured due to the sewage he was exposed to. Later, he teamed up with Bushman and try to kill Moon Knight, only to once again be washed away by a river. He wasn't the most threatening villain.

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After Moon Knight's wealth was stolen by Zodiac, he needed a new way to earn money. Without many choices, Marc decided to revive the Midnight Man identity. As Marc explains, Moon Knight couldn't be seen breaking into criminals' homes and robbing them, even if they deserve it. If Moon Knight did it, people would be able to easily track him down to the Midnight Mission. Not wanting that, Moon Knight simply took on the identity of a well-known thief. Considering there had already been two Midnight Men in the past, Anton and his son, it wasn't too strange to see a third version pop up.

Moon Knight Stole an Old Villain's Identity to Serve His Own Purposes

Could the Midnight Man Return to Moon Knight's Repertoire?

Moon Knight's entire history revolves around his identity. He is Marc Spector, Jake Lockley, and Steven Grant. Each personality is just another part of him. What makes Moon Knight such a fascinating character is that he has so many different identities and personalities. That's why, when backed into a corner, it's no surprise that Moon Knight simply stole someone else's identity in order to use it to do what no other identity he has could: become a Robin Hood-like thief.

Moon Knight #22 is available now from Marvel Comics!