#Jake has really become one of my blorbos uh

[petrawood]

Who is Jake Lockley? A meta/theory of the show

Fancy title is fancy.

Okay so after watching the finale I find myself having a lot of thoughts and feelings about Jake, as per usual. 

So, to start with, I do not believe he’s evil, but I DO get the feeling he would be one of the antagonists (together with Khonshu, who is in some way the big villain in Moon Knight in general) if there is a season 2. In all his “appearances” (read: blackouts) and the end credits scene he has been shown as somebody who is cappable of great violence, so I get that for the moment, at first glance, he might seem evil. The thing is, I believe that season 1 has already left some groundwork behind to stablish where Jake comes from a little bit better, a groundwork that would propell his characterisation in future appearances.

More after the cut! 

I will be talking about Marc and Steven as characters and one very important scene in the asylum and how it shines a new light onto who Jake might be, as well as his relationship with Khonshu! (This got long OMG)

Marc, Steven and false duality

The show seems to want to stablish Marc and Steven as complete opposites since the beginning, showing them struggling against each other, their identities clashing with each other (Steven in a pacifist, Marc has violent outburts; Steven is really intelligent and knowledgable, Marc has some amazing fighting prowess; Steven comes out as hopeful, innocent and naive, while Marc seems cynical and strict). This contrast in emphaticed to the viewers by making it seem like they are the only two alters, instantly creating an illusiory duality. As the show goes along we start understanding these characters, why they are how they are, we uncover their hidden depths and follow them in their discovery of themselves and growth as individuals. This way, we see Steven gaining confidence in his knowledge and skills and standing up for himself, to the point of downright antagonizing Khonshu and pressing him to make a deal that would leave Marc and himself out of the god’s grasp. We as the audience see how much Marc has suffered, his distante for killing and guilt over the death of his brother, how the grieves for his mother but yet how cappable he is of love, how much he cares for Layla and Steven, to the point of sacrificing himself for them (making a deal with Khonshu and abandoning the Fields of Reeds). We see him learn to express his feelings and grief and ultimately starting to forgive himself, thanks to Steven’s support.

So, what about Jake?

The thing is, by putting the focus of attention in Marc and Steven and therefore manufacturing this false duality (since their differences are not at all that extreme), the show has made us forget that there are not only two alters, there are three. Intellectually, we know that Jake is there, but since we don’t really get to meet him, we never get to figure out his place in the narrative and, most importantly, in the system. 

Now, right after watching the after-credits scene, I started thinking, and there was one particular scene that popped to my mind quite quickly.

The Asylum and Marc’s fears

Remember the asylum? I have seem some people theorice that, taking inspiration from the comics (Lemire’s run, spoilers!), the one behind Marc’s vision of a mental hospital might have been Khonshu, manipulating him by making him doubt his reality. I personally do not agree with this theory, since the asylum only started appearing once Marc and Steven had been shot. I believe it is what it is stated to be in the show: how the Duat presents itself to feel more “comfortable” and familiar to Marc and Steven, plain and simple, no trickery to be found. Therefore, since the Duat seems to feed off the dead traveller’s mind, I think that the scenes between both Marc and Steven and Doctor Harrow are simply manifestations of Marc’s mind (since he’s the most exceptic one and also has the most selfhate), putting every single detail into doubt and repeatting over and over again that he must be crazy, that he cannot trust his own senses and experiences, etc (remember, Marc is the one that shows more resistance to accepting himself and his DID, it takes being possessed by Khonshu and Harrow taking advance of the stigma afaints mental illnesses to get him to admit that he needs help). Therefore, I think that Doctor Harrow could be interpreted and his own self-doubts and hatred, throwing againts him(self) the things that he’s the most insecure and afraid of, although they do make him face them head-front (”is this real? you are just denying reality. You have to face your fears- which is actually helfpul-. Maybe that’s why Steven knows inmmediality that it is an illusion, might even explain why Steven doesn’t have a room of his own: “when danger is near, Steven Grant has no fear”, he doesn’t grown afraid, he is not fearful of not knowing his own reality or facing a painful reality, he always pushes through). That’s the reason why both Marc and Steven see Harrow’s bloody footsteps, refuse to listen to him and “wake up” from the room, Marc has learnt to forgive himself and see his self-hatred for what it is: a deception created to hurt himself, but not a reflection of reality.

Taking this into account, and keeping in mind that according to this theory Doctor Harrow’s words are Marc’s hidden fears, I think this scene is VERY interesting:

(Image description: Marc staring at the water inside a cup and then at Doctor Harrow with a look of slight sadness and fear on his face, Doctor Harrow saying “do you think you created Steven to hide from all the awful things you feel you’ve done in your life, or do you think Steven created Marc to punish the world for what your mother did to you?”)

I think that the answer to this question is neither, and both at the same time, just that it doesn’t apply to Steven, but to Jake.

Marc is perfectly aware of who Steven is and what he means to him, he has said to multiple times. He wants to see Steven life a happy, normal life, he loves his hope and how he was always there for him, he wants to protect him and hide him from hurt. He doesn’t fit at all the topic of the question.

But, and Jake? Where does Jake come from? And how does Harrow’s question apply to him?

Lets look at the evidence.

Who is Jake

What have we seen Jake do over and over again? When has he appeared? When Steven and Marc are in extreme danger, and probably about to die (when Harrow’s thugs attacked Steven, the car chase, when Marc faced off against those guys at Cairo, when Harrow was siphoning Khonshu’s power). I believe that Jake, as a lot of people have said, is a protector alter, which, according to did-research.org (which I hope is a good source, please correct me if I use missinformation!) are “alters that protect the body, system, host, core, or other specific alters or groups of alters. Physical protectors might take or try to prevent physical abuse or become aggressive in an attempt to defend against physical abuse”. I believe that every single time Jake has appeared, he has been both preventing either Steven or Marc from dying and actually going one step further and trying to put them out of harm’s way (taking the cab back to the airport in Cairo, leaving the military during Marc’s fugue state and generally killing every one that might be a danger). He’s trying to protect the other alters, not just being mindlessly violent. 

Now, the speculation (and actual link to the question, yay!) starts. 

Marc absolutely hates killing. While it hasn’t been said outright, he mourns over a room full of his targets saying that he remembers every single one of their faces. He says that, after one point, he wished that one of them might finally kill him instead. He also hates seeing people die, he’s driven to the point of desperation during his time as a mercenary, reaching a peak when he’s unable to protect Layla’s father and the rest of his team from dying. During the finale, we see him choosing to preserve a life, even if it is Harrrow’s, rather than take it. 

“do you think you created Steven Jake to hide from all the awful things you feel you’ve done in your life?”

Yes! Jake is the one who, when worst comes to worst and the only way out is to eliminate, to erradicate the danger, takes over and starts shooting. He is the shield between Marc and all the bodies he has had to leave behind, eventually shouldering the responsability to get blood on his hands and therefore sparing Marc and Steven from having to take a life. 

But also, what other fear did Marc’s subconscious, in the form of Doctor Harrow, throw at him? What other part of his being was he refusing to face?

“or do you think Steven  you created Marc Jake to punish the world for what your mother did to you?”

And here it is, the dark reality that Marc is hiding, probably the reason why he (together with Steven) he refuses to investigate who is the one fronting and killing their enemies during their blackouts. The reason why Jake is so vicious. The reason why, after the finale, Jake is still working with Khonshu. 

Who is Khonshu? In the comics (and, according to Wikipedia, the real Khonsu) he’s the God of the Moon, with epipeths as  "Embracer," "Pathfinder," and "Defender", he’s the god of those who travel at night, their protector. In the show, while his nature as god of the moon and night sky is more than proven, there is a huge emphasis of another of his aspects: that of vengeance, played as opposite of Ammit and her preventive condemn. Khonshu, through his Fist, punishes those that have done wrong (specifically against travellers of the night). 

(Image description: Marc hesitates before striking the final blow on Harrow, meanwhile Khonsu says “the choice is vengeance”)

Jake is a traveller and a pathfinder through his job as a cab (limo now) driver, he is Marc and Steven’s Protector by taking the need to spill blood upon himself, but Jake is also the person who punishes the world for what your Marc’s mother did to you him” Jake is Marc’s Vengeance.

And that’s why he keeps working with Khonshu, that’s why, while both Marc and Steven have managed to grow past their roles and go on with their life, Jake is still keeping the deal with Khonshu. He hasn’t appeared on the show, he hasn’t experienced the same character development as the other two alters, he’s still stuck is his initial, bloody role as protector and avenger.

What Jake’s future might be

Taking all of this into account, I believe that in future works Jake is going to go through the same journey that both Steven and Marc have experienced this season. He is going to face the place where he comes from, how he perceives himself and his role, he’s going to grow into his individuality and needs. I personally think that one of the themes of this finale is going to be crucial, a theme that Layla, Marc, Steven and Khonshu fight for: choice. The hability to choose for yourself who you want to be, what you want to do, the hability to be your own master, freedom. I think that, taking into account that right now he is still under Khonshu’s comand, Jake’s right to chose for himself and his freedom are going to play a huge role in his character arc.

Obviously, at the beginning he is going to be an antagonistic figure, but I think that after reading this meta it can be said that Jake is not, by himself, a bad person. He just wants to protect Marc and Steven, to fight for them. He’s the one who is willing to get the work done when it’s too much even for Marc, he’s the one who retaliates after the evils inflicted on the other two alters and the travellers, their avengers. I think his arc would consist on learning to trust Marc and Steven and their strength, as well as losing the vicciousness and desensibilitation to violence that so many years of putting himself on the front line have made him grow used to. And I, for one, cannot wait to see him do it.

Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you liked my theory/meta, if you have anything to add please do so! Moon Knight has really become one of my fav media (comics and show) and would love to hear your thoughts about it!

#Moon Knight #marc spector #steven grant #jake lockley #moon knight spoilers #moon knight meta #moon knight theory #khonshu #Jake has really become one of my blorbos uh #oscar isaac