Moon Knight: Depicting Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Spoiler Alert: This analysis includes significant spoilers for the first season of the Disney+ TV show "Moon Knight."

"Moon Knight," a Marvel comic-inspired TV show on Disney+, takes a unique approach to depicting Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder. This article, Part 1 of a two-part series, explores the show's accurate portrayals of DID:

Accurate Portrayals:

1. Multiple Identities:

   • The show portrays DID through the character of Steven Grant (played by Oscar Isaac), who discovers he has another personality named Marc Spector.
   • These different identities demonstrate the complexity of DID, often manifesting with distinct skills, abilities, and knowledge.

2. Varying Awareness:

   • The show highlights the varying levels of awareness that different identities may have of one another.
   • Notably, Marc is aware of Steven, while neither is initially aware of a third violent personality named Jake Lockley.

3. Internal Communication:

   • Marc and Steven communicate with each other through reflective surfaces, an innovative metaphor that mirrors the internal communication that occurs within a DID system.

4. System Cooperation:

   • While Steven and Marc initially clash, they eventually work together to overcome challenges, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between different alters.
   • This collaboration demonstrates how alters can unite for the well-being of the entire system.

5. Fictional Inspiration:

   • The show addresses the phenomenon of DID patients reporting an identity based on a fictional character.
   • In "Moon Knight," Marc's creation of Steven Grant as an alter is influenced by a childhood movie character that provided him comfort.

"Moon Knight" presents a more accurate depiction of DID than many previous pop culture representations, offering a valuable opportunity to inform and educate audiences about this complex mental health condition.

This concludes Part 1 of our analysis of "Moon Knight"'s portrayal of DID. In Part 2, we'll examine aspects of the show's portrayal that fall short.