Moon Knight episode 3 may have just teased the MCU hero's third identity

Spoilers follow for Moon Knight episode 3. You've been warned.

Moon Knight episode 3 has arrived on Disney Plus – and it seems that Steven Grant may have another personality, alongside Marc Spector, to contend with.

The Marvel Phase 4 TV show had already teased us with a number of Easter eggs in its opening two episodes – check out our episode 1 and episode 2 articles on those, if you haven't read them yet. But it seems that Moon Knight's third instalment is hinting at an even bigger surprise to come, and it's one that's certainly piqued the interest of Marvel comic book fans.

We're about to dive into major spoiler territory for Moon Knight episode 3. Don't read past the image below if you haven't watched it yet.

Still with us? If you are, you'll know that Steven and Marc don't appear to be responsible for the deaths of some of Arthur Harrow's followers early on in episode 3.

Around the 9:00 mark, we see that Marc has seemingly stabbed some of Harrow's followers to death after a frenetic chase through an Egyptian city. Knowing that he wasn't in control of Marc/Steven's body during this part of the fight, a slightly shocked Marc asks Steven why he killed Harrow's men.

"I swear that wasn't me!", Steven responds. "So who was it...?" Marc queries.

If it wasn't either of these personalities, who could it be? Due to Steven's Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), there may be a third personality living inside of Steven's mind. And no, we're not referring to Khonshu.

Unsurprisingly, Marvel comics hold the answer: it seems that the persona responsible for killing Harrow's followers is another of the character's identities: Jake Lockley.

"Wait, who is Jake Lockley?" you may be thinking. Allow us to explain.

In the comics, Lockley is another of Marc Spector's personalities. He's a tough, New York-based cab driver who uses his day job as a front to conduct detective work and develop a network of informants for Marc/Moon Knight. This allows the caped vigilante to stay one step ahead of his foes, unearth new mysteries and secrets, and learn of other useful information in his fight against the criminal underworld. Think of Lockley as Moon Knight's sleuth persona (not unlike Batman), and you'll get the idea.

Like Steven Grant, Jake Lockley is one of multiple identities that Marc Spector utilizes to disguise himself from the authorities in the comics. But, like Steven, Khonshu, and Moon Knight, Lockley's presence inside Marc's mind only fractures his psyche further, making his "normal" life all the more complicated.

So how does Lockley fit into the MCU's incarnation of Moon Knight? Well, it's possible that Marvel Studios may have altered this particular identity of Steven's to make him a far more dangerous personality than his comic book counterpart.

In the comics, Steven is positioned as a millionaire, which is a far cry from the mild-mannered, British gift shop employee that we've been introduced to in Moon Knight's TV series. Lockley's "background" and abilities, then, may similarly have been altered for the TV adaptation. It may be that, in the MCU at least, he's a callous killer who has no qualms about murdering people who stand in his (or Khonshu's) way, which would be a huge change from his sleuthing persona in the comics.

Of course, there's no guarantee that this is Lockley's doing. From what audiences have learned about Marc so far, he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty – he's a mercenary after all, so he'll be used to beating up bad guys.

Clearly, though, Marc has some morals and seems to only take other peoples' lives when it's a matter of life or death. Plus, it's evident he's not in control of Steven's body when he stabs Harrow's followers to death. If it isn't him or Steven, it must be another of their alter-egos – and all signs, at this stage, point towards Lockley.

If Lockley is introduced in one of Moon Knight's final two episodes – we can confirm he doesn't show up in episode 4 – then it would make for an interesting battle between Moon Knight's triumvirate of personalities. 

We'd have Steven, the more conscious and pacifist of the group. We'd have Marc, the merc/action hero who blurs the lines between right and wrong. And then we'd have Lockley, who could be the personification of Marc/Steven's dark side and the one who'll get things done for Khonshu when Marc refuses. It would certainly play into the theme of triangles and pyramids – you know, with their three sides – if Lockley comes out to play at some point.

Here's hoping, then, that we'll get a concrete answer to this particular mystery in Moon Knight's later episodes.

For more Marvel Studios-based content, check out our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Alternatively, read up on who we think is the best MCU villain of all-time, and how we've ranked every Marvel film to date.

• Get ready for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness by reading our in-depth hub