Moon Knight Finale Introduces a New MCU Hero

Moon Knight is the next character in a long line of Marvel heroes to headline their own Disney+ show, but he wasn’t the only defender of the night to debut. Viewers got to follow Oscar Isaac as he portrayed Steven Grant and Marc Spector, two of Moon Knight’s personalities on display. Marc Spector wasn’t the only character trying to stop Arthur Harrow and Ammit from their evil schemes. Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy), Marc’s wife, proved herself to be a capable fighter and worthy to be an avatar for the Egyptian god Taweret, transforming into the superhero Scarlet Scarab.

Fans were expecting Moon Knight to feature at least one unexpected Marvel guest star, whether that was Blade or Dane Whitman/Black Knight. In the end, the only backup Moon Knight needed to take down Harrow and Ammit was Layla’s new superhero alter ego of Scarlet Scarab. This development places Moon Knight alongside other Marvel franchises like Captain America and Ant-Man, where our central hero also has someone equally capable of fighting alongside them. Cap had Sam Wilson/Falcon, who eventually went on to accept the mantle of Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Ant-Man has the Wasp, with the two of them facing off against Kang the Conqueror in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Whenever and wherever Moon Knight shows up next in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – whether that be in the second season of his Disney+ series, or as a part of a larger ensemble project on the big or small screen – Scarlet Scarab will more than likely be at his side. The duo would make a formidable team against any threat they’re paired against. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Layla and the Scarlet Scarab appear in Marvel’s Moon Knight ongoing series from writer Jed MacKay and artist Alessandro Cappuccio.

It would also be fun to see Scarlet Scarab team up with some other heroes. Fans have loved the pairing of Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova, so why not toss a third woman into the mix of kick-ass heroes? If the often-rumored Midnight Sons/Suns project ever comes to life, Scarlet Scarab could add some much-needed diversity to the team.

Director and Executive Producer Mohamed Diab and consulting producer Sara Goher always had Calamawy in mind as a female counterpart to Isaac’s Marc Spector. “When we were putting [together our pitch], she was in the presentation,” Goher told Marvel.com. “We knew in our hearts that we wanted someone like her to take on this role. And then once we got her on board, she just gave like 1,000%, and I’m so happy with Layla.”

It was important for Goher and Calamawy to display an Egyptian hero like Scarlet Scarab in the MCU, especially since they are both Egyptian. However, Calamawy admits to it being a daunting task, explaining, “I had to really sit with it and be like, I cannot represent every Arab woman or every Egyptian woman…I just hope that all Arab women can watch that and feel like a Super Hero, and that they have that space on that big scale.”

She added, “I hope that the people who can relate to Layla feel seen and excited, and people who don’t, that’s OK. There’s space for everyone. I’m just the first. There’s many more that can come. It’s an honor. It’s an honor just to be able to represent or to be Middle Eastern, and shine a light on that region.”

Who would you like to see Scarlet Scarab team up with next in the MCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!