How Moon Knight Heals Without Khonshu's Armor | Screen Rant
Warning: SPOILERS for Moon Knight episode 3.
A throwaway line in Moon Knight episode 3 brings the specifics of Moon Knight's healing factor in the MCU show into question, and it may have even created a plot hole. Moon Knight's titular hero gets his powers from the Egyptian god Khonshu - powers that include enhanced strength and a healing factor that allows him to survive wounds that should kill him. The show has yet to fully explore and explain the nature of Moon Knight's powers, but the character's healing factor was clearly demonstrated as early as Moon Knight episode 1.
As well as being the avatar of Khonshu, Marc Spector has Dissociative Identity Disorder. One of Spector's alters is Steven Grant, who has so far been one of Moon Knight's main characters alongside Spector. Steven's confusion over his role as Khonshu's avatar has already formed a major aspect of the show's story, and in Moon Knight episode 1, Steven wakes with a broken jaw, completely ignorant of how it happened. Though he has no knowledge of the powers that Khonshu has bestowed upon him/Marc, Steven heals instantaneously.
However, a comment made by Khonshu in Moon Knight episode 3 calls the nature of this power into question. Though Moon Knight's healing factor was used without Steven wearing Khonshu's armor in episode 1, the Egyptian god clearly says to Marc that he'd like to "see how you fare against Harrow without the protection of [his] healing armor" - indicating that the healing factor comes from the armor, and seemingly making Steven's healing in episode 1 a plot hole. While it's not entirely clear if this is what the deity means, it's most likely not a plot hole, as evidenced by the added context of Moon Knight episode 3's ending.
Moon Knight episode 3 sees Khonshu address the other Egyptian gods in an appeal for support against Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow. His comments about his "healing armor" come when he and Marc first discuss the possibility that the other gods could imprison him in stone. At the end of Moon Knight episode 3, this is exactly what happens, and Steven is shown losing his own Moon Knight armor as a result of Khonshu's imprisonment.
This added context shows that the armor is an extension of Khonshu's power, but Steven using the healing factor without wearing it implies that the two can be mutually exclusive. This reframes Khonshu's comments to Marc - "healing armor" is most likely a broad term he uses to describe the powers he bestows upon his avatars. As Moon Knight's suits appear differently depending on whether Marc or Steven summons them, it implies that Khonshu's powers can be used at will. As such, the healing factor is most likely an innate ability possessed by the Khonshu's avatar, and not entirely dependent on the wearing of the armor.
However, with Moon Knight episode 3 ending with Khonshu imprisoned in stone by the other gods, the implication is that Marc and Steven have lost the healing ability regardless. The exact nature of the powers Khonshu bestowed upon Marc hasn't yet been fully explored, but the line of dialogue in Moon Knight episode 3 seemingly calls it into question. Though this almost certainly isn't a plot hole, exactly how Moon Knight's healing factor works will need to be better explained in order to properly clear up Khonshu's remark in episode 3.
Moon Knight releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.