Marvel Just Secretly Introduced The MCU's First Thanos
Warning: SPOILERS for Moon Knight episode 4!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first Thanos was secretly introduced in Moon Knight episode 4. Marvel Studios spent the better part of the Infinity Saga building up the Mad Titan as the universe's biggest threat. His quest to collect the six Infinity Stones came to a head in Avengers: Infinity War, where he was successful in utilizing the powerful stones to rebalance (aka wipe out half the population of) the universe. Thanos' actions made him the biggest villain the MCU has ever seen, but now Moon Knight secretly introduced the universe's first item-collecting and potentially all-powerful villain.
While Moon Knight ignored mentioning Thanos before, the series' limited MCU connections have allowed it to instead establish Egyptian mythology and introduce some of the powerful beings associated with it. The debut of The Ennead gives the MCU a god-like Avengers team that has so far elected to stay out of humanity's affairs. However, there are also gods like Khonshu using their powers, while Ammit wants her power unleashed to judge humanity. Moon Knight episode 4 introduced other gods, such as Taweret, and even revealed that Alexander the Great was Ammit's former Avatar. But, the mention of Heka also teases the MCU's first Thanos.
Moon Knight episode 4 introduces Heka priests guarding Alexander the Great's tomb, where it is mentioned they were sorcerers of their time. Their name might secretly confirm the presence of Heka-Nut, a powerful sorcerer from Marvel Comics who worked with four primal gods. In the comics, Heka-Nut has a very similar mission as Thanos. He wants to collect four relics known as the Cornerstones of Creation: the Ebon Rose, Darkhold, Serpent Crown, and Sword of Bone. Heka-Nut specifically set his sights on the Sword of Bone and tried to get it for 500 years before ultimately failing. If he would've been successful in obtaining the Sword of Bone and other Cornerstones of Creation, Heka would've had Thanos-level power to reshape the universe.
The mention of Heka in Moon Knight episode 4 doesn't confirm that this comic story is MCU canon, but it does at least hint at the possibility. This would make him the MCU's first Thanos, as his search for the Cornerstones of Creation could take place thousands of years before Thanos was even born. The comics revealed that he was not successful in accomplishing his goal because the Sword of Bone can only be wielded by someone pure of heart. However, the MCU could always change this backstory and reveal that ancient superheroes, or maybe even The Ennead, interfered to stop Heka from taking over the world.
If Heka and his Cornerstones of Creation storyline is part of the MCU's history, then Moon Knight might also secretly provide more context for the Darkhold. WandaVision didn't reveal the origins of the magical book, but Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is expected to feature it prominently. This could include confirming that it is a Cornerstone of Creation in the MCU. In doing so, the potential for these artifacts to pop up in Phase 4 and beyond could be how Marvel replaces the Infinity Stones and gives the franchise its next Thanos.
Moon Knight releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.