Moon Knight: Why Arthur Harrow Puts Broken Glass In His Shoes

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Warning: This piece contains spoilers for Moon Knight episode 1.

Here's why Ethan Hawke's villain Arthur Harrow puts broken glass in his shoes in Marvel's Moon Knight episode 1. The newest MCU villain is a different prospect to the franchise's previous bad guys, building on some of the issues of moral complexity and dark charisma. Hawke himself likened Harrow to cult leader David Koresh and his zealous followers in Moon Knight episode 1 fit that image. But unlike Koresh, Arthur Harrow introduces a new type of magic to the MCU.

For good reason, Moon Knight has been called the MCU's Batman: he is more brutal, more morally grey, and more fearsome than any of the other Marvel heroes in his stead. Oscar Isaac's antihero is the MCU's fist of vengeance, working for Khonshu, the god of the moon, to enact judgement on deserving villains. Arthur Harrow is his most formidable foe, himself gifted with powers by rival god Ammit, the devourer of the dead in ancient Egyptian mythology. He is also very different from the Arthur Harrow from Marvel's comics, and though Moon Knight is incredibly violent, Harrow's villainy is less direct and less furious. His cunning and his charm are among his deadliest weapons.

Related: Why Moon Knight Should Never Join The Avengers

Arthur Harrow’s ritual of putting glass in his shoes is a form of self-sacrifice and a blood payment to Ammit on face value. It fits with the traditions in some religions for zealous followers to mutilate themselves as a sign of solidarity with their god (in Christianity) or as a more general sign of spiritual discipline. Arthur Harrow putting broken glass in his shoes is a sign of his commitment to his righteous cause and his fundamental belief in the spirit beyond the body.