4.3K

Mind in the Media: How Moon Knight Misrepresents Dissociative Identity Disorder

While Moon Knight offers an insightful portrayal of dissociative identity disorder, it also contains several inaccuracies worth noting.

Dr. Cynthia Vinney, a specialist in media psychology and published researcher featured in peer-reviewed psychology journals, provides expert analysis.

Warning: This article contains significant spoilers for the first season of Disney+'s "Moon Knight."

This is the second installment in a two-part series exploring the representation of dissociative identity disorder (DID) in "Moon Knight." For the first part, please see Part 1.

Dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder, is a complex psychological condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, often called "alters." Although many popular culture narratives, from the 1886 classic "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" to the 2016 film "Split," have drawn on this disorder for inspiration, they frequently misrepresent it, perpetuating myths and sensationalizing DID—especially by depicting individuals with the disorder as inherently violent or dangerous.

Marvel's Disney+ series "Moon Knight" centers on a protagonist with at least two identities: Steven Grant, a reserved British gift shop employee, and Marc Spector, a confident American mercenary, both portrayed by Oscar Isaac.

Despite the show's inclusion of typical superhero extravagance and action-packed scenes, as discussed in Part 1, it presents a mostly accurate depiction of DID but also contains notable inaccuracies.

Key Misrepresentations of Dissociative Identity Disorder in Moon Knight

The creators of "Moon Knight," including Oscar Isaac, have made commendable efforts to portray DID authentically while incorporating the expected fantasy elements of a superhero narrative. However, the series takes certain dramatic liberties regarding the condition.

Steven's Practice of Chaining Himself at Night

Steven Grant, the initial personality introduced, appears timid and socially isolated. Unaware of his alternate identities, he experiences episodes of waking up in unfamiliar locations, which he attributes to sleepwalking. To prevent these nocturnal wanderings, Steven chains himself to his bed.

Although this behavior fits the story's context, Kelly Caniglia, MA, LCMHC, CCTP, from the nonprofit DID advocacy group An Infinite Mind, notes that individuals with DID rarely restrain themselves in this manner. DID typically arises from severe, repeated childhood trauma, and feelings of entrapment can be deeply distressing, making such self-restraint unlikely.

In "Moon Knight" episode five, "Asylum," it is revealed that Steven was created as a personality unaware of Marc’s traumatic past, shielding him from memories of abuse by his mother. Consequently, Steven does not recall the trauma and may not experience distress from chaining himself, yet this highlights another inaccuracy.

Steven's Unawareness of Marc

Initially, Steven does not know about Marc, but Marc is aware of Steven. Early episodes suggest Steven is the primary personality presented to the world, with Marc as an alter. However, by episode five, it becomes clear that Marc is the host personality, and Steven is his alter.

Dr. Robert T. Muller, author of Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up, explains that in DID, some alters may be aware of each other, but typically, alters know about the host personality, while the host is unaware of the alters. Thus, it would be more realistic if Steven knew about Marc, but Marc did not know about Steven.

That said, DID experiences vary, so Marc’s awareness of Steven isn’t impossible, just uncommon. It is more questionable that Steven is unaware of Marc’s wife, Layla (played by May Calamawy), since alters usually know significant personal details, such as relationships or children.

Marc's Supposed Conscious Creation of Steven

Episode five depicts Marc’s childhood trauma and the emergence of Steven as an alter created to shield Marc from abuse by his mother. While children often develop DID due to severe trauma, the show inaccurately portrays Marc as older than typical for DID onset and suggests he consciously created Steven.

Kelly Caniglia notes that DID generally develops before age six, when personality is still malleable. In the show, Marc appears to be about nine years old, an age when personality is more integrated, making the formation of alters less likely.

Moreover, the idea that Marc deliberately invented Steven contradicts clinical understanding. According to Dr. Susan Hatters-Friedman, DID results from subconscious dissociation during trauma, where the mind splits awareness and memory to protect itself. Alters form involuntarily from these dissociated memories.

While alters may identify with different parental figures, it’s improbable that Marc would intentionally create Steven or that Marc would retain traumatic memories while Steven believes in a nurturing childhood. Many with DID have fragmented childhood memories because certain alters serve to shield them from trauma.

Portrayal of Violence

In episode three, "The Friendly Type," Marc experiences memory gaps during a violent encounter, and the subsequent discovery of dead men suggests an unknown personality's involvement. The post-credits scene reveals a third alter, Jake Lockley, who is remorselessly violent.

While Marc and Steven are unaware of Jake, and Jake exhibits lethal behavior, this depiction leans heavily on the trope of violent DID personalities. Given Marc’s background as a mercenary and his role as Moon Knight, violent actions are narrative-consistent, but Jake's extreme brutality, including killing psychiatric staff to capture the antagonist Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), portrays an exaggerated and problematic stereotype.

Hollywood Stereotypes vs. Clinical Reality

Media often perpetuates the misconception that mental illness, including DID, correlates with violence, as seen in films like "Split," "Fight Club," and "Psycho." However, research and experts like Dr. Muller confirm that individuals with dissociative disorders are not inherently more violent than the general population.

In fact, if danger exists, it is often self-directed, due to trauma-related self-harm and suicide risk. The potential focus on Jake in future seasons could risk reinforcing harmful associations between DID and violence.

Approaches to Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder

DID diagnosis can be delayed due to its controversial nature and limited professional training. Treatment typically involves long-term psychotherapy. Historically, therapy aimed at merging alters into one personality, but modern approaches emphasize fostering communication and cooperation among alters to improve daily functioning.

Kelly Caniglia explains that because individuals with DID often view their alters as a family system, full integration may not be desirable. The therapeutic goal is to help alters work together cohesively, enabling the person to lead a functional and fulfilling life. While not a cure, this approach supports stability and productivity.

Categories