How Many Afterlifes Are In The MCU

Moon Knight episode 5 added to the number of afterlifes in the MCU’s world with the introduction of Duat, which is the name given to the afterlife in Egyptian mythology. Marc and Steven incidentally found their way there after getting fatally shot in the previous episode. Apparently, those that arrive in Duat are guided through the underworld by the hippo-like goddess, Tawaret. Depending on how their scales are balanced, they can either live for eternity in a paradise plane called the Field of Reeds or become “frozen in sand” forever on the desert floor of Duat. This isn’t an exact adaptation of how death and the afterlife works in the Egyptian myths, but it’s a fairly close translation. And interestingly, Moon Knight made it clear that it’s not the only afterlife available. In fact, Marc and Steven were the first to go there in a long time. Other people seemingly go to different dimensions when they die.

One other option is Black Panther’s ancestral plane, which Moon Knight curiously namedropped. When explaining that Duat was just “an afterlife” (as opposed to “the afterlife”), she mentioned the ancestral plane, which she referred to as “gorgeous”. Characters like T’Challa and Killmonger were able to visit this place and converse with their dead relatives after consuming the Heart-Shaped Herb. Tawaret doesn’t discuss any other afterlife dimensions, but a couple more have been referenced in previous MCU installments. There’s also Valhalla and Hel, which function as heaven and hell in Norse mythology. Additionally, characters like Captain America believe in the God of the Christian religion, so the two afterlifes associated with that belief system could be real as well in the MCU. As for Hades from Greek mythology, whether or not it has a place in the multiverse remains to be seen for the time being.

How The MCU's Afterlifes Can All Coexist

It seems that multiple afterlifes being able to coexist in one massive universe is tied to belief. Not everyone on Earth goes to the ancestral plane, Valhalla, or Duat apparently because where they ultimately end up is determined by their belief systems. That explains why the Asgardians are tied to Valhalla and Marc and Steven went to Duat. While neither worship any of the Egyptian gods, they certainly believe in them at this point in the story, and both have developed connections to their moon god, Khonshu. Belief being the key makes sense, especially since Taweret pointed out how long it’s been since Duat has had a visitor. Obviously, the Egyptian gods aren’t worshipped anymore, which likely has to do with why there hasn’t been much activity in Duat as of late.

Related: How Moon Knight's Fight Scenes Mirror The Captain America Movies

Moon Knight Avoids A Huge MCU Gods Issue

The more the MCU delves into all these god pantheons and their respective realms, the more likely it would be that Marvel would eventually have to clear up confusion over all its different concepts, especially most of the belief systems they’re based on tend to contradict each other. However, Marvel has successfully circumvented this particular concern by using Taweret to establish that there are numerous “intersectional planes” that can be accessed by “untethered consciousnesses”. In other words, it's now possible for several of them to be real without much conflict. Marvel can freely introduce the Greek gods in Thor: Love and Thunder and any other pantheon it wishes without creating any unnecessary complications or inconsistencies with its various mythological adaptations. Given how important mythology is to the MCU in Phase 4, this is a good move and also one that feels like the most logical course to take.

Had Moon Knight episode 5 chosen not to acknowledge the ancestral plane or the existence of other afterlifes, there would be a lot more questions about how realms like Valhalla and Duat can possibly both be real. Now, it’s understood that the MCU is loaded with different avenues one can take after death. This reveal clears up speculation about the concept of the afterlife, but doesn’t really go into which gods came first or which pantheon is responsible for the creation of the multiverse. Many religions give credit to their own gods for this (and the MCU’s gods may be no different in this respect), but Marvel can only pick one of these stories to confirm as MCU canon without causing problems. That’s why it’s for the best that Marvel hasn’t provided a definitive answer, as it leaves the question of who really created the multiverse up to the interpretation of the viewer.

More: Moon Knight Cast Guide: Every Marvel Character & Who Plays Them

Moon Knight releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney+.