How Marvel Rivals Makes a Popular Moon Knight Meme Canon

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 10, 2024 7 Views 6 Min Read
How Marvel Rivals Makes a Popular Moon Knight Meme Canon



Key Takeaways

  • The Moon Knight meme where he is shown demanding a debt from Dracula is now canonized through Marvel Rivals lore.
  • Marvel Rivals integrates fan-created meme into Moon Knight’s story with humor and potential.
  • Marvel Rivals blurs line between fandom and canon, opening the door for more unconventional content.



While it could very well have gotten away with being a simple Marvel-themed hero shooter, Marvel Rivals has already taken several steps toward breathing new life into Marvel canon with the lore tied to its playable characters and its Timestream Entanglement story. Rather than relying on its gameplay alone, Marvel Rivals desires to expand the Marvel universe with its own lore, even to the point of bridging the gap between fan-created content and official Marvel canon. Specifically, a peculiar Moon Knight meme that has made the rounds over the last several years has now been integrated into Marvel lore, according to the first part of Moon Knight’s story in Marvel Rivals, “The Dusk of the New Moon.”

Like every character in Marvel Rivals‘ expansive roster, Moon Knight’s story will continue beyond “The Dusk of the New Moon.” However, the fact that Marvel Rivals is already seamlessly integrating an internet meme into its lore says a lot about the potential for where it could all end up. In short, this could just be a glimpse of the dent Marvel Rivals will put into Marvel canon.


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How Marvel Rivals Made a Dracula-Themed Moon Knight Meme Official Canon

A Meme Shows Moon Knight Demanding a Debt From Dracula

The meme itself was originally pulled from a 1988 issue of Solo Avengers #3, which shows Moon Knight entering a castle at one point in the story. However, despite the meme’s imagery being pulled from an official Marvel comic book issue, Moon Knight’s dialogue in the scene is in no way related to Dracula nor a debt owed. This is because, in 2018, the Facebook page “Moon Knight-Core” shared an edited version of this particular scene with text showing Moon Knight confronting Dracula, calling him names and demanding that he settle an apparent debt.


After the Moon Knight meme was created and shared on social media, it quickly rose in popularity due to its absurdity and the contrast between the usual seriousness of the characters and the hilarious (and profane) dialogue. The root of its entertainment value comes from Moon Knight’s comically aggressive tone, especially since the character is generally more serious and desires to be taken seriously. It also shows potential for Moon Knight to be a more comical character in the future.

Marvel Rivals Canonized the Moon Knight Meme in the Character’s Lore

In the first part of Moon Knight’s story in Marvel Rivals, “The Dusk of the New Moon,” Khonshu asks Marc Spector (Moon Knight), “What do you know of vampires?” Spector replies, “That they suck, and that Dracula owes me money.” Between his comment that vampires suck and the fact that Dracula owes him money, Spector even chuckles, as if he knows that what he’s about to say sounds ridiculous or that it came from a meme. So, not only is the incorporation of the meme into Marvel lore comical in and of itself, but the fact that even Spector finds it humorous almost breaks the fourth wall — like he’s in on the joke.


The inclusion of the “Dracula owes Moon Knight money” meme in Marvel Rivals is a bit of a landmark moment for how fan creativity and humor can influence official canon, especially Marvel. For a franchise that often seems so protective of itself, Marvel Rivals‘ ability to swoop in and drop something unconventional in its lap opens the door for more opportunities like it in the future. Perhaps this isn’t the end of the game blurring the line between fandom and canon, whether it’s through subtle nods or deeply integrated lore, promising an exciting future for Marvel Rivals‘ story.

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