Ennead

Ennead
Alias(es)	Egyptian Gods
Appearances
Movie	Black Panther (depiction) Eternals (statue) Thor: Love and Thunder Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (statues)
TV Series	Loki (paintings) Moon Knight
Comic	Eternals: The 500 Year War (statue)

"The Ennead? You know, like, the super group of Egyptian gods?"

―Steven Grant to Donna Kraft^[src]

The Ennead are a race of powerful beings worshiped as gods in Egyptian and Wakandan cultures.

History

Ancient History

The Ennead are a group of godly beings who, in some African cultures, were worshiped. Ennead such as Anubis, Geb, Hathor, Horus, Isis, Khonshu, Osiris, Ra, Shu, Taweret, Tefnut, Nephthys, Nut and Ammit all became worshiped by Ancient Egyptians due to their godly status and power. Throughout human history, the Ennead are known to have taken on human Avatars, using them to carry out their will and observe for them.

Wakandan Legends

"In my culture, death is not the end. It's more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where... you can run forever."

―T'Challa^[src]

Bast choosing Bashenga

During the Neolithic period, the Panther Goddess, Bast, chose a warrior shaman to become the first Black Panther. She appeared in a vision and led him to the Heart-Shaped Herb. Using this newfound power, Bashenga put a stop to the tribal warfare in the region. The tribes would then become the nation of Wakanda, which Bashenga would become king of.

Sekhmet, the Psychopomp Goddess, also became a figure in Wakandan religion, and along with Bast became known for leading Wakandans to the Ancestral Plane upon their death.

The Ennead Council

Declining Involvement

In an attempt to limit their effects on the affairs of mankind, a number of the Ennead formed the Ennead Council. Using the Great Pyramid of Giza as their headquarters, the council would regually meet and discuss each other's actions, imprisoning members of the council who disobeyed their rules. As time went on, more and more disobedient Ennead were imprisoned in ushabti, until only seven members remained, Osiris, Hathor, Horus, Tefnut, Isis, Khonshu and Ammit. Other Ennead continued their godly duties, such as Taweret, the Goddess of Women and Children, who worked as a guide, leading people into the Egyptian afterlife, the Duat.

Imprisoning Ammit

"I once relied on a servant whose Scales balanced perfectly. In exchange, I was bound to stone for 2,000 years."

―Ammit to Arthur Harrow^[src]

During the 3rd Century B.C., the council members clashed with Ammit, who desired to punish sinners before their crimes would be committed, thus ridding the world of evil. The council deemed her actions to be unacceptable, and, joined by Ammit's avatar, Alexander the Great betrayed Ammit, leading to her being imprisoned inside a ushabti, which was buried inside Alexander's body within his tomb.

Khonshu's Banishment

"I was banished for not abandoning humanity, unlike the rest of you."
"We have not abandoned humanity. They abandoned us."

―Khonshu and Horus^[src]

As time went on, Khonshu, the God of the Moon and the Night Sky, made his avatars into Moon Knight by bestoying ceremonial armor onto them, using them to enact his justice upon evildoers who had wronged the innocent. The council grew tired of Khonshu medeling in the affairs of man, leading them to banish him from the council. This created a wedge between Khonshu and the remaining council members.

Modern Times

Steven Grant reading about the Ennead

The remaining Six members of the Ennead Council chose to withdraw from human affairs, due to this, the Ennead became myths and legends in human culture, inevitably falling into obscurity as many humans belived them to be nothing more than mythological.

Khonshu's Affairs

"Do you swear to protect the travelers of the night and bring my vengeance to those who would do them harm?"
"Yes"
"Then rise. Rise and live again. As my fist of vengeance. As my Moon Knight."

―Khonshu and Marc Spector^[src]

Khonshu continued to inact his justice, using Arthur Harrow as his latest Moon Knight. However, Harrow lost faith in Khonshu due to his constant need for him to perform tasks and never letting him be free, Harrow renounced Khonshu, and instead began worshiping Ammit.

Khonshu grants Spector the Moon Knight suit

Sometime later, Marc Spector was working at a dig site in Egypt when he betrayed by Raul Bushman, who killed all the archaeologists that Spector was working with. Spector was shot and left for dead after he attempted to save the archaeologists, Khonshu witnessed this, and deemed Spector to be a worthy avatar. Khonshu saved Spector's life, and turned him into Moon Knight, making Spector into his servant for years to come.

Conspiracy to Release Ammit

Trial of Arthur Harrow

"I'm not the one on trial here. He is! This is about how dangerous he is if you would just listen for a second."
"He has committed no offense. This matter is concluded."

―Marc Spector and Osiris^[src]

In 2025, the Ennead Council consisted only of Osiris, Horus, Hathor, Isis, and Tefnut. The Ennead Council gathered to hear the case of Khonshu against his former avatar, Arthur Harrow. The council decided against taking any action, as Harrow had not yet done anything wrong.

Khonshu's Imprisonment

Khonshu turns back the sky

Khonshu, upset by this, continued to search for Ammit, aidded by Marc Spector and Layla El-Faouly. When the search proved futile, Khonshu resorted to manipulate the sky, something the council told him would result in his imprisonment. Khonshu, with help from his avatar, turned the sky back to how it looked 2,000 years ago. The Council regrouped not long after and cast a spell that pulled Khonshu and imprisoned him into a ushabti after the god violated the sky, despite their warnings.

Escape from the Duat

"It's been a minute since we've had a soul pass through here. Bit distracted... Excuse me. A-ha! Okay, here we go. Welcome, gentle traveler... Travelers... to the realm of the Duat."

―Taweret to Marc Spector and Steven Grant^[src]

Taweret assists Spector and Grant

Due to Khonshu's absence, Marc Spector was shot and killed by Arthur Harrow, resulting in Spector, as well as his alters, Steven Grant and Jake Lockley to be sent to the Duat. The Goddess Taweret, assisted both Spector and Grant during their journey through the Duat, including helping them to navigate their traumatic memories and eventually return to life through the Gates of Osiris.

Battle of Giza

"Why fight, knowing you will fail?"
"Because it is my choice. The very thing you take away."

―Ammit and Khonshu^[src]

Ammit battles Khonshu

Arthur Harrow, capitalizing on both Khonshu and Marc Spector's absence attacked the Ennead Council, resulting in the deaths of Osiris, Hathor, Horus, Tefnut and Isis' Avatars. Harrow found Ammit's Ushabti and smashed it, freeing Ammit, who, choose Harrow as her new Avatar. Layla El-Faouly, witnessing this, finds Khonshu's Ushabti and smashes it, freeing him. Khonshu returned to Spector's body, just as he and Grant had escaped the Duat through the Gates of Osiris, resurrecting Moon Knight. Now revived, Spector headed to Cairo, where Harrow and Ammit had begun their mission, the Disciples of Ammit begin using Ammit's power to judge people, killing those who Ammit deems unworthy. Meanwhile, Taweret got into contact with El-Faouly, and asked her to be her Avatar temporarily, El-Faouly agreed, becoming the Scarlet Scarab. Moon Knight and the Scarlet Scarab battled Harrow while Khonshu and Ammit, now a giant size, battled each other. The combined efforts of Spector, El-Faouly and Khonshu proved too much for Harrow and Ammit, leading to their defeat. Khonshu used a ritual to seal Ammit inside Harrow.

Ammit's Death

"We cannot take the chance that Ammit finds a way out. She will kill again."
"Now you sound just like her. You want them dead… Do it yourself. Now, release us."

―Khonshu and Moon Knight^[src]

Khonshu instructs Jake Lockley to kill Ammit

Khonshu begged Spector to kill Harrow, thus ending Ammit, but Spector refused, demanding Khonshu set him free. Khonshu agrees to free Spector and Grant, but, continues to use them as an Avatar through Jake Lockley. Sometime later, Lockley went to the hospital where Harrow was staying, escorted him outside, and assassinated him, putting an end to Ammit.

Council of Godheads

Isis and Bast joined the Council of Godheads as representatives of the Ennead. The pair of Ennead participated in the council's orgies in Omnipotence City, and were present during a council meeting in 2025 that was interrupted by the Asgardian God of Thunder, Thor Odinson who attempted to warn the council of Gorr the God Butcher's quest to kill all gods.

Characteristic Traits

The Ennead are the gods of ancient Egypt. They are immortal, immune to age and disease and can only be killed by either molecular dispersal or if they are sealed within a mortal vessel, in which case they will die if said vessel is killed. The Ennead can also be trapped, sealed into ushabti or in a mortal body, though it seems this can only be performed by others of their own kind.

The Ennead are incredibly powerful, capable of superhuman feats of strength and speed, shapeshifting, growing to titanic sizes, seeing into the minds and hearts of others, and can affect the spiritual and physical worlds. However, their powers are limited. They need the aid of a human avatar to use the full extent of their powers. Khonshu required the aid of his Avatar, Steven Grant to turn back the night sky 2,000 years and was unable to attack Arthur Harrow directly. Most Ennead seem to prefer to let their Avatars act freely, only taking control when needed. In exchange for acting as the Ennead's "eyes" and "hands," the Avatar is gifted with incredible power. It is possible for the bond between Avatar and Ennead to be broken either by death of the avatar, by the Ennead being sealed away, or by the Ennead voluntarily withdrawing their patronage from the Avatar. However, while the Ennead seem to need an Avatar's permission to form their bond, simply withdrawing permission does not end it, as Marc and Steven remained Khonshu's Avatar despite both alters rejecting him.

Powers and Abilities

• Immortality: Unlike their neighbors the Asgardians, the Enneads can potentially live forever and cannot die unless killed by magical weapons or another Ennead.
• Magic: The Enneads have a great knowledge of Egyptian magic and with this they are even capable of imprisoning other gods.
• Possession: The Enneads can possess people and make them their hosts.
• Control of the Stars: The most powerful Enneads like Khonshu can manipulate the stars and the sky.
• Soul Control: Taweret can guide the souls of the deceased to the afterlife and Ammit is able to draw the souls from the bodies of his victims and consume them.

Notable Ennead

Ammit †

Bast

Hathor

Horus

Isis

Khonshu

Osiris

Ra

Taweret

Tefnut

Trivia

• In the comics, the Ennead fulfilled the same purpose as they had in actual Egyptian mythology. They were also known as the Heliopolitians, a term coined for the comics. All the members depicted or mentioned in the MCU have either made appearances or were briefly referenced in Marvel Comics.
• Taweret, originally absent from the comics, has since made her debut in Earth-616 continuity. Her appearance is heavily inspired by her portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly her characterization in Moon Knight.

Behind the Scenes

• In an attempt to include Raul Bushman in the show, Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater considered the possibility of having one of the Ennead use Bushman as his own avatar, but the writers felt that they didn't have "the real estate" to incorporate that idea in the story.

External Links

• Ennead on Marvel Database
• Heliopolitans on Wikipedia