What Moon Knight Says In French In Episode 2

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Moon Knight episode 2.

Here’s what the French poetry means in Moon Knight episode 2. In the episode, Steven and Layla share a moment over some French poetry, and the translation gives some insights into both characters’ feelings. Layla, whose identity had previously been a mystery to Steven, turns out to be Marc’s soon to be divorced wife. After their phone call in Moon Knight episode 1, Layla assumed Steven was Marc speaking in code, and she rushes to London to see if he was okay. It turns out, though, that her relationship with Marc is on tenterhooks.

Layla doesn’t understand who Steven is, and it creates some fraught tension between them as she believes Marc to be undercover, not knowing about Marc Spector’s condition. However, this tension is muted when Layla is browsing the shelves in his flat and comes across a book of poetry by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore. Steven begins reciting a poem to her, to which she joins in. Though a small moment in Moon Knight episode 2, it provides some interesting understanding of Layla’s relationship with Marc.

The poem is Desbordes-Valmore’s ”Les séparés,” and the lines quoted by Layla and Steven translate to ”I am sad, I want my light put out/Summers in your absence are as dark as a room.” Desbordes-Valmore was a French romantic poet, and ”Les séparés” tells the story of two lovers who are separated, hence the title of the poem. This, of course, mirrors Layla and Marc’s relationship, as they are essentially separated by Steven who rejects Marc’s attempts to take control in Moon Knight. In a way, this poem is Layla vocalizing her feelings about being apart from Marc despite their obvious friction and her desire for a divorce. In essence, Moon Knight‘s untranslated French poetry gives away Layla’s true feelings for Marc.

Moon Knight’s Untranslated French Poetry Is Deeper Than You Realize

Despite Steven’s overall confusion about the situation in Moon Knight, it seems some part of Marc’s experiences with Layla has been carried through to him, as Steven names Desbordes-Valmore as his favorite poet. Layla knits her eyebrows as she quotes, as though she’s recalling memories of Marc, and then gives him a suspecting look and tells Steven that she is actually her favorite poet. This poetry exchange allows for a hint of Layla and Marc’s past, and invokes a feeling that the two, in perhaps the best days of their relationship, would bond over poetry. This scene is made all the more effective by what comes next, which is Layla handing Steven the divorce papers, much to Steven’s shock. This is a mystery to Steven, as he says he would never divorce her. He calls Marc a ”twit,” though it’s revealed later that Marc is simply doing everything in his power to protect Layla as Khonshu wants her as the next avatar. This solemn moment of calm between them, reciting French poetry, makes Marc’s responsibilities as Moon Knight something quite tragic in terms of his relationship with Layla.

Though Layla is clearly tough, it seems that she’s trying to showcase a false sense of security within herself and her imminent divorce from Marc. The poem goes on to read; ”To knock at my heart is like knocking at a tomb,” (”tomb” cleverly linking to Moon Knight’s Egyptian roots) which communicates a vast sense of emptiness within the reader, and, due to their recitals, an emptiness within Marc, Steven, and Layla. Intriguingly, the poem could also hint at dark past secrets, as Steven learns some of the details of Marc’s past and there’s a loaded nod to him slaughtering archeologists. The poem’s woeful tone means it can relate to each of Moon Knight‘s characters, and becomes especially compelling when it is shown just how much Marc (and even Steven, who punched a Jackal to protect her despite how terrified he was) would do to keep Layla safe in Moon Knight.

Moon Knight releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.