Movies - TV
The Most Important Moments In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
By RAFAEL MOTAMAYOR
Spoiler Warning!
This story contains spoilers for
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
A Funeral Fit For a King
“Wakanda Forever” begins with the death of King T’Challa from an illness that he kept hidden from the world (much like Boseman), and a beautiful funeral that takes place across all of Wakanda. The death of T’Challa provides the emotional backbone of the entire movie, and it has repercussions for the film, Black Panther, and the MCU at large.
Opening Up to the World
The fact that Wakanda opened up to the world brought as many curses as it did blessings. As the nation with the most powerful metal and most powerful weapons in the world, Wakanda quickly becomes the target of foreign nations. This story arc shows the struggle between interventionism and isolationism, all while setting up a major international conflict.
Niño Sin Amor
“Wakanda Forever” introduces Namor the Sub-Mariner into the MCU. The film plays off the long history of Wakanda and Atlantis, all while reinventing the sunken kingdom and giving its mutant king an origin story. Namor and his people, the Talokanil, are portrayed as very real, and the film doesn't shy away from the genocide of the Mesoamerican people.
A Heart of Iron
In keeping with the MCU tradition of passing the torch of original Avengers to the next generation, “Wakanda Forever” introduces Riri Williams, aka Ironheart who suits up in her own makeshift Iron Man costume. Riri fits into the film like a glove and fully embodies the original resourceful spirit of Iron Man while being a new and unique character.
The Return of the King
The return of Killmonger had long been theorized despite the fact that he died, but this didn’t stop Ryan Coogler from bringing Erik Killmonger back at a critical moment. When Shuri travels to the Ancestral Plane to find her brother, she instead finds Killmonger, and through their conversation, she realizes how destructive her grief has become.