Before you go and see the Black Panther you might want to take a look at the primer so you know the significance of what you’re looking at. T’Challa is not just another superhero in the sense that he puts on a suit of armor and seeks to protect his people and go after the bad guys when necessary. He’s also a world leader that seeks to better his country and to keep it safe from harm and from the machinations of other that would use what they have for the type of gains that are not in the best interest of others. In short he’s a king that fights super villains occasionally and allies with superheroes when it’s deemed wise to do so.
The Black Panther came to be in the 1960’s and was the first black superhero to hit the comics. Back then such a thing wasn’t typically done and as a result it was a revolution that led to a great upheaval in comics eventually as more and more superheroes of color began to come out of the woodwork. DC and other companies took note and started including their own heroes and villains of color and of different races within their pages as well. He even had his own dedicated enemy, Erik Killmonger. The back story between the two was fairly simple, Killmonger was the son of a man that had apparently been wronged by T’Challa’s family and desired to become the king of Wakanda. That might not be entirely accurate but what it is accurate is the fact that Killmonger is the kind of guy that will get things done by any means necessary and not worry about collateral damage in the process.
He wants to rule, and that’s what he plans on doing. If he has to go through people to do it then he will. No matter how much he wanted it though, or how many times he actually managed to challenge T’Challa, he would inevitably lose since T’Challa is one of many that belong to a royal bloodline and can partake of the herb that grants all Black Panther’s their power. The herb proved to be one of the things that could possibly undo Killmonger’s chance of becoming king, though during their various meetings it was found that he was a good match for the Black Panther. Their battles have been epic and their longstanding feud is what is fueling this movie it would seem since Killmonger is the Black Panther’s greatest nemesis when it comes to ruling Wakanda. The only other thing that will force him to act or perhaps dissuade others when it comes to exploiting his country is the eventual discovery that Wakanda is anything but a third-world country.
Much of the world in the MCU thinks that Wakanda is little more than another African country in which the natives are little more than farmers and tradesmen. The truth is that Wakanda is a highly developed and technologically-minded nation that is far more advanced than many other places in the world. But instead of telling you all about it I think I’ll let you go and see for yourself.
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