The Black Panther movies will continue, but sadly, it seems they will continue without King T’Challa. That very idea just sounds so inconceivable. He is not the first Wakandan to take up the mantle of Black Panther, but he is the first Black Panther in the eyes of the fans. As a matter of fact, he is the first black superhero. That kind of privilege should never be overlooked or forgotten. And when the first Black Panther movie was released back in 2018, cinematic history was made. For the first time in perhaps ever, a minority was well represented in a comic book movie. Not only did we finally get the character’s first solo movie, but it also expanded on the Marvel Cinematic Universe by letting us see Wakanda for the first time. A whole new nation and a batch of interesting new characters was something we needed more of.
But sadly, as we Marvel fans all know by now, Chadwick Boseman, the actor who played T’Challa from 2016 to 2019, died of colon cancer in 2020. Later that year, Kevin Feige revealed that Marvel has no plans to recast the character of T’Challa. To this day, that decision has stirred up much debate among the fans. Is Marvel making the right call not to have another actor take over the role?
Personally, I think Marvel would have been better off recasting T’Challa. Yes, of course, their decision was appropriate because it was out of respect for Chadwick Boseman. It’s hard to make a case against their decision, but many fans, myself included, have made some good points. We should all respect that Marvel wants to honor the memory of Chadwick Boseman by not recasting him. However, in response to that, I would say that the character is bigger than any actor. Not only is T’Challa one of the greatest superheroes ever, but he is the very first black superhero.
The legacy of T’Challa goes beyond even that. The MCU established him as the first Wakandan king who made the decision to reveal the nation’s true nature to the rest of the world. In doing so, he vowed to use Wakandan resources, more specifically the vibranium, to assist those who are less fortunate than them. By that selfless act, he became the first Wakandan to make the Black Panther title more than just a king’s title. T’Challa is the man who made the Black Panther a hero of all people and not just his own. That is how special that character is, and by the end of the 2018 movie, the MCU only scratched the surface of that aspect.
Unfortunately, it looks like Marvel will not expand on that development of T’Challa. We’ve known for a while now that Marvel is moving forward with the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. Until recently, we didn’t know specifically how Marvel and director Ryan Coogler would handle a Black Panther movie without T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman. Well, if you’ve seen the latest teaser trailer that was released at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, you may have had the waterworks going. Don’t lie. You most certainly cried.
Although it was never established out loud, the opening seconds of the trailer implied the unfortunate fate of King T’Challa. The very first moments of the trailer opened up with what appeared to be a funeral. It’s not too hard to guess that the Wakandan people would be honoring their greatest king after his untimely demise. What came after was several emotional reactions from T’Challa’s family. And based on one particular line that came from his mother, Queen Ramonda, says all we need to know about his fate.
Personally, I’d like to know what tragedy befell King T’Challa that led to his death. In a nation with such technological advancements as Wakanda, it seems unlikely that he would die from natural causes. Then again, if he did die from some kind of disease, then it would imply that there is a flaw within the Wakandan technology. The most educated guess is that Marvel would opt to send him off in a similar manner that Chadwick Boseman passed. If he did die from cancer or some other kind of common illness, then that would destroy the morale of certain Wakandans, particularly Shuri.
If T’Challa died from some kind of disease and even Shuri’s unrivaled intelligence couldn’t save him, then just imagine how that would change her. As probably the most scientifically gifted of the Wakandans, Shuri would be the one to find a way to save a sick T’Challa. And if she couldn’t do that, then that would make her question her own intelligence and self-worth. That could set quite the stage for her in the sequel. With her older brother gone, the burden of the throne and the Black Panther mantle could pass on down to her. But if she feels like she did fail to save him, then that could make her doubt herself.
Out of all the other friends and family of T’Challa, Shuri would be next in line to become the next Black Panther. The final shot of the trailer gave us a brief glimpse of someone wearing the suit. We all want to know who it is, and the most popular choice is Shuri. That could work, especially since she’s recovering from an unexpected tragedy. Much like her brother, the responsibilities of the monarchy and Black Panther could call to her, even if she doesn’t want it. Heck, T’Challa himself wasn’t even ready for it, and he managed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Can Shuri live up to such a high bar that her brother has set for the new duties as King of Wakanda? We’ll find out later in November.
What are your thoughts, Marvel fans? Do you think it was the right decision not to recast T’Challa? Either way, I am very curious to see how Marvel will carry out their new plan for Black Panther.
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