The King is dead, Long Live the Queen! Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has wrapped up Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with a roar and plenty of tears. In this emotional tale of motherhood, loss, grief, love and war, fans saw the birth of a new superhero, the rise of an anti-hero and most importantly, a clearer direction of where things are headed in Phase 5, at least, when it comes to the Black Panther and the nation of Wakanda.
In spite of the clarity provided moving forward, we can’t help but have some questions of our own after catching the emotionally-charged and action-packed movie. This is especially since the movie introduces several key characters and plot points, including Namor (Tenoch Huerta), Namora (Mabel Cadena), and Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), as each weaves through various themes and storylines. There’s so much going on!
And if you feel the same way, or left the theatres (don’t forget to stay for the mid-credits scene) with some questions of your own, we got you! Here are 10 questions we have after watching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
As usual, SPOILERS AHEAD.
#1 How strong are the Talokans?
During the first half of the movie, we see Okoye (Danai Gurira), Wakanda’s fiercest general, defeated by underwater Talokan warrior, Attuma (Alex Livinalli). Prior to her one on one fight with Attuma, she managed to take down several other Talokans soldiers, only to her surprise, and ours, see them get up on their feet once more. Super regeneration, or something more? Granted they have been enhanced by their Vibranium enhanced flower, but just how powerful are they, and can they even be defeated?
When the Talokan and Wakanda warriors were at war in the final act of the film, sonic seems to affect the Talokans, and we saw Talokans get taken down by Wakandans, though it’s never clear if the Talokans die, or get up again to continue the fight. At the end of the battle, it did look like the Wakandans were at the losing end too, so, just how strong are the Talokans?
#2 If the Heart-Shaped Herb can heal T’Challa, why didn’t Namor use his flower to heal the Talokan that Nakia injured with the sonic weapon?
So we know that the Talokans are strong and a vibranium weapon might not kill them, but a sonic weapon might? If the plant has healing properties, can it heal the Talokans and bring them back from near death? In many ways, Namor’s origins mirror that of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as both received their powers through a magical plant that saved their lives at one point in their life, and Shuri (Letitia Wright) believed the Heart-Shaped Herb could have healed her sick brother.
Namor, being a protector of his Kingdom – and an empathetic one at that – likely had the chance to heal the servant that was injured by Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), but didn’t. It seems out of character that he would let her die after spending years keeping his people safe. This is especially when the option to save her is right there. Could the flower have saved her? In a similar vein, who is then allowed or worthy enough to be saved by Talokan’s magic flower then? Or did Namor allow her to die, to become a martyr in the coming war against Wakanda?
#3 Where is Tiamut?
Did everyone just forget that there is a giant Celestial in the Indian ocean? One that almost split the planet but then got turned into stone? That one from Marvel’s Eternals? The one called Tiamut?
Wakanda Forever spent a big chunk of their movie introducing viewers to the underwater civilization of Talokan. Viewers saw how they lived underwater, and learned the Mesoamerican origins of a civilization hundreds of years in the making, due to the discovery of vibranium. The Talokans have a long lifespan, and clearly travelled across the oceans, which is how they discovered the ship looking for vibranium. The Talokans are extremely protective of their nation and their resources, and have a legitimate hatred for surface dwellers and anyone who destroys their beautiful ocean so it’s strange how Tiamut and the Eternals were not once mentioned or referenced.
You would think that the appearance of a giant stoned Celestial emerging from the depths of the ocean would cause panic and perhaps a lot of trauma in an underwater civilisation, or even make them consider that there is more in the universe than a petty war between those who live under and above water, but nope – Namor’s beef is still with surface dwellers, which doesn’t really make sense.
#4 Everett Ross and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine WERE MARRIED?
Something that was passed on as a matter of factly in Wakanda Forever is that CIA Agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and the Countess aka Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) were married! Huh? What? When? Why is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) only talking about this now?
We first met Ross in Black Panther but we don’t recall learning of his marital status. That said, we didn’t meet the Countess till much later, when she made her first appearance and had a cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, followed by the Black Widow movie, and what is likely to be more MCU movies and Disney+ shows in future. There’s still much of her to explore in the MCU but this threw us off big time because Ross is a pretty cool guy, but his ex is mean one.
Also, what was her end goal in throwing her ex in prison? What point would it serve to have her ex and trusted ally to Wakanda serve time? Yeah, sure she wants a taste of vibranium too but wow, salty much?
#5 Riri Williams built a new arc reactor for her Ironheart suit – just how easy is it to build one?
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) built his first arc reactor in a cave in the Middle East, and Riri Willaims made hers in a garage? The child prodigy is an absolute genius and we’re in awe of her creations. She is the reason why Wakanda and Talokan are at war, but that’s besides the point. How did this University student manage to build herself a suit, and a new arc reactor to power it?
We saw how much money and tech Tony Stark used to create his Iron Man suit and an arc reactor – but he’s a billionaire with resources to spare! Riri only has her brain and a secret warehouse slash make-shift lab, and she could easily whip up a primitive Ironheart suit, but a far superior-looking arc reactor. She made Stark’s greatest discovery look like a simple school science project.
#6 Now that Wakanda helped Riri build her suit, doesn’t it mean they can build more?
Wakanda took Riri in as their own, protected her from Namor, and even fought a war in the process of protecting her. To prepare for battle, Shuri even helped Riri build a suit far more advanced than what Riri created in her garage. Now that the Wakandas have successfully printed, built or created a new advanced suit for Riri, does that mean they can build more?
That said, Shuri is smart, and she likely had some knowledge of the Iron Man suit, especially since she did dissect the Vision. Yet, we see her building armour that would increase the strength and abilities of a Wakandan warrior – why not just build an army of suits that are a combination of Starktech, and the Black Panther suit? Does that mean we might see more Wakandans in Iron suits in future battles? Will future Wakanda forego traditions? We wonder what Okoye feels about this, or if she wants an Iron suit.
#7 What illness did T’Challa die from?
Wakanda Forever started with a funeral for King T’Challa aka Black Panther. Though director Ryan Coogler handled the passing of Chadwick Boseman with the utmost respect in the film, the film never really explained what happened to T’Challa. We know he passed due to an illness and that Shuri was unable to save him in time, but what was it? And how did it happen? We don’t know.
#8 Why did Shuri see Killmonger?
When Shuri ingested the Heart-Shaped Herb to obtain the powers of the Black Panther, she met Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in the Ancestral Plane, but it was a different one from what was previously depicted. The location, also known as the Astral Dimension, aside, Shuri also didn’t meet her parents or brother, but Killmonger, the man who stole the Wakandan crown from her family in the first movie.
Why? Our theory is that Shuri and Killmonger are more alike at that period of time than even Shuri herself would like to admit. As Killmonger suggested, his younger cousin is more like him than T’Challa, because they share a similar mindset and desire.
But it doesn’t explain why she later saw her mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) in the familiar Ancestral Plane. Who resides in the Ancestral Plane – those who have consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, or just anyone who has died? And if so, shouldn’t it be more populated?
#9 Where will we see the Midnight Angels appear next?
Wakanda Forever debuted the Midnight Angels! In the comics, the Midnight Angels are personal bodyguards of the Black Panther and a subgroup within the Dora Milaje. The Midnight Angels strike force comprises the best of the Dora Milaje and in the comics, was initially formed by Aneka (Michaela Coel) and Ayo (Florence Kasumba), but Wakanda Forever changed the roster to feature Aneka and Okoye instead.
Where does that leave Ayo? Perhaps as the new general of the Dora Milaje? But one thing is certain, we are excited to see the Midnight Angels appear in future movies, or even the reported Wakanda-set Disney+ series, especially with the beloved Okoye and the charismatic Aneka.
#10 Who is the real villain in Wakanda Forever?
Wakanda Forever presents Namor as the actual villain in the second half of the film, but call us sympathisers because it seems that Namor isn’t much of an aggressor, but rather someone who is merely defending himself and his people from a perceived threat. Yes, he does evil things, including murdering Queen Ramonda while pursuing a war against Wakanda, but it is war. Namor is one of the more nuanced characters in Wakanda Forever because all he did was bear the responsibility of his feathery crown and did what every protective ruler would do.
Perhaps, the true villain we argue, is the US Government and outside nations who, despite Wakanda’s strong stand on not sharing their sacred vibranium, still found means and ways to steal and obtain these resources, and during a period of mourning too! Diabolical! Colonists and colonialism truly are the biggest villains, both in real life and in the MCU.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.
Natalie
Trinity Sun
