Ayo

"Move. Or you will be moved."

- Ayo to Natasha Romanoff

Ayo is a member of the Dora Milaje and the head of security for King T'Challa. Ayo protected her new King throughout his rule, although she was forced to briefly follow Erik Killmonger when he had defeated T'Challa in Ritual Combat, until T'Challa returned and defeated Killmonger. Once the threat of Thanos had reached Wakanda, Ayo took part in protecting her nation against this threat, fighting in the Battle of Wakanda until Thanos' victory.

Encounter with Black Widow
Ayo escorted the new King T'Challa to his car when he learned from his Attaché that the Winter Soldier had escaped from the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building with the aid of Captain America and the Wakandan people were beginning the hunt for him. The group was stopped by Natasha Romanoff had wished to speak with T'Challa. Unwilling to allow her King to be slowed down, Ayo stood up to Romanoff and demanded that she move aside, threatening to fight her if she refused. T'Challa however told Ayo to stand aside as he spoke with Romanoff who told him to side with Tony Stark, so they could help him find and recapture the Winter Soldier.

Incoronation of T'Challa
Ayo was among the Dora Milaje who welcomed T'Challa when he returned to Wakanda from a mission to rescue Nakia. She stood beside Queen Mother Ramonda and Princess Shuri until Okoye asked her to take Nakia to the River Tribe so she could prepare for the incoming incoronation ceremony.

Ayo then took part in the ceremony, dancing with the other Dora Milaje on the boat and knocking on the boat with her Vibranium Spear to activate the drainage systems of the Warrior Falls. Ayo stood next to Okoye during Zuri's speech, pointing her spear at M'Baku when he menacingly approached Shuri. As M'Baku challenged T'Challa for the throne, Ayo remained by her general's side. When T'Challa defeated M'Baku, Ayo cheered with the rest of the Wakandans and chanted T'Challa's name.

Following the incoronation, Ayo escorted him and Nakia through the streets of the Golden City as they took a walk together. Later, Ayo returned to the throne room when T'Challa was informed of the Robbery at the Museum of Great Britain. She then accompanied T'Challa to Shuri's Lab where he could acquire some equipment for his incoming mission.

Erik Killmonger's Arrival
"Is there nothing that can be done?"

- Ayo to Okoye Ayo was present when Erik Killmonger was taken to the Citadel's throne room. She stood behind Killmonger when T'Challa approached him in order to protect T'Challa should Killmonger try to attack him.



Later, Ayo and the rest of the Dora Milaje attended the duel between T'Challa and Killmonger, who claimed the throne of Wakanda. She watched as Killmonger slowly gained the upper hand over T'Challa and murdered Zuri who intervened in the fight. As Killmonger defeated T'Challa and openly mocked him, claiming he was unworthy of being King, Ayo asked Okoye whether the Dora Milaje could do something, but Okoye remained silent, knowing that they had to remain uninvolved in the fight.

Following Killmonger's victory, who threw T'Challa down the Warrior Falls, Ayo was forced to give him the traditional Wakandan salute and to serve him. As such, Ayo stood in the throne room when Killmonger held his first Tribal Council and ordered the Wakandans to gather Vibranium weapons to be sent to the outer world.

Battle of Mount Bashenga
"Ayo! The King!"

- Okoye to Ayo Ayo was with the rest of the Dora Milaje as Erik Killmonger and W'Kabi gathered Vibranium weapons and loaded three planes which would leave Wakanda. However, one of the planes was destroyed by Black Panther, who had survived his duel with Killmonger. Like the rest of the Dora Milaje, Ayo was relieved to find out that T'Challa had survived. She also followed Okoye when she rebelled against Killmonger. Ayo was ordered to take several Dora with her to assist the King in her battle against the Border Tribe who charged at Black Panther. For a time, Ayo successfully fought against the Border Tribe, avoiding the assaults of their war rhinoceros. However, she along with Shuri, Nakia and Okoye were ultimately cornered by the Border Tribe, who ordered them to surrender. However, the Jabari Tribe joined the battle, enabling Ayo to resume the fight against their enemies. In the end, the Border Tribe surrendered.

T'Challa as King Again
In the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Bashenga, Ayo once again escorted King T'Challa and Nakia in the streets of the Golden City. Later, Ayo was among the Wakandan delegation to journey to the United Nations meeting in Vienna. She stood behind T'Challa as he delivered a speech in which he declared that he would open Wakanda to the rest of the world and share their Vibranium resources.

Battle of Wakanda
Ayo was present during the Avengers' arrival in Wakanda and witnessed the entry of the Outrider dropships. She was later tasked with protecting Shuri while she worked on separating Vision from the Mind Stone. Ayo fiercely defended them when Corvus Glaive appeared, but the latter quickly incapacitated them before battling Vision.

Personality
Ayo is a devoted member of the Dora Milaje and complies to every order Okoye gives her. She is also loyal to the Golden Tribe, which is shown when Natasha Romanoff stood before her and T'Challa. When N'Jadaka slowly overpowered T'Challa in Ritual Combat, Ayo questioned Okoye whether if there is nothing they can do. Nevertheless, Ayo continues to follow her general no matter who rules Wakanda and does not hesitate to turn against N'Jadaka when Okoye believed that T'Challa is still the rightful king. Ayo's allegiance to the Royal Family is shown again during the Battle of Wakanda when Corvus Glaive infiltrated the country to attack Shuri and Vision. She fiercely put herself between them and the alien warrior until he overpowers her.

Abilities

 * Master Combatant: As a member of the Dora Milaje, Ayo has received extensive combat training and become a very capable warrior, having excellent skill in many fields of combat. She is quite confident in her skills, confidently threatening Black Widow when she stood in T'Challa's way despite her being an exceptional and famous fighter in her own right. Her combat skill was shown when she was able to use her Sonic Spear with great profiency to easily combat and defeat many warriors of the Border Tribe during the Battle of Mount Bashenga, surviving the battle uninjured. She was even able to hold her ground against the stronger Corvus Glaive, although she was eventually defeated.
 * Multilingualism: Ayo is fluent in her native language Xhosa and in English.

Equipment

 * Vibranium Spear: Ayo uses a specialized Vibranium spear capable of collapsing into a handle for concealment. Her spear along with others have been shown to be able to interact with technology by striking the ground with the blunt end, notably activating the drainage system for Warrior Falls.
 * Kimoyo Beads: Like many Wakandans, Ayo had Kimoyo Beads she could use as a communication device.
 * Dora Milaje Armor:  Standard-issue uniform of the Dora Milaje. While it is unknown if the suit of armor sports protection and durability to the level of the Panther Habit, it is strongly suggested that the armor is nonetheless made of Vibranium-weave due to being a Wakandan product, and is still better than most armor the world has to offer at large.

Allies

 * Golden Tribe
 * T'Chaka † - Former King
 * T'Challa/Black Panther † - King
 * Shuri
 * Ramonda
 * Zuri †
 * Dora Milaje
 * Okoye - Leader
 * Xoliswa
 * Nakia
 * Jabari Tribe
 * M'Baku
 * Everett Ross
 * Attaché
 * Avengers
 * Steve Rogers/Captain America
 * Bruce Banner/Hulk
 * Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - Enemy turned Ally
 * James Rhodes/War Machine
 * Sam Wilson/Falcon †
 * Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch †
 * Vision †
 * Bucky Barnes/White Wolf †

Enemies

 * W'Kabi - Former Ally turned Enemy
 * N’Jadaka/Killmonger † - Former King turned Enemy
 * Black Order
 * Corvus Glaive †

Trivia

 * In the comics, Ayo is a member of the Dora Milaje who falls in love with her fellow Dora Milaje Aneka. After Queen Ramonda sentences Aneka to death for killing a rapist, Ayo steals both sets of Midnight Angel prototype armors and rescues Aneka. Viewing T'Challa as absentee and unworthy king, Ayo and Aneka become the vigilantes known as the Midnight Angels and start a rebellion.
 * In Captain America: Civil War, Ayo was credited only as "Security Chief".
 * While not explicitly stated, it is implied she is Okoye's second-in-command given her second highest responsibility as a traveling security chief for the Royal Family during their diplomatic journeys abroad and being the member of the Dora Milaje who interacted with the leader Okoye the most. Amongst the ranks of the Dora Milaje, it's possible that Ayo is a Colonel to her commander Okoye being a General.