Erik Killmonger

"I lived my entire life waiting for this moment. I trained, I lied, I killed just to get here. I killed in America, Afghanistan, Iraq... I took life from my own brothers and sisters right here on this continent! And all this death just so I could kill you!"

- Erik Killmonger to T'Challa

Erik Stevens (born N'Jadaka) was a former American black-ops soldier of Wakandan origin through his father, Prince N'Jobu. His savagery while serving in the US black-ops earned him the nickname Erik Killmonger. Years after T'Chaka killed his father for betraying Wakanda, Killmonger then planned to forcibly dethrone T'Challa in order to accomplish his father's plan to seize control of the world with Wakanda's technology and stop what they perceived to be the oppression of people of African descent by the world. Manipulating and then killing Ulysses Klaue to gain access to their city, Killmonger seemingly killed T'Challa during ritual combat and taking the throne, but just before Killmonger unleashed his plan, the Black Panther had returned and challenged Killmonger, eventually killing him in their final battle.

Living in America
Erik Stevens, born N'Jadaka, was the son of Prince N'Jobu and an unknown woman. Raising his son in America, Stevens' father nevertheless promised the young boy that he would one day show him Wakanda, claiming that the sunsets there were the most beautiful in the world.

Death of his Father
The night his father was killed by his uncle King T'Chaka, Stevens was playing basketball with his friends when he spotted the Wakandan aircraft above their apartment complex and rushed inside, where he found his father, dead. Stevens held his father's body and cried, before recovering his father's diary.

Becoming the Killmonger
Stevens started out as a Navy SEAL and eventually joined a Ghost unit as a Black ops mercenary. While in the United States Armed Forces, Killmonger would cut his skin with tribal, with one for each kill, claiming that he has killed in the United States of America, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq. Due to his savagery while serving in the Armed Forces, Stevens gained the nickname of Killmonger.

Working with Ulysses Klaue
Killmonger struck a deal with Ulysses Klaue when he had found a Wakandan weapon made of Vibranium within the Museum of Great Britain and, with his group, helped Klaue steal the weapon. Klaue would later go to attempt to sell the weapon to Agent Everett Ross in South Korea. However, T'Challa, along with Okoye and Nakia intervened on their hunt for Klaue. When the Wakandans finally managed to capture Klaue, after thirty years of trying to find him, Killmonger and his group saved the arms dealer.

Rescue of Ulysses Klaue
Killmonger set up explosives on the wall of the room of where Ulysses Klaue was currently being held. When he blew the wall up, Killmonger began firing a gun at everyone present, wounding Everett Ross in the process by shooting him in the spine as Ross tried to protect Nakia. When Black Panther went to prevent Killmonger from rescuing Klaue, he managed to defeat the him by shooting him with a grenade launcher. During the short fight, the Wakandan Royal Ring belonging to his father N'Jobu, which Killmonger kept on a chain, dangled around his neck. T'Challa noticed the ring, as the ring belonging to the King of Wakanda was an identical one.

Meeting T'Challa
Even though Killmonger had worked with Ulysses Klaue and had also rescued him, he ended up shooting and killing him in order, at least try, to gain the Wakandan's trust. Killmonger brought Klaue's body to Wakanda and presented it to W'Kabi. W'Kabi, already disappointed with T'Challa for not managing to bring Klaue to justice for his crimes, brought Killmonger to the King and his council. Killmonger began taunting T'Challa upon first meeting him. He then said that he wanted to be King of Wakanda, and revealed his true identity in anger when T'Challa ordered him to be removed after T'Challa had told Killmonger that the only reason he was still alive was because he knew who Killmonger truly was. Killmonger then challanged T'Challa to a duel, one which T'Challa accepted.

Duel for the Throne
Before the duel began at the Warrior Falls, Killmonger took his shirt off, bearing his scars, stating that each scar stood for a life he had taken, lives in the United States of America, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq. It was obvious that Killmonger had the upper hand in the fight, as the duel required the Black Panther to be stripped from his powers in order for the duel to be fair. While T'Challa managed to cut Killmonger, he still lost. Killmonger gravely wounded T'Challa, cutting his thigh and his stomach. Before he went to give the killing blow, Zuri stopped him. Zuri, having been sent by T'Challa's father, King T'Chaka to America to keep an eye on Killmonger's father N'Jobu and had been there during Killmonger's childhood, begged Killmonger to take his life and spare T'Challa, telling Killmonger the truth of his father's death.

N'Jobu had pointed a gun at Zuri, and T'Chaka had killed him. Killmonger killed Zuri, calling him "Uncle James", and T'Challa screamed in despair. Killmonger went on to punching the King, mocking him and the fact that he was too weak to be King without the powers of the Black Panther. In the end, Erik picked T'Challa up on his shoulders and threw him down to his death.

Burning the Herb Garden


"I'mma burn it all."

- Erik Killmonger

As per tradition, Killmonger underwent the ritual all Kings of Wakanda has by drinking the fluid of the Heart-Shaped Herb and speaking with his father's spirit within the Astral Dimension, becoming the Black Panther. After this, Killmonger ordered the herb garden to be burned, going as far as to lift a woman by the throat when she objected by saying that it was a sacred tradition to keep a reserve of Heart-Shaped Herb for the King's successor.

Battle of Mount Bashenga
To be added

Duel in the Great Mound
To be added

Death
T'Challa sat down next to Killmonger, who complimented on the move. He explained that his father stated that Wakanda was the most beautiful place on Earth. Saddened, T'Challa drags Killmonger outside the Great Mound to watch the sunset. T'Challa told Killmonger that Shuri could heal the wound that he inflicted on him. Killmonger declines the offer, knowing that he would be imprisoned, asking to be buried at sea, choosing instead to die free by removing the spearhead and bleeding out.

Personality
"Black Panther, it must feel good sitting here comfortable." "What do you want?" "I want your secrets, your weapons. I'm gonna burn it all!"

- Erik Killmonger and Black Panther

Powers

 * Heart-Shaped Herb Enhancement: After having consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, Killmonger's physical attributes have been greatly enhanced to levels comparable to a super soldier.
 * Enhanced Strength: Killmonger's strength is tremendously enhanced beyond the peak of human potential, moving into the early levels of superhuman condition. He is strong enough to effortlessly lift humans high above his head with one arm, as well as send others flying with his strikes.
 * Enhanced Speed: Killmonger can run and move at speeds beyond the peak of human potential, moving into the early levels of superhuman condition.
 * Enhanced Stamina: Killmonger's musculature produces fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human. Killmonger's body eliminates the excessive build-up of fatigue-producing chemicals in his muscles, granting him exceptional endurance and lung capacity, greater than of normal humans.
 * Enhanced Durability: Killmonger is much more durable than a normal human being. Even when not wearing his Panther Habit, he can survive immense blunt force trauma.
 * Enhanced Agility: Killmonger's agility is outstanding, far greater than Olympic athletes. He can coordinate his body with perfect balance, equilibrium, flexibility, and dexterity. His movements are akin to an actual panther, being capable of crawl and climb through walls and leap great distances with accuracy.
 * Enhanced Reflexes: Killmonger's reflexes are are beyond human potential and superior to those of the finest athlete.

Abilities

 * Master Martial Artist: Due to his rigorous black ops and SEAL training, as well as likely further self-training, Erik was a highly formidable martial artist, able to go toe-toe with T'Challa singlehandedly and even defeat him on one occasion.
 * Master Swordsman: Killmonger was able to wield Wakandan swords and similar bladed weapons with great skill.
 * Expert Marksman: As a former American black-ops mercenary, Killmonger was incredibly accurate with firearms. He was able to wield both high caliber assault rifles, as well as handguns with great accuracy.
 * Master Tactician: Killmonger was a masterful strategist, able to formulate and execute highly strategic plans.
 * Master Assassin: Due to his intensive experience as a Navy SEAL and mercenary in an American Black Ops Ghost unit, Killmonger is highly skilled in assassination techniques, as well as espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration, and sabotage. He gained the nickname "Killmonger" due to his substantial kill-count.
 * Master Acrobat: Being immensely agile, Killmonger is a master gymnast and acrobat, which allowed him to combat Black Panther on equal grounds.

Equipment
"I want your weapons, your secrets, it’s all mine now."

- Erik Killmonger


 * Kimoyo Beads: To be added
 * Golden Jaguar Habit: To be added

Weapons

 * Daniel Defense DDM4 MK18: Killmonger wielded the assault rifle when helping Klaue escape from questioning.
 * Wakandan Sword
 * Wakandan Blade

Family

 * Golden Tribe
 * Bashenga † - Ancestor
 * Azzuri † - Grandfather
 * N'Jobu † - Father
 * T'Chaka † - Uncle
 * Ramonda -  Aunt-by-marriage
 * T'Challa/Black Panther - Cousin, Attempted Victim and Killer
 * Shuri - Cousin and Attempted Victim

Allies

 * Border Tribe
 * W'Kabi

Enemies

 * Ulysses Klaue † - Situational Ally turned Victim
 * Dora Milaje
 * Okoye - Situational Ally, Enemy and Attempted Victim
 * Ayo
 * Xoliswa
 * Nakia - Attempted Victim
 * Zuri † - Friend turned Victim
 * Everett Ross - Attempted Victim
 * Linda † - Lover turned Victim
 * Limbani † - Associate turned Victim

Trivia

 * In the comics, Erik Killmonger, originally known as N'Jadaka, was a Wakandan native who was exiled after his father was forced to work for Ulysses Klaue and attempted to overthrow T'Challa from the throne upon his return.
 * Killmonger's scarification markings on his chest and torso resemble that of the and  tribes.

Behind the Scenes

 * Michael B. Jordan noted the character's dreadlocks hairstyle was a way "to stay true to the original character ['s long hair] as much as possible and make it as modern as we could."
 * Jordan stated that Kilmonger is "very strategic, thoughtful. He's very patient. Very well skilled, trained to a T. He works very hard, and he feels what he's doing is right."
 * Jordan compared Killmonger and T'Challa's relationship to the X-Men characters and . He also compared his performance to 's take on Magneto in the, and to 's  in .
 * Khalid Ghajji and Aaron Toney were stunt doubles for Michael B. Jordan in the role of Erik Killmonger.