| For other uses, see Black Panther (disambiguation) |
T'Challa is the King of Wakanda and the eldest child of T'Chaka and Ramonda. As the Wakandan monarch, he became the holder of the Black Panther mantle. Following the death of his father in the bombing attack orchestrated by Helmut Zemo, T'Challa had set out to kill the Winter Soldier, who was widely believed to be responsible for the attack. During his attempt to find the Winter Soldier, Black Panther had joined a Civil War between the Avengers, where he sided with Iron Man. However, Black Panther eventually learned that Zemo was really the one who had been responsible for his father's demise, as he captured Zemo, handing him over to Everett Ross, while he also vowed never to allow desires of vengeance to consume him again.
Upon returning into Wakanda, T'Challa was officially crowned King, before he attempted to track down Ulysses Klaue, who had resurfaced after several years. However, T'Challa failed to capture Klaue and instead was forced to bring Everett Ross to the city to save his life. T'Challa's leadership was challenged when Erik Killmonger came into Wakanda, having killed Klaue and challenged T'Challa for their throne, as Killmonger bested T'Challa in a duel and took the crown. However, T'Challa had survived the duel and, with the help of M'Baku and his family, returned to Wakanda where he defeated Killmonger. Following the conflict, T'Challa returned to the United Nations as he had shared Wakanda's secret wealth with the rest of the world.
Black Panther was then called upon by the Avengers, as they had uncovered Thanos plan to claim all six Infinity Stones and wipe out half of all life in the universe. T'Challa agreed to allow the Avengers to keep Vision in the city, where Shuri could remove the Mind Stone. However, Wakanda was then invaded by Thanos' forces, as Black Panther had led his army against Thanos and the Black Order, only for them to be overpowered as Thanos completed his goal and then wiped out half of life, killing Black Panther as a result. However, Black Panther was resurrected five years later by Hulk, as he then joined the Avengers in a final battle against Thanos, finally defeating the Mad Titan, although Tony Stark sacrificed his life for victory.
Biography
Early Life
Raised in Wakanda
T'Challa was born in Wakanda, an isolationist country located in Africa, to the reigning monarch T'Chaka and his wife Ramonda. He eventually had a younger sister named Shuri. Training for all of his life to take his father's place as the next Black Panther, T'Challa grew into a man with a highly active mind and despite T'Chaka's best efforts, a great dislike for politics.[1]
Becoming the Black Panther
In 2009, his father would pass the mantle of Black Panther to T'Challa after reaching a certain age.[1][5]
One week after becoming the protector of Wakanda, T'Challa, as the Black Panther, was sent with Okoye to save Wakandan hostages from Zanda and Douglas Scott. Black Panther took on Zanda as Okoye retrieved the hostages, and was shot in the shoulder by her vibranium bullets. Before she could kill him, however, Zanda moved to shoot the fleeing hostages, giving Black Panther the chance to overpower her and ensure the hostages escaped. Once the police stormed the building, the mercenaries fled, with Black Panther deciding to pursue them in his aircraft.
Following them to a yacht, Black Panther and Okoye took out the mercenaries and then confronted Zanda and Scott, with Black Panther killing Zanda by igniting one of her grenades and saving Okoye by dropping a metal bar on Scott's hands.[3]
Avengers Civil War
Assassination of T'Chaka
T'Challa at the Vienna International Centre
- "In my culture death is not the end. It's more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where… you can run forever."
"That sounds very peaceful."
"My father thought so. I am not my father." - ―T'Challa and Natasha Romanoff[src]
When the United Nations decided to approve the Sokovia Accords in order to control and monitor the Avengers in the wake of the devastating battle between the Avengers and Crossbones, during which several Wakandan citizens were killed among other innocents. The Wakandan government chose to support the Accords as they felt the Avengers could become a true risk to the safety of Wakanda and the rest of the world considering their involvement in Ultron's creation.
T'Challa is introduced to Natasha Romanoff
T'Challa and T'Chaka attended the conference in Vienna, meeting Natasha Romanoff there. T'Challa spent time speaking with Romanoff where they had discussed the accords and their shared discomfort of such political meetings. T'Challa commented on the fact that the last time Romanoff was in such company, she had just exposed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets during the HYDRA Uprising, claiming her dislike for politics made him happy to have seen her there.
T'Challa and T'Chaka both express their love
Being comfortable with Romanoff, T'Challa expressed his opinion on the accords, saying he approves of it but the politics were something he was not fond of, exemplifying two people in a room can get more done than a hundred. They were then interrupted by T'Chaka who had teased his son and greeted Romanoff, noting that Captain America had decided not to attend as he disagreed with the control the accords would put on his and the Avengers' actions. Once Romanoff had taken her own seat, T'Chaka then expressed his pride of seeing his son's skill at politics is getting better, thanking each other for their support during this difficult time for Wakanda's future.
T'Challa attempts to save his father's life
During the conference, T'Challa's watched as his father then gave a speech about Wakanda's dark history and unfortunate involvement in the creation of deadly weapons made with vibranium, using these as his reasons for signing the accords. Upon hearing the commotion outside, T'Challa realized danger was incoming but was too late to stop his father being killed in a terrorist attack that was orchestrated by Helmut Zemo under the disguise of the Winter Soldier. While the fire was being put out, T'Challa mournfully took his late father's ring and took over his rightful role as King of Wakanda.[1]
Hunting the Winter Soldier
T'Challa vowing to kill the Winter Soldier
- "T'Challa, Task Force will decide who brings in Barnes."
"Don't bother, Ms. Romanoff. I'll kill him myself." - ―Natasha Romanoff and T'Challa[src]
While considering his next actions, T'Challa was greeted by Natasha Romanoff who expressed her own grief at T'Chaka's sudden death and informed him the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre would decide who was responsible with apprehending Barnes. T'Challa, however, then informed Romanoff that he intended to find and kill the Winter Soldier himself.
Black Panther tracks down the Winter Soldier
T'Challa put on the Panther Habit in order to avenge his father's death. He then quickly managed to track the Winter Soldier down to where he had been hiding in Bucharest, where he fiercely attacked him. Despite being momentarily shocked by the arrival of such an unexpected enemy, the Winter Soldier quickly got to his feet and began fighting Black Panther but was overpowered by T'Challa's furious attacks.
Black Panther tries to kill the Winter Soldier
Using the incredibly sharp claws on his suit, Black Panther slashed at his enemy and tried to kill him, eventually pinning him to the ground and attempting to stab his target through the throat. When all hope looked lost for the Winter Soldier their battle finally stopped when a GSG 9 helicopter fired on Black Panther, with his own vibranium suit saving him. The Winter Soldier then attempted to escape by running off the side of the building, only for Black Panther to follow, grinding down the building's side.
Black Panther chases down Winter Soldier
While the Winter Soldier attempted to escape by running on foot, the Black Panther hunted and chased Barnes down through a long traffic tunnel, pursued himself by Captain America and Falcon who were now attempting to aid the Winter Soldier's escape. Determined not to allow the man who seemingly killed T'Chaka to escape, Black Panther charged through the tunnels, as his enhanced speed allowed him to run past cars as he began to gain on the Winter Soldier.
Black Panther gets a lift from Captain America
When Rogers commandeered a GSG 9 car to try and catch up to Barnes, who was escaping on a stolen motorbike, Black Panther jumped onto the back of the car to gain extra speed as well as jumping on the back of Falcon and flying through the tunnel, trying several times to knock Barnes off the motorcycle he was riding but finding that Barnes' prosthetic arm gave him an advantage as he was grabbed by the throat, but T'Challa soon recovered.
Black Panther is arrested by the police
Eventually, Barnes reached the end of the tunnel and tried to use an explosive to block their way, only for Black Panther to leap through the blast and slice through Barnes' tires, causing his own bike to crash. Although Rogers stopped him from killing Barnes, they were all soon captured when War Machine and an entire police squad arrived and surrounded them, to which he unmasked and revealed himself as the King of Wakanda to the surprise of everybody.[1]
Held by Everett Ross
T'Challa explains his own motives for revenge
- "How long do your psychological evaluations usually take?"
"Why? You bored?"
"Not currently, but my prisoner and I have a plane to catch." - ―T'Challa and Natasha Romanoff[src]
The police apprehended them all, who were now fugitives due to the new Sokovia Accords. The group was then brought into Berlin in an armored car to await their own punishments for all the chaos they caused. Along the way, T'Challa explained to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson the history of the Black Panther and why he had targeted Bucky Barnes, while he desired to avenge T'Chaka and vowed that Rogers would not be able to keep Barnes safe from him for long.
T'Challa being introduced to Everett Ross
The group arrived at the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building and were soon greeted by Sharon Carter and her boss Everett Ross while Barnes was locked up in a maximum security prison of the German anti-terror police force GSG9. T'Challa was also brought into their custody and saw Captain America's Shield and EXO-7 Falcon being taken away. When Rogers questioned what would happen to Barnes, he was told he would be questioned by Ross' own men before being taken away to begin his sentence, which T'Challa seemed to agree with. Ross then explained that while he was there, T'Challa would be provided with an office rather than a prison cell to stay in.[1]
T'Challa speaking with Natasha Romanoff
While awaiting news on what would happen with the Winter Soldier at the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building, T'Challa was visited by Natasha Romanoff who expressed her surprise at his secret identity, citing that this now placed him under the Accords' jurisdiction. T'Challa noted he wanted to move on so he could take Barnes to Wakanda. As Romanoff claimed this would be unlikely, Everett Ross confirmed T'Challa had been granted Barnes' extradition.[6]
Hunting Bucky Barnes
T'Challa sees the Winter Soldier's escape
- "My resources are considerable."
"Yeah, it took the world 70 years to find Barnes... so you could probably do that in about half the time."
"You know where they are." - ―T'Challa and Black Widow[src]
T'Challa waited as Winter Soldier was questioned by Helmut Zemo posing as the psychiatrist Theo Broussard. However while T'Challa, Everett Ross, and the Avengers watched the questioning unfold, the power was shut off. Sensing that a more sinister plan was unfolding involving the Winter Soldier, who may be attempting to escape, T'Challa then went to investigate the incident himself further.
T'Challa tries to stop Winter Soldier's escape
Heading downstairs as chaos was erupting throughout the building, T'Challa discovered the Winter Soldier had escaped and was fighting against Natasha Romanoff and Sharon Carter who had, in turn, tried to save Tony Stark from the Winter Soldier's fury. Charging in before the clash could prove fatal, T'Challa managed to save Romanoff from being strangled by the Winter Soldier and engaged in a one on one fight with his enemy, determined for him not to get to escape.
T'Challa tries to block Winter Soldier's attack
While they began to fight against each other, it was clear that T'challa was not scared and proved to be lethal as HYDRA assassin, although the Soldier was able to use his prosthetic arm to gain an advantage with strength, managing to knock T'Challa to the ground and tried to get away, although T'Challa soon got to his feet and reengaged with the Winter Soldier, seeing his Wakandan Royal Ring seemed to have some strange effect onto the Winter Soldier's prosthetic arm.
T'Challa loses sight of the Winter Soldier
T'Challa refused to allow his father's killer to escape and continued fighting, furiously striking against him before kicking him down the stairs. Once the pair continued their duel, T'Challa managed to gain the upper hand and knocked him off the balcony easily. However losing sight of the Soldier proved to be a dangerous mistake however as T'Challa leaped down to re-engage with his target, only to suddenly discover that the Winter Soldier had managed to get away.
T'Challa speaks with Natasha Romanoff
When T'Challa learned from his Attaché that the Winter Soldier had escaped from the building, seemingly with the help of Steve Rogers, he decided to use Wakanda's many resources to track him down. On his way out, he was stopped by Natasha Romanoff, who came close to fighting Ayo, his security chief. T'Challa spoke to Romanoff politely and explained his current plan, however, Romanoff offered him a new alternative, to join Stark's team of Avengers members in finding and capturing Rogers along with the Winter Soldier for Thaddeus Ross. Knowing that this would prove to be a much faster method of finding and killing his target, T'Challa agreed to join Stark's team.[1]
Clash of the Avengers
Black Panther greets Captain America
- "I didn't kill your father."
"Then why did you run?" - ―Winter Soldier and Black Panther[src]
Having joined Iron Man's side, Black Panther eventually found and ambushed Captain America at the Leipzig-Halle Airport, greeting Rogers with respect while Stark continued to argue about the Sokovia Accords while Spider-Man arrived and took away his shield to ensure that he could not fight back, as Stark tried to convince him to surrender himself over to the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre for interrogation.
Black Panther challenges Captain America
However, Rogers remained confident and had Hawkeye free him from Spider-Man's webbing and Ant-Man gave him back his shield. As Iron Man scanned the area, he spotted the Winter Soldier, who Black Panther attempted to go after, only for Rogers to stand in his way. When Rogers ignored T'Challa's warning to get out of his way, they engaged in a fierce fight, where the claws on his own Panther Habit caused permanent scratch marks on Rogers' shield.
Black Panther dodges an explosion
T'Challa teamed up with War Machine during the fight but they both proved to be bested by Captain America, who fought them both off while disarming War Machine's weapons. The fight was stopped when Captain America and Ant-Man used a Pym Particle Disk to enlarge and throw a large fire truck towards T'Challa, War Machine and Black Widow, much to their annoyance as both T'Challa and Widow managed to dodge the explosion while Rhodes was hit with full on the force, knocking him painfully backward.
Black Panther sides with Iron Man
As Rogers and the rest of his team attempted to make their way to the Avengers' Quinjet to make their escape from the airport, their path was soon stopped by Vision, who used the Mind Stone to block their path. T'Challa joined the rest of Iron Man's team as the two opposing sides later gathered up to charge against their former allies, T'Challa first targeted the man he was desperate to get revenge on and who was seemingly responsible for the terrorist attacks.
Black Panther tries to kill Winter Soldier
During the fight, Winter Soldier tried to convince T'Challa that he wasn't the one who murdered T'Chaka, but T'Challa only questioned why he had run away if he was innocent. He almost succeeded to kill the wrong suspect as he pulled away from his prosthetic arm and then attempted to cut his throat, but Scarlet Witch intervened and stopped his claws from reaching Barnes, and threw T'Challa through a distance with her powers, hitting a jet bridge.[1]
Losing his Targets
Black Panther is just saved by Vision
Later, T'Challa spotted both Captain America and the Winter Soldier attempting to escape with a Quinjet which was inside the hangar, but Giant-Man held him and all the rest of Iron Man's team back. When keeping Spider-Man, Iron Man and War Machine away from his team, Ant-Man kicked a bus at T'Challa, only to be saved at the last second by Vision intervening and blocking the bus with his own vibranium body.
Black Panther is challenged by Hawkeye
With Vision's help, T'Challa was able to elude Ant-Man to reach the Quinjet Hangar. Before he could do so, Hawkeye tried keeping T'Challa at bay by firing many of his explosive arrows directly at him. T'Challa dodged many of the arrows and caught two before they exploded right in his face, angering him enough to fight Hawkeye by showing him his vibranium claws unleashed from his own Panther Habit as the Black Panther prepared to fight his legendary attacker.
Black Panther fights and subdues Hawkeye
Seeing that his current fighting technique was not working and still attempting to ensure his ally's escape, Hawkeye turned his bow into a bo staff and introduced himself to T'Challa, since they had never been introduced before this point, with the latter replying that he did not care who he was fighting. The pair started fighting one another until T'Challa broke his staff in half and knocked Hawkeye out of the fight, before then continuing his pursuit to the Quinjet Hangar.
Black Panther once again loses his targets
Despite the best efforts of Vision to block them, Rogers and Barnes reached the hangar due to the Scarlet Witch's interference. Panther came close to them, only to be stunned multiple times by the Black Widow's Widow Bite, allowing Rogers and Barnes to escape, despite T'Challa trying to get a hold of the Quinjet. Romanoff claimed she had only promised to help him find them but not kill. T'Challa was furious with her and he later reported her betrayal to Thaddeus Ross.[1]
Capturing Helmut Zemo
T'Challa closely following Tony Stark
- "Vengeance has consumed you. It's consuming them. I am done letting it consume me. Justice will come soon enough."
"Tell that to the dead."
"The living are not done with you yet." - ―Black Panther and Helmut Zemo[src]
Having had a meeting with Thaddeus Ross on board the Raft prison where he had a top-secret meeting with Falcon, Tony Stark discovered the location of the now fugitives Captain America and the Winter Soldier. Once Stark had put on his Iron Man suit and went to find them, T'Challa secretly followed Stark while onboard his jet towards Siberia, where the Winter Soldier laboratory was located.
Black Panther learns of Helmut Zemo's plans
T'Challa then successfully infiltrated the building with the plan to kill Winter Soldier; following close behind as Iron Man had made peace with Rogers. However, T'Challa overheard the conversation between Rogers and Helmut Zemo, in which he had confessed to killing all the other Winter Soldiers and admitted to framing Barnes for the Vienna bombing. Having learned this truth that he had been deceived, Black Panther focused his efforts on Zemo himself.
Black Panther encounters Helmut Zemo
While Zemo rested on top of a hill outside the missile bunker, certain that he had succeeded to pit Iron Man and Captain America against each other, T'Challa quietly confronted him. However, rather than going face-to-face with T'Challa, Zemo instead explained to T'Challa that his family had died in the Battle of Sokovia and that he wanted to tear apart the Avengers to find justice for his family. Zemo also admitted that T'Chaka's death was not intended and apologized for it, saying that T'Chaka was a good man and had a dutiful son.
Black Panther subdues Helmut Zemo
Recognizing his own rage in Zemo and realizing that vengeance had consumed not only Zemo but the Avengers and himself, T'Challa decided to spare Zemo and even stopped him from committing suicide, using his vibranium-protected hand to block the gunshot, telling Zemo he still needed to answer to the living.[1] Binding his prisoner, T'Challa reunited with Rogers and Barnes, telling Barnes that he had assets in Wakanda that could remove all HYDRA's programming.[7] T'Challa then handed Zemo over to Everett Ross for his punishment.[1]
King of Wakanda
Rescuing Nakia
T'Challa watches the news report for Wakanda
A week after his his father's death at Helmut Zemo's hands, T'Challa was preparing to be formally crowned king. However, T'Challa decided to retrieve Nakia from her current War Dogs mission as he wished for her to be present during his coronation. Picked up by Okoye in the Royal Talon Fighter, the two flew to Nigeria where Nakia was located.
T'Challa tells Okoye that he never freezes
Preparing for his mission and equipping his Panther Habit, T'Challa used one of the tablets to look at where Nakia and the missing Chibok girls are located, informed by Okoye where they're heading for the border of Wakanda. He was then given EMP Beads to disable their kidnappers' vehicles but before he was dropped down to the field, Okoye told him to not freeze when he sees Nakia, remarking that he never freezes.
Black Panther stealthily hides in the trees
Holding himself with a Wakandan pose, T'Challa was dropped down by a chute hole on the ground of a Royal Talon Fighter, diving in the air and looking down to see the Boko Haram group driving to their destination. T'Challa sends EMP beads downward onto their trucks, immediately delivered a powerful EMP which forced all the vehicles to stop and made them unable to start again. Taking the opportunity, T'Challa landed onto a tree and stealthily wait until traffickers approached him.
Black Panther fighting human traffickers
As the traffickers noticed the trucks were hit by an EMP, they regrouped by splitting each other up in one location until one of them found a dog barking and suddenly T'Challa was spotted and began to attack the man by sending him off and hit a car door, instantly knocking him down. T'Challa then began to fight against several traffickers with guns shooting at but was impervious to bullets, leading to him defending off of them one by one.
Black Panther greeting Nakia on his mission
While taking down multiple men, T'Challa took attention to the particular one who was shooting at him, ready to kill on sight, Nakia stopped him and told that the shooter was just a boy and was kidnapped alongside the women who were as well. T'Challa took a moment to look at Nakia, having her attention only to simply greet her. Wanting to talk to her, T'Challa was interrupted by another man, threatening to shoot one of the women, only for him to get killed Okoye.
T'Challa invites Nakia to his coronation
Once Okoye killed the shooter with her Vibranium Spear, T'Challa was teased by her for his lack focused, leading him to freeze. T'Challa took off his mask and looked towards Nakia, she told them that they ruined her mission but T'Challa took it upon in urgency to tell her that his father was dead and is going to be crowned as King the next day. Nakia accepted his invitation and walked together in their Royal Talon Fighter, saving the kidnapped women and a child soldier.
Upon on the horizon, T'Challa and Okoye succeeded their mission and head on home to Wakanda with Nakia. As the sun rises from above, T'Challa was comforted by Nakia, as he was deeply saddened from his father's death. While getting together, Okoye announced their arrival as they flew by the border and into the holographic dome, reaching into Wakanda's capital known as the Golden City.[2]
Coronation
T'Challa arrives at the Golden City
Upon arriving at Golden City, T'Challa was greeted by Ramonda and Shuri, who held great expectations for him as the new heir. As Nakia left to go to her tribe, Shuri asked Okoye if T'Challa froze during his mission, to which Okoye responded with a resounding insult, much to T'Challa's dismay of mockery. As the Dora Milaje left, T'Challa greeted Shuri for being on with him, asked for her EMP Beads, he was updated on a new habit only for him to be in disbelief, resulting into bantering with Shuri for her inventions.
T'Challa ask how Ramonda is feeling
T'Challa remarked at Shuri as she left with EMP beads that he can not wait for what update she would bring to her invention. Upon receiving a middle finger by Shuri, T'Challa asked how is she is feeling, to which she responded by saying she was proud, noting his father and her were talking about the coronation all the time, missing him, she told T'Challa that he is with them but now it was time for him to be crowned as King of Wakanda.
T'Challa prepares himself for his coronation
As the four of the tribes of Wakanda arrive the next day after a ceremonial celebration of the Prince's coronation, T'Challa prepares himself inside the Royal Talon Fighter and walks into the arena of Warrior Falls. Zuri came to explain the challenge and went off to give T'Challa a potion to let the powers of the Black Panther to be stripped away, leading him to feel nauseous, quickly recovered from it.
T'Challa accepts M'Baku's challenge
Once the challenge became fair, Zuri asked every tribe from any royal bloodline to fight for the throne, only for all of them to decline to challenge the throne, Shuri then raised her hand up and told Zuri that her dress is feeling uncomfortable and asked for her and the rest of the people to go home only to be mocked for the public. The Jabari Tribe led by M'Baku, arrived to challenge for the throne, ranting about how Wakanda has progressed and how the Prince of the country couldn't keep his father safe.
T'Challa battles against M'Baku in combat
While outright mocking T'Challa and his father, T'Challa willingly accepted M'Baku's challenge. As they prepare for their intense duel, T'Challa was put on a panther mask and was guarded behind by the Dora Milaje while M'Baku did it with his own tribe. They began to fight each other as they threw multiple blows that resulted in each other getting hit or dodging with each swing of their weapons.
T'Challa yelling at M'Baku to yield
As their fight began to be difficult towards T'Challa, M'Baku then broke his weapons during the duel, as they began trading blows only for T'Challa to be caught off guard in his grasp. Severely wounded, M'Baku was mocking him for being just a boy without his mantle, but his family cheered him off, leading him to fight back. Getting impaled afterward, T'Challa yelled at M'Baku that he is who he is and proceeded to remove the blade and attacked M'Baku with a chokehold.
T'Challa is crowned as King of Wakanda
Despite pinning him down, T'Challa decided to spare M'Baku, saying that his people need him, and yelling at him to yield before he would die. Once M'Baku forfeited, T'Challa took a breath to finally recover from his injuries. As the crowd goes wild with excitement and his family supporting him, T'Challa was crowned as King of Wakanda. Branding himself with Bashenga's necklace,[8] T'Challa hugged Zuri as he thanked him as he was remarked as a King.[2]
Visiting His Father
T'Challa participates in an ancestral ceremony
Following his challenge for the throne, T'Challa went to the cave where his ancestors gain the power of the Black Panther, with many women and children setting up the ceremony and getting the Heart-Shaped Herb for consumption. As T'Challa laid down on the sand, Zuri gave him the potion of the herb, letting him consume it. While manifesting his powers, T'Challa was buried deep into the sand, as his body began to quickly dissolve due to the side effects of the herb.
T'Challa sees his father in the Ancestral Plane
In the Ancestral Plane, T'Challa woke up from the sand he was buried in and noticed inside the plane was a grassland field with purple skyline across it, noticing a group of black panthers on top of a tree. As one approached, turning into his father, T'Challa became incredibly shocked the sight of him being with him hugged him as he cries for his forgiveness and kneeled down before him, only to get a remark from him being a King of Wakanda.
T'Challa wakes up from the Ancestral Plane
Once he picked himself up to talk to his father, T'Challa told him that he wasn't ready to be King just yet but T'Chaka told him that he trained and studied for all his life to be King. T'Challa told his father that was not what he was talking about, telling him he was not ready to be King without his father, leading T'Chaka to tell him that he is a good man with a good heart and its hard for a good man to be a great King. With that revelation, T'Challa awoke from his burial and told Zuri that his father was in the Ancestral Plane.[2]
Council with Zuri
T'Challa talking about T'Chaka's life
Following his reunion with T'Chaka in the Ancestral Plane, T'Challa spoke with Zuri about how he became the Black Panther. He remembered watching his father rule as Black Panther, performing amazing feats, but was told by T'Chaka that he'd gotten too old for the mantle, and passed it to his son so that he may rule simply as King. However, Zuri claimed that the only reason T'Chaka had given it up was that he'd gotten too fat to fit the Panther Habit, much to both of their amusement.
T'Challa questions T'Chaka's past motives
T'Challa then mournfully stated that he'd tried to keep his father from speaking in Vienna, and questioned why his father abandoned the isolationist ideas he'd raised T'Challa to follow. Zuri responded by stating that time changed T'Chaka, causing him to look back on his actions in the past, and attempt to correct them.[9]
Getting a Message
T'Challa and Nakia discuss staying in the city
Having finished his coronation for today, T'Challa took the time to walk with Nakia on the streets of Golden City, wanting to have her stay there, however she decided not to as she wanted to support his father and that she isn't happy to abandon any other people that have nothing.
T'Challa talking with Nakia about her ideas
T'Challa then asked what would Nakia do about Wakanda and told him that provide aid, access to technology, and refuge to those who need it, using other countries as an example and do them better than them. T'Challa rebuttals Nakia's motives, saying that Wakanda would lose its way of life despite how she tells him that the country can help refugees and protect themselves. T'Challa remarks that she would make a stubborn Queen, but was responded by him that she would make a great queen because of her stubbornness.
T'Challa then took the time to visit the Border Tribe and see how W'Kabi was doing in his farm, looking at one of his White Rhinoceros and commenting on how it is still growing with all the food it is consuming. T'Challa was later asked if Nakia and he were working things with each other, only for him to become silent about it. Having W'Kabi telling him what was wrong, T'Challa was thinking about Nakia's idea of foreign aid, listening to W'Kabi that if refugees gain access to the country they'll bring their problems.
T'Challa is told by Okoye about Ulysses Klaue
After talking about aiding other countries with W'Kabi, T'Challa was contacted by Okoye and greeted W'Kabi as her love, she informed that a misidentified Wakandan artifact was stolen at the Museum of Great Britain, learning that Ulysses Klaue has plans to sell it to an American buyer in South Korea. Inside the council, T'Challa decides to pursue Klaue, promising W'Kabi that he will kill where he stands, and proceeding with the mission.[2]
Upgrades
T'Challa enters Shuri's Lab with his guards
Gaining information from Okoye about Ulysses Klaue about his plans to sell Wakandan artifacts, T'Challa started his mission by deciding to go inside of Shuri's lab with his Dora Milaje beside him along the way. Once T'Challa entered inside the Great Mound where the lab is located, he greets the other guards who are protecting their doorways, seeing Shuri waiting for him and greeting him as a King.
T'Challa listening to Shuri's updates
As Shuri was mockingly introducing her brother, T'Challa told her to stop it while chuckling with laughter and committed a handshake with her. T'Challa was then being toured around back to her lab to show him new improvements to his equipment, such as a vibranium car that was sent to Busan to take it on his upcoming mission. When Shuri asked who will be coming along with his mission, T'Challa responded that Okoye and Nakia will be with him, saying it would be fine to take his ex on the mission, considering that Shuri would be called for backup.
T'Challa wears his new Sneakers
Looking further into the lab, T'Challa was introduced with new communication devices with unlimited range, equipped with an audio surveillance system, and new Kimoyo beads. T'Challa then asked what are the new Sneakers that were showcased, only to be made fun of for wearing royal sandals from Shuri. Despite being made fun of, T'Challa showed off his sandals, saying he decided to go old school for his first day as King.
T'Challa sees the upgraded Panther Habits
Once he wore his new sneakers, T'Challa was impressed with how it was automated and soundproof, to which he was made fun of again by Shuri for calling them Sneakers. Shuri the showcased the most significant change to his Panther Habit, which T'Challa told that his previous design was set for an update, Shuri countered that it was functional, it could be changed, making fun that if people are shooting at him, he would need put on his helmet.
T'Challa being impressed with the new Habit
T'Challa was then introduced to a model with a golden necklace, but T'Challa proposed the idea to not be seen, he decided to pick the model with a silver necklace. Shuri then asked T'Challa to summon the Panther Habit, letting it materialize, stored into the necklace when not in use. T'Challa was then asked to strike it, only for Shuri to angrily yell at him. T'Challa then noticed that the suit was glowing, informed that it can absorb damage and emit it back for redistribution.
T'Challa asking Shuri to delete her footage
T'Challa was then asked to kick the Panther Habit again at the same spot, however, Shuri started to video record from her Kimoyo beads, gaining suspicious at her, T'Challa asked why is she recording him before he could kick the mannequin. After Shuri responded that it was only for research purposes, T'Challa proceeded to kick the model only for the kinetic energy to blow on impact, sending him flying into the air. Lying on the ground, T'Challa asked Shuri to delete the footage of him in pain.[2]
Manhunt for Ulysses Klaue
- "Did you think we would forget? Look at me, murderer! Where did you get this weapon?"
"You savages didn't deserve it. Whoa. Mercy, King, mercy!"
"Every breath you take is mercy from me." - ―Black Panther and Ulysses Klaue[src]
Once he learned that Ulysses Klaue had stolen a vibranium artifact from the Museum of Great Britain and was planning to sell it on the black market, T'Challa used is new Panther Habit intact and traveled to Busan to arrest Ulysses Klaue. T'Challa then assigned Okoye to come along with the mission with Nakia in their car, arriving at South Korea.
T'Challa talks to Nakia about their mission
Getting out of the car, T'Challa arrived at a fish market that held a casino clubhouse behind the store owners' marketplace. Following Nakia, he listened to her talking to a woman who owned a fish market business, telling her to gain passage with her friends, despite looking like she became too suspicious, she would then let them come into to the casino. T'Challa went past the security check, walking inside the casino and focusing on the mission to find the buyer. T'Challa told Okoye to stay on the lookout on where they arrived and courted Nakia off the staircase to talk closely on how the mission would proceed.
T'Challa greeting Everett Ross in the casino
When Okoye interrupted their conversation in an intercom, T'Challa and Nakia separated from each other, noticing Everett Ross, noting that this mission had gotten complicated. Surprised to find that Ross was the buyer Klaue, T'Challa greeted and questioned Ross' motives. Ross pointed that he would not listen after knowing that he wore a bulletproof cat-suit, despite being confronted for his secret, T'Challa swore to him that Klaue will be taken custody by him.
T'Challa refuses Everett Ross' deal
Telling him to stay away from Klaue, T'Challa left the casino and stay in the distance until Klaue entered the room. Ross would returned to T'Challa and noted that the Vibranium that Klaue had managed to steal appeared to link back to what was used by Ultron during the Battle of Sokovia, promising that they could then discuss handing Klaue over to T'Challa once the CIA was finished with him, but T'Challa refused to make a deal.
T'Challa notices the commotion behind him
Eventually, Ulysses Klaue arrived at the Jagalchi Market Casino, with Klaue surrounded by bodyguards who filled up the casino as Klaue went downstairs to make the exchange with Ross. T'Challa informs Okoye that Klaue is with Ross, noticing more Americans surrounding Klaue, T'Challa stood across the room to hear about the deal. Noticing commotion, T'Challa tells Okoye to stand her ground and not bring attention to Klaue's henchmen. However, once Okoye decided to fight, T'Challa noticed one of them landed on the pool table.
T'Challa personally confronts Ulysses Klaue
However, the exchange was then unexpectedly interrupted by the position of Okoye, resulting in T'Challa furiously throwing one of Klaue's bodyguards away to save Ross' back from the shootout. Seeing this, T'Challa then apprehended one of Klaue's henchmen and fought against multiple of them in the middle of the room. T'Challa looked over the balcony to see Klaue getting away from the scene, he leaped over the top and yelled at him for being a murderer.
T'Challa hijacking a car to chase Klaue
Once Klaue shot at him with his sonic arm cannon, T'Challa got up from the ground after getting knocked out from the balcony. T'Challa called Shuri once he got out of the casino, telling her to drive and quickly equipped the new Panther Habit and backflipped onto the car. As he stood onto the car, T'Challa was taken up for a ride, chasing one of Klaue's henchmen and took a turn from the car once they notice lane with an intersection.
Black Panther aggressively latches onto a van
Chasing Klaue's henchmen outside of their van, T'Challa pursued them through at the back of the van with help from Shuri to drive closer to it. While stopping the thugs, T'Challa ripped through the roof and threw one of the drivers that landed on the ground and killed by Shuri, as an accident. Once he subdued the last henchmen inside the car, T'Challa managed to hop onto the car and entered in the freeway.
Black Panther disables the car behind him
Going into a bridge, T'Challa saw one of the henchmen began to shoot him down, withstanding the bullets coming to contact with him. T'Challa then listened to Shuri about how he was charged with kinetic energy and needed to release it. Having an idea, T'Challa told Shuri to drive past the other car and front of the henchmen's van. T'Challa managed to land onto the van and disable the ride with a kinetic pulse, doing a backflip and landed onto the car.
Black Panther stopping Ulysses Klaue
Following the last vehicle, T'Challa prepared to kill Klaue, noticed that he was in the passenger seat. Once Klaue notice him on the spot, T'Challa dodged away from the sonic cannon while the car was blown away, T'Challa landed onto the ceiling wall of a neon sign and leaped onto the side the van, shoving his claws into wheels, disabling the car. T'Challa landed onto the ground as the van crashed toward a fruit market.
Black Panther threatens to kill Ulysses Klaue
After the van crashed, T'Challa madly walked up to Klaue and equipped his claws, absorbing the blast with his Panther Habit and then ripped Klaue's prosthetic arm off. Getting close, T'Challa yelled at Klaue, telling him about the people he killed. Being called a savage, T'Challa threatened Klaue to kill him outright but after Nakia arrived to see him and told him that hundreds of eyewitnesses are present in the plaza, he handed him over to Ross.[2]
Klaue's Escape
T'Challa watches Ulysses Klaue from a mirror
With Ulysses Klaue finally in their custody, T'Challa decided to take him back to CIA South Korean Black Site to answer for his crimes. Taken into the interrogation room, T'Challa and Okoye looked after Klaue as he was handcuffed to chair from his hands and ankles. While Klaue was mockingly kissing at their mirrored glass while he was standing, T'Challa listened to Everett Ross, who suggested that he would speak with Klaue for five minutes, Okoye spoke to T'Challa in Xhosa, about not leaving Klaue with Ross, responding that he will take him to Wakanda after Ross is done with questioning.
T'Challa thanking Everett Ross for his help
Speaking in English again, T'Challa insisted that he allowed taking Klaue back to Wakanda once Ross finished his interrogation, which Ross rejected. When Ross casually tapped T'Challa on the chest, Okoye threatened him in Xhosa, telling T'Challa she will impale him to this desk if he touches him. Leading Ross to go inside the other room, T'Challa interrupted Ross before going inside, placing his hand onto his shoulder and thanked him for all of his help with capturing Klaue.
T'Challa listening to the interrogation
Unbeknownst to Ross, T'Challa had secretly planted a listening device on the agent, so he could listen to their conversation. In the room, Klaue recommended that Ross put more trust in him rather than the Wakandans, which Ross dismissed before asking about Klaue's prosthetic arm and where Klaue had gotten it from. Klaue explained that the arm was an old mining tool which he had modified. Listening further, T'Challa realizes that Klaue is spilling out information about Wakanda that shouldn't be said.
T'Challa is questioned by Everett Ross
During his interrogation, Klaue explained to Ross that Wakanda is not a third-world country as everyone was led to believe, and the vibranium he had stolen was insignificant to the mass amount they possessed to date. Once Ross stepped out of the room T'Challa was confronted over Klaue's claims about Wakanda, being told at the U.N, that Klaue had stolen all of the vibranium that they had, although T'Challa had retorted such statements, he was furthered questioned.
Black Panther taking action during an attack
As Ross confronted T'Challa about the truth of his country, he was informed by Nakia that an attack is being held at the moment, only for an explosion to hit near them in the interrogation room. When an armed gunman breached the wall of the interrogation room, he threw a grenade at the office, T'Challa equipped his Panther Habit to stop it from exploding. Once he stopped the grenade, T'Challa stood up to see that Klaue was abducted.
T'Challa listens to Okoye about the attack
Noticing Klaue escaping in their grasp, T'Challa chased them only for one of them holding a grande launcher and aimed it at T'Challa, exploding on impact. After being saved by the blast in his suit, T'Challa hesitated after seeing a man wearing a Wakandan Royal Ring around his neck similar to his father's, allowing them to escape. Getting up from the ground, T'Challa was informed that Ross was shot in the spine, looking back he decided to go inside again.
T'Challa takes Everett Ross to his country
Into the room, T'Challa returned to the others to find that Ross had been severely injured while protecting Nakia. As Ross dove on top of Nakia and taking a bullet into his spine as a result, T'Challa used a Kimoyo bead to stabilize his wound. Understanding the risks of bringing a foreign agent into his home, T'Challa ordered Ross brought to Wakanda to heal him in gratitude for saving Nakia.[2]
Saving Agent Ross
T'Challa brings Everett Ross to Wakanda
Despite Okoye's objections, T'Challa brought Everett Ross back to Wakanda, taking him inside the Royal Talon Fighter and traveled back to Wakanda. Standing above Ross from his medical bed, T'Challa was asked by Okoye about how should they justify bringing him to the country. T'Challa responded that since he can not just let Ross die knowing that there they could save him due to their medical advancements.
T'Challa brings Everett Ross into Shuri's lab
Bringing Ross to Shuri's lab, T'Challa put Ross on the medical board and took him down the hallway with Okoye and Nakia beside him. Taking in his care, Shuri looked at Ross and was quite pleased that her brother brought "another broken white boy" for her to fix, T'Challa then placed onto the table and let Shuri examine his spine with her Kimoyo bead. Analyzing Ross' X-Ray scan, T'Challa was informed by Shuri that he will survive from the injuries.
Noticing a call, T'Challa walked over to W'Kabi who arrived for Ulysses Klaue's return for his crimes. When asked if he brought Klaue, T'Challa told W'Kabi that Klaue was slipped through from their hands. Seeing W'Kabi disappointed, T'Challa was told that when his father took over as King for thirty years, he did nothing and having his friend would be different. Watching W'Kabi leave, T'Challa was left in distraught on how close he apprehended Klaue.[2]
Skeletons in the Closet
T'Challa demands the truth about his father
T'Challa confronted Zuri and demanded the truth about N'Jobu, whom T'Chaka said disappeared one day. He went on to explain the arrival of a man wearing his grandfather's royal ring who helped Ulysses Klaue escape from capture. Zuri, hesitant, stated that he had promised T'Chaka, his former king, he would not tell of N'Jobu's fate, but T'Challa furiously stated he is the current King of Wakanda.
T'Challa listens to Zuri about the truth
Reluctantly, Zuri explained that N'Jobu fell in love with an American woman while on a War Dog assignment, and was discovered through Zuri to have hired Klaue less than thirty years ago to steal vibranium from the country to aid in the civil unrest in America after witnessing the tragedies happening to the African Americans there. N'Jobu was upset that T'Chaka couldn't understand the need to share the rare metal with the rest of the Africans in the world.
T'Challa discovers the truth about his uncle
When T'Chaka ordered his brother to return and face punishment, N'Jobu pulled a gun on Zuri for betraying him but was quickly disarmed and killed by T'Chaka, leaving the king heartbroken, ordering Zuri to keep his actions a secret. Zuri explained that T'Chaka knew of N'Jobu's child with the American woman, but decided to leave the boy to maintain the lie that N'Jobu disappeared. T'Challa was left appalled by his father's actions, upsetting the fact that T'Chaka had lied about his uncle.
T'Challa listens to Nakia for advice
Sitting near a cliff with Nakia, T'Challa talked to her about his father killing his uncle and left a child behind with nothing, questioning why would he do such thing. T'Challa was told by Nakia that no man is perfect. T'Challa realizes that his father never gave him a proper burial, after his uncle betrayed his family, thinking he may have created something even worse. Despite his concern, Nakia advises T'Challa that he must not let his father's mistakes determine what T'Challa will do as the king.
T'Challa learns about his cousin's background
Having a call from his Kimoyo bead, T'Challa was informed by Shuri that she had some important news that he must attend to the lab. Having been joined by Everett Ross and Shuri, T'Challa listened to the group on everything he knew of Erik Stevens' background as a member of a highly trained section of the United States Navy SEALs where he got a reputation as a killer, nicknamed Killmonger. While Ross explains and the other Wakandans listened closely, T'Challa began looking at Killmonger's record.[2]
Fight for the Throne
Meeting Erik Killmonger
T'Challa notices Erik Killmonger's arrival
- "I don't care that you brought Klaue, the only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because I know who you are. Now, what do you want?"
"I want the throne." - ―T'Challa and Erik Killmonger[src]
Returning to the Golden City, T'Challa held a meeting with the Tribal Council, when Erik Killmonger was brought up to the council with W'Kabi, who was presented with Ulysses Klaue's corpse at the border of Wakanda, much to T'Challa's surprise.
T'Challa personally confronts Erik Killmonger
Once Killmonger was invited to speak, T'Challa was told that he is standing in the room, further noting that he had served justice to Wakandans by killing Klaue who had been responsible for the previous Attack on Wakanda and had stolen Vibranium, telling to council that he was able to deliver justice to the country. Angered by this insult, T'Challa got up from his throne and personally confronted Killmonger, walking up to him, closely followed by Okoye. T'Challa pointedly clarified that he doesn't care about him bringing Klaue and the only reason he didn't kill him where he stands is that he knew who Killmonger really was.
T'Challa asks for Erik Killmonger's motives
Asking a question, T'Challa listened to Killmonger, saying that he wanted the throne. Noticing the council was sitting down comfortably, Killmonger told T'Challa that two billion people all over the world that look like his ethnicity, saying their lives are a lot harder and Wakanda has the tools to liberate. T'Challa then asked for what kind of tools is Killmonger wanting, abruptly told that it was Vibranium. Aggressively, T'Challa responded that he will wage war on the world.
T'Challa is asked for Erik Killmonger's name
T'Challa would counter that it is not Wakanda's way to be judge, jury, and executioner for people who are not their own. Killmonger retorted by asking that life started in right on the continent of Africa, all people should be his people. T'Challa responded that he is not King of all people, only a King of Wakanda, telling it was his responsibility to make sure his people are safe and that vibranium does not fall into the hands of a person like Killmonger.
T'Challa accepts Erik Killmonger's challenge
Demanding the king to ask his name, T'Challa dismiss Killmonger's request and told his guards to take him away. However, when the River Tribe Elder asked for Killmonger's identity, Killmonger told what his name was N'Jadaka and was the son of N'Jobu in Xhosa, taking T'Challa by surprise. With evidence by W'Kabi showing his ring, T'Challa was challenged for the throne and the Black Panther mantle. Pondering on the idea, T'Challa decided to accept the challenge.[2]
Killmonger's Challenge
T'Challa warns Erik Killmonger to not fight
- "This is your last chance. Throw down your weapons, and we can handle this another way."
- ―T'Challa to Erik Killmonger[src]
As they had prepared for the duel, T'Challa and Erik Killmonger were both taken to Warrior Falls where Killmonger was then given his spear and sword, while the Tribal Council watched closely. Zuri used a potion to stripped T'Challa's powers of the Black Panther strength, leaving them on equal footing ready for the challenge.
T'Challa fighting against Erik Killmonger
Once he stood back up, T'Challa gave Killmonger one final chance to lay down all his weapons so they could handle the situation another way. Instead, Killmonger then removed his Bulletproof Vest and shirt, revealing his tribal Crocodile Scarring, and told him how he had lived his entire life for this one moment, noting how he had killed all across the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa, just so that he could kill T'Challa. With everything in place, Zuri had then announced that the challenge could begin as T'Challa immediately began on the defensive as Killmonger attacked him by swinging his weapons, landing a deadly blow against him.
T'Challa defends himself from Erik Killmonger
With all of Killmonger's military training allowed him to push him back, T'Challa soon found that his skills with the tribal weapons took the advantage as he managed to lock Killmonger into a block and held him back, using his shield to defend himself. As Killmonger became frustrated, T'Challa endured several heavy strikes that were landed against him repeatedly, in an attempt to beat him into submission. However, T'Challa was able to use all Killmonger's rage against him, knocking him off balance and onto his back, telling Killmonger to yield the duel.
T'Challa is wounded by Erik Killmonger
After Killmonger refused to back down once he got back onto his feet, T'Challa continued gaining the advantage as he sliced Killmonger across the face with a non-fatal strike. When Killmonger stood back up, T'Challa continued to gain the upper hand at first, eventually, Killmonger was able to land a heavy kick and managed to slice T'Challa across his inner thigh. Once he was hurt, T'Challa was beaten down before being sliced across the chest and arm.
T'Challa loudly mourns over Zuri's death
When T'Challa then attempted to punch Killmonger, T'Challa was easily beaten down in front of his horrified family. Killmonger then raised his blade and prepared to execute T'Challa, telling him that it would in revenge for T'Chaka killing his own father. Before Killmonger could deliver the final blow, Zuri intervened, claiming that he was truly responsible for his father's death and that he should take his life instead. Despite that, T'Challa told Zuri to not stop the duel, Killmonger happily obliged.
T'Challa is thrown out into the waterfall
Distraught over Zuri's untimely death, T'Challa lunged at Killmonger once more but missed. As Killmonger stood over, T'Challa was now unable to get up as he called out to those watching and claimed that T'Challa would never be able to lead them and was unworthy of being Black Panther. Once he finally gathered enough strength to try and fight back, T'Challa was picked up on his feet before throwing him off the side of Warrior Falls and landed into shore.[2]
Saved by the Jabari Tribe
T'Challa is found and saved in Jabari Land
- "You are wrong! All of you are wrong!...To turn your backs on the rest of the world! We let the fear of discovery stop us from doing what is right. No more! I cannot stay here with you. I cannot rest while he sits on the throne! He is a monster of our own making! I must take the mantle back. I must! I must right these wrongs!"
- ―T'Challa to T'Chaka[src]
Flowing all the water shores, T'Challa was found in the Jabari Land in the freezing rivers where their fisherman was doing their labor and brought him back to their domain. M'Baku decided to save his life as repayment for his mercy at the falls earlier. Unconscious, T'Challa was in a comatose state and covered in snow before almost dying from the wounds he endured.
T'Challa entering in the Ancestral Plane
Once Nakia, Ramonda, Shuri, and Everett Ross had escaped from Erik Killmonger's consolidated power, they were taken into M'Baku's chamber and attempted to give away one the Heart-Shaped Herbs. M'Baku then had shown T'Challa in his comatose condition, stabilized by the surrounding snow, Ramonda remembered to use the herb to bring him back. Awaking in the Ancestral Plane, T'Challa was greeted by T'Chaka and invited to join him and the rest of his ancestors.
T'Challa swears on taking the mantle back
Instead of staying with his father, T'Challa was furious at T'Chaka for what happened to his uncle and cousin and angered by the other Black Panthers for how their strict isolationism has led to suffering around the world. T'Challa declared his work wasn't done yet and must take the mantle back and write the wrongs of his father. In the brisk of the cold climate, T'Challa woke up in the relief of his loved ones, looking at everyone in his direction and asked for a blanket as they laughed and smiled from his remark.
T'Challa declares on taking the mantle back
Once he had rested in M'Baku's land until morning dawn, T'Challa was informed that Killmonger is reigning supreme in Wakanda, having the full support of the military and burned the garden of the Heart-Shaped Herb, as he was trained to destabilize foreign countries. Informed that their weapons will be sent all over the world, T'Challa declared that he must get his family out of Wakanda safely, saying that his challenge will have to continue.
T'Challa joins forces with his allies
Arguing that his duty is to keep his people safe, T'Challa responds that if Killmonger gets control over their technology, nowhere will be safe. When Shuri got up from her seat, T'Challa was given his silver necklace that will equip his Panther Habit, saying that the Black Panther lives and will be right there beside him, as Nakia and Ross decided to join in the fight alongside him. As they have a moment of uniting as a team, T'Challa was caught off guard when M'Baku was yawning very loudly and asking them if they were done talking before they take action.
T'Challa request for M'Baku's tribe to fight
Ordering his family, Nakia, and Ross to leave the room for privacy, T'Challa thanked M'Baku for saving his life as they both gained truce once M'Baku expressed he spared his life in their duel for the throne. Once they were settled down, T'Challa requested that his mother to stay with his land and he and the rest of the Jabari would help overthrow Killmonger, M'Baku agreed with his statement but in a serious manner, he quickly declined.
T'Challa leaves M'Baku to himself
Saying that he is the first King to come for his tribe in centuries, M'Baku questions that he spoke for his tribe, T'Challa retorted that he can't speak for all the Kings in the past but with Killmonger on the throne, he proposed who will be next the group of people to overthrow. With M'Baku declining to help, T'Challa and his group left the tribe, with Panther Habit prepared for the coming battle.[2]
Battle for Wakanda
Black Panther returns to battle in Wakanda
- "I never yielded! And as you can see, I am not dead!"
"All that challenge shit is over with. I'm the king now." - ―Black Panther and Erik Killmonger[src]
Preparing for battle, T'Challa went over to Wakanda while Nakia, Shuri, and Everett Ross secretly go over there to sneak around the Great Mound. As Erik Killmonger and the Border Tribe prepared to deliver Vibranium weapons to War Dogs around the world, T'Challa destroyed the aircraft, crashing into the ground.
Black Panther challenges Erik Killmonger
With the aircraft on fire, T'Challa emerged from the debris and removed his mask to reveal his identity. T'Challa then walked over the field and yelled at Killmonger, shouting his real name and that he never yielded nor was killed in his challenge with him. Despite that Killmonger had stated that the Ritual Combat was over, Killmonger ordered W'Kabi to kill T'Challa and the Border Tribe began to charge at him. While Okoye and the Dora Milaje betrayed Killmonger's reign, Black Panther called Shuri to move along inside the lab and began to fight the Border Tribe.
Black Panther subdues multiple soldiers
When the Border Tribe's use of defense shields, T'Challa jumped over them and used his kinetic pulse to release, resulting into exploding on impact, grabbing onto one of the soldiers' Sonic Spears and threw it at one of the aircraft. As the destruction started to brew more attention, half of the Dora Milaje were sent down to battle out W'Kabi's men, fighting for the King. On the brink of the battle, T'Challa subdued many of W'Kabi's soldiers that were attacking him.
Black Panther chases down a White Rhino
As the battle when on, T'Challa took off his mask and confronted W'Kabi, telling him to stop his soldier's from fighting, but refusing to listen to him, W'Kabi continued to blow on his airhorn, much to T'Challa shouting no to him. As the Border tribe members shout over the airhorn, the White Rhinoceros began to huddle in groups and crash into the broken aircraft that T'Challa recently destroyed. After the Rhinos hit several Dora Milije members, T'Challa chased one of them down and grabbed its horn, subduing it onto the ground as the piece of debris had pinned it down
T'Challa seeing Shuri being attacked
Continued to battle, T'Challa fought against several of W'Kabi's soldiers until one of the rhinos hit him so hard that flew across the field and landed onto the ground near a rock. As Killmonger, wearing the other Panther Habit, defeated Okoye and three of the Dora Milaje members, he turned his attention to Shuri. Seeing this, T'Challa released his kinetic pulse and began to charge at Killmonger, tackling him, causing both to fall into the Great Mound.
As they proceeded to fall several stories high, T'Challa began to trade blows with Killmonger in between to get away from each other, resulting into him landing onto the railroad of the Wakandan Maglev Train. On the platform, T'Challa dodged an incoming attack by Killmonger and fought on the tracks of one of the vibranium transport trains. T'Challa asked Shuri to activate the train, knowing it would activate the Sonic Stabilizers, rendering his, and Killmonger's suits useless from time-to-time.
T'Challa arguing at Erik Killmonger's reign
After the railroad was activated, T'Challa was able swiftly to avoid the train while Killmonger began to attack him outright. As the two escaped from the railroad, T'Challa noticed that his suit was tearing and repairing, along with Killmonger's as well. As Killmonger began to denounce his reign, T'Challa countered that he just want Wakanda to be just like the people he hates by dividing and conquering a foreign land.
T'Challa screaming at Erik Killmonger
When Killmonger tried to rebuttal, T'Challa responded that he will become just like his oppressors and will destroy the world, Wakanda included. As Killmonger cried out that the world took everything away from him, T'Challa was threatened that he will be even by tracking anyone who will ever think about being loyal to him and kill them just like Zuri. Knowing that he will never stop murdering the one he loved, T'Challa screamed at Killmonger and began to charge at him, continuing to fight each other.
Black Panther furiously fights Erik Killmonger
As the fight started to become more frantic, T'Challa fought against Killmonger, gaining the upper hand by throwing him off the railroad and ended hurting him, while trying to stay at bay. Once Killmonger grabbed a short spear, T'Challa avoided his strikes once the duel continued. T'Challa was pushed back, trying to switch the blade toward him, only to move over to his side. When the train moved along, T'Challa punched the knife away and in the air, T'Challa rolled over, catching the spear, and fatally stabbed Killmonger in the heart.
T'Challa proposes on saving Erik Killmonger
Knowing the fight was over, T'Challa listened to Killmonger's memories about his father, and how he told him that Wakanda was the most beautiful place in the world. After this, T'Challa helped Killmonger go on top of the mine reached the cliff to watch the sunset. While there, T'Challa offered to heal Killmonger, but Killmonger refused, saying that he would rather die, pulling the spear out of his body, bleeding to death.[2]
Giving the World Resources
T'Challa returns to the Tribal Council
Periodically after reclaiming Wakanda, T'Challa buried Erik Killmonger, as the rest of the Dora Milaje and the Border Tribe settled down after their battle was over, stopping the weapons that were meant to be send out into the world. T'Challa reassigned himself as the King of Wakanda, going over to reclaim his throne inside the Tribal Council.
As Wakanda was finally prospering, T'Challa went over to the streets of the Golden City to meet up with Nakia at a stairwell, deciding to talk about their recent actions. After greeting the locals that were walking up the stairs, T'Challa proceeded to thank Nakia for her actions by saving him and his family. Nakia then responded that the people's nation was her duty to fight for what she loved before stumbling her words toward T'Challa.
T'Challa tells Nakia to stay with him
Once she continued on, T'Challa interrupted Nakia's sentence by kissing her and after stopping he tries to rationalize by almost dying. After making a remark, T'Challa was then kissed by Nakia and once it was done, he asked Nakia to stay, knowing a way to still fulfill her calling, pleading for her stay in the city. Deciding to stay there, T'Challa was tenderly kissed by Nakia again, settling their relationship.
T'Challa tells Shuri about the sold-out buildings
Later on, T'Challa and Shuri went over to Oakland in California and looked at the old apartment building of his uncle. Shuri would remark on what T'Challa said by going to California for the first time, she thought of Coachella or Disneyland. Asked why by Shuri they were there in the first place, T'Challa told Shuri where their father killed N'Jobu, informing her that it will not be tearing down, which to her relief while reading the sign.
T'Challa breaks the news of Shuri's property
Breaking the news to her, T'Challa told Shuri that he bought the old apartment building and a couple of other landmarks, saying that it will be Wakanda's first Wakandan International Outreach Centre. T'Challa also announced the news that Shuri will be ahead of the science and information exchange, having her in disbelief. Activating a new Royal Talon Fighter up from the sky as a gift, T'Challa made it nontransparent in the basketball for Shuri to ride.
T'Challa notices a child in front of him
As the children noticed the ship, gawking at the sight of it and planned to sell the parts of it, until Shuri told the kids that it was hers and when asked of where she came from, she told them that she was from Wakanda, much to their confusion. As T'Challa leaned over the fence, he was asked by one boy with braids on his hair if the ship on the court was his or not and later realizing that he is likely the owner of the jet, asked who he was, smiling at him.[2]
Joining the United Nations
T'Challa arriving in Vienna International Centre
- "Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We can not. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth, should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe."
- ―T'Challa[src]
Heading over to United Nations, T'Challa walked into over to the Vienna International Centre with Okoye Nakia, and Ayo beside him as he entered. When Everett Ross arrived to meet up, T'Challa was greeted by him before being asked for a private conversation, to which T'Challa asked to give them space. T'Challa listened to Ross' recommendation that he should not reveal their wealth and power to the United Nations, fearing the response could be dangerous.
T'Challa decides to go on with his speech
T'Challa, however, insisted to Ross that he would no longer rule out of fear like his father had done, believing they should lead by example. While Ross heard this, T'Challa's decision was accepted and went off with his people to let him make his speech. Before leaving, however, T'Challa was wished good luck in Xhosa, however, he mispronounced some words which caused Okoye and Ayo to laugh alongside Nakia while Ross insisted that he practiced his phrase, T'Challa thanked him in Xhosa.[9]
T'Challa giving a speech to the United Nations
Entering the room with photographers and cameramen on him, T'Challa then gave his speech in which he established full relations between Wakanda and the rest of the world, promising to share their Vibranium and technology. Continuing his speech, T'Challa spoke about letting Wakanda to no longer watch from the shadows and the people will work to be an example of how Human beings on Earth should treat each other, with no illusions of division threaten our very existence.
T'Challa finalizes his speech to the public
Focusing on every listener, T'Challa told the public that a connection between other countries is now more in need than ever. When one of the senators questioned what a small country in Africa with no resources could do, he gave a speech that officially ending Wakanda's isolation and proclaiming all of Earth as one tribe, much to the utter amazement of the rest of the world who were watching.[10]
Saving the Winter Soldier
T'Challa accepts on helping Bucky Barnes
T'Challa then returned home to Wakanda, bringing with him Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Offering the latter asylum, he informed the pair that the best chance of having the Winter Soldier Programming removed was for Barnes to return to cryo-sleep stasis, which Barnes agreed to do.
T'Challa promises to protect Bucky Barnes
After Shuri explained how she intended to remove the HYDRA programming,[7] Barnes willingly let himself freeze in a cryo-chamber until the Wakandan Design Group scientists could find a way to cure him of HYDRA's brainwashing. Rogers warned T'Challa that forces of opposition would come and declare war on Wakanda for allowing Barnes to take refuge, to which T'Challa replied that they could try as the two overlooked the landscape of the kingdom's mountains.[11]
Infinity War
Recruiting Bucky Barnes
T'Challa recruiting Bucky Barnes to fight
- "Where's the fight?"
"On its way." - ―Bucky Barnes and T'Challa[src]
Following the attacks by Black Order in New York City and Scotland, the remaining Avengers on Earth traveled to Wakanda and appealed to T'Challa for help to extract the Mind Stone from Vision's head before Thanos' expected invasion of Earth.
T'Challa acknowledges the incoming battle
Agreeing to help, T'Challa ordered his followers to equip Bucky Barnes with a new prosthetic arm. Alongside with Barnes, Okoye told T'Challa that the Royal Guard and the Dora Milaje have been alerted, including the Border Tribe and the Jabari Tribe as well. T'Challa told Okoye that despite Barnes being tired of war, he has rested long enough. T'Challa visited Barnes and gave him a new prosthetic arm. Noticing the arm, Barnes asked him where the fight is, and T'Challa responded that it was on its way.[12]
Preparation for Battle
T'Challa seeing the Avengers' arrival
Shortly after T'Challa recruited Bucky Barnes, he waited for the Avengers' arrival in their Quinjet. Walking toward the helipad, T'Challa was asked by Okoye that while opening to the rest the world she did not expect a war incoming, to which he responded with a question with what she had in mind, talking about the Olympics and Starbucks.
T'Challa greeting Steve Rogers in Wakanda
Once the Avengers arrived in Wakanda, T'Challa was reunited with Steve Rogers, being thanked for his help securing Vision. T'Challa was also introduced to Bruce Banner, who was tricked by James Rhodes to bow to him, telling him that his people do not do that sort of thing. Walking over toward the city, T'Challa questions how big of an assault can his army expect, Banner responded that it is going to be quite of a big assault, tells the Avengers that they will have the Wakandan Royal Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and Barnes by their side.
T'Challa orders his army in preparation
As he led the Avengers into the Citadel, T'Challa tasked Shuri with extracting the Mind Stone from Vision's forehead. Once Shuri notices there are more than two trillion neurons here, T'Challa informed by her that it will take time to disassemble each part. Alerted by Okoye's Kimoyo bead, T'Challa rallied the Wakandans in order to fight the members of the Black Order, knowing that they will come to Wakanda for the Stone.[12]
Battle of Wakanda
T'Challa goes over to the Wakandan battlefield
- "You are in Wakanda now. Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."
"We have blood to spare." - ―Black Panther and Proxima Midnight[src]
Onto the Wakandan battlefield, T'Challa rode along the carriers that are hovering over the ground with Wakandan soldiers and Natasha Romanoff, Rogers, and Barnes on board; while War Machine and Falcon kept the pace overhead, and Banner wears the Hulkbuster armor. As the carrier pilots swerve to stop and the Dora Milaje had joined the ranks, T'Challa dropped off from his ride and met M'Baku to thank him for his cooperation.
Black Panther leading the forces of Wakanda
Walking toward the edge of the barrier, T'Challa, Rogers, and Romanoff stood between where Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian are in front of them. As Midnight drawing her sword, T'Challa and his allies were threatened by her, responding to her that Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood on his hands, only for her to send multiple Outriders out from their Outrider Dropship. T'Challa went back to lead the Wakandans in the war cry, telling them to hold fast as the Outriders bound toward the barrier as Midnight signaled to attack.
Black Panther running towards the battlefield
Once the enemies quickly appeared, T'Challa signaled to shoot them in mass, though most of them could not penetrate Wakanda's protective force field. To prevent them from flanking their position and reaching Vision, T'Challa ordered the shield wall lowered to funnel the enemies towards them and began to attack them. As the Outriders are coming toward them, T'Challa and Rogers rapidly ran ahead due to their enhancements and leaped into battle.
Black Panther contacts Shuri during battle
Over his intercom, T'Challa told Shuri on how much time she has left for her to fix Vision, responding that she barely begun, asking her to pick up the pace. As the battle continued on, a large beam of light lands in the middle of the field, revealing Thor, Groot and Rocket Raccoon, T'Challa paused in apprehension. As Obsidian kills his army, Black Panther leaped onto him and uses all his collected kinetic energy to punch him.
Black Panther tells his army to fall back
When the disturbance reaches the edge of the trees, a vast number of Threshers began to shred everything in their path, T'Challa yelled at his army to fall back from them. Though many lives were lost, T'Challa and his Wakandan army fought valiantly and killed many of Thanos' forces with Thor having to arrive alongside to help them turn the tide of the battle.[12]
Thanos' Victory
Black Panther witnesses the arrival of Thanos
As T'Challa and the remaining Avengers had gathered near a forest, they discovered a disturbance coming towards them. As the group became silent enough, Thanos teleported himself to Earth and arrived in Wakanda to personally retrieve the Mind Stone. Once Thanos stood and observe, Captain America ordered the group to stay sharp and attack him.
Black Panther is taken down by Thanos
As Thanos' dominion over the fabrics of reality given to him by the nearly completed Infinity Gauntlet, T'Challa attempted to attack him with the use of his kinetic energy pulse to implode onto his opponent. However, with little effect, the Mad Titan easily grabbed T'Challa by the shoulder with his Infinity Gauntlet hand and punched him with so much force that all the energies in his Panther Habit were expelled, knocking him out instantly.
T'Challa starting to fade away into dust
Although they bought enough time for Scarlet Witch to destroy the Mind Stone, Thanos used the Time Stone to undo her actions and retrieved the stone from Vision, destroying him. With a snap of his fingers, Thanos' plan came to fruition as half of all sentient life across the whole universe began to disintegrate into dust. T'Challa held out his hand to bring Okoye up, only for him to disintegrate in front of her horrified eyes.[12]
Battle of Earth
Black Panther rejoins the fight against Thanos
Five years later, the remnants of the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy launched the Time Heist which ultimately allowed for the Blip, with T'Challa as one of the many victims brought back to life. While a 2014 version of Thanos attacked the New Avengers Facility as revenge for destroying his life's work, the Masters of the Mystic Arts led by Doctor Strange and Wong recruited all their restored allies.
Black Panther leads his people into battle
After Thanos had summoned his massive army from the Sanctuary II, T'Challa emerged from a Sling Ring portal, along with Shuri and Okoye. T'Challa and his forces then did the "Yibambe" battle cry just like they did prior to the Battle of Wakanda. After Captain America called on all the Avengers to assemble, T'Challa led the leading charge on the aliens.
Black Panther fights an Outrider
As the battle proceeded, T'Challa manages to fight and overpower an Outrider and even bested members of the Chitauri. When Captain America realized that the Infinity Stones were in danger after the Nano Gauntlet was brought to the surface, he ordered it to be brought to the Quantum Tunnel within Luis' van so the Stones within could be returned to their rightful places in time.
Black Panther assists Hawkeye in battle
When the Outriders were closing in on Hawkeye, T'Challa saved him by using his kinetic pulse to blast the enemies away. He then acknowledged Hawkeye, calling him by his first name "Clint", something he learned during the Clash of the Avengers and orders him to give him the gauntlet. T'Challa then tried to reach the van only to be knocked down by Thanos' Double-Edged Sword. The warlord then charged at T'Challa before he was suddenly saved by Scarlet Witch, who engages Thanos in battle.
Black Panther protects the Nano Gauntlet
As Scarlet Witch holds off Thanos, T'Challa makes another attempt to secure the Gauntlet. T'Challa was then stopped in his tracks by Ebony Maw and is ensnared by his telekinesis, negating his suit's ability to channel kinetic energy. As Maw nearly claimed the Gauntlet, T'Challa threw it to Spider-Man, who called out to him as he was passing by.
T'Challa witnesses the end of the battle
As the fight continued, Captain Marvel came within range of the van only for Thanos to destroy it and claim the Gauntlet. Before he could activate the Infinity Stones, however, Iron Man engaged him one last time, assimilating the Stones into his own armor. As Iron Man uses their power to end the battle, T'Challa is seen standing with Star-Lord as he witnesses Thanos and his army disintegrating into dust.
T'Challa and Shuri reunite with their mother
Although the Avengers, were victorious, it came at the cost of Stark's life so everyone, including T'Challa, kneeled before Stark in respect for his sacrifice. After the battle, T'Challa returned to Wakanda and reunited with his mother, along with Shuri as they celebrated together in the Golden City, overseeing his people's celebration at their loved ones' return. overseeing his people's celebration at their loved ones' return.
T'Challa present at Stark's funeral
Later, he, Shuri, and Okoye were among those present at Tony Stark's funeral to honor his sacrifice. The three stood together as they watched while Stark's Arc Reactor was sent adrift into the lake. Afterwards, T'Challa returned to Wakanda, where he would resume his duties as king. [13]
Personality
T'Challa is polite, respectful, and very caring for the people he is around and who he considers his friends. He is shown to have high respect towards other people, especially towards his father, T'Chaka. He honors the tradition and principles of Wakanda and is willing to take action whenever it is necessary. When his father died, he was willing and ready to take his rightful place as king of Wakanda. While he does not seem to favor fights, he was very quick to try and avenge his father's death. An honorable fighter, T'Challa respects his opponents and is willing to spare his enemies' lives. That being said, he is not opposed to killing his opponents in a fight and does not always try to avoid lethal measures of disabling them. Though he mortally injured Erik Killmonger, he still offered him the chance to heal his wounds and even granted his wish to see Wakanda's sunset before dying. When M'Baku challenged T'Challa for the throne, T'Challa focused on forcing M'Baku to yield rather than trying to kill him.
Despite shown to be too action-oriented and had too much of a shoot-first-ask-questions-later attitude early in his introductions, he is, however, not incapable to see reason and was level-headed enough to know when to keep his emotions in check, shown when he finally had the chance to avenge his father, he ultimately chose not to, knowing that doing so would make him fall as low as Zemo, and would go against what the Black Panther stands for. As he stood by Zemo, the latter explained to him about how he had also lost his loved ones too, and that he and T'Challa were not so different, as they both are in pursuit of revenge. It was at this moment that T'Challa realized that revenge has completely consumed Zemo, and he realized that this is not what his father would have wanted for him, he even offered to heal Erik Killmonger despite wanting to kill him initially due to the multiple atrocities he committed, and for killing Zuri who was a friend and a mentor to him. In the end, he agreed to help Captain America and Winter Soldier by granting them asylum in Wakanda, despite their status being international criminals now, as he was able to empathize with the pain both went through. He also displays a strong resolve, as when Captain America warned him the world might declare war on his country for housing Winter Soldier, he confidently stated to let them come.
According to his father, T'Challa tends to disapprove of diplomacy but was nevertheless supportive of the Sokovia Accords, showing that he is more a warrior at heart than a politician.
Since ascending to the throne as King of Wakanda, he is constantly torn between honoring the traditions of Wakanda and helping the wider world. T'Challa personally questions Wakanda's isolationism, yet unable to find any solid reasons to take a stand on the issue other than traditions. While he agrees that Wakanda, as the most advanced country in the world, can and should do more to help the world, he is unwilling to revise the country's isolationist policies.
It isn't until T'Challa has been dethroned by his corrupted and very destructive cousin, learning about his father's mistakes and the country is on the brink of declaring war against the rest of the world, that he realizes that Wakanda's isolationism had caused, and will eventually cause, more harm than good to the nation's interests, and that of the world's at large. His epiphany on the matter becomes so firm that he berates his father's and his predecessors' insistence on isolationism in the spirit realm, and vows to make Wakanda truly a part of the world.
To that end, T'Challa would develop a strong moral compass, devoting himself to doing what's best for the people around him, even beyond his status as King. T'Challa initiated a variety of programs dedicated to providing aid to the needy in foreign countries, and promote exchanges in a variety of fields, as early steps to break Wakanda's isolation in a very cautious manner, as it is impossible to fully share Wakanda's wealth, technological advancements, and vibranium resources, without causing worldwide chaos.
T'Challa is not a very talkative person, as he usually stays silent during conversations and often talks in short sentences. Even though T'Challa almost always shows a mostly serious demeanor, he is actually quite humorous and sarcastic around his family and friends. He jokes and playfully interacts with Shuri, Nakia, and Okoye. He also had a good friendship with W'Kabi and Zuri until the former lost faith in him for his failure to capture Klaue.
In addition to his good-hearted nature, T'Challa can also be very helpful to his allies. After realizing that Helmut Zemo was the true killer of his father and not Bucky Barnes, T'Challa offered the latter shelter in his homeland of Wakanda and helped cure him of his mental programming by HYDRA. He also assisted Steve Rogers and his faction of the Avengers in fighting against the army of Thanos.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- "Heart-Shaped Herb? What is that?"
"It gives whoever takes it heightened abilities."
"It's what made T'Challa so strong." - ―Everett Ross, Shuri, and Nakia[src]
Heart-Shaped Herb Enhancement: After having consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, T'Challa's physical attributes have been significantly enhanced to levels comparable to a super soldier. Unlike the Super Soldier Serum, the effects can be removed by drinking a serum that negates the powers of the herbs for ritualistic combat for a fair fight to become King of Wakanda.
T'Challa shifting a car with one hand
- Enhanced Strength: After having consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, T'Challa's strength is tremendously enhanced beyond the peak of human potential, moving into the early levels of superhuman condition. His near-superhuman strength allows him to physically overpower combatants including humans as well as alien subservients. He can lift and support great amounts of weight, as seen during the Arrest of Ulysses Klaue when he shifted the weight of a 2.14-ton car[14] with one hand. His strength also allows him to send opponents flying through the air from his strikes during combat; while rescuing Nakia from traffickers in the Sambisa Forest, T'Challa kicked one of the criminals hard enough to send them flying several meters and into a car, and he could overpower the Winter Soldier despite the latter's own strength and fighting ability, able to send him flying through the air with his attacks, was strong enough to push back his bionic arm, and even battled Captain America on equal grounds. Furthermore, T'Challa was able to swiftly tackle down a charging rhino and throw a vibranium spear with enough force to take down a Wakandan plane. During the Battle of Wakanda, against Thanos' army, T'Challa was able to overpower many Outriders.
- Enhanced Durability: T'Challa is much more durable than a normal human being. Even when not wearing his Panther Habit, he can survive blunt force trauma such as being hit with the Winter Soldier's bionic arm and surviving the explosion at the Vienna International Centre despite being right next to the blast's epicenter, both with minor injuries. During the Avengers Civil War, T'Challa was able to resist several of Black Widow's Taser Disks whereas a normal human would be knocked out by just one. During his pursuit on Ulysses Klaue, T'Challa was blasted down onto a casino table and exited the building unharmed.
- Enhanced Speed: T'Challa can run and move at speeds beyond the peak of human potential, moving and running into the early levels of superhuman condition. Like his father, T'Chaka, he can run as fast as a zebra and outrun a white rhinoceros.[2] He is able to catch up to and outrun speeding vehicles and outpace the running pace of Captain America and Winter Soldier respectively, eventually overtaking the Winter Soldier's motorcycle by using the vehicle Captain America hijacked as a springboard. T'Challa has proven to be slightly faster than Captain America, as shown during the Battle of Wakanda, when he ran at almost superior speeds with him when rushing towards the Outriders.
T'Challa acrobatically fights Captain America
- Enhanced Agility: T'Challa's agility is outstanding, far greater than Olympic athletes. He can coordinate his body with high levels of balance, equilibrium, flexibility, and dexterity. He is capable of leaping great distances with great accuracy. He was able to lunge several feet when attempting to shield his father from the explosion in at the Vienna International Centre. After being propelled into the air by a kinetic pulse, T'Challa was able to contort his body mid-air and land on the roof of a vehicle while it was traveling at high speeds.
- Enhanced Stamina: T'Challa's musculature produces fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human and his body eliminates the excessive build-up of fatigue-producing chemicals in his muscles. This allows him to exert himself at peak capacity for several hours before tiring or slowing down, granting him exceptional endurance and lung capacity greater than normal humans. He was able to intensely pursue the Winter Soldier on foot without any signs of fatigue and fight against Erik Killmonger for an extended period of time without tiring.
Black Panther catching Hawkeye's arrows
- Enhanced Reflexes: The Heart-Shaped Herb enhanced T'Challa's reflexes to be superior to those of the finest athlete, allowing him to effectively process the world at an accelerated rate to more efficiently find solutions using his sense and strategies. His reflexes were sharp enough to catch Hawkeye's arrows out of the air with his bare hands, cover a grenade using his body the moment he saw it, and catch a spear in mid-air. His reflexes also allow him to respond quickly to fast-paced combat, as he was able to keep up with the likes of Captain America and the Winter Soldier.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: T'Challa's fast healing capabilities allows for him to have a conditioned metabolism that enables an extraordinarily efficient recovery. After being stripped away the powers of the herb, T'Challa suffered blunt force, cuts, and bruises due to fighting for the Black Panther monarchy. Afterward, having being restored the powers of the herb, T'Challa recovered from many of the damages he endured and was healed in a matter of hours. This even enables him to fully recover from being on the brink of death in mere hours.
Panther Habit Capabilities
Black Panther withstanding intense gunfire
- Superhuman Durability: While wearing the Habit, T'Challa's durability is increased to superhuman levels thanks to its Vibranium composition, which allows him to withstand bullets and explosions while being completely unfazed. During the Battle of Mount Bashenga, T'Challa was able to withstand being struck by a charging rhino and being hit by a Wakandan train while battling Killmonger.
- Kinetic Energy Pulses: The Habit can store kinetic energy, which T'Challa can then release in a pulse of purple energy.
- Physical Augmentation: The kinetic energy stored within the Habit can also be used to add more force behind T'Challa's blows, allowing him to increase the strength of his punches and kicks.[15]
Abilities
- Genius-Level Intellect: T'Challa has a very high intellectual mind that is on par with some of the greatest scientific pioneers in human history, as seen by him being smart enough to have designed his own Panther Habit using his country's greatest resource with his own two hands.
- Master Tactician: T'Challa has great knowledge of tactics and leadership, which he uses to great effect as both the King of Wakanda and the Black Panther. Due to his desire for revenge on the Winter Soldier, T'Challa planned an attack on Barnes in the short time that he was on the run. He was also able to use his battle strategies to lead a Wakandan army and the Avengers against Thanos' Outriders. When battling Killmonger, he was able to strategically beat him by using his knowledge of the flaws in the vibranium suit to get the edge on his opponent in their rematch, ultimately defeating him and even impressing him.
Black Panther fighting an Outrider
- Master Martial Artist: T'Challa is an extremely skilled master martial artist, having been trained vigorously from childhood to one day take up the mantle of the Black Panther. His unique Wakandan fighting style is very acrobatic and heavily attack-oriented, primarily utilizing powerful sweeping kicks, aerial takedowns, and slashing attacks with hooked and clawed fists, reminiscent of the manner in which a panther strikes. His attacks are fluid and swift, allowing him to transition from attack to defense rapidly. Black Panther's techniques combine African oriented martial arts and other styles, including Zulu Stick fighting, Tiger Style Kung Fu, Wushu, Dambe, Laamb, Capoeira, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Ninjutsu. T'Challa has displayed the sufficient level of skill that in his fight with the Winter Soldier after the latter had swiftly beaten Tony Stark, Sharon Carter, and Black Widow, he could fight on par with Barnes, forcing him to flee eventually. While wearing his suit, T'Challa was skilled enough to fairly quickly overpower and knock out Hawkeye who was using his staff while T'Challa was unarmed, best and almost kill the Winter Soldier, and even fight on par with Captain America himself, briefly knocking him down. He was also able to contend with Erik Killmonger while wearing his own Panther Habit and boosted by the Heart-Shaped Herb, and eventually defeat him, although not without extreme effort. Even without the herb's power, T'Challa's skill and rigorous training in martial arts make him highly formidable and he is also accomplished with the use of Wakandan weapons, as displayed when he fought for the Black Panther monarchy. He was able to best M'Baku, the leader of the Jabari Tribe, and go up against Killmonger, initially having the upper hand, only losing due to the fact that he was hampered by his mercy and indecision to kill his cousin. T'Challa also managed to defeat many members of the Border Tribe, killed many of the Outriders during the Battle of Wakanda, and bested members of the Chitauri during the Battle of Earth.
T'Challa using a Wakandan sword
- Sword Expertise: T'Challa is able to use Wakandan swords with proficient skill. He was able to go up against Killmonger in their first duel and initially had the upper hand against the latter, managing to knock his opponent off of his feet and scar his cheek. Despite losing the fight due to his desire to show mercy towards his cousin, T'Challa is still a formidable swordsman in his own right.
- Master Acrobat: T'Challa is a professional gymnast and acrobat, which allowed him to quickly catch up to and cut off the Winter Soldier mere seconds after being knocked down, and the latter has gone up several flights of stairs. The Heart-Shaped Herb enhances his agility further to allow him to effortlessly outrun and vault over moving vehicles, perform aerial wheel kicks while fighting Captain America, and lunge forward several feet to knock Winter Soldier off his motorcycle.
- Multilingualism: T'Challa speaks his native Xhosa, as well as fluent English; albeit with a thick Wakandan accent. T'Challa also understands and can possibly speak Korean as he understood Nakia's conversation in Korean with Sophia.
- Pilot: T'Challa is a skilled pilot. He was able to follow Iron Man from the Raft to Siberia in his jet without being spotted.
Equipment
- "I got a look at your suit. Vibranium weave. I'm very impressed."
- ―Natasha Romanoff[src]
T'Challa confronting Ulysses Klaue in Busan
- Panther Habit: As the Black Panther, T'Challa dons a uniquely crafted Vibranium-weave combat suit that, like Captain America's Shield, is lightweight, nigh-indestructible, and renders him immune to most physical damages, especially from collisions and conventional firearms, though the Habit was notably susceptible to the electrical charges of Black Widow's Bite and vibranium weaponry. After his return to Wakanda, T'Challa received an updated version of the Habit designed by Shuri to be more advanced than his traditional Habit, capable of absorbing and manipulating energy for various purposes. The updated version also facilitates extreme ease of storage, due to being constructed from vibranium nanites embedded in his necklace.
- Sneakers: The Panther Habit also included with sound-absorbent shoes, letting T'Challa be unable to make noises while taking a step.
- Vibranium Claws: Two sets of retractable and extendable Vibranium claws embedded in the fingers of the gloves like nails. The suit can also deploy claws from its knuckles. They serve as both utility and the primary combat weapon of T'Challa during combat. The claws are exceptionally strong and razor sharp. The claws are capable of damaging other items made of Vibranium such as Captain America's Shield during his fight with Captain America.
- Wakandan Royal Ring: The royal ring worn by T'Challa is one of a set originally worn by Azzuri, passed down to T'Chaka and N'Jobu, and later their sons. T'Challa obtained the ring following T'Chaka's death in Vienna.
- Kimoyo Beads: Vibranium technology used by T'Challa to communicate and control any system they're interfaced with. T'Challa was able to stabilize the condition of Everett Ross by placing one of the beads into a bullet wound in his back. When needed, they are able to be deactivated, allowing T'Challa and Nakia to speak undisturbed.
- EMP Beads: T'Challa used EMP Kimoyo beads to disable a human-trafficking convoy's vehicles in the Sambisa Forest during the Rescue of Nakia.
T'Challa's neck implant for his Panther Habit
- Implant: T'Challa possesses an implant behind his right ear, which allows him to mentally communicate with Kimoyo beads as well as control his second Panther Habit, using it to manifest the suit or remove his helmet mentally.
- Vibranium Iklwa Dagger: T'Challa used a cut-down Wakandan spear during the ceremonial duel for the monarch against M'Baku and later Erik Killmonger.
- Sonic Spear: During the Battle of Mount Bashenga, T'Challa used a Sonic Spear to destroy a Dragon Flyer.
- Wakandan Short-Spear: During the Duel in the Great Mound, T'Challa stole Killmonger's spear and stabbed him in the heart to kill him.
- Wakandan Communicator: T'Challa was given a small communication device prior to his departure for Busan to capture Ulysses Klaue. The device is small enough to be placed behind the ear for concealment and can be placed on others for surveillance purposes, such as when T'Challa placed one on Everett Ross to listen in on Ross' interrogation of Klaue.
Vehicles
- Jet: T'Challa utilized an advanced personal jet to follow Iron Man from the Raft to Siberia in his pursuit of the Winter Soldier. The jet was able to follow Stark undetected and could facilitate the transportation of Helmut Zemo after his capture.
- Royal Talon Fighter: T'Challa has utilized a Royal Talon Fighter for transportation.
Facilities
T'Challa enters the Citadel throne room
- Citadel: The Citadel is the palace of the Golden Tribe and the rulers of Wakanda. They notably held Tribal Council meetings in the Citadel's throne room. T'Challa held a Tribal Council meeting during which Okoye announced that they had discovered Ulysses Klaue had resurfaced, Erik Killmonger had come to claim the throne of Wakanda and challenged T'Challa in the throne room, and T'Challa and his family to reclaim their place in the Citadel once after he survived his fight against Killmonger.
Relationships
FamilyAllies
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Enemies
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Appearances
| Appearances for T'Challa |
|---|
|
In chronological order: |
Trivia
- In the comics, Black Panther was a member of the Avengers and member of the Illuminati, a group made of the smartest and most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, including Black Bolt, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Medusa, Hank Pym and Stephen Strange.
Behind the Scenes
- Michael Kenneth Williams expressed interest in portraying Black Panther before Chadwick Boseman was cast.[16]
- According to Kevin Feige, the Black Panther was included in Captain America: Civil War as a third party, someone with a different point of view from both Captain America and Iron Man.
- Jason Chu, Gui DaSilva-Greene, Aaron Toney, Daniel Graham, Nico Woulard, Kofi Yiadom, Anis Cheurfa, Troy Butler and Khalil' La'Marr Pickett were stunt doubles for Chadwick Boseman in the role of Black Panther.
- Qualen Bradley was a stand-in for Chadwick Boseman in the role of Black Panther.
- Black Panther, Black Widow, and Spider-Man are the only characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to receive a solo movie following their debut.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Captain America: Civil War
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 Black Panther
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Black Panther Prelude
- ↑ Translates from Xhosa to: "King"
- ↑ The Art of the Avengers timeline
- ↑ Captain America: Civil War Deleted Scene
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Avengers: Infinity War Prelude
- ↑ Commentary with director Ryan Coogler and production designer Hannah Beachler
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Black Panther Deleted Scenes
- ↑ Black Panther Mid-credits scene
- ↑ Captain America: Civil War Mid-credits Scene
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Avengers: Infinity War
- ↑ Avengers: Endgame
- ↑ Internet Movie Cars Database: Black Panther
- ↑ Black Panther's Profile
- ↑ One Of Hollywood's Best Actors Is Campaigning To Play Black Panther
| Preceded by: T'Chaka |
Black Panther T'Challa 2009 - 2016 |
Succeeded by: Erik Killmonger |
| Preceded by: T'Chaka |
Black Panther T'Challa 2016 - 2018; 2023 - |
Succeeded by: Erik Killmonger |
| Preceded by: T'Chaka |
King of Wakanda T'Challa 2016 |
Succeeded by: Erik Killmonger |
| Preceded by: Erik Killmonger |
King of Wakanda T'Challa 2016 - 2018; 2023 - |
Succeeded by: - |
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