For alternate versions of Erik Killmonger's Campaign, see Erik Killmonger's Campaign's Event Hub |
- "It's time they know the truth about us! We're warriors! The world's gonna start over, and this time, we're on top! The sun will never set on the Wakandan empire."
- ―Erik Killmonger to the Tribal Council[src]
Erik Killmonger's Campaign was a sociopolitical movement initiated by Erik Killmonger during his short-lived reign as the King of Wakanda. Inspired by the ideologies of his late father N'Jobu, Killmonger sought to incite a global revolution by arming ethnic minorities, specificially African-Americans, with vibranium weapons so they could have the proper resources to overthrow their oppressors, including world governments, to establish Wakanda as the reigning world superpower.
Killmonger secured entrance into Wakanda by presenting the corpse of the deceased Ulysses Klaue, who had previously attacked Wakanda, to the Tribal Council. He seemingly killed T'Challa in ritual combat, and was coronated as the new King. He established an absolute monarchy, and purged elements of ancient Wakandan tradition by burning down the gardens of the Heart-Shaped Herb. T'Challa secretly survived and challenged Killmonger's plans just as he prepared to launch them, inciting a battle amongst Wakanda's military forces. After Killmonger's death during the Duel in the Great Mound, those who sided with him had surrendered, ending the campaign.
In the aftermath, leadership was returned to T'Challa. Inspired by Killmonger's initiative to share resources with the world, T'Challa led Wakanda out of isolation, establishing diplomatic relations with the rest of the world and vowing to share their resources.
Background[]
Prelude[]
- "I observed for as long as I could. Their leaders have been assassinated. Communities flooded with drugs and weapons. They are overly policed and incarcerated. All over the planet, our people suffer because they don't have the tools to fight back. With Vibranium weapons they can overthrow every country and Wakanda can rule them all the right way."
- ―N'Jobu to T'Chaka[src]
Sometime before 1992, N'Jobu took a War Dog assignment that led him to United States of America and the city of Oakland. It was here that he fell in love with an American woman and had a son with her whom he named N'Jadaka. However, as time went on N'Jobu grew increasingly angry at the way people of African descent were being treated and he became disillusioned with Wakanda's isolation policy. He felt that with the technology Wakanda had, they could fix the problems of oppressed people around the world. Knowing that T'Chaka would never agree to his plans N'Jobu allied himself with Ulysses Klaue and they together planned to steal vibranium from Mount Bashenga.
Klaue successfully stole a large amount of vibranium and detonated a bomb at the border, killing several members of the Border Tribe. N'Jobu took his share of the vibranium and began planning raids of select targets. However, before any of these raids could be pulled off, N'Jobu received a visit from T'Chaka and the Dora Milaje. After exchanging pleasantries and dismissing the Dora Milaje T'Chaka revealed the attack and his suspicions that a traitor was responsible for letting Klaue in Wakanda. Suspecting that T'Chaka meant him, N'Jobu asked him what he was doing in Oakland.
T'Chaka confirmed that he knew N'Jobu was the traitor, revealing that his friend James is actually Zuri who was sent by T'Chaka to spy on him. T'Chaka ordered N'Jobu to return to Wakanda to answer for his crimes nut N'Jobu pulled a gun on Zuri, forcing T'Chaka to kill him in order to save Zuri. Realizing that he had just killed his own brother, T'Chaka ordered Zuri to never speak of what had just happened. N'Jadaka who was left without a father sworn to come to Wakanda and revenge, so he enlisted the United States Navy SEALs, becoming known as Erik "Killmonger" Stevens.[1]
T'Challa's Rulership[]
In the years following this incident, T'Chaka kept Wakanda in isolation. However, following the events of the Ultron Offensive T'Chaka slowly started to remove Wakanda from isolation. He sent a group of relief workers to Lagos who unfortunately died as a result of a battle between the Avengers and Crossbones. T'Chaka called for immediate oversight of the Avengers and became a strong advocate of the Sokovia Accords. He attended the signing of the Accords in the Vienna International Centre along with T'Challa. During a speech, T'Chaka was giving at the signing a bomb detonated and killed T'Chaka. T'Challa eventually apprehended Helmut Zemo who was responsible for the bombing and returned home to mourn his father.[2]
A week later, Ulysses Klaue resurfaced to sell a vibranium artifact on the black market. Locating him in Busan, T'Challa gathered a group consisting of Okoye and Nakia and headed to South Korea, successfully capturing Klaue with the help of the CIA. Before they could bring Klaue back to Wakanda, however, Erik Killmonger liberated Klaue and injured Everett Ross but not before T'Challa saw his ring. T'Challa decided to take Ross to Wakanda for treatment while contemplating what he saw.[1]
Conflict[]
Assassination of Ulysses Klaue[]
- "You... you want to go to Wakanda? They're savages! This is what they do to people like us."
"I don't worry about no brand. Check these out. Each one is for a kill."
"You can scar yourself as much as you like. To them, you'll just be an outsider." - ―Ulysses Klaue and Erik Killmonger[src]
Following his escape from T'Challa, Ulysses Klaue had Erik Killmonger drop him off at an airfield with Limbani. Klaue promised to pay Killmonger for his rescue but Killmonger instead wanted to be transported to Wakanda. Klaue refused, so Killmonger shot Limbani. Klaue took Linda as a hostage for protection, however, Killmonger shot her in the chest and then shot Klaue several times. Killmonger then revealed his tattoo and his status as a Wakandan royal before finishing him.
Killmonger took Klaue's corpse and flew to Wakanda, dumping the body at the feet of W'Kabi. Okoye informed T'Challa that Killmonger brought Klaue's body to Wakanda, so T'Challa ordered Wakandan Royal Guard to apprehend him and bring to the Citadel. Presenting the body of Klaue as proof he was worthy of the throne, Killmonger claimed his rights to the throne much to the confusion of the Tribal Council, Shuri, and Ramonda. Killmonger then revealed his true identity out of anger, making him eligible for the throne, so T'Challa had to accept his challenge.[1]
Incoronation of Erik Killmonger[]
- "I lived my entire life waiting for this moment. I trained, I lied, I killed just to get here. I killed in America, Afghanistan, Iraq... I took life from my own brothers and sisters right here on this continent! And all this death just so I could kill you."
- ―Erik Killmonger to T'Challa[src]
Preparing for the ceremonial duel, T'Challa was stripped of the powers of the Heart-Shaped Herb. T'Challa and Erik Killmonger emerged into a fight, as Killmonger stated his intention to kill T'Challa for the throne. In the fight between T'Challa and Killmonger, T'Challa gave Killmonger multiple opportunities to yield and end the challenge. However, Killmonger gained the upper hand and severely injured T'Challa but before he could kill T'Challa, he was stopped by Zuri.
Zuri revealed that he participated in N'Jobu's death and begged Killmonger to kill him but spare T'Challa's life. Killmonger, however, decided to murder both of them, so he stabbed Zuri, killing him. T'Challa, enraged at Zuri's death, attempted to attack Killmonger again but Killmonger easily defeated him. Killmonger then threw T'Challa off the falls while declaring himself the winner and new King of Wakanda.
Realizing that Shuri and Ramonda were in danger, Nakia quickly evacuated them to the jungle. She then goes back to the Citadel to rescue the healed Everett Ross, worrying that he might be targeted by Killmonger. She also urged Okoye to fight Killmonger, however, she refused since she has to be loyal to the throne no matter who is her king. Although she chose to side with Killmonger, Okoye allowed Nakia to leave the palace unharmed. Nakia then goes to the City of the Dead and watched Killmonger consume a Heart-Shaped Herb.
Killmonger visited the Ancestral Plane and his father, which only reaffirmed his view that Wakanda should conquer the world. He then ordered the Heat-Shaped Herb to be burned, but Nakia steals one herb before they are all burned away. She met up with Shuri, Ramonda, and Ross in the jungle and together they decided to come to the Jabari Land to seek help from Jabari Tribe.[1]
Killmonger's Plan[]
- "You know where I'm from when black folks start revolutions they never had the firepower or the resources to fight their oppressors. Where was Wakanda? It all ends today."
- ―Erik Killmonger[src]
Killmonger organized a meeting of the Tribal Council, stating that Wakanda should have been helping the oppressed people of the world instead of remaining isolated for so long. He then introduced his plan of shipping vibranium weaponry across the world and funding revolutions that will topple world governments and place them under the rule of Wakanda. His plan was met with some resistance, particularly Okoye, however, W'Kabi reaffirmed Killmonger's plan, stating that he would like conquerors instead of being conquered. Killmonger sent his plans to the rest of the War Dogs around the world.
Meanwhile, Nakia, Shuri, Ramonda, and Everett Ross finally arrive at the Jabari Land where they were quickly escorted to M'Baku himself. They begged him to intervene and fight Killmonger, even offering up the last of the Heart-Shaped Herb to him but instead, he took them to alive but comatose T'Challa buried in the snow. Since T'Challa was unable to wake up, they gave him the Heart-Shaped Herb and sent him to the Astral Plane, so he could meet with T'Chaka. T'Challa stated that he will fix his mistakes and instead have Wakanda help the world and with his renewed sense of purpose, T'Challa awakened.
T'Challa, Nakia, Shuri, Ross, and Ramonda meet with M'Baku, realizing that they have to stop Killmonger. Shuri equipped T'Challa with the Panther Habit that she stole from her lab before she escaped from the Golden City. T'Challa ordered everyone to prepare for a fight with Killmonger, however, M'Baku stated that he will not involve the lives of Jabari Tribe in the conflict.[1]
Battle of Mount Bashenga[]
This section needs a rewrite |
- "N'Jadaka!"
"Wassup!"
"I never yielded! 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]
At Mount Bashenga, Killmonger oversees the shipment of Wakandan weapons to War Dogs around the world. Suddenly a jet falls from the sky and explodes, with T'Challa emerging from the burning wreckage moments later. He announces that he is not dead, much to the joy of Okoye and that Killmonger's claim to the throne is still contested. Killmonger ignores and orders W'Kabi and the Border Tribe to kill T'Challa, an order that they obey. This causes the Dora Milaje to renounce their loyalty to Killmonger, with Okoye herself stating that Killmonger's hatred made him an unworthy king. She then orders Ayo and much of the Dora Milaje to assist T'Challa in fighting the Border Tribe. As Ayo and the others rush to T'Challa's aid, Okoye and three other Dora Milaje engage Killmonger.
With T'Challa creating a distraction, above Nakia, Shuri and Everett sneak into Shuri's Lab and arm themselves. They tell Everett to stay behind as they need someone to pilot the Royal Talon Fighter to intercept the weapons before they leave the border. T'Challa, despite being outnumbered, manages to hold his own against the Border Tribe. Even when they call in rhinos. Okoye attempts to get the Panther Habit off Killmonger but is instead thrown back by the shockwave the suit generated. Nakia and Shuri emerge from the lab, throwing a Kimoyo Bead onto the Talon Flyer. This allows Everett to pilot the flyer and take out the weapons before they get past the border. Nakia and Shuri then engage Killmonger, but Nakia is thrown away while Shuri lays on the ground while being approached menacingly by Killmonger.
T'Challa sees this and tackles Killmonger into the mines below. He and Killmonger survive the fall and T'Challa orders Shuri to activate the train system in the hope that it will remove Killmonger's protection and allow T'Challa to defeat him. Shuri activates the system and T'Challa resumes his fight with Killmonger.
The tide of battle quickly turns against the T'Challa loyalists, with them being surrounded by the Border Tribe. They are given a chance to surrender but before anyone can respond, M'Baku and the Jabari Tribe arrive and the tide of battle turns. However, W'Kabi spots M'Baku in the chaos and mounts a rhino and starts charging at him. At the last minute, Okoye jumps in front of the rhino, stopping it and W'Kabi. W'Kabi dismounts from the rhino and asks Okoye if she would really kill, to which she responds without question. Realizing the harm he is causing, W'Kabi surrenders, along with the rest of his tribe.[1]
Duel in the Great Mound[]
This section needs a rewrite |
- "I don't need a suit to kill you. Your reign is over! We set up here safe and protected."
"You want us to become just like the people you hate so much. Divide and conquer the land that is needed!" - ―Erik Killmonger and Black Panther[src]
T'Challa and Killmonger continue their fight, each using the bursts of sound generated by the trains to defeat each other. Eventually, T'Challa picks a discarded spearhead and stabs Killmonger in the chest with it, even Killmonger compliments T'Challa on his defeat. Killmonger realizes that despite everything he has done, he's still a little boy chasing the stories of Wakanda. He tells T'Challa that his father often told him about the beauty of a sunset in Wakanda.
Deciding to show Killmonger a sunset, T'Challa picks him up and carries him to a nearby entrance to watch the sunset. T'Challa then offers to heal Killmonger but Killmonger refuses, realizing that if he were to be healed he would spend the rest of his life in prison. He makes a final request to be buried at sea before he pulls the spear out of his chest, killing himself. T'Challa is left mourning his cousin as the sun sets.[1]
Aftermath[]
- "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]
Killmonger's actions affected T'Challa and Wakanda. Realizing that by isolating themselves, Wakanda was creating monsters like Killmonger, T'Challa resolved to help the world instead. He purchased his uncle's former apartment building and the buildings surrounding it with plans to turn it into the headquarters of an outreach program. He then appoints Nakia as the head of the social aspect of the program with Shuri heading up the scientific aspect also. T'Challa then announces his plans to the United Nations at the Vienna International Centre.[3]
For his actions during the conflict, M'Baku and the Jabari Tribe were granted a seat on the Tribal Council. Despite the actions of W'Kabi, the Border Tribe was allowed to retain their seats on the council.[1] Although the strength of the tribe was diminished, a fact that proved to be dangerous when the Battle of Wakanda commenced during 2018.[4]