King M'Baku is the current King of Wakanda and leader of the Jabari Tribe, a group of Wakandans who had removed themselves from mainstream society. Initially a staunch opponent of T'Challa's rule, M'Baku ends up torn between challenging him for the throne only to help him defend Wakanda from Erik Killmonger. Seeing the threat that Killmonger posed to the world, M'Baku chose to save T'Challa's life and gathered his armies to help defeat Killmonger in their final battle, with M'Baku gaining a seat on the Tribal Council as a result of his choice.
After T'Challa passed away, Wakanda was under the threat of the Talokanil, led by Namor, M'Baku called for swift action against them. When the Talokanil attacked the Golden City, M'Baku provided shelter for refugees and joined Shuri as the new Black Panther in the final battle against Namor. Once Namor surrendered and Wakanda resumed its normal life, Shuri decided to travel the world, so M'Baku called for a challenge for the throne of Wakanda, becoming King.
"We have watched and listened from the mountains. We have watched with disgust as your technological advancements have been overseen by a child who scoffs at tradition."
M'Baku grew up in Jabari Land, where he learned to shun the Golden City's use of Vibranium and held distaste for its mainstream lifestyle. Eventually, M'Baku gained leadership over the tribe and set out to rule over the Jabari Tribe. M'Baku was disgusted as the technological advancements of Wakanda had been overseen by Shuri who, in his opinion, had no respect for tradition. Disappointed in the rulership of the Golden Tribe, M'Baku decided to become the new King to return Wakanda to the old lifestyle.[1]
During T'Challa's coronation, Zuri asked if any warrior would challenge for the throne. M'Baku stepped forward, declaring himself as a challenger. T'Challa accepted M'Baku's challenge, with the duel commencing. Despite T'Challa taking advantage of his swift speed, M'Baku managed to restrain T'Challa in a bear hug, beginning to crush him under his strength. Hearing the Wakandans chanting his name prompting him to get back up, T'Challa managed to escape the bear hug and crack M'Baku's ceremonial mask, stunning him.
T'Challa then pushed M'Baku to the edge of the Warrior Falls, where he pinned M'Baku, telling him to yield, as he didn't want to kill him. M'Baku continued to struggle under T'Challa's grasp but ceased when T'Challa told him that the Jabari Tribe needed him. M'Baku yielded, and accepted T'Challa as the victor, leaving the Falls and heading back to Jabari Land.[1]
Saving T'Challa[]
M'Baku welcoming his enemies to his home
"I owed you a great debt. A life for a life. Consider it paid."
After T'Challa was presumably killed by his cousin, Erik Killmonger, M'Baku has the severely wounded T'Challa, who happened to be found by Jabari Tribe fishermen, to be brought back to the tribe and covered with snow to stabilize his failing vital signs, as a repayment for sparing his life during the tribal combat. They were, however, unable to nurse him back to health, due to lacking the advanced technology the rest of the country shares.[1]
"I will give no Jabari lives towards your cause." "It is our cause. It is for all of us." "Oh, ‘us’? ‘Us’? You are the first king to come here in centuries, and now you speak of ‘us’?"
When Ramonda, Shuri, Nakia, and Everett Ross came to offer M'Baku a Heart-Shaped Herb, he took them to T'Challa, who had survived his fight with Erik Killmonger but had to be placed in ice to keep him in a coma, otherwise he would die. They fed the herb to T'Challa, effectively reviving him. Afterward, M'Baku provided shelter to Ramonda, while the remaining went to fight Killmonger. T'Challa requested the Jabari's aid, only for M'Baku to initially refuse.[1]
When the Dora Milaje were about to be defeated by the Border Tribe, M'Baku, seemingly realizing T'Challa was right about keeping Vibranium out of Erik Killmonger's hands, and the Jabari Tribe appeared to provide aid, alongside Ramonda giving the Dora Milaje another chance. Later, W'Kabi tried to run M'Baku over with a rhino, but Okoye stood in the way, causing the rhino to stop its assault and licked her face while M'Baku ran off to face another opponent. Shortly after this, the Border Tribe surrendered under W'Kabi's orders, not wanting to see his own people kill one another.[1]
Joining the Tribal Council[]
Once the conflict came to an end, M'Baku became a member of the Tribal Council representing the Jabari Tribe, ending the centuries of self isolation the Jabari had from the rest of Wakanda.[1]
In 2018, M'Baku was notified by T'Challa of an incoming threat and gathered the Jabari Tribe to come help. M'Baku was thanked for coming by T'Challa and then witnessed the Outriders outside the dome. Upon seeing the aliens, he told Okoye that the invasion would be an end to their home. Nonetheless, he shouted the traditional battle cry before going into battle with his Tribe, T'Challa, the Border Tribe, Wakandan Royal Guard, Dora Milaje, and members of the Avengers.
M'Baku seeing other Wakandans disintegrate
M'Baku valiantly fought against the Outriders, but despite their best efforts and their ability to withstand the assault, the Snap happened, wiping out half of the life in the universe. M'Baku survived the Snap, and watched on as half of his Tribe and other Wakandan warriors disintegrated into dust before him with bewilderment. A clear horror and shock look was on his face, as he struggled to understand what was happening.[2]
"Impossible means something that can't be done." "That is the definition for some. But for people who refuse to give up on their dreams, impossible simply means you have to find another way to make something possible."
M'Baku went to the Amanzi Kwakhona Umlambo, where he found Assata crying. He asked how she could cry while looking at the river, asking what was wrong. Assata explained that while she had dreamt of joining the Dora Milaje, her disability made it impossible. M'Baku considered Assata's words before asking what Assata felt was meant by impossible. Assata asserted that something impossible could not be done, but M'Baku said that others defined it as a need to find another way to make something possible.
M'Baku asked for confirmation that Assata is a member of the Mining Tribe, asking if Assata believed vibranium to be what made Wakanda special. Assata asserted that it was, since Wakanda was the only country that had it. However, M'Baku insisted that Wakanda would be special without it, pointing out that he and the Jabari Tribe were the world's greatest warriors without using it. He said that Wakanda was special because of its citizens and their ability to dream, even when things appeared to be impossible.
M'Baku continued, talking about how many people believed it impossible for a small country such as Wakanda to be the most advanced on Earth. M'Baku added that those same people believed that would be impossible for a wheelchair user to join the Dora Milaje. However, he added that Wakandans were not among those people. Assata realized that M'Baku was right, saying that the job of the Dora Milaje was not to run or jump, but simply to protect Wakanda. M'Baku smiled and joked that he knew he was right, otherwise he would have simply asked her to leave. Assata was inspired by M'Baku's words to join the Dora Milaje.[4]
In 2024, T'Challa fell sick and soon died. M'Baku honored his friend and attended his funeral, watching as the casket was taken by the Dora Milaje and beamed up into a Royal Talon Fighter. Although everyone crossed their arms in salute, M'Baku did not as he was mourning T'Challa.[5]
Ramonda called an emergency meeting to discuss Namor, who had infiltrated Wakanda. M'Baku arrived with M'Bele while eating a carrot and immediately started scolding the River Tribe for not noticing the intruder. He then traded insults with Okoye until Ramonda told him to sit down. M'Baku did and voiced his opinion that they should kill Namor and be done with it. Although everyone was skeptical of the aftermath of that.
Later, Okoye returned from a mission, having lost Shuri. She claimed she would go back and save her, but Ramonda was furious, berating Okoye for her mistake and firing her from the Dora Milaje. Okoye argued with Ramonda, pleading her case. M'Baku just watched instead of sticking up for Okoye. He did, however, talk about Erik Killmonger and how the elders let him in, causing distrust.[5]
M'Baku stood on a bridge in Golden City as he talked to his Jabari Tribe. He told them that Nakia saved Shuri, jokingly saying that he was surprised Ramonda did not banish her for that. Suddenly, there was a loud bang. M'Baku looked around and saw water rushing into the city.
M'Baku jumped into the water and saved some people on a boat. He then looked underwater, surprised to see a whale coming after him. He got up to the surface and yelled that invaders were coming. He got onto a boat and fought the Talokanil, throwing one with his club. He then sailed and saw Namor, referring to him as the fish man. He ran and lept at Namor, swinging his club. The club did no damage to Namor and even shattered. Namor then punched M'Baku, shattering his wood armor and sending him flying. M'Baku got up, gasping for breath.
He then rushed to the Citadel and saw Ramonda and Riri Williams getting resuscitated. Okoye yelled for M'Baku and Aneka to get Shuri away. They did so as Shuri struggled to break free from their grasp, crying. M'Baku held onto her as she collapsed to the ground, losing another family member. While Williams was revived, Ramonda drowned and died.[5]
Advising Shuri[]
"The world has taken too much from you for you too still be considered a child."
M'Baku attended the funeral and noticed a much colder, stonefaced Shuri. He talked to her, asking for advice. He said that the elders asked him to house the Wakandans for the time being. Shuri asked him why he would seek advice from a child who scoffed at tradition; bringing up M'Baku's insult from years ago. M'Baku simply told her that she has had too much taken away from her to be considered a child anymore.
M'Baku said it was in the people's interest to know which way her mind was leading. Shuri told him that if he were to provide, they would be in great debt. M'Baku then asked Shuri how her heart felt. Shuri told him that she had lost the last person who truly understood her. Shuri's heart was gone, along with Ramonda.[5]
In Gorilla City, M'Baku argued with the elders about how to proceed. Suddenly, a Royal Talon Fighter flew overhead. M'Baku looked up in awe to see the Black Panther drop down into the cave. Revealing herself to be Shuri, she walked over to M'Baku, who held out his hand. They arm wrestled until Shuri won. Realizing she had her strength, M'Baku embraced her, saying that the Black Panther lived.
Shuri then asked for a moment alone with M'Baku. When this was granted, Shuri and M'Baku talked about her intentions with Namor. Shuri wanted to kill him, but M'Baku argued with her against that, saying that it could risk eternal war. Shuri got cold, asking if Ramonda was not worth eternal war. M'Baku said that of course she did, but she would not want this for Shuri. The Black Panther told him that it did not matter what Ramonda wanted, she was dead. She then ordered M'Baku to help her.[5]
The Wakandans went on board the Sea Leopard to lure the Talokanil there. They were successful in doing so, fighting the Talokanil and Namor with the new Black Panther. M'Baku used his new Vibranium club to take down many Talokanil. When Black Panther took Namor away from the fight, M'Baku ordered everyone to return to Wakanda as their mission was finished. Suddenly, they lost their sonic emitters.
M'Baku then heard noises, followed by an explosion. The ship started tipping, sending many overboard. As the fighting got desperate, M'Baku prayed for safety from the ancestors, but Ayo admitted they might join them. Aneka said that if they would, they better take some Talokanil with them. The Wakandans were soon inched to the corner of the ship as more Talokanil arrived. Suddenly, everyone stopped as Black Panther and Namor returned, having struck a truce. M'Baku nodded at Black Panther, who stood victorious.[5]
Becoming King[]
Challenging for the Throne[]
"The Black Panther sends her regards, but she will not be joining us today. I, M'Baku, leader of the Jabari Tribe, son of Wakanda, wish to challenge... for the throne."
In the aftermath, Shuri planted the Heart-Shaped Herb and talked to M'Baku, saying she was leaving Wakanda. At the coronation, M'Baku stepped down from the Royal Talon Fighter, even though everyone believed it would be Shuri. He then announced that he challenged for the throne.[5] He became the reigning king of Wakanda.[6]
Personality[]
"You cannot talk! One more word and I will feed you to my children. I'm kidding. We are vegetarians."
M'Baku was believed to have a ruthless personality. So ruthless that Ramonda believed they might create an even bigger monster than Erik Killmonger by giving him a Heart-Shaped Herb. In reality, M'Baku is simply a stern leader with a strong sense of honor. He holds great respect for T'Challa, which is shown by having him saving his life as a favor for sparing him in ritual combat, M'Baku risked being branded as a traitor of Wakanda by saving T'Challa and keeping him in Jabari Land after the latter lost against Killmonger who was king. Also, rather than taking the Heart Shaped Herb for himself, M'Baku chose to let Ramonda, Nakia and Shuri use it to save T'Challa. He sometimes maintains his "ruthless" demeanor as part of his twisted sense of humor, as shown by his threatening to feed Everett Ross to his children, only for him to jokingly reveal that his children are vegetarians, at which point he could not stop himself from laughing at how scared they were.
M'Baku is also shown to be quite open-minded. He initially chose to die over yielding in ritual combat, but when T'Challa told him that his people needed him to lead them, he yielded. Later on, when T'Challa requested Jabari Tribe's help to take down Erik Killmonger, he initially refused, but he later decided to help T'Challa when he realized the latter was right about the destruction that would happen if vibranium fell into the wrong hands. And while he harbored no personal love for Wakanda's more technologically advanced aspects, M'Baku showed some concern and perhaps even marginal dread when he saw Thanos' forces descend upon the domain, worried that it could be the end of everything and everyone there.
In the two years since the Battle of Mount Bashenga, ever since M'Baku became a member of the Tribal Council, M'Baku and T'Challa's relationship appeared to have improved significantly. M'Baku and the Jabari did not hesitate to join T'Challa in the battle against Thanos' forces, and M'Baku even amicably addressed T'Challa as "brother."
Though thought of by many as a brute with brawn and little brain, M’Baku is quite considerate in Wakandan matters as he is able to realize that if Shuri kills Namor out of hatred and revenge, an eternal war will happen between Wakanda and Talokan, harming interests of both countries. He is also patriotic to his nation, risking his life to save the Wakandans when the country is flooded by Namor's forces, and to let Wakandans go to Jabari Land for sanctuary and to regroup their forces. Upon finding Assata crying by herself, M'Baku took the time to sit with her and comfort her, offering her advice about following her dream. After the death of T'Challa and Ramonda, M’Baku seemed to have taken up the responsibility, acting like an elder brother to provide emotional support to Shuri who was deeply saddened and enraged by such events. All these actions earned him respect among the Wakandans and made the once-secluded Jabari Tribe accepted by mainstream society, which eventually had M’Baku becoming King of Wakanda.
As the leader of the Jabari Tribe, M'Baku is highly well versed in armed and unarmed combat, often effectively using his size, weight and strength in his fighting style. He is proficient in the use of blades, shields and blunt weapons. His skill is well-known and feared among Wakanda, as Nakia believed that with T'Challa seemingly gone, M'Baku was the only Wakandan who could possibly defeat Erik Killmonger in ritual combat and even Ramonda, the Queen Mother, said that if M'Baku were to drink the Heart-Shaped Herb, he may have become even more terrifying in battle than Killmonger. In his duel with T'Challa in ritual combat, M'Baku was able to gain the upper hand and nearly defeat him, with T'Challa only barely coming out on top. During the Battle of Mount Bashenga, M'Baku easily defeated many Border Tribe members and survived with no injury. When he and the Jabari Tribe aided the rest of Wakanda and the Avengers in the Battle of Wakanda, M'Baku defeated many Outriders and emerged as one of the few survivors of the battle while sustaining only minor injuries. During the Battle of Earth, he was able to repel more Chitauri that attempted to pile up on him. M'Baku also survived the whole battle with little injuries. M'Baku held his own while fighting against the Talokanil.
Club Mastery: M'Baku is highly skilled in the use of a knobkerrie as a blunt weapon. M'Baku has used a knobkerrie to great effect during his many fights such as his duel with T'Challa, the Battle of Mount Bashenga, and the fight against Thanos and his alienarmies. During the Talokanil's invasion, M'Baku leaped into the air before swinging at Namor, but only failed due to his durable skin. The blow broke M'Baku's club, so he was forced to make a new one with a Vibranium head.
Expert Tactician: As the tribal leader of the Jabari Tribe, he has decent tactical skills in the mountain ranges, giving him some expertise in the mountain environments. At the Battle of Mount Bashenga, he was able to lead the tribe in a surprise attack against the Border Tribe during the confrontation between T'Challa and Erik Killmonger.
Multilingualism: M'Baku is fluent in his native Igbo, as well as Xhosa and English.
Equipment[]
Weapons[]
Knobkerrie:
M'Baku wielding his Knobkerrie
Crafted by the Jabari Tribe, M'Baku was rarely seen without his knobkerrie, which he could use in two different ways, as the round end could be used to hit hard and stun adversaries as a hammer while the sharp end enabled him to stab his opponents like a spear as he did with T'Challa during their duel. He also used the knobkerrie in fighting the Border Tribe and the Wakandan Royal Guard during the Battle of Mount Bashenga, the Outriders during the Battle of Wakanda, as well as an alternate Thanos and his army during the Battle of Earth. M'Baku soon fitted the knobkerrie with a vibranium head, allowing him to deal more damage.
M'Baku wears this armor during battlefield conflicts. It most likely can protect him from blunt force trauma. The armor was primitive compared to Wakanda's armor with vibranium, but it is able to withstand even the toughest blows that could be delivered from Outriders during the Battle of Wakanda. In the Attack on the Golden City, M'Baku was punched in the chest by Namor. Luckily, the armor saved M'Baku’s life, but heavily damaged the wood. M'Baku soon refurbished the armor and added hints of vibranium with a new gorilla emblem.
Former Equipment[]
Ceremonial Gorilla Mask: During his duel with T'Challa, M'Baku wore this ceremonial mask to represent the Jabari Tribe. It could take a few strikes from a depowered T'Challa before breaking.
In the comics, M'Baku is the second most powerful warrior in Wakanda after T'Challa and the leader of the White Gorilla Cult under the name of Man-Ape.
Behind the Scenes[]
Black Panther producer Nate Moore stated “We don’t call him Man-Ape, we do call him M’Baku. Having a black character dress up as an ape, I think there’s a lot of racial implications that don’t sit well if done wrong. But the idea that they worship the gorilla gods is interesting because it’s a movie about the Black Panther who, himself, is a sort of deity in his own right.”[7]
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