Characters / MCU: Wakanda Government & Military

Main Character Index > Other Individuals and Organizations > Government & Military > United States Government (United States Military | John Walker | Thaddeus Ross) | Wakanda Government & Military (T'Challa)

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Spoilers for all works set prior to the end of Avengers: Endgame are unmarked.

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In General

Kingdom of Wakanda

"Wakanda forever!"

Appearances: Iron Man 2 ^note  On a computer screen | Captain America: The First Avenger ^note  Mentioned only | Avengers: Age of Ultron ^note  Mentioned only | Captain America: Civil War | Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | What If...? | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"This place is amazing, the air is pristine, and the water... my mother told stories of places like this, a protected land with people who never have to leave, never have to change who they are."

— Namor, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

A small African nation publicly known for its isolationism and poverty. In reality, it is the most technologically advanced and prosperous country in the world by virtue of possessing a mountain's worth of raw vibranium to use, and has kept its secrets for millennia. So far the country has avoided involvement in international affairs; even when Ulysses Klaue stole a quarter-tonne of vibranium in the 1990s, King T'Chaka used it as an opportunity to claim that was all their country had.

However, after Ultron used Klaue's vibranium to attack Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron, followed by the death of Wakandan aid workers in Captain America: Civil War, T'Chaka has decided to become more involved in the world.

Wakanda is a tribal nation consisting of six great tribes: the Goldon Tribe, the River Tribe, the Border Tribe, the Mining Tribe, the Merchant Tribe, and the Jabari Tribe.

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• Advanced Ancient Acropolis: Wakanda, the only place in the world where vibranium is readily accessible, is a nation of hovering jets and skyscrapers cut off from the rest of the world; even the CIA have little information about it.
• Afrofuturism: Aesthetically and culturally reflects a melding of futuristic technology with various African cultures.
• Alien Non-Interference Clause: Well, not alien, but Wakanda pointedly refuses to give their technology to the outside world, even standing by during the Scramble for Africa. The "deconstruction" version of this trope, as other characters critique this with varying levels of extremism, from Nakia who points out they can do good without becoming colonizers all the way to Killmonger who outright wants to colonize the rest of the world. Despite defeating Killmonger, T'Challa acknowledges that there's some validity to it and decides to break it in The Stinger.
• Always Someone Better: Thanks to its experiments with vibranium, Wakanda developed impossibly advanced technology that the outside world is only just recently, and just barely, catching up to. By the time of Wakanda Forever, various countries are greedily trying to bring Wakanda down a peg by stealing their vibranium or finding their own deposits of it.
  • Wakanda suffers from this during their brief war with Talokan. Every advantage and skill the Wakandan's had, the mer-people had a direct counter for it. Downplayed in that Wakanda is clearly more advanced, technologically, but its not enough to make up the difference.
• Animal Motifs: Nearly every Wakandan faction seems to have a heraldic animal of sorts, probably due to their totemic religion:
  • The royal family/Golden Tribe are obviously associated with panthers.
  • The Jabari Tribe are associated with gorillas.
  • The Border Tribe are associated with rhinos.
  • The Mining Tribe seem to be associated with lions, their designs being straight-up lifted from Maasai leonine garb.
  • The River Tribe use crocodilian designs in their clothes.
  • The Merchant Tribe seem to invoke marabou storks with their clothes.
  • Some of the flying machines look like dragonflies or adult antlions.
  • Concept art shows that the Dora Milaje had pet hawks, and their outfits even resembled Falcon's.
• Animal-Themed Superbeing: A common motif among Wakanda's various religious groups. Panthers serve as the basis for T'Challa's powers.
• Applied Phlebotinum: Vibranium has much more use than just being the toughest metal on Earth. After watching Black Panther, one wonders what vibranium can't do.
• Artistic License – Linguistics: T'Challa and his father speak Xhosa, a Bantoid language from southwest Africa. Given that the satellite image in Civil War shows Wakanda as being in between southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya, they should be speaking a Cushitic language or (less likely) a Nilotic language, which come from entirely different language families (Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan respectively). To get some context for how absurd this is, imagine Switzerland having Finnish as its official language.
  • Possibly, vaguely justified in that Wakanda's population has remained isolated in its current location for ten thousand years, meaning they missed out on a couple of later migration waves. For that matter, the Jabari speak a Yoruba dialect, which is from Nigeria to the west.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: The current king of Wakanda can be challenged in ritual combat by any member of the nobility from each tribe. The winner gets the throne but everyone in Wakanda, minus M'Baku and the Jabari tribe to a small extent, is above power struggle, so this ritual never becomes a real problem, and the call to challenge is mostly a ceremonial formality... until Killmonger uses his status as N'Jobu's son to challenge T'Challa for the throne.
• Badass Army: Wakandan military forces are more than willing to dive right into battle with Thanos's forces.
• Badass Family: The royal family of Wakanda has shown capabilities putting them at the top of their respective leagues, such as the King bearing the mantle of the Black Panthers, and even non-Panther members like the crown princess Shuri are still a force to be reckoned with through Vibranium technology.
• Badass Normal: Played With. Wakandan fighters can hold their own against both alien and enhanced human opponents. This is implied to be the result of whole generations feeding on a diet of crops grown in Vibranium-infused soil.
• Balance, Speed, Strength Trio: T'Challa is the balanced, all-around super-soldier. Okoye is strength as the captain of the guard and Wakanda's best soldier. Nakia is speed as an excellent infiltrator and a capable War Dog.
• Battle Cry: "Wakanda Forever!" is often used as a rallying cry for Wakanda's people. The leadup to a large-scale battle (as seen in Infinity War and Endgame) also earns a chorus of "Yibambe!" (hold fast). The Dora Milaje also seem to have their own battle cry of "Phambili!" (go forward) which Okoye uses right before she and three others fight Killmonger.
• Black and Nerdy: The country is an African-dominated civilization and the surplus of Vibranium proves that they (especially Shuri) can turn their homeland into the most technologically advanced nation on Earth.
• Bulungi: Subverted and exploited; Wakanda has pretended to be a third-world country of "textiles, shepherds, cool outfits" for centuries. In reality, they are a Hidden Elf Village of such wealth and power that Klaue insists they are responsible for the legends of El Dorado.
• Bystander Syndrome: For thousands of years, Wakanda has kept itself away from the outside world, ignoring many major events including the rise of the Atlantic slave trade, both World Wars and the Chiutari invasion despite having the technology to help those in need, because of their secrecy and extreme isolationism. By the time of Avengers: Infinity War however, they have become Badass Bystander as they willingly help the Avengers to take on Thanos's army.
• Challenging the Chief: Anyone of noble blood can challenge the current king or crown prince of Wakanda for the throne. The duel is highly ritualised, having its own designated arena in Warrior Falls and only stopping when one dies or yields. While most nobles treat it as a formality, Jabari tribe leader M'Baku and later Eric "Killmonger" Stevens take advantage of this to challenge T'Challa for the throne.
• The Chosen One: The original Black Panther was chosen by the Panther Goddess to bring peace to Wakanda by beating all the tribes into submission.
• City of Gold: Klaue directly compares Wakanda to El Dorado, except with vibranium instead of gold, and even speculates that Wakanda was the inspiration for the myth surrounding it.
• City on the Water: Unused concept art from Civil War depicts Wakanda's capital as such. Black Panther displays the city as being built on both sides of a river.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Each of Wakanda's five tribes are associated with a particular color
  • The Royal Family wears purple. Most prominent with the heart shaped herb, Zuri's royal robes, and T'Challa's suit.
    • The Dora Milaje all wear red uniforms with their gorget and gauntlets expressing rank.
    • The Wakandan Design Group all wear white as part of their scientific research.
  • The River Tribe wears green. All of Nakia's outfits are a shade of green.
  • The Border Tribe wears blue. This is prominent in their shielding cloaks.
  • The Mining Tribe wears red and orange.
  • The Merchant Tribe wears indigo.
  • The Jabari paint themselves white and wear white fur. Fitting as they live on the mountaintops.
• Cool, but Inefficient: More or less Wakanda's military tech. Wakanda's weapons were built to help with their Hidden Elf Village gimmick. So their Military tech weren't practical by design. That was fine pre-infinity war, when the rest of the world was literal centuries behidn them. This has not helped Wakanda when they're fighting combatants just as advanced as them with weapons that ARE practical. Time will tell if they'll change this, even after the world knows of them.
  • It really says something that Rocket, an Up Lifted Animal that just might be the smartest person in the galaxy, was more impressed with the decidedly mundane M249 SAW Bucky was using than any of Wakanda's Space faring standard equipment.
• Cool Ship: Wakandan ships don't have physical manual commands but motion detection of the pilot's hands instead, at least when they're not remote-controlled through Shuri's inventions. They also have an invisibility function.
• Crystal Spires and Togas: Wakanda is an Afrofuturistic take on it. The skyscraper gardens and abundant plant life hint at Solar Punk elements as well.
• Cultural Posturing: Wakandans in general believe that they are the greatest nation on earth and outside of the need to maintain the Masquerade, they aren't shy about expressing it. Villainous Wakandans tend to be such because they believe that as the superior people, Wakanda ought to rule the entire world which would make everything much better. Even the heroic, more sympathetic Wakandans tend to share this belief in their superiority, such as Nakia insisting on Wakanda enacting foreign aid policies because other countries do it and Wakanda would, naturally, do it better.
• Culture Chop Suey: Potentially justified, since Wakanda is explicitly made up of several distinct tribes who all just ended up near each other because of the Vibranium.
  • According to Iron Man 2, Wakanda is located in East Africa, with Captain America: Civil War giving the more precise location of Lake Turkana◊...
  • ...But in Civil War, T'Challa and T'Chaka speak Xhosa, a South African language^note the ancestors of the Xhosa people emigrated from the Lake Turkana region where Wakanda is shown to be, so for the Wakandans to be speaking a variant of Xhosa is unlikely but not totally impossible, while worshipping deities from Egypt in North Africa.
  • Continued in Black Panther. Costume designer Ruth Elaine Carter drew inspiration from a wide variety of African tribes, such as the Basotho, Maasai, Himba, Dogon and Tuareg. The film's score also takes inspiration from Senegalese and South African musical traditions, both far from each other and from Wakanda.
  • Also in Black Panther, the members of the Jabari tribe worship Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god.^note India did historically have trade with West Africa, so it is actually within the realm of possibility for a tribe of gorilla-worshippers from the region to have adopted either the god or the name
• Darkest Africa: Wakanda intentionally invoked this trope for years, maintaining a third-world country front with minimal exports so as to remain Beneath Notice. It only very recently began opening up and taking an active role on the international stage after the Sokovia Incident.
• Early-Bird Cameo: Has been a part of the MCU for quite a while now. Vibranium and Wakanda have been established parts of the MCU since The First Avenger, when Cap gets his shield. The first reference to the character proper (or more likely, his father) came from a Freeze-Frame Bonus in Iron Man 2, where it was shown that Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. were monitoring an unknown superhuman in Africa. Then in Avengers: Age of Ultron, we have mention of a past incident where Klaue ran into trouble during a vibranium heist in Wakanda. The same movie has an additional Freeze-Frame Bonus where a document about Klaue mentions the Black Panther lineage, and that a previous Panther had killed Klaue's great-grandfather.
• Enforced Technology Levels: There are those who wish to wage war on the rest of the world because they fear how the fantastical inventions of the 20th and 21st Centuries have put the technologies of other nations on nigh-equal footing with Wakanda's.
• Fatal Flaw: Pride. Wakanda is rightfully proud of her technological prowess, but it has also led to blind spots in her defenses. For example, they are confident that the Talokans will not breach their border defenses again, despite not having found out how they did it the first time.
• Green Rocks: Vibranium, which originally came to Earth in the form of a meteor and affected the ground and plants it landed near, and has a number of wide-reaching functions.
• Hidden Elf Village: Wakanda has a strong reputation for isolationism and secrecy; it takes the events of Civil War to get them finally involved with the rest of the world.
• Ivy League for Everyone: When Shuri and Okoye are trying to find the scientist that invented the Vibranium-detecting machine, the trail leads to a nineteen-year-old girl at Cambridge University, near Boston. When reporting back to Queen Ramonda, Okoye says that the "scientist" is a student at the equivalent of one of their "village schools."
• Lawful Stupid: Wakanda is governed by strict rules and tradition when it comes to their leadership, being bound by honour and law to follow them even when it could be detrimental to the nation as a whole. When Killmonger challenges T'Challa for the throne, T'Challa accepts despite Killmonger clearly being an enemy and Okoye, the Dora Milaje and Tribal Council all accept his apparent victory and prepare to assist him in his plans for world domination and genocide even though it will bring great harm to Wakanda. That said, very few genuinely follow his ideas and the moment T'Challa returns and proves Killmonger to be unworthy, the majority switch back to him.
• Legacy Character: According to Captain America: Civil War as well as a Freeze-Frame Bonus in Age of Ultron, there have been many Black Panthers throughout history. T'Challa is simply the latest one to use the name. This is confirmed in Black Panther: the first Black Panther and leader of Wakanda was centuries, if not millennia ago, and every king since — including T'Chaka — has taken up the mantle.
• Low-Tech Spears:
  • Subverted and inverted by the spears wielded as the National Weapon of the Dora Milaje, which may seem outwardly archaic in a world with 21st Century modern weaponry (And Wakanda secretly being the most technologically advanced nation on Earth) but are actually made of vibranium, telescope down for easy carrying, can discharge electrical energy out of their blunt end to stun people, and are capable of interfacing with sonic technology. Okoye even makes a point out of considering firearms primitive weapons in comparison.
  • Played straight with the Jabari Tribe, a separatist faction of Wakandans who eschew Vibranium-based technology and live essentially as Luddites compared to the rest of the nation. Their primary weapons are simple wooden spears and clubs.
• Mark of the Supernatural: The only way to identify a native Wakandan is by a small glowing tattoo on the inside of their lower lip, which also serves as a pass into the country.
• Masquerade: Wakanda has been passing itself off as a third world country, while actually being quite the most technologically advanced nation on the entire planet. And they've apparently killed almost every mercenary and fortune seeker that discovered the truth. In the Mid-Credits Scene of Black Panther, T'Challa decides to break it after offering aid to the United Nations.
  Klaue: What do you actually know about Wakanda?
  Ross: Um... shepherds, textiles cool outfits...
  Klaue: It's all a front. Explorers searched for it for centuries. "El Dorado", the golden city, they called it. They thought they could find it in South America, but it was in Africa the whole time. [...] I'm the only one who's seen it... and made it out alive.
• Moral Myopia: Wakanda puts immense focus on firm isolationism and independence, to the extent that killing anyone who might find out about it is seen as necessary defense. But after the death of his father King T'Chaka, T'Challa is apparently willing to overlook this, traveling the world to avenge him without any trouble from his people.
• Neutral No Longer: A Central Theme of their involvement in the MCU hitherto. Originally fierce isolationists who went to great lengths to avoid involvement with the outside world, they began to reconsider this stance after stolen Vibranium was used to create a Doomsday Device during Avengers: Age of Ultron; the Wakandans killed during Captain America: Civil War were aid workers sent to help their impoverished neighbours, and Black Panther revolves around the argument of whether they should become even more involved in the world. After Killmonger chews them out for not helping their African neighbours or black people in other countries, T'Challa decides he had a point and begins to organize outreach initiatives to finally reveal the truth of what Wakanda is to the world, especially after having decided his forbears were wrong to hide from the world for so long.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Invoked; both N'Jobu and Killmonger advance the viewpoint that the slave trade and all the suffering it brought to Africans was ultimately Wakanda's fault, as it chose to rely on its advanced technology for self-defense and just turned a blind eye to the rest of Africa, when it could have used its superior technology to instead fight off the European invaders.
• Normal Fish in a Tiny Pond: Wakanda suffers from this hard. In terms of modern warfair on 21st century earth, with one exception, Wakanda is the best there is- par none. But whenever the hidden nation fight someone on their level, Wakanda is caught flat footed and overwhelmed in a matter hours. Leaving their champion or outside allies to come save them.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: For generations, Wakanda has concealed its technologically-advanced nature behind a façade of a third world country.
• Only One Name: Wakandans do not use surnames. The men announce themselves by the patronymic (T'Challa son of T'Chaka) and, as shown in Wakanda Forever, women use the matronymic ("Nakia, daughter of Yaa"). The only exception is Erik “Killmonger” Stevens, and that’s because he abandoned his single Wakandan name (N’Jadaka) after he was abandoned by the royal family- though he replies with "N'Jadaka, son of Prince N'Jobu" to the Royal Court when they ask him about his identity.
• Perfect Pacifist People: Subverted. Wakandans pride themselves on not getting involved in any wars and look down on the rest of the world for doing so, but this gets called out particularly by Killmonger as the Wakandans ignoring evil and injustices committed right under their noses in favor of hiding within their country. T'Challa comes to agree with this point and seeks to involve Wakanda more in international affairs, shown by having Wakanda fight against Thanos's army in Infinity War.
• Pragmatic Hero: Unlike some of the other heroes, they will resort to killing if necessary.
• Properly Paranoid: For centuries, Wakanda refused to have contact with the outside world and ensured that all those who somehow managed to get into the kingdom were never heard from again. Given the horrific legacy of European colonization in Africa, it's hard to blame them. Wakanda Forever demonstrates that they were right to be wary of revealing themselves to the outside world, as their possession of the world's single largest known vibranium deposits makes them a tempting target for nations like the United States and France who would dearly love to have sole control of such a powerful resource.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Almost every tribe leader are portrayed as competent, willing to take advice, seeking the good of their tribe and/or Wakanda itself, etc. especially T'Challa, T'Chaka, M'Baku, Okoye and even Okoye's second-in-command Ayo.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Invoked in their military, the offensive-oriented all-female Dora Milaje has red armor with gold lining and the defensive border tribes wear prominently blue with silver lining.
• Rock Beats Laser: Almost literaly. During Wakanda's war with Talokan, the latter's tech was specifically built to look and just might be made of stone. While Wakanda's are more metalic. Even if they're made out of the same material- vibranium. While Wakanda did put up a fight, it was only a matter of time for Tolakan's victory.
  • On a less amusing note, Wakanda's battle tech is decidedly out preformed by the primitive kinetic weapons of other countries on earth in open combat. Bucky's machine gun and War machine's arsenol doing more against Thanos' forces than all of Wakanda's combined military. Their weapons are mostly meant to scare away simple peasents and confuse marauding bandits than mowing down invading troops with technology on their own level.
• Scary Black Man: While they are no slouches when it comes to a fight, the Wakandan warriors can be intimidating presences.
• Scissors Cuts Rock: More or less how Thanatos' forces defeated them during the infinity war. Wakandan boarder defenses were specifically built to handle Zerg rushes and orbital bombartment. The mad titan simply did not care how much cannon fodder he had to sacrifice to get what he wanted. In the end, Wakanda was forced open their walls and fight them in an open, if sequestered, field-risking defeat- or the remaining would've attacked their capital and attack their civilians at random.
• Schizo Tech: They have stealth hovercraft, nanomachines integrated in everything, a citywide forcefield and other complex machines, but in Infinity War their army still goes into battle wearing no armor and wielding spears and blades. Justified Trope, all their armor and weapons are made out of the super strong, super resilient vibranium, which can also be used to power integrated energy projectors; Black Panther shows spears with integrated blasters capable of blowing up tanks and capes that produce forcefields. Since Wakanda relies primarily on highly-advanced espionage to deal with external threats and misdirection to make them look like dirt-poor farmers who aren't worth invading, they've never needed anything more overt or obvious.
• Sufficiently Advanced Bamboo Technology: They prefer tribal weapons with ultra-tech refinements; the Dora Milaje use vibranium-enhanced spears that can pierce any mundane armor and send opponents flying when smacked with the blunt end, the Border Tribe uses similar vibranium-enhanced sickles and cloaks that project Deflector Shields.
• Tomorrowland: Due to a mix between their isolationist ideologies and their near-unlimited supply of vibranium, one of Earth's most versatile and valuable elements, Wakanda is the most technologically advanced nation on Earth with a higher standard of living than most first-world nations.
• Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object: Invoked in their military. Because vibranium can do anything, the Dora Milaje's spear formation is the Unstoppable Force and the Border Tribe's shield cloak formation is the Immovable Object, and wouldn't you know it, they're on opposite sides during the civil war at the end of Black Panther.
• We Have Become Complacent: Wakanda's second Fatal Flaw, which goes with their pride. The hidden country's enitre history is utterly curbstomping anyone that challenges them. The rest of the world being literal centuries behind them in every concievable way. Leaving Wakanda a sense of invincibility and insulation. Its so ingrained that even after its been shown that same gap has and will be closed by outside parties its citizens think their untouchable... right up until a half of their population disappeared before their eyes and MULTIPLE members of their royal family died.
• The Worf Effect:
  • Infinity War sees several of Wakanda's armies pitted against Thanos's single army of Outriders led by the Children of Thanos. They put up a good fight, but the battle started going poorly for Wakanda until the arrival of Thor and Wanda Maximoff on the battlefield. Even when they turned the tide, they were spread too thin by what was left to stop Thanos from achieving his goal to show just how powerful Thanos and his forces were. It's been noted that Wakanda did not deploy its' full military might against Thanos, as when they arrive for the Battle of Earth in Endgame, they bring significantly larger numbers with a large fleet of air support and have far less trouble against Thanos's entire army this time.
  • Wakanda Forever has them going up against a nation that doesn't just have vibranium in their technology, but their lifeblood, as Talokan was founded when Namor's original people ingested what was their equivalent of the heart-shaped herb. The entire country is populated by vibranium-enhanced supersoldiers. While Wakanda's forces put up a decent fight, they are completely caught off-guard by Talokan's use of vibranium and are unable to keep them out of Wakanda. Tellingly, the battle only ends when Namor peacefully yields and announces an alliance with Shuri, as Wakanda's leaders and remaining army had been whittled down to nothing by the prolonged fight.

Wakandan Royal Family / Golden Tribe

T'Challa

See his page.

T'Chaka

King T'Chaka / The Black Panther

"Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all."

^{Click here to see his Black Panther suit}"I chose my people. I chose Wakanda."

Species: Enhanced human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe)

Portrayed By: John Kani, Atandwa Kani (young)

Voiced By: César Arias (Latin-American Spanish dub, old), Germán Fabregat (Latin-American Spanish dub, young), Rafael Azcárraga (European Spanish dub, old), Juan Amador Pulido (European Spanish dub, young), Bin Sasaki (Japanese dub, old), Satoshi Taki (Japanese dub, young), Med Hondo (European French dub, old, Civil War), Saïd Amadis (European French dub, old, Black Panther), Didier Lucien (Canadian French dub, old)

Appearances: Captain America: Civil War | Black Panther

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil, not only because of the actions of criminals, but the indifference of those pledged to stop them."

The father of T'Challa and Shuri, the predecessor of T'Challa as the Black Panther and the king of Wakanda until his death in an attack on a United Nations summit he attended.

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• Action Dad: His son's predecessor as the Black Panther, and T'Challa was already a child when T'Chaka was still active in the role.
• Age Lift:
  • In the comics, he was killed when T'Challa was just a boy. In the movie, he's killed when T'Challa is an adult and lived long enough to see his son succeed him as the new Black Panther.
  • In another example, at one point in the comics, T'Chaka was stated to have fought alongside Captain America during World War II. Given his age in the movie, he'd likely be far too young for that to have occurred.
• Ascended to a Higher Plane of Existence: After his death, he travels to the Spirit Realm to join his ancestors. He gives T'Challa advice on how to be king from there.
• Anti-Hero: Type 3; He was clearly a kindhearted and loving father, as well as a fair ruler, but was willing to go to any length, up to and including killing his own brother and abandoning his nephew, if it meant keeping his country and its people safe. Not that this didn't rack him with guilt and inspire him to make up for it later in life, however.
• The Atoner: Deleted scenes from the Blu-ray of Black Panther directly explain this. T'Challa points out that his father had spent his entire life defending Wakanda's historical isolationism, up until as an old man he left to give a speech at the United Nations urging that Wakanda must become more involved in helping the world beyond its borders (the speech at which, coincidentally, he was assassinated). T'Challa directly asks Zuri what could have caused this change in his father, to which Zuri (who knows what secretly happened) vaguely but accurately says "time" — T'Chaka remained haunted by his past decisions, and towards the end of his life was attempting to atone for them.
• Bling of War: His Black Panther suit was much flashier than T'Challa's and even boasted a sash.
• Broken Pedestal: To T'Challa. His mishandling of young Erik after he killed his father led to Erik's Start of Darkness and T'Challa's near death. When they met in the Spirit Realm the second time, T'Challa screamed at his face that he was wrong.
• Calling the Old Man Out: T'Challa has less than kind words to say about how he handled the situation with Erik.
• The Cameo: T'Chaka only appears in a single scene in Civil War before dying, although he has more importance in Black Panther, offering T'Challa advice in the Spirit Realm and his backstory having grave complications for his son and kingdom.
• Dark Secret: He killed his younger brother in the spur of the moment when the latter attempted to kill the young Zuri. After this he left his now orphaned young nephew to fend for himself in America. These actions fueled the plot of Black Panther.
• Didn't Think This Through: He abandoned his nephew, an orphaned kid who not only had a legitimate reason to hate the Wakandan Royal Family, but also a legitimate claim to Wakanda's throne, to the dangerous Oakland projects and the mercies of the American Foster System, in the midst of the racially-tense 90s. Whatever reasons he had for that decision, it was monumentally stupid from a political perspective, because it all but guaranteed a Succession Crisis later down the line ^note and any person who has studied monarchical politics, particularly European history, would be happy to tell you why. Even if said nephew had somehow managed to let go of his grudge, the same could not be said for any descendants he may have had, who either might've grown angry on their ancestor's behalf or grown greedy over the potential wealth Wakanda's throne could provide them.
• Dies Differently in Adaptation: He is killed in a terrorist explosion set off by Helmut Zemo, in contrast to the comics, where he was shot by Ulysses Klaw while protecting T'Challa.
• Evil Uncle: Killmonger sees him as this, and hates him more than anyone else for killing his father and abandoning him. The truth is that while T'Chaka was a good man, he was not the ideal Black Panther his son would be.
• Fan Boy: Shuri suggests that he was a fan of Back to the Future Part II.
• Formerly Fit: Zuri jokes that he retired as the Black Panther when he got too fat to fit in the suit.
• Good Is Not Soft: He was a genuinely good man and fair ruler. However, he tells T'Challa that being a good man will come at odds with being a king, and as the world changes into one of conquered and conquerors, he must be ready to make ruthless decisions to protect Wakanda. He should know, as he killed his own brother, whom he clearly loved, for Wakanda's sake.
• Heel–Face Door-Slam: At the time he spearheaded the Sokovia Accords in part to redeem himself of his past questionable actions, he is killed in a bombing by Zemo.
• Hidden Depths: Was apparently a fan of American cinema according to Shuri, particularly Back to the Future Part II which gave her the idea to upgrade T'Challa's suit with self-materializing boots.
• Hypocrite: His role in drafting the Sokovia Accords can come across as this when he and other Wakandan nationals routinely perform unregulated missions — including assassinations — on foreign soil. His line "Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all" also reads as this considering he killed N'Jobu without subsequently assisting his now-orphaned son. However, he may have realized this and could have joined the Accords out of being The Atoner for the aforementioned questionable activities he himself had committed.
• I Did What I Had to Do: T'Chaka regrets having to kill his own brother, but regrets even more that he didn't take his nephew back to Wakanda. Nonetheless, he justifies it because he did it in Wakanda's best interests. T'Challa doesn't accept his reasoning when they meet in the ancestral plane, pointing out Erik is becoming a threat not just to Wakanda but to the world because of his decision.
• Irony:
  • In 1992, he remorsefully killed his brother and started his nephew on the path of revenge. Years later, his own death by another remorseful killer led to his own son's Roaring Rampage of Revenge.
  • His decision to kill his brother and abandon his nephew as part of the isolationist policy to protect Wakanda wound up creating the biggest threat to Wakanda's safety and prosperity in the nation's history.
• Kill the Ones You Love: He personally killed his beloved younger brother on the spur of the moment when the latter tried to shoot the young Zuri in revenge.
• Kinslaying Is a Special Kind of Evil: While beloved throughout his life, T'Chaka's legacy is posthumously tarnished when it's revealed that he killed his own brother for what he thought was the greater good and abandoned his nephew to grow up in poverty, never knowing his royal Wakandan heritage. T'Challa is completely shaken to learn the truth about his father, and when they meet on the ancestral plane a second time, wastes no time chewing him out for it.
• Laser-Guided Karma: Barely averted. T'Chaka's murder of his brother threw his nephew into a 20 years Roaring Rampage of Revenge. His own murder started his own son's quest for vengeance. Luckily T'Challa got to listen to the whole truth and chose not to follow it.
• My Country, Right or Wrong: He was willing to uphold Wakanda's stance of isolationism even if it meant ignoring the suffering of others.
• My Greatest Failure: Among the Wakandans, his failure to capture Ulysses Klaue for thirty years is seen as this. But an even greater failure that no one knew about was how he had to kill his own brother to save the life of Zuri, and didn't bother bringing Erik along to Wakanda with him to ensure he wouldn't grow up revengeful. This would have dreadful consequences on Wakanda 20 years later.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Killmonger wouldn't have grown up to be the super-terrorist that he is if T'Chaka hadn't decided the best way to handle his brother N'Jobu's involvement with a black supremacist movement was to kill his brother, then promptly abandoning his newly orphaned nephew to the harsh supervision of the American youth foster care system in The '90s.
• Noble Bigot: It's heavily implied that part of the reason he abandoned Erik was that he didn't consider the boy, who had an African-American mother and grew up in Oakland, to be a true Wakandan.
• Papa Wolf: T'Chaka stated that every decision he made was to protect the people of Wakanda, including both of his children.
• Parents as People: He was a good father to T'Challa, but far from a perfect person. This just makes it harder when T'Challa is confronted with the aftermath of his father's actions, such as orphaning and abandoning his cousin. However, despite both this and denouncing his father's traditionalism and sticking so closely to isolationism, T'Challa never stopped loving him, as seen when he proudly declares himself "son of T'Chaka" in The Stinger of his solo film.
• Plot-Triggering Death: Downplayed; while the plot of Civil War was already well underway, T'Chaka's death sets off the manhunt for Bucky, as well as T'Challa's involvement in the story. Additionally, his killing of Killmonger's father triggered the plot of Black Panther, and T'Chaka's own death is what leads T'Challa to assume the throne.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's spearheaded the divisive Sokovia Accords, but he's otherwise a sensible, diplomatic man who strives for peace and is respectful of the Avengers' intentions. He even sincerely thanks Natasha for agreeing to sign. As noted in the entry for My Greatest Failure, however, he has made darker decisions with harsh repercussions and very likely supported the Accords for his own personal crusade as The Atoner for his past actions.
• Retired Badass: By the time of Civil War, old age has meant he has passed the Black Panther mantle to his son while still being king.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Wakanda historically favored isolationism, but T'Chaka ends that to become a player on the world stage when he sees problems developing. According to a Freeze-Frame Bonus in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he also held the Black Panther identity in his youth, which is properly seen (briefly) during the opening to Black Panther.
• Sacrificial Lamb: His death at the UN conference sparks T'Challa's involvement in the hunt for Bucky.
• Small Role, Big Impact: For Captain America: Civil War. He spearheads the Sokovia Accords, which drive the central conflict between the Avengers, and his death provides motivation for Black Panther to get involved. In Black Panther, his murder of N'Jobu and subsequent abandonment of Erik led to him becoming Wakanda's greatest threat.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Downplayed. He still gets killed off shortly after he's introduced like in the comics, but this version actually got to live to see his son grow up and succeed him as Black Panther.
• Spirit Advisor: T'Challa visits his deceased father in the Spirit Realm to seek advice.
• Timeshifted Actor: In Black Panther, father and son actors John and Atandwa Kani play older and younger versions of T'Chaka.
• A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Responding to his brother N'Jobu drawing a gun on Zuri by fatally stabbing him rather than disarming him with a non-lethal attack leads to N'Jobu's son Erik becoming Wakanda's greatest enemy.
• We Hardly Knew Ye: In Captain America: Civil War, he's killed off only a few minutes after he's introduced. Black Panther expands his character considerably.
• What the Hell, Hero?: He was on the receiving end when his son lashes out at him for killing his own brother dishonorably and leaving his nephew alone for the sake of maintaining Wakanda's secrecy.

Shuri

Princess Shuri / The Black Panther

"I invite you to my lab and you just kick things around!"

^{Click here to see her in the Black Panther habit}
"The Black Panther lives!" — M'Baku

Species: Enhanced Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe), Avengers (formerly)

Portrayed By: Letitia Wright

Voiced By: Leyla Rangel (Latin-American Spanish dub), Vera Bosch (European Spanish dub), Kanako Momota (Japanese dub), Aurélie Konaté (European French dub), Catherine Brunet (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | WandaVision ^note Archive footage from Infinity War | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"Just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved."

T'Challa's younger sister, the princess of Wakanda, and head of the government's research and development.

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• Abdicate the Throne: Played With as after the conflict with the Talokan, Shuri and M'Baku come to an agreement to give the latter leadership over Wakanda as the elders already have been looking to him for it. It was formalized when he issued the challenge to the throne while Shuri did not attend the ceremony. However M'Baku had also promised T'Challa he would continue to support her - something he revealed to her after Ramonda's death. She still continues to lead the tribes as Black Panther.
• Action Girl: Not quite on the same level as Nakia and the Dora Milaje, but Shuri can still kick ass when the situation calls for it. She steps up the level of Nakia and the Dora Milaje in Wakanda Forever after she takes the synthesized heart shaped herb and becomes the new Black Panther
• Adaptational Job Change: Her comic counterpart is a historian and anthropologist. Here, she focuses on developing new technology and is the head of her country's science department at that.
• Adaptation Personality Change: This version is a Gadgeteer Genius and tech-savvy, something her comic counterpart really isn't — that's actually a key attribute of T'Challa in the comics. In fact, her comics counterpart is actually the opposite — she focuses on Wakanda's hidden history and stories, using much more mysticism than her brother. In addition, she's much more lighthearted and prone to jokes than her comics counterpart, who is a much more serious character. However, she is portrayed as scientifically inclined and with comedic traits in the animated series (which was based on Hudlin's first Black Panther story), so both aspects of her personality have some precedent.
• Affectionate Nickname: After she took the herb, most of the people called her "Panther" - including her A.I.
• Always Someone Better: Shuri's innate genius is unparalleled and having grown up in Wakanda, she has developed some of the most advanced technology in the world, compared to which even most Starktech looks harmless. In a tie-in comic, she explicitly states herself to be more intelligent than Tony Stark. During Infinity War, she successfully manages to find a way to rewire Vision to exist without the Mind Stone whereas Tony and Bruce didn't think of it. At the same time, however, Tony's decades of engineering expertise allow him to use the same nanotech concept Shuri used for T'Challa's suit for his own, much more heavily armed, more innately powerful suit while not having access to an ounce of vibranium. However, it has been confirmed by both the Russo brothers and Director Ryan Coogler that Shuri is the smartest person in the MCU... but then The Wakanda Files, which was compiled on her request in-universe, has her admit in a note that even she can't fully understand Hank Pym's technology to traverse the Quantum Realm... something Tony mastered over a single night. It goes to show that intellect is qualitative, not quantitative and there are things that some genuses struggle with that others excel at.
• Annoying Younger Sibling: She takes great joy in teasing her brother, for example when she records her brother testing his suit for "research purposes", fully knowing that he's about to get thrown across the whole room.
  T'Challa: Delete that footage!
• Arbitrary Skepticism: In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Shuri repeatedly denies the existence of things like the goddess Bast or the Ancestral Plane, despite having fought alongside multiple wizards and gods in Avengers: Endgame.
• Arm Cannon: She wields twin panther-shaped energy cannons on her hands, which emit a sonic frequency that suppresses most of the special properties of vibranium — the same frequency used to safely transport the metal. The arm cannons are also built in to her Black Panther habit in Wakanda Forever, which can be switched out for the retractable claws through nanotechnology
• Back from the Dead: Avengers: Endgame revealed that she is one of the victims of Thanos's snap before she is revived by Bruce Banner.
• Badass Adorable: A charming and beautiful lass who is as cute as a kitten, yet single-handedly responsible for making her already formidable brother an even greater warrior with her ingenuity in military technology, not to mention being just as brave as T'Challa on the fields of battle (if not as well-trained).
• Badass Biker: Shuri showcases impressive skill on a motorcycle in Wakanda Forever.
• Badass Bookworm: She lacks her brother's superhuman gifts or the combat training of the Dora Milaje, but that doesn't stop her from charging into battle when the time's right. For that matter, she gets the closest to beating Killmonger out of anyone save T'Challa himself, only really losing because she got too close.
• Big Brother Worship: Shuri can be an Annoying Younger Sibling to T'Challa but it's clear that she deeply admires and respects him. She even reveals that he was the one to teach her all of her current scientific knowledge. His death in Wakanda Forever leaves her incredibly guilt-ridden and heartbroken. A larger part of her character arc is her overcoming her immense grief over her beloved older brother's death. And her mother's.
• Big Sister Instinct
  • Inverted. She is highly protective of her older brother, T'Challa, and will fight for him.
  • To Riri Williams, whom Shuri goes to great lengths to protect despite having just met her.
• Black and Nerdy: An African princess teen Gadgeteer Genius to be precise.
• Bling of War: Her panther habit is very shiny, with silver and gold trimmings. Evidently, stealth is not her main priority, unlike T’Challa.
• Blood Knight: Shuri becomes this after Ramonda's death combined with her continued mourning of T'Challa, igniting her quest for vengeance against Namor, further flamed by Killmonger's speech to her in the Ancestral Plane after she took the herb. She snaps out of it after Ramonda appears to her during the climax and spares Namor and the Talokan.
• Brains and Brawn: Shuri is a Teen Genius scientist while her brother T'Challa is a fierce Warrior Prince.
• Break the Cutie: The trauma of losing her father and brother within a scant few days breaks her down, but thankfully, she pulls out of it when T'Challa turns out to be alive. Tragically, several years later T'Challa dies for real, and it completely wrecks her for over a year, followed by the death of her mother after Namor attacks Wakanda.
• Brief Accent Imitation: When she approaches Riri Williams' room, she uses an American accent to call out her name and drops it right after when she's in Riri's room. She didn't need to because Riri recognized Shuri.
• Brother–Sister Team: Shuri and her brother T'Challa make one heck of a team in battle.
• Character Development: When first introduced in Black Panther, Shuri was an Annoying Younger Sibling to T'Challa who liked to act as The Gadfly towards other people, including other Avengers during the war against Thanos. The Trauma Conga Line she goes through in Wakanda Forever gradually makes Shuri a more serious and fierce person whose moments of levity are significantly toned down by comparison.
• Color Character: The Black Panther as of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
• Combat Medic: Sports a considerable degree of medical knowledge in addition to her other scientific pursuits, and T'Challa seems to consider her as the first resort when getting somebody fixed up is a priority. As established elsewhere, she's also a crack shot with an Arm Cannon when the situation calls for it.
• Composite Character: Her extremely sarcastic demeanor, as well as her dynamic with Ross are taken from Queen Divine Justice, while her Teen Genius status elicits comparisons to Riri Williams.
• Covers Always Lie: Her Infinity War character poster featured her appearance from her film of origin. She never wears the clothes or puts her hair in that style in the actual movie. It would have been more accurate for Endgame though.
• Curb-Stomp Cushion: Despite nearly getting killed by Killmonger, she's the only warrior besides T'Challa who comes close to depowering Erik.
• The Cutie: She's cheerful, funny (though at other people's expense), and very personable. The events of Wakanda Forever significantly harden her, but there are still a few moments when the funny, goofy Shuri returns to the surface.
• The Cynic: The loss of T'Challa has caused Shuri to lose much of her cheerful and goofy personality she had in Black Panther, and becomes more depressed and serious as a result.
• Deadpan Snarker: Shuri tends to have a Snark-to-Snark Combat with her brother T'Challa whenever they are together.
• Establishing Character Moment: Her appearance at T'Challa's return to Wakanda, where she lightheartedly jokes around with him, demands he give her his tech so that she can upgrade it to be even better, and flips him off as she leaves, establishes her as very unconcerned with the protocols and principles associated with being royalty, whilst also being quite the tech-genius. Her scene in her lab at the Mound reinforces all of the traits she showed in that first meeting.
• Excuse Me While I Multitask: Shuri wastes no time in covering for Ayo by slipping on her vibranium energy blasters to attempt to slow Corvus Glaive down, while also making Vision's safety her number one priority.
• The Fashionista: She's very fashionable and stylish, even in her lab.
• Five Stages of Grief: Shuri goes through this in Wakanda Forever.
  • Bargaining: She prays to Bast to let her find a cure for her brother and she will never question Bast's existence again.
  • Denial: While trying to make an effective cure her AI says she should go to her brother’s side as his heartrate continues to drop, but she refuses to give up, only to fail in the end.
  • Depressed: Shuri is depressed throughout the film and tries to bury herself in work to hide from her grief.
  • Anger: With the death of their mother she is ready to go on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge against Namor.
  • Acceptance: By the end of the film she has finally come to terms with all of her loss, stopping herself from killing Namor, and commits to the ritual her mother had shown her.
• Flipping the Bird: She flips off T'Challa at the start of the film when he is about to be crowned as king. Ramonda has to remind her not to do it.
• Foreign Culture Fetish: Her casual fashion choices, quoting of the "what are those?" meme, and wish to visit Coachella and Disneyland show that she enjoys American pop culture.
• The Gadfly: Shuri absolutely loves to mess around with people and acts quite trollish.
  • During the scene in the Mound, she feigns distaste at T'Challa's sandals, makes an Incredibly Lame Pun by naming her new sound-absorbent shoes "sneakers" (which they even look like!), and tricks T'Challa into getting knocked flying by her new Panther habit's kinetic redistribution ability (which she records for later amusement).
  • During the ritual to formally declare T'Challa as King of Wakanda, when Zuri the high priest reaches the part where he asks if any of the royal family wishes to challenge T'Challa for the throne, she raises her hand as if volunteering... only to then completely destroy the solemn atmosphere by complaining about how much she hates her traditional corset and demanding they get the ceremony over with. This elicits sighs, headshakes, eye-rolls, and even facepalms all around. Ramonda even reprimands Shuri by pinching her arm.
  • She becomes more serious over time, especially after the death of her brother and mother.
• Gadgeteer Genius: She designs much of the new technology used in the country and if she didn't invent the tech she greatly improved it. The creators have compared her to Tony Stark, if Tony Stark had full access to vibranium and technology generations beyond the rest of the world.
• Genius Bruiser: Upon becoming the new Black Panther, she can pack a punch and could beat M'Baku in an arm wrestle. But due to her lack of training, she has to resort to exploitations to gain an advantage against Namor in the climatic battle such as directing him to dry land and blowing up a ship.
• Genki Girl: She mostly appears to be hyped on everything.
• Guns Akimbo: Dual-wields Arm Cannons. She even builds the arm cannons into her Panther Habit
• Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Shuri fights using her dual Arm Cannons while her brother T'Challa prefers melee and Combat Parkour. Shuri takes on the melee parkour role alongside the shooting role in Wakanda Forever as the Black Panther
• Healing Factor: She gains this after taking a synthesized version of the heart-shaped herb and getting her enhanced powers of the Black Panther. This is demonstrated when she survives being impaled by Namor
• Heroic BSoD:
  • It's heavily implied that her father's death put her on the edge of Despair Event Horizon. She also gets hit with a huge one (nearly crossing the Despair Event Horizon) when she believes her brother has been killed. Only the saving of T'Challa's life by the Jabari saves her from hitting the bottom.
  • She suffers two more in Wakanda Forever - first when T'Challa dies. She refuses to let go of her mourning and move on at her mother's behest. This is amplified by her mother's death to the point of where her anger results in her encountering Killmonger's spirit in the ancestral plane when she expected to see her mother's spirit. This also drives her to vengeance. Seeing her mother's spirit after Namor defeats her snaps her out of this one. She lets go of both her vengeance and brokers a truce with Namor, and moves from on her mourning of T'Challa
• Hoist by Her Own Petard: Killmonger nearly kills her with one of the new Black Panther suits she herself made.
• Hollywood Atheist: Shuri did not believe in the rituals of Wakanda (Bast, the Ancestral Plane) at first, which was fleshed out in the sequel as we hear her saying that if Bast helps her brother, she'd never question her existence again. This certainly doesn't turn out the way Shuri desired though and she turns to AI and into a Workaholic, she also holds on to her mourning of her brother despite her mother's best interests. This turns against her when she does take the heart-shaped-herb and enters the plane. She expected a member of her family, just not Killmonger. He told her that she summoned him (something she denies) because she was holding on to her grief and anger over her losses. It showed during the final battle until Ramonda called out to her from the plane.
• I Let Gwen Stacy Die: She spends over a year blaming herself for the death of T'Challa even though his disease was so advanced that it was too late to help him. In desperation, she tried to print an artificial heart-shaped herb that only had a 29% probability of saving him, but even by then it was too late.
• Insufferable Genius: She has a moment of this in Infinity War when she asks Bruce why he didn't find a simpler configuration for Vision's neural structure. Bruce, who is a gamma radiation physicist and not an engineer or neurologist, mentions that it didn't occur to him and Tony. Shuri sardonically says she's sure he tried his best.
• Intergenerational Friendship:
  • Shuri seems to have a thing for middle-aged, broken white men:
    • The Stinger to Black Panther shows her to be on good terms with Bucky, to the point that he tells her to call him "Bucky" instead of "Sergeant Barnes". Not only is he biologically about fifteen to twenty years older than Shuri, but he's also chronologically over eighty years her senior.
    • Despite the fact that most of Shuri's interactions with Ross consist of either Snark-to-Snark Combat or Shuri being an Insufferable Genius, the two showed genuine concern and affection for each other multiple times.
  • Until she meets Riri Williams, all of Shuri’s friends seem to be her much older brother’s friends first. A natural consequence of becoming a university professor at the age of 13
  • She got along very well with Namor, who is almost 500 years old (while physically looking like 30-40 years old), until he mistakenly believes she had betrayed him and killed two of his people. They eventually declare a truce and become allies again, but to call it a friendship would be a stretch.
• Killed Offscreen: Although it wasn't shown directly, she was among Thanos' victims when he wiped out half the universe at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, though she was brought back to life in Avengers: Endgame.
• Little Black Dress: Her outfit after becoming the Black Panther is a sleek black dress. The dress is also the outfit she wears in many Wakanda Forever promo materials; Ryan Coogler says this should have made it obvious that she is the new Black Panther.
• Little Miss Badass: By virtue of being much younger in this incarnation and mixing it up alongside the Dora Milaje.
• Little Miss Snarker: T'Challa's little sister's got quite the sarcastic side.
  Everett Ross: Okay, is this Wakanda?
  Shuri: No, it's Kansas.
• Meaningful Appearance: She wears her hair in two twin buns in one scene, fitting her cheerful personality. According to the creators, it's a deliberate Shout-Out to Princess Leia.
• Meaningful Name: Her name is Japanese for "village" and she lives in small country with lots of villages.
• Muscles Are Meaningless: After becoming Black Panther, Shuri's Super-Strength make her this, as she remains as skinny as before.
• My Greatest Failure: Not being able to save her brother from the disease that ultimately killed him for real in Wakanda Forever serves as this for Shuri. She can only cry and say, "I'm sorry" as she places her hand on her brother's coffin. It eats away at her for over a year before she even allows herself to start properly grieving.
• Nice Girl: Shuri is shown to be a kind and friendly girl, who loves to joke around with people and act trollish at times, but is willing to help her family and friends. Even as she becomes cynical in Wakanda Forever, she still retains her kind nature as she's willing to protect Riri Williams from Namor, despite just meeting her.
• No OSHA Compliance: Zig-Zagged since Wakanda doesn't have to follow OSHA in the Marvel universe. She chides her brother for having open-toed sandals in her lab, which is a legitimate safety hazard, before showing him the "sneakers" she made. At the same time, it's shown that she doesn't actually have a means of locking out the lab in the case of an invasion or a usurper taking the Wakandan throne, and usually works alone without any lab partners or assistants for backup because of her Teen Genius tendencies. This means that Killmonger is able to take the golden Panther necklace from her lab, and she runs out of time to save Vision because she's working alone on him during a limited window of opportunity, with a contingency of bodyguards that get flayed by the Children of Thanos.
• Of Corset Hurts: Her formal dress during the coronation sports a corset, but she finds it very uncomfortable.
• Older Than They Look: Technically speaking, she should be 23 years old by Endgame, but since she was snapped away and later revived, she's still 18.
• Omnidisciplinary Scientist: She is an engineering genius and also shows skill in medicine. She is also in charge of overseeing Bucky Barnes's deprogramming and recovery.
• Only a Flesh Wound: During hers and Namor's final brawl, he shoves his spear right through her stomach and sticks it into a rock. After painfully dragging herself out of it, Shuri is still able to fight him, albeit at a much slower pace.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: after imbibing Heart-Shaped Herb extract and undergoing the Ancestral Plane ritual in Wakanda Forever, she, with her slight frame, is imbued with the power of the Black Panther.
• Plucky Comic Relief: She's the main source of comedy for Black Panther.
• The Pollyanna: She's always lively and joyful. But this greatly changes by the time Wakanda Forever starts, by having her brother die.
• Practically Different Generations: The Wakanda Files state that Shuri was born either in 1997 or 1998, but T'Challa was born sometime in the early 1980s. This means Shuri is at least 10 years younger than her brother.
• Princess Protagonist: Of Wakanda Forever.
• Pungeon Master: Calls the high-tech sound-suppressing boots she made for T'Challa's suit "sneakers" and when T'Challa doesn't laugh she tries to explain the joke to him.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The lively and energetic red to T'Challa's more stoic and subdued blue.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: She's also the head scientist of Wakanda's science department aside from being its princess. This is actually one of the sources of friction between the Royals and the Jabari — M'Baku, in particular, thinks such a position is extremely inappropriate for someone as young as she is.
• Sassy Black Woman: She has got a lot of snark for a Wakandan.
• Science Hero: She's head of Wakanda's science department and is a capable fighter when needed.
• Shipper on Deck: For T'Challa and Nakia, as she heartily teases T'Challa for freezing up upon seeing Nakia again.
• Sole Survivor: Subverted Trope. By the time Wakanda Forever ends, Shuri is the only living member of the royal family... then she meets her nephew in The Stinger.
• Spare to the Throne: She's the king's much younger sister and never expected to rule, preferring to use her prodigious genius for science instead. As a result, she's out of her depth when her entire family dies and she's unexpectedly thrust into the position of acting Queen.
• Stepford Snarker: Still sarcastic as ever during Wakanda Forever, but depressed and grief-stricken underneath.
• Super-Strength: She gain this after becoming Black Panther. First demonstrated when she slammed a Dora Milaje armor against a wall with a punch.
• Taking Up the Mantle: Becomes Black Panther in Wakanda Forever, after finding a way to recreate the plant that grants the Black Panther powers.
• Teen Genius:
  • 18 at the time of Black Panther, but despite her young age, she's extremely intelligent and gifted with technology. Word of God alternately describes her as either on par with or even more brilliant than Tony Stark. At any rate, her access to vibranium gives her tech a major edge.
  • In the Infinity War Prelude comic, T'Challa outright calls her the most gifted scientist in Wakanda and entrusts her with figuring out how to deprogram Bucky. If Infinity War and The Stinger of Black Panther are any indication, she pulled it off.
• This Means War Paint: Dons Tribal Face Paint while gearing up for the final battle with Killmonger's forces.
• Took a Level in Badass: Downplayed as Shuri was already an Action Girl in Black Panther but was more rather a Teen Genius with vibranium fist cannons. In Wakanda Forever however, has her take up the mantle of Black Panther, gaining enhanced physical strength that rivals M'Baku. Downplayed again as she couldn't take on Namor with this upgrade alone and had to resort to finding ways to cripple him to get an advantage in battle.
• Took a Level in Cynic: Shuri loses a lot of her cheery personality in Wakanda Forever as a result of T'Challa unexpectedly passing away. She becomes overridden with vengeance after Ramonda's Heroic Sacrifice and encountering Killmonger in the ancestral plane, who is summoned in her family's place because of her desire for revenge, like he did when he took the herb. Her tonal shift concerned Nakia and M'Baku, who try to dissuade her from acting from this desire alone. She does snap out of it when Ramonda's spirit talks her down from dealing the finishing blow to Namor.
• Trauma Conga Line: Goes through an outright brutal one in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She loses her brother T'Challa to an unknown disease despite doing everything she could to help him. A year later – a year she spends in nothing but grief and self-loathing – she has her nation attacked by Namor and his people, resulting in her mother drowning, leaving her, along with her nephew, the last survivors of their entire family.
• Uncertain Doom: In Infinity War, the last we see of her is her being defeated by Corvus Glaive before Vision takes the fight outside, and we do not learn whether or not if she is one of the victims of the Snap before the film ends. Endgame would later confirm she was and had to be resurrected by the Avengers.
• Weak, but Skilled: Zigzagged. Upon ingesting the Heart-Shaped Herb, Shuri gains superhuman abilities like her brother. However, Shuri is a scientist, not a fighter, and most likely never underwent the same kind of training that T'Challa did. As such, during her fight with the more experienced Namor, she fails to beat him in hand-to-hand combat. Instead, to fight the Talokan King, she has to exploit his weakness by severely dehydrating him and fighting him at a desert as well as using a modified Royal Talon.
• Worf Had the Flu: In Infinity War where Corvus Glaive overpowers her with relative ease, largely because she was taken by surprise and not fully outfitted for a fight.
• Warrior Princess: Even though she is not physically trained in the arts of battle as T'Challa is, Shuri is every inch as brave as her brother when defending her country, and more than willing to battle for its freedom with a cannon blazing from each hand. By the time of Wakanda Forever, Shuri takes up the mantle of Black Panther herself, proving herself worthy in battle against Namor.
• World's Smartest Woman: By her own statement, and she definitely can back it up. She is also one of the smartest people in the MCU, although she does admit that there are certain fields of expertise (i.e. Pym Particles) where she has to defer to other people.
• You Are in Command Now: An example where the villain implies this. After Ramonda drowns in the council room due to Namor's cluster bomb attack filling it with water, Namor outright states this implication to Shuri. It becomes more symbolic after the climax as she yields the role of leadership to M'Baku willingly.
  Namor: Bury your dead. Mourn your losses. You are queen now.
• Young and in Charge: A Teen Genius who heads Wakanda's science department. Justified since she's also the country's princess.
• Younger and Hipper: Only a teenager here, whereas her comic counterpart is already in her mid-20s (early 20s when she was first introduced; similarly, Letitia Wright was 24 during filming).

Ramonda

Queen Mother Ramonda

"Show him who you are!"

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe), Dora Milaje (Formerly)

Portrayed By: Angela Bassett

Voiced By: Rebeca Manríquez (Latin-American Spanish dub), Isabel Donate (European Spanish dub), Naoko Kouda (Japanese dub), Maïk Darah (French dub), Claudine Chatel (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Endgame | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"He is with us... and it is your time to be king."

The widow of T'Chaka and mother of T'Challa and Shuri.

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• Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: After her death she is shown in the Ancestral Plane, the afterlife where the great rulers of Wakanda’s past live on.
• Ascended Extra: While still a prominent supporting character in the first film, she takes over as queen in the sequel and thus is one of the main characters of the film.
• Bodyguard Crush: All but said given that she was the former general of the Dora and ended up marrying T'Chaka, who the Dora are duty-bound to defend.
• The Cameo: She briefly appears during the final montage of all the heroes reunited with their loved ones in Endgame, reunited with her resurrected children.
• Composite Character: With N'Yami, T'Challa's biological mother in the comics.
• Deadly Deferred Conversation: While trying to help Shuri work through her feelings about T'Challa's death in Wakanda Forever, she tries to tell Shuri about T'Challa's son only to be interrupted by Namor's sudden arrival. From that point on, they have much more pressing issues that get in the way of sharing the secret and Ramonda dies before she can tell her, Shuri not learning until the end of the film.
• Et Tu, Brute?: She was deeply hurt when Okoye decided to continue serving Killmonger despite his murder of T'Challa for the throne, as well as the other Elders for siding with the new king. Though she forgave them, she never forgot whose side they chose at first. Okoye's decision particularly rattled her as she was shocked to learn Okoye wouldn't be fleeing with them, and Okoye was more or less T'Challa's adopted sister.
• Hat of Authority: Sports an elegantly awesome headdress that would make Guinan jealous.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Rescues Riri Williams from drowning, but at the cost of her own life.
• The High Queen: Is very regal and elegant, and sports a ceremonial headdress until she goes on the run. In Wakanda Forever she returns to this role in force due to taking over the throne from her late son.
• Mama Bear: Ramonda has a clear and profound love for both of her children. When M'Baku points his knobkierie at Shuri, Ramonda instinctively places her arm between him and her daughter. Later on, after discovering her son T'Challa in a comatose state, Ramonda uses the one remaining Heart-Shaped Herb to restore his powers and revive him. As for Shuri, Ramonda refused to let Okoye take Shuri out into the field with her in Wakanda Forever to rescue Riri Williams. This is because Shuri is Ramonda's only remaining offspring, and she does not want to lose her, and she recognizes that Shuri's prolonged state of grief means she is likely in no condition for a field mission. This is one reason why she dresses Okoye down upon the latter's return without Shuri (who voluntarily went with the Talokan when they kidnapped Riri). Apparently it extends to children who are in her care but not of her blood, given she performs a Heroic Sacrifice to save Riri Williams from drowning.
• Meaningful Name: "Ramonda" is Spanish for "wise protector". Fitting for The High Queen who has shown to be a wise and active leader.
• Nerves of Steel: She shows no fear when interacting with Namor during Wakanda Forever, even when he violates her personal space and threatens her life and that of her daughter and her country. When he attacks the capital building she simply glares at him from the other side of the seemingly impenetrable window.
• Outliving One's Offspring: She has the unfortunate state of having to go through this multiple times:
  • At first, it was Subverted. She thinks T'Challa is dead after he is seemingly thrown off a waterfall by Killmonger and appropriately grieves over her son. It turns out that he is Not Quite Dead after he was saved by M'Baku, and they were able to revive him by giving him the last remaining Heart-Shaped Herb.
  • Later, this was played straight after the end of Infinity War, where both T'Challa and Shuri were killed by Thanos's universal culling, though it's undone thanks to the events of Endgame.
  • She is initially worried about this trope once again in Wakanda Forever when Shuri is abducted by Talokan. However, not only does Shuri live, Ramonda drowns to save Riri Willaims, thus depriving Shuri of both her parents.
• Pimped-Out Dress: Being a dowager queen, she has the fanciest dresses. Her first scene has her in an opulent white gown.
• Related in the Adaptation: In the comics, Ramonda is technically T'Challa's stepmother after his own mother died giving birth, though she sees him as a surrogate son after raising him since infancy. In the MCU however, she is T'Challa's biological mother, likely in the interest of simplicity.
• Retired Badass: While she doesn't surf on the hoods of cars, in one scene she stands off with the same ring blades Nakia uses, suggesting that she may have been an active fighter in her younger years. A closer look at Nakia in the previous scene shows she only has one ring, suggesting she thought lending one to Ramonda would be a better tactical decision than having both to herself.
  • Indeed, What If…? (2021) shows her leading the army, being addressed as general, and wearing a Dora Milaje uniform, implying she's no less than Okoye's predecessor.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Wakanda Forever has Ramonda return to being the leader of Wakanda and she does so with command and elegance. She reveals the France government attempting to steal Wakanda's vibranium and is active in dealing with Namor's threats.
• Sacrificial Lion: She drowns in the raid by Namor while saving Riri, which elevates Shuri to Queen and ignites her quest for vengeance and taking up the Black Panther mantle.
• Secret-Keeper: She was the only one who T’Challa and Nakia introduced to their son Toussaint/T’Challa II at their request.
• Silver Fox: She bears silver hair and is an absolute stunner.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Zig-Zagged because of Composite Character and Related in the Adaptation in play. T'Challa's biological mother in the comics suffered Death by Childbirth while comics Ramonda is alive. Although, she tragically does lose her life in Wakanda Forever.
• Surrounded by Idiots: One gets this interpretation in the first council scene of the sequel. Okoye and M'Baku are bickering like children, none of the other council members have any meaningful contributions to the conversation, and the Mining Tribe Elder even wants them to take the cowardly path of least resistance. Only M'Baku makes a decent suggestion - and then this trope is subverted when it’s not that she’s surrounded by idiots, she’s surrounded mostly by people who sold her out by doing nothing to stand up to Killmonger when he took the throne and she still resents them for it. This is why M'Baku is the only one who avoids her wrath, because he showed kindness to her and her family when he didn’t have to.
• Team Mom: In addition to her children, she also seems to serve as a quasi-maternal figure to the other leaders of Wakanda. Okoye calls her "mother" in Wakanda Forever, M'Baku will wordlessly heed her orders even if it's just a pointed finger, and Nakia still dearly reveres her. The first ruling council scene often sounds like a mother ordering her bickering children (this case being M'Baku and Okoye) to stop bickering. Her death thoroughly rattles Wakanda's leadership far beyond just the loss of their leader.
• Together in Death: Though she isn’t seen with anyone, her appearance in the Ancestral Plane confirms that she is now in a place where she can see her beloved husband and son again, after previously expressing despair over how they were now with the ancestors.
• Trauma Conga Line: Her beloved husband is murdered on a diplomatic mission, and then she learns of his checkered past and the evil nephew who takes the throne and seemingly murders her son T'Challa. Though T'Challa survives, he and Shuri both perish at Thanos's hands a few years later, and Ramonda is forced to become queen during the Blip. Though her children both return to her, Ramonda is forced to endure her son's death a third time, and this time it's for real as he dies of an illness. She spends much of Wakanda Forever deeply concerned for Shuri's poor mental state as well as safety during the conflict with Talokan, culminating in her own murder.
• You Are in Command Now: She assumes the throne after the death of T’Challa, and it’s implied she also ruled in his stead during the Blip.

N'Jobu

Prince N'Jobu

"How can I look at them with the same skin as me, stolen from the same place I come from and not reach out to them? How can I sit idly by and watch in pain and return to Wakanda as if there was nothing to see at all? Who am I? A War Dog who will not leave the Lost Tribe behind again."

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan, American

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe, War Dogs)

Portrayed By: Sterling K. Brown

Voiced By: Arturo Mercado Jr. (Latin-American Spanish dub), Miguel Ángel Montero (European Spanish dub), Daichi Endō (Japanese dub), Mohad Sanou (French dub), Alexis Lefebvre (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther

"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 all countries, and Wakanda can rule them all, the right way!"

The father of N'Jadaka aka Erik "Killmonger" Stevens and the brother of King T'Chaka. He was one of the Wakandan spies sent to the US in The '90s. After witnessing the suffering of black people, he became disillusioned with Wakanda's isolationist policy and desired a violent revolution using Vibranium weapons. This led to him allying with Ulysses Klaue which subsequently led to his death at the hand of his brother.

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• Adaptation Name Change: In the comics, T'Chaka's brother is S'Yan. See also Decomposite Character, below.
• Alas, Poor Villain: Despite being a radical extremist who betrayed his country and got many of his brethren killed in the process, N'Jobu's death is a very somber affair for everyone involved. T'Chaka is visibly remorseful over killing him, Zuri was shocked over it despite the fact that he was spying on him whole time and is very tearful when recounting the events to T'Challa, who himself was on the verge of tears hearing about it, and the most heartbreaking thing about his death is when his son Erik finds his dead body and starts cradling it while sobbing.
• Anti-Villain: All N'Jobu truly wanted was to do the right thing by the people he saw oppressed and subjected to racism, even if his methods were severely flawed. He was also unwilling to sink to the depths of extremism that would come to define his son, and seeing what he'd become deeply saddens N'Jobu when they meet again on the spirit plane.
• Composite Character: Arguably between Erik and T'Shan's fathers, considering that their sons are also the same person here.
• Deceased Parents Are the Best: Based on Erik's spirit world memories of him, N'Jobu is a loving if flawed father. He was doting but couldn't keep his frustration out of his interaction with his son.
• Decomposite Character: In the comics, T'Chaka's brother is called S'Yan. In the MCU there's both N'Jobu and S'Yan, the former head of the Wakandan Design Group - who appears only in the Black Panther Prelude one-shot comic book.
• Dies Wide Open: T'Chaka has to close his eyes after killing him.
• Et Tu, Brute?: In both ends. King T'Chaka and Zuri are clearly disappointed with him allying with Ulysses Klaue and betraying Wakanda, while N'Jobu is furious after The Reveal that his friend "James" is actually his brother's spy.
• Everyone Has Standards: While he wanted to use violence to end the oppression of black people, he's clearly shocked that his son is attempting to commit mass murder to subjugate all of the world's other racial groups.
• Going Native: During his mission to spy on the U.S., he came to empathize with the suffering by the African-Americans he was living with and become disillusioned with his home country's isolationist policy. He decided to betray Wakanda by allying with Klaue and try to start a violent revolution in the U.S. to bring equality.
• Gone Horribly Right: He only wanted to help people in the States, albeit by arming black people all over the world. After N'Jobu dies, Erik goes one step further by wanting to use Wakandan technology to wage war on the world.
• Good Parents: N'Jobu was a loving father to his son, who continues to mourn for and miss him well into adulthood. If N'Jobu had lived to raise Erik, the younger man might never have become the villainous Killmonger.
• Hypocrite: When he finds out that "James" is actually Zuri in disguise, he's utterly enraged to find out that he had sold him out to his brother. Zuri throws this back in his face by pointing out that he betrayed his country first.
• Malcolm Xerox: He is a character who is willing to resort to extremist violence as means of pushing for civil rights for an oppressed minority. Unusually, his generation did not have a clear Martin Luther King figure to served as a Foil.
• Mirror Character: To Nakia. Both are War Dogs who empathize with the strife experienced by Africans around the world and dislike Wakanda's isolationism, but Nakia suggests outreach and sharing Wakanda's technology in peaceful ways, while N'Jobu advocated arming Africans.
• Mr. Exposition: He narrates the prologue of Black Panther which explains the origins of Wakanda and the Legacy Character of the Black Panther.
• My God, What Have I Done?: During their meeting in the spirit world, he despairs at how his raising of Erik and his death filled his son with murderous rage. Erik witnesses such, but chooses to press forward with his schemes anyway.
• Named by the Adaptation: Erik's father was a nameless Posthumous Character in the comics, but here, he actually gets a name and backstory.
• Not Helping Your Case: N'Jobu's noble goal of helping oppressed blacks across the globe wasn't going to see support from T'Chaka to start with, but going on about Wakanda ruling over those freed "the right way" did nothing but make it seem like a quest for power.
• Plot-Triggering Death: His death triggered Erik's Start of Darkness and subsequently the plot of Black Panther.
• Related in the Adaptation: Erik Kilmonger's father is not related to the Wakandan royal family in the comics.
• Small Role, Big Impact: Only has three scenes, but is a major driving force behind the plot of the MCU as a whole. His helping Klaue steal vibranium means Klaue had a cache of it for Ultron to then steal. Ultron procedes to use it in his plan to turn Sokovia into a meteorite impact to restart the world as well as creating the android Vision. The fallout of all this results in the Sokovia accords being implemented, which splits the Avengers, results in T'Chaka's death, and sets the stage for the plots of both Black Panther and Infinity War.
• Spirit Advisor: He meets his son Erik in the spiritual plane. One of the rare cases where we see a Spirit Advisor for the villain.
• A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Drawing his gun on Zuri in a fit of anger leads directly to his own death and indirectly to his son Erik becoming Wakanda's greatest enemy.
• Tragic Villain: He genuinely believed that a revolution using vibranium weapons was the best thing for his people. In the end, he was betrayed by the two people closest to him, which in turn pushed his son to a path of darkness.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Remember that cache of vibranium he helped Klaue steal? Ultron repurposed it for a doomsday weapon. The fallout led to the Sokovia Accords, and his brother was killed at the summit held to ratify the Accords.
• Warrior Prince: Implied. He's the brother of the King of Wakanda and is a spy, suggesting he possesses a decent combat skill.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: His intended methods were wrong, but his goal of ending the oppression of black Americans was a very noble one. Additionally, his appearance in the spirit world shows that he didn't want to take it to the extremes his son is trying to do.
• White Shirt of Death: When N'Jobu appears as a Spirit Advisor in the spiritual plane, he wears a white tunic.

N'Jadaka / Erik Stevens

See his page.

Toussaint / T'Challa II

Toussaint / Prince T'Challa II

Known Aliases: Toussaint

Species: Human

Citizenship: Haitian

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe)

Portrayed By: Divine Love Konadu-Sun

Appearances: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"Toussaint is my Haitian name. My name is Prince T'Challa, son of King T'Challa."

T'Challa and Nakia's son, born prior to Thanos's invasion of Earth. T'Challa and Nakia chose to hide his existence from most people for his own protection — and to avoid facing the pressures of a turbulent period in Wakanda's history — and raise him in Haiti.

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• Canon Foreigner: Black Panther doesn't have a son in the mainline comics, and the ones that appear in alternate timelines aren't named Toussaint or T'Challa.
• Cheerful Child: He's rather upbeat, despite the recent tragedies concerning his family and his nation of origin.
• Dead Guy Junior: Although he was named after his father prior to his death instead of afterward.
• Genocide Survivor: He survived the Snap, as he's a preschooler by the time we met him and would've still been a baby had he been claimed by it and later restored.
• Legacy Character: He carries on the "T'Challa" name after his father's passing.
• Named After Somebody Famous: Aside from sharing his father's name, "Toussaint" is an allusion to Toussaint Louverture, the leader of the Haitian Revolution. Shuri recognizes the significance of the name's history when she meets her nephew, but she doesn't point it out directly.
• Secret Other Family: T'Challa kept very quiet about his son's life, to the point where he and Nakia had a private funeral ceremony to mourn his passing instead of attending the ceremony in Wakanda (this also presumably explains Nakia's absence from Infinity War and Endgame, as she was likely taking care of him during both of Thanos's attacks). Though Ramonda met her grandson, Shuri doesn't learn of his existence until the end of Wakanda Forever.
• Walking Spoiler: To say that T'Challa had a son, and therefore an heir to the throne, is a massive plot twist for the end of Wakanda Forever.

Bashenga

Bashenga

Black Panther (Flashback only)| Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Mentioned only)

The first King of Wakanda and Black Panther.

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• Founder of the Kingdom: The first King and Black Panther, who created Wakanda by uniting several warring tribes.
• The Ghost: Mentioned but never seen. In the first movie, he's shown as a sand-table flashback. In the second movie, he is named but not shown.
• No Name Given: He's first mentioned in the intro to the first Black Panther movie but not named until the second.
• Our Founder: Mount Bashenga, Wakanda's primary source of vibranium, is named after him.
• Posthumous Character: He's a distant ancestor of the royal family and dead long before the events of the movies.

Dora Milaje

In General

Dora Milaje

Appearances: Captain America: Civil War | Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | What If...? | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be."

— Ayo

Wakanda's elite, all-female paramilitary group. Their primary responsibility is protecting the royal family. Their name literally means "Dear Ones".

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• The Ace: They are, quite possibly, the most skilled and most effective special forces team without superpowers in the world. They are capable of holding their own in alien invasions and against other superhuman threats. To show just how much better they are than any other troop in the world, they were able to easily beat John Walker and Lemar Hoskins, two of the best non-powered soldiers America has to offer, in a fight and would have slain out of them had Bucky and Sam not intervened. Sam even warned Walker that he had a better chance fighting with Bucky than with the Dora Milaje.
• Adapted Out: There is no mention of them being the Black Panther's ceremonial wives-in-training like in the comics.
• Amazon Brigade: An all-female warrior squad sworn to protect the royal family.
• Ancient Tradition: They've been bodyguards to the king of Wakanda since recorded history.
• Attack Pattern Alpha: When four of them fight Killmonger equipped with a Black Panther suit, the Dora Milaje use a specific tactic to immobilize him then bring him on his knees despite the latter's superhuman abilities.
• Badass Normal: No superpowers but they're more than capable of subduing superhuman opponents.
• Bald Head of Toughness: Their hair is closely shaved and this is apparently part of their uniform, similar to the US Military custom of a crew cut. They're some of the most effective warriors in the MCU.
• Bling of War: The standard garb of a Dora Milaje warrior is quite flashy, to show just how elite and dangerous they are, and General Okoye's metal accoutrements are gold plated as opposed to her sisters' more reserved silver.
• Bodyguard Babes: They protect Prince T'Challa. In Civil War, one of them even stands off against Black Widow.
• Bodyguarding a Badass: They protect the Black Panther, a superhuman who wears a vibranium suit sporting razor-sharp claws. Time and time again, they show that he needs their skills out in the field.
• Conservation of Ninjutsu: Corvus is able to defeat several of them easily, but is easily killed by Okoye in a one-on-one battle.
• Crazy-Prepared: As it turns out, they have specific tactics just in case a Black Panther goes rogue, and would have subdued Killmonger if not for the suit's Attack Reflector abilities that were only introduced days before. They might serve the throne but they're clearly prepared, just in case.
• Expy: They are based on the Dahomey women warriors.
• Gold-Colored Superiority: While most of the Dora wear silver embellishments on their uniforms their leader wears gold to signify her status and expertise.
• Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: The traditional Dora Milaje uniform is a stylish red dress with lots of shiny silver (gold for their leader) accoutrements, though still cut in a way that doesn't hinder movement.
• Loyal to the Position: They are sworn to serve the king of Wakanda, whoever that may be. As a result, they agree to follow Killmonger after he seems to have killed T'Challa in ritual combat. However, when T'Challa is revealed to still be alive, thereby leaving the challenge for the throne unresolved, Killmonger's refusal to finish the fight honorably causes them to reassert their loyalty to T'Challa.
• My Country, Right or Wrong: They serve the throne, no matter who sits on it. However, the moment it becomes clear that the person they follow never actually had the right, they switch sides to the rightful king.
• Praetorian Guard: They're an elite group of fighters who defend the throne and the royal family.
• Promoted to Love Interest: Inverted. Their comic counterparts are potential consorts to T'Challa in addition to being the Praetorian Guard, but this aspect is removed from the MCU incarnation.
• Red Is Heroic: They predominantly dress in red, and act as loyal bodyguards to the noble T'Challa. Subverted when Killmonger becomes king, as the law of the land forces them to serve him, then double subverted, as they are reluctant to obey his commands and readily side with T'Challa upon the legitimate king's return.
• Scary Black Woman: When it comes to defending the Royal Family, they are willing to intimidate their opposers and show what they are made of, as exemplified by Klaue's Oh, Crap! towards Okoye's attack in the Busan car chase and her smirk after showing off her skills in Black Panther and Ayo initially confronting Natasha to move or else be moved in Civil War.
• Undying Loyalty: They would defend Wakanda and its royal family with their life — or more accurately the current king. When Erik "wins" the challenge to the throne, Ramonda and Shuri have to go into hiding. That said they only follow Erik out of their sworn duty to the throne and when T'Challa returns, they show visible relief and joy and don't hesitate to turn on Erik when he refuses the challenge.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The Dora Milaje giving John Walker a Curb-Stomp Battle in the fourth episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is one of the motivations to push him into taking a Super Soldier Serum.
• Weapon Twirling: Their signature fighting style involves frequent twirling of their spears to build up velocity and to keep opponents at bay.

Okoye

General Okoye

"Guns. So primitive."

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Portrayed By: Danai Gurira

Affiliation(s): Dora Milaje (formerly), Midnight Angels, Border Tribe (By marriage)

Voiced By: Simone Brook (Latin-American Spanish dub), Yolanda Pérez Segoviano (European Spanish dub), Mitsuki Saiga (Japanese dub), Géraldine Asselin (French dub), Julie Beauchemin (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

W'Kabi: Would you kill me, my love?
Okoye: For Wakanda... without question!

The head of the Dora Milaje and T'Challa's most trusted general — and with her skill in combat and unwavering dedication to her country, it's easy to see why.

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• 100% Heroism Rating: As shown in Wakanda Forever, being the greatest warrior in Wakanda who has repeatedly proven her loyalty to her nation means that she is universally respected by all of Wakanda, and even being stripped of her title as General of the Dora Milaje doesn't actually affect that: None of the Wakandan Tribal Council are shown to personally approve of Ramonda's decision to remove her from her position, with M'Kathu even defending her from the queen and M'Baku giving her a look of remorse for being unable to do anything. When she tries to get out of Wakanda and find Shuri, Ayo and the Dora Milaje show an uncharacteristic amount of restraint by refusing to engage her and opting to reason with her, and as Ayo indicates, she is still seen by the Dora as the warrior who trained all of them. In fact, M'Kathu even suggests that Okoye becomes Queen of Wakanda, with the indication she is more than capable of taking over Shuri if she had to.
• Action Girl: Okoye is the leader of the Dora Milaje and is one of Wakanda's fiercest warriors.
• Adaptational Job Change: Downplayed. Or rather Adaptation Job Promotion, going from only a noteworthy Dora Milaje in the comics to being The Leader of said order in the MCU.
• Advertised Extra: Okoye makes the poster for Avengers: Endgame even though her role is actually rather minor as she is maintaining order in Wakanda in T'Challa's absence. She does join the cavalry in the final battle against Thanos.
• Age Lift: Older than her comic counterpart, who, like Nakia, was a teen.
• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Okoye was fully willing to get down on her knees and beg Ramonda to reconsider her decision of removing her from the Dora Milaje. It doesn’t work.
• Amazon Brigade: In addition to leading the Dora Milaje, she's also at the frontlines of nearly all of the MCU's heroines that congregate to protect the Gauntlet.
• Appeal to Tradition: The Dora Milaje spears, because it was a spear that their foremothers gave to them. The Spear is elegant, precise and deadly, and so the Dora Milaje use spears. They will not change to energy knives while she is in charge. Nor will they use the "ugly" Midnight Angel armor in place of traditional armor (though she does concede on this second point against superhumans).
• Badass Normal: Okoye has no superhuman abilities, her only advantages being Wakandan tech and armor, but she more than acquits herself during the events of Black Panther. Come Infinity War, she's fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with T'Challa and the Avengers, and in Endgame, she leads the Amazon Brigade that forms around Captain Marvel to protect the Infinity Gauntlet.
• Bash Siblings: She, T'Challa, Nakia, and Shuri work together in stopping Klaue and Killmonger from creating chaos around the world. Okoye also becomes this with the Avengers when they fight alongside one another against Thanos and his army during Infinity War and Endgame.
• Beta Couple: In a loving, affectionate relationship with W'Kabi, in contrast to the obvious but complicated tensions between T'Challa and Nakia. Yet when she and W'Kabi face off in the final battle, Okoye ultimately puts her duty to T'Challa and Wakanda above her love for him, especially considering the side he was taking, and while she is obviously hurting, makes it clear even if she will definitely feel bad about it, she will kill him if he continues, which finally leads him to surrender as he can't bring himself to kill her. It's implied by Ramonda's bitter remark when she is stripping her of her rank that she still has the affection to see him time-to-time in his exile, although it's unclear if their relationship has been mended entirely.
• Bling of War: Fitting her rank of General, Okoye's armor has gold accents, as opposed to her subordinates' silver.
• Bodyguarding a Badass: She is the bodyguard of the king of Wakanda, who happens to be super-human, anyways. Although a Black Panther certainly needs little protection, T'Challa is inexperienced enough to warrant Okoye sticking by his side despite his own protests.
• Butt-Monkey: In Wakanda Forever, she becomes this with Riri Williams poking fun at her head make-up and Ramonda resenting her actions during Killmonger's rule, resulting in her discharge from the Dora Milaje. She also ends up in a Midnight Angel suit that she previously spent most of the film mocking.
• Career Versus Man: Falls firmly in the side of "Career", as seen with her confrontation with W'Kabi in the final battle:
  Okoye: Drop your weapon!
  W'Kabi: Would you kill me, my love?
  Okoye: For Wakanda? Without question.
• Combat Pragmatist: She's frequently seen going straight for male opponents' groins and is as quick to use whatever's at hand as she is her spear. She even weaponizes a wig at one point.
• Composite Character: She's combined with Chandra, W'Kabi's estranged wife from the comics.
  • In Wakanda Forever she, rather than Ayo, becomes Midnight Angel.
• Cool Big Sis: Has this vibe with T'Challa, despite not being related to him and him being her king. She gives him valuable counsel while joining his actual sister in teasing him. This is in contrast with Nakia, who is deferential in front of the royal family.
• Deadpan Snarker:
  • Right from her first scene, where she teasingly reminds her own king not to freeze up in front of his ex — to no avail, as it turns out.
  • After speaking Xhosa to T'Challa and generally ignoring Ross, Okoye has a quip ready when Ross addresses T'Challa instead of her.
    Ross: Does she speak English?
    Okoye: When she wants to.
  • Once Wanda joins the battlefield in Infinity War and curb stomps Proxima Midnight and the Outriders, she asks why the witch girl was up in the medical building this whole time.
• Designated Girl Fight: She and Black Widow team up to take on Proxima Midnight (the only woman shown in Thanos's forces) in Infinity War.
• Doesn't Like Guns: Looks down on them as "primitive". Yes, she uses a spear, but it's vibranium, and has some uses beyond mundane spears.
• Empowered Badass Normal: She is one of the best and most skilled fighters of Wakanda, probably second only to the Black Panther and despite eventually losing is able to hold her own against the superpowered Talokani in their first fight. Nonetheless, in the finale of Wakanda Forever, she dons one of Shuri's Midnight Angel armors to battle the Talokani.
• Fake-Hair Drama: Okoye wears a wig of dubious quality while infiltrating the Korean casino. She complains about it and turns it into an Improvised Weapon almost immediately after combat begins.
• Foil:
  • Nakia and Okoye tag along with T'Challa, counseling him on the best course of action in their own way but are pretty much two opposite sides of an argument. While Okoye is the bodyguard of the royal family, is very traditionalist and wary of every foreigner, arguing that the ruler of Wakanda must look for his people first and foremost, Nakia is a foreign agent who wants to change Wakanda's isolationist policies and open it to the world to help people around the world. It also shows when Killmonger apparently defeats T'Challa and is crowned king, Okoye reluctantly adopts a My Country, Right or Wrong state of mind and reluctantly bodyguards the king, while Nakia immediately takes action to break the law and help dethrone Killmonger.
  • Their differences is also shown in their fighting styles. Okoye, the traditionalist, only uses her vibranium spear in battle and no other weapons, as opposed to Nakia, who, trained as a spy, will use whatever she can get her hands on to win a fight.
  • On a personal level though, she is a lot more casual and personable in front of the royal family, as if she were an honorary sister, unlike Nakia, who is deferential.
    • By the time of Wakanda Forever, she has lost this standing, being antagonistic to Shuri's scientific developments, and then being fired from the Dora for losing Shuri to the Talokani. Though she remains loyal to Wakanda, and on good terms with Nakia.
• Four-Star Badass: She is the general of the Dora Milaje and an efficient fighter.
• Frontline General: Not only does she lead the Dora Milaje in combat, but she has more fight scenes without them in her corner. During Infinity War, she's on the front lines of the battle for Wakanda, leading the charge alongside T'Challa and the Avengers.
• Happily Married: According to Ryan Coogler, W'Kabi and Okoye were a married couple and appeared to be happy together up until the civil war between T'Challa and Killmonger tore them apart.
• Hiding Behind the Language Barrier: Okoye and T'Challa converse in Xhosa about whether it is a good idea to have Everett Ross interrogating Ulysses Klaue. She also threatens to impale Ross on a desk if he touches T'Challa in the shoulder again.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Okoye can be stern and come across as unfriendly, but she has a strong moral center and isn't above warmth and good humor. After she, Nakia, and T'Challa rescue a group of trafficked women, Okoye sternly demands that they "speak nothing of this day", but sends them off with a warm smile.
• Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: During the trip to Busan, Okoye wears a long red dress and proceeds to a) beat up a bunch of henchmen in a casino, b) ride on top of a speeding car and throw a vibranium spear hard enough to stop another car dead in its tracks.
• Lady of War: The staunch, dignified general of the Dora Milaje, wielding a vibranium spear with great skill and grace. She's stated several times to be Wakanda's greatest warrior.
• The Lancer: For T'Challa, as she is his most trusted ally.
• Licked by the Dog: Unfriendly as she looks and acts, she's very gentle with Wakanda's war rhinos which she cares for alongside W'Kabi. They in turn, like her very much, which comes in handy when W'Kabi betrays her and T'Challa during the third act.
• Love Cannot Overcome: While her duty as General reluctantly forces her to serve Killmonger, W'Kabi agrees with him and willingly aids him in his plans. After T'Challa returns, when Killmonger refuses to follow Wakandan law in continuing the ritual combat, and Okoye points out it means his rule is illegitimate, W'Kabi then chooses leading the Border Tribe in a civil war against anyone not on Killmonger's side. By the time W'Kabi and Okoye find each other again, Okoye refuses to be on Killmonger's side and while she is obviously hurt and reluctant to kill her husband, henceforth telling him to drop his weapon and surrender rather than killing him outright, she makes it clear if he continues to do this, she will kill him to protect her country.
• Lovely Angels: During the Battle of Wakanda, she forms an odd action duo and camaraderie with Black Widow, of all people. The two are always seen fighting together, whether back-to-back against the Outrider armies, double-teaming Proxima Midnight to save Scarlet Witch, or taking on Thanos himself side-by-side.
• Meaningful Name: Her name is Nigerian for "protector". She is the General for the Dora Milaje, whose main duty is to protect the royal family and Wakanda as a whole.
• A Mother to Her Men: She doesn't often show it, but it's clear that Okoye cares deeply for her fellow Dora Milaje. When one of them is grabbed and held hostage by Killmonger, Okoye hesitates and shows visible fear and concern for her and when the bastard slits her throat anyway, Okoye emits a primal scream of grief and fury before proceeding to thrash him in tune with two other Doras.
• My Country, Right or Wrong: Subverted. As head of Wakanda's armed forces, Okoye is bound by honor to serve the king of Wakanda regardless of how she personally feels about him. After Killmonger seemingly kills T'Challa in ritual combat, she clearly is not pleased with her new king or his plans to sow worldwide conflict by supplying vibranium weapons to rebel groups but continues to serve him. When T'Challa later returns alive and well and Killmonger refuses to continue the duel in accordance with Wakandan law, it grants Okoye the loophole she needs to turn on him and she does so without hesitation. However, this later becomes Deconstructed in Wakanda Forever. As it turns out, Queen Ramonda has resented Okoye for initially choosing to follow the law and serve Killmonger and his openly genocidal goals instead of choosing to do the right thing from the get go. As a result, Ramonda has no qualms about dismissing her from her position after a mission gone bad results in Shuri going missing.
• My Greatest Failure: Blames herself for not being able to protect T'Chaka from Zemo. Her returning to Wakanda empty-handed and having to look Ramonda in the eye after Shuri and Riri end up in Namor's custody on her watch runs a very close second, this being the one that costs her her position as a Dora Milaje.
• Nerves of Steel: When she puts herself between M'Baku and W'Kabi's war rhino, she doesn't even so much as flinch as the multi-ton war beast bears down on her. In fact, the only reaction she makes at all is a small smile when it licks her after stopping inches from trampling her.
• New Job as the Plot Demands: After Ramonda strips Okoye of her command and membership in the Dora Milaje, Shuri offers her the role of being a Midnight Angel. She hates the armor though, but is given a new spear.
• No Badass to His Valet: Okoye has all the respect in the world for her king, but she also has no problem teasing or snarking at him.
  Okoye: When you said we were going to open Wakanda to the rest of the world, this is not what I imagined.
  T'Challa: What did you imagine?
  Okoye: The Olympics. Maybe even a Starbucks.
• Not So Above It All: Despite her serious demeanor, she does have her light-hearted moments like when she gleefully tells Shuri her brother froze like an antelope when he saw Nakia.
• Not So Stoic:
  • When T'Challa returns to retake the throne of Wakanda from Killmonger, there is a genuine smile of joy on Okoye's face.
    Okoye: He lives!
  • When she and her husband confront one another, she is visibly saddened that they are on opposing sides. Her choking up even if only slightly as she says she will kill him for Wakanda makes it clear even if she can bring herself to kill him, it would hurt her a lot.
  • Her eyes widen in shock and she begins hyperventilating profusely after T'Challa dissolves into ash before her eyes.
  • She also appears rather disturbed when she realizes the Outriders are willing to mutilate and kill themselves to break through the dome.
  • When Ramonda declares that she will strip Okoye of her command and membership as General of the Dora Milaje after losing Shuri during a mission, she is reduced to tears, begging for Ramonda to reconsider her decision.
• Pet the Dog: Because he had helped T'Challa defeat Killmonger, and since no longer being part of the Dora Milaje makes her a free agent, Okoye rescues Everett Ross from being sent to prison on acts of treason.
• Platonic Life-Partners: With T'Challa. Bonus content on the video release reveals that they were practically raised together, and she's not unlike a big sister to him.
• Powered Armor: The Midnight Angel-suit she is wearing during the final battle of Wakanda Forever.
• Primary-Color Champion: Her Dora Milaje armor is red and yellow/gold instead of red and silver.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
  • Okoye gives a short but effective one to Killmonger when she and the Dora Milaje revolt against him and his plans when T'Challa returns.
  Okoye: [disgusted] Your heart is so full of hatred, you're not fit to be a king!
  • She is on the receiving end of this from Ramonda - who blames her for allowing Shuri to go out into the field and be kidnapped by the Talocan and implied to be killed.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: She is a general and after initially forced to serve Killmonger following T'Challa's alleged defeat until the latter is revealed to be still alive. When Nakia urges her to help her stage a coup, Okoye says she can't but lets Nakia go, implicitly telling her to find another way without arresting her while another general may have been more lawful. She finally turns on Killmonger in T'Challa's name.
• Seen It All: Claims this after seeing Ross chained up in a paddy wagon.
  Okoye: A colonizer in chains! Now I've seen everything.
• Shipper on Deck: Along with Shuri, Okoye heartily teases T'Challa for freezing up upon seeing Nakia again.
• To Be Lawful or Good: After Killmonger takes the throne, she chooses to be lawful, as she serves the throne and not the people around it. She is clearly distraught about T'Challa's death, though, and when he shows up alive — meaning that his and Erik's ritual combat technically never ended, as it's supposed to go until one participant dies or submits — she takes Erik's refusal to fight him as reason to turn on him and help T'Challa.
• Trauma Conga Line:
  • In Black Panther, she not only is still dealing with the grief of T'Chaka having died, but then witnesses T'Challa's apparent murder at Killmonger's hands, her husband gleefully joining Killmonger's crusade, and feels trapped following Killmonger.
  • It gets even worse in Wakanda Forever. Not only is her surrogate brother T'Challa truly dead this time, but Shuri is kidnapped by Talokan on her watch, causing Ramonda, who she looks up to as a mentor and surrogate mother, to viciously dress her down in front of the council and fire her from the Dora on the spot. Then Ramonda dies before Okoye can try to reconcile with her.
• Two First Names: Of a kind. "Okoye" is primarily a surname in the Igbo language, rather than a first name.

Ayo

General Ayo

"Move, or you will be moved."

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Dora Milaje

Portrayed By: Florence Kasumba

Voiced By: Magdalena Tenorio (Latin-American Spanish dub), Ana Jiménez (European Spanish dub), Yukari Oribe (Japanese dub)

Appearances: Captain America: Civil War | Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

One of the Dora Milaje. She is General Okoye's second-in-command who bodyguards T'Challa during his travels abroad. Ayo later began leading independent missions outside Wakanda such as to apprehend Zemo during the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. She is promoted to General of the Dora Milaje after Ramonda fires Okoye.

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• Action Girl: Ayo proves herself to be just as formidable as Okoye by kicking the asses of both John Walker and Lemar Hoskins with little effort.
• Adaptational Heroism: In the comics Ayo is a former member of the Dora Milaje and leads a rebellion against the Wakandan monarchy while here she's still loyal to the throne.
• Adaptational Job Change: A variant. Her comic counterpart is an ex member of the Dora Milaje. Here, she's still serving them.
• Ascended Extra: Very technically qualified. She is only in one scene in Civil War and has a single line, but gets a slightly bigger part in Black Panther which include 3 scenes and 2 lines. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finally gives Ayo some focus, as she's the one leading the mission to recapture Helmut Zemo on behalf of Wakanda.
• Badass Boast:
  • Her threat against Natasha, "Move, or you will be moved."
  • Her retort to John Walker questioning the Dora Milaje's jurisdiction in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, "The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be."
• Battle Couple: Interesting variation with her lover, Aneka. Ayo and Aneka are both Dora Milaje, but they're not really seen fighting side by side.
• Canon Character All Along: She's not identified by name in Civil War, leading many to assume she was a Canon Foreigner. Black Panther confirms she's actually Ayo, a prominent character in Ta-Nehisi Coates' run on the Black Panther comic book.
• The Cavalry: At Okoye's command, Ayo leads the Dora Milaje into battle to support T'Challa against the Border Tribesmen. She later leads a small team to attempt to recapture Zemo in Latvia in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, only to end up losing him during a scuffle with John Walker.
• Colonel Badass: Given the implications of being General Okoye's adjutant, there is a likelihood of Ayo retaining the rank of Colonel in Okoye's army and is the second efficient fighter in the Dora Milaje just under Okoye herself.
• Combat Pragmatist: After Bucky easily handles any moves she throws at him with her spear, making it clear she can't beat him in a fair fight, Ayo takes advantage of how he was focused entirely on her spear to use her bare hands to deactivate his arm. As he wasn't expecting such a bold move, it ends up being successful.
• Decomposite Character: It is Okoye and Aneka who become the Midnight Angels, rather than her and Aneka.
• Fire-Forged Friends:
  • She initially stood up to Natasha in T'Challa's defense in Civil War, but by Infinity War, they end up both fighting Thanos's forces together.
  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier shows that she became good friends with Bucky Barnes after helping remove the Winter Soldier programming within him during his stay in Wakanda, much to his joy in gratitude. It makes her frosty demeanor towards him Latvia all the more heartbreaking, as it's clear that Ayo is personally hurt by the fact that Bucky helped an enemy of Wakanda escape prison. However, the bridge seems to have been mended between the two of them when Bucky helps the Doras apprehend Zemo properly.
• Friendly Rivalry: Given then indication that despite facing off towards Black Widow in Civil War that she is okay with working with her in Infinity War, it is very likely to be this between them.
• Hidden Depths: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier reveals she was the one testing Bucky's 'deprogramming' from being the Winter Soldier, and was the one to break it to him that he is now psychologically 'free'.
• Inspector Javert: Takes this role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on behalf of Wakanda: after all, their once-'honored guest', Bucky, broke out Zemo—the man who murdered King T'Chaka.
• The Lancer: It's implied she is General Okoye's second-in-command, given she is the Dora Milaje member whom the latter interacted the most and has the highest responsibility as the head of security to bodyguard T'Challa during his travels abroad. Given her superior Okoye is a general, there is a possibility Ayo is a colonel in the Dora Milaje. Ironically, her armed forces commander Okoye is this for T'Challa himself, making Ayo The Lancer for The Lancer. Infinity War director Joe Russo had confirmed that Ayo is definitely this for Okoye.
• No Name Given: Was only credited as "Security Chief" in Civil War.
• Oh, My Gods!: Invoked: after disabling Bucky in a fight while they were trying to apprehend Zemo and they were disrespected by John Walker, she gives him this:
  Ayo: Bast damn you, James.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: She is the second-in-command of the Dora Milaje and a part-time traveling security chief for the Royal Family and in spite of her tense moment with Black Widow in Civil War, she is okay with working with her to fight Thanos's forces in Earth's defense in Infinity War. Then in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, after learning about Zemo's escape from prison and her friend Bucky's willing participation, instead of arresting Bucky on the spot for his role upon reuniting with him, she gives him eight hours to bring in Zemo as a chance to atone for breaking the latter out. After Zemo escapes from their sights while they were distracted by Walker's, Hoskins', Sam's and Bucky's intervention in the hotel room, rather than placing their obstacles in the way all under arrest for their technical obstruction of justice and Sam's and Bucky's crime of aiding and abetting a known felon who killed their king along with springing him in the first place which Ayo vocally shames Bucky for after removing his metal arm, she and her tribeswomen lets them go as they resume their personal manhunt. Then after apprehending Zemo with Bucky's help, Ayo still doesn't place Bucky under arrest, but while forgiving him for his involvement she tells him to avoid coming back to Wakanda to avoid being treated like a pariah for helping Zemo by her countrymen to relieve him of his guilt and stress and promises to do Bucky a favor for his atonement, which she does by sending a new suit to Sam under Bucky's request.
• The Rival: She seems to be one for Black Widow given their brief stand-off in Civil War of who is the better seasoned Amazon Brigade, the Cold War/World War II-dated Black Widow namesake of Legacy Characters or the centuries-long Dora Milaje. However, by the time they meet again in Infinity War, it seems to be downplayed as they do not show any hostility towards each other at all and are both seemed to be okay with working together as a team against Thanos's forces, indicating it's simply a Friendly Rivalry, though this could be due to her superior Okoye teaming up with Black Widow to fight side by side on the front lines meaning if Okoye is cool with working Black Widow, so is Ayo.
• To Be Lawful or Good: Is the only member of the Dora Milaje to question whether they should intervene when it becomes clear T'Challa is no match for Killmonger in single combat. She nonetheless takes no action until Okoye turns on him in the climactic battle.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Upon reuniting with Bucky Barnes in Latvia, Ayo makes her disapproval of Bucky's indirect role in helping Zemo escape prison, and warns him that they will be coming for him as soon as he and Sam are finished with him.
• You Are in Command Now: Shown leading the Dora Milaje as their general after Ramonda strips Okoye of that rank and role. It's not directly mentioned, but Ayo is shown wearing the general's colors after Okoye's discharge.

Aneka

Aneka

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Portrayed By: Michaela Coel

Affiliation(s): Dora Milaje (formerly), Midnight Angels

Appearances: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

A one-time combat instructor of the Dora Milaje, Aneka was released by Okoye, but later re-recruited by the same to fight alongside her in the midnight angel suit.

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• Action Girl: As a member of the Dora Milaje and as a Midnight Angel.
• Battle Couple: A downplayed one with Ayo. While they don't specifically fight together, they're both Dora Milaje until Aneka leaves to become a Midnight Angel with Okoye. Their final scene in Wakanda Forever confirms that they're a couple.
• Empowered Badass Normal: She's a member of the Badass Normal-group Dora Milaje, but is ultimately chosen by Okoye to wear the second Midnight Angel-suit along her in the finale battle against the Talocan.
• In the Hood: She wears a hooded cloak during the raid by the French military on the Wakandan outpost to hide in plain sight and bait the troops into the Dora Milaje's trap.
• Military Maverick: Tends to do things her own way. The best example is using the daggers made for her by Shuri instead of the traditional Dora Milaje spear.
• Powered Armor: She alongside Okoye wears one of the Midnight Angel-suits created by Shuri in the finale battle of Wakanda Forever.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: She uses the vibranium light daggers Shuri gave her in combat despite Okoye's strict adherence to tradition that the Dora Milaje use the spear. Okoye gives her a mouthful for it.
• Remember the New Guy?: She's introduced as a Dora Milaje in Wakanda Forever, never been seen as part of the group before this movie. However, she is handled as a part of the group by all the others who already know her although it is ambiguous if she joined the Dora Milaje just after Endgame. Also, she is implied to be in an already existing relationship with Ayo, a before established character.
• Weapon-Based Characterization: Aneka is described as a rebellious spirit who tends to buck tradition and uses a pair of daggers as opposed to the standard spear the other Dora use.

Wakandan Royal Court

Zuri

Zuri

"Some truths... are too much to bear, T'Challa."

Known Aliases: "James"

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan, American (temporarily)

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Golden Tribe), War Dogs (Formerly)

Portrayed By: Forest Whitaker, Denzel Whitaker (young)

Voiced By: Daniel del Roble (Latin-American Spanish dub), Rafael Calvo (European Spanish dub), Tesshō Genda (Japanese dub, old), Kōsuke Gotō (Japanese dub, young), Thierry Desroses (French dub), Normand D'Amour (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther

A shaman and advisor to the King of Wakanda. Formerly a member of the War Dogs.

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• Adaptational Job Change: Went from being a veteran Wakandian soldier in the comics to a High Priest who is a retired War Dog here.
• Adaptational Wimp: In the comics, Zuri is a muscular Boisterous Bruiser who has decades of combat experience. The movie instead presents him as a wiser character who is more focused on the spiritual side of things than he is on combat. Somewhat mitigated by his past as a War Dog spying on the king's brother in America during The '90s.
• Celebrity Paradox: In The Winter Soldier and Civil War, it's revealed that the Star Wars movies exist in the MCU. Whitaker played Saw Gerrera in Rogue One.
• Chekhov's Gunman: It's revealed midway through Black Panther that he's T'Chaka's mole in N'Jobu's ranks seen in the film's prologue.
• Composite Character: His role as the shaman and herbalist who oversees the Heart Shaped Herb ritual is taken from N'Baza and Medinao, two characters who fulfilled the same function in the comics.
• Expy: He's described by the director as the film's version of Obi-Wan Kenobi, of whom Saw Gerrera, who Whitaker played in Rogue One, was very much a Deconstruction. Both are elder mentors to the protagonist who deal in the mystic side of their powers, both have an unexpected connection to the creation of their respective antagonist, and both die at said antagonist's hands.
• Fake American: In-Universe. He posed as an American while spying on Prince N'Jobu during The '90s.
• Honorary Uncle:
  • He was a good friend of T'Challa's father, acting as a good-natured, paternal figure to the young king. Zuri's death at Killmonger's hands leaves T'Challa as distraught as he was when T'Chaka was killed by Zemo.
  • He seems to have played a similar role during Erik's childhood, as the latter refers him as Uncle James when they meet again decades later.
• Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: He is stabbed by Killmonger during the latter's challenge against T'Challa.
• Master Actor: As a War Dog, he impressively kept up his adopted façade as an American criminal, even feigning ignorance at why everyone is bowing upon King T'Chaka's presence. It was even good enough to completely fool another War Dog, Prince N'Jobu.
• Mentor Occupational Hazard: Just like Obi-Wan, he not only serves as the spiritual teacher to T'Challa, but he also dies at the hands of a villain he inadvertently helped create.
• The Mole: In 1992, he was placed by the king to watch over N'Jobu, pretending to be an American named James, even hiding his African accent.
• My Greatest Failure: Holds quite a lot of guilt over the death of N'Jobu, especially because this led to the abandonment of N'Jobu's son.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: He shows a lot of guilt over abandoning Erik and keeping it secret. But since it was T'Chaka's orders, he does it without hesitation.
  Zuri: We had to... maintain the lie.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: He pretended to be a dim American criminal named James while being nothing of the sort.
• Odd Name Out: Uniquely among named Wakandan men, his name doesn't use an apostrophe.
• Retired Badass: Was a War Dog in his younger days, one of Wakanda's spies sent abroad, and specifically tasked with keeping watch over N'Jobu in the prologue and maintained his cover perfectly.
• Secret-Keeper: He has been hiding the truth about T'Challa's uncle until the latter demands it.
• Take Me Instead: He offers his life to Killmonger in exchange for T'Challa's, since Zuri was the one who turned in Erik's father for betraying the crown; thus, his death was Zuri's fault. It doesn't work — Killmonger simply attempts to do away with them both.

Wakandan Tribes

River Tribe

In General

River Tribe

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

One of the tribes of Wakanda, responsible for agriculture and fishing.

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• Animal Motif: They use crocodilian designs in their clothes.
• Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Their predominant color theme are green.

Nakia

Nakia

"You can't let your father's mistakes define who are. You get to decide what kind of king you are going to be."

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (River Tribe), War Dogs (formerly)

Portrayed By: Lupita Nyong'o

Voiced By: Verónica López Treviño (Latin-American Spanish dub), Silva Sarmentera (European Spanish dub), Junko Minagawa (Japanese dub), Fily Keita (French dub), Catherine Hamman (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

T'Challa: If you weren't so stubborn, you would make a great queen.
Nakia: I would make a great queen because I am so stubborn.

An undercover Wakandan spy and T'Challa's lover. Heiress of the River Tribe.

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• Action Girl: As a spy and the heiress of the River Tribe, she qualifies as this.
• Action Mom: The mid-credits scene of Wakanda Forever reveals she and T'Challa had a son, making her this for the duration of the movie.
• Adaptation Dye-Job: Has black hair in the comics, but has dyed red hair here.
• Adaptational Heroism: Nakia in the comics actually turned into a supervillain called Malice after her affection for T'Challa was rejected. She is much more heroic and nicer here.
• Adaptational Job Change: Her comic counterpart is a member of the Dora Milaje. She's a War Dog here instead, though a nod was made to the source material when she wears the Dora Milaje armor during the Final Battle against Killmonger.
• Age Lift: She's a grown woman in the MCU but was a teenager in the comics, with Everett Ross even calling her "Jailbait" a few times.
• All-Loving Hero: Nakia always focuses on saving those around her, whether they be from Wakanda or not.
• Amicable Exes: She and T'Challa used to date, yet they are still friendly with each other and work well together to stop Klaue and Killmonger's schemes in Black Panther. It is made clear that T'Challa still has feelings for her and they get back together in the end.
• Armor Is Useless: Her vibranium suit is unable to protect her against Killmonger's nanite-vibranium claws, resulting in a leg injury that hampers her performance for the rest of the last battle.
• Battle Couple: She and T'Challa kick a lot of bad guy asses together in Black Panther.
• Big Sister Instinct: Nakia goes to great lengths to find and rescue Shuri from Namor in Wakanda Forever.
• The Bus Came Back: She returns in Wakanda Forever and her absence is explained by her moving to Haiti to raise her and T'Challa's son in private.
• Career Versus Man: It is implied that at least one reason she and T'Challa broke up is that she was too busy doing missions outside of Wakanda to stay in the country as queen. T'Challa revealing Wakanda's true nature and putting her in charge of part of his outreach program means she can have both.
• Celebrity Paradox: In Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, it's established that the Star Wars movies exist. Nyong'o played Maz Kanata in the Sequel Trilogy.
• Childhood Friend Romance: She and T'Challa have known each other since they were both children and entered a romance later on. They did break up but still had strong feelings for each other and eventually rekindled their relationship.
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Implied to have this while undercover abroad, such as getting into a past "disagreement" with ivory traders at the illegal Korean casino.
• Combat Pragmatist: Director Ryan Coogler explicitly pointed this out in a featurette about the casino fight sequence: Okoye is a staunch traditionalist, so she fights with a Wakandan spear (made from incredibly strong and sharp wonder-metal Vibranium) and looks down on using guns. In contrast, Nakia is a spy who was sent out into the world to keep tabs on things, and left to fend for herself in deep cover; she, therefore, had to learn to adapt to her situation, improvising weapons from anything in her surroundings. Case in point, during the casino fight, she takes off one of her high heels to stab one of Klaue's guards in the throat. Then, while he's stunned by this, she rips the pistol out of his hands and starts firing at other guards.
• Combat Stilettos: She removes her high heels during the casino fight to smack an attacker in the face.
• Composite Character: Her background as T'Challa's ex-lover who acts as a Wakandan operative in foreign countries comes from Malaika, an obscure character from Peter B. Gillis' 1988 Black Panther mini-series.
• Cool Big Sis: To Shuri. Nakia serves as a kind and reassuring older sister figure to the young princess. Wakanda Forever gives her another very good reason to do so: Shuri is the aunt to her son Toussaint.
• Cunning Linguist: Nakia is fluent in several languages, including Korean, which she uses to facilitate her entry into an illegal casino in Busan. She's also fluent in French, Spanish, and Mayan, which help her run a school in Haiti and discover the hidden entrance to Talocan in Mexico.
• Damsel in Distress: Subverted. Nakia is introduced sitting inside a truck full of kidnapped women, but when Black Panther intervenes to "save" her, Nakia just grabs a gun, kills several slavers, and chews out T'Challa for ruining her infiltration (as she hadn't learned yet that her king was dead).
• Dreadlock Warrior: By Wakanda Forever, she's grown out her hair into chest-length dreadlocks.
• Establishing Character Moment: She aids T'Challa in rescuing several captive women from brutal guerrillas only to stop him from killing one of their younger members because he was also kidnapped by them and forced into their service. She even asks the rescues to help escort the boy back to his village on their way back to theirs.
• Everyone Has Standards: She's something of a radical, but finds the idea of wearing Dora Milaje armor for the final battle (there weren't any other sets) disrespectful since she's not even from their tribe, let alone sect.
• Fiery Redhead: Nakia has red hair and can be feisty when she needs to be.
• Foil: Nakia and Okoye are two Action Girls who tag along with T'Challa, counseling him on the best course of action in their own way but are pretty much two opposite sides of an argument. While Okoye is the bodyguard of the royal family, is very traditionalist and wary of every foreigner, arguing that the ruler of Wakanda must look for his people first and foremost, Nakia is a foreign agent who wants to change Wakanda's isolationist policies and open it to the world to help oppressed black people. It also shows when Killmonger apparently defeats T'Challa and is crowned king; Okoye reluctantly adopts a My Country, Right or Wrong state of mind and bodyguards the king until T'Challa is confirmed to have survived, while Nakia immediately takes action to break the law and help dethrone Killmonger.
  • Their differences are also shown in their fighting styles. Nakia uses modern fighting techniques like wristlocks and will use any weapon she can reach, from her own heels to guns, and even uses an unorthodox weapon like the ring blades. Okoye, the traditionalist, only uses her vibranium spear in battle and no other weapons.
  • Nakia will gladly speak any foreign language if it gets her closer to her mission, while Okoye expresses distaste for using English in front of a 'colonizer' like Everett Ross.
• Green and Mean: Inverted. Nakia's outfits usually consist of green coloring, but she is one of the most noble and selfless individuals in the MCU.
• Honor Before Reason: Subverted; Nakia initially refuses to wear Dora Milaje armor because she isn't one of their ranks, but Shuri points out that it's still armor, and Nakia concedes the point.
• Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: During the trip to Busan, Nakia wears a long green dress and proceeds to beat up a bunch of henchmen in a casino.
• Meaningful Name: "Nakia" is Egyptian for "pure and faithful". She is an All-Loving Hero who remains loyal to the Wakandan royal family.
• My Secret Pregnancy: She gave birth to T'Challa's son sometime after Black Panther. His Haitian name is Toussaint. His Wakandan name is Prince T'Challa. Queen Ramonda was the only one who knew about him.
• Nice Girl: She is an unwavering pillar of support to T'Challa and the Royal Family, and pushes T'Challa to change Wakanda's isolationist policies and open it up to refugees and share their technology for the benefit of the rest of the world.
• Noodle Incident: She, T'Challa, and Okoye have a little trouble getting into the underground Korean casino at first due to Nakia causing some past trouble with ivory dealers.
• One-Steve Limit: She shares her name with Nakia Bahadir.
• Orphaned Etymology: Of a sort. Wakanda prides itself on being independent of the rest of the world, including culturally. This is most explicit in the continued practice of their traditional polytheistic religion. However, Nakia is an Arabic name, common in Africa because of Islamic influence.
• Promoted to Love Interest: This version was T'Challa's former lover, while in the comics Nakia had feelings for T'Challa that he never reciprocated. By the end of the movie, they're all but outright stated to resume their relationship, as T'Challa now agrees that Wakanda's isolationism can't continue.
• Put on a Bus: Despite Wakanda's involvement, she's conspicuously absent from the events of Infinity War and Endgame. Wakanda Forever would later reveal that she gave birth to Toussaint around the time of the Snap, meaning she was likely too heavily pregnant to get involved in the action if she wasn't simply occupied with her duties outside of Wakanda at the time of Thanos's invasions.
• Redhead In Green: As part of the River Tribe, she often dresses in green, which pairs well with her dyed red hair.
• Retired Badass: Even before T'Challa's death, she retreats to Haiti and runs a sustainable private school, intending on giving up spycraft for good.
• Rings of Death: She wields a pair of ring blades as her primary weapons even if they are mostly used during the climax.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: She has a claim to the Wakandan throne, both as a high-ranking member of her own tribe and by possibly becoming T'Challa's Queen, but would prefer to venture out into the world to help the needy.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Nakia is deeply in love with the humble, kind, fair, brave, and dutiful T'Challa. Even when they broke up at some point in the past, her feelings for him never wavered.
• Someone to Remember Him By: Wakanda Forever reveals that Nakia had a son with T'Challa. Nakia is said to have left Wakanda after Thanos' attack, suggesting the boy was born after T'Challa was killed by the Snap. It's implied that he was able to meet his son during the time between being restored by the Blip and succumbing to his illness.
• Sparing the Final Mook: Early in Black Panther, she gets T'Challa to do this. T'Challa wipes out a convoy of some militia, which she is undercover in as a captive. When he goes to attack one of the last soldiers, Nakia forcibly stops T'Challa, pointing out that 1) the boy is a Child Soldier, and 2) he was kidnapped from his home and forcibly recruited. This helps T'Challa almost instantly flip the switch from Mook Horror Show to having mercy on the kid.
• Vigilante Man: Uses her role and resources as a Wakandan spy to right wrongs in the outside world rather than act chiefly (and passively) in her country's interests.
• Working with the Ex: For most of the plot of Black Panther, she gets to act alongside T'Challa, who used to date her. Despite the teasing of his closest allies, they're Amicable Exes who work well together and resume their relationship in the end.

River Tribe Elder

River Tribe Elder

"Ungubani?"

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (River Tribe, Tribal Council)

Portrayed By: Isaach de Bankolé

Voiced By: Roberto Carrillo (Latin American Spanish dub), Masaharu Sato (Japanese dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"This challenge will take weeks to prepare."

A member of the Wakandan Tribal Council and the leader of the River Tribe.

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• Ambiguously Related: Given Nakia is heiress to the water tribe, he may be her father, her uncle, or some other close relation.
• Body Horror: His prominent lip-plate could be thought of as this, unless you just find it funny.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Him asking Killmonger who he was allows Killmonger to reveal his true identity as a son of N'Jobu and thus legally challenge T'Challa for the throne. Downplayed, however, in that Killmonger would probably have revealed his identity anyway.
• No Name Given: His name is never specified, the character is only credited as "River Tribe Elder".
• Sharp-Dressed Man: He wears a traditional outfit during T'Challa's coronation, but sports sharp, colourful suits for his other appearances sitting on the council.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's a competent, rational leader in Wakanda. He raises a point in denying Killmonger's challenge by pointing out that it would take weeks to prepare. In Wakanda Forever, he points out that at the time of Namor's initial contact with Wakanda, he had only committed intimidation, while M'Baku was calling for Namor's head. He also balks at the idea of challenging Namor in battle until Shuri clarifies they will confront Talokan well outside of Wakanda and away from innocent civilians.
• Real Men Wear Pink: His Lip Plate and Piercings are mostly associated with married women in Ethiopian cultures (Mursi and Surma specifically) and almost never worn by men. This could be justified as Wakanda is shown to at least be lax about LGBTQ (as seen with Ayo and Aneka's relationship). The River Tribe elder is probably seen as a Flamboyant Royal who is Camp Straight at least in the eyes of the Wakandans.
• Savage Piercings: Subverted. He does sport a lip plate and matching ones in the lobes of his ears but is presented in a refined and high-class manner. Likely they serve to highlight his prominence in the River Tribe, as such piercings do in real life.
• Small Role, Big Impact: He is the one who asks Killmonger his name, setting off the third act of the film as Killmonger uses this moment to challenge T'Challa to the throne and become the Black Panther.
• So Proud of You: He and the other elders sing and rejoice when Shuri successfully revives the heart-shaped herb from extinction, and with it the Black Panther.

Border Tribe

In General

Border Tribe

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | What If...? | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Wakanda's first line of defense, the tribe that guards the nation's outer borders, and maintains their disguise as a Third-World country.

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• Barrier Warrior: Besides literally maintaining Wakanda's barrier, their blue vibranium cloaks can project powerful energy shields. They can also use them to trap enemies by surrounding and encircling them with troops, as they do to the Dora Milaje during the final battle.
• Black Shirt: Their brown tunics take on a darker meaning once they fully back Killmonger's plan to have Wakanda subjugate the rest of the world.
• Blue Is Heroic: They are associated with the color blue and are tasked with safeguarding Wakanda's entrance on top of their leader being T'Challa's best friend. Subverted when they willingly serve Killmonger as his mooks, unlike the Dora Milaje (who are loyal to whoever is king, but clearly dislike Killmonger and turn on him at the first opportunity). Then that becomes subverted and they're back to this again in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame where they help T'Challa and the Avengers along with the rest of the other tribes to fight against Thanos and his army.
• Easily Forgiven: A large portion of the tribe's warriors betray T'Challa and the royal family during the film's third act, but are allowed to fight alongside him against Thanos's forces in Avengers: Infinity War which is set a few years later. Downplayed in that Okoye says there's only a handful of them left to fight, implying the others were either executed or are still imprisoned, and being assigned to fight much bigger and merciless enemies isn't that great of an outcome either. The non-warriors, including their elder, are spared as they did not commit any illegal betrayal.
• Rhino Rampage: They train armoured war rhinos as their heavy muscle in combat. W'Kabi summons a group of them to attack T'Challa's forces during the final battle. These are white rhinos, the more social and tameable of the living rhino species.
• Sinister Scimitar: A lot of them wield shotels, to the point that it is probably their standard-issue weapon.
• What Measure Is a Mook?: Many of them are killed during the last battle of the first film due to following W'Kabi and Killmonger's schemes.

W'Kabi

W'Kabi

"The world is changing. Soon, there will only be the conquerors and the conquered. I'd rather be the former."

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Border Tribe, Tribal Council (formerly))

Portrayed By: Daniel Kaluuya

Voiced By: Emmanuel Bernal (Latin-American Spanish dub), Fernando Cabrera (European Spanish dub), Kazuya Nakai (Japanese dub), Rody Benghezala (French dub), Eric Paulhus (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther

T'Challa's second-in-command. Leader of the Border Tribe.

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• Adaptational Villainy: His comic counterpart never pulls a Face–Heel Turn.
• Ancient Order of Protectors: Head of the Border Tribe, and responsible for maintaining Wakanda's disguise as a third-world country. Unbeknownst to even his wife, however, he's grown very tired of the deception.
• Beta Couple: In a loving, affectionate relationship with Okoye, in contrast to the obvious but complicated tensions between T'Challa and Nakia. Yet when he and Okoye face off in the final battle, both of them show they would fight each other if necessary. Though W'Kabi ultimately gives in as he can't bring himself to kill her, Okoye ultimately will put her duty to T'Challa and Wakanda above her love for him, even if it breaks her heart to have to fight and possibly kill him.
• Broken Pedestal: Originally T'Challa's closest and best friend, W'Kabi begins to lose faith in him as king after he breaks his promise and fails to apprehend Klaue, who murdered his parents, to save Ross, an outsider.
• Didn't Think This Through: His decision to side with Killmonger in the climax of Black Panther. While he did think through agreeing with Erik's plan, he argues seriously with Okoye about it in a deleted scene and ignores her perspective. His wife Okoye disapproves and leads the Dora Milaje to protect T'Challa from the Border Tribe, and proves she is willing to kill him or die to protect Wakanda. When T'Challa is restored, it's implied that W'Kabi at best is demoted and at worst exiled, and his tribe is dissolved by the time of Infinity War.
• The Dragon: After Erik ascends to the throne, he serves him in his plans to wage war on the entire world. This ironically makes him the opposite to his wife Okoye's The Lancer for T'Challa.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Okoye manages to talk him down when she stops him from running down M'Baku on his rhino. W'Kabi may fight against T'Challa and support an illegitimate ruler, but he will not kill his wife, especially as she makes it clear she is far from being fully fine with it but would do it if necessary. He’s also pretty appalled when Erik revealed that T'Chaka had murdered N'Jobu, looking at Erik with great surprise.
• Face–Heel Turn: After T'Challa fails to capture or kill Klaue in South Korea, W'Kabi joins Killmonger when he delivers him Klaue's corpse. That being said, he still arrests the latter and waits until T'Challa and Killmonger face each other in tribal combat before he starts taking orders, presenting it more in a My Country, Right or Wrong fashion. But when T'Challa reveals himself to be alive and thus technically the throne is still up for grabs, W'Kabi opts to fight against T'Challa instead of for him.
• Foil: To M'Baku. They started off on opposite sides, with M'Baku against T'Challa and W'Kabi being one of his closest allies, only for them to swap roles by the third act of the film. This is further symbolized with M'Baku ending up replacing him in the Court. Also, while M'Baku has a physical appearance of a Scary Black Man, deep down he is a Reasonable Authority Figure, while W'Kabi is considered one in terms of motivation and irrational thinking of waging war and vengeance against Klaue.
• Happily Married: According to Ryan Coogler, W'Kabi and Okoye were a married couple and appeared to be happy together up until the civil war between T'Challa and Killmonger tore them apart.
• Heel Realization: Seeing how his wife was willing to oppose him to save Wakanda and his countrymen are fighting each other to the death for their loyalty to Killmonger, guilt overcomes him and prompts him to surrender and have the rest of the Border Tribe to stand down.
• Horse of a Different Color: He rides an armored war rhino against T'Challa's forces during the final battle at the vibranium mine.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: After realizing that Okoye was ready to fight him to the death — and likely from seeing his own people already doing so — W'Kabi throws in the towel.
• Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Disappointment in his leader over a broken promise is one thing, but W'Kabi to his credit arrests Erik when the latter arrives with Klaue's body, and brings him to the Royal Council to interrogate him about how he found Wakanda. He and Okoye actually agree that even if they don't like the person behind the crown, they have to serve them. Then T'Challa reveals he is alive and demands that Erik resume the challenge one-on-one. W'Kabi sets his tribe and rhinos on T'Challa when Erik orders them.
• Love Cannot Overcome: His decision to side by Killmonger, and willingness to fight for him, leads to his ruined marriage. He is visibly heartbroken when he and his wife had to fight, but while he ultimately can't bring himself to kill her and surrenders, he makes it clear he would be willing to fight her if necessary. Okoye's just as heartbroken over having to fight him, but makes it clear that while she will regret having to kill him, she would do so for Wakanda.
• Might Makes Right: He’s very taken with Killmonger's promises to conquer the world by force and quickly begins seeing him as the right leader over T'Challa. It’s so bad that during the challenge, W'Kabi briefly but visibly looks startled when T'Challa scores some solid blows against Killmonger and even briefly has him dead to rights - and he goes right back to being eager to see Killmonger win after he turns the tables.
• My Country, Right or Wrong: He sides with Erik due to him having claimed the throne and leads his tribe against the Dora Milaje who sided with T'Challa. May count as a subversion though: as Okoye points out, Erik's rule is illegitimate since he never completed the challenge and refused to resume it, therefore making it treason against Wakanda.
• My God, What Have I Done?: After Okoye makes it plain she is prepared to kill him to defend Wakanda, W'Kabi looks across the battlefield with an expression of genuine remorse and regret at his fellow countrymen fighting to the death and his role in making it happen.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: He despises immigrants and refugees, believing that they only "bring their troubles with them" and that their presence in Wakanda would only ruin the country. He joins Killmonger's scheme partly because W'Kabi supports his idea of bringing war to other nations.
• Poor Communication Kills: Subverted; it seems at first that W'Kabi blames T'Challa for not bringing in Klaue alive or dead, and T'Challa fails to explain that they had caught Klaue but were ambused. A deleted scene reveals that Okoye told W'Kabi what happened, and W'Kabi refuses to absolve T'Challa of his broken promise.
• Put on a Prison Bus: Wakanda Forever reveals that he was imprisoned for his actions in the first film.
• Revenge Myopia: He yearns for vengeance against Klaue so much that he turns against T'Challa for his failure to arrest him to face justice and sides with Killmonger for succeeding in what the former failed to do, not even caring if the latter is responsible for the former losing Klaue.
• Scary Black Man: Given he is willing to wage war to make Wakanda a nation superpower, wanting Revenge Before Reason against Klaue for his family's deaths to a point of Revenge Myopia of looking down at T'Challa for letting him escape and looking up towards Killmonger for achieving that the former could not and teamed up with the equally intimidating Killmonger to Take Over the World, he would technically qualify in terms of motivation.
• Selective Obliviousness: As shown in a deleted scene, a good part of the reason why he supports Killmonger instead of T'Challa is because he considers T'Challa unfit to rule after he failed to keep his promise of bringing Klaue back to Wakanda. This ignores the fact that T'Challa went with a team, which means Okoye and Nakia are just as responsible. Okoye points out the only reason he failed was because Killmonger ambushed them and took Klaue himself, but W'Kabi's hatred of Klaue and relief at his death clouds his reasoning.
• Shipper on Deck: To T'Challa and Nakia. Between Civil War and M'Baku's challenge at the coronation it's been a very busy week for Wakanda, but the first topic on W'Kabi's mind when he's alone in conversation with his best friend is to ask if he and Nakia are going to get back together.
• Shadow Archetype: In many ways he's what like T'Challa was in Civil War; Proud, hot-headed, and consumed with getting vengeance for his father's death. The key difference is that T'Challa realized how destructive that path was, while W'Kabi doesn't. In fact, he sees his friend's newfound maturity as weakness.
• Villain Has a Point: No one contradicts his statement that Wakanda can no longer survive just by isolating itself from the rest of the world. Pity that he's clearly justifying his decision to support Killmonger's plans.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Early in the movie, W'Kabi expresses his wishes to go out of Wakanda and wage war against all who commit injustices, likening it to cleaning up the world; it foreshadows his Face–Heel Turn.
• We Used to Be Friends: His friendship with T'Challa is inevitably broken over the course of the film. Best shown in the finale, where T'Challa reveals himself to be alive and thus technically Erik didn't fulfill the challenge to the throne; the Dora Milaje immediately side with T'Challa, while he immediately sends his men to attack the king. When T'Challa asks him to stop, he just keeps going. The end result is him being expelled from the council with M'Baku taking his seat. Wakanda Forever also sees Ramonda curse him for betraying her son, his former best friend.
• White Man's Burden: He's African, but the spirit of the trope applies. He seems to genuinely believe that Wakanda colonizing the rest of the world would be for their own good in the end.
• You Killed My Father: The reason he's so adamant for justice against Klaue is that his parents were killed when Klaue attacked Wakanda.

M'Kathu

M'Kathu

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Border Tribe, Tribal Council)

Portrayed By: Danny Sapani

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The elder of the Border Tribe and Okoye’s uncle.

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• Covered with Scars: His face is heavily marked via scarification.
• Easily Forgiven: He is permitted to remain on the council despite the fact that most of his tribe committed treason by fighting against T'Challa on Killmonger's orders. Justified, however, in that he didn't actively betray T'Challa or fight against him and only obeyed Killmonger because he had to. Though, this is later revealed to be subverted in Wankanda Forever, as Ramonda makes it clear that while she has forgiven him and the others, she has not forgotten their treason.
• Fire-Forged Friends: M'Baku was presumably directly responsible for the deaths of many Border Tribesmen during the civil war, but by Wakanda Forever he has come to accept M'Baku as a trustworthy ally like everyone else. He is visibly happy to see M'Baku announce his intent to take the throne.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Speaks up on Okoye's behalf when Ramonda strips her of her rank, pointing out her past loyalty in raising a spear to her husband. In the process, he also condemns W'Kabi for his actions, even though he was formerly close to him.
• Rules Lawyer: He points out that Killmonger, as the son of Prince N'Jobu, technically does have a right to challenge for the throne. That said, he isn't any happier about Killmonger winning than anyone else.
• So Proud of You: He and the other elders sing and rejoice when Shuri successfully revives the heart-shaped herb from extinction, and with it the Black Panther.

Mining Tribe

In General

Mining Tribe

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

One of the tribes of Wakanda, responsible for the mining of Vibranium.

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• Animal Motif: They seem to be associated with lions, their designs being straight-up lifted from Maasai leonine garb.
• Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Their predominant color theme are red and orange.

Zawavari

Zawavari

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Merchant Tribe, Tribal Council)

Portrayed By: Connie Chiume

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The elder of the Mining Tribe, later the Elder Statesman of Wakanda after the death of Zuri.

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• My God, You Are Serious!: She laughs in Killmonger's face when he states that he wants the throne, only to be shocked when he reveals that he is the son of N'Jobu and thus legally able to challenge for it.
• Rank Up: After Zuri’s death, she takes his place as Elder Statesman.
• So Proud of You: She leads the Elders in singing praise and blessings for Shuri after she successfully revives the herb and the line of the Black Panther from extinction.

Mining Tribe Elder

Mining Tribe Elder

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Merchant Tribe, Tribal Council)

Portrayed By: Zainab Jah

Appearances: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The elder of the Mining Tribe, successor to Zawavari.

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• Cowardly Lion: While loyal to Wakanda and the royal family, she’s always ready to support the path of least resistance.
• Right On Paper: Her apparent cowardice only comes off as such because every other member of Wakanda’s leadership are unwilling to bow to Namor’s threat. She is correct that they have been weakened by the loss of the Black Panther, and it’s understandable she would doubt the country’s ability to win a fight with Namor after the successful attack on the capital.
• So Proud of You: She and the other Elders sing and rejoice when Shuri arrives as the new Black Panther, grateful for her saving the herb from extinction and their country’s protector.

Merchant Tribe

In General

Merchant Tribe

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

One of the tribes of Wakanda, responsible for commerce and trade.

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• Animal Motif: They seem to invoke marabou storks with their clothes.
• Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Their predominant color theme are indigo.

Merchant Tribe Elder

Merchant Tribe Elder

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Merchant Tribe, Tribal Council)

Portrayed By: Dorothy Steel

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The elder of the Merchant Tribe.

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• Cool Old Lady: The oldest member of Wakanda's ruling council and a smart, capable leader.
• Deadpan Snarker: She is in sarcastic disbelief at Namor's demands in Wakanda Forever, surprised that he is threatening war over one American scientist.
• No Name Given: She is never referred to by her name.
• Out of Focus: She has less screentime and lines in Wakanda Forever, partially because of the death of Dorothy Steel during filming.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: She asks T'Challa to not answer Klaue's challenge, insisting that Wakanda needs its' king in the wake of the last one being murdered.
• So Proud of You: She and the other elders sing and rejoice when Shuri successfully revives the heart-shaped herb from extinction, and with it the Black Panther.
• Sour Supporter: Even given her advanced age and reduced physical abilities, she is slow to salute back when Killmonger becomes king.
• What the Hell, Hero?: She lightly chides T'Challa for being eager to go after Klaue, thinking it's more important he stay in Wakanda as the newly christened king.

Jabari Tribe

In General

Jabari Tribe

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

An isolated tribe even by Wakandan standards — unwilling to bow to the Black Panther's rule, they have shunned the use of vibranium and secluded themselves away in the frigid mountains of Wakanda, where they worship a monkey god, Hanuman.

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• Animal Motif: The Jabari's are apes.
• Badass Bookworm: The other tribes thought M'Baku didn't understand what he was saying about Namor and he responds regarding the tribe accordingly
  M'Baku: You think cause we live in the mountains we don't have access to books?
• The Big Guy: They serve as The Big Guys for Wakanda, relying most on their brute natural strength. In Wakanda Forever a line of Jabari troops hold lines carrying Dora Milaje members for several minutes without any difficulty, even when those Dora are jumping around and fighting Talokan to the death.
• Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Their predominant color theme are brown and white.
• Crossover Cosmology: They follow Hanuman, who is a god usually associated with Hinduism.
• Deep Cover Agent: It is implied that the tribe has these among T'Challa's people. They live in the mountains, removed from the capital, but are very well-informed on current events. "We have WATCHED and LISTENED from the mountains!" M'Baku knows T'Challa's father died and what the circumstances were, and he pointedly calls Shuri a child who, in having the lead of Wakanda's development, has been entrusted with too much power and responsibility for someone her age and also correctly observes that she has little respect for tradition. This knowledge is despite the fact that Shuri does not know him or his people and has to be told by her mother who it is when his tribe arrives. He's also not at all surprised when T'Challa's family and friends show up after his defeat by Killmonger and in knowledge that the balance of power has shifted in Wakanda, and the Jabari intercept them upon arrival.
• Deliberate Values Dissonance: Their gorilla motif is toned down but still present, and Ramonda comparing M'Baku to one is a sign of respect. Since Wakanda has never been colonized, it's seen as just another Animal Motif like the panther, without carrying the racist implications it would have in the rest of the world.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Coming to aid T'Challa in his hour of need against Killmonger earns the Jabari a place in Wakanda again. They become loyal, trusted members of the country, further solidified when they heed the call to arms against Thanos twice.
• The Friend Nobody Likes: Out of all the six tribes of Wakanda, the Jabari are seen as the least willing to interact and play ball amongst them — not helped by their more extreme idea of Wakandan isolationism and disdain for vibranium technology (more so under M'Baku's leadership). Which is why it becomes a very satisfying surprise when they, in T'Challa's Darkest Hour, save him and eventually become The Cavalry come the climax.
• "Hell, Yes!" Moment: M'Baku announcing his uncontested challenge for the throne earns several sincere, excited smiles from his men who are attending the event, gleeful that at long last, their beloved tribe leader is becoming king.
• Monster-Shaped Mountain: An intimidating gorilla-face looming over the mountain pathway to Jabari territory.
• Pelts of the Barbarian: They are all wearing these when Nakia, Shuri, and Ramonda come to appeal for help against Killmonger.
• Rock Beats Laser: Being isolationists, the Jabari have spent centuries in the mountains, pride themselves on not being as technologically advanced as the rest of Wakanda... and in the final battle, they wipe the floor with W'Kabi's men who are armed with vibranium swords and energy shields.
• Technician Versus Performer: The Jabari Tribe are performers to the rest of Wakanda's technicians. Wakanda is constantly described as the world's most technologically advanced society and have the potential of being Earth's most powerful army thanks to said technology. Meanwhile, the Jabari Tribe are shown to be just as capable without the gadgets and even give the blasters and holographic shield-wielding Wakandans a run for their money with how combative and surprisingly stealthy they can be.

M'Baku

King M'Baku

"Witness the might of the Jabari... first-hand!"

Species: Human

Citizenship: Wakandan

Affiliation(s): Wakanda (Jabari Tribe, Tribal Council), Avengers (formerly)

Portrayed By: Winston Duke

Voiced By: Mauricio Pérez (Latin-American Spanish dub), Óscar Castellanos (European Spanish dub), Subaru Kimura (Japanese dub), Asto Montcho (French dub), Thiéry Dubé (Canadian French dub)

Appearances: Black Panther | Avengers: Infinity War | Avengers: Endgame | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

"I promised your brother I would provide you with my counsel and my protection."

The leader of Wakanda's Jabari Tribe and initially a staunch opponent of King T'Challa. M'Baku becomes more of an ally after rescuing T'Challa from the river at near-death after he is thrown off the ledge by Killmonger. He leads the Jabari into battle alongside T'Challa to reclaim Wakanda from Killmonger and has since promised to mentor Shuri after seeing that she is no longer a "child who scoffs at tradition".

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• Acrofatic: He's noticeably pudgy, and is very athletic. He can give T'Challa a hell of a battle despite losing, and in the final battle against Thanos, he can keep up with and is almost as fast as Captain America.
• Action Dad: He mentions his children while intimidating Ross, and M'Baku himself is a warrior nearly on par with T'Challa.
• Adaptational Attractiveness: In the comics, he's a stereotypical thuggish Scary Black Man. Here, he's a Big Beautiful Man.
• Adaptational Heroism: He's a supervillain called Man-Ape in the comics, and an Evil Luddite. Here, he's simply a grumpy traditionalist who ultimately sides with T'Challa. He's also an Evil Poacher in the source material, while in the film he's a vegetarian. By the time of Infinity War, he's basically a full-fledged hero, even calling T'Challa "brother" and fighting with the rest to save the world.
• Adaptational Job Change: He ultimately becomes part of the Wakandan Tribal Council, something his comic counterpart never will be under normal circumstances.
• Adaptational Wimp: His comic counterpart was mystically empowered similar to T'Challa and can fight the latter on even terms. This version gets beaten by T'Challa even after T'Challa loses his superpowers. He is also said to be Wakanda's most skilled warrior (after Black Panther) in the comics, while Okoye has that title here (though he still does have borderline superhuman strength that every other character in the film lacks besides T'Challa and Erik).
• Animal Motifs: Gorillas. His tribe howls like apes when on the warpath while M'Baku wears pelts and an ape mask in combat. The pelt on his back is, specifically, silvery grey, invoking a silverback gorilla. Nakia calls him "Great Gorilla M'Baku" and there is a statue of a gorilla in Jabari lands akin to the panther statue in Wakanda's capitol. Also like gorillas, he's normally a peaceful man who only gets aggressive and vicious when he feels provoked. And he's a vegetarian, as are gorillas.
• Anti-Hero: Ultimately, M'Baku wants what's best for Wakanda. Which means that he's strictly isolationist because he fears the outside world and becoming overdependent on vibranium. And he will not commit to overthrowing a king just because he's asked but may change his mind later.
• Badass Normal: M'Baku does not have any vibranium weaponry or enhancements but instead solely relies on his brute strength, in which he's still able to hold off against many enemies.
• Barbarian Tribe: He and his people are initially set up to be the villainous kind, then turn out to be more or less neutral and ultimately heroic. Compared to every other tribe, they continue wearing warpaint and Pelts of the Barbarian, spurn the use of Vibranium and make tribal chants similar to gorilla barking at times. All of this is done to peg them as traditionalists.
• Bash Brothers: After making peace with T'Challa, M'Baku aids him in fighting off threats that can bring an end to all of Wakanda.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: He saves T'Challa's life after the latter chose to spare him during their ritual combat.
• The Berserker: M'Baku is one of Wakanda's greatest warriors and uses his brute and raw strength and charges through the enemy like an unstoppable force. Complete with a terrifying battle cry.
• Big Beautiful Man: Significantly chubbier than T'Challa, but still pretty attractive. How else do you think he got married and had kids?
• Big Brother Instinct: He promised a dying T'Challa to look after Shuri as a big brother figure. Throughout Wakanda Forever, he does what he can to guide and comfort the young woman, especially when she goes through her Trauma Conga Line.
• Big Damn Heroes: In the climax of Black Panther, M'Baku arrives with troops to help T'Challa in his hour of need.
• The Big Guy: Has become one for T'Challa at the end of Black Panther film and Avengers: Infinity War, due to his imposing size and leading a battalion of his tribesmen to defend Wakanda.
• Blood Knight: In Avengers: Infinity War, T'Challa tells Okoye that M'Baku loves a good fight and that he along with the rest of the Jabari must be recruited to help the Avengers in fighting Thanos.
• Boisterous Bruiser: He's a living tank with a surprisingly playful personality. As T'Challa states in Infinity War, M'Baku loves a good fight. Best seen in Endgame's climax. M'Baku is right at the center of the vanguard leading the resurrected Avengers into battle alongside Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Korg, charging towards Thanos's forces and screaming the whole way.
• Carry a Big Stick: He relies on his brute strength and a simple, elongated cudgel to fight. The cudgel seems to be a two-handed knobkierie, a real-life weapon used in East and Southern Africa. Moreover, the wood it was cut from has particles of vibranium in it, making it actually as hard as steel weapons.
• The Cavalry: He and his tribe arrived to reinforce T'Challa's forces.
• Changed My Mind, Kid: Initially tells T'Challa that the Jabari will not be taking part in the war. Turns up anyway.
• Character Development:
  • M'Baku starts as an antagonistic force against T'Challa and the royal family, thinking both are too weak to lead Wakanda. However, he comes to form a grudging respect toward the king even helping him in his final battle against Killmonger and his followers.
  • In the sequel, M'Baku is still as much of a Blood Knight as he was in the first film and the Avengers movies. However, after going up against the Talokani army and being subject to a Curb-Stomp Battle by Namor himself, M'Baku's battle-hungry ambitions begin to unravel when he realizes just how strong the nation and its ruler is, and how much suffering a Forever War between Wakanda and Talokan would bring if Namor were to die at Shuri's hands.
• Charles Atlas Superpower: His strength is at the absolute peak of human potential and at times is clearly superhuman, despite his lack of mystic powers like the Black Panthers. He's strong enough to Neck Lift a grown man and easily toss him several feet away with a single hand, as well as send another man flying eight feet vertically with a strike from his club. He even takes down multiple Outriders in the Battle of Wakanda, and later, the Battle of Earth.
• Comic-Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: As his Killer Gorilla outfit has been downplayed to a simple ceremonial mask, it makes no sense to keep the code name. He is, however, respectfully referred to as "the Great Gorilla" on occasion. Word of God is that a black character with the codename "Man-Ape" would be too racially insensitive for modern audiences; despite this, there are still plenty of Mythology Gags to keep hardcore comic book fans happy (such as the aforementioned Gorilla mask and moniker, as well as his devotion to the Gorilla God of Wakandan lore). Another part of the reason he isn't called "Man-Ape" in the film is the fact that he receives a healthy dose of Adaptational Heroism, making such a supervillain-y name moot.
• Cool Big Bro: Following T'Challa's passing, M'Baku becomes an honorary big brother to Shuri because he promised his king that he'd look after his little sister. Moreso than a warrior who is loyal to his New Queen, he strives be a figure of moral example who guides Shuri down a path of kindness and righteousness, such as when he outright refused to comply to an order to help her in killing Namor in vengeance for the death of her mother.
• Cool Mask: He wears a ceremonial ape mask during his fight with T'Challa, a visual nod to his comic book appearance.
• Deadpan Snarker: He is undoubtedly the snarkiest of the Wakandans when the situation calls for his boisterous sense of humor.
• Defeat Means Friendship:
  • 'Friendship' is perhaps too strong a word, but he comes to respect T'Challa as a capable leader after M'Baku is defeated by him in hand-to-hand combat.
  • By the time of Infinity War, they are true friends. When T'Challa thanks him for showing up to help fight Thanos's forces, M'Baku tells him, "Of course, brother."
• Demoted to Extra: A downplayed example in Endgame. He had a few lines and spotlight scenes in Infinity War, but in Endgame he only has a few brief seconds of screentime as simply one of the many heroes summoned to battle Thanos. He doesn’t even get a spotlight during the portals scene like the other heroes, but he at least makes it into the big charging shot and is seen taking part in the battle with earnest.
• Disappointed in You: When Shuri makes plain how she doesn't care what he wants for her, nor the wishes of her deceased mother, and all she cares about is revenge on Namor, M'Baku falls silent and has a look of disappointment despite begrudgingly agreeing to aid in her crusade. It's also horror at how badly Shuri is taking things. It turns into So Proud of You when Shuri arrives with Namor to cease the fighting.
• Enemy Mine: Despite being initially opposed to T'Challa and Shuri for what he sees as a lack of respect for the power of vibranium and an inability to properly protect their people, he still teams up with them to overthrow Erik, whose desire to force Wakanda into a war with the rest of the world is even more at odds with M'Baku's own political views.
• Everyone Has Standards:
  • According to Winston Duke, had he won the challenge against T'Challa, he would’ve also refused to kill him, unwilling to do so in front of T'Challa's family. The fact that T'Challa similarly orders M'Baku to yield so he can still be there for his people helps play a part in the thaw between him and the royal family.
  • As much as M'Baku salivates at the thought of a good fight against a common enemy, even he thinks that killing Namor and risking a worldwide Forever War with the Talokan people would be a horrifying disaster that would lead to countless deaths across the globe. He earnestly discourages Shuri from doing this, which she ultimately takes to heart.
• Expy: Winston Duke admits to modeling aspects of M'Baku's personality to the image of Vultan from Flash Gordon (1980) (especially owing to the Large Ham performance perfected by BRIAN BLESSED).
• A Father to His Men: When he fights T'Challa, he fully intends to either win or die. T'Challa wins by convincing M'Baku to yield instead by pointing out that his people still need him. M'Baku looks to his warriors, assembled in support of him, and immediately backs down for their sake. Later, M'Baku admits to T'Challa that he feels he owed a debt to him for making the former remember what was important.
• Fire-Forged Friends: With T'Challa by Infinity War, answering T'Challa's summons for aid against Thanos' forces without hesitation and refers to him as "brother" with genuine camaraderie. This also extends to the rest of Wakanda, who all come to recognize M'Baku as the loyal, dependable leader he truly is as time goes on, and welcome his challenge for the throne.
• Friendly Enemy: With T'Challa — he makes it quite clear he has a problem with his political policies but holds no ill-will to the king himself once in private.
• The Friend Nobody Likes: When he and his tribesmen first appear during T'Challa's coronation ceremony, Zuri treats him like an uninvited guest and no-one else seems too happy to see him either. M'Baku establishes that this contempt is a two-way street by casting aspersions on the other tribes for relying heavily on Vibranium, entrusting their technological advancements to someone who, in his mind, is Just a Kid and being ready to bow to a man he sees as a Sucksessor. The ending implies this will be changing, and by Infinity War, the trope is completely averted when he comes to aid T’Challa and the outside Avengers in the fight against Thanos and calling him "brother". In Wakanda Forever, the kingdom actually celebrates when he puts forth his name for the throne unopposed.
• Gentle Giant: He's huge and tough but, trolling aside, he's a pretty good guy.
• Heel–Face Turn: At the film's beginning, he is the only tribal leader to challenge T'Challa's claim to the throne during his coronation, being against his family's philosophies and their use of vibranium. However, after he is defeated and spared by T'Challa during his challenge, he begins to respect him as a leader and repays him by secretly rescuing him after his defeat and near-death by Killmonger. While he declines T'Challa's initial request to join his coup, he eventually returns with a Jabari army in the nick of time to turn the tide of the final battle in T'Challa's favour. By the end of the film, he is firmly on T'Challa's side, sitting by him on the Tribal Council in W'Kabi's place.
• "Hell, Yes!" Moment: In the climax of Endgame, he is beyond excited during the final battle and relieved that his snapped tribesmen and fellow Wakandans are alive.
• Hero Antagonist: He's not a bad person, just rude and understandably afraid of how the outside world could affect his people.
• Heroic BSoD: He suffers from this at the end of Infinity War upon witnessing his tribesmen disappearing before his eyes.
• Hidden Depths: Surprisingly honorable and reasonable in his interactions with T'Challa after his duel with Erik. Also not above exploiting his brutish image by making gorilla noises and threatening to feed people to his children to Troll the heck out of Agent Ross.
  M'Baku: I'm kidding. We are vegetarians. [giggles and snorts]
  • He is also the one who warns Shuri that killing Namor will lead to a Forever War. The Talokan worship their king like a god and killing him would turn him into a martyr.
• Honor Before Reason: Arguably. He doesn't believe T'Challa should be king and doesn't agree with his growing desire to open up Wakanda's borders among other reasons (his sister's disregard for tradition and T'Challa's inability to protect his own father for example). He genuinely believes it's best for their people to keep themselves closed off. Despite this, he not only saves T'Challa's life, but also reveals to the royal family that the king is still alive after they offer him a legitimate chance to win the throne. The trope gets subverted when he later decides to fully back up T'Challa because he rather they open up their borders than start a war with the entire world. That or he rather back up the evil he knows as opposed to the one he doesn't (his motives are never stated for sure but Fire-Forged Friends seems to be in play).
• Hot-Blooded: M'Baku is enthusiastic and a loud leader who often raises his voice in the heat of passion. Also in the final battle where he gives out a Large Ham when saving Okoye, Nakia, and Shuri, saying that they all shall witness the might of the Jabari.
• Hypocrite:
  • His entire tribe's dislike of vibranium can be seen as this when it’s revealed that their wood is actually just a different, non-metal version of vibranium according to Word of God. However, it’s possible that they don’t know about this yet, so it may be a Justified Trope.
  • M'Baku scoffs at Shuri and T'Challa being too young/inexperienced to lead, even though he's definitely the youngest tribal leader in Wakanda and is visibly younger than T'Challa.
• I Fight for the Strongest Side!: Inverted. Despite T'Challa technically getting dethroned and losing support of his army, M'Baku ultimately still sides with him because, as T'Challa points out, M'Baku and his tribe will be the next target in Killmonger's sights.
• I Gave My Word: He swore to T'Challa that he would provide Shuri with support and good council after T'Challa's death. Lo and behold, it's his help and advice that ends up saving the day in Wakanda Forever.
• Incoming Ham: The first thing we hear from him is a loud chant from him and his tribesmen offscreen announcing his arrival to challenge T'Challa. He never relents unleashing the hamminess after that.
• Irony: Wakanda's most belligerent lord is also the one who urges Shuri not to plunge Wakanda into all-out war. M'Baku is fine with soldiers going to battle. Not so much with pulling countless innocent people into war.
• I Shall Taunt You: He callously brings up T'Challa's failure to save his father's life in an attempt to bait him into attacking him. It works.
• It's Personal: He takes on 2014 Thanos with angry joy to avenge Wakanda's invasion from five years ago. The man shows no mercy in battle.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • Oddly enough, he ends up proven correct on his fears of outsiders misusing Wakanda technology and that the four tribes rely too heavily on vibranium. After Killmonger ascends the throne, he wants to use all the weapons, including Shuri's technology, to wage war and tear apart the world, even tearing apart Wakanda in the end. Also, what saves T'Challa from death is natural snow and the heart-shaped herb, rather than Shuri's technology.
  • When Shuri, Nakia and Ramonda say that T'Challa was murdered by Killmonger, M'Baku is the one to point out it was through ritual combat that both parties accepted and thus a valid defeat rather than murder. A blunt and harsh thing to say to T'Challa's grieving loved ones, but true nonetheless (particularly as M'Baku knows that T'Challa isn't dead).
  • Part of why M'Baku refuses initially to help T'Challa is that T'Challa is the first Wakandan king to come to the Jabari in centuries, and that was basically an accident rather than a conscious decision. Thankfully, he changed his mind and gave aid, and eventually takes a seat on the Ruling Council.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Saving T'Challa's life and aiding him in the final battle would make him the epitome of this. Also, he could have chosen to take the Black Panther powers for himself, but he did not.
• Just a Kid: Makes no secret of seeing Shuri as a child and holding the rest of Wakanda in contempt for effectively letting her run their entire infrastructure and technological base.
  • In Wakanda Forever, Shuri reminds him of this, and he reassures her that after all she'd been through, she is no longer just a child.
• Karmic Jackpot:
  • A mutual one with T'Challa. After T'Challa spares him during their duel, M'Baku keeps him alive through near-death as a repayment for his kindness. Later, M'Baku pulls a Big Damn Heroes to help T'Challa in his hour of need and is rewarded by having his tribe gain the respect of the others and becoming one of the king's advisers. In Endgame, he is promoted to an Avenger in the final battle and leads his tribe into the fray with glee.
  • Rejoining the other tribes of Wakanda and his service on the Ruling Council results in him being the first person the elders look to for leadership after the death of Ramonda, and everyone is much more accepting of him put his name forth for the throne in an official capacity afterwards.
• Kick the Dog: He brings up T'Chaka's recent death and all but says that it was T'Challa's fault when challenging him for the crown. Unsurprisingly, this angers T'Challa enough to accept M'Baku's challenge on the spot (which, judging from his smug satisfaction, may have been exactly what M'Baku was going for).
• Killer Gorilla: He and his tribe use Animal Motifs invoking this trope, having an ape-like war chant and presenting themselves as brutish warriors. He also threatens to eat Ross, although he's only joking.
• Large and in Charge: He's an important Wakandan political leader, and built like a human wall.
• Large Ham: Has very few scenes where he's not giving grandiose proclamations in the most theatrical way possible, but especially so when his army comes to T'Challa's aid in the final battle and M'Baku himself tosses a Border Tribe tribesman like a ragdoll.
  M'Baku: WITNESS THE MIGHT OF THE JABARI FIRST-HAND!
• Laughing at Your Own Jokes: After his "vegetarians" joke, he has a rather disarming fit of the giggles (while his two bodyguards remain as impassive as ever).
• The Leader: He's the leader of the Jabari Tribe, one of the major ethnic groups within Wakanda. He later becomes king of Wakanda to help rule in Shuri's stead.
• Lightning Bruiser: He's incredibly tough, strong enough to send armored warriors flying with a single blow, and much faster and quieter than somebody of his size and bulk has any business being. Unfortunately for him, he still loses out on raw fighting skill compared to T'Challa, which costs him the challenge fight.
• Mask of Power: Symbolically; he only starts losing against T'Challa during their fight after his mask is knocked off.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Ryan Coogler has previously hinted that M'Baku's home may have some mystical stuff going on there, rather than the typical vibranium infusions happening throughout the rest of Wakanda. While mountain peaks will always be colder than surrounding regions, the snows at the Jabari tribe's home shouldn't form at those elevations; it's unnaturally cold up there. The big sticks Jabari tribesmen wield in battle are also hinted to be magically augmented in some way, rather than vibranium. Certainly could explain why he does so damn well against physically and technologically superior alien invaders.
• Moment Killer: Takes it upon himself to end T'Challa's family and friends' sugary "we're standing with you" moment, loudly yawning to remind them that he's right there and sarcastically asking if they're done.
• Monkey King Lite: He has primate motifs (using gorilla iconography and worshipping Hanuman instead of Bast), uses a knobkerrie in battle, is outwardly prideful and boastful, and is more privately mischievous and playful, with a trollish personality and tendency to fuck with people just to watch their reactions, or to put them on guard and control situations.
• Mythology Gag: His outfit still recalls his gorilla outfit from the comics, just in a less overt manner (with a leather chest plate and silvery pelts on his arm and back).
• Nice Guy: By Infinity War, he’s become one of T'Challa's most loyal allies, referring to his king as "brother". He also becomes a loving and supportive big brother figure to Shuri after T'Challa's passing, striving to be a moral example to that guides her down a path of righteousness as well as serving her as a warrior.
• Not So Above It All: Isn’t above using the Jabari's dark, mysterious status to Troll the heck out of people.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: It's heavily implied that he deliberately plays up his bombastic, hammy behavior and status as a barbarian king to downplay his insightful, intelligent mind in order to throw off enemies and political opponents. He drops the act by Wakanda Forever when he demonstrates himself to be the most logical of the elders. He initially suggests killing Namor, pointing out giving him what he wanted by handing over Riri Williams would set a dangerous precedent, then later argues against killing Namor when he realized that doing so would plunge Wakanda into a horrific, costly war with the Talokanil.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • His face when W'Kabi is about to charge him on a rhino. Luckily, Okoye steps in-between them, and the rhino likes her.
  • He also has this reaction in Infinity War, when T'Challa gives the order to lift the barrier and draw the Outriders into attacking the Wakandan armies.
    M'Baku: This will be the end of Wakanda.
    Okoye: Then it will be the noblest ending in history.
  • As many of his tribesmen and other Wakandan soldiers turn to dust before his very eyes, M'Baku can only stare in utter shock and horror.
  • When he sees the Talokani riding underwater toward him, he resurfaces and shouts, "Invaders!"
  • He shows this again when Namor with one block shatters M'Baku's staff. Keep in mind Namor is covered in vibranium. The follow-up strike from Namor sells it as he knocks the wind out of M'Baku.
• Offscreen Moment of Awesome: He survives the final battle in Infinity War, though most of the action is focused on the Avengers.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • He's not afraid to die, and is willing to charge into a fight if and when duty calls. When the Children of Thanos invade Wakanda in Infinity War, and T'Challa lifts a portion of the protective barrier to draw the fight away from Vision and Shuri, M'Baku expresses with genuine fear that the invasion will be "the end of Wakanda".
  • Also in Infinity War, he looks utterly shellshocked and despondent as he stands on the battlefield and witnesses the aftermath of Thanos's deadly fingersnap.
  • In Wakanda Forever, M'Baku comes to Queen Ramonda's funeral and gives Shuri some genuine, respectful condolences as she's grieving. Having previously dismissed the princess of Wakanda as Just a Kid, M'Baku notes that Shuri has suffered far too much to be considered a child anymore.
  • Later on, M'Baku sincerely warns Shuri that killing Namor is a bad idea, as it could lead to him becoming a martyr amongst his people, triggering an all-out Forever War that could kill billions of people. Seeing such a warmongering Blood Knight actually blink at the implications of a battle indicates just how worried M'Baku is for the world and his people.
  • During the final battle with Talokan, M'Baku's usual eagerness for battle is pretty much nowhere to be seen since Shuri defiantly ordered the attack despite his warnings, meaning for once he is in a bad mood going into the fight. When Wakanda begins losing the fight, he sounds genuinely panicked as they start getting cornered by Talokan's stronger, more numerous army.
• Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: In Wakanda Forever, some of Duke's Tobagonian accent can be heard when M'Baku talks, though this is possibly intentional as this was not previously the case in Black Panther or Infinity War.
• Overshadowed by Awesome: In both Infinity War and Endgame, he holds his own weight against Thanos's army and even scores some great defeats. It's very easy to miss, however, given the feats of the superpowered Avengers.
• Patriotic Fervor: He cares deeply about the well-being of Wakanda. He is so much a patriot to his country that at first in Black Panther, he worried about Wakanda's over-reliance on vibranium and initially challenged T'Challa before accepting defeat. Then in Infinity War, he expressed fear over the end of Wakanda at the hands of Thanos's forces. Nonetheless, he loves his country so much he would protect it from any threats.
• Punctuated Pounding: In his duel with T'Challa, M'Baku continues his "The Reason You Suck" Speech while bear hugging and headbutting him repeatedly.
• Rage Helm: When he challenges T'Challa during his coronation, he wears a very unsettling-looking war mask that resembles a monstrous, roaring gorilla. Coupled with his and his tribe's emergence from the shadows during a bright, colourful ceremony, it makes him look a lot more evil than he actually is.
• Real Men Eat Meat: Averted. He's a towering 6"5 mountain of muscle and an experienced warrior who is also a vegetarian. In Wakanda Forever, he munches on a carrot when he arrives at a council meeting.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He ends up proving to be one. When he challenges T'Challa, he's only following tradition and expressing concern that the young man isn't ready to be king. When T'Challa gets the upper hand, M'Baku surrenders for his people's sake and accepts the new king. Then he saves T'Challa to repay the life debt, offers Sacred Hospitality to his family and Ross, and comes into the final battle to stop Killmonger. Even then, he recognized he had no reason to get involved if he didn't want to considering the frosty treatment the Jabari had gotten since the time of Bashenga, but ultimately agrees when he realizes he will be standing alone as Killmonger's next target. In Infinity War, he comes without hesitation to help T'Challa defend Wakanda.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives one to Wakanda and its Royal Family in his introduction, specifically Shuri and T'Challa:
  M'Baku: We have watched and listened from the mountains! [walks over to Shuri] We have watched with disgust as your technological advancements have been overseen by a child! Who scoffs at tradition! [walks over to T'Challa] And now you want to hand the nation over to this prince! Who could not keep his own father safe. Hmm? We will not have it. I SAID WE. WILL. NOT HAVE IT! I, M’Baku, leader of the Jabari will-!
  T'Challa: I accept your challenge, M'Baku.
  • He delivers a second during their fight to a seemingly overwhelmed T'Challa. Unfortunately for him, it only succeeds in goading T'Challa to fight on.
    M'Baku: No powers! No claws! No special suit! Just a boy not fit to lead!
    Ramonda: [shouting to T'Challa] Show him who you are!
• Reimagining the Artifact: The filmmakers found a way to work him into the story while jettisoning or downplaying the more offensive aspects of the character.
• Religious Bruiser: Downplayed; when T'Challa accepts his challenge, M'Baku replies with an almost sarcastic "glory to Hanuman", subtly driving home that the Jabari hold a different god than most Wakandans. As he beats down T'Challa, he also lets out a hammy "where is your god now?!"
• Right for the Wrong Reasons: In Wakanda Forever he responds to Namor's threat by suggesting they simply kill him, observing that if they do what he asks now, he could easily return and demand more with the threat of war over their heads. This is a good point, but M'Baku himself eventually figures out that killing Namor is not the correct solution.
• Sacred Hospitality: He promises T'Challa to keep the Queen safe, and doesn't harm any of the visitors when they come seeking aid. Though he does troll Ross by threatening to eat him. Exaggerated when he saves T'Challa and puts him in snow to keep him alive.
• Scary Black Man: His attitude, size, armor and weaponry make him look like one. Subverted when we learn he saved T'Challa from the river.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: At the end of Infinity War, he looks utterly despondent after half of the Wakandans turn to dust on the battlefield, and he survives.
• Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: In Wakanda Forever, he bickers with Okoye quite a bit. It should be interesting seeing how Okoye contends with M'Baku becoming her new king.
• Small Name, Big Ego: When Namor punches him, he compares his strength to that of the Hulk, which means that M'Baku truly believes that he will survive a punch from the real Hulk.
• So Proud of You: M'Baku is the one to shout, "The Black Panther Lives!" after Shuri beats him in a strength challenge and he recognizes it. He also leads the traditional Jabari chant after while the elders sing in praise of the Black Panther.
• Status Quo Is God: Invoked, as he feels that T'Chaka and T'Challa bringing Wakanda into the international stage was a mistake, and wants to return to its traditional isolationism.
• Stealth Expert: He and his tribe are very good at sneaking up on people. For as loud as they are in appearance and voice, they only make themselves seen and heard when they want to.
• Stealth Insult: When his challenge to T'Challa is accepted, he smugly praises Hanuman to those assembled and pointedly ignores doing the same to Bast, the patron goddess of the rest of Wakanda.
• Stout Strength: He's big and very strong but his physique has noticeably more body fat than the defined six-pack look T'Challa has. Winston Duke claims this was intentional as they figured M'Baku wouldn't be concerned with looking especially shredded and his strength would come more from physical labor than a traditional workout.
• Strong and Skilled: He's freakishly strong even for a man his size, capable of lifting a grown man with one arm and easily tossing him away. During the final battle of Black Panther, he's seen easily knocking out multiple Border Tribe soldiers with one hit from either his knobkerrie or his fists. Of course, his mastery over his knobkerrie and being able to put up a hell of a fight against T'Challa shows that he's definitely a skilled martial artist. Being incredibly strong and adept at fighting was more than enough for him to hold his own and survive in two different alien invasions.
• Supporting Leader: In the third act of Wakanda Forever, while Shuri still is regarded as the true leader of the Wakandan army fighting Talokan, M'Baku and Nakia command the troops from their ship so that Shuri can directly confront Namor in the meantime. He later becomes king while Shuri remains on as a key figurehead as the Black Panther.
• Survivor Guilt: Implied when he looks at the aftermath of the battlefield in Infinity War. He still stands, but his army has lost numbers fighting the Children of Thanos and then from the Snap.
• Took a Level in Idealism: It's understandable that M'Baku and all of his tribe despise Vibranium, considering the mineral can be used to advance Wakanda's civilization or fall into the wrong hands of selfish peoples like Killmonger. He took the latter reason more seriously, but with T'Challa's influence, he finally embraces the former reason, knowing that reuniting all five tribes is the key to their country's prosperity.
• Took a Level in Kindness: When he's introduced, he angrily challenges T'Challa in combat and insults the Royal family. He later appears to be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, repaying his debt in owing T'Challa his life by saving T'Challa's and later joining the fight against Killmonger. It is implied he's doing so for his own gain. However in Infinity War, he seems to be on more friendly terms with T'Challa, happily joining the fight. By the time of Wakanda Forever, he's more of a Nice Guy who offers Shuri his advice and loyalty after she lost both her brother and her mother. Shuri even calls him out for his previous insults, which M'Baku takes back entirely, proving he grew out of his suspicion towards the Royal family.
• Troll: He's very fond of this.
  • He threatens to eat Ross for speaking out of turn, and then tells everyone he and his tribe are vegetarians (or, more accurately, pescatarians).
  • Ramonda tearfully tells M'Baku that T'Challa was murdered in ritual combat, only for M'Baku to dryly note that since the odds were fair, it was technically a defeat. It's bordering on a Kick the Dog moment but he knew T'Challa was alive by this point so he probably felt more comfortable saying it.
• Use Your Head: Love to use this, especially when wearing his mask.
• Verbal Tic: He punctuates some exclamations with "O" at the end^note this is a tic prevalent in Nigerian English, used for a variety of purposes including emphasis and punctuation.
  M'Baku: No powers! No claws! No special suit O!
• We ARE Struggling Together: Refuses to commit his forces to help T'Challa take back the throne from Killmonger, seeing it as not the concern of the Jabari. Luckily, he has a change of heart and brings his army at the nick of time in the final battle.
• What You Are in the Dark: His men save a comatose T'Challa and put him in snow to keep him alive. When T'Challa's family come to him seeking aid, he shows them where T'Challa is and allows them to feed him the ceremonial herb to save his life. Then he comes during the final battle to save the king, even after promising he wouldn't. Keep in mind that they first offered him the herb and the chance to become king, just like he wanted in the beginning. He could have hidden T'Challa's presence with no issues. Ramonda remains grateful to him for his goodness years later.
• The Worf Effect: Used to highlight how far out of their depth Wakanda's warriors are against Namor in Wakanda Forever when his club shatters against Namor's arm, then he gets taken out of the fight by a single punch that sends him flying. That said, the fact that he not only survives this blow but is well enough to take part in the final battle speaks highly to his toughness.
• Worthy Opponent: M'Baku opens his challenge by insulting Shuri and T'Challa, but T'Challa nonetheless compliments him for fighting with honor.
  T'Challa: Yield! Don't make me kill you!
  M'Baku: I would rather die!
  T'Challa: You have fought with honor! Now yield! Your people need you!
• Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: His greatest fear isn't for his life, or for his people's safety, but rather for Wakanda. He is terrified of Wakanda ever falling to outside or inside forces. He faces this fear in Infinity War, when the Children of Thanos invade Wakanda to take Vision's Mind Stone, and it's the only time we've seen him actually scared of battle.
• You Are in Command Now: After Ramonda's death, the elders look to him for leadership, though he defers to Shuri due to her being the crown princess and the new Black Panther. Shuri abdicates the throne to him as he arrives at the coronation ritual unopposed while she retreats to Haiti.

Others

Griot

Griot

Species: Artificial Intelligence

Affiliation(s): Wakanda

Voiced By: Trevor Noah

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

An A.I. that serves the Wakandan royal family and by extension the rest of the country.

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• Ascended Extra: Griot was heard in passing throughout Black Panther and had a role in the climax, but was mostly a bit part. Wakanda Forever bumps up the role he plays significantly, making him a much more prominent supporting character with much more personality than before.
• Benevolent A.I.: A friendly, helpful A.I. who also shows he is sensitive and tactful.
  • In the opening of Wakanda Forever he is as gentle as possible telling Shuri that the synthetic herb is unlikely to work. Ramonda arrives to break the news of T'Challa's death, and Griot doesn't respond when Shuri asks for his heart rate, suggesting he knows it's best to not answer - and it's implied Ramonda had already asked him to not say anything given Shuri didn't know T'Challa was dead until she was told by her mother.
  • Ramonda expresses unease about him given the poor history humanity has had with A.I., but when she is forced to come to him for help about Shuri's disappearance, he's perfectly kind, gentle, and helpful.
  • During the climax he's audibly happy to provide back-up to the Wakandans.
• The Comically Serious: He's not programmed to be much of a joker and it shows. When Okoye threatens to stick her spear wherever the sun doesn't shine on him, he only sounds lightly amused as he assures her he'll give her control soon.
• Nice Guy: Even for an A.I., he's unfailingly polite and professional.

War Dogs

In General

War Dogs

Appearances: Black Panther | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Wakanda's central intelligence service and secret police. They are embedded all over the world as spies.

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• Adaptation Name Change: They are called "War Dogs" as opposed to Hatut Zeraze, although Hatut Zeraze translates to "Dogs of War".
• Master Actor: Are trained to keep their covers no matter what.
• Trust Password: A wordless version of the trope occurs: anyone who is asked to prove that he is a Wakandan War Dog (a deep cover operative stationed around the world) must simply pull their lower lip, revealing a blue vibranium tattoo.

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"Wakanda forever!"