Originally Posted by
Blind Wedjat
I've said this before but T'Challa doesn't solely need physical threat villains. A large part of what makes his rogues gallery weak is the lack of variety. Part of what makes Spider-Man and Batman have such a great rogues gallery is that they possess villains that challenge every aspect of who they are. Bane challenges Batman physical prowess, Joker challenges his morality and Riddler challenges his intellect. We all know Batman can kick the crap out of Riddler but it's the thrill of solving his riddles that makes him an effective villain. Spidey has faced foes like Venom, Kraven and Mysterio who challenge on more than just a physical level. What makes a villain like Lex Luthor work is that he's set out to prove that Superman is evil. Superman can't just beat him up because Lex will be proven right, he can't keep hi arrested because he has that kind of power and he can't kill him because it goes against his moral code.
T'Challa needs villains like that. Killmonger is really the only villain he's got at the moment that really challenges him more than just physically (especially considering the film version). Many of his villains are just physical threats, and since T'Challa has no moral qualms about killing, they tend to feel redundant. It's why Marvel writers are so tempted to use Doom and Namor. Not just because they're royal leaders like him but they can't be killed because of her important they are to Marvel. But in my opinion Marvel needs to work on great villains that challenge T'Challa not just physically, but morally, intellectually, spiritually and politically.
I've advocated for Achebe for the sequel because I believe with the right writing and vision he has the potential to be a great intellectual and moral foil to T'Challa. And like Superman, what writers can do with villains such as these is go after vulnerable people or the people the main hero cares about, or their reputation, or their chosen place of protection etc. It doesn't just have to be about who can out-punch who.