Black Panther Appreciation: Wakanda Forever!

[XPac]

I didn't know the trail by combat aspect of Wakandan tradition would draw such criticism. Ive been seeing come up quite a bit during online discussions of the film.

At least in the comics, the thing is basically rigged so that anyone who is lucky enough to win ends up getting poisoned by the heart shaped herb. The MCU version is actually fair ... which isn't necessarily a good thing for Wakanda.

[Vic Vega]

I didn't know the trail by combat aspect of Wakandan tradition would draw such criticism. Ive been seeing come up quite a bit during online discussions of the film.

In other popular fictions kingship goes straight to Trial By God, so there's NO chance for error.

Nobody is pulling Excalibur out of the stone but Arthur. Aragorn is the only guy who can go cross the Paths of the Dead and raise an army without being killed by Ghosts or Zombies (I don't remember which).

The Sword of Omens will only work for Lion-O (and even then there are tests that come after in the case of the OG Thundercats).

Conversely, somebody could conceivably win the classic comics/MCU's version of Wakanda's kingship with PEDS.

Which is why Priest assumed the whole thing was rigged from the jump and Hudlin's version of the Kingship challenge was a Trial By God.

It's not like comic geeks (including most of the peeps who've written the book) didn't have a problem with this either.

[MindofShadow]

In other popular fictions kingship goes straight to Trial By God, so NO there's chance for error.

Nobody is pulling Excalibur out of the stone but Arthur. Aragorn is the only guy who can go cross the Paths of the Dead and raise an army without being killed by Ghosts or Zombies (I don't remember which).

The Sword of Omens will only work for Lion-O (and even then there are tests that come after in the case of the OG Thundercats).

Conversely, somebody could conceivably win the classic comics/MCU's version of Wakanda's kingship with PEDS.

Which is why Priest assumed the whole thing was rigged from the jump and Hudlin's version of the Kingship challenge was a Trial By God.

It's not like comic geeks (including most of the peeps who've written the book) didn't have a problem with this either.

I really wonder when the last time someone challenged the King in the MCU.

Those other tribes wanted no part of T'challa. Dudes got all dressed up for the occasion and went "nope."

[Vic Vega]

I really wonder when the last time someone challenged the King in the MCU.

Those other tribes wanted no part of T'challa. Dudes got all dressed up for the occasion and went "nope."

Every couple of years there's probably the Wakandan equivalent of that Uncle Who Gets Too Drunk At Parties all The Damn Time who does it.

To hilarious results.

"All Hail King M'boto!, For 5 seconds may he reign!! Ahahahah!!!

"Ah, shadapp, cousin...

[Jabare]

[MindofShadow]

[Jabare]

damn you beat me

[robreedwrites]

Maybe I'm making it up, but I wanted to say there was an interview somewhere that they said the Warrior Falls thing was largely ceremonial and that no one had challenged in a long time (ie, prior to T'Chaka and maybe even Azzuri). I'll see if I can dig it up.

[Jabare]

[dkrook]

Exactly it's cool within a fictional context just like monarchies, kingdoms in general .etc
I've noticed people are picky and choosy about what they roll with. No one criticises Atlantis, Asgard, Latveria. etc for still having a monarchical system but Wakanda? Can't have that.

Very right! That is the thing leaving such a bad taste in my mouth about Coates run. When you have to force fit, complete left field narratives like rape camps to justify that Wakandan monarchy is so flawed you practically inferred this all leads back to T'challa. My point is there are so many better ways to write commentary on monarchy rule without gutterballin' our guy.

[Ekie]

Except that the story ends with T'CHalla prioritizing his personal vendetta with Namor over saving the universe... which is the point of him failing in the first place. And to his credit, he actually LEARNED from his mistake. Revenge can wait. Sometimes being a hero means putting whats needed ahead of what you might want.

That's the point of showing Namor and T'Challa fighting side by side at the end of the story, in contrast to Steve and Tony. They chose to put aside their differences and work together rather than continue to try and needlessly kill each other because that's not only the smart thing to do but the right thing to do. And when he made the mistake of putting is own agenda ahead of the greater good, it blew up in his face... as it should. But he learned from that mistake.

agreed. Namor was "killed" in T'challa's mind when he tricked him on that exploding planet. To further the altercation after the complete fall of every single universe would be.....well you should understand.

Hickman T'challa is the T'challa we need. The one who lead to Coats getting these numbers and his claws entrenched in the mangle history of the character he's coasting with now. Hickmans T'challa was that good despite the smaller faults.

[Ekie]

Xpac

I gotta say I agree with only about 20% of the things you've posted in this tread over the last 7-8 years and you are my Favorite poster here lol You have always been the least agreed with poster here but you stayed posting your opinions and thoughts since near the beginning of this mega panther thread!

Props to you man!

[BBeeryan]

M'Baku is that dude!

[Ekie]

The Illuminati understood everything but their own pre-existing personality issues.

They thought they could get Captain America to sign off on premeditated mass murder.

They thought they could condone genocide in self defense (other than the char who was already a mass murderer).

They thought they could get Namor to play nice in a group setting without Captain America around to calm him down(Namor treats his old war buddies better than everybody else).

They thought they could tell Doctor Doom to sit down and shut up and that he actually would do it.

But everybody on that team has a rep for being somewhat arrogant (other than the Beast, maybe).

Which...works if you aren't invested in seeing these character treated like icons with an innate sense of right and wrong.

So it was interesting to see what a team of commanding Reed Richards, Doc Strange, Beast and T'Challa types would get up to without the Caps, Hawkeyes, Sue Richards and Jean Greys around group to counterbalance them.

And it got ugly.

Excellent post.

[Ezyo1000]

Very right! That is the thing leaving such a bad taste in my mouth about Coates run. When you have to force fit, complete left field narratives like rape camps to justify that Wakandan monarchy is so flawed you practically inferred this all leads back to T'challa. My point is there are so many better ways to write commentary on monarchy rule without gutterballin' our guy.

Another problem is that not only was it contrived, but it was also extremely vague for how it got that way and Coates didn't even bother to explain on panel why T'Challa and Wakanda were stretched thin. It just drives the point of a biased agenda take forefront, continuity, logic, Characteristics, and explanation be Damned