Black Panther was the movie, the movie that rocked the box office, our expectations and in some instances: society.
Black Panther followed the newly crowned King T’Challa of Wakanda and covered his ascent to the throne, fall and battle with his cousin Erik Killmonger. Now that we are vaguely caught up, let’s see why Black Panther was so effective at wowing us and what lessons writers can learn.
Characterization
T’Challa comes to us fresh from an introduction from Civil War. We know nothing about him save his father is dead and he is Black Panther. Over the course of the film we see T’Challa grow from an idealist who believes that Wakanda should maintain obscurity to somebody who wants to stand up for all the injustices Wakanda ignored. We see T’Challa become a hero through pain, realization and fear. His arc is extensive for a two hour film but they pull it off beautifully.
Side Characters
T’Challa may have been the star but Shuri wins the vote. The girl is walking sass. Shuri is introduced as a run-of-the-mill little sister. She wins us over through humour, a great personality and some memorable moments (Colonizer). Shuri, though important, is a minor character. By giving her as much attention as a main protagonist, you give us a real relatable character.
The role of women
Who really rules this movie? The women. They own this movie, hands down. Nakia is one of the best love interest Marvel characters. She doesn’t always agree with T’Challa and doesn’t seek power for herself. She wants to help the people in Africa who really need help. The Dora Milaje, T’Challa’s bodyguards are effortlessly bad ass and imposing. Nobody ever questions their place in battle. Okoye is one of my favorites. Her banter with T’Challa and the royals makes us feel apart of a family. Her fighting skill is unparalleled. She is loyal to Wakanda even against her husband. And Shuri? We have no space to write down how much she rocks.
Worldbuilding
Wakanda is real from the first moment you see it. No arguments. You see the Wakanda scenes and it feels real. The ceremonies, opinions, culture and language strive to build Wakanda into a realistically feeling world. This is worldbuilding at it’s best.
Diversity
Black Panther only has two white characters, the Tolkein white guys if you will. Black Panther is a movie that has brought thousands of people of different backgrounds. Diversity brings people closer together and let’s audience members feel represented and celebrated. Black Panther has succeeded where other superhero movies fall short: it has saved a world by bringing people together.
Themes
Black Panther’s main theme in a sense is the injustice black history and culture. Wakanda is a superpowered nation with resources we can only dream of. Yet when the people of their country were being enslaved, Wakanda did nothing. This creates the initial conflict and gives Kilmonger a reason to challenge T’Challa. Injustice is our theme. It’s heavy and poignant. It weighs on the mind even months after seeing the film. Themes are supposed to stay with you and make you question your opinion on the subject. One line from Black Panther sits with me even now : “Bury me in the ocean, like my ancestors who threw themselves off the ships…because they knew death was better than bondage.”
Subtlety
This is the cherry on the sundae for me. Throughout the movie we get little subtle foreshadows. Shuri contests T’Challa’s opinions about change, then later he changes them. Kilmonger’s dad tells him that the Wakandan sunsets are the most beautiful, Kilmonger repeats the line as he dies. When picking a suit, T’Challa picks the plainer necklace for practicality but staring longingly at the more ornate one first, showing us the kind of person he is: wanting glory but choosing a different path.
Villain
Erik Kilmonger is one of fiction’s greatest antagonists. He takes T’Challa’s place as king, destroys the Black Panther herb, tries to send weapons out into the world and tries to kill our favorite characters more than once. Why is he effective? Because he is right. Kilmonger believes that Wakanda failed the world and should now make up for it. Even T’Challa realises this, lashing out at his ancestors. We know Kilmonger’s view is right but his execution is screwed. We sympathise with Kilmonger, during his death and scenes with his father. The best villains are those we understand.
