The penultimate chapter before the big event (part 1) takes us back to Earth but on an entirely different continent this time. Black Panther is as unique if not even more so as Doctor Strange and as we recall, was introduced in Civil War. T’Challa has now inherited the position of the king since his father is deceased. T’challa’s powers stem from the Heart-Shaped Herb which gives him his agility, prowess, endurance, speed, strength, and stamina and his suit is vibranium which has been modified to absorb kinetic energy and then release it. 

Again, like GOTG vol.2 and Ragnarok, this film stands alone for the most part with the significant ties being shown at the end of the film. We see returning characters such as Everett Ross, leader of the Joint-Counter Terrorism Task Force from Civil War, and Klaw, who we know has dealt with Wakanda before and is at large for stealing vibranium and the murder of W’kabi’s family in the process. 

T’challa’s and Ross’s paths cross again when both are after Klaw after T’challa receives intel from Okoye about Klaw’s whereabouts when a vibranium artifact in a museum sends a signal that it’s been stolen by him and that he plans to sell it to Ross hence Ross’s and T’challa’s encounter in South Korea. T’challa and Ross engage in a power struggle for custody of Klaw and when Klaw attempts to flee, T’challa gives chase and captures Klaw and allows Ross to interrogate him, planning to take Klaw for himself afterwards. Here is when he is released by Erik Killmonger, T’challa’s main enemy in the film and also his cousin. 

Erik Killmonger is one of the best if not the best MCU villains ever and portrayed with real emotion and gravitas by Michael B. Jordan. Killmonger’s personal journey, ideals, goals, and aspirations serve as the central plot, focus, and conflict of the film as he represents the pained, angry, oppressed, and abandoned individual biding his time among the shadows and building himself up until he is prepared to confront and claim what he feels is rightfully his and claim justice for his legacy. Killmonger’s father N’Jobu, in allegiance with Klaw, desired to supply vibranium to any African descendants worldwide to cease the oppression wrought upon them generations ago and to help make the African continent the conquerors of the world, most notably the nation of Wakanda.  

As the son of T’challa’s uncle N’jobu, he had the right to challenge T’challa for the throne which he did, not only to become king and to accomplish his father’s plan, but to also take vengeance against T’Challa and his legacy for T’challa’s father T’Chaka murdering N’Jobu. Killmonger accomplishes the dethroning of T’Challa by defeating him at Warrior Falls with the powers of the h.s.h. stripped and no Panther Habit and believes him dead. With the aid of his closest allies, T’Challa survives, fights Killmonger again this time with the h.s.h. and the Panther Habit, and kills Killmonger even offering to save his life with the herb but Killmonger chooses freedom through death instead of bondage. 

T’challa becomes inspired because of Killmonger and changes Wakanda’s isolationist philosophy of the world at a U.N meeting to one of internationalism but instead of realizing Killmonger’s goals to only relinquish vibranium to African nations and for Wakanda to rule the world by destroying the wealthy and powerful and those that have oppressed Africans and African descendants, the opposite would be done with Wakanda using the vibranium to protect the world, that for thousands of years it kept to itself. 

Other significant characters and their comic counterparts include Shuri, T’challa’s sister who claimed the Black Panther mantle and position of Princess regent when T’challa was critically injured; Nakia, T’challa’s lover, who is known as Malice and part of the Dora Milaje who attempted to kill his ex-GF over jealousy and was exiled; T’challa’s mother Ramonda, T’challa’s two members of the Dora Milaje Okoye and Ayo, and M’baku who is known as Man-Ape in the comics, another significant villain of Black Panther. 

In one of the two end credit scenes, we also see a rejuvenated Bucky who has taken refuge in a village in Wakanda. He now goes by the name White Wolf who in the comics is T’challa’s adopted older brother.