Who Is Wakanda Forever’s New Black Panther?
Who Is Wakanda Forever’s New Black Panther?
T’Challa’s successor is hinted at in the last moments of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teaser, but the identity of the person wearing the costume is kept a secret.
After releasing the trailer, MCU fans and Black Panther fans wonder who is the new Black Panther. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released following Chadwick Boseman’s untimely death, aims to carry on both the actor’s and T’Challa, a.k.a. Black Panther’s, legacy. However, the title of Black Panther is one that can be passed down and taken on by a new character – something already established in the MCU – and that will apparently be happening in Phase 4, as seen in the first Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer. Marvel Studios has confirmed that T’Challa will never be recast.
The Black Panther 2 trailer is an emotional glimpse of what to expect, demonstrating how much Wakanda will be mourning T’Challa and how the loss of Boseman will be felt both onscreen and in the story. The teaser, as previously predicted, sets up a confrontation between Wakanda and Atlantis while also presenting the country with a brand-new enemy in the form of Namor. The teaser establishes that Wakanda will need its Black Panther to defeat this formidable new foe.
The Wakanda Forever trailer ends with a brief glimpse of a new Black Panther, whose identity is kept a secret. Only a portion of the costume and a fleeting flash of claws are visible. Although not certain, it appears that a female character is wearing the outfit, leaving just a few options, most likely either Shuri or Nakia (it is unlikely to be Okoye, given her duty to the Dora Milaje and that she appears in several action shots). Although it’s fair that the trailer doesn’t explicitly confirm either character as the Black Panther’s successor, it does leave room for a bigger surprise later on. Both characters have been postulated as possible candidates.
Is Shuri Ever Going To Be The New Black Panther In Wakanda?
As per the sources, Shuri is the new Black Panther in Wakanda Forever has long been anticipated, and the clip undoubtedly validates that theory. It would make a lot of sense for her to assume the mantle at that time with her country in such need, especially given the themes of heritage and family in the Black Panther 2 trailer. Since this is a new Black Panther suit, Shuri would be the most appropriate person to create and wear it given her track record of success on the Wakandan battlefield.
There is precedent for it because Shuri did take up the role of Black Panther in Marvel Comics after T’Challa suffered grave injuries. However, the most important question is probably how Shuri will succeed T’Challa.
Having the suit alone is insufficient because Killmonger destroyed Wakanda’s heart-shaped plant, which was used in an ancient ritual that gave the Black Panther his powers. The Wakanda Files, a book, revealed that Shuri had been trying unsuccessfully to reproduce the herb, including using vibranium. She will have undoubtedly discovered a means to enable a new Black Panther, whether it be herself, Nakia or someone else, by the time of Black Panther 2 or as viewers will witness during that film. Nakia is equally competent to serve as the future Black Panther because she is close to and trusted by T’Challa, is a skilled fighter, and a strong leader, and was instrumental in making him realize that Wakanda should be made accessible to the rest of the world. Hopefully the new Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will respect both T’Challa and Boseman appropriately, as the moving teaser suggests.
