How “Wakanda Forever” Finally Unveils the New Black Panther

The safest bet and most obvious choice for the new Black Panther is, indeed, Shuri (Letitia Wright), T’Challa’s genius younger sister. In the comic books, Shuri takes on the mantle of the Black Panther at one point while T’Challa recovers from serious injuries. Her position as the surviving heir of the Wakandan royal family, as well as her experience both in battle and in her science lab, make her the ideal candidate for the job. And similarly in “Wakanda Forever,” she takes up the mantle as one of the last surviving members of her royal bloodline, all to protect Wakanda and exact revenge for Queen Ramonda’s murder.

Shuri takes on a leadership role in several situations throughout “Wakanda Forever” – from protecting scientist Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) from Namor (Tenoch Huerta) to leading Wakanda to war against Talokan. Though crisis forced her into the position, the weight of the “Black Panther” sequel would naturally fall on her shoulders since her character has been waiting to be seen as more than a child “who scoffs at tradition” since the 2018 film. Now the real question is, will she remain the Black Panther in the future? She just may pass the title onto T’Challa’s next of kin – Prince T’Challa.

Part of the Black Panther’s job is being the first warrior of Wakanda, and in that role, Okoye (Danai Gurira) would excel. The leader of the Dora Milaje (Wakanda’s elite group of all-women warriors) has proven herself time and time again in battle, and that leadership role could certainly translate to a more public leadership position if she is called upon.

But with that being said, Okoye is not taking up the Black Panther legacy. The movie consistently shows her with the Dora Milaje, cementing her status as their leader first and foremost, though she’s later stripped of her status by Queen Ramonda for putting Shuri in harm’s way. As something of a stickler for tradition, Okoye also doesn’t seem like the kind of character who would make a claim on the throne or even accept it if offered; she’s more likely to be a key advisor and guard for the new Black Panther – that is if she’s ever reinstated as general in the Dora Milaje.

One of the most intriguing options for the new Black Panther would be Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the warrior-spy who also was T’Challa’s trusted advisor and love interest. In the first movie, it’s Nakia who turns out to have the “right” perspective on Wakanda’s place in the world: neither isolationist, as T’Challa’s family had kept it, nor vengeful, as Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) tried to make it, but a source of help for those in need. She’s both a capable warrior and a smart, insightful leader, giving her all the qualities that the next Wakandan leader needs.

Still, Nakia is not a member of the existing royal family so she doesn’t step up to become the new Black Panther. Instead, she helps Shuri make her transition into the panther suit after the princess recreates and takes the Heart-Shaped Herb, where she meets Killmonger in the ancestral plane and completes her transformation.

After briefly claiming the Black Panther powers in the first movie, it would’ve made sense for one of Marvel’s best villains to make a surprise return as the new Black Panther had he not been killed by T’Challa. Still, Killmonger plays a key role in “Wakanda Forever” in helping Shuri step up as the new Black Panther. When she visits him in the ancestral plane, Killmonger convinces the princess to avenge her mother’s death just as he did for his father.

His bitter motives fuel Shuri’s war against Talokan, but she doesn’t let them push her over the edge when offered the chance to kill Namor. Instead, she spares the sea lord’s life and makes him surrender, showing a similar heart that her late brother had when he possessed the strength of the Black Panther.