Next in Line
A native of the small, yet technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda, T’Challa accepted the mantle of Black Panther, the legendary protector of the Wakandan people, from his father, King T’Chaka, who filled the role before him as his father before him and so on. T’Chaka relinquished the title as he grew older and delved further into politics. This was a subject T’Challa looked upon with some dislike, although he acknowledged the increasing importance of it, even as Wakanda maintained an air of secrecy to hide its true nature and precious vibranium mines.
Regardless of his feelings for Wakanda’s part on the world stage, T’Challa accompanied T’Chaka to an international summit in Vienna, Austria to ratify the Sokovia Accords, which promised to regulate all enhanced persons. Sadly, T’Chaka lost his life when Sokovian radical Helmut Zemo detonated a bomb at the well-attended meeting of heads of state, framing Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, in the process. At that moment, not only did the throne of Wakanda pass to T’Challa, but also the full weight of the Black Panther’s responsibilities, including the task of revenge for the death of the king.
Panther’s Bite
T’Challa wears a high-tech suit as the Black Panther, including a mask which hides his features and provides him with overall stealth capabilities. With vibranium threads woven throughout, the suit offers protection from gunfire as well as the elements, and responds to T’Challa’s smallest touch. In keeping with the panther motif, the gear also features retractable vibranium claws, night vision optics, and is ultra-light and form-fitting. In addition, the Black Panther can also absorb energy directed toward him, physical or otherwise, which may then be redirected outward for defense and offense.
The king of Wakanda is also the recipient of the nation’s rare heart-shaped herb, which endows him with enhanced strength, speed, agility, and stamina. During a special ceremony, ingestion of the herb also opens T’Challa up to communication from his departed ancestors in the afterlife, including his late father.
Panther’s Enemies
Technically, all those who oppose Wakanda or seek to harm it would be considered enemies of the Black Panther, but a particular few have risen up to demand T’Challa’s focused attention.
The mercenary Ulysses Klaue steals vibranium from the small nation, an act of high sacrilege in Wakanda that earns him T’Challa’s enmity.
It was another adversary, Erik Killmonger, who ends Klaue’s terror spree, when he felt he no longer needed the mercenary to help him gain control over Wakanda. Though expressing a legitimate challenge to the Black Panther title and mantle, Killmonger’s drive to drain the nation’s resources to uplift others around the globe brought him to a tragic end after battling T’Challa.
Helmut Zemo’s plan to take revenge on the Avengers for the death of his family in Sokovia unfortunately sweeps T’Challa and his own family up into its dark maw. Zemo orchestrates a bomb attack that kills T’Chaka, the Panther’s father, an act that T’Challa in turn seeks to avenge. Ultimately though, the Wakandan prince not only stops himself from murdering Zemo but stops Zemo from committing suicide, taking him into custody instead.
T’Challa’s protection of Vision brings Thanos’ army to Wakanda, making the Black Panther an enemy of Thanos in the process.
Panther’s Pride
Besides his devotion to his people, T’Challa values family above all else and welcomes his relatives to be close to him to lend support and wisdom. Ramonda, his mother, is a strong woman who, though grief-stricken over the murder of her husband and king, carried on to ensure the transference of power to her son, as well as the rich history of the nation. T’Challa loves his mother dearly and respects her strength in times of trouble. His love for his genius teenage sister Shuri is also deep. She acts not only as one of Wakanda’s chief scientists and healers, but also as both armorer and advisor to the new king. It is Shuri who works to upgrade the Black Panther’s equipment to maintain its cutting edge, ensuring it’s always ready to meet every demand T’Challa may place upon it.
Two other women stand within the Black Panther’s inner circle: Nakia, Wakanda’s master covert field agent, and Okoye, leader of the Dora Milaje, the nation’s special service forces. Nakia and T’Challa shared a romantic relationship until her path led her to serve Wakanda from a distance. But, upon T’Chaka’s death and his son’s ascension to the throne, Nakia returned to the capital city and discovered her path intersecting with her former love’s. In Okoye, T’Challa sees the heart of a true warrior, one he may depend on to stand strong and defend their nation when it is threatened.
T’Challa once considered W’Kabi, the former Wakandan head of security, among his closest friends. A falling out occurs when W’Kabi feels let down by what he sees as his king’s failure to capture Ulysses Klaue; he then allies himself with Erik Killmonger when the latter usurps the throne. Whether or not the bridge between the two men is repaired remains to be seen.
Away from Wakanda, the Black Panther values the counsel of Everett K. Ross, an American government agent who was one of the first outsiders to learn of Wakanda’s true nature. In addition, T’Challa also now calls Captain America, Steve Rogers, his friend, though they were once pitted against each other during a dispute between the Avengers over the Sokovia Accords.