Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) is a triumph that replicates, and in some ways transcends, the power of its 2018 predecessor. It’s a long, imperfect film that explores many complicated questions with no clear answers. It’s emotionally tough, too, in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s death. Cast and crewmembers visited Boseman’s resting place in South Carolina the weekend before filming began, and the film’s commitment to honoring Boseman’s incredible legacy is clear.
All of these factors combined to create something that feels irrevocably important and necessary. Art, politics, history, and culture weave together with beauty and brilliance. Danai Gurira (Okoye) drives the plot forward and is a clear scene-stealer, along with the mesmerizing Angela Bassett (Ramonda) and newcomer anti-villain Tenoch Huerta (Namor).
The matriarchy
In Wakanda Forever, the viewer experiences a country led by powerful Black women. The cast includes the badass female warriors of the Dora Milaje (Okoye, Ayo, Aneka), scientific geniuses (Shuri, Riri), the spy Nakia, and the devoted Queen Ramonda. Watching these brilliant women defy traditional gender roles and defend their country through strength, intelligence, and courage is beyond inspirational.
The women in the film also represent a number of African countries and cultures through costuming, which includes clothing, hairstyles, headpieces, and jewelry. The Dora Milaje, in particular, is inspired by a group of West African women warriors called the Dahomey Amazons.
While the film mourns the loss of T’Challa (and Chadwick Boseman), the women of Wakanda shine as complex, multi-dimensional characters and symbols of Black beauty, power, genius, and resilience.
Entering the bush
While there are so many amazing moments in the film, the significance of “entering the bush” stood out to me. Early on in the film, Queen Ramonda brings her daughter, Shuri, to the untouched, wild bush of Wakanda a year after the death of T’Challa for the ceremonial burning of their white funeral garb.
I recently read the novel Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola, where I learned about the significance of bush spirits in many African cultures and their link between the physical and spiritual world. In the wake of European colonization and its devastating impact on African wildlife and nature, this outdoor scene feels vulnerable, mysterious, and beautiful.
Talokan
The film also introduces the underwater civilization of Talokan, which is led by the powerful god Namor. The comic version of Namor takes inspiration from Greek Mythology, but Wakanda Forever draws from Mesoamerica, a historic region in southern North America and Central America. Indigenous groups to the land include Maya, the Olmec, the Aztecs, and the Toltec.
Similar to Wakanda, Talokan is a super-power of marginalized people that have evolved separately from the colonized world after Spanish conquistadors brought diseases to Mexico and Latin America that wiped out native populations. The underwater civilization, like Wakanda, has access to Vibranium.
The name Talokan likely derives from Tlālōcān, an Aztec paradise overseen by the rain god Tlāloc. Namor is inspired by the feathered serpent god Ku’ku’lkán, whom the Mayans worshipped. Well-researched Indigenous representation in the film is so important for combatting cultural erasure and harmful stereotypes concerning Indigenous peoples.
While Wakanda and Talokan both suffer the long-standing effects of colonialism and slavery, they are pitted against one another by the oppressive white powers of the world. But instead of portraying Namor as an evil villain, he is granted a complicated anti-hero status. Namor wants to fight back and destroy the oppressive nations of the surface world; Shuri and the Wakandans don’t believe that violence is the answer.
There is no “right” answer to the moral dilemma presented in the film. And the idea of marginalized groups being forced to fight each other is an exhausting pattern that will continue to repeat itself as long as there are marginalized groups. The film’s dilemma relates to repetition with a difference: a key concept that demonstrates how colonialism, slavery, racism, micro-aggressions, and more continue to repeat themselves in new forms.
Conclusion
I’ll be honest, what I’ve watched of other projects in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has fallen flat for me. (That’s the Black Widow movie I waited nine years for?) My disappointment stems from the films and TV series lacking a feeling of importance and significance. Many recent projects feel formulaic, predictable, and easily forgettable. They don’t leave the viewer with anything to contemplate or think about once the credits roll.
But the Black Panther franchise is different, and the magic of the first film continues in its sequel. There are many layers of Wakanda Forever to learn from and think about. I appreciated the film’s emotional depth, connections to Indigenous cultures, and ability to leave the viewer thinking about the world. If you haven’t seen Wakanda Forever yet, it’s a must-watch. Films like this one feel absolutely necessary for progress and the future of society.
This article is part of a series, #FeministFriday, where Chloe Hummel seeks to highlight standout feminists making a difference in the world right now. Stay tuned!