***WARNING: This article contains spoilers.***
Marvel’s Black Panther hit the theaters on Feb. 16 and it’s already one of the best movies of the year. The cast and production team did a phenomenal job of bringing to life the world of Wakanda. I went to see Black Panther this past weekend with high expectations, and I was not disappointed.
The star-studded cast took on amazing and powerful roles in order to bring this movie to life, but three characters stood out in particular to me: Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and Shuri (Letitia Wright). These three badass women blew my mind throughout the entire movie.
Lupita Nyong’o plays Nakia, a spy and the long-time love of the main character T’Challa. We are first introduced to Nakia at the beginning of the movie. She is a fierce, independent, and loving person who will do anything for Wakanda. Throughout the movie, Nakia has a pivotal role in keeping the peace, as well as saving her world.
Danai Gurira, also known as Michonne from AMC’s The Walking Dead, took on the role of Okoye, the head of King T’Challa’s bodyguards. I have loved Danai since I first saw her appear on TWD and this movie only increased that emotion. Okoye is a woman of honor and does her duty to Wakanda and her king. She is accompanied by even more strong and beautiful women in her guard and she’s absolutely amazing.
Letitia Wright is Shuri, the unbelievably intelligent little sister of T’Challa. Shuri is the head of everything technology in Wakanda and is constantly working to improve the tools and resources she has. The suits and technology she creates for her brother are so out of this world, and no one could have done it any better. There is also this amazing dynamic between her and her brother. The things they do together are super serious (like apprehending bad guys), but Shuri always finds a way to make fun of her older brother, like any good sister should.
These women are everything I hope to be in life: fierce, intelligent, loving, and elegant. Black Panther is still at the top of the box office as we enter into March, which also happens to be Women’s History Month. These three women, along with the characters they play, are the perfect example of how important women are to society and as women, we can contribute so much from the hard work we put into everything we do. So, here’s to Women’s History Month, Black Panther, and badass babes everywhere!