Warning: contains spoilers for Avengers #41!

Any fan of the Black Panther knows that one of his greatest sources of power comes from a deep-rooted connection to those who held the title before him, his ancestors, and to the spiritual realm of Djalia, which can feed him both power and information. So, what would happen to him if that connection were to be unceremoniously and suddenly severed? Avengers #41 reveals that by abducting Marvel's greatest powers from where they stood, the Phoenix Force not only cut T'Challa off from Wakanda, but from Djalia as well.

In modern Black Panther stories, the hero's spiritual connections are what make him unique. While T'Challa's peak-human state and Wakanda's technological wizardry enable him to charge into battle, it's his connection to Djalia that makes him different to similarly equipped heroes like Captain America and Iron Man. The connection he has to the spiritual realm enhances his powers and gives him a connection to the tactical and scientific knowledge of generations past, but it also protects him against spiritual attacks like the one he's about to face from the Phoenix.

Related: Why Marvel's Phoenix Force Hates Mutants (But Loves Redheads)

In a preview of Avengers #41 from Marvel Comics, readers see Black Panther preparing for his first bout in the tournament intended to decide which of Marvel's characters will become the next host of the Phoenix Force. While T'Challa attempts to connect to Djalia, it emerges that the Phoenix Force has cut him off from this vital resource. While this makes Black Panther a far less effective warrior, that doesn't seem to be the Phoenix Force's intent. Instead, it's clearing the way for its own parasitic infestation of T'Challa, pushing aside anything that could compete with its own presence.

Black Panther Avengers #41

The biggest question that remains for what's to come is how T'Challa will be able to keep himself grounded and resist the Phoenix's ever-insidious mental influence without his connection to Djalia to keep him tethered to his true self and wider responsibilities. What acts might he commit while severed from his homeland and ancestors, urged on by a dark force which is testing not just for ability - as Doctor Doom surmised it was lending Captain America extra support in their battle - but for suitability in terms of becoming the latest avatar of Cosmic Destruction and Rebirth?

Hopefully T'Challa has what it takes to extinguish the flames and leave this battle whole, but the Black Panther is one of the major risks in the Phoenix Tournament. While characters like Captain America consider the power of the Phoenix Force too much for any individual, T'Challa is the leader of a nation and has experience as the avatar of the Panther God. While he has his own reservations, he's not as inherently opposed to individual power as most of the other Avengers, and disconnected from Djalia and everything that keeps him grounded, it's possible that when Avengers #41 hits online and physical stores on January 20, readers will be turning up to witness the corruption of Wakanda's hero.

Next: After 40 Years... The X-Men's Dark Phoenix Finally Makes Sense