Black Panther writer, Joe Robert Cole said that “Black Panther is a historic opportunity to be a part of something important and special, particularly at a time when African Americans are affirming their identities while dealing with vilification and dehumanization. The image of a black hero on this scale is just really exciting.”
Cole isn’t the only one that feels this way-- millions of people around the world were excited and anxiously waiting for the movie’s release. In 2017, Black Panther was the most tweeted-about movie despite not even coming out that year, and the movie is already expected to break many box-office records.
February 16th, 2018 was the day that went down in movie history as people of all sizes, colors, backgrounds, and ideologies came together to witness movie magic.
However, if you’re one of these anxious movie-goers, you probably haven't got your Black Panther fix yet. Lucky for you, fans have posted hilarious memes all over the internet to keep us entertained.
So, get ready to halt your prowl and claw your way through the laughs because here are the 18 Hilarious Black Panther Memes That Only True Fans Will Understand.
Killmonger's True Intentions
If you’ve seen the Black Panther trailers, you’ve definitely heard Erik Killmonger’s infamous line: “I waited my whole life for this. The world’s going to start over, and I’m going to burn it all!”
Black Panther’s enemy and the movie’s main villain wants to take the throne from T’Challa and rule Wakanda. However, this meme suggests that becoming king of Wakanda isn’t his only goal.
Killmonger is played by Michael B. Jordan and this isn’t his first appearance in the Marvel Universe. In 2015, he played Johnny Storm in the renewed Fantastic Four movie. However, with a 9% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie bombed, and many people don’t even remember Jordan’s role.
So Black Panther could be his time to shine. Will all the waiting pay off for Jordan?
The First Black Superhero?
Black Panther is generating a lot of buzz on the internet as the first black superhero... but wait a minute – did everyone just suddenly forget about Falcon and War Machine?
Black Panther isn’t the first black superhero to hit the big screens. Along with Falcon and War Machine, we’ve also seen Blade, Catwoman, Storm, Spawn, Steel, and Hancock in movies long before the King of Wakanda.
Black Panther isn’t even the first black superhero introduced in the world of comics. Back when Marvel was known as Timely Comics, they had a superhero called “Waku, Prince of the Bantu” in a comic entitled Jungle Tales. He debuted in September 1954, twelve years before T’Challa’s appearance in the Marvel Universe.
Although he wasn't the very first, Black Panther can be credited as the first popular and publicly known black superhero in a mainstream comic.
Black Panther Isn't Quicksilver
Just as the Martha scene has been the butt of the jokes in DC memes, Quicksilver tends to be the runt of the Marvel memes.
Despite having super speed, Quicksilver wasn’t fast enough to dodge bullets and he ultimately met his demise during Age of Ultron. Because of this, he is laughed at for being Hawkeye’s shield, the slowest man with superhuman speed, or the quickest hero to die in an MCU movie.
However, Black Panther is no Quicksilver. He has far superior reflexes and can dodge gunfire and bullets from machine guns and sniper rifles.
T’Challa’s suit is also capable of absorbing the impact of forces such as bullets and explosions, allowing him to simply walk through the line of fire.
Good thing Black Panther's armor is made of Vibranium instead of Quicksilver.
The Lord of the Rings Reunion
In 2012, we saw Bilbo using his wits to unravel Gollum’s riddles in The Hobbit. Six years later, the two will be reunited once again, but under different circumstances.
In the beginning of the first Black Panther trailer, we catch a glimpse of Everett K. Ross, played by Bilbo actor, Martin Freeman, and Ulysses Klaue, portrayed by Gollum actor, Andy Serkis. The two are expected to be enemies in the movie, but the type of enemies that need to keep each other as close as possible.
Ross is a CIA operative that wants nothing more than to stop Klaue, a black-market arms dealer. However, he needs to maintain a working relationship with him in order to obtain vital intelligence about other wanted criminals.
This creates an interesting dilemma that pits Ross against T’Challa and develops Klaue into a dangerous villain.
Freshman Year vs. Senior Year
Remember that awkward yearbook picture you took when you were a freshman in high school? Don’t lie, we all had one. Well, turns out the King of Wakanda had one too, and it’s probably way more embarrassing than yours.
According to the creator of this meme, Black Panther entered high school as the adorable Bagheera from The Jungle Book. He fights only when necessary and devotes his life to taking care of the young, Mowgli.
After puberty and his stint in high school, T’Challa evolved to become the strong and mighty King of Wakanda that we see in the movie today. He evolved his looks and toughened up to become the big jock tackling Bucky Barnes.
Guess T’Challa started from the bottom, and now we’re here.
You Killed My Father
A son watches as his father's life is ended by a stone-cold killer. He then dedicates his life to becoming stronger and ultimately finding his father’s murderer.
This summary not only describes Black Panther’s intentions in Captain America: Civil War, but can also describe Inigo Montoya’s origin story in The Princess Bride (1987).
The death of T’Challa’s father is expected to be a prominent storyline in Black Panther and the catalyst for the movie’s premise.
Now, T’Challa has embraced the idea that revenge isn’t the way to go, so we won’t see him saying anything close to the hilarious phrase uttered by Montoya. However, we will see Black Panther picking up the crown as King of Wakanda and embracing his new role.
We may also see his ideas clashing with those of his father to ultimately become his own type of ruler.
The Secret to Creating a Marvel Villain
Is that Killmonger or Black Panther with a gold necklace?
Fans have suggested that Marvel has a huge villain problem. Most MCU villains lack any real character development and are simply an evil doppëlganger of the story’s man hero. Iron Monger is a bigger, darker version of Iron Man, Kaecilius is a Doctor Strange without any regard for the rules, and Yellow Jacket is simply a yellow Ant-Man.
From what we’ve seen of Killmonger so far, it seems like Black Panther will continue the trend of evil doppëlganger villains. Killmonger wants to take the throne from T’Challa and eventually obtains his own Black Panther suit. It’s literally just like T’Challa’s but with some gold finesse.
However, despite Killmonger’s doppëlganger outfit, Ryan Coogler does an excellent job of providing Killmonger with some depth and an emotional backstory. His connection to T’Challa could even explain why the crew left Killmonger with such a similar-looking outfit.
Stark Labs vs Wakanda Elementary Schools
In the Black Panther trailer, Ulysses Klaue asks Everett Ross, “What do you know about Wakanda?” Ross then replies, “It’s a third world country. Textiles, shepherds, cool outfits.”
For people who have never been to Wakanda, that’s exactly how the kingdom would seem. However, any trip there would show that this image is a front. As Klaue puts it, Wakanda is actually a technological marvel.
The kingdom is years ahead of the rest of the world. Their computer technology is so advanced that it’s nearly impossible to hack and their advanced communications have yet to be seen in other nations.
This technology would simply put Stark Labs to shame. What Tony Stark can accomplish in his labs can simply be done in a Wakandan elementary school.
Also, do you remember Tony Stark’s Quinjet in the movies? That was also designed by Wakanda Design Group and headed by Black Panther himself.
Zack Snyder vs Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon stepped in to finish Justice League after Zack Snyder left in May. However, the change in directors created a confusing, unfinished product and a slur of memes attacking each director’s sense of style.
Zack Snyder is known for his dark and thought-provoking scenes that ponder the question of good vs. evil and the depressing deconstruction of the heroes we know and love. Joss Whedon’s work, on the other hand, is best identified by his witty, comedic writing and kid-friendly adaptations.
If the directors were to work on Black Panther, Snyder would have created a darker, gloomy version of the character. Then Whedon would have swooped in and made it lighter, possibly changing Black Panther into a comical, Kung Fu Panda-esque character.
Good thing for fans, the movie was directed by Ryan Coogler, creating the image of T’Challa we see today.
Wakanda Guy Do You Think I Am
The last time we saw the Avengers they were torn between choosing sides – either stay on Captain America’s team and continue to fight freely or join Iron Man’s side and support government oversight.
Not surprisingly, Falcon, Bucky, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye team up with the Cap, while War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, and Spider-Man switch over to Iron Man’s team. However, one character in the movie doesn't pick a side.
Some fans may believe the Black Panther ended up on Iron Man’s team. However, according to Kevin Feige, the King of Wakanda decides to choose his own side.
Feige said, “The reason we introduced him in Civil War is because we needed a third party. We needed fresh eyes who wasn’t embedded with the Avengers and has a very different point of view than either Tony or Steve.”
Black Panther and Storm's Kids
What’s a king without his queen? This question seemed to irk the creators of Black Panther and eventually, Marvel decided it was time to give the King of Wakanda a wife.
T’Challa and Storm met as young teenagers, but T’Challa’s duties as the prince of Wakanda prevented them from being anything more than lost lovers.
When it was time to give T’Challa a wife, the creators went back to the white-haired girl he met as a teenager. The two reunite and rekindle their love as adults and eventually get married in Black Panther Issue #18. However, the marriage only lasted six years – or four months in comic book time.
Although the two had one child together, what would happen if they had more? If you take a cat and a thunder wielder, do you get the Thundercats?
Also, more importantly, now that Disney acquired Fox, could we see Storm in Black Panther 2?
Sam, Cats Eat Birds
In Captain America: Civil War, Falcon is suspicious of Black Panther’s addition to their crew. He asks him, “So you like cats” and when Cap tries to stop him, he continues with “What? Dude shows up dressed as a cat and you don’t want to know more?”
Falcon always brings a hint of comedy to the Avengers movies. However, maybe Falcon should watch his step this time – after all, don’t cats eat birds?
This meme reflects the iconic cat-bird dynamic that many of us grew up with. Krazy Kat chases Ignatz Mouse, Tom attempts to capture Jerry, and Sylvester the Cat is always going head-to-head with Tweety Bird.
However, lucky for Falcon, the bird usually outsmarts the cat. So, if the MCU lies in the same universe as our beloved cartoons, maybe he does have the upper hand.
Iron Man Has Some Competition
For the longest time, fans have used memes to pit Iron Man and Batman against each other. They’re both billionaires with a knack for technology and a need to save the world. However, the two may have some intense competition with the addition of Black Panther to the comic film world.
Not only is Black Panther a genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist like Batman and Iron Man, but his résumé includes far superior qualifications that would put the two heroes to shame.
T’Challa is also a legendary warrior and a king of one of the most technologically advanced nations on Earth. His true power is endless, and he has the resources to create just about anything he can dream of.
Iron Man and Batman are simply peasants living in the shadow of greatness when compared to the great King of Wakanda.
What Marvel Fans See vs. What DC Fans See
One thing that will always remain in the world of comics is the rivalry between Marvel and DC. As the two companies battle it out for superhero supremacy, fans have also attacked each other in the form of hilarious memes.
With Black Panther expected to be a huge hit for the MCU, DC fans could be shaking in their boots. However, instead of stepping down, they’ve fired back their own round of memes.
This one, in particular, takes a look at how the audience will view the movie’s protagonist. While many Marvel fans will see a dignified king with exceptional powers, DC fans may not be thinking the same thing.
Instead, these fans may see Black Panther as the ever-so-cute and cuddly Pink Panther. Creating this image of the King of Wakanda may help fans cope with what is expected to be a major win for the MCU.
Out of the Sunken Place and Into Wakanda
In the beginning of 2017, audiences were introduced to talented Oscar-nominee Daniel Kaluuya. Originally hailing from England, Kaluuya plays Chris Washington in the hit comedy-horror Get Out.
In the movie, Chris undergoes the dreaded act of meeting his girlfriend’s parents. As scary as that sounds, nothing is as terrifying as what he actually endures during his little trip.
As he meets the parents, Chris must navigate racist remarks, avoid being hypnotized, and prevent himself from becoming a human transport for a blind photographer.
Ultimately, Kaluuya is able to hop out of the sunken place in Get Out and land straight into the kingdom of Wakanda. We can expect to see him take on the role of W’Kabi, the chief of Wakanda’s security and T’Challa’s best friend in Marvel’s Black Panther.
Robert Downey Jr. Sneaking into Black Panther
Robert Downey Jr. has been in just about every Avengers movie. He is known as the one that started it all and has even crept his way into solo movies like The Incredible Hulk and Spiderman: Homecoming. However, it looks like he’s going to have to pull out all the stops if he’s going to find his way into Wakanda.
Although it’ll be hard, whoever came up with this meme believes that Downey may already have the perfect disguise for Black Panther.
In Tropic Thunder, Downey played Kirk Lazarus, a five-time Oscar-winning actor who would do anything to star in the latest war movie – even appearing in blackface.
This highly controversial role got RDJ an Oscar nomination, but incidentally angered a lot of viewers. So, if RDJ is looking for a way into Black Panther, this is most likely not the way to go.
Black Panther Gives the Guardians Some Pointers
In the Infinity War trailer, we see T’Challa taking command and telling someone to evacuate the city, engage all defenses, and “get this man a shield.”
Referring to Captain America, T’Challa’s five-word line has become a hit amongst meme generators. From telling someone to get Peter Parker an uncle to getting Bruce Banner some clothes, we’ve seen T’Challa making all sorts of outrageous demands.
However, one of the best “get this man a shield” memes is definitely the one where he helps to shape up the Guardians of the Galaxy. In this meme, T’Challa tries to organize the fragmented Guardians of the Galaxy and tells them exactly what they need to develop their heroic storyline.
Drax desires revenge for his family, Yondu needs his fin, Nebula must reunite with her sister, Star Lord has to resolve his daddy issues, and Groot needs to learn some more words.
You Know Why I'm Here
We all have many questions about the mysteries and unknowns in the world. However, right now, the number one question on people’s mind is: what will I wear to the screening of Black Panther?
It’s not every day that a major movie features a black superhero, black director, and mainly black cast, with a plot set in Africa. So, people will no doubt come dressed in their best attire.
Whether you decide to dress as African royalty or in one of your favorite Black Panther tees, it won’t matter. We all know what we will be doing the weekend of the 16th. The movie theater attendant won’t even have to ask us any questions.
No matter what our race, gender, preference, ideology, or background is, we will all be rushing to the theater to see the Marvel-ous Black Panther.
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Have you seen any other hilarious Black Panther memes? Let us know in the comments!