It's no secret that the Black Panther of Wakanda is one of the most formidable and effective warriors, kings, and Avengers in the Marvel Universe. However, that was just confirmed throughout the cosmos. King T'Challa will be given the title of the Most Dangerous Man Alive in the preview for the third issue of Marvel's Empyre by the alien invasion of Cotati forces. Read on to learn more and why the Cotati seem to fear the Black Panther as a truly significant threat.
Thus far in Empyre, Black Panther joined the Avengers in repelling the newly formed Kree/Skrull fleet, assuming that they were there to invade Earth and destroy the seemingly innocent Cotati race living on the moon, whom both races hated. When Iron Man gave the order, Black Panther and Ghost Rider opened fire on the fleet in a Quinjet, which Ghost Rider turned into his spaceship of vengeance. When that failed, it was Black Panther's turn to go on the offensive, transforming the Quinjet into his own personal Battle Panther Mech, not unlike Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor.
However, it was revealed that the Cotati had plans of their own, becoming the true villains and threat. Unfortunately, the Avengers' attack gave the Cotati all the time they needed to activate their immensely destructive Death Blossom, which unleashed on onslaught of malicious plant-life not only on the Kree/Skrull Fleet, but the Avengers as well. In the aftermath of the first skirmish, the Cotati set their sights on Earth and began their invasion, motivating the Avengers to return to Earth to fight on the front lines.
The battleground on Earth includes Wakanda, if the preview for Empyre #3 is any indication. In the preview pages, it seems as though the Cotati are testing Wakanda's defenses, hoping to find weakness. Apparenlty, they've already had moderate success in overtaking other areas of the Earth such as the mutant nation of Genosha, as well as the Savage Land. While they've yet to send in their best troops, the Cotati's leader Quoi is trying to understand the levels of caution. That's when his father, the Swordsman, gives Black Panther his new title as the Most Dangerous Man Alive.
To theorize and make an educated guess based on this preview panel, it seems likely that the Cotati want vibranium, and Wakanda is the only place they would be able to get it. Why would they want it? Vibranium's uses are many, containing several unique properties and uses. Perhaps the vibranium would be able to boost the Death Blossom's capabilities, power, and/or range on a massive level. If that's the case, there's absolutely no way King T'Challa is going to just let the Cotati take his nation's primary and most valuable resource without a fight, especially if it means the end of his nation, and the world at large.
With the stakes being that high, it makes sense that the Cotati would fear the Black Panther as the Most Dangerous Man Alive. Unfortunately, the Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda series and subsequent Empyre tie-in has been cancelled, which would have fleshed out the Cotati's invasion in greater detail, but fans will most likely still get to see the major beats of the conflict and its results (whatever they may be) when Empyre #3 hits shelves at the end of this month.