After releasing in theaters on November 11, 2022, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has now been released on Disney+, allowing many to catch details and Easter eggs they might have previously missed. Ryan Coogler's follow-up to 2018's Black Panther brought the MCU back to Wakanda for the first time since Avengers: Infinity War, detailing an emotional story as the nation suffers huge grief after the loss of the MCU's Black Panther, T'Challa, portrayed by Chadwick Boseman before his 2020 passing. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was met with huge success during its theatrical run, leading to the film being nominated for a plethora of awards, including five Academy Awards.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Disney+ release on February 1 2023, creates the opportunity for Marvel Studios' fans to rewatch Coogler's powerful adventure. With many shocking and world-changing events occurring during Wakanda Forever, it would be easy to miss things during the action, especially after the introduction of Namor and the Talokanil, the sudden death of Queen Ramonda, Shuri becoming the new Black Panther, and Toussaint, T'Challa's son, debuting in the post-credits scene. While Wakanda Forever will have changed the future of the MCU in significant ways, it also features many callbacks to the MCU's rich history and pays tribute to the legendary Chadwick Boseman.
14 Shuri's AI Has A Deeper Meaning
Trevor Noah reprises his role as the AI, Griot, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, helping Shuri with her technological advancements, specifically the creation of the synthetic heart-shaped herb. In West African cultures, a Griot is a storyteller, poet, and historian who dedicates their life to keeping the old traditions alive. This is referenced throughout the Black Panther franchise, as Shuri regularly "scoffs at tradition" until she enters the Ancestral Plane and begins to understand the value of her Wakandan heritage and its origins.
13 T'Challa's Funeral Calls Back To Black Panther
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens with the tragic death of T'Challa to an undisclosed illness, leading to his emotional but celebratory funeral, surrounded by his family, with the Wakandans donning white ceremonial clothing. This beautiful moment sees T'Challa's casket raised to the sky, over which the 'Ancestral Plane' theme from Black Panther plays. This theme played in the 2018 film after T'Challa ingested the heart-shaped herb and entered the Ancestral Plane, being met by his deceased father and earning his place as the Black Panther and King of Wakanda.
12 Queen Ramonda's Return To Wakanda
After a one-year time jump, Queen Ramonda is revealed to be the new monarch in Wakanda and confronts the United Nations over attempts to steal vibranium from the Wakandans. As she is returning to Wakanda, Okoye alerts her that they've arrived home in a direct parallel to the opening moments of Black Panther. The original film saw T'Challa returning to Wakanda after the death of his father and the events of Captain America: Civil War, with Okoye repeating the same line, "we're home," in both instances. T'Challa and Ramonda were even sat in the same position as they both returned to their home.
11 Ant-Man's Memoir Receives A Mention
CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper makes a cameo appearance during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, reporting on the story of T'Challa's death. While he does, however, the news ticker reveals that Scott Lang, a.k.a. the MCU's Ant-Man, has released a memoir entitled, "Look Out For The Little Guy." With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicking off the MCU's Phase 5 in February 2023, Scott Lang's celebrity status will certainly become a key talking point, especially after Ms. Marvel seemed to confirm that he had revealed information about the Avengers' battle with Thanos.
10 MIT Is An Important MCU Location
MIT has been a significant location in the MCU for a number of years, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever only adds to its importance. Shuri and Okoye find Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, at MIT after she designs a vibranium detector that the CIA use, and Williams will next be seen at MIT during Ironheart on Disney+. MIT is Tony Stark's alma mater and an institution that stayed close to his heart as he returned there to fund projects with the September Foundation in Civil War. MJ and Ned also got accepted to MIT in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Killmonger even attended MIT before joining the US Navy SEALs.
9 Riri Williams' Ironheart Mirrors Tony Stark's Iron Man
Riri Williams, portrayed by Dominique Thorne in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has been set up to be Iron Man's legacy hero in the wake of Tony Stark's sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. Her prototype Ironheart suit towards the start of Wakanda Forever is made of Stark tech, and her first on-screen flight perfectly mirrors Stark's first flight in his Mark II Iron Man armor, down to the same cheering noise made by both. On their first attempts, both Stark and Williams fly potentially higher than they should, with Stark having to deal with an icing problem, and Williams almost running out of oxygen while chasing down a drone.
8 Namor's Name Carries Huge Meaning
While it's revealed in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that Namor has named himself so because he has "no love for the surface world," his people actually call him K'ul'kulkan. K'ul'kulkan is the name of a Mesoamerican serpent deity, otherwise known as the Feathered Serpent God, and is closely related to Quetzalcoatl of Aztec mythology, who made an appearance during Thor: Love & Thunder. The people of the underwater city of Talokan name Namor K'ul'kulkan due to his winged ankles, and elongated lifespan, thanks to mutant DNA, allowing him to rule over Talokan for centuries.
7 Ayo Becomes The New Dora Milaje General
After failing to save Shuri and Riri Williams from being taken by the Talokanil, Queen Ramonda strips Okoye of her title and position as General of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces. Usually, the Dora Milaje wear silver and red armor, while Okoye wears gold and red. However, when Okoye is removed from the Dora, Ayo is seen wearing red and gold armor, signifying her ascension to General of the Dora Milaje. It works out for Okoye, however, as Okoye becomes a Midnight Angel alongside Aneka, and it's great to see Ayo step up after previous appearances in Civil War and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
6 Ramonda's Grandson Brings Her To Nakia
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's post-credits scene reveals that T'Challa and Nakia had a secret child before the former's death, choosing to raise the kid in Haiti, away from the pressures of the Wakandan throne. This was a highly emotional reveal, but as it turns out, Toussaint, a.k.a. Prince T'Challa, was seen early on in Wakanda Forever. When Ramonda travels to Haiti to seek Nakia's help in finding Shuri, she is brought to Nakia by a group of children, one of whom is Toussaint, her own grandson, played by young MCU newcomer Divine Love Konadu-Sun.
5 Shuri's Black Panther Entrance Mirrors T'Challa
After Shuri successfully creates a synthetic heart-shaped herb and ingests it, she finds herself imbued with the strength of the Black Panther, quickly setting to work on designing a suit for herself. As the inhabitants of Wakanda seek protection in the mountains of the Jabari Tribe, Shuri makes her grand entrance as the new Black Panther, falling from the sky, calling back to T'Challa's first entrance as the Black Panther in the original 2018 film. There, he jumps from a ship to ask Nakia to return to Wakanda to see him be crowned King, and in Wakanda Forever, Shuri jumps to ask M'Baku for help in the fight against Namor.
4 New Black Panther Suit Is Inspired By Killmonger
After ingesting the heart-shaped herb, Shuri enters the Ancestral Plane, where she expects to speak to her mother or brother but is instead met by Killmonger, who briefly became the Black Panther in Black Panther. Killmonger stresses the pair's similarities, and this apparently has an effect on the new superhero, as Shuri designs her new Black Panther suit with gold details, just like Killmongers. In the trailers, this led many to wonder whether Killmonger would be permanently returning, but in Wakanda Forever, it shows Shuri's growth and development as a fully-fledged hero.
3 Shuri's Civil War Connection
During her final battle with Namor on a patch of desert, Shuri shows incredible desperation at taking down her foe, especially after he directly caused the death of her mother, and sought to attack Wakanda with no remorse. It seems as though Shuri has won the battle, drying out Namor and draining him of his power, though she relents at killing him, uttering the same words T'Challa did during Captain America: Civil War, "vengeance has consumed us." This is a beautiful callback to T'Challa's Black Panther and Boseman's first appearance in the MCU, and this shows that mercy runs in the Wakandan royal family's genes.
2 License Plate Pays Tribute To Chadwick Boseman
At the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the new Director of the CIA, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, has her ex-husband and employee, Everett Ross, arrested for feeding information to the Wakandans. While he is eventually freed by Okoye in her Midnight Angel suit, a fun reference to Chadwick Boseman is featured on the license plate of the van he's being held in. The license plate reads "CB112976," directly referencing Chadwick Boseman's initials, followed by his birthday, November 26, 1976. This, along with the opening title montage and flashbacks of scenes featuring Boseman, was a beautiful way to honor the lost legend.
1 Toussaint's Name Is Very Important
The reveal of T'Challa's son during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's post-credits scene came as a shock to audiences, though it was perhaps the perfect way to continue Boseman's legacy in the MCU. Though his Wakandan name is Prince T'Challa, his Haitian name is Toussaint, potentially named after the Haitian General François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, a prominent figure in the Haitian Revolution, often referred to as the Father of Haiti. This name brilliantly reflects the colonizer/colonized themes that run deep in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and act as a symbol of liberty and freedom for the Wakandans and the Talokanil.
Key Release Dates
-
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania
Release Date:2023-02-17 -
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date:2023-05-05 -
The Marvels
Release Date:2023-11-10 -
Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date:2024-05-03 -
Marvel's Thunderbolts
Release Date:2024-12-20 -
Blade (2025)
Release Date:2025-02-14 -
Deadpool 3
Release Date:2024-05-03 -
Marvel's Fantastic Four
Release Date:2025-05-02 -
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
Release Date:2026-05-01 -
Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date:2027-05-01
