How Old Is Shuri In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?

Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Shuri’s age in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is dependent on several MCU factors. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees T’Challa’s family grieving over his sudden death, and explores how they pick themselves back up despite the looming threat of war with Talokan, Namor’s ancient underwater civilization. Shuri acts as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s main protagonist. As such, the film provides a more in-depth look at her character, especially her grief, her fear of failure, and the burden she carries on her shoulders not only as Wakanda’s princess but also as the nation’s tech genius. How old Shuri is in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever makes her character arc all the more impressive and emotional.

According to producer Nate Moore, Shuri was 16 years old in Black Panther (via Screen Rant). However, Black Panther: The Junior Novel has conflicting information – it lists her as being born somewhere in 1998, which would make Shuri around 18 during Black Panther, which takes place quite soon after the events of Captain America: Civil War in 2016. It’s important to remember that Shuri was snapped for five years, so depending on which information is correct, Shuri is either around 19-20 years old during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – which takes place between 2024-2025 – or 21-22 years old. Either way, she’s still quite young.

How Old Is Shuri Compared To Riri Williams In Wakanda Forever?

Black Panther 2 Wakanda Forever trailer Letitia Wright as Shuri Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams Ironheart

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduces Riri Williams to the MCU, an intellectual prodigy studying at MIT who is indirectly responsible for bringing Namor’s Talokans to the surface as a result of one of her inventions. Riri and Shuri are matched in intelligence and ingenuity, and Riri visibly impresses Shuri when she describes the machine that she built to detect Vibranium and when she shows Shuri and Okoye her workshop. Riri Williams, a.k.a Iron Heart, mentions that she is 19 years old in the movie, which makes Riri and Shuri roughly the same age, though Shuri might be a tad older if taking Black Panther: The Junior Novel’s information into account.

Shuri's Age Makes Her Black Panther Feats Even More Impressive

Shuri wearing a ceremonial gown at T'Challa's funeral in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Shuri’s young age, whether she’s 19 or 22, makes her character arc in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all the more impressive. She’s under immense pressure – she still grieves the loss of her brother, feels like she let him and Wakanda down by not being able to synthetically replicate the heart-shaped herb, and later even loses her mother too, leaving Shuri in charge of a nation in a way she was never really prepared for. Shuri missed five years when she was snapped, and the world she came back to was nearly unrecognizable. Dealing with that much loss and pain is difficult for anyone at any age, but especially someone so young.

Being known as one of the world’s most intelligent people and not being able to save her brother with her gifts would have crushed anyone else. And, to add to that pressure, she suddenly needs to lead Wakanda in a war against an equally well-equipped civilization, and take on the Black Panther mantle. For someone so young to be tasked with keeping an entire nation safe, not to mention the entire surface world, all the while still grieving the loss of her closest relatives all adds up to Shuri being one of the most emotionally mature and intelligent people in the MCU, no matter how old Shuri is in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

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