Captain America has been a staple of the MCU since Phase 1, often serving as the moral compass and leader of the Avengers. While he initially clashed with the Black Panther, the two quickly developed a strong friendship filled with trust and respect.
With both T'Challa and Steve Rogers' time in the MCU sadly over, fans have presumably seen the end of their on-screen interaction. Despite only appearing in a limited number of scenes together, their friendship was undeniable and memorable. However, there are many moments from the comics that fans wish they could have seen play out on the big screen.
MCU: We Don't Do That Here
When the Avengers arrived in Wakanda ahead of the big showdown with Thanos' forces in Avengers: Infinity War, Bruce Banner asked James Rhodes if it was customary to bow in the presence of King T'Challa. Rhodes convinced him to bow, leading to T'Challa informing him that "We don't do that here."
It was a humorous moment that harkened back to the first Avengers in which Captain America made his stance on bowing clear by standing up to Loki in Germany. These moments showed one of many similarities between the two.
Comics: King In Black
The King in Black arc told the story of an invasion by a symbiote named Knull, who is determined to plunge the universe into darkness. T'Challa was able to organize the Wakandan army and fight off the invasion, unlike Captain America, who fell under Knull's control in a separate battle.
This storyline highlighted the differences between the two heroes in terms of both leadership style and personality. Fans would be interested to see these two match wits against a foe like Knull. Additionally, the exploration of Steve Rogers' loneliness as Captain America, as exposed by Knull's control, juxtaposed with T'Challa's heritage as the Black Panther would be fascinating to see.
MCU: I Can Do This All Day/I Did Not Yield
Throughout his appearances in the MCU, Steve Rogers found himself repeatedly refusing to give up. Whether he was fighting a bully in an alley, Iron Man during a civil war, or even fighting himself from another timeline, Captain America always stated the mantra "I can do this all day," and kept fighting.
Similarly, Black Panther refused to give up when challenged to ritual combat by Killmonger, even when he appeared to be beaten to death in Black Panther. T'Challa returned home and declared that he still had not yielded and demanded the fight continue. This shared spirit was part of what made Captain America and Black Panther's friendship so strong.
Comics: Enter The Phoenix
The Enter the Phoenix storyline saw Marvel's greatest heroes all pitted against one another in a combat tournament to determine who would receive the Phoenix Force. After a tournament full of fights involving Wolverine, Namor, Doctor Doom, and even Howard the Duck, Captain America versus Black Panther was built up as one of the marquee battles.
Fans would love to see a combat tournament between their favorite MCU characters. Not only did this storyline provide great action, but it also illustrated the different mentalities and ideologies the fighters, especially Black Panther and Captain America, brought to the tournament.
MCU: The Battle Of Wakanda
As Shuri worked to secure the final Infinity Stone from Vision's head, the Avengers prepared for a battle with Thanos' army in Avengers: Infinity War. As Thanos' troops surrounded Wakanda, Blank Panther made the decision to lower the defenses and draw the enemy's attention.
Captain America and Black Panther sprinted out in front of the rest of the army, becoming the first ones to engage the enemy forces. The way these two heroically led by example, fighting side by side while the rest of their team raced to catch up, demonstrated their friendship and character.
Comic Scene: Flags Of Our Fathers
The comic storyline Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers explored the history between Steve Rogers and Azzuri the Wise, a previous Black Panther and T'Challa's grandfather. This story arc was an interesting and unique way to represent the dynamic between Captain America and Black Panther.
Having this storyline play out in the MCU would have added a deeper layer to the friendship between Steve Rogers and T'Challa. Additionally, this would have allowed the MCU to further demonstrate the similarities and differences between T'Challa and the previous rulers of Wakanda.
MCU: Bucky In Wakanda
Captain America: Civil War introduced Black Panther into the MCU and almost immediately pitted him against Captain America. After losing his father in an explosion believed to have been caused by the Winter Soldier, Black Panther vowed to get his revenge on Captain America's friend.
However, by the end of the film, after Zemo was revealed to be the true villain, Black Panther had let go of his vengeance and pledged to help Captain America save Bucky Barnes from being the Winter Soldier by welcoming them into Wakanda where his people could tend to him. The fact that Black Panther would invite these outsiders into Wakanda was a testament to the friendship between him and Captain America.
Comics: Secret Empire
Secret Empire explored an alternate timeline in which Steve Rogers was indoctrinated by Hydra at a young age and became a sleeper cell agent, eventually taking up the mantle of Hydra Supreme. As the Avengers searched for shards of the Cosmic Cube, that Hydra wanted to use to manipulate the timeline, they came into contact with Black Panther who possessed one of the shards.
Black Panther was hesitant to give away his shard but was willing to take on the other pieces Tony Stark had collected. This storyline was an interesting examination of what makes Captain America who he is as well as illustrating Black Panther's mistrustful relationship with those outside of Wakanda.
MCU: Get This Man A Shield
In Avengers: Infinity War, as the heroes prepared for their fight against Thanos' army, Black Panther took the lead in organizing the group. As he called out orders, he pointed at Captain America and commanded someone to "Get that man a shield."
So much of Wakanda's conflict with the outside world had centered around the theft of Vibranium. Black Panther ordering his people to entrust some of their most precious resources to an outsider was the biggest possible indication of the friendship between Black Panther and Captain America.
Comics: Claws Of The Panther
Perhaps the most iconic team-up of Captain America and the Black Panther, Claws of the Panther was filled with great moments as the pair joined forces against Baron Zemo. The adventure culminated with Black Panther joining the Avengers.
This classic storyline would have made for a more intimate introduction of Black Panther into the Avengers. While there were group missions involving the two, fans would have loved to have seen a big-screen adventure that centered around just Captain America and Black Panther.