Why Black Panther Was Really The First Hero To Return In Endgame

Black Panther was the first hero to return in Avengers: Endgame, and that was the best way it could have played out. Avengers: Endgame's iconic "Portals" scene is generally considered one of the most powerful moments in the MCU to date, demonstrating the true potential of the shared universe; no less than 36 characters participated in Avengers: Endgame's final battle, many of them transported there by Doctor Strange and the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Black Panther was the first to step through these mystical portals, and his appearance seemed powerful and symbolic.

According to the Russo brothers, the Portals scene was still being adjusted until about a month before Avengers: Endgame’s theatrical release. “We always wanted Sam [Wilson] to be the first one to communicate with Cap via his comm,” the Russo brothers explained in a Reddit Q&A. “Sam was lost in Wakanda, so logically the first portal that would open would be the Wakandan portal. And the first person that would logically walk through a portal from Wakanda would be the king himself, bringing his army once again to the defense of Cap and the world.”

Black Panther Was The Best Choice To Emerge From The Portal

The Russo brothers' comments suggest it was almost luck rather than judgment that meant Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther stepped through a portal first. Looking back, though, nothing else would have worked; more than a hero, Black Panther is also a leader, and his emergence promised the arrival of an army. Boseman's performance in that moment is electrifying, as he gives Steve Rogers a nod of reassurance. It feels like a meeting of equals, with a new leader arriving to give the exhausted hero much-needed respite. It's telling that the final battle then features impressive scenes involving all the heroes being positioned as central to the MCU's future - Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel - reinforcing the impression that the OG Avengers have done their duty and what happens next is bigger than them.

The prominence given to King T'Challa seems particularly appropriate given Black Panther's box office success. This was the first Marvel film to break $1 billion that didn't feature Robert Downey, Jr. (it remains to be seen whether Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will match this box office milestone). It's important to remember the scripts for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame had been locked long before Marvel knew how much of a hit T'Challa would be, meaning it was too late to make any course-corrections and include Black Panther's prominence. From an out-of-universe perspective, Marvel's decision to have Black Panther step out of the portal first highlights his importance.

Avengers: Endgame's Portals Scene Is More Tragic Now

Looking back, Avengers: Endgame's iconic "Portals" scene has become a lot more tragic. Black Panther feels as though he is positioned as the next Captain America; indeed, it's probably no coincidence Marvel Comics subsequently pivoted to put him in charge of the Avengers too. King T'Challa feels as though he embodies the MCU's future, just as Wakanda promised to transform the MCU as it distributed its Vibranium-based technology. It was not to be, however; sadly, Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020, and the Black Panther mantle is instead being passed on. Avengers: Endgame's Portals scene carries a very different emotional weight now, as it points to a future that can never be.

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