auguy86: Blog

Why Disney's Star Wars decision is wrong... and right!

Welcome back, intrepid readers! M. H. Barton here with my biweekly blog on the art and craft of storytelling across all mediums. Today’s post is all about the recent news out of Disney regarding the Star Wars universe. Specifically, Kathleen Kennedy has stated that Disney will move away from the Skywalker Saga part of the universe and will no longer recast new actors to portray classic characters. I’m going to explore the reasons this decision is both wrong and right.

First, the wrong. Kennedy outright stating that Disney will not recast new actors for classic characters is a shortsighted move, in my opinion. It seems clear that they have learned this lesson from the spin-off film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Kennedy’s recent comments indicate that the financial disappointment of said film rested on their decision to cast Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo in that film. To my eye, however, nothing could be further from the truth.

Solo is not the greatest film in the franchise, to be sure. Statistically, it can be called a flop because it didn’t break even at the box office, but this alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Firstly, it didn’t break even because of its astronomical budget. Disney fully expected Solo to surprise fans of the franchise and take the box office by storm in the same way Rogue One did. As a result, Disney blindly expected no repercussions from making one of the most expensive films in history. Secondly, the film had a difficult production, to say the least, going through a couple of directors before Ron Howard finally came in to salvage the film. But the end result was something I actually found rather enjoyable and refreshing: a fun, lighthearted heist film set in the Star Wars universe. That’s simply my opinion, and I can understand those who disagree, but I think Solo is a bit underrated among its more epic brethren films.

Finally, I must push back on the notion that Solo didn’t work because of the recasting of Han Solo. Alden Ehrenreich did, in my mind, an admirable job in an impossible task, replacing one of the greatest actors of a generation in Harrison Ford. His take on Han Solo was that of a loveable rogue, but one who had not yet become as cynical as the Han Solo we meet in A New Hope. He’s young, cocky, and has little appreciation for how his decisions will impact the people around him. When he sees something he wants, he goes for it, to hell with the consequences. It’s one of the ways his love interest, Qi’ra, is able to play him so easily in the end. Ehrenreich’s take on this young, naïve Han Solo was both enjoyable and believable.

All this says nothing about the other key recasting in Solo: Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Much as some might have complained about the Han Solo recast, Glover’s take on the younger Lando met with universal praise. He’s smooth, suave, and has a steady hand in contrast to the brash Han Solo, mirroring the interactions between Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams. Han and Lando’s scenes together are among the best in the film, especially the two Sabacc scenes bookending their time on screen. This is the biggest evidence of all that Kathleen Kennedy looks to have learned the wrong lessons from Solo. Recasts aren’t the problem. Long-term vision is the problem.

Now, all this said, I actually believe that Kennedy’s statement about the future of Star Wars is good in another sense. Her plan to have the franchise step away from the Skywalker Saga and build on other aspects of the universe is a strong one, as we have seen so far with The Mandalorian. While The Book of Boba Fett received a bit more of a lukewarm reception, nobody can deny the immediate impact Mando and Grogu have had on fans of this franchise the world over. It’s an exciting new direction we’re seeing, and it’s all helmed by Jon Favreau, one of the best directors in the world right now. This again illustrates the core issue many fans have had with the sequel trilogy: the importance of having the right person in charge with a strong plan and vision for the universe going forward.

If Star Wars continued to focus almost exclusively on new segments of the Skywalker Saga, that would make the “cone” of the universe, as it were, deeper and narrower. On the other hand, exploring new stories, such as that of a gunslinger like Mando or a spy like Cassian Andor, expands the “cone” wider, not deeper. Eventually, as these offshoot stories deepen on their own, the Star Wars universe becomes a robust and varied mountain range, rather than the single mountain of the Skywalker Saga. With the success of The Mandalorian and several new upcoming projects, such as a film in the works by director Taika Waititi, the future of Star Wars has untold storytelling potential. All it needs is a coherent vision of where it’s all going.

In conclusion, I think Kathleen Kennedy may have been trying to say something very good for the future of Star Wars but expressed it very sloppily. Stepping away from the Skywalker Saga will naturally decrease the presence of classic characters from the franchise, thereby reducing the need for recasts. Still, recasts are much like Thanos: they are inevitable. Sooner or later, new actors and actresses will portray Luke, Leia, Anakin, and many others. Hell, we’ve already had several recasts, and many of them have turned out rather well. Aside from the aforementioned Han and Lando, is there any fan of the franchise who doesn’t love Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan? By now, he’s arguably more associated with the role than Alec Guinness himself! And in the runup to the finale of season 2 of The Mandalorian, rumors were circulating that Sebastian Stan might appear as Luke Skywalker, a prospect that I actually found not entirely revolting. An actor of his caliber might have a chance at respectably portraying Luke Skywalker.

The fact is that there’s no point in saying recasts will no longer happen. For hugely successful franchises that are redone and reimagined over and over again, recasts are a fact of life. Overall, I think Kennedy’s approach of putting space between the Skywalker Saga and the fans is a healthy one. The time is right to explore the unexplored reaches of a galaxy far, far away. In fifteen or twenty years, Disney may decide the time is right to revisit the Skywalker Saga, perhaps by rebooting the series. We may think it stupid to try and remake the original trilogy, but it will happen eventually. When it does, I pray the people in charge hire the right director with a vision for the path forward and the right actors who can do justice to the iconic roles they will bring to life.

That’s going to do it for this short entry. I hope you enjoyed my musings on the future of Star Wars. Of course, I’d love to know what you think! Do you agree with this new direction? Do you think Disney is full of crap? Please leave a comment with your thoughts! Also, let me know if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. If you did enjoy, please leave a like and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website. Until the next story!

The Infinity War

Tony’s efforts to reinvent himself after the Civil War are remarkable. He successfully mentored Peter Parker into an amazing young hero and repaired his relationship with Pepper Potts, eventually asking her to marry him. Despite the Avengers being split apart, life was finally becoming worth living for Tony. Sadly, this peaceful time would soon be interrupted by the sudden reemergence of Bruce Banner, who had been MIA since the end of the Ultron incident. Bruce returned to Earth with a simple warning: Thanos is coming.

When Thanos’ minions, the Black Order, launched an attack on New York, Tony was forced to team up with Peter Parker and master sorcerer Doctor Strange to repel the attack. In this battle, we once again see Tony’s incredible knack for evolving his tactics, as his armor has been upgraded with nanotechnology, heightening both his offensive and defensive capabilities to new levels. Even with all the superhuman individuals around him, Tony’s pure technological genius once again proves to be the best asset Earth has against cosmic threats. Unfortunately, Strange and the Time Stone are captured during the fight, forcing Tony to board the Black Order’s spaceship to rescue him. Worse, Peter has stowed away to try and help, putting the young hero in more danger than Tony ever wanted him to be in. Tony was now on a collision course with the Mad Titan, Thanos, and everything he cared about was at risk.

Tony’s attempts to prepare for the coming conflict were anything but smooth. First, he had to contend with Doctor Strange, whose ego was on par with Tony’s. Once they felt they had a plan, they had to adjust once more with the sudden arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Though more people might seem an advantage against Thanos, Tony lacked much faith in the capabilities of these new arrivals given their shoot-from-the-hip attitude. The irony in his frustrations is that Steve Rogers once felt the same way about Tony in their first adventure together.

It is in the Battle of Titan that we truly see Tony Stark at his finest. In Tony’s last major loss, Steve Rogers had bested Tony’s advanced technology thanks to his superior skills in hand-to-hand combat. Tony has taken this ass-kicking to heart and deploys a staggering number of new weapons in this fight, including a shield, sword, and hammer designed to help him in hand-to-hand scenarios. In this way, a mere human is able to keep up with Thanos throughout the fight – only Thanos’ four Infinity Stones put him out of Tony’s league. But in the end, Thanos overpowers Tony and stands ready to kill him. That is when Doctor Strange does the one thing Tony never expected and surrenders the Time Stone to save Tony’s life. With his mission accomplished, Thanos vanishes into a portal. Mere minutes later, Thanos gains the final Infinity Stone and wills half of all life out of existence. Tony is hit by this worse than most, as he is forced to watch Peter Parker, one of the only people he truly cared for, turn to dust in his arms. Tony’s greatest failure is complete.

Aftermath

The time immediately following Tony’s battle with Thanos is not depicted on screen, but we can surmise it was a whirlwind of emotions. As the only other survivor of the Snap on Titan was Nebula, it can be assumed that she and Tony started working together to find a way back to civilization of any kind. While Nebula worked to treat Tony’s wounds and the pair of them tried to repair Star Lord’s ship, Tony certainly had much to think about and come to grips with.

It is curious that Tony is so angry with the late Doctor Strange for his actions in the Battle of Titan. After all, Strange had previously stated he wouldn’t hesitate to let Tony or anyone else die to keep the Time Stone safe. That, however, was before Strange’s preparations for Thanos’ arrival. Using the full power of the Time Stone, he viewed over 14 million possible outcomes of the conflict with Thanos and informed Tony that they only win in a single instance. This revelation frames every one of Doctor Strange’s actions going forward. Everything he does is in an effort to bring about that one scenario.

If Tony had his normal mental faculties, he would have been able to understand this. He would have been able to figure out that the only reason Strange would surrender the Time Stone was if it was required for the Avengers to eventually win in the long run. But Tony is incapable of understanding these things due to his grief over losing Peter. He had always seen himself in the young man and sought to protect Peter from his own ambition, which nobody ever did for Tony in his younger days. His failure to keep Peter away from the fight against Thanos would go on to haunt him for years.

Reality soon sets in for Tony, as he and Nebula are unable to keep Star Lord’s ship flying for more than a couple of days. They are soon stranded in space with no hope of reaching any inhabited planet in time. It is this dire situation that shows us Tony hasn’t lost his humanity. He and Nebula spend their days getting to know each other, rationing their supplies, and even playing paper football. Watching Tony teach Nebula, the abused and sadistic daughter of Thanos, how to have fun for the sake of having fun is one of the sweetest moments in the entire MCU. We even see Tony offer Nebula some of his food, only for her to decline. With her cybernetic enhancements, she knows Tony needs the food more than she does. In the meantime, Tony records messages in the event his beloved Pepper ever finds them. He is soon resigned to his impending death, and only the miraculous arrival of Captain Marvel saves his life.

After Captain Marvel tows the ship back to Earth, Tony finally sets foot on his home planet once more, only to be greeted by the one man he didn’t want to see – Steve Rogers. Though Tony initially foregoes any pettiness in favor of hugging Pepper, the debrief soon brings everything to a head. Where Steve is still focused on doing everything he can to track down Thanos, Tony refuses to mask his disgust any longer. He places the blame for their combined loss squarely on Steve’s shoulders, stating he wasn’t there when Tony needed him. He further states that his fears were right all along, that the Earth needed more advanced defenses even if they had to curtail individual freedoms and liberties in the process. Soon, Tony collapses into a coma from exhaustion and his previous injuries.

After Steve’s unsuccessful attempt to recover the Infinity Stones, the Avengers must live with the consequences of their ultimate failure. For Tony, this means moving on from Iron Man permanently, marrying Pepper Potts, and having a daughter with her. Morgan Stark becomes the light of Tony’s universe over the next five years. Despite all the damage done by Thanos, Tony has found something to live for. He seems perfectly content in his quiet retirement, which makes the eventual arrival of his former teammates all the more painful.

Five years after the battle with Thanos, Steve arrives at Tony’s home with Natasha Romanoff and Scott Lang, also known as Ant-Man. When they explain their theory of using the Quantum Realm as a means of traveling into the past to recover the Infinity Stones, Tony is immediately dismissive. While it would be easy to think this attitude is due to old wounds between Tony and Steve, it soon becomes clear that Tony simply thinks they’re trying to latch onto an impossible pipe dream that will eventually kill them all. His tone does soften to a remarkable degree as Tony says that he’s genuinely happy to see his old friends, but that they need to look forward for their second chance.

Even as Tony proclaims he has found his second chance in his family and won’t roll the dice on it, he’s still plagued with guilt over losing Peter Parker. As well, Tony is a tinkerer and a gearhead at heart. He can’t resist experimenting with a new technological toy and soon tries working out the theoretical logistics of Lang’s proposed Time Heist, even as nothing but a little game. To the surprise of Tony and nobody else, he soon discovers it to be more than theoretically possible. Of course, he still wonders if going along with this is the right thing to do and considers dropping all evidence of this research at the bottom of a lake. Thankfully, Pepper retains her role as Tony’s conscience and reminds him that he’d never be able to sleep again if he did that. Thus, the plans for the Time Heist commence.

The Endgame

As Tony officially rejoins the Avengers, he knows there is still business to attend to. The final reconciliation between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers is simply beautiful. Steve has just hit a brick wall in their own efforts to control time through the Quantum Realm and while Tony could gloat over this, (okay, he does for a moment, but we’d have been disappointed if he hadn’t) he immediately explains that he’s figured it out and is willing to help. After five years, he’s realized that resentment is corrosive. For once in Tony’s life, he is completely upfront and honest about his motivations, emphasizing to Steve that his family must remain intact after the Time Heist. Steve agrees, prompting Tony to swallow his ego and return the shield of Captain America to Steve.

Of all the parts of the Time Heist, Tony and Steve each take on arguably the riskiest and most difficult parts. While Steve manages to swipe the Mind Stone, Tony and Lang flub their retrieval of the Space Stone. But while Lang frets that they’re screwed, Tony just glances at Steve and realizes how they can still accomplish the mission. All it takes is a few short words about a military base in New Jersey to convince Steve that Tony is right. Sealing their friendship for good, Steve states emphatically that he trusts Tony and the pair disappear once more into the time stream.

Just when Tony believes he’s finished reconciling with his past, this final time jump brings him face-to-face with Howard Stark in his prime. Nervous as Tony is to face his strict dad once again, he’s pleasantly surprised to find Howard a jovial and kind man, far different than how Tony remembered him. As they chat, Tony admits that he always disliked his father, but now that he’s grown, he only remembers the good times. After all, Howard, for all his mistakes, helped mold Tony into the hero he eventually became.

Each of these sentimental moments is crucially important for Tony’s final journey. If he hadn’t flubbed the original retrieval of the Space Stone, he would never have had the chance to gain closure with Howard. Without that, it’s doubtful that Tony would have had the strength and conviction to make his final gutsy play. Ah, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Once the Time Heist is complete and a new Infinity Gauntlet has been crafted, Tony’s role in the following events actually diminishes somewhat. After Banner brings back the lives Thanos ended, a younger Thanos from the past erupts from the Quantum Realm with his ship and army, ready to take the Infinity Stones for himself. With most of the Avengers trapped in the rubble of the compound, the task of confronting the Mad Titan falls to the Big Three – Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor.

Surprisingly, Tony is knocked out of this fight relatively quickly, with Thor and Steve getting the bigger opportunities to take on Thanos. This can be seen as odd until one remembers that this isn’t the same Thanos Tony fought before on Titan. This Thanos is younger, hungrier, and has not discarded his armor and weapons in favor of the Infinity Stones. His fierce and brutal fighting style quickly overwhelms Iron Man’s preferred combat style of keeping his foes at arm’s length. But as he did before in the Battle of New York, Tony is graceful in taking a backseat once Steve takes up Mjölnir and assembles the entire Avengers against Thanos’ army.

As the battle rages, the sudden reappearance of Doctor Strange seems to have jogged Tony’s memory. No longer suffering from grief-fueled amnesia, he asks Strange if this is the one in 14 million chance that they win, but Strange refuses to say. It’s a brief exchange, but such a pivotal one for Tony. Instead of pressing Strange, Tony seems to accept that this is one thing he can’t actively control and reenters the fight. This is a remarkable move, showing that Tony can grow beyond his obsessive need for control and understanding. With this last show of growth, all the pieces are in place.

In the end, even the combined efforts of the Avengers aren’t enough to stop Thanos from getting his hands on the Infinity Gauntlet. But just as he’s about to end the entire universe and remake it in his image, Tony goes for broke. His seemingly futile effort to grab Thanos’ hand was actually a clever ploy, using his nanotech to move the Infinity Stones from the gauntlet and into the Iron Man armor. The consummate futurist with a contingency plan for everything has just deployed one last contingency to top Thanos. With the power of creation itself flowing through him and knowing full well the likely consequences, Tony smiles at his greatest adversary and delivers one final quip for the ages.

“And I… am… Iron Man.”

Conclusion

Steve Rogers once referred to Tony Stark as Earth’s Best Defender. Why was that? What made this man so vital to the safety of Earth and its people? He didn’t have enhanced strength or senses like Captain America or Black Panther. He wasn’t a god-like warrior the likes of Thor or Hulk. Hell, Tony didn’t even have a lifetime of combat training like Black Widow or Hawkeye. He was just a man with unlimited financial resources, untold creativity, and one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. In the end, that was exactly what Earth needed in its darkest hour.

Tony Stark’s final sacrifice was the sum of his experiences and traits – his guilt, his need for control, his lack of trust in anyone but himself, his overwhelming ego, and his ability to adapt himself and his tactics endlessly no matter the strength of his opponent. Even his awful mistakes, such as Ultron and the Sokovia Accords, put him exactly where he needed to be to save the universe when it mattered. Everything he did and experienced on his Hero’s Journey made this final moment possible. Tony was, to be sure, a deeply flawed individual. Those flaws were what made such a difficult journey necessary. He didn’t begin as a hero, even after building the Iron Man suit, but Tony Stark grew into the role of a hero so well that, in the end, nobody else could even be considered Earth’s Best Defender.

I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the character of Tony Stark. Robert Downey Junior’s portrayal of the character is nothing short of transcendent, and it was so fun to revisit all the key moments that made his work so worthwhile for all of us as fans and as storytellers. I don’t know if any of my heroic characters could ever rise to the level of the MCU’s Tony Stark, but it’s certainly something I aspire to as an author.

If you did enjoy this blog entry, please let me know in the comments. Feel free to mention if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a like and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website. Until the next story!

Character Study – Tony Stark (MCU)

Tony Stark. The original hero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. The Invincible Iron Man. Arguably the Earth’s greatest hero and protector. There is no denying Tony Stark’s importance in the MCU, as well as in storytelling in general. He is the very definition of a deep, complicated, and flawed protagonist, capable of capturing the hearts and imaginations of audiences around the world. But what makes him so interesting and compelling? What nuts and bolts make him tick? That’s what we’re going to talk about in this character study.

Tony Stark was born to Howard and Maria Stark. He always described his childhood as difficult, to say the least. Howard Stark, billionaire industrialist and co-founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., was far from an ideal father by his own admission. Continuing a cycle of stern, abusive fathers, he was often harsh with the young Tony and never openly expressed love or affection toward his son. With his father often sending him away to boarding school, Tony would always have more fond memories of his mother. While not much is known about Maria Stark in MCU continuity, she had to have been a patient and intelligent woman to tame the serial womanizer in Howard Stark. Despite his strained relationship with his father, Tony cared very deeply for his mother his whole life. Sadly, both Howard and Maria died while Tony was in college, leaving him to face his adult life alone.

With Tony’s upbringing and natural intelligence, it was only a matter of time before he took the technology industry by storm. After graduating from MIT, he joined his late father’s company, Stark Industries, and quickly began to prove himself as a visionary. Together with Obadiah Stane, Howard’s old business partner, they brought Stark Industries into the post 9-11 era with gusto. Through it all, Tony considered himself an ironmonger with a code of honor, designing his weapons to protect American soldiers and their allies. He thought he had everything figured out and taken control of his life. That, of course, was when life threw him a massive curveball.

Becoming Iron Man

The 2008 attack on Tony Stark’s convoy changed his life in so many ways. Upon being captured by the Ten Rings terrorist group, Tony was forced to build a weapon for them alongside Ho Yinsen, another captured scientist. Tony soon formed a bond with Yinsen, not only due to the older man saving his life but also from Yinsen’s words of inspiration. Seeing Stark Industries weapons in the hands of terrorists by way of the black market lit a tiny flame in Tony’s heart, but it was Yinsen sacrificing himself to save Tony that pushed him to change how he lived all facets of his life. This is the easiest and simplest way to view Tony Stark’s initial transformation into a hero, but the truth goes far deeper.

Ho Yinsen’s sacrifice turned out to be the catalyst for enflaming another of Tony’s personality traits: his obsessive perfectionism and need for control. This was almost always due to his feelings of guilt for his past sins – Tony was well aware of how flawed he was and suffered great insecurities as a result. These traits would go on to define the rest of Tony’s life in so many different ways. Even from the very moment he set foot back on American soil, he stated publicly that the weapons industry had become comfortable with zero accountability, pushing him to exercise control over the rogue parts of the industry he could influence. The result was the birth of Iron Man, a superhero in an advanced suit of armor capable of flight and armed with the most advanced weaponry Stark Industries had ever produced. At the heart of it all was Tony Stark’s magnum opus: the arc reactor. A more advanced version of the electromagnet he had built as a captive, the arc reactor was an exceptionally powerful source of self-sustaining energy, allowing the Iron Man suit to function for extended periods.

Through his early adventures combating Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, and Ivan Vanko, Tony’s need for control only grew. In each case, he saw the increasing dangers of his weapons and inventions falling into the wrong hands. Yet Tony remained so untrusting or, perhaps, so egotistical that he seemed to define any hands other than his own as the wrong hands. He wouldn’t even trust his best friend, James Rhodes, with the Iron Man armor until faced with the threat of Vanko duplicating Tony’s inventions. This distrust leads us directly to Nick Fury.

The Avengers Initiative

Tony Stark and Nick Fury are polar opposites in many respects, but one specific part of their personalities align perfectly – they are both futurists. They’re constantly trying to anticipate and prepare for everything, especially those things others might say can’t happen. Fury, given his past experiences with Carol Danvers, knew the day might come when humanity would face an insurmountable threat. Thus, he created the Avengers Initiative, an idea to bring together a team of remarkable people to face such unique threats on behalf of humanity. On the day Tony Stark revealed to the world that he was Iron Man, Fury had his first potential candidate.

Things did not go well in the early days for Tony and Fury. Tony’s lack of trust in anyone but himself, combined with his erratic and impulsive nature, leads Fury to disqualify him from the Avengers Initiative except in a consulting capacity. At that point in his life, Tony was not in any way a team player. Though Fury suspected the massive potential of Tony Stark, he feared him to be more of a liability than an asset. Tony eventually did stabilize himself to some extent after neutralizing the threat of Ivan Vanko, but Fury still opted for a wait-and-see approach. A couple of short years later, however, this cautious mindset would be thrown out the window.

With the reemergence of Loki and his theft of the Tesseract, the Avengers Initiative was no longer a mere thought experiment. As Nick Fury assembled the candidates for his team, Tony’s shortcomings in team settings moved to the forefront. While he had relatively polite and positive interactions with fellow scientist Bruce Banner, Tony treated Nick Fury, Natasha Romanoff, and Thor Odinson with distrust from the outset. And, of course, that barely scratches the surface of the instant clash seen between Tony and Steve Rogers. Soon, Agent Phil Coulson was dead, and Thor and Banner MIA. In the aftermath, the Avengers seemed broken, shut down before they even got started.

Yet despite their differences, Phil Coulson’s death served to galvanize Tony and Steve, motivating them to mount a defense against Loki’s incoming army. As they arrived in New York with Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, they began to repel the invasion. At first, nothing worked, and even the arrival of Thor wasn’t enough to change things. It’s only when Bruce Banner arrived that the Hulk was able to stem the initial assault and bring the six Avengers together as a team for the first time. It was at that moment of their first team-up that Tony experienced a moment of personal growth with one simple statement.

“Call it, Cap.”

With those three words, Tony finally acknowledges his own failings and shortcomings, recognizing that Steve Rogers is the leader the Avengers need. Steve is a soldier with a tactical mindset, which is exactly what helps turn the tide. Finally working together as a team, the Avengers coordinate their efforts and stymie Loki’s early invasion efforts. But even this isn’t enough to prevent Nick Fury’s superiors from ordering a nuclear strike on Manhattan. Knowing he’s the only one capable of intercepting the missile, Tony never once hesitates. He takes control of the missile’s flight path and, proving to Steve that he does have the ability to make the sacrifice play, directs the nuke into the wormhole and towards the mothership for Loki’s army. Though Steve Rogers became the leader of the Avengers in this battle, Tony earned the title of Earth’s Best Defender.

PTSD

The years immediately following the Battle of New York were tumultuous for Tony Stark. Suffering from insomnia and nightmares, he spends his time in his lab, tinkering with dozens of new Iron Man variations and distancing himself from his girlfriend, Pepper Potts. Even in saving the planet from an alien invasion, Tony’s compulsive desire to control the situation plagues him. He knows how bad it could have been, that they won the day largely on nerve and good fortune. The Aldrich Killian incident only exacerbated this stress, though Tony managed to even himself out to some degree after ending the threat of the Extremis virus. After undergoing surgery to remove the shrapnel from his chest, Tony goes into semi-retirement, resolving to only bring out the Iron Man armor again in the event of extreme scenarios.

Such a scenario arrived three years after the Battle of New York. With the revelation that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., Steve Rogers assembled the Avengers once more to assault the HYDRA base holding Loki’s scepter. Though they were successful in retrieving the scepter, Tony’s mind was unknowingly attacked by Wanda Maximoff. She saw his fears about future invasions and used her abilities to heighten those fears, leading Tony to make the first truly drastic mistake of his superhero career.

Using the semi-sentience within Loki’s scepter, Tony enlists Banner’s assistance in creating Ultron, an A.I. program capable of inhabiting mechanical bodies. Tony envisions Ultron as the bouncer to protect Earth from all future cosmic threats, but he severely underestimates the lengths Ultron will go to fulfill his prime directive of saving the world. Though Tony later redeems himself by using his established Jarvis program with the Mind Stone to create the heroic Vision, his creation of Ultron resulted in a massive breach of trust with the rest of the Avengers. In particular, the divisions between Tony and Steve deepen, as Steve voices his disgust at Tony’s attempts to win all future wars before they start. In the end, Ultron is destroyed, but only after the total destruction of Sokovia. Tony goes back into retirement while helping to fund the reorganized Avengers.

Civil War

Despite the success of the Avengers against Ultron, Tony’s psyche continued in a downward spiral. He already felt intense guilt for his role in creating Ultron, and when an Avengers operation in Lagos went awry and resulted in civilian deaths, global tensions boiled over. With public support for the Avengers divided, the United Nations demanded further oversight. Tony, in his guilt, then became the one thing he had never been before – fully compliant with a governmental entity. Instead of first approaching the Avengers to discuss a possible response, he hastily agreed to give the United Nations what they wanted. Tony then went to the Avengers and informed them they would either submit to the UN’s Sokovia Accords or be permanently retired.

Needless to say, Tony’s actions did not go over well with the Avengers. While some felt the Sokovia Accords would likely happen no matter what and agreed to them to maintain some semblance of control, others saw Tony as once again going behind their backs to undermine the team. Steve Rogers had long-held philosophical differences with Tony Stark, and he viewed this latest revelation as an attempt to handcuff the Avengers, hampering their ability to respond to enhanced threats too dangerous for normal authorities. In but a few short years in the modern-day, Steve had developed a massive distrust in politicians and now made his choice to refuse to submit.

Tony’s actions regarding the Sokovia Accords and Steve’s reply highlight a fantastic dichotomy between the two characters. Where Tony began his journey as a man who refused to submit to any authority except himself, he now advocated for UN control over the Avengers. Conversely, where Steve began as a loyal soldier who followed orders, he now saw corruption everywhere, not in the governmental systems themselves, but in the people in charge of them. Here, at the midpoint of the Infinity Arc, the two principal characters have completely swapped philosophical places in a jarring fashion, making a full-scale conflict inevitable.

Throughout the Avengers Civil War, many compromises were made, but nobody made more compromises than Tony himself. As previously stated, Tony considers himself a futurist, always trying to anticipate that which nobody else can. He saw the Accords as unavoidable and believed that the only way to keep one hand on the wheel was to agree to them up front. This initial compromise leads to several others, such as quarantining Wanda Maximoff at the Avengers compound, attempting to pressure Steve to sign the accords with promises of amendments, and interfering with Secretary Ross’ systems while talking with Sam Wilson about Steve’s whereabouts. Tony tries to do the best he can, but one cannot deny that he is all over the place at this point.

After finally tracking Steve Rogers and Bucky Barns to Siberia, Tony agrees to help in their mission to kill the Winter Soldier program, having learned that Bucky had been framed for the events that started the Civil War. Unfortunately, this alliance is short-lived, as Tony soon learns from archive footage that a brainwashed Bucky was the one who had murdered Howard and Maria Stark years ago. Worse, Steve had learned about this two years before and kept the information from Tony. With all trust between them destroyed, Tony tries and fails to kill Steve and Bucky. The result is Steve and his supporters going on the run as outlaws and Tony taking leadership of a ramshackle team, both remnants of what the Avengers once were.

Starting Over

With the Avengers in shambles, Tony needed a new sense of purpose. Thus, he took on a protégé in the young Peter Parker. He saw much of himself in Peter, a poor kid from Queens with genius-level intelligence. Determined not to become the harsh adult Howard Stark had been, Tony began his relationship with Peter as the cool adult, outfitting him with a technologically advanced Spider-Man suit. Still, Tony couldn’t hide his protective instincts and constantly advised Peter to keep a low profile in his duties as a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

It is in Tony’s mentorship of Peter that we see one of Tony’s most positive attributes – his ability to adapt and learn from past experiences. We’ve gotten glimpses of this in the past, but it’s now on full display with Peter’s Spider Suit. There are two features of the suit of particular note: the built-in heater and the automatic parachute. During the Extremis incident, Tony found himself stranded in the snowy mountains of Tennessee, endangering his survival. And, of course, he’s been in danger of falling to his death twice, in his first flight of the Mark II armor and coming out of the wormhole during the Battle of New York. Additionally, James Rhodes was paralyzed after he fell out of the sky during the Civil War. Learning from these experiences, Tony worked to ensure the young Peter wouldn’t fall victim to similar situations.

There was one thing, however, that Tony could not anticipate: the determination of Peter Parker to be more than just a street-level hero. If Tony had any measure of experience with teenagers, he would’ve known that they don’t simply take “no” for an answer. Alas, he continued to unintentionally belittle Peter while the young hero reported an increase of advanced weaponry finding its way into the hands of street criminals. Peter, for his part, didn’t help matters when he blew the cover of a group of FBI agents attempting to apprehend the weapons dealers Peter had reported, allowing the villains to escape. Angry at Peter’s disobedience, Tony reacts exactly as his own father would have and takes Peter’s Spider Suit away from him. Thankfully, Peter responds well to this punishment, taking it upon himself to prevent a massive shipment of Stark technology from falling into the hands of the black-market arms dealers. This helps repair the relationship between them and Tony begins to consider Peter as a future Avenger.

*Continued in Part Two*

As storytellers, we all strive for that moment. It could be the ultimate climax of the story or even a moment of heroic growth leading up to the climax, but whenever it occurs, it brings out the audience’s natural instinct to cheer. It’s the seminal representation of the audience becoming one with the story and its characters, no longer seeing them as fictional beings, but as friends they’re rooting for. We all try to capture the magic of that moment. Many of us, myself included, fall short. But certain moments capture that magic so perfectly that they become historic.

In 2022, the Academy Awards listed their Most Cheer-worthy Moments in film, but the revealed list was a disappointment, to say the least. I mean, seriously, the Flash entering the Speed Force during a mediocre film as the top pick? Absolutely ridiculous. Today, I decided to pick the real most cheer-worthy moments in film. Bear in mind, of course, that this is only my opinion. As ranking these moments is inherently subjective, I tried to consider several factors. Those include how iconic the film or the moment itself is, the impact of the moment in the story, and the amount of satisfaction it delivers for the audience. Also, I try to keep to one moment per franchise, as well as looking at films from different genres and time periods. Without further ado, let’s do this!

Number Ten: The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Dorothy melts the Wicked Witch

One of the longest-enduring classic films of them all, The Wizard of Oz gave us a character who really became film’s first true supervillain. The Wicked Witch of the West is powerful, evil, and downright scary from her very first appearance. She might seem goofy and cartoony by today’s standards, but in 1939, she was terrifying! Not only does she frighten and attack Dorothy and her friends with magic throughout the film but she also commands an army of soldiers and flying monkeys. After all the antagonism she brings over the course of the story, it takes one of the simplest things imaginable to finally bring her down: a bucket of water. It was a truly fantastical ending for one of film’s greatest villains, and it brought audiences to their feet in applause.

Number Nine: Jaws (1975) – Smile, ya SOB!

Similar to the Wicked Witch, the shark in Jaws managed to be a terrifying antagonist for the entirety of the film, but this time, the villain’s appearance remained a mystery until the film’s glorious climax. It’s not until Sheriff Brody, Captain Quint, and Hooper sail out to kill it that we finally see the shark itself. In a classic man vs. wild showdown, the shark toys with the three men for hours, gradually escalating in ferocity with each attack. Eventually, after nearly killing Hooper and devouring Quint alive, the shark causes the ship to begin to sink. In desperation, Brody tosses a SCUBA tank into the shark’s mouth and grabs a rifle. The monstrous shark spies Brody on the sinking mast of the ship and charges, forcing Brody to take several inaccurate shots. Finally, just as the shark is about to overtake him, Brody hits the SCUBA tank, killing the beast in a bloody explosion. A truly satisfying conclusion to a pulse-pounding sequence.

Number Eight: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Elliott and E.T. take flight

This moment is actually a pair of incredible moments. First, at the midpoint of this classic film, Elliott and his alien friend, E.T., sneak into the woods one night to try and contact E.T.’s people so he can return to his home planet. Along their journey, E.T. rides in the basket of Elliott’s bike. With his telekinetic abilities, E.T. levitates the bike to allow the pair to fly through the night sky. It’s a simple moment of awe and wonder, and Elliott’s bike silhouetted against the full moon remains one of the single most iconic shots in all of cinema.

The second moment, arguably the more cheer-worthy of the two, occurs at the film’s climax. The government has moved in and wishes to take custody of E.T., leading Elliott to go on the run. The climactic chase involving Elliott on his bike, escorted by his former bullies on their bikes, ultimately leads to a roadblock of police cruisers. But as was foreshadowed in the previous scene, E.T. levitates the five boys into the sky allowing them to escape the government agents and return E.T. to his ship. This scene has everything. Tense story elements, incredible reactions from the young actors, and the music. Oh, god, the music is peak John Williams. Nothing more to say.

Number Seven: Goldfinger (1964) – James Bond fries Oddjob

I knew I wanted to include a James Bond moment in this list, and it was between this moment and the train fight against Donald “Red” Grant in From Russia with Love. I almost went with Grant, but it occurred to me what makes the Oddjob fight so incredibly special. Grant is the opposite side of the coin to Bond, his negative, his dark side, his equal. Oddjob is not Bond’s equal. This is the first time in the film series that Bond had to face a truly superior opponent in single combat. It’s tense and nerve-wracking, made even more so by the lack of background music, save for the nearby bomb ticking away. Oddjob has already gotten the better of Bond twice in the film and dominates much of this fight, gleefully toying with Bond while smiling all the while. Here, Bond cements his legacy as the greatest secret agent in film by using his brain to lure Oddjob into a trap, electrocuting the brute. It’s an exciting moment that isn’t even the final resolution to the film’s climax, making it all the sweeter as the audience wonders what else is to come in the story.

Number Six: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – Han Solo saves Luke

Han Solo is often thought of as one of the greatest film heroes of all time, and deservedly so. He did not, however, begin as a heroic character. When we first meet Han in Mos Eisley, he’s a smuggler and a mercenary hired to transport our heroes on his spaceship, the Millennium Falcon. Throughout the film, Han is cynical and sarcastic, only looking out for himself and his best friend, Chewbacca. Even as he starts to act more like a hero as the story progresses, we are duped into thinking Han hasn’t changed a bit when he cuts and runs just before the final attack on the Death Star. This, however, makes our elation all the more powerful at his eventual return. Luke is the last remaining pilot with any chance of destroying the battle station and has mere seconds before the Rebel base is destroyed. Just as Darth Vader is about to shoot him down, Han swoops in, killing Vader’s wingmen and sending the Sith Lord hurtling off into space. From the sight of the Millennium Falcon divebombing Vader to the sound Han’s excited cry, this is the moment Han Solo officially became a hero. It’s easily the most cheer-worthy moment in all of Star Wars, hands down.

Number Five: Rocky II (1979) – Rocky Balboa defeats Apollo Creed

While the first Rocky may be the superior film, the sequel gave us one of the greatest cheers in film history. Where Apollo underestimated Rocky in their first fight, he now takes the Italian Stallion seriously. The two titans of the ring are the very definition of evenly matched, neither ceding anything to the other through this bout. While not the most realistic as far as choreography, the sheer emotion of this fight is what makes Rocky’s victory all the better. Before, he won a personal victory by taking Apollo all 15 rounds before losing on points. Now, he gives everything he has and wins the title of Heavyweight Champion of the World. But even better, he wins a friend in Apollo Creed, as the rest of the franchise shows. What else can be said? “Yo, Adrian! I did it!”

Number Four: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. II (2011) – Neville Longbottom and the Sword of Gryffindor

The Harry Potter films made a lot of compromises from the books, but there are several moments they got so spectacularly right. Chief among them is this moment, which takes place right before the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. With Harry Potter seemingly dead and Voldemort believing his victory is assured, one young man steps forward to oppose him. Neville Longbottom, the supposed coward, gives perhaps the best monologue in the entire franchise before taking the Sorting Hat and drawing the mythical Sword of Gryffindor – a sword which can only be wielded by a Gryffindor of true courage. Several action-packed minutes later, he uses the sword to slay Voldemort’s snake, Nagini, but it is his initial draw that is so incredible. It symbolizes the completion of one of the best character arcs in the entire series, both in the books and in film. This is how a bumbler comes into his own.

Number Three: The Ten Commandments (1956) – Moses parts the Red Sea

What an iconic moment from arguably the greatest film in an utterly stacked category: historical epics. Imagine going to see this film back in 1956. You’re obviously familiar with the Bible story of Moses and the Ten Commandments, but you wonder – how in the world is Charlton Heston supposed to part the Red Sea? I mean, aside from just being Charlton Heston. In a bit of revolutionary camerawork and editing, director Cecile B. DeMille engineered this spectacular scene by combining three different shots of the land, sea, and sky. The sea was particularly tricky, requiring him to build a giant tank of water with a U-shaped trough, combined with clips of crashing waves running in reverse. Though the final product might look silly to modern moviegoers, it truly changed how special effects were done in the film industry back in 1956. And that’s not even mentioning the powerful impact this scene has on the story. From orphan to prince, prince to outcast, outcast to prophet, Moses has seen and done it all, and he’s done it in the face of the almighty Pharaoh, Ramses, while the Israelites just griped and complained. This isn’t the ultimate climax of the movie, but it sets the stage for Moses’ leadership as God’s people grapple with their newfound freedom in the final act.

Number Two: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) – Merry and Éowyn slay the Witch-king

The Witch-king, leader of the Nazgûl, really was one of the most persistent foes the forces of good faced throughout Peter Jackson’s trilogy. He nearly ended Frodo when his journey had barely begun and was only stopped in that instance by the timely arrival of the elves. Even so, he continued doing the bidding of Sauron with deadly efficiency, leading his forces in taking Minas Tirith’s garrison in the next film and laying siege to Minas Tirith itself in the final film. During this siege, he fatefully proclaims that no man can kill him. And, perhaps, he was right. It was a tiny Hobbit, Merry, stabbing the Witch-king in the back that allowed the shieldmaiden, Éowyn, to at last end Sauron’s second-in-command for good. Best of all was her immortal retort that she is no man. Though there were still more battles to be fought before this story could reach its amazing conclusion, this moment truly stands out among all others.

Before we get to the top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Matrix (1999) – Neo dodges bullets for the first time
The Dark Knight (2008) – Jim Gordon fakes his death to capture the Joker
The Karate Kid (1984) – Daniel Larusso’s final Crake Kick
The Avengers (2012) – The six Avengers unite in the Battle of New York

Finally, the most cheer-worthy moment in all of cinema is…

Number One: Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Captain America takes up Mjölnir and assembles the entire Avengers

I distinctly remember sitting in the theater for this one. This entire five-minute sequence was one long string of cheers and gasps. Long foreshadowed since Age of Ultron, Steve Rogers finally proves he’s worthy to rule Asgard and takes up the legendary hammer Mjölnir against Thanos. Their battle is epic and crowd-pleasing, but even Steve’s worthiness isn’t enough to stop the Titan, and he is soon bloodied and his shattered vibranium shield nearly useless. With both Thor and Iron Man out of commission, Steve is the only one left standing as Thanos’ army amasses to take the Infinity Stones for good. That’s when Steve hears that famous line.

“On your left.”

Steve stands breathless as mystic portals begin to open around him, revealing every hero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even those who had been Snapped out of existence during Infinity War. Black Panther, Falcon, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, everyone is here. Steve’s steadfast refusal to be moved is finally rewarded in the most epic fashion imaginable, and he at last calls out that legendary battle cry fans had been waiting nearly a decade to hear.

“Avengers… assemble!”

This moment, though it’s still very recent, is one I believe will go down as one of the greatest and most important in film history, as well as the history of storytelling. It is an amazing culmination, not of a movie or even a trilogy of movies, but of… wait for it… TWENTY-TWO FILMS! Nearly two-dozen movies, all telling interconnected stories, converge on this incredible moment. Though the final battle with Thanos and his forces still awaits, this sequence makes the audience feel like they are part of this team-up as the epic conclusion unfolds.

Conclusion

That’s going to do it for this ranking. I don’t fancy myself perfect, but I feel like I did a far better job picking and ranking these moments than the Academy did. But I’d like to hear from you guys. Do you agree? Did I get the order wrong? Were there other moments you feel I should have included? Please let me know in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this entry. Let me know if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. If you did enjoy it, please visit my website, leave a like or a comment and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter. Until the next story!

Greetings, intrepid readers! Welcome to my biweekly storytelling blog. Here, we’ll be examining various facets of storytelling in different mediums. I’ve found such musings helpful in my own writings, and I hope you’ll find them to be of similar help. If nothing else, I hope this is a fun and entertaining diversion. For today’s topic, we will be analyzing several characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to determine which one should be the next one to become the Black Panther.

The untimely death of Chadwick Boseman hangs heavy over the film industry, and particularly the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His impeccable portrayal of King T’Challa has garnered universal acclaim, and deservedly so. As such, his character was poised to become one of the central figures in Phase Four of the Marvel films, alongside Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Captain Marvel. Sadly, this will no longer be the case. Marvel Studios has already confirmed that they will not recast the role of T’Challa, cementing Boseman’s legendary status in the role. This, however, raises a new question. Who will become the new Black Panther in the upcoming film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? That is the question I will attempt to answer in today’s blog.

A couple of stipulations. First, I am working under the assumption that an existing character will assume the mantle of Black Panther. While it’s certainly possible that an entirely new character could be in the works, I think it’s far more likely for an established character in the continuity to step up. Second, this is not an attempt to answer which actor or actress would be the best in the role, but to analyze which character would make the most sense. These thoughts are my opinions only, so please don’t get offended if you disagree with my views.

It’s important to remember that Wakanda has specific laws governing the lines of succession. Traditionally, the Black Panther comes from the Golden Tribe, which is Wakanda’s royal family. In most instances, the Black Panther is also King or Queen, though there can be exceptions, such as T’Chaka retaining the title of King while relinquishing the mantle of Black Panther to his son, T’Challa, due to the former’s old age.

In addition to the Golden Tribe, Wakanda has five other tribes, each associated with the River, the Border, the Mountain, the Merchants, and the Mines. Once a year, Challenge Day allows any of these tribes to put forth a warrior to challenge the sitting ruler for the throne. A challenge may also come from any member of the royal family, down as far as cousins, nieces, and nephews. If a challenge is given, the Black Panther must face their challenger in ritual combat, stripped of their superhuman abilities and without the use of technologically advanced weapons. The challenge only ends with death or surrender, and the winner is given the Heart-Shaped Herb bestowing upon them the power of the Black Panther.

The Heart-Shaped Herb is another interesting point, as Killmonger had the entire crop burned after becoming king in Black Panther. This raises the question of if the new Black Panther will even have superhuman abilities. Though it’s entirely plausible that they will not, I contend they eventually will. I see it as very likely that a quest or mission to find more of the Heart-Shaped Herb will be an important plot point in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This represents an additional challenge the new king or queen must overcome, allowing for more facets to their character and the kingdom of Wakanda.

As I analyze these five characters and their chances of becoming the new Black Panther, the laws of succession will be a heavy influence on the results. Now, with the preamble out of the way, let’s crown the new Black Panther!

Candidate #1: Erik Killmonger

Any discussion of a new Black Panther has to start with Killmonger. After all, he’s already claimed the mantle once, even if he technically lost the challenge, since T’Challa did not die or surrender. He absolutely has the skill and desire to win the mantle in ritual combat. Even without the abilities of the Black Panther, he possesses peak athleticism, a brutal fighting style, and a lifetime of military training. Combine this with his ruthless, uncaring attitude about killing anyone who stands in his way, and he would have to be considered the favorite – if he were still alive.

This is the first fatal flaw of Killmonger’s candidacy. He is, in fact, dead. Marvel would have to pull out some Vibranium Voodoo to say he never really died or something like that, but I see that as extremely unlikely. There could be a multiverse solution to bringing his character back, as we’ve seen from What if…? Still, I view Killmonger as the least likely to become the new Black Panther because of his second fatal flaw – he’s a villain, not an anti-hero. He may be a compelling and interesting villain, but he’s still undeniably evil in his methods. The film Black Panther proved why a man like Killmonger must never sit on the throne of Wakanda. Even the alternate-reality version of Killmonger was a murderous, back-stabbing, power-hungry sociopath. Even if he were still alive, his character would need a long redemption arc before he could be considered even remotely worthy of the mantle of Black Panther.

Candidate #2: Shuri

Shuri is T’Challa’s younger sister and a technological genius on the same level as Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Her scientific skills are unparalleled, and she has plenty of attitude and personality to boot. It would definitely be a fun ride seeing her become Queen of Wakanda. From my online research, she seems to be the fan favorite to become the new Black Panther, and if it were a decision made solely based on the actress, I’d be inclined to agree.

As a character, however, I have a hard time seeing Shuri becoming the new Black Panther. While her brilliance can’t be denied, we have not known her to have the heart of a warrior. Yes, she bravely entered into battle against Killmonger and Thanos’ army, but that was with the aid of her Vibranium gauntlets. I seriously doubt a powerful ranged weapon like that would be allowed in ritual combat, leading me to believe Shuri would not have the physical prowess needed to win the mantle of Black Panther. It would be compelling to see Leticia Wright in the lead, but as a character, Shuri doesn’t make much sense to me.

Candidate #3: Okoye

Now, we’re getting serious. Okoye looks to have all the makings of the next Black Panther. She’s a fearsome warrior both armed and unarmed, possesses incredible leadership potential, and is loyal to Wakanda above all else. My only misgiving about Okoye is her willingness to leave Agent Ross to die after he took a bullet for Nakia in Black Panther. I can understand her position, but it still didn’t sit well with me. Still, Okoye’s combat skills are superb, but an even greater advantage is her natural leadership. She was previously the top general of the elite Dora Milaje even before T’Challa took the throne. In addition, it seems logical that she became one of Wakanda’s top leaders in the five years following The Snap, considering both T’Challa and Shuri did not survive. T’Challa’s mother, Ramonda, could have assumed the official role of Queen, but Okoye’s communications with Natasha Romanoff make clear her high rank in post-Snap Wakanda. So, we have a winner, right?

As Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friend! There’s no question about Okoye’s ability to win the mantle of Black Panther. The real question is, would she seek the mantle? In her own words, she is loyal to the throne of Wakanda, no matter who sits upon it. This characterizes her as a strong military leader who loves her nation and seeks the good of that nation, even if it puts her in conflict with her fellow citizens on occasion. To me, Okoye strikes me as very similar to American general George Patton in this regard. Like Okoye, Patton was a warrior’s general, always present near the battle with his men. Patton, for all his brash opinions, never harbored political aspirations of his own. He considered himself a military man before all else. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Okoye felt much the same way. That could possibly change, as we don’t know how Okoye’s mindset may have shifted in the five years without T’Challa, but as it sits right now, I could see her not wanting the mantle at all.

Candidate #4: Nakia

Nakia is Wakanda’s top War Dog spy and T’Challa’s lover. She represents the interventionalist pull on T’Challa in contrast to Okoye’s more isolationist stance. Though they don’t agree on everything, T’Challa always wants Nakia close to him as a friend and confidant. Immediately after learning about T’Chaka killing his own brother, T’Challa seeks out Nakia before anyone else. After Killmonger is thwarted and T’Challa regains the throne, he puts Nakia in charge of Wakanda’s international outreach. Why do I mention all of this? You’ll find out in a minute.

As far as combat, Nakia is a proud warrior. She proved to be a dangerous opponent when she entered the battle against Killmonger and had no qualms engaging him up close with her signature Ring Blade weapons. In addition, she stood ready at T’Challa’s first Challenge Day in the event the River Tribe decided to challenge for the throne. In short, she is a strong warrior who could certainly win the mantle of Black Panther in ritual combat.

Nakia is another character for whom the question must be asked, would she seek the mantle of Black Panther? At first, the answer would seem to be no. In the film, Queen Ramonda urges Nakia to consume the final Heart-Shaped Herb after they fear T’Challa dead, but Nakia refuses. She reasons that she is a spy, which makes her untrustworthy of such power. I, however, theorize that this has likely changed in the years since. In her role as ambassador for Wakanda, Nakia would have had the opportunity to grow her leadership skills, as well as learn more about the world without being seen as a spy. Would her time as ambassador have given Nakia the confidence to seek the mantle of Black Panther? I consider it very likely.

Candidate #5: M’Baku

Finally, we look at the Great Gorilla and Lord of the Jabari Tribe himself, M’Baku. For years, the Jabari chose to isolate themselves from the rest of Wakanda, only reappearing to occasionally challenge for the throne. M’Baku’s challenge to T’Challa was quite noteworthy, as he had the prince on the ropes for much of the fight, proving his capability as a warrior.

Yet as much as M’Baku projects himself as a brutal, intimidating leader, he shows flashes of his true nature. He is staunchly traditionalist, but not so stubborn as to ignore T’Challa’s pleas to surrender the challenge once at T’Challa’s mercy. He is a man of honor, helping save T’Challa’s life after his first battle with Killmonger, and even refusing the Heart-Shaped Herb from Nakia, knowing it would heal T’Challa. He also has a sense of humor, even if it’s slightly twisted, as shown when he threatens to feed Agent Ross to his children before then explaining they’re vegetarian. For all his traditionalist views, M’Baku has shown more capacity for growth and nuance than all of the other characters mentioned. By the end of Black Panther, he has led the Jabari in combat to help T’Challa retake the throne and has been named to King T’Challa’s Tribal Council.

More than any other character, I consider M’Baku to be the best fit to be the new Black Panther and King of Wakanda. He is a fearless warrior with a surprisingly big heart. He holds firm to his beliefs, even going so far as to call out T’Challa for referring to the Jabari as “us” after centuries of kings had refused to acknowledge the Jabari. Yet he is more than willing to listen to dissenting views, even if he disagrees with them. I have no specific examples of this, but M’Baku’s appointment to the Tribal Council and his true friendship with T’Challa, evidenced by referring to the King as Brother in Infinity War, show this side of his personality. M’Baku would be a very different Black Panther from T’Challa but is worthy of the title all the same.

Conclusion

Of the five most likely characters, I rank M’Baku as the top potential Black Panther. He’s followed closely by Nakia, then Okoye, then Shuri, and finally Killmonger. Of course, I have no idea what Marvel wants to do with these characters going forward, so I could be completely off base. This is simply my opinion based on the established character traits each possesses and the rules we’ve seen in the films so far. From a storytelling perspective, I definitely think M’Baku would make the most compelling Black Panther, not only with him being a traditionalist but also in forcing him to work closely with Shuri, whom M’Baku has previously called a child who scoffs at tradition. I can see them rubbing each other the wrong way, making for some fun situations in the next film. Regardless of who is chosen, I have high hopes for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the inner workings of Wakanda and the fascinating characters inhabiting it. Such a cast of characters, each with different personalities and methods, is what can help make a good story into a great one.

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Thanks for reading. I’ll see you in two weeks!

M. H. Barton