Regardless of one's level of Marvel fanatacism, Chadwick Boseman’s death was undoubtedly a major blow for so many people, so it only makes sense that T’Challa’s death in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was made to feel somewhat nearly as devastating. Following the actor's sudden passing in August 2020, it was a question of whether or not Black Panther 2 would move forward, as well as who (if anyone) could possibly take on the mantle as Wakanda's new hero. Director Ryan Coogler and screenwriter Joe Robert Cole have opened up about how it was decided the young king's death would be handled in the MCU sequel.
Wakanda Forever's opening centers on T’Challa’s death, giving fans barely any time to prepare themselves as Shuri tried furiously to find a cure for her brother's virus and rapidly decreasing health. Joe Robert Cole told The New York Times how the creative team decided how and why that highly anticipated scene would play out, noting that it marked the start of seeing an evolved version of Shuri. In his words:
Just practically, everyone was going to be waiting to see how we dealt with it, so doing it right up front made sense. In terms of the characters, we needed to introduce a different version of Shuri. We’re showing the moment that she becomes a different person than the person we met. She’s the smartest person in the world, but she can’t save her brother. What does that do to you?
The scene was indeed heart-wrenching, as moviegoers already knew what the end result would be, even if it wasn't clear exactly how or when. With Shuri being at the forefront, her brilliance was put to the ultimate test, with knowledge and her abilities still not being enough to reverse such a deeply felt tragedy. So instead of making things all about T'Challa's demise, which already hurt enough, the sequence was essentially a way to break Letitia Wright's character down to the point where she could rise up to rightfully take on the Black Panther mantle.
As for why they decided to have T’Challa die due to a physical illness, Ryan Coogler explains that it was more so that it could be as internal a fight for Shuri as her brother, since it’s all about bringing her closer to embracing her role as the Black Panther, and not about having her going out to angrily avenge his death. According to Coogler:
If somebody else would’ve taken T’Challa out, Shuri would’ve looked for that person. We wanted it to be a situation where the only place to go was internal.
It definitely makes me wonder how different the film would have been had the creative team chosen to handle T'Challa's death in other ways, such as having one or more antagonists be directly responsible. Theoretically, Cole could have still found a way to make the vengence mission click with Shuri's inner struggles, but that's all for the What If...? universe, I suppose.
If the opening wasn’t emotional enough, Wakanda Forever’s end-credit scene also very likely made fans shed a tear or ten. (I would know, as I was one of them.) The ending introduced T’Challa and Nakia's son, with that father-son bond intended to be an integral part of the sequel storytelling, if not for Chadwick Boseman's passing. It’s sad thinking about “what could have been,” but the end result was a beautiful tribute to Boseman and really showcased Letitia Wright’s Shuri in an outstanding way.
Make sure to sign up for a Disney+ subscription if you haven’t already, so you can be first in line to watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when it’s added to the streamer, which will reportedly happen on January 20. Check out all the other upcoming Marvel Phase 5 and 6 movies while waiting!
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