This contains spoilers.
You’ve been warned.
I went to see “Black Panther” on its Friday opening. In appropriate attire (read: all Black with a print jacket, because of course I did). With my youngest sister and parents, the former rocking a dashiki, because of course she did.
In short: “Black Panther” was epic. It is an epic.
I will probably be dissecting the themes presented in the movie for the next several weeks, so many were there. However, after giving myself a day to truly absorb all of the brilliance I experienced (because “Black Panther” is an experience), I have reduced my racing thoughts to ten musings.
1. “Black Panther” is an ode to Black women. Shuri is a tribute to our brilliance and talent. General Okoye and the Dora Milaje celebrate our strength and courage. Nakia is a testament to Black women’s loyalty. The presence of women as the heads of some of the tribes is a reminder that Black women are the foundation and steadying forces of our communities.
2. Black women are still out here saving the world from itself. Forever. Always. Black women wanted to dismiss Killmonger as soon as came before T’Challa, because we — yes, we — knew something was off. Nakia was ready to war for T’Challa as soon as he was killed. She was even willing to empower the Jabari in order to save the country and avenge T’Challa. The Dora Milaje were the first to charge into battle against Killmonger and the other tribes. Indeed, General Okoye was prepared to kill W’Kabi, her love . . . for Wakanda. Black women are forever prepared to save themselves and, by extension, the world, even when the latter is undeserving. Wakanda, like the rest of the world, both real and fictional, is unworthy of us.
3. “Black Panther” is a discourse on colonialism. First, Shuri is my forever hero for calling Agent Ross “Colonizer.” Wakanda is the only African nation that was never colonized by Europeans, likely paying homage to Ethiopia. The nation’s uninterrupted independence is shown via the continued prevalence of its natural resources and the relative harmony between the tribes. Once the Black Panther became the ruler of Wakanda, the tribes (with the exception of the Jabari) allowed themselves to be ruled by a single monarch, leading to the end of ethnic clashes between Wakandans. When comparing Wakanda’s history with that of actual African nations, i.e. Rwanda, South Africa, etc., we are able to imagine what the continent would be like had Europeans simply stayed home. Further, the scene between Killmonger and the museum curator is a reminder that the precious African artifacts so carefully displayed in museums throughout the western world are merely trophies meant to celebrate the centuries-long rape and pillaging of African nations.
4. I got a few “Lion King” vibes. When Killmonger threw T’Challa over the waterfall, ostensibly killing him, am I the only one who heard Scar saying to Mufasa, “Long. Live. The. King.” right before he threw him from the cliff? I know it can’t just be me.
5. Sankofa is the idea that we must reflect on the past to build a successful future. Put differently, it symbolizes the need to remember and learn from the past. “Black Panther” displayed this theory each time T’Challa visited with his father and the other ancestors, and when Killmonger saw his father. Every event leading to the ultimate clash between T’Challa and Killmonger dated back to that fateful evening in Oakland in the 90s. It is from Killmonger’s story, from learning of T’Chaka’s actions in Oakland, that T’Challa recognizes that abandoning Wakanda’s isolationist stance will ultimately benefit the world.
6. Killmonger’s anger, his brokenness, is representative of what so many Black and brown children become after having spent their formative years being exposed to far too much violence and not enough good in the world.
7. Community and collectivism matter. We have to reinvest in our neighborhoods and continue to invest in our people. For so long, the goal for many Black children, myself included, was to grow up and make it out of the hood. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to become upwardly mobile, we’ve been incorrectly utilizing our mobility. The goal should not be to walk away from the areas that raised us and leave them to their own fate. Instead, we need to use our enhanced resources to help save our homes. This was evidenced in “Black Panther” when T’Challa bought several buildings in Oakland to establish a community center. T’Challa recognized that, through community revitalization, other children could be spared the fate of Killmonger. Enhanced resources, increased opportunities, and dedicating our talents to the places from which we hail can help prevent Number Six from happening.
8. There were no white saviors in this movie, for which I am eternally grateful. Sure, Agent Ross had his sixty seconds of fame, but he only survived the night because of Black people. Other than the good Agent’s display of his video-gaming skills, there were no Michelle Pfeiffer’s, Sandra Bullock’s, or other quaint white folk positioned as the fairy godmothers of the inept Brown folk. Instead, this country of Black people saved itself and the world. The power of that truth will resonate with me for some time.
9. Representation matters. That final scene, where the boy walks up to T’Challa to inquire about his identity, displayed that. I also saw it in all the little Black boys and girls who walked into the theater in their thematic garb, happy to see a movie in which people who looked like them were centered.
10. Support Black causes. And art. And innovation. And people.
Bonus: Somebody tell Winston Duke I said, “Hey, boo!”
