Black Panther (film)/Characters
Wakandans
T'Challa/Black Panther
![](../../I/m/Black-Panther-(character).png)
Portrayed By: Chadwick Boseman
Prince T'Challa is the son of King T'Chaka and Queen Ramonda.
- Ascended Extra: From his role from Civil War and getting his first solo movie (First "Black Panther" anything movie/tv-wise from the last 40 years, excluding The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and a few other cartoons).
- Blown Across the Room: When T'Challa kicked one of the new Panther Habits, the latter material's shock absorbers blast him across the room and into the nearby wall.
- Irony:
T'Challa: "I never freeze."
- In the beginning, T'Challa froze when he was saving Nakia from a terrorist.
- He was frozen and almost dead, when his Mom, sibling, and friends are reunited with him at the Mountain Tribe's HQ.
- Running Gag: Him freezing.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something
- Save the Villain:When T'Challa stabs Killmonger with the spear, he then compassionately offers to bring him back to the labs to be heal.
- Sparing the Aces: T'Challa spares M'Baku, during the Ascension duel. This made M'Baku and the rest of the Jabari Tribe return the favor later on.
- Warrior Prince
Shuri
![](../../I/m/Shuri---Black-Panther.png)
Portrayed By: Letitia Wright
Shuri is the princess of Wakanda, leader of the Wakandan Design Group, and T'Challa's darling little sister.
- Annoying Younger Siblings: Played straight when Shuri needed some "footage for research." But mostly averted.
- Badass Princess
- Flipping the Bird: Shuri does this to her brother. Albeit in a teasing manner.
- Gadgeteer Genius: She's the leader of the Wakadan Design Group for a reason, even updating the current Panther Habits.
- Her contribution includes the mining cars, the Remote Control Kimoyo Beads, the sonic railroad track, the "sneakers," and curing Bucky Barnes from his triggering Brainwashed and Crazy programming.
- Guinea Pig Family: Shuri gets her older brother to test out some new Habits and a few gadgets.
- Guns Akimbo: She does these with her Vibranium Gauntlets.
- The Lab Rat: Shuri is the main one shown of the WDG, who preforms scientific experiments and technological advances.
- Labcoat of Science and Medicine: Some of the dresses that Shuri wears in the lab are Wakandan versions of a labcoat.
- Of Corset Hurts: A mild form, Shuri wants to get the ritual Duel to the Death over with so she can get out of said corset.
- But she could be teasing T'Challa again.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something
- The Medic: Shuri also does this, since her brother dragged in a critically injured Ross into her lab and at the end of Civil War she was task with healing the Winter Soldier.
- The Nicknamer: Calls Agent Ross "Colonizer", despite knowing his real name.
- Vibranium Guns: Shuri's Vibranium Gauntlets also function as these.
Nakia
![](../../I/m/Nakia-black-panther.png)
Portray By: Lupita Nyong'o
A "War Dog" and T'Challa's love interest.
- The Call: Nakia mentions in one scene about her calling as a "Watch Dog".
Nakia—"But I can't just stay, it's just I found my calling out there, I've seen too many in need just to turn a blind eye, I can't be happy here knowing that there's people out there who have nothing."
- Cunning Linguist: This comes with the spy job.
- Improbable Weapon User: Knows how to wield the Ring Blades.
- Master of Disguise: Nakia's disguise helps her undercover missions, like when she infiltrated the and poses as a prisoner.
- Promoted to Love Interest: In the comics, Nakia is an ex-Dora Milaje, Femme Fatal, and Yandere extraordinaire, who is one of Killmonger's cohorts. In the movie, her background is change to being a War Dog, a caring person for T'Challa to pine over, and does everything in her power to defeat Erik.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Just in time for T'Challa's ritual combat and coronation.
- Spy Master
- Trope: Nakia is stubborn.
- T'Challa states that Nakia can be queen, if she wasn't so stubborn.
'T'Challa—"If you're not so stubborn you would make a great queen."
Nakia—"I would make a great queen because I am so stubborn."
W'Kabi
![](../../I/m/W-Kabi-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Daniel Kaluuya
Put character description here.
- Amazon Chaser: He was Okoye's lover. Until, Killmonger restored his faith in humanity, by bringing him the body of Ulysses Klaue.
- Trope
- Trope
Okoye
![](../../I/m/Okoye-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Danai Gurira
The General of the Dora Milaje.
- Bald Woman: Comes with being part of the Dora Milaje.
- Trope: When Okoye sees "Outsider" weapons, like guns, she utters, "How primitive."
- Good Old Wakandan Ways: Okoye is this, though later she questions this, when an "Outsider" sits on the throne and does heinous things.
- Finagle's Law: Okoye is worried about this, she still doesn't like "Outsiders."
- Lady in Red
- Lady of War
- Loyal to the Position: She explains to Nakia that she's loyal to the Wakandan throne.
- Averted. Okoye didn't betray T'Challa's family, Nakia, and Ross for escaping. Because, she and probably the other Dora Milaje are conflicted about Killmonger.
- Wig, Dress, Accent: What Okoye did in Hong Kong.
- Weapon of Choice: Her weapon is the Vibranium imbue spear (which all Dora Milaje carries and knows how to wield).
Zuri
![](../../I/m/Zuri-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Forest Whitaker
Zuri is the royal adviser to both T'Chaka and T'Challa.
- The Good Chancellor: Zuri, the Wakandan shaman, has this trope as part of his resume.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Zuri does this to save T'Challa from Erik, by explaining his Secret Keeper role. Erik then kills Zuri instead.
- Master of Disguise: Zuri disguised himself as a man named James, just to keep an eye on N'Jobu.
- His cover works, N'Jobu is convinced that James is just an average Californian. Until, his cover was blown.
- The Obi-Wan: According to Director, Ryan Coogler, Zuri is this trope.
- Secret Keeper:He kept the secret involving Prince N'Jobu's death and whatnot, since he's T'Chaka's trusted adviser.
- He reveals this to both T'Challa and Killmonger, but the latter killed him.
Erik "Killmonger" Stevens
![](../../I/m/Erik-Killmonger.png)
Portrayed By: Michael B. Jordan
Erik Stevens was Prince N'Jobu's son and an Wakandan-American.
- Lonely Together: In the flashback, Erik suggested to his father.
Erik: Maybe, Wakanda abandon us.
- Burial At Sea:He requests this of T'Challa, so he can be buried where so many escape black slaves jump in to drown.
- Badass Longcoat: Once Erik was given the Panther Habit, he was crown this trope as well.
- Composite Character: This version of Erik is based on three comic book characters combine into one: the actual Killmonger, T'Shan, and the White Wolf (Not Bucky Barnes).
- Dark and Troubled Past:
- Expy: Obediah Shane, Hela, and Loki, before the latter gotten Character Developement.
- Mainly because T'Challa has to fight an evil Black Panther.
- Goal in Life: His younger self wants to see the Wakandan sunset.
- Besides wanting to become King of Wakanda, Black Panther, and help the blacks that are oppressed internationally.
- Halfbreed: He's half-North American and half Wakandan.
- Heroic Lineage: Because of his back story.
- Sympathetic Erik's goals and back story makes him this.
- Navy SEALs
- Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Merge with Meaningful Nickname. Erik got a rather infamous nickname "Killmonger" from his time in the US military.
- The Nicknamer: Erik began to call himself "Killmonger".
- The Power of Hate: Erik drive, determination, and training to defeat the ruling current Wakadan King is this. And he has the cool scars to prove it. Until, Erik was defeated in the movie's end, where he develope some sort of understanding.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Erik loves playing basketball. In a flashback, he found his father, Prince N'jobu,'s diary and Wakandan stuff, including the ring of his own grandfather.
- Take Over the World: Erik wants to flip the current international systems, by giving oppressed people, mainly blacks, Vibranium. And have Wakanda take over every country as well.
- Totalitarian Utilitarian: Erik has good goals to help Black people and criticizing Wakanda's isolationism policy/traditions by destabilizing Wakanda (destroying their line of succession ritual), killing Zuri and others that stand in his way, causing a Wakandan civil war, and being a concentration of hate.
- What the Hell, Wakanda?!: Part of his motivation is why doesn't rich, technologically advance, and enlighten Wakanda assist the outside world? Especially in places where Blacks are treated unfairly, down on their luck (economic means), or just plain, bad things happen to good people circumstances.
- With Us or Against Us: In his speech, Erik stated that he'll kill anyone - black, white, and whomever - that doesn't subscribe to his international revolution plan.
- Woobie Destroyer Of Worlds: Considering that he's continuing his Dad's beliefs and help the oppressed (After T'Chaka killed the later), grew up in the worst poverty of California, and doing things to plunge both Wakanda and the world into World War III, even attempting to take over the world...Erik just needs a hug after all the crap he dealt with.
- Would Hit a Girl: In the final battle, Erik killed Aneka, one of the Dora Milaje.
- And he would've killed Shuri, if T'Challa didn't come back.
- You Killed My Father: The other reason why Erik wants to kill T'Challa so badly, besides the Duel to the Death ritual and murdering Zuri, because he played a part with Prince N'jobu, Erik's Dad,'s death.
Prince N'Jobu
![](../../I/m/Prince-N-Jobu-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Sterling K. Brown
Prince N'Jobu was a War Dog and brother of King T'Chaka.
- Bad Liar: Prince N'Jobu lied badly to his brother that he did not know about the incident of Ulysseus stealing the Vibranium.
- And being the catalyst and aiding in said incident.
- Face Heel Turn: Prince N'Jobu was convinced that Wakanda's isolationist policies are harmful, this led him to seek Klaue's help to smuggled out Vibranium.
- This resulted in both T'Chaka and Zuri doing and saying that a beloved uncle disappear.
- Conflicting Loyalty: Prince N'Jobu's loyalties about Wakanda's isolation and culture are conflicting the more he stayed in Oakland, California.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Prince N'Jobu fell in loved with an American woman, during his spying/observation mission.
- Spy Master: He's part of the War Dogs.
M'Baku
![](../../I/m/M-Baku-Black-Panther.png)
Portrayed By: Winston Duke
M'Baku is the leader of the Jabari tribe.
- Animal Motifs: Gorillas.
- Cunning Linguist: Speaks both Xhosa and English.
- Pretty in Mink
- Veganopia: M'Baku explains that he and all of the Jubari are this. Unless, one considers fish as meat.
Ramonda
![](../../I/m/Ramonda-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Angela Bassett
Queen Ramonda is the wife of King T'Chaka and the loving mother of both T'Challa and Suri.
- Widow Woman
- The High Queen: Ramoda is this and also a loving Mom to her kids.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: Her children requested that M'Baku protects her in Jabari Land, while they go to fight Killmonger.
M'Kathu
![](../../I/m/Character_Image.jpg)
M'Kathu is the Border Tribe's leader.
"Outsiders"
Everett Ross
![](../../I/m/Everett-Ross.png)
Portrayed By: Martin Freeman
Everett Ross is a CIA agent, who helps T'Challa immensely.
- The Ace: Everett's background was that he used to be a United States Armed Forces pilot.
- Ascended Extra: He graduated from Captain America: Civil War to a more prominent and major role.
- Info Drop: He explains a bit about Killmonger's Navy Seal and assassin background to T'Challa and the latter's Wakandan friends. This also makes him a gijinka version of this trope.
- Fake Nationality: Everett Ross, the CIA Agent, is portrayed by Martin Freeman, who is British.
- Taking the Bullet: During the explosion, he took the bullet for . Resulting in Ross getting a spinal injury.
- Tolkien White
- Waking Up Elsewhere: He was surprise to find himself in Shuri's lab, more surprise to find that he was healed within a day or less.
- Unexplained Recovery: This trope is this to Everett, since there's no way a spinal injury like his can be heal in such a short time.
Ulysses Klaue
![](../../I/m/Ulysses---Black-Panther.png)
Portrayed By: Andy Serkis
A description of the character goes here.
- Ascended Extra: He used to be partners with Ultron, until the latter broke his arm.
- Arms Dealer: It's what he does, especially with Vibrium.
- Handicapped Badass: Does his Prosthetic Arm mean anything to you? Ulysses uses this to be a Badass Normal.
- Mark of Shame: Ulysses showed this to Erik, stating how ruthless Wakandans are especially to smugglers like him.
- Tolkien White
- Tracking Device: He has this on his person, so weapon smuggler friends can rescue him from his Wakanda pursuers and the CIA.
- Would Shoot A Girl: Does this several times during the Hong Kong chase scene, aiming for Oyoke.
Linda
![](../../I/m/Linda-black-panther.png)
Portrayed By: Nabiyah Be
She's Killmonger's girlfriend.
- Action Girl
- Outlaw Couple: She and Erik can be seen making cute glances, even kissing in one scene, and enjoying each others' company.
- Another character calls her and Erik as "Bonnie and Clyde."
- Tampering with Food and Drink: She poses as a museum barista just to brew a poisonous drink for one of the curators.
- Trope
Minor Characters
Sophia
![](../../I/m/Sophia-black-panther.png)
Sophia is the owner of a hidden Korean gambling joint.
- Trope: Sophia sees Nakia as "Good for trouble", thanks to an early incident.
- Trope
- Trope