Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) (1 Viewer)

[Joe Wong]

Looking more closely, there are wings on the baby’s feet. So this is depicting the birth of Namor. View attachment 146022

But I do still hope there is much more to T’Challa’s and Nakia’s relationship that we haven’t seen that still leaves that possibility open.

I agree it's Namor, since

1. the birth is underwater, and the (assumed) parents are also underwater (Occam's razor, etc.);
2. there's a scene later on that shows Namor at about 10-12 years-old, in the scene where a house is on fire, so the narrative is likely to include showing how Namor came be to what he is today, all the way back to his birth.

 

[jayembee]

I was making a guess. Not questioning that choice or complaining.

For the record, I didn't think you were complaining so much as surprised by the idea.

At any rate, it's certainly a woman. Men don't a waist that small with a butt that...not small...

 

[jayembee]

Looking more closely, there are wings on the baby’s feet. So this is depicting the birth of Namor.

It's funny, but I missed that in that shot, but my wife didn't.

 

[TonyD]

For the record, I didn't think you were complaining so much as surprised by the idea.

At any rate, it's certainly a woman. Men don't a waist that small with a butt that...not small...

Also, I wasn’t surprised at all as I said I was making a guess and since we don’t know for sure I put a question mark at the end of my guess.

 

[Joe Wong]

BP poster art distributed at Comic Con:

 

[Jake Lipson]

Letitia Wright has top billing in the credits at the end of the trailer. That strongly suggests it is Shuri.

 

[Sam Favate]

That's one of the best trailers Marvel has had in a while.

 

[Josh Dial]

Letitia Wright has top billing in the credits at the end of the trailer. That strongly suggests it is Shuri.

Looks like we're also getting an introduction to Riri/Ironheart, and that she is friends with Shuri. Maybe Nakia becomes Black Panther and Shuri becomes Riri's "gal in the chair" and runs her tech.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Looks like we're also getting an introduction to Riri/Ironheart

Yes - Ryan Coogler is an executive producer on her Disney+ series. She is starting in this movie before jumping into that show.

 

[Joe Wong]

Looks like we're also getting an introduction to Riri/Ironheart, and that she is friends with Shuri. Maybe Nakia becomes Black Panther and Shuri becomes Riri's "gal in the chair" and runs her tech.

Riri is meant to be at MIT, so my theory is that not only does Shuri take on the mantle of Black Panther, she recruits Riri to be her gal in the chair, like you said. Since being Black Panther means Shuri won't have as much time to pursue her research.

I wonder how the succession would go - will there be another ceremony like in the original BP where T'Challa fought M'Baku?

Also, in the trailer, Queen Ramonda says "...my entire family is gone!" What does this mean for Shuri? Has she disappeared? Gone undercover?

 

[Josh Dial]

Also, in the trailer, Queen Ramonda says "...my entire family is gone!" What does this mean for Shuri? Has she disappeared? Gone undercover?

My guess is that scene actually takes place during the Blip.

The ceremony and the induction of a new Black Panther is partly why I think the new Black Panther is going to ultimately be Nakia--perhaps under some sort of "right of survivorship" for her being T'Challa's betrothed (or spouse). Here's my guess: Shuri picks up the mantle of Black Panther knowing but not caring that she doesn't have a "right" to it. She's a bit wreckless and probably doesn't actually care about "the law". Someone needs to defend Wakanda. So Shuri steps in. However, by the end, she and Nakia come to realize that Nakia is better suited (and perhaps has a rightful "claim" or has otherwise been "blessed") and Nakia steps in, and Shuri returns to her lab.

I wonder if the heart-shaped herbs actually are all gone. Maybe Namor's people has their own crop?

 

[Sam Favate]

The ceremony and the induction of a new Black Panther is partly why I think the new Black Panther is going to ultimately be Nakia--perhaps under some sort of "right of survivorship" for her being T'Challa's betrothed (or spouse).

Lupita is certainly a headliner for future films, and she’s less difficult than Letitia.

 

[Joe Wong]

My guess is that scene actually takes place during the Blip.

The ceremony and the induction of a new Black Panther is partly why I think the new Black Panther is going to ultimately be Nakia--perhaps under some sort of "right of survivorship" for her being T'Challa's betrothed (or spouse). Here's my guess: Shuri picks up the mantle of Black Panther knowing but not caring that she doesn't have a "right" to it. She's a bit wreckless and probably doesn't actually care about "the law". Someone needs to defend Wakanda. So Shuri steps in. However, by the end, she and Nakia come to realize that Nakia is better suited (and perhaps has a rightful "claim" or has otherwise been "blessed") and Nakia steps in, and Shuri returns to her lab.

I wonder if the heart-shaped herbs actually are all gone. Maybe Namor's people has their own crop?

Great point about the possibility of that scene occurring during the Blip.

If we go by European royalty traditions, then next in line would be Shuri (unless T'Challa has a child). But Wakanda is not in Europe, so those traditions mean nothing. Nevertheless, there exists the option of challenging for the mantle, like how M'Baku and Killmonger did so in BP.

While the comics history would suggest that Shuri makes the most sense as the next Black Panther, there might be other considerations, eg. Letitia Wright had some social media issues, etc., during the production of BP:WF. Of course that shouldn't disqualify her, but film studios like to avoid controversy if they can (eg., Warner Bros with Amber Heard and Ezra Miller).

If Nakia does become Black Panther, then Lupita Nyong'o would be the 2nd Oscar winner to play a lead hero, after Brie Larson.

 

[Josh Dial]

If we go by European royalty traditions, then next in line would be Shuri (unless T'Challa has a child). But Wakanda is not in Europe, so those traditions mean nothing. Nevertheless, there exists the option of challenging for the mantle, like how M'Baku and Killmonger did so in BP.

Another interesting thought is that I don't think it's strictly required that the leader of Wakanda also be Black Panther. Perhaps Shuri takes over as the Queen and head of state, and Nakia is Black Panther.

 

[Joe Wong]

BP poster art distributed at Comic Con:

If this poster is “official” art (I believe it is) then I think it lends some more credence to Shuri taking the mantle. She’s front and centre, with an image of Black Panther directly behind her.

Of course Marvel has been known for misdirects, so I could be completely wrong and it’s someone not even on this poster, like Killmonger (somehow resurrected/alive and now trusted to be BP).

 

[TonyD]

I’ll go out on a limb and say no chance Killmonger is BP.

 

[Joe Wong]

I’ll go out on a limb and say no chance Killmonger is BP.

I would like to think so as well. As good as Michael Jordan and the character of Killmonger is, he would need a 180 degree about-face - remember, he was sending out Wakandan planes to help fight the oppressors at the end of BP!

 

[jayembee]

He's also, ya know, Dead. As. A. Doornail.

And, as I've said before, that image of Black Panther at the end...no way would a male-type person have that body shape.

 

[Joe Wong]

He's also, ya know, Dead. As. A. Doornail.

And, as I've said before, that image of Black Panther at the end...no way would a male-type person have that body shape.

There has been some conjecture online that Killmonger didn’t really die at the end of BP. But it was his choice.

Also, that he is now in the Ancestral Plane but could be resurrected somehow. Then why not simply resurrect T’Challa??

And, finally, for a trailer that focuses on the strength, intelligence and power of women, backed by a cover (by Nigerian singer Tems) of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” (which, I believe, speaks to the same themes), it would seem odd to have a man take the mantle when there are so many capable female characters in the film.

 

[Sam Favate]

Pictures of toys popped up in one of my feeds and I see the movie will feature Attuma, who was a nemesis of Namor and of the Fantastic Four.