How Does King T’Challa Die in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Spoilers

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has arrived in theatres around the world and comes with the monumental task of explaining to audiences around the world how and why Chadwick Boseman‘s King T’Challa is no longer with us in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The answer to this question is HUGE SPOILER. So read on at your own risk.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: How Does King T’challa Die?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wastes no time dealing with the loss of King T’Challa (and therefore of actor Chadwick Boseman). The film opens with a chaotic scene in Princess Shuri‘s (Letitia Wright) workshop in Wakanda. T’Challa is revealed to be seriously ill, although the disease is never named. Shuri worked tirelessly to find a way to synthesize the heart-shaped herb that empowers Black Panther to heal T’Challa. However, since the sacred herbs have all been destroyed by Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), Shuri fails to reach her goal in time. Queen Ramonda enters the scene while Shuri is still desperately working on equations and tests and tells the young princess that her brother is “now with the ancestors”. The scene ends with Shuri appearing destroyed and traumatized, unable to process her failure and loss (the theme of the entire arc of the film).

Explanation of the Death of King T’Challa

Marvel and Ryan Coogler have chosen to keep the events of King T’Challa’s death in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever “similar” to those that occurred in real life (for better or for worse). Actor Chadwick Boseman died in late August 2020; only later was it revealed that he had been battling stage three (then fourth) colon cancer since 2016 – the same year that he became a world icon like T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War and was getting started. the production of the first Black Panther film.

This new take on the reality of Boseman’s life and work made it difficult for his Black Panther co-stars to mourn, as his loss seemed so sudden and unexpected, while in fact, he had been battling his illness all along. spent on set. Letitia Wright was particularly traumatized, as she learned of Boseman‘s death through a message of condolence.

“I didn’t connect the dots,” Wright admitted to Variety. “Chadwick was very reserved. He always wanted to protect us. That’s all I can say”.

It now appears evident that Coogler and Wright were playing with very real emotional touchstones in the scene where Shuri finds himself having to do something, anything, even when it’s too late for his brother. Whether it is the right or wrong choice, it will not be our task to judge, the power and resonance of the scene are undeniable.