The deepest film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a lot deeper than you think.
SPOILER ALERT - This article will deal with explicit plot points of the newest Marvel film, 'Black Panther' as well as my unapologetic liberal political leanings. So...you're warned.
Set in the fictional African country of Wakanda, and bringing back Chadwick Boseman's scene-stealing badass from 'Captain America: Civil War', you knew Coogler's screenplay would delve deeply into Wakandan politics. After all, T'challa is a young prince thrust into place as king after the murder of his father in the events of the previous film. And unsurprisingly, we are treated to many scenes introducing us to the rites and rituals of the Wakandan monarchy. What is a bit surprising, though, is how much the framing of T'challa's story matches, nearly beat for beat, the outcome of other, real-life political events.
Namely, the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.
To be clear, Coogler, co-writing with Joe Robert Cole, tell a riveting story in its own right. Even without real-life political parallels, 'Black Panther' is rife with thoughts and difficult questions regarding race relations, personal and national responsibility. It's as thematically rich as 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (frequently held up as the high-water mark for the MCU) and that's before you get into that other layer. Watching the film, I kept catching little moments where I felt like the film matched the events of the 2016 election. As the story progressed, I started to wonder if it was deliberate. And then we are treated to a scene of T'Challa speaking to the UN and proclaiming that while the wise attempt to build bridges during times of trouble, the foolish endeavor to build barriers. That did it for me. I now have no doubt at all that Coogler et al. intended for this allegory to exist.
So, here's how I see it breaking down:
T'Challa - The Democrats. Whether he explicitly represents Hillary Clinton, or rather just the democratic party coasting on the legacy of Obama, I can't say. What I can say is that both individuals were the presumptive nominee, so to speak, for the highest office in the land. In the initial coronation scene, T'Challa stands, almost complacent, waiting for the other tribes to waive their right to produce a challenger for his reign, and almost no one does. Until M'Baku makes his presence known. A tough challenge, but ultimately T'Challa wins the throne, but only briefly, until a much more brutal opponent emerges, uncovering damaging secrets, and forcing a brief exile in the wilderness. But while HRC's political career is over, T'Challa's is just beginning, having learned from his defeats and allied himself with his former rival.
M'Baku - This guy is clearly a stand-in for progressive left, as personified by Bernie Sanders. Frustrated by being ignored by the other tribes for too long, M'Baku mounts a strong challenge to T'Challa's reign and nearly defeats him. Well-meaning and with a legitimate gripe, both Sanders and M'Baku have ideas about leadership that make them outliers with passionate followers.
While that initial battle (the primaries!) between M'Baku and T'Challa is hard-fought, they're both clearly men on the same side - namely, those that would defend Wakanda and her people. And when T'Challa is overthrown, it is M'Baku who remains the lone hope for Killmonger's defeat. I see this as HRC and the dems needed the aid of Sanders and his supporters when it started to become clear that defeating Trump would not be the cakewalk it initially seemed. M'Baku needs concessions from T'Challa in the same way Clinton and Sanders had a closed-door meeting to sort out what needed to be done for Clinton to get Sanders' endorsement.
And, I mean, seriously, M'Baku is a vegetarian for god's sake.
And, I mean, seriously, M'Baku is a vegetarian for god's sake.
Killmonger - Clearly Trump. Driven by rage and personal greivances, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens believes that he is the man to lead a global revolution. Taking the throne by force, using the Wakandan traditions against those who would see the status quo remain, Killmonger is just as much of a bully as Trump, stomping over his opponents with insults and lies. Unapologetic in his disdain for the norms of Wakandan politics, he stands over a sacred garden and demands that it be burnt to ash. His authoritarian rule begins immediately with plans to overthrow oppression on a global scale, but one feels that this isn't motivated by some sense of justice, but rather hate and anger. Traditions are the first casualty of his reign.
Trump capitalized on the hate and anger of an enormous swath of the American population and rode their resentment of diversity and the political legacy of America's first black president into the White House. Blaming others for their misfortune worked well for Trump, in the same way that Killmonger exploits the Wakandan hatred of Ulysses Klaue to obtain the loyalty of W'Kabi and his faction. W'Kabi has a right to hate Klaue and to be angry at his decades of freedom, even after his murder of W'Kabi's parents. But it would seem that W'Kabi's bitterness at both T'Challa and T'Chaka are misplaced. We see Klaue escape from T'Challa, and while it's not as simple as a lack of effort, W'Kabi proclaims that T'Challa is no better than his father and simply doesn't care enough to capture him.
Certainly many of Trump's most ardent supporters feel abandoned by the American government in the wake of so many changes to the national socio-economic makeup. Jobs are outsourced, replaced by automation, or simply by those who would work for less money. Education and wealth become something that is out of reach. Anger grows. But rather than looking at the complex (yet not always inevitable) series of events that have led to their troubles, many of them just want someone to blame. And the easiest person to blame is always going to be the person in charge. This is why "Thanks, Obama" became a meme. Easier to say that than to explore the myriad reasons why a factory worker in Michigan doesn't have a job.
But while Killmonger has an actual injustice he's attempting to force into correction (black people the world over have, for centuries, struggled mightily in no small part thanks to the oppression of white people), Trump's nihilism only seeks power for power's sake. Their methods may be the same, but their motivations are vastly different. Killmonger's hate is born from pain, whereas Trump's seems born of the realization that hate and fear are easily manipulated. But neither would have succeeded without a bit of outside help, which brings us to...
Ulysses Klaue - Russia. While there are those would still argue that no collusion has been proven yet, it is almost beyond denial at this point that Russia played a part in Trump's ascension. He sows chaos and even disinformation (manipulating the crime scene to make it look more amateurish). Russian bots and trolls took advantage of American social media to sow discord and lies aimed at increasingly dislike of Clinton, thereby elevating Trump. Likewise, Klaue, an enemy of Wakanda is used by Killmonger as a method of ingratiating himself both to the Wakandan people and to W'Kabi specifically. But W'Kabi is unaware that Killmonger and Klaue were allies and that without Klaue, Killmonger would never have made it into a position to take the Wakandan throne. Additionally, like many of Trump's American political allies, Klaue is dispatched without remorse or ceremony the instant he's no longer necessary.
Ulysses Klaue - Russia. While there are those would still argue that no collusion has been proven yet, it is almost beyond denial at this point that Russia played a part in Trump's ascension. He sows chaos and even disinformation (manipulating the crime scene to make it look more amateurish). Russian bots and trolls took advantage of American social media to sow discord and lies aimed at increasingly dislike of Clinton, thereby elevating Trump. Likewise, Klaue, an enemy of Wakanda is used by Killmonger as a method of ingratiating himself both to the Wakandan people and to W'Kabi specifically. But W'Kabi is unaware that Killmonger and Klaue were allies and that without Klaue, Killmonger would never have made it into a position to take the Wakandan throne. Additionally, like many of Trump's American political allies, Klaue is dispatched without remorse or ceremony the instant he's no longer necessary.
W'Kabi - the Republican party. W'Kabi begins the film on the side of T'Challa, thought not without his gripes. His loyalty to T'Challa, and further, to Wakanda, is evidently for sale, as he nearly immediately sides with Killmonger once the wannabe dictator produces the body of Klaue. Even as Killmonger's villainous actions stack up, W'Kabi is still willing to stand by his side and fight against T'Challa. It is only his love for Okoye that stays his hand in the end. If indeed, W'Kabi is a stand-in for the GOP, it's obvious that Coogler expects and demands those Republicans in congress who aid Trump would remember that their loyalty is to their country, not to one man.
Okoye - The federal government of United States. Okoye is, above all else, loyal to Wakanda. Angered though she may be at the rise of Killmonger, she is loyal to the throne and the traditions of Wakanda. She is clearly sympathetic to T'Challa, considers him a friend, but recognizes both Killmonger's right to challenge, and his apparent defeat of T'Challa that elevates him to the throne. She will not betray her oath, no matter how she feels in her heart. But when (and, brother, I mean the millisecond) Killmonger violates the laws of Wakanda, she and her guard turn on him and fight like hell to take him down.
Certainly seems to run parallel to the institutions in place in the US. The laws are what led Trump to victory in spite of his popular vote loss. And those same laws are keeping his powers in check, and aiming to discover the truth of what went down (if anything) between his campaign and the Russian government. But sometimes those same institutions that are meant to protect us do make mistakes.
Costly mistakes.
Certainly seems to run parallel to the institutions in place in the US. The laws are what led Trump to victory in spite of his popular vote loss. And those same laws are keeping his powers in check, and aiming to discover the truth of what went down (if anything) between his campaign and the Russian government. But sometimes those same institutions that are meant to protect us do make mistakes.
Costly mistakes.
T'Chaka - James Comey and the FBI. Killed during 'Civil War', T'Chaka seemed like a perfect father. Wise, loving, patient and kind, it is easy to understand T'Challa's heartbreak and his quest for vengeance during that film. 'Black Panther' opens with the memory of T'Chaka still strong and untainted, but as the film progresses, the former king's secrets come to light and his sins of omission bear catastrophic fruit.
Knowing all that we know now, in February 2018, it's no longer debatable whether or not Russia interfered with our presidential election, or that they preferred one candidate over the other. But what we also know is that the FBI was aware of Russia's attempt to breach American democracy. We know the investigation into the Trump campaign's involvement with Russian players was well underway long before the FBI decided it was a good idea to make public comments about the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email "scandal".
Their investigation into the emails yielded nothing, but was a PR disaster for Clinton's campaign. And while that was going on, the FBI remained silent about their investigation into the Trump campaign. Why they chose to comment on one and not the other is unknown. Comey made a mistake that apparently nauseates him now, when he considers whether or not his decision could have affected the outcome of the election.
Yes, James...decisions have consequence. Secrets have cost.
Shuri, Nakia, Ramonda - The Resistance. Shocked and stunned and in denial over the rise of Killmonger, their first instinct is to immediately stage a coup. Their second is to steal a heart-shaped-herb and present it to M'Baku that he might defeat Killmonger. In the end, they find T'Challa alive, feed the herb to him, make peace with M'Baku and defeat Killmonger in ritually recognized combat (T'Challa having never yielded, and not been killed, the challenge that let Killmonger take the throne was not officially over)
How many posts did we see in the aftermath of Trump's electoral college victory - "How Bernie Sanders can still become President"? Pinning hopes to the recounts launched by the Stein campaign. Hoping against hope for rogue electors to save us from this megalomaniac. None of them came to fruition, and in the end we've had to rely on the same tools we have always had: activism, voter registration, community outreach. The ACLU and the federal court system have held some of Trump's baser instincts in check while Robert Mueller works methodically to uncover the full extent of the Russian interference.
In the end, despite the panic and desperate ideas, Wakanda survives. T'Challa is restored as king and the nation learns something about itself and its duty to the world. Hopefully, American can reach a similar resolution.
And speaking of Americans, let's wrap this up with Everett Ross. Who does he represent?
Us. America. The people who need to open our eyes and our hearts to the way the world is changing. We cannot hope to succeed if we keep going through life hanging on to our old ideas of "the way things are". Ross begins the movie as a tool for the CIA, going about his business as usual, unaware of the danger Klaue represents and unwilling to accept the idea that he's woefully underprepared for his mission. But by the end of the film, he's risking his life to protect not just Wakanda, but citizens the world over. And he sits in the UN gallery with a knowing smile as King T'Challa unveils his plan to share Wakanda's resources with the rest of the world. Ross understands that together is the only way forward. It's time the rest of us understood that as well.
After all, the wise build bridges...and the foolish build barriers.
Knowing all that we know now, in February 2018, it's no longer debatable whether or not Russia interfered with our presidential election, or that they preferred one candidate over the other. But what we also know is that the FBI was aware of Russia's attempt to breach American democracy. We know the investigation into the Trump campaign's involvement with Russian players was well underway long before the FBI decided it was a good idea to make public comments about the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email "scandal".
Their investigation into the emails yielded nothing, but was a PR disaster for Clinton's campaign. And while that was going on, the FBI remained silent about their investigation into the Trump campaign. Why they chose to comment on one and not the other is unknown. Comey made a mistake that apparently nauseates him now, when he considers whether or not his decision could have affected the outcome of the election.
Yes, James...decisions have consequence. Secrets have cost.
Shuri, Nakia, Ramonda - The Resistance. Shocked and stunned and in denial over the rise of Killmonger, their first instinct is to immediately stage a coup. Their second is to steal a heart-shaped-herb and present it to M'Baku that he might defeat Killmonger. In the end, they find T'Challa alive, feed the herb to him, make peace with M'Baku and defeat Killmonger in ritually recognized combat (T'Challa having never yielded, and not been killed, the challenge that let Killmonger take the throne was not officially over)
How many posts did we see in the aftermath of Trump's electoral college victory - "How Bernie Sanders can still become President"? Pinning hopes to the recounts launched by the Stein campaign. Hoping against hope for rogue electors to save us from this megalomaniac. None of them came to fruition, and in the end we've had to rely on the same tools we have always had: activism, voter registration, community outreach. The ACLU and the federal court system have held some of Trump's baser instincts in check while Robert Mueller works methodically to uncover the full extent of the Russian interference.
In the end, despite the panic and desperate ideas, Wakanda survives. T'Challa is restored as king and the nation learns something about itself and its duty to the world. Hopefully, American can reach a similar resolution.
And speaking of Americans, let's wrap this up with Everett Ross. Who does he represent?
Us. America. The people who need to open our eyes and our hearts to the way the world is changing. We cannot hope to succeed if we keep going through life hanging on to our old ideas of "the way things are". Ross begins the movie as a tool for the CIA, going about his business as usual, unaware of the danger Klaue represents and unwilling to accept the idea that he's woefully underprepared for his mission. But by the end of the film, he's risking his life to protect not just Wakanda, but citizens the world over. And he sits in the UN gallery with a knowing smile as King T'Challa unveils his plan to share Wakanda's resources with the rest of the world. Ross understands that together is the only way forward. It's time the rest of us understood that as well.
After all, the wise build bridges...and the foolish build barriers.
