Marvel Studios debuted the second trailer this morning for Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, filled with new footage, different perspectives on previously seen sequences, and a breathtaking reintroduction to the wonders of Wakanda.

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Although most of the key players were established in the first trailer, released in June -- or before that, in 2016's Captain America: Civil War -- from star Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa to Letitia Wright as Princess Shuri to Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, the new footage reveals different facets of many of the film's characters, and of the nation at its heart.

Below we break down the trailer's highlights, from Wakanda's history and technology to the fearsome battle for its future.

'How Much More Are You Hiding?'

Introduced, alongside Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross appears positioned to serve as the audience surrogate in Black Panther, much as he's functioned in the comics. Like viewers, he's experienced the wonders of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet somehow, even as a member of the Joint Counter Terrorism Center, he's remained unaware of the technologically advanced society hidden within the African nation of Wakanda.

"I have seen gods fly. I've seen men build weapons that I couldn't even imagine," he tells T'Challa in sequence that takes place following the interrogation of Ulysses Klaue depicted in the first trailer. "I've seen aliens drop from the sky. But I have never seen anything like this. How much more are you hiding?"

'We Are Home'

To underscore Ross' comments, we're shown an aircraft , the Royal Talon Fighter, piloted by Okoye (Danai Gurira of The Walking Dead) through a holographic barrier that disguises Wakanda's wealth and technological advancements, making the small nation appear like little more than untamed jungle. More context is given in original trailer, released in June, in which Ross explains that outsiders view Wakanda as a Third World country, only to be told by Klaue that the "textiles, shepherds, cool outfits" are nothing more than "a front."

The source of Wakanda’s wealth, and what fuels the nation’s advanced technology, is Vibranium, the rare and highly coveted metal deposited there ages ago by a meteorite. Its radiation mutated the Heart-Shaped Herb, believed to be a gift from the Panther God, which imbues the ruler of Wakanda — the Black Panther — with enhanced strength, speed, endurance and healing.

A City of the Future

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Although we've previously seen Wakanda's skyline, sacred rites and key figures, this is our first look at everyday life in the kingdom, and it's pretty fantastic. This is presumably a bustling street in the capital of Birnin Zana, aka the Golden City, home to the Royal Palace, the Necropolis, Wakandan International Airport.

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Here, the contemporary seamlessly blends with the futuristic as residents walk past quaint shops while, above, a monorail speeds by gleaming towers.

No Ordinary Bodyguards

We saw the Dora Milaje in the first trailer, ready to battle Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger, but here the personal bodyguards of the Black Panther are shown up close, performing more ceremonial duties (namely, welcoming the returning king). Recruited from every tribe in Wakanda, to promote harmony among the rival factions, the members of the all-female brigade are considered some of the deadliest warriors in the country.

Trained in numerous forms of martial arts, the Dora Milaje are armed with Vibranium weapons and clad in Vibranium armor.

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Royal Siblings

One of the few light moments in this trailer is this one shared between Boseman's T'Challa and his sister Princess Shuri, played by Letitia Wright (Humans). Introduced in the first trailer, Shuri is effectively Wakanda's answer to Tony Stark, a genius inventor who's responsible for most of the country's new technology.

Two Black Panthers?

We can likely assume that T'Challa and Shuri are inspecting alternate, or updated, Black Panther suits she designed. However, considering we later see Killmonger clad in his own version of the costume, it's difficult not to think this shot is a bit of foreshadowing. Whether he's actually wearing one of these is difficult to say.

As we saw in Civil War, and in the the previous trailer, Black Panther's outfit is more than simply a costume. Composed of Vibranium mesh, the lightweight suit is nearly indestructible, and protects the wearer from damage from most conventional weapons. The gloves possesses retractable Vibranium claws, capable of scratching even Captain America's shield.

The Plane of Wakandan Memory?

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This would seem to be Djalia, a mystical realm that serves as Wakanda's collective memory, introduced by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and artist Brian Stelfreeze during the run on Marvel Comics' Black Panther. It's used to juxtapose the country's present with its past, but it's also where Shuri's spirit dwelt following her death at the hands of Thanos' Black Order.

Guided by a griot, a member of a traditional class of traveling poets and storytellers, Shuri learns the true history of Wakanda, and when she returns to the world of the living, becomes the keeper of her country's lore.

'I'm Gonna Burn It All!'

We already know Killmonger's comic book history as a Wakandan exile whose father was forced to help Klaw when the mercenary attacked the country. When he eventually returned to his homeland, he operated as a subversive, plotting against T'Challa and even staging a short-lived coup d’état.

Whether Killmonger follows the same arc in Black Panther is unknown, but he's clearly positioned as a rival to Wakanda's throne, and as an ally of Klaw. He even has his own Black Panther suit, which he dons in the blink of an eye in this scene, as he's confronted by the royal guard. However, earlier in the trailer he proclaims, "I'm gonna burn it all," leading us to wonder whether his intent is to rule Wakanda, or destroy it.

Panther Vs. Panther

Although interwoven with scenes from the previously seen car chase through Seoul, South Korea, the battle between T'Challa and Killmonger in near-matching Black Panther regalia takes place in Wakanda, presumably within its sprawling capital. By all indications, it will be a dizzying sequence, with two fairly evenly matched combatants dodging bullet trains and falling from great heights.

For those following along at home, that's T'Challa with the purple highlights, and Killmonger with the gold.

Klaues Just Wanna Have Fun

We've known since he lost his left arm in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron that we should expect Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) to sport a sound-generating prosthetic at some point. That turns out to be now, although the attachment looks nothing like that of his comic book counterpart.

In fact, it's a little disturbing, with the fingers of his hand separating, as if ready to give a Vulcan salute, making way for the blast emitted from within his cybernetic arm. "Let's have some fun," he says before climbing out the window of the vehicle to fire a shot at the pursuing Black Panther. Fun, indeed!


Opening Feb. 16, 2018, director Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, with Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Sterling K. Brown and John Kani.