Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been pretty popular since it was released in 2022. The sequel to 2018's equally-beloved Black Panther finally has its place on Disney+. And to spotlight this streaming release, IGN dropped a deleted scene. The scene features the iconic Dora Milaje warrior, Okoye, and could've changed the movie entirely.
The Black Panther sequel follows the Wakandans as they deal with the aftermath of King T'Challa's death. Not only are they dealing with this massive grief, but they're also met with a new threat in the form of a rival country. When their new ocean-dwelling foe, Namor, and his fellow Talokans attack Wakanda, characters such as Angela Bassett's award-worthy Queen Ramonda, Shuri, and Okoye are once again left to fight to protect their beloved kingdom. Considering all of this action, it's no surprise that some issues are brewing across the members of Wakanda's government. This is proven through the recently-released deleted scene, as it shows Okoye in a new light.
The Deleted Black Panther 2 Scene Reveals a Secret Meeting
The deleted Black Panther: Wakanda Forever scene shows Okoye arriving to have a conversation with her uncle, who is a leading member of the Border Tribe. During this meeting, he conveys that he and the tribe have strong doubts about Shuri's ability to rule Wakanda after the death of Queen Ramonda. Their main reasoning for this is that Shuri is grief-stricken and holds inner darkness. As such, her high emotions could cloud her judgment and impede her ability to act appropriately as the Queen of Wakanda.
So, the tribe wants Okoye to step up and challenge Shuri's place on the throne. Considering this scene is deleted, such a meeting or this possibility of royal drama isn't included in the final cut of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. With that said, this scene could've changed everything for the Black Panther universe if it had been included.
Everything Could've Changed for Okoye and Wakanda
The end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does include someone challenging the throne, but it's M'Baku and not Okoye. During the film, Okoye gets a bit of a promotion from the General of the Dora Milaje to a Midnight Angel. This sets the stage for her upcoming, unnamed spin-off that will apparently follow Okoye, Aneka, and the other Midnight Angels. Her joining this league would likely not happen if she were to make an attempt on the throne, which means she wouldn't get that spin-off.
Considering M'Baku's decision to challenge the throne, it's possible that the future of Wakanda could feature him as King. But, if the scene had stayed, and Okoye actually agreed with her uncle, the end of Wakanda Forever and the future of the franchise would completely change. It's possible that Okoye challenging the throne would cause a massive rift between her, Shuri, and M'Baku. There would likely be tensions in the government, and Wakanda could start to crumble.
There's a pretty large variety of outcomes that would be possible if the recently-surfaced deleted scene was included in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. But since it's not, the opportunities are a little less possible. While a similar scene could always come up in Okoye's post-Dora Milaje future appearances, for now, it seems that she will not be stuck in the middle of a Shuri, M'Baku throne debacle. Luckily, Okoye, as a character, seems to be going in a fantastic direction anyway, and she has much room to grow.
To catch up on Okoye's journey, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now streaming on Disney+.