Black Panther Movie Questions That Still Need Answered

WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Marvel’s Black Panther, in theaters now.

By all accounts, Marvel Studios has another hit on its hands with Ryan Coogler's Black Panther. Not only does the film introduce new concepts like the African nation of Wakanda to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it also helps to set the stage for the big showdown with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.

As good as Black Panther was, there are sure to be a number of lingering mysteries about the film's story or characters, which is why we've compiled a list of the film's most pressing questions that still need to be answered.

Where Is the Soul Stone?

THANOS FINDS THE SOUL STONE IN INFINITY WAR

With Black Panther arriving in theaters less than three months before Avengers: Infinity War, it was widely believed the film would reveal the location of the Soul Stone, the only Infinity Stone that hasn't appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The theory had some extra momentum after trailers for Black Panther depicted T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) strolling through an astral plane, where he would later reconnect with his deceased father, T'Chaka. Because the Soul Stone is the home to what's known as the Soul World -- a pocket dimension -- it could theoretically serve as a stand-in for the astral plane. However, the Soul Stone was nowhere to be found in Black Panther.

We know from the trailers for Avengers: Infinity War that Wakanda is one of the major locations of the ensemble film, with Earth's Mightiest Heroes squaring off there against Thanos' forces. The Mad Titan may very well be storm the borders of the African nation in search of the Soul Stone, if it is indeed located there.

The mid-credits scene brought one of the film's main plot lines to a close, with T'Challa speaking in front of the United Nations to let the world know that Wakanda will no longer hide its secrets, but instead will reveal itself to be a thriving, technologically advanced nation.

The ramifications of this mic drop are destined to play out across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Knowing that one of Earth's rarest alloys, Vibranium, can only be found in Wakanda is sure to attract all types of nefarious criminals looking to make a quick score. Wakanda has thrived in part because of its isolationism, but it will now look to make new alliances across the globe. But that will undoubtedly lead to new enemies as well.

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Where Is Captain America?

When we last saw Steve Rogers, he was seeking refuge in Wakanda following the events 2016's Captain America: Civil War. T'Challa had offered Wakanda's resources in hopes of freeing Bucky Barnes of his Winter Soldier programming. Black Panther's mid-credits scene appeared to confirm the de-programming was a success (more on this later), but where was Captain America during the events of the film? Is he no longer in Wakanda?

Those answers can be found in Marvel Comics' Infinity War Prelude, where it was revealed that, after freeing Falcon, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Ant-Man from the high-security metahuman black site prison, the Raft, Steve teams with Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanov to form a covert team.

One of the opening sequences in Black Panther showed a news broadcast placing the beginning of the film a week after the conclusion of Civil War. So, does that mean Civil War's mid-credits scene of Bucky going back under ice also took place a week before Black Panther? And if not, then Steve may have still been hidden in Wakanda at some point in the newest Marvel Studios film.

Will Bucky Get a New Vibranium Arm?

winter soldier in captain america: civil war

We mentioned earlier that the Winter Soldier has seemingly been de-programmed. The confirmation came in the post-credits scene, when a one-armed Bucky emerged from his slumber. He was greeted by T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), the scientist responsible for repairing Bucky's damaged mind.

The Winter Soldier lost his metal arm after his fight with Iron Man in the final moments of Civil War. However, the first trailer for Infinity War shows Bucky charging into battle with a new, darker-toned metal arm in what looks like Wakanda. Perhaps with Wakanda under attack, T'Challa orders a Vibranium arm for Bucky, along with a new shield for Cap.

Where Will Nakia and Shuri's Wakandan Outreach Center Show Up Next?

Oakland, California, is where T'Chaka killed his own brother, N'Jobu, who is also Killmonger's father. To keep N'Jobu's death a secret, T'Chaka and Zuri left Killmonger in America, which is why he has such animosity toward Wakanda. With Oakland being such an important location in T'Challa's family history, he's now decided the city will be the perfect place for Wakanda to show the globe that it's serious about broadening its global reach.

T'Challa plans to open a Wakandan Outreach Center right in Oakland, and puts Nakia and Shuri in charge of it. Nakia has already displayed a passion for humanitarian efforts during her spy missions, and Shuri can help teach young black kids about the sciences. The center is such a great idea, that it'd be a shame for it to not pop up in future movies. Another novel idea is to spinoff Nakia and Shuri's Oakland adventures into its own TV series.

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What Does the Destruction of the Heart-Shaped Herb Mean For Black Panther's Legacy?

After defeating T'Challa in combat and being proclaimed king of Wakanda, one of Killmonger's first acts was to burn the garden where the Heart-Shaped Herb grows. This special plant is what grants a Black Panther his superhuman abilities. With no more of the herb remaining, will there be future Black Panthers after T'Challa's reign comes to a close?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't been afraid to drastically change the status quo for its heroes, and that trend continues in Black Panther. For now, it seems there Heart-Shaped Herb is no more, but that doesn't mean it will stay this way moving forward. There could be other gardens growing in obscure portions of Wakanda, or perhaps Shuri can engineer new plants through Vibranium testing. Odds are, even if the herb never returns, there will always be a Black Panther watching over Wakanda.

Was Killmonger the MCU's Best Villain?

After taking its fair share of criticism over its lack of compelling villains, Marvel Studios found a winner in Erik Killmonger. Michael B. Jordan's performance as the antagonist was powerful, leaving some fans to agree with his side of the argument against Wakanda.

The way to have a villain connect with an audience is to have them make valid points, while also seeing themselves as the hero in their story. Of course, the villain ultimately goes too far to achieve their goals, with murder and bloodshed left in their wake. Killmonger's top competition for best MCU villain has to be Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who gravitates back and forth between good and bad. If Killmonger hadn't died at the end of Black Panther, he could have had the same chance at redemption that Loki is continuously given.

Will Shuri Suit Up As a Black Panther?

T'Challa's kid sister Shuri was one of the many breakout stars of Black Panther. Shuri had an infectious energy in every scene she appeared in, along with a quick wit and on-screen chemistry with her older brother. The young princess is behind many of Wakanda's inventions, including the armor that T'Challa wears as Black Panther.

One particular scene showcased the upgrades Shuri made to the armor, and it possibly foreshadowed a future where Shuri herself may suit up as a Black Panther. Here, we see T'Challa and Shuri standing in front of two Black Panther suits of armor. It draws comparisons to James Rhodes seeing the early design for his War Machine armor in 2008's Iron Man. Shuri spent time as Black Panther in the Marvel Universe, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for it to also happen in the MCU.

Now in theaters, director Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Forest Whitaker as Zuri and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger.

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