When Black Panther was released in 2018, Phase 3 of the MCU gave an entire generation of Marvel (and non-Marvel) fans the opportunity to witness a Black-centered story with T'Challa, led by a predominantly Black cast. This historical moment in the MCU brought much-needed diversity to screens everywhere. With the addition of refreshing representation came a new and convincing villain in Erik Killmonger.
The MCU has had its fair share of faulty villains and powerful ones, but Killmonger might be one of the most misguided yet relatable antagonists thus far. The creatives behind MCU films did their best to display perspectives from both the hero and the villain. Often that translation gets muddled, but Black Panther does well to balance this out. From his morally gray ambition to avenge his father to his stylistic choices in fighting and dress code, Erik Killmonger proves himself to be better than some heroes could ever try to.
10 His Upbringing
Killmonger was born and raised in the city of Oakland, California, not the comforts of Wakanda. It's easy to compare and contrast the stark differences between Erik's upbringing versus his royal cousin from a country far more advanced in science and technology than his own. Erik has seen the plights of humankind across the world while Wakandans lived inside a safe and comfortable bubble. He knows how much people have suffered outside of his father's homeland, and he lived through it, making him more relatable to both characters and audiences than T'Challa himself.
9 He's Doing What He Believes Is Right
It's not hard to agree with Erik when he's giving all the right reasons to support his ambition. In Wakanda's reluctance to share their resources and technology, Killmonger sees a selfish act, thus considering them enemy number one.
Erik is a flawed advocate for human suffering, and though he's doing so out of anger and raw emotion, he aims to right the wrongs of the past. These are generally legitimate motivations for any ordinary hero in MCU films, but in Black Panther, these are Killmonger's reasons to stand up for what he believes in.
8 He Knows His History
The first moment audiences see Erik Killmonger is inside the British Museum, where he's fact-checking the museum curator about African artifacts. He puts her in her place by mentioning the fact that she not only racially profiled him from the moment he walked in, then educated her by correcting her mistake that the particular piece they were looking at was, in fact, Wakandan. The scene escalates quickly into chaos when he claims that he'd "take it off [her] hands" since the artifacts, much like so many others in the real world, are stolen, to begin with. Audiences could compare him to Robin Hood in a way, but nobody faults that hero for stealing from the rich.
7 His Sense Of Style
Though everyone in Black Panther was dressed with immaculate style thanks to the costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, Killmonger does well to stand out in a crowd. Even his casual outfits, from the civilian clothes to his armored mercenary look, the film's beginning shows that he knows how to put together a fit. But it's the gold-tinged Black Panther suit that proves his vivid and flashy sense of taste is more than a reflection of his character. The same gold suit was an option that T'Challa could have picked when Shuri displayed it, but he says to her, "the idea is not to be noticed," and Erik's goal is the complete opposite. Killmonger wants people to look at him with fear and respect him as their newfound king.
6 He Wants To Replace What Was Stolen From Him
It isn't easy to understand what a character truly wants, but it's apparent that at the core of Killmonger's motives, perhaps he just wanted or needed a family. At a young age, he lost his father. The only family he had was stolen from him by his own uncle. Losing a parent as a child will affect people in many ways; Erik may have turned to anger and hatred, but not without good reason. When he finally makes his way to Wakanda and sees such a well-rounded family living the life he could have had, his jealousy rises to the top. Nearing his death, he even brings up a wish he shared with his father: to see a Wakandan sunset, which T'Challa graciously showed him.
5 He Wants To Avenge His Father
Aside from his goal to become king and provide underprivileged people with weaponry, Erik wanted to get revenge for his father's death. His drive to achieve revenge isn't so unlike T'Challa in that way.
When T'Challa lost his own father at the signing of the Sokovian Accords in Captain America: Civil War, he nearly killed Bucky and Zemo when he was consumed by rage. Perhaps the most significant difference between Erik and T'Challa in their vengeance is that Erik really did kill Zuri, since he was the man that betrayed his father.
4 He Doesn't Hesitate
Heroes tend to think before they act and weigh their options for too long; one instance in the MCU is when Thor refused to "aim for the head" during his confrontation with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. He hesitated, at the cost of half the world. Killmonger's lack of hesitancy to jump into action when needed, and kill even those he would consider to be his allies, is what makes him a resilient antagonist. If action is the best way for a character to get what they want, then Erik Killmonger is the master of getting what he wants. Had he chosen "the right side," Erik would have been a brilliant superhero.
3 He's A Skilled Fighter
Wakandans are all skilled fighters, but Killmonger is a trained assassin. In terms of winning, Erik quickly overthrew T'Challa in their challenging battle for the throne. As superficial as it may seem that pure strength would make Killmonger better than the hero, he was able to get what he wanted by using his physical power. He may have lost his life fighting against T'Challa the second time because his arrogance got the best of him, but he got that far using his skills. Aside from his ruthlessness, he's an overall intimidating force to be reckoned with.
2 His Birth Right
Erik was left behind after his father's death and subsequently out of Wakanda. After T'Chaka's death, T'Challa was next in line. Though M'Baku challenged him for the throne, he still retained his position. But Killmonger, an unknown heir, was indirectly denied the chance to step up as the rightful king of Wakanda, regardless of whether he and T'Challa would battle or not.
Erik Killmonger was cheated and let down early in life, which affected him later. It turned him into a villain, and to say the heroes didn't do him wrong in this story would be a lie.
1 His Dying Wish
There's nothing more poetic than dying in front of a Wakandan sunset with your enemy by your side, except the line Michael B. Jordan delivers as he kneels beside Chadwick Boseman. When T'Challa offers to help Killmonger, with the guilt heavy on his shoulders, Erik says that he would rather die a free man than live as an imprisoned one. The visuals and Erik's last request leave a lasting impression on viewers, garnering so much sympathy for the man that it almost makes the audience forgive and forget Erik's cruelty.