Wakanda

Wakanda, officially known as the Kingdom of Wakanda, is a country located in Africa, Earth. It is surrounded by mountain ranges and a thick jungle. It is one of the most technologically advanced nations on Earth, known for its rich deposits of the element vibranium. Wakanda is a constitutional monarchy, with King M'Baku as head of state.

History[]

This section requires expansion

Origins[]

2.5 million years ago,^[1] a meteorite made of the alien element vibranium landed in the heart of Africa, greatly affecting the surrounding flora. Centuries later, five tribes colonized the area and went to war over the metal, which they referred to as Isipho. One day, Bashenga was guided by a vision of Bast who led him towards a plant that had mutated as a result of the metal's radiation.

Upon ingesting the herb, Bashenga discovered he had been imbued with superhuman abilities and used them to unite the tribes as the first King of Wakanda and the first "Black Panther". Four of the tribes pledged their loyalty to Bashenga; the fifth, the Jabari Tribe, refused to pledge allegiance, and settled into the northern mountains to continue adhering to a more traditional and primitive way of life, while the rest of Wakanda continued to develop into a modernized rule. Bashenga's lineage would come to form a sixth pseudo tribe named the Golden Tribe, which included a line of his royal descendants that continued to survive into the modern day, thus establishing the Kingdom of Wakanda.

The broad areas of scope for the kingdom fell to the other tribes; the River Tribe fell responsible for dealing with agriculture and fishery; the Merchant Tribe with commerce and trade, the Border Tribe with border security as Wakanda's first line of defense, and the Mining Tribe was responsible for vibranium management. To ensure the safety of the kingdom, the War Dogs were instated as Wakanda's central intelligence service and secret police. Wakanda's military consisted of the Wakandan Royal Guard, although another branch included the Dora Milaje, an elite group of all-female warriors.

During the country's development, the Wakandans used the metal to develop technology that was far more highly advanced than any other in existence. To protect themselves from the chaos that was slowly consuming the rest of the world, they created a cloaking field that allowed them to hide in plain sight. European explorers were later attracted by Wakanda's vibranium deposits, and they began expeditions to find the Golden City, which later was associated with the myth of El Dorado following the arrival of the Spanish into Mesoamerica.^[2] Later, Wakanda was marked as a "hot-spot" for activities monitored by S.H.I.E.L.D.. As such, Wakanda was displayed in the holographic maps used by the organization to oversee those activities.^[3]

As time passed, the Golden City was established as Birnin Zana, which would later become the capital city of the Kingdom and the heart of the nation. This city was highly urbanized; Wakandan Maglev Trains were integrated for public transit and the transportation of other materials. At the center of the city is the Citadel, the Golden Tribe's royal palace.^[2]

T'Chaka's Rule[]

Early Years[]

In the 1980s, the reigning Wakandan monarch Azzuri had passed away. Prior to his death, Azzuri had passed down two royal rings to his two sons, Princes T'Chaka and N'Jobu. The Wakandan rulership, and the mantle of Black Panther, was handed down to T'Chaka, with his wife Ramonda instated as the Queen. They raised two children, T'Challa and Shuri. T'Chaka trained T'Challa throughout his childhood, preparing him to take over the mantle once he was of age.^[2] A failed attempt on T'Chaka's life was made by international criminal Ulysses Klaue, while T'Chaka was representing Wakanda at the Bilderberg Conference in the Netherlands.^[4]

N'Jobu's Betrayal[]

During T'Chaka's rulership, Prince N'Jobu became convinced that Wakanda's isolationist policy was completely wrong, as the Wakandans could help people of African descent around the world. N'Jobu decided that the only course of action was to initiate a global revolution. In 1992, N'Jobu tipped off Ulysses Klaue to incite his revolution; Klaue infiltrated the country with N'Jobu's intel, and managed to avoid all Wakandan security systems to steal a quarter ton of vibranium. Klaue triggered a bomb at the border, which killed numerous Wakandan citizens.

T'Chaka was quick to suspect N'Jobu's disloyalty to Wakanda, and tasked Zuri to spy on N'Jobu during an overseas War Dogs assignment in Oakland, California to confirm his suspicions. T'Chaka was forced to murder his brother after accusing him of treason when confronting him about his involvement in the attack. T'Chaka departed, leaving behind N'Jobu's son, N'Jadaka.^[2]

Sokovia Accords[]

After a terrorist attack in Lagos claimed the lives of twenty-six people, eleven of the victims being relief aid workers from Wakanda, King T'Chaka was one of several international politicians who called for the United Nations to create a system of accountability. Sometime later, the United Nations passed the Sokovia Accords before arranging a formal ceremony at the Vienna International Centre in Austria. T'Chaka and his son T'Challa were among those in attendance. During the ceremony, as T'Chaka gave the keynote address, a bomb detonated and decimated the building, killing T'Chaka and twelve other people. After the attack, Wakanda became a United Nations country, but remained an isolated nation.^[5]

T'Challa's Coronation[]

As a result of T'Chaka's death, T'Challa was subsequently crowned as the new King of Wakanda, first retrieving Nakia from her current mission with Okoye. He then challenged M'Baku for the throne of Wakanda, as by tradition he must fight one of the warriors chosen for the kingdom's throne from the other tribes of Wakanda. While M'Baku was later defeated, his life was spared so he could continue aiding his own tribe in the mountains. T'Challa later took the Heart-Shaped Herb so he could meet with his ancestors including the late T'Chaka.

T'Challa's first tenure as King of Wakanda was very short-lived; his first course of action was to apprehend Ulysses Klaue during an overseas assignment in Busan. T'Challa worked with the CIA to apprehend Klaue, but since he was freed from CIA custody by his subordinates, T'Challa ultimately failed to deliver him to Wakandan justice.^[2]

Killmonger's Rule[]

Erik Killmonger's Coronation[]

After he learned from Zuri of the truth about his uncle N'Jobu, T'Challa was surprised to find that an outsider named Erik Killmonger had arrived in Wakanda with the corpse of Ulysses Klaue, who he had killed. Tensions stirred amongst the council, especially when W'Kabi, the Border Tribe's head of security, sided with Killmonger, feeling reverence towards him for killing Klaue; his parents were killed during Klaue's attack on the country. When forced to leave, Killmonger revealed his Wakandan heritage by announcing himself as N'Jadaka, the son of N'Jobu. Having exposed T'Chaka's role in N'Jobu's death, and now with a claim to the throne, N'Jadaka challenged T'Challa to the ritual combat.

Based on tradition, the two faced each other at the Warrior Falls for the ceremonial fight to earn the title of king. Upon being stripped of his powers however, T'Challa discovered that the military training and experience had made Killmonger a tough opponent for him to beat. Despite initially seeming like T'Challa would win, Killmonger later dealt some hard blows to T'Challa. Zuri attempted to stop the fight, but Killmonger murdered him with the Spear of Bashenga, recognizing his involvement in N'Jobu's death. Killmonger threw the injured T'Challa off Warrior Falls, winning the ceremonial combat and earning him the title of King of Wakanda.^[2]

The Global Revolution[]

While Killmonger underwent the traditional rituals for a newly crowned Wakandan king, Killmonger rejected the idea of another King to be coronated after him. Inspired by a talk with his late father N'Jobu in the Ancestral Plane, Killmonger ordered the ancient herb gardens to be set on fire, as a first stride in purging remnants of traditional elements from Wakandan society.

Killmonger was firmly seated in power with a new plan for a global revolution, in the name of ending the oppression of minor ethnic groups, specifically African-Americans, and arming them with vibranium weapons. Killmonger established contact with War Dogs stationed in New York, London and Hong Kong, intending to strike those three cities first. Killmonger's ultimate plan involved inspiring the oppressed into overthrowing world governments, which would escalate those countries into war, as his vision of a Wakandan Empire ruled supreme.

Unbeknownst to Killmonger, T'Challa survived his fall, as he was recovered by fishermen from the Jabari Tribe in an unconscious state. He was transported to J'Abariland for recovery, and was given the final surviving Heart-Shaped Herb to recover as all other herbs were burned down by Killmonger. T'Challa woke up and requested for the Jabari to help him overthrow Killmonger. M'Baku set aside his political differences with T'Challa, agreeing to help him stop Killmonger's revolution.^[2]

Battle of Mount Bashenga[]

As his dragon flyers took off one-by-one with their vibranium weapons, Erik Killmonger noticed one of the crafts on the ground burning. T'Challa emerged from the craft unscathed, as he and the Dora Milaje proceeded to face off against Killmonger and the Border Tribe with help from the Jabari Tribe.

During the battle, Killmonger had defeated the Dora Milaje and was about to tackle Shuri when T'Challa charged into him, knocking both of them into the vibranium mine that lay below Mount Bashenga.^[2]

While in the mine, T'Challa and Killmonger fought each other on the tracks the Wakandan Maglev Train, where sonic-powered devices are used to nullify the effects of vibranium while they're being transported on the trains. Once T'Challa told Shuri to activate the Kimoyo Beads, the Black Panther Habits of T'Challa and Killmonger were able to be briefly disabled whenever a train passes, eventually allowing T'Challa to stab Killmonger in the chest with his own weapon.

Knowing that he just lost the fight, Killmonger addressed his father and how he referred to Wakanda as the most beautiful place in the world. T'Challa then took Killmonger out of the mine to watch the sunset over Wakanda. T'Challa offered to help Killmonger by having him healed, but Killmonger declined, mentioning that he would rather die than get locked up. Killmonger then took the weapon out of his chest and died on the cliff, as T'Challa reclaimed his throne and kingdom.^[2]

T'Challa's Rule[]

Exposing Wakanda to the World[]

T'Challa had decided to open the advanced nation to the rest of the world and share its technology with them. Addressing the truth about Wakanda at the United Nations in Vienna, he announced the end of Wakanda's isolation and claimed the entire planet to be completely unified. He decided to purchase the apartment complex where T'Chaka killed N'Jobu, and renovate it into the Wakandan International Outreach Centre, an embassy for Wakanda that Shuri and Nakia will run.

Because of their service in assisting T'Challa, M'Baku established relations with the rest of the country for the first time, thus allowing the Jabari Tribe to enter the Tribal Council.^[2]

As a result, Wakanda opened borders for foreigners to visit the country for various reasons, such as education. Todd Phelps took an opportunity and studied in Wakanda for several years.^[6]

Sanctuary for Bucky Barnes[]

Weeks later, T'Challa invited Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes to his office in Wakanda, where he agreed to grant asylum to Bucky Barnes, promising rehabilitation and recovery from the HYDRA programming implemented during his time in the Winter Soldier Program. However, Barnes would be put in cryo-sleep stasis until a cure could be formulated by the Wakanda design group, led by Shuri. Shuri also obtained a one-to-one digital reconstruction of Barnes' brain using a bio-scanner, which would be used to test potential cures.^[7][8]

Months later, Shuri devised an algorithm that would reprogram his mind, flushing out the effect of the trigger words while still retaining the original content and context of those memories. She also believed the algorithm would improve Wakanda's own artificial intelligence technologies.^[7]

Barnes was later brought out of cryo-stasis by Shuri and began his recuperation in a remote Wakandan village. One morning, Barnes, who had been titled as the "White Wolf", woke to find himself being pestered by a trio of Wakandan children before Shuri arrived to help with his rehabilitation.^[9] Having had his mind repaired, Barnes began to work as a farmer within Wakanda to try and gain some normality back into his life and find his inner peace away from his life as an assassin for HYDRA.^[10]

Battle of Wakanda[]

In 2018, the Avengers consisting of Steve Rogers, Black Widow, War Machine, Falcon, Bruce Banner, and Wanda Maximoff arrived in Wakanda and were greeted by T'Challa. They tasked Shuri with extracting the Mind Stone from Vision. Members of the Black Order and Outriders then invaded and the Avengers mounted a defense alongside T'Challa, Bucky Barnes, and the united forces of Dora Milaje, Jabari Tribe, and the Wakandan Royal Guard. Banner, unable to summon Hulk, fought in Stark's Hulkbuster armor. Thor, Rocket, and Groot arrived via the Bifrost Bridge and rallied the defenses. Proxima Midnight, Cull Obsidian and Corvus Glaive were killed and their army of Outriders destroyed.

Unfortunately, at the same time, Thanos arrived in Wakanda, intent on personally retrieving the last Stone. The Avengers and their allies attempted to stop him from getting to Vision, but Thanos' near-omnipotence instantly overwhelmed them all. Alone with Maximoff, Vision told her that she had to kill him. At first, she refused out of love for Vision until he convinced her that it was the only way to stop Thanos. Maximoff then tearfully unleashed a stream of energy into the Stone. As he defeated the Avengers with complete ease, Thanos began to approach Vision and Maximoff but was held back by the latter, who issued a stream of energy. Vision managed to declare his love for Maximoff as she successfully cracked and shattered the Mind Stone, destroying it along with Vision in an explosion.

Thanos briefly sympathized with Maximoff before he used the Time Stone to undo her actions and retrieved the Stone from Vision, deactivating him. After obtaining the Mind Stone, Thanos powered up, only to be interrupted by Thor, who unleashed the full might of his power and Stormbreaker upon Thanos in a last-minute attempt to stop him, violently stabbing him in the chest. Thor landed on the ground and walked towards him, pushing Stormbreaker into the latter's chest as deep as he could into Thanos, reminding him of the vow he made to Thanos for killing his brother.

Despite being badly wounded by Thor, Thanos remained unfazed and mocked Thor that he should have aimed for the head and activated the Infinity Gauntlet with a snap of his fingers before leaving Wakanda by a portal. Thanos' plan came to fruition as beings across the universe began to disintegrate, including in Wakanda as Barnes, Wilson, Maximoff, T'Challa, Groot, and some of the surviving Wakandan soldiers. Banner, M'Baku, Okoye, Rhodes, Rocket, Rogers, Romanoff, and Thor were left on the Wakandan battlefield in defeat.^[10]

Ramonda's Temporary Rule[]

Following the loss of her two children, Ramonda took up as leader of Wakanda. Under her rule, Wakanda returned to its isolationism and protective forcefields were put in place. She met from time to time with other world governments, however, Wakanda became much more secluded.^[11] During this time, Okoye also took up leadership roles, working with the Avengers, and would meet via hologram calls, performing tasks for them.^[12]

T'Challa's Rule[]

Battle of Earth[]

In 2023, as a result of the Blip, all Wakandan civilians, such as T'Challa and Shuri, were restored to life. All of Wakanda's armed forces, led by T'Challa, Okoye, and Shuri, were summoned by the Masters of the Mystic Arts and brought through a portal to aid the Avengers and their allies against an alternate Thanos and his army.

Afterwards, T'Challa, Okoye, and Shuri returned to Wakanda. There, T'Challa and Shuri reunited with Ramonda while watching the celebrations of families reunited in the Golden City.^[12]

Passing of T'Challa[]

To be added^[11]

This section requires expansion

Ramonda's Rule[]

To be added^[11]

This section requires expansion

M'Baku's Rule[]

To be added^[11]

This section requires expansion

Alternate Universes[]

Abduction of T'Challa[]

In an alternate 1988, a young T'Challa, eager to explore outside of Wakanda, ventured outside and was taken away by Kraglin Obfonteri. Years later, an adult T'Challa returned to Wakanda, joined by the Ravagers. T'Challa was reunited with his father, mother, and sister. The Wakandans then held a celebration in the Golden City's Citadel to celebrate T'Challa's return.^[13]

Zombie Apocalypse[]

In an alternate 2018, Thanos and his army, who had been infected by the quantum virus and became zombies, invaded Wakanda. A zombified Thanos stood by the Golden City wielding his nearly completed Infinity Gauntlet while the majority of Wakanda became infected. At the same time, T'Challa, Peter Parker, and Scott Lang arrived via Quadjet to broadcast the Mind Stone's frequency worldwide as a cure. However, a zombified Thanos waited in Wakanda for them to retrieve the Mind Stone.^[14]

American-Wakandan War[]

In an alternate 2008, Wakanda held a funeral ceremony for T'Challa. Afterwards, the Wakandan army consisting of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan Royal Guard, and the Border Tribe, led by Queen Ramonda and Erik Killmonger, prepared for war outside the Golden City against the Stark Liberator Drones sent by the United States Armed Forces.

King T'Chaka opened the Wakandan force-field allowing the drones to come inside, thus causing them to be unable to be of any use. However, unbeknownst to the Wakandans, Killmonger had the controls and turned the drones on, instigating a battle against them. The Wakandan army was victorious against the drones.

Afterwards, T'Chaka and Killmonger went to Mount Bashenga where T'Chaka proclaimed Killmonger to be the new Black Panther. Killmonger then took the Heart-Shaped Herb and took up residence in the Citadel.^[15] As Shuri led Pepper Potts and the Dora Milaje to the Citadel to apprehend Killmonger, The Watcher arrived in the Citadel and took Killmonger out of the universe. When Shuri, Potts, and the Dora arrived inside they found that Killmonger disappeared.^[16]

Watcher-Witnessing Wakandans[]

In an alternate universe, members of the Dora Milaje and Wakandan Royal Guard in the Golden City witnessed for a brief second The Watcher and Ultron's multiversal duel.^[17]

Celestial Invasion[]

To be added^[18]

This section requires expansion

Language and Cultural Inspiration[]

The people of Wakanda are seen speaking several languages, primarily Xhosa and English, as well as Igbo and Zulu. The Wakandan language is written in a writing system created by production designer Hannah Beachler based on the Nsibidi writing system.

The Merchant Tribe is inspired by the Tuareg people of the Saharan and Sahelian regions,^[1] the Border Tribe is inspired by the Lesotho people,^[19] the River Tribe is inspired by the Suri and Mursi Tribes of Ethiopia, the Mining Tribe is inspired by the Himba and Maasai People of East Africa, and the Jabari Tribe is inspired by the Karo tribe of Ethiopia and the Dogon people of Mali.^[1] Killmonger's scars are inspired by the Mursi and Surma tribes, like the River Tribe.

Monarchs[]

• Azzuri †

Notable Citizens[]

• Badu
• Ala
• Yaa
• Lumumba
• Kyana

Alternate Universes[]

• N'Jobu †

Appearances[]

Appearances for Wakanda

In chronological order: Black Panther (flashback) What If...? Season Two What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes? (alternate universe) Black Panther (flashback) Black Panther Prelude What If...? Season One What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark? (alternate universe) Iron Man 2 (screen) What If...? Season One What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord? (alternate universe) Avengers: Age of Ultron (mentioned) What If...? Season One What If... Ultron Won? (alternate universe) Captain America: Civil War (mentioned) Avengers: Infinity War: The Heroes' Journey (mentioned) Black Widow (mentioned) Black Panther Captain America: Civil War Black Panther: The Junior Novel (mentioned) Spider-Man: Homecoming Prelude (mentioned) Avengers: Infinity War Prelude Avengers: Infinity War: The Heroes' Journey (mentioned in flashback) Black Panther Runaways Season Two Big Shot (mentioned) The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Season One The Whole World Is Watching (flashback) Avengers: Infinity War WandaVision Season One Previously On (flashback) What If...? Season One What If... Zombies?! (alternate universe) Avengers: Endgame WandaVision Season One The Series Finale (memory) The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Season One New World Order (mentioned) The Star-Spangled Man (mentioned) Power Broker (mentioned) The Whole World Is Watching (mentioned) Truth (mentioned) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream Spider-Man: Far From Home (mentioned) Moon Knight Season One The Goldfish Problem (mentioned) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season One Ribbit and Rip It (mentioned) Ms. Marvel Season One Generation Why (mentioned) In an indefinite temporality: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season One Whose Show is This? (footage)

Trivia[]

• In Captain America: Civil War, Wakanda is depicted as a small area around Lake Turkana, a point where Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia meet. Interestingly, this is the location of the Ilemi Triangle, an area of land contested between Kenya and South Sudan. The Art of Black Panther, however, depicts it in the East African Rift Valley, bordering Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.
  • The geography of Wakanda depicted thus far shows lush vegetation; in the introduction of Black Panther, this is shown to be part of its defenses - a shield that not only denies entry, but masks the developed country under a holographic illusion. However, the hologram is of a thick rainforest; this would situate Wakanda in Central Africa, i.e. bordering Congo, rather than Kenya and Ethiopia, which are located in a mostly deserted section of the continent.
• In Captain America: Civil War, T'Chaka speaks to T'Challa in Xhosa, and it, therefore, appears to be their native tongue. However, while the Wakandan language is likely to be a Bantu language (like Xhosa is) given its location, Xhosa is spoken in southern Africa, far from where Wakanda is said to be (however, the Xhosa were part of the Nguni migrations, which saw groups of Bantu speakers, head from Central Africa down south, with the Xhosa in particular once being near the Great Lakes).
• The Marvel Cinematic Universe differs from the main universe when it comes to religion in Wakanda;
  • In the comics, Sekhmet is Bast's rival, even having a rival cult and not being part of Wakandan Pantheon.
  • The Jabari tribe has a history of cults to ape gods, however, these have African origin: Ngi, a Yaoundé deity worshiped in west-central Africa and Ghekre is a Baoulé deity worshiped in West Africa.

Behind the Scenes[]

• A vibranium mine in Wakanda was a location planned to appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but was ultimately scrapped.

References[]

External Links[]

• Wakanda on Marvel Database
• Wakanda on Wikipedia