After a somewhat rocky Phase 4 for Marvel Studios, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever definitely wrapped that up on a high note (though The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+ now looks set to be the final story told in this opening act of The Multiverse Saga).
In a year that saw Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness struggle to live-action to the lofty expectations of many fans and Thor: Love and Thunder majorly underwhelm, the Black Panther sequel being truly great was welcomed. While largely standalone in nature, however, the movie definitely featured some huge Easter Eggs.
This feature takes a deep dive into those, some fun references, and even blink-and-you'd-miss-them cameos we have a feeling passed you by on first viewing. It goes without saying that this means we're getting into spoilers, though we're sure you'll have fun keeping your eyes peeled for these on future repeat viewings.
To check out Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's best Easter Eggs, simply hit the "Next" button below!
10. Ant-Man Gets A Mention
During a CNN news broadcast in the movie, the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen mentions that Scott Lang is doing the rounds to promote his new autobiography, Look Out For The Little Guy.
Ms. Marvel revealed that Ant-Man has launched his own podcast, while the first trailer for next February's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania confirmed Scott's role in stopping Thanos has propelled him to new levels of fame. He was, after all, responsible for telling The Avengers about time travel.
The same ticker tape, meanwhile, mentions New Asgard, a location we last visited in Thor: Love and Thunder.
9. A Touching Nod To Chadwick Boseman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever understandably includes a number of tributes to the late Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa. For example, did you spot his shield and weapon from Warrior Falls resting near the hero's coffin during his funeral?
A much harder-to-spot Easter Egg comes near the end of the movie on the vehicle transporting Everett Ross to prison.
Looking closely, and you'll notice that the licence plate reads, "CB112976." While Easter Eggs like these are usually reserved for famous comic book issues, that's actually a reference to the day Boseman was born: November 29, 1976.
8. Griot
The Black Panther sequel heavily features Griot, an A.I. who has been created by Shuri to serve as her assistant. Of course, this isn't the first time we've met him as he also guided Everett Ross in the first movie when he was piloting that virtual fighter plane.
With Griot clearly set to be a big part of Shuri's future adventures, it seems the new Black Panther has her own J.A.R.V.I.S.!
Trevor Noah returns to lend his voice to the A.I., and "Griot" is actually a reference to a poet, musician, or storyteller in West African culture who is often tasked with keeping tradition alive.
7. Shuri Still Scoffs At Tradition
When we first met M'Baku in Black Panther, he was very much an antagonist. In fact, the first time we saw him, he was challenging T'Challa for Wakanda's throne and came close to winning it.
It was during that confrontation M'Baku said, "We have watched with disgust, as your technological advancements have been overseen by a child who scoffs at tradition."
The leader of the Jabari Tribe would eventually become good friends with T'Challa and looks to serve as a mentor to Shuri in this sequel. When he attempts to talk to her after Ramonda's death, she immediately asks if he's now willing to "hear from a child who scoffs at tradition." To that, he points out she has lost too much to still be considered a child.
6. Three Elephants
Ramonda convinces Shuri to join her on Wakanda's shores to mark the anniversary of T'Challa's death, and they're greeted by the sight of three elephants entering the water.
It's a nice piece of imagery, but upon closer inspection, you may notice that there's an older elephant with two babies, something we believe symbolises Ramonda, T'Challa, and Shuri. It's a touching sight, and one that reminds us how much her children mean to the Queen.
Of course, moments later, Namor makes his presence felt!
5. Ayo And Aneka
Marvel Studios has yet to fully commit to LGBTQ+ representation in its movies, but there is a brief moment in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in which we learn Wakanda is home to at least one lesbian couple: Ayo and Aneka.
This lines up with the comic books, though it is a shame that their relationship status isn't confirmed until the movie's closing moments when Ayo kisses her lover on the head.
Aneka joins Okoye as a Midnight Angel in the movie, and that group of warriors within the Dora Milaje was first introduced during the Doomwar storyline. In that, Doctor Doom steals Vibranium from Wakanda to build Doombots, leading to an all-out war between T'Challa's nation and Latveria.
4. Touissant
In the sequel's emotional mid-credits scene, we meet Nakia's son, Touissant. He reveals to Shuri, his aunt, that his Wakandan name is "T'Challa," making him Prince T'Challa, son of King T'Challa.
For those of you curious about the significance of Touissant, we'd guess the boy was named after Toussaint Louverture, a former slave and general who was the leader of the Haitian Revolution against France. It was one year after his death that Haiti finally became an independent state.
Earlier in the movie, one of the two children who brings Ramonda to Nakia is actually Toussaint, though it's unclear whether she knows that's her grandson. We think so, though.
3. Namor IS A Mutant
This is a small moment in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but still a very big deal.
When Namor recounts his origin story to Shuri, he outright says that he was born a mutant. This suggests that mutants have been part of the MCU for hundreds of years, and Talocan's ruler is now this shared world's second confirmed mutant after Kamala Khan.
Another fun Easter Egg for comic book fans is when Namor says "Imperious Rex" during his battle with Shuri, and while the line isn't spoken in English, it's a very cool moment. Shuri responds with a resounding cry of "Wakanda Forever!"
2. Maz Kanata
The MCU has always found various ways to pay homage to the Star Wars franchise, and the Black Panther sequel is no expectation. However, you'll have to be quick to spot this one!
When Shuri and Okoye visit Riri Williams' lockup, a Maz Kanata figure can be seen on Ironheart's desk. Introduced in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the character was played by Lupita Nyong'o, the actress who obviously brings Nakia to life in this franchise.
Star Wars' existence is already canon in this shared world, so we're assuming no one notices the similarities between certain actors from that franchise and various characters in the MCU!
1. Val Returns
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was first introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier when she showed up to recruit John Walker as U.S. Agent. Later, she'd send Yelena Belova after Hawkeye at the end of Black Widow, and her third MCU appearance comes in this movie.
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we learn that Val is the new Director of the C.I.A., a surprise when you'd think Marvel Studios would have focused on one of the fictional organisations from the comic books.
Still, this suggests the U.S. Government has big plans for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, offering an alternative subplot in the midst of all the Multiversal madness going on. Look for this to continue playing out in Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts.|