SPOILERS: BLACK PANTHER's 8 New Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters Ranked From Worst To Best
Black Panther introduces a lot of new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and we've now ranked those eight additions from worst to best. Who stole the show and who ended up being a disappointment?
Every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie introduces a new wave of characters. Some of those are memorable and stick around for the long haul (The Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and others are quickly forgotten about (remember Richard in Thor: The Dark World?). Ryan Coogler's Black Panther delivers a lot of new heroes and villains but how good are they and will we see them again?
Here, we take a look at the movie's eight additions to the MCU and rank them from worst to best. Who stole the show and which of these characters will you probably have all already forgotten about?
That's what you can find out by clicking on the buttons below. Black Panther may have been critically acclaimed but that doesn't mean every person making up T'Challa's world is perfect and we think you'll find this ranking interesting reading. So, take a look and then let us know your thoughts on it...
8. Nakia
Despite the fact she's played by Lupita Nyong'o, Nakia is a character who fails to make much of an impact in Black Panther. The War Dog is definitely formidable and more than just your standard love interest but can you really remember that many of her scenes? It often feels like she's just here for the sake of it and it's actually hard to imagine the movie suffering in any way had she not been included.
7. Ramonda
T'Chaka's presence is felt throughout the entirety of Black Panther but it's T'Challa's mother who has the largest impact on her son's life in this movie. While she's not exactly integral to the plot, it's great to see her have such a strong role in the decisions T'Challa makes and the scene where Ramonda is reunited with him after watching him "die" at the hands of Killmonger is extremely powerful.
6. Zuri
After casting him in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Black Panther, Disney is clearly high on Forest Whitaker and he's given a memorable role here as Zuri, the keeper of Wakanda's heart-shaped herb. Despite having relatively little screentime, the actor makes a big enough impact with what screentime he's got to make sure that when he dies, you'll feel that moment just as much as T'Challa does.
5. W'Kabi
You probably saw W'Kabi's betrayal coming from a mile off but that takes nothing away from Daniel Kaluuya's brilliant performance and his story arc in the movie. The fact he's romantically involved with Okoye is essentially a throwaway line and it's not made clear what his future will be but seeing him go from ally to enemy is definitely interesting. Perhaps a future instalment can redeem the character?
4. Shuri
Letitia Wright is a talented young actress and she very nearly steals the whole damn show in Black Panther. She brings a lot of energy to proceedings as T'Challa's sister Shuri and the fact she's so intelligent opens the door to a lot of different storytelling possibilities as we move into Phase 4. Throw in the fact she's a total badass when she dons those Pather gauntlets and her future is looks bright.
3. M'Baku
If we're talking about an actor who exceeded expectations in Black Panther, then look no further than Wilson Duke! As well as being a total badass who pushes T'Challa to his limits during that battle at Warrior Falls, the leader of the mountain tribe proves himself a loyal ally who we'll likely see more of in Avengers: Infinity War when he once again teams with Black Panther to battle Thanos' forces.
2. Okoye
We're used to seeing great work from Danai Gurira in The Walking Dead but she exceeds expectations as the leader of the Dora Milaje, a tough as nails warrior who has her king's back and is fiercely loyal to doing her duty (even when Killmonger takes over the country). The character's future in the MCU is clearly bright and given how much she's been praised, expect to see a whole lot more of her.
1. Erik Killmonger
Who else did you expect to see here? Michael B. Jordan is nothing short of incredible as the villainous Erik Killmonger and his motivations are among the most believable we've ever seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, he's evil but you can actually understand why he feels the way he does and wants to take over Wakanda. That final scene with him and T'Challa is absolutely perfect too.
Which of the new additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Panther did you think was the best one? Does this list sit right with you? Let us know your thoughts in the usual place.