I've been a big fan of Marvel comics growing up, and I've followed all the Marvel movies with glee and passion. I even interned at one point years ago. That was a dream come true. I love what they're doing with their movies. On that note, I think the Black Panther movie is long overdue. I can't wait to see what they'll do with it. One night I received a brainstorm of what I think would be great elements to put into it. I jotted them down and am posting it on this site for other fans to see. If down the pipe any of these elements gives someone some ideas,-- go for it! The following works are open to the community or any other storyteller willing to capitalize on it. Without further ado, here's some of my own quick personal geek ideas.
Black Panther
Futuristic Underground Dwelling/ Tribal symbols abound. Tunnel toward the entrance is guarded by powerful African Warriors. With minimalist armor.
The time according to ancient prophecies has come to open their doors to the world around them. This new age comes in various names through out various cultures. Local legends speak of a society emerging, an ancient civilization rising up from antiquity to the known world. Some have said it was Atlantis, others have said it was Lemuria, or others said the old gods will re-emerge.
Local legends more specifically speak of a society with advanced ancient knowledge. Who seclude themselves from the world. Rarely, a few come out of seclusion/isolation and makes trade. They communicate in secret with the elders of select tribes who still have connection with the old world. They share stories together, they observe us and move back into the shadows.
On that momentous day, Representatives from the civilization of Wakanda reached out to local tribes and expressed their intention of opening their doors to the world. Such communication was relayed to local governments and foreign embassies in the local area. None took the news seriously and chalked it up as ridiculous legends of a backward archaic people. None believed such a society even exists. It would've been discovered at some point.
It was brushed under the rug, till a prominent European archeologist came to them and informed them that this must be taken seriously. He tells them the story of his experience. Gives them a quick flashback of his being led by the local tribes to witness a good faith ceremony being held by the Wakandans in preparation of their new journey.
They heard him out but government officials as well as high level intelligence agents scoffed at such an idea that there has been a hidden civilization in North West Africa that first of all evaded notice for centuries, but also has a modernized technology that would match any other nation. There are laughs and awkward jokes.
They humored the middle age scholar, and sent a low level agent to return back with him to the place called Wakanda. When they arrived and the time came to witness what was the closing of their grand ceremony, the agent was shocked by what he saw. From afar, he became one of the first to witness the Wakandan's protector, hero, a larger than life figure they called "The Black Panther".
This civilization was very difficult to figure out. They did not speak English. The agent had brought with him a top notch linguist who had to sign papers to vow silence. He wanted to see if there was anything the linguist can grab from their speech but there was none. The linguist was dumbfounded and says to them that it seems almost "alien" and it's more mysterious than the Basque language. There's nothing phonetically that he can attach to anything he's heard or read about.
The local tribal person who have been in communication with the Wakandans for decades stresses to them that they are not Alien at all. They have been a part of the African continent for thousands of years, back even beyond the time of the great Egyptian/ Kemite age.
The Agent immediately contacts a floater from SHIELD and they promptly send one over. By the time the SHIELD agent arrives, their ruler the Black Panther (who's real name is T'Challa), has learned their language. "He's learned our language in just over a week?" the SHIELD agent says.
Not only that, they are already reverse engineering anything they can get their hands on. Namely the internet capabilities. The fiber optics, and other kinds of technological advances are in their hands and they are incorporating it into their own.
"Reverse Engineer" you say? says T'Challa who scoffs at such a statement.
In observing the "new" culture of people, the agent reports back to HQ: "The Wakandans are a dignified, advanced people. Even their style of dress is sophisticated. The material they use for their clothing are unlike anything we've ever seen. A different kind of synthetic fabric created by an industrial machinery as advanced as anything we currently have. The hospitality and kindness of the people are unequal, and their customs are very different than our own." The agents touch and fondle the clothing material like they are stunned.
They call in more and more experts of various types. While still doing their best to keep this a secret. Among the first to get to Wakanda are the French, who quietly resent the American presence which is crawling with various agencies which are dwarfed by SHIELD. It becomes a jockeying for position and opportunity by various nations. Elbow bumping starts. - next are the British, German, Chinese, the Russians, Israeli, Italian agencies who want to know more and do not want to be left in the dark.
They collaborate and develop an international coalition of scientists, engineers, physicists, economists, to break down what the discovery means for international interest. The word starts to get out and NGO's begin to get unto the scene.
The Wakandans are feeling the squeeze, and beginning to have a feeling of encroachment on their land and way of life. The people are saying that the conditions they have laid down to visiting countries are not being met.
They ban all visitors for a week. The diplomats from the Wakandan and United Nation side hash things out, to rework the agreement. They seek to confirm and clarify what both sides seek to gain from their new relationship and to make sure it's based on mutual respect and consideration.
Meanwhile, elsewhere behind closed curtains, at a private meeting somewhere in Manhattan, representatives from various Banks, corporations, economists, and various politicians from various countries sit and discuss their development of well funded think tanks with the aim of figuring out how to deal with this "new player" on the world stage. A new possible resource on the Geo-political map. Some fear this country is very powerful, and can have major influence on nations and national relationships that have taken decades to establish. Some explain they fear another Saudi incident where there was a power-play for oil.
"We have spoken to our guys and they are telling us the Wakandans have no understanding or interest in the international college of economics that we are dealing with. They have no interest in sharing on a level that we are looking at or are comfortable with. They want to establish slow integration on their terms is the words they are using, and do not feel they need to obligate themselves to utilize any form of currency as of yet. As far as trade goes, it will start in small doses on their terms. They have no wants, needs, desires on any level other than communication and interaction. Learning. That's it. Their speaking in a language of nationalism from top to bottom.
I must add, they have some interesting resources there. That's Including a foreign metal we've never seen before called Vibranium. Our scientists are saying that this metal is a game changer. The Wakandans do not want to share any of it. It's sacred to them. It's the most powerful and lightest metal on the planet right now."
"What does this all mean for our national security?" says one member of the meeting who was a past secretary of state. "This means we could have ourselves a sudden wild card who's following the beat of their own drum. We know nothing about them, and they have a technology that if they also have weaponized can dwarf Nuclear!"
They then go on to discuss their leader T'Challa. "The info on him is, in addition to ruling the country, he is also chief of its various tribes (collectively referred to as the Wakandans). The Panther title is a symbol of office (head of state) and is used during diplomatic missions. The Panther is a hereditary title, but one still must earn it through various competitions solely between Wakandans and it's held a certain amount of years, they are unclear on how many years apart." "So if this T'Challa guys turns out to be trouble, then we have our in? Get to one of the Wikandans and have him beat T'Challa?" 'Won't be that easy, the family namely T'Challa they say have almost super-human abilities. It goes on legendary proportions. No one in that family has been beaten as of yet." "So they're juicing!" Everyone laughs. "Maybe he likes Swedish women!" someone shouts. They laugh some more.
After the laughs the tensions within the meeting rise sharply. Some are looking at a more aggressive approach, while others are looking at a more pragmatic, and reasonable route. There's threats and debate and lots of chest bumping. The energy and weapons contractors have lots of sway in this meeting but it's still mixed.
They all end the meeting with the consensus among the various private interest groups and political persons are that they will utilize a 3 pronged approach:
1- Diplomacy- continue to speak with, and respect the requests of the Wakandans, while at the same time, they will find ways to understand the cultures strengths and weaknesses, and also convince them somehow to integrate to the established economic structure that's been in place.
2- As many eyes on them as possible. Spies, you name it. Figure out from within and without, what they like, don't like, their customs, float agents, integrate grass roots organizations to immerse them in our culture. Put our best foot forward.
3- Establish NATO bases all around them. Prop up those bases to maximum capabilities in case as if they are an Alien civilization- which in many ways they technically ARE Alien visitors. "We know nothing of their tech, language, culture, or military limits."
On the side, as the meeting closes various members meet and discuss plans that are more aggressive and shadowy. They discuss plans to infiltrate, and plant African and international mercenaries to attempt an overthrow of T'Challa, that would potentially send the Wakandans into chaos. They have enlisted a dangerous agent named "Claw". Being instrumental in toppling dictators and regimes is his middle name. They would like nothing better than to topple the current royal family, and prop up a better one if they can't get T'Challa to play ball. One of them discloses a hidden fact that there's a cousin of the royal family that is very friendly with them. He's more open to opening borders and accelerating a free trade relationship. They keep that card in their pocket till they find the best way to use it.
As a few months pass, the agents within Wakanda learn more about it and make friends with the people there. They notice that at an advanced rate, the people are learning the languages of other cultures. It's not just the Black Panther that knows this. Their educational system is exceptional.
Another thing they learn is that the royal family is of mystical power and blood. One of the agents discover that all is not peachy within the royal family, and notices how deep the strife goes with the cousin. The cousin has always felt jealous and neglected. He's a black-sheep in many respects, but tolerated. He fears challenging T'Challa for loosing face literally and figuratively.
The secret foreign faction devise a deal for that cousin that has lots of money, and benefits to him while getting him to be "rightful ruler". These representatives meet in secret with him and provide him with the arms and army to overthrow the Black Panther. He agrees and moves forward with the plan to take down T'Challa.
The plan they devise is they cause an incident where some Americans are killed by hired goons that work for T'Challa's cousin. They make it out to look like it was an attack by the Wakandans at the request of T'Challa. It can turn into an international incident with diplomatic consequences being catastrophic. The military response will be on the table. The threat level will be at an all time high. Meanwhile they can cause tensions in the local area to totally take attention off of the special agents planted inside the capital of Wakanda.
The plan is executed to laser like precision with the aid of old vets like Claw. The country is on teh verge of war. It's all happening so fast for Panther. He goes to the secret Wakandan tribunal of elders for advice on how to deal with this.
He goes on the Prowl as the Black Panther and discovers the goons with quickness. While he investigates and weeds out the threats within his country, he has a double on the throne. The double is almost just as capable.
As the world he knows of falls apart , claw and his small unit of sabotages main reactors of the wakandans, they kill some guards ..
Panther finds the goons using his tracking skills, and gets info from them about his cousin. Finds out he's behind it. Betrayed and angered he returns to the palace the cousin escapes just in time and begins initiating a revolution against bp. a campaign has begin by the cousin to make the people doubt bp..
it hardlyy works but not the invasion of Wakandan is underway, and a revolution at the same time leaves bp at his wits end. he doesn't even know about claw and his unit within their home creeping closer to assassinate him,,
the three pronged attack is thought of as enough to crush any foe, especially if much of the turmoil is coming from within. They underestimate bp and the Wakandans, or. as the tech and vehicles or Wakanda go head to head with the military might of the world it serves for a great action scene. the military even use stark enterprise military tech, which is a holdover from the last time stark tech was militaristic, now its an energy company.
the battle is seemingly won by bp but he is ambushed by his cousin, they battle a high frequency device rattles bp and hes defeated. his cousin is bigger and muscular, he hold bp by the neck against the wall and bp says "this is how you will take power? By betraying and murdering your own people? look around you! Do you think they will let you rule on your terms? You will always be their quisling! they will own you and your people. They will never leave! they seek to buckle us all to our knees and steal our land, drain our way of life, all that we have gained of a millennium, our ancestors dedicated their lives -- gone! All this cousin, so you can put a crown on your head? They never told you about their plans for the vibranium did they?"
The cousin pauses for a moment.. Doubt creeps in. He hesitates,-- Claw sees it- fearing the opportunity is going to pass he assassinates Bp's cousin with a high frequency device.. BP faces claw -- a brutal battle ensues. Black Panther weaponless against all the gadgets and dirty tricks Claw can utilize in confined quarters. But he cannot get through Bp's defense ability, speed and power. "boring" says a calm BP as he starts to just stand and humorously block all of Claw's attacks. A fierce chest kick sends claw flying. The palace is crumbling as they brawl a bloodied class barely escapes into a flying Wakandan escape bike. It was sabotaged by Bp's little sister, who tells BP sarcastically "Oh he took that bike?"
Claw and his goons are brought to justice for their attack. Evidence shows it was all a twisted attempt by his now dead cousin to take power. The cousin becomes a scapegoat.
Black Panther issues a public warning to any that might be foolish enough to invade Wakanda. The reaction will be swift and brutal. "We are a peaceful nation but make no mistake, never mistake that for weakness."
The other countries re-establish diplomatic relations and the shadowy faction fall back into the shadows before they are discovered.
The day is won, a parade for the people of Wakanda takes place. bp stands with his mother and sister and elder father. they watch the parade and the music ensue.
After the parade:
Panther is alone on the roof deck of the newly rebuilt palace.
"I was wondering when you would arrive." says the Panther.
"I just wanted to allow you your moment of glory. I would have seen you sooner, but I had my hands full, saving the world, you know all in a day's work. I think we should talk about that."
Panther states "The ancient prophecies speak of a time when the world takes two paths. Either one in the age of the sun or the other the age of the soulless one called Ultron. Our societies must see this through together."
Stark says " Let's talk."