Camille Hubly- Black Panther

 

 In the Black Panther trailer we are immersed into the world of Wakanda, a nation that up until now had been hidden from the rest of the world. T’Challa, who is next in line for the throne must confront the consequences that have arised from previous leaders decisions to conceal their nation. He must do all of this while trying to look inside himself and decide what kind of leader he wants to be for Wakanda and his people.

Here we see T’Challa visiting the ancestral plane to see his own ancestors who were once the previous Black Panthers, and protectors of Wakanda.

Here we see Killmonger, the antagonist act out his plans of revenge on Wakanda, by striking part of what makes the nation so valuable, flowers that help create the Black Panther.

Black Panther is a movie that both celebrates the joys and illustrates the hardships of being black. It created conversation of race and identity while allowing black actors to be the storytellers. It told their stories through a superhero lens and allowed audiences to be entertained and invested in the very real problems that arise in this fictional story. It also created a sense of pride and belonging for black people in a movie genre that does not often acknowledge the black community. Through vivid scenery, a great soundtrack, and a wonderfully talented cast it cemented its spot as a historical superhero film that would open the doors for more like it to be created.

Some Questions

1) Do you think we carry a big responsibility in fixing the errors of our predecessors or ancestors? Why or why not?

2) What message do you think the film was attempting to convey about the black experience through Erik’s and T’Challa’s drastically different experiences growing up?