Black Panther is a fairly new member of the Avengers roster, but he has already made a huge impression. Thanks to his memorable debut in Captain America: Civil War, his ground-breaking solo film and his key part in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, he is one of the most exciting heroes in the MCU.
With Captain America and Iron Man both gone, the Avengers will need a new hero to lead them and T’Challa aka Black Panther seems like a strong candidate. But while he has many stellar qualities, there are some aspects of the character that make us think he’s not the best person for the job. Here are some reasons why Black Panther should be the new leader of the Avengers and some reasons he shouldn’t be.
Should: Making Allies With M’Baku
Early in Black Panther, T’Challa must prove himself worthy to take the throne of Wakanda from his deceased father by taking on any challengers in combat. He then must face off with M’Baku, the leader of the Mountain Tribe who resents T’Challa and his family.
Despite almost killing each other in the fight and being sworn enemies, T’Challa is wise enough to reach out to M’Baku when he needs help. Before long, M’Baku is one of T’Challa’s greatest allies. Anyone who can turn an enemy into a friend can certainly become a great leader.
Shouldn’t: Revenge
Something that seems to consume T’Challa more than any other hero is his desire for revenge. When his father is killed, T’Challa isn’t interested in getting answers, all he wants is to kill the person responsible. As it turns out, his hot-headed approach makes him target an innocent person.
We see this kind of reaction again when he promises to hunt down and kill Klaue for his crimes against Wakanda. While Klaue is actually guilty, such bloodthirst from a hero is a little unsettling, especially when it seems to take over his emotions.
Should: Helping Bucky
When Zemo frames Bucky Barnes for the attack that killed T’Challa’s father, the new king of Wakanda goes after him with a vengeance. However, when he realizes he has been fooled, he attempts to set things right by helping Bucky like no one else has been able to.
T’Challa brings this outsider to Wakanda and uses their advanced technology to put Bucky into cryogenic sleep as they work to undo the decades of brainwashing. It is a moment of a hero admitting his mistakes and trying to atone for them.
Shouldn’t: Going Rogue
Before Bucky’s name is cleared as a terrorist, T’Challa does not hold back on going after his target. Even after being cautioned to let the authorities deal with it, T’Challa defies everyone and takes it upon himself to be the only one to bring Bucky to justice.
While there are many heroes who live outside the law, T’Challa decides to put himself above the law. He sees himself as a high authority and someone who deserves his revenge no matter who gets in his way.
Should: Sparing Zemo
Thankfully, by the end of Civil War, T’Challa at least has a better understanding of the cost of revenge and works to better himself. After learning that Bucky is not the one who killed his father, T’Challa confronts the real killer, Zemo.
Affected by the damage Zemo’s plan has caused, T’Challa decides taking this man’s life will not solve anything. He stops Zemo from killing himself and brings him to justice the right way. Again, this shows T’Challa’s ability to understand his flaws better than most other heroes.
Shouldn’t: Almost Killing Klaue
Though sparing Zemo was an act of righteousness for T’Challa, he does not remain as righteous when hunting down Klaue in South Korea. They get in an extended chase scene in which T’Challa exposes himself to the world while also causing a lot of destruction.
Once he captures Klaue, T’Challa seems ready to kill the criminal and is only stopped by the fact that there are a lot of witnesses. Once again, T’Challa seems to let emotion override his better judgment. While it’s only human, it’s not a great quality in a leader.
Should: Charging Into Battle
Though he initially had his differences with Captain America, T’Challa is quick to open Wakanda to he and his fellow Avengers when the fate of the universe is on the line. As Shuri attempts to remove the Mind Stone from Vision, the rest of the Avengers go to battle against Thanos’ army.
T’Challa leads the Wakandan army into battle as expected, but his charge into the fight alongside Captain America is a truly heroic moment. Both men run far ahead of the rest and leap into battle like the true warriors they are.
Shouldn’t: Keeping His Father’s Secret
Shortly after taking the throne of Wakanda, T’Challa learns of a dark secret about his country and his father, T’Chaka, the former king. After T’Chaka’s brother betrayed his nation and tried to kill Zuri, T’Chaka was forced to kill him. However, instead of taking his now orphaned nephew to Wakanda, T’Chaka leaves him behind to maintain Wakanda’s secret.
When T’Challa learns of this, he is deeply upset and unsettled by his father’s actions. However, he still keeps the secret. Instead of trying to make amends with Killmonger, T’Challa repeats the same mistake of his father by trying to maintain the lie.
Should: Opening Wakanda
Though he opposes Killmonger’s extremism, he also understands where the man is coming from. He realizes that Wakanda has been selfish by holding on to their incredible resources while the people of their culture suffer all over the world.
In response to this learning, T’Challa opens Wakanda to the world. He begins sharing their resources and helping those less fortunate however they can. No longer worried about keeping what they have a secret, he understands that he can save the world in other ways.
Shouldn’t: Becoming King
You might think that T’Challa is the Avenger most prepared to take over as the leader of the team because he is also a king. Leading a group of superheroes must be easy compared to leading an entire nation. However, this is also a reason he is not a good candidate for the position.
T’Challa’s priorities are not in saving the world with the other Avengers, but rather in protecting Wakanda. He has a responsibility to his people and he’s unlikely to abandon that responsibility anytime soon. Being the leader of the Avengers would only be a side gig for him.
