Things fall apart
Black Panther is a 2016 comic book series from Marvel Comics. It's written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The series is the sixth volume of Black Panther.
The series is set in the shared Marvel Universe and part of the main Black Panther comic continuity.
T'Challa, the Black Panther, is struggling the lead the nation of Wakanda as an violent uprising of it's citizens has been started by a superhuman terrorist organization known as "The People".
Black Panther (2016) contains examples of the following tropes:
- And Then What?: It's revealed that Zenzi and Tetu's benefactor is the Iron Monger. However, Stane then points out something to Tetu:Tetu: It is not fear of my death that brings us together, Ezekiel Stane. It is fear of losing. Fear of tyranny extending itself, unchallenged, even one more day.
Stane: Have you ever actually seen someone drawn and quartered? (Pauses) Okay, here's the thing, you say you want a revolution, but are you ready for the future, friend? Let me tell you what is coming. Panic in the streets. Fire in the sky. Casualties. Agony. - Arc Words: Ta-Nehisi Coates' "A Nation Under Our Feet" arc has "No One Man", a phrase originally used by the Midnight Angels to protest that no one man should have power over all. It's later adopted by the philosopher Changamire. At the end of the arc, it's adopted as the creed of the new Wakandan government.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: In Black Panther (2016), T'Challa ignores the advice of evil foreign advisors who encourage him to brutalize the Wakandan people into submission. Kroawl concludes that T'Challa did so out of weakness, but Zenzi knows better.Kroawl: Of course, T'Challa refused all our advice, as we all knew he would. The man is a poor excuse for a king.
Zenzi: That is because he does not want to be a king. He wants to be a hero. - Gaia's Vengeance: In Black Panther (2016), Tetu believes himself to be an emissary of nature spirits who are offended by the environmental harm inflicted by humans.Tetu: Once when I was Tree, African sun woke me up green at dawn. African wind combed the branches of my hair. African rain washed my limbs ... Now Flesh comes with metal teeth, with chopping sticks and fire launchers. And Flesh cuts me down and enslaves my limbs to make forts, ships, pews for other gods. Flesh has grown pale and lazy. Flesh has sinned against the fathers. Now Flesh listens no more to the voice of spirits talking through my limbs. If Flesh would listen, I would warn him that the spirits are displeased and are planning what to do with him ... It is time that Flesh bow down on his knee again.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: Black Panther (2016) depicts the struggle for control of Wakanda in this light. Zenzi's revolutionary group, The People, provides for its members and longs to free Wakanda from the monarchy. However, their tactics involve a miner's riot, suicide bombers, and other acts of terrorism. T'Challa wants to restore peace and order to his country, but to do so, he consults evil men in issue #5.
- More Insulting than Intended: Anti-monarchy protester Aneka starts referring to King T'Challa as Harume-Fal, which means "orphan king", the idea being that his reign is not some divinely-ordained occurrence but merely the consequence of his royal father dying prematurely. This ends up earning her some backlash - as one of her advisors points out, orphans are traditionally rare in Wakanda, where a lack of wars, diseases, and famines means that most families expect to remain intact, and thus it's traditionally been assumed that anyone without parents came from a bad home. Therefore, in calling T'Challa an "orphan king", Aneka is not just insulting T'Challa himself, but also his entire family, including his revered parents. She is also unwittingly perpetuating the stigma against actual orphans, some of whom she'd hoped to attract to her movement.
- La Résistance: The Midnight Angels and their Dora Milaje allies lead a revolution in Wakanda in Black Panther (2016). They kill Man-Ape, raze the citadel of the White Gorilla's worshipers, and placed several Jabari tribesmen on trial. Afterwards, the Midnight Angels call for elections and write and enforce their own laws.
- Ripped from the Headlines: Black Panther (2016) has several examples.
- In issue #1, T'Challa faces off against rioting miners from Wakanda's vibranium mines, which ends with several miner casualties. The scene brings to mind the protests and violent clashes at South African mines in 2012, including the Marikana massacre.
- In issue #2, the Midnight Angels discover a militia group that has been kidnapping women and girls for use as sex slaves. The atrocities of Boko Haram immediately come to mind.
- Shout-Out: Tetu's internal monologue in Black Panther #3 (2016) is from poet Henry Dumas
' "Rootsong" - Spirit World: Black Panther (2016) explores Djalia, the plane of ancient memory. Shuri finds herself there, learning about the ancient ways of the Wakandans.
- We ARE Struggling Together: Black Panther (2016) depicts Wakanda as a nation torn by internal struggle. T'Challa must cope with mining strikes, militant groups, Zenzi's cult, and the increasing number of Wakandans who question the relevancy of their king. Also, the Midnight Angels oppose his rule and seek to protect the Wakandan people, believing that he cannot. Issue 3 reveals that they've recruited several dora milaje warriors to their side.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: The antagonists of Black Panther (2016) can be characterized as such. Zenzi and Tetu genuinely believe that they are acting in Wakanda's best interest by undermining its king.
- Deconstructed in Black Panther (2016) whenever T'Challa attacks his fellow Wakandans. After T'Challa neutralizes a miner's riot, readers see the unconscious bodies of miners littering the ground. Later, when T'Challa defeats the guards at Zenzi's hideout, he discovers that the guards' wives, children, and elders are now bereft of their providers.T'Challa: These men are responsible for crimes against your country. They will be brought to justice. Your king will provide for you.Woman: These men were providing for us.
- Wife-Basher Basher: Black Panther (2016) gives us Aneka and Ayo, the Midnight Angels. Aneka killed a tribal chieftain who had been sexually abusing girls in his village. In another issue, Aneka and Ayo slaughter a group of militants who had been kidnapping women and girls for use as sex slaves.
